Agape Christian Center

T H E D I F F E R E N C E B E T W E E N
T H E K I N G D O M O F G O D
A N D K I N G D O M O F H E A V E N

Luke 12:32 (MSG)
32 Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

kingdom - Gk - basileia - meaning “a realm,”

a. or “a region governed by a king”

1. Today, we have republics governed by the people.

Matthew 16:28 (KJV)
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

2. Here, it is referring to disciples seeing Him transfigured:

a. as He will be in the eternal kingdom

b. when it is set up at the second coming



3. Scripturally, there are three kingdoms mentioned in the Bible:

#1. The Kingdom God

#2. The Kingdom of Heaven

#3. The kingdoms of men

Matthew 4:8 (KJV)
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

4. The devil is the ruler of the kingdoms of men;

a. he is the present usurper of man's dominion

b. he is the "prince" and "god" of this world's systems

5. So what is the difference between

a. the Kingdom of God

b. and the Kingdom of Heaven


______________________________________________________

KOH = Kingdom of Heaven KOG = Kingdom of God
______________________________________________________

#1. KOH - JESUS IS ITS KING__________________________

1 Corinthians 15:28 (MSG)
28 When everything and everyone is finally under God's rule, the Son will step down, taking his place with everyone else, showing that God's rule is absolutely comprehensive—a perfect ending!

6. Jesus will turn His kingdom back to the Father.

KOG - GOD THE FATHER IS ITS KING_________________

7. Everything will return over to Him.


Psalms 145:13 (KJV)
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

#2. KOH - THE FATHER’S CURRENT RESIDENCE______

Matthew 23:22 (NLT)
22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.

8. It is from Heaven where the Father dwells:

a. but this portion is under Heaven where His throne is

b. and will be brought to Earth during the Millennium

c. at the end of the Millennium, Jesus will hand it over to the Father

1 Corinthians 15:24 (NLT)
24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.

9. Then it becomes submerged or absorbed into the kingdom of God forever.

KOG - IT WILL BECOME VISIBLE FOR ALL TO SEE____

10. In eternity, everyone will finally see it.

Daniel 2:44 (MSG)
44 "But throughout the history of these kingdoms, the God of heaven will be building a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will this kingdom ever fall under the domination of another. In the end it will crush the other kingdoms and finish them off and come through it all standing strong and eternal.


11. When it comes down to the Earth:

a. it will engulf / absorb the kingdom of Heaven forever

b. and annihilate the kingdoms and governments of humanity

Daniel 2:45 (MSG)
45 It will be like the stone cut from the mountain by the invisible hand that crushed the iron, the bronze, the ceramic, the silver, and the gold. "The great God has let the king know what will happen in the years to come. This is an accurate telling of the dream, and the interpretation is also accurate."

12. God will set up a kingdom on earth that shall never be destroyed.

13. It will break in pieces and consume or take over all the ten kingdoms

Daniel 7:13 (KJV)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14. Jesus stands before the Father.



Daniel 7:14 (KJV)
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

15. Jesus is givendominion, glory, and a kingdom.

a. this consists of people of all races

b. they will be His subjects throughout eternity

16. His kingdom:

a. is an everlasting dominion

b. it will exist forever

c. it cannot be destroyed, conquered or overtaken

Daniel 7:18 (NLT)
18 But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”

17. The Father turns it over to Jesus.

a. then Jesus turns it over to us

b. where we will rule and reign forever

#3. KOH - THIS KINGDOM IS TEMPORARY____________

1 Corinthians 15:24 (NLT)
24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.

18. Jesus submits to the Father’s eternal plan.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 (NLT)
25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

19. During His reign death will be defeated.

1 Corinthians 15:27 (NLT)
27 For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.)

20. So right now, Jesus is ruling the Kingdom of Heaven on behalf of the Father.



1 Corinthians 15:28 (NLT)
28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

21. When Jesus has defeated all enemies on behalf of the Father:

a. He humbles Himself to the Father’s authority

22. God once again becomes the Supreme Ruler over ALL of creation.

a. both in the heavens and on earth.

KOG - THIS KINGDOM IS ETERNAL___________________

Psalms 103:19 (KJV)
19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

23. This was before the beginning of “in the beginning”.

Colossians 1:16-17 (NLT)
16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

24. After His eternal throne was established, other thrones were created.

a. but there are no limits to His throne

#4. KOH - IT IS POLITICAL IN ITS RULE_______________

Isaiah 9:7 (NLT)
7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

25. This will be a process into subduing the nations.

Daniel 7:13-14 (NLT)
13 As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

26. This kingdom has rulership over the nations.

KOG - IT IS SPIRITUAL AND MORAL IN ITS RULERSHIP
***
John 3:5 (KJV)
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

27. Becoming born again grants access to the Kingdom.

Romans 14:17 (KJV)
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

28. Here we see both spiritual and moral attributes of the Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 4:20 (KJV)
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

29. Every word from God is backed up with power in this Kingdom.

#5. KOH - IT IS EXCLUSIVE TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE__

Ezekiel 43:7 (MSG)
7 He said, "Son of man, this is the place for my throne, the place I'll plant my feet. This is the place where I'll live with the Israelites forever. Neither the people of Israel nor their kings will ever again drag my holy name through the mud with their whoring and the no-god idols their kings set up at all the wayside shrines.

30. It is Jewish and exclusive.

a. toe the Jew first, then the Gentiles

Romans 2:10-11 (NLT)
10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

31. Remember, what was promised to them is also promised to us.

Luke 1:32-33 (NLT)
32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

32. Jesus will spearhead this Kingdom.

KOG - IT IS INCLUSIVE TO ALL OF HUMANITY________

Psalms 103:19 (NLT)
19 The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

33. This Kingdom governs all of creation.

1 Corinthians 15:28-29 (NLT)
28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. 29 If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?
34. The Kingdoms will merge and God the Father will rule over all of creation and humanity.

#6. KOH - IT WILL RULE OVER THE NATIONS_________

KOG - IT WILL RULE OVER ALL OF CREATION

35. Numerous scriptures have been given already to support these two points.

#7. KOH - IT HAS A TIME LIMIT______________________

36. It will end after the Millennium.

a. then it is presented to the Father

KOG - IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE___________________________________________________

37. It is eternal.

#8. KOH - IT STARTED WITH JESUS’ EARTHLY MINISTRY__________________________________ _________

Matthew 3:1-2 (KJV)
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

38. It includes only a portion of time and eternity.

KOG - IT INCLUDES ALL OF TIME AND ETERNITY_____

Psalms 90:2 (NLT)
2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
39. God and the Kingdom have always been.

#9. KOH - IT STARTED A LITTLE OVER 2000 YEARS AGO_____________________________________________

40. Remember, it started when Jesus became the Word made flesh.

KOG - AS LONG AS GOD HS BEEN, SO HAS THE KINGDOM___________________________________________

#10. KOH - ANYONE CAN JOIN THIS KINGDOM_________



Matthew 13:19 (KJV)
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

41. The Gospel is the “Word of the Kingdom”.

a. anyone can hear itand choose to receive it

Matthew 13:37-38 (NLT)
37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.

42. We choose to be seeds or weeds.

a. meaning that everyone has the potential to be in the Kingdom

KOG - YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN TO BE IN THIS KINGDOM________________________ ___________________

John 3:3 (KJV)
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

43. Only born again people have this special access.

#11. KOH - THIS KINGDOM MANIFEST PHYSICALLY___

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (MSG)
7 His coming will be the break we've been waiting for. 8 Those who refuse to know God and refuse to obey the Message will pay for what they've done. 9 Eternal exile from the presence of the Master and his splendid power is their sentence. 10 But on that very same day when he comes, he will be exalted by his followers and celebrated by all who believe—and all because you believed what we told you.

44. The kingdom of Heaven comes with outward show.

a. numerous verses support this

KOG - THIS KINGDOM IS MAINLY SPIRITUAL__ _______

Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

45. Living in/by the Spirit does produce material/physical benefits.

Romans 14:17 (MSG)
17 God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy.
#12. KOH - FLESH AND BLOOD DOES INHERIT THIS KINGDOM_____­­­________________________ ______________

Psalms 138:4-5 (KJV)
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. 5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

46. “Flesh and blood”doesinherit the kingdom of Heaven,

a. it is for earthly, natural people

47. Here we see the kings of nations partaking in the Kingdom during the Millennial Reign.

Isaiah 60:2-3 (KJV)
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

48. These Gentiles are not born again or else it would call them something else.

a. these are folks living outside the New Jerusalem

Daniel 7:18 (NLT)
18 But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”

49. You and I will be given this Kingdom...literally / physically.

a. this is when we will have our new glorified bodies (flesh)

KOG - FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERITTHIS KINGDOM__________________________________ _________

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV)
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

50. The kingdom of God is not inherited by “flesh and blood,”

a. those outside of the New Jerusalem

b. but by glorified saints who become heirs of all things

#13. KOH - WE HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD TO SEEK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN____________________________ _

51. Men are never told to seek the kingdom of Heaven.

a. there are no verses for this

KOG - WE ARE COMMANDED TO SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD__ __________________________________________ _

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

52. “Seek first” shows you it’s a priority.

53. We are told to seek the kingdom of God.

Luke 12:31-32 (KJV)
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

54. Seeking it has a payoff...

a. you will be given the Kingdom

55. Understanding the difference brings more clarity of the purposes of the Kingdoms.

56. Jesus will give the Kingdom f Heaven back to God the Father.

a. both Kingdoms will become one



57. The Father will then give the Kingdom of God to Jesus.

a. Jesus will then give the Kingdom of God to us


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