HAS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ALREADY COME?

When we study the scriptures, we find that John the Baptist, Jesus and the disciples all preached the same message. The kingdom of heaven is at hand!

Matt 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matt 10:7 And as ye (disciples) go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

is at hand is #1448 eggizo (eng-id'-zo); from 1451; to make near, i.e. (reflexively) approach:

It is important to understand that during the Gospels of the NT, the kingdom of heaven was approaching but had not manifested as of yet. Jesus was born under the Law. Jesus lived under the Law. Jesus died under the Law.

This understanding becomes very important as pertaining to what we call “the Lord’s Prayer”. That prayer would probably be more correctly called “The Disciples Prayer”. If you recall, the disciples came to Jesus and requested of Him, “Lord teach us how to pray”. Then Jesus instructed the disciples how they should pray. Here is Luke’s account.

Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

The question is, “Has the kingdom of heaven already come or are we still waiting and praying for the kingdom of heaven to come?

The church, which is the body of Christ, has by in large made a similar error as did the children of Israel. The Word of God promised the Messiah of the Jews would show up and The Word of God gave them a vast amount of prophecies concerning the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of OT messianic prophecies. However, when Jesus showed up, the Jews missed Him and they are still waiting for their Messiah to come. Hey ya’ll, the Messiah has already come!

Before we come down too hard on the Jews, let’s look at the church. In Matt 16, Jesus told the disciples that He would build His church. That is future tense at that point in time. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, “Heavenly Father, who art in heaven, thy kingdom come”. On the day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter 2, the kingdom of heaven and the church, which is the Body of Christ, both had their beginning. The church was born that day and the kingdom of heaven had its beginning on that day. However, the church by enlarge, is still praying “thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus was crucified, died and went into the heart of the earth and there received the wages for our sin debt. Jesus also defeated the Devil and his kingdom of darkness, death, hell and the grave. Jesus rose from the dead to newness of life with all authority and power in heaven and on earth and commissioned the future church with His power and authority in order for them to be able to operate in the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 28:18  And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power (#1849 exousia; authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway (all the way), even unto the end of the world (age). Amen.

In the scriptures it is stated that over 500 people witnessed the resurrected Jesus at one time. It would seem to be that group who witnessed His ascension. Jesus told that group to go to the upper room and wait for the promise of the Spirit. It would seem that only about 120 actually went to the upper room. That is about 25% of the group.

John 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

On the day of Pentecost, our Heavenly Father answered the prayer of the disciples of Jesus and sent the Spirit of Truth, which is the Spirit of Christ into each believer’s heart and they became born again. Also Jesus baptized each one of them with the Holy Spirit and empowered each one of them with power from on high just as Jesus had promised. There were approximately 120, who came out of the upper room at that time and begin to manifest the kingdom of heaven that day on the earth.

At that moment, the disciple’s prayer was answered! The kingdom of heaven came into existence and began operating the will of God through the newly formed church, which is the body of Christ. Those from the upper room began to manifest as Sons of God and priests and kings and do the will of God on the earth.

Should we as members of the body of Christ, which is the church, be praying differently at this time? It would seem that we should be thanking the Lord Jesus for keeping His promises.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thank you that your kingdom HAS come and therefore Your will SHALL be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank You that You have given us the authority and power to operate “the kingdom of heaven power” during this dispensation of grace here on the earth. You have given us authority over all the power of the enemy and You have given us the authority to bind and loose on the earth. Thank you that You have given unto the church the keys to the kingdom of heaven as You promised in Matthew 16:19.

Matt 16:18 And also I say to you thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 

2 Cor 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

In the church we hear about the millennial kingdom of a one thousand year reign on the earth with the Lord Jesus sitting on the throne of David as told to Mary by Gabriel In Luke 1:31-33 and also referenced in Revelation 20:6.

Luke 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one having a part in the first resurrection! Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years.

We should not get “the kingdom of heaven” as preached by John the Baptist, Jesus and the disciples confused with the “millennial kingdom of a thousand years” with Jesus on the earth on the throne of David in Jerusalem ruling and reigning with the believers on the earth for a thousand years. The kingdom of heaven started on the day of Pentecost and has lasted for almost two thousand years and will continue unto the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. The millennial kingdom is still for a future time.

Now is the accepted time for us to fulfill our role as priests and minister salvation i.e. healings, health, wholeness, soundness, preservation, safety, prosperity and deliverance from temporal evil for the body of Christ and to the lost.

Now is also the accepted time for the Body of Christ to manifest as the sons of God and to execute our kingship authority and our sonship authority against the Devil and his seed of evildoers, the wicked, workers of iniquity, bloody men, violent men, the transgressors and Satan’s kingdom of darkness and see their wickedness destroyed during this dispensation of grace, which is the time of the kingdom of heaven and is happening now!

Grace and Peace multiplied in the name of Jesus. 

Compiled by Jerry Thomas 07/27/2022

All scripture references are (KJV) unless otherwise denoted.

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