In Luke 11:20, Jesus cited, “If I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (NKJV).
Which means God’s power and miracles—like casting out demons—are signs of the Kingdom of God.Those miracles, signs, and wonders recorded in the Gospel Books further affirm that the Kingdom of God had arrived during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Luke 17:20-37 highlights that the Kingdom of God anticipates Christ’s return. The message of one being taken and another left behind in verses 34-37, should be interpreted as the rapture. Hence, the Kingdom of God begins with His earthly ministry, marked by signs, wonders, and miracles, and continues to unfold until its full manifestation at His return or the rapture.
This is identified by another teaching of the kingdom of God that Jesus likens Himself as a smallest mustard seed that falls and planted in the ground. It grows up and manifests as the biggest tree where birds build nests in its shade (Mark 4:30-32).
THE CHALLENGE
This perspective may challenge Cessationism’s stance that says healings, prophecies, signs, and wonders ceased with the early apostles. The fact is the period of “The Kingdom of God” accomplishes with the casting of demons, healing of sickness, etc continues till His coming again.
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Jesus, however, mentions another kingdom in Matthew 22, known as kingdom of heaven. It is about the wedding Feast for His son.
In the message many are invited, few accepted or undeserved for His Wedding Feast (Verse 8). At last, in verses 9-10, God the Father, pictures as the King gathers people from the streets.
The critical moment in the parable is when the king confronts the guest without proper wedding garments. Furiously, He instructs His servants or angels throwing those without wedding garments into the darkness.
The wedding garments should speak for individuals’ holiness, cleanness and purification. It is not about Christ’s righteousness and holiness. If the garments represent Christ’s imputed righteousness, no one would be excluded for the great wedding feast then.
The parable challenges believers to reflect on their spiritual readiness. God’s grace is abundant, but entering His kingdom of heaven calls for individuals’ righteousness.
Jesus’ concluding statement in the Matthew 22 parable, “Many are invited, but few are chosen” (verse 14), suggests a potential for exclusion or loss of salvation, which contradict with the “once saved, always saved” theological perspective.
Earlier, we conclude that the period of Kingdom of God lasts till His coming again, while the gathering of His brides; the true believers, almost at the end of the book of Revelation, after the last pour of the plagues (Revelation 21:9).
Furthermore, Revelation 19:7 is citing “Let us rejoice and be glad; let us praise his greatness! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared HERSELF for it (GNT).”
Key note is at the end of the verse that says, “His bride has PREPARED HERSELF for it”. It is about believers’ preparation. Not on God’s preparation. It highlights the active role of believers in aligning their lives with God’s will.
Should believers read the subsequent verse, that says, believers are giving the clean linen cloth. In the context that cloth represents – – – good deeds of His people
Revelation 22:14 leaves an interesting remark: “Happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates into the city (GNT).”
It sounds like the great feast is eating the fruit of the tree of life. The reference to washing one’s robes clean (Revelation 22:14) emphasizes individuals’ purification and righteousness. Only those who remain faithful cleansed should partake from the tree of life, which hearkens back to the garden of Eden.
SUMMARY
In summary, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are two different things and focuses. The kingdom of God encompasses Jesus’ earthly ministry, fully manifesting or growing like the mustard seed till His return, known as the rapture. In contrast, the kingdom of heaven is the ultimate reward for true believers who live according to God’s commandments. Amenbible
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