What’s the difference?
The Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God & Heaven Eternal
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
This is the area (province) of heaven that is directly above the earth. This is the place from where Satan and his fallen angels are ruling the earth today. He was in the third heaven at one time, but was demoted to the second heaven when he wanted to have dominion over all of the provinces like God. He will continue to have dominion over the earth until the end of the 6,000 years from Adam (1st Peter 3:8) of man’s day. There will be seven years of man’s day remaining when Christians are going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air! Satan will be bound in a bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3) while Jesus Christ Messiah reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. Satan will then be set free at the end of that 1,000 years (Revelation 20:7) to deceive those who have been born during the 1,000 years.
Satan knew that man was created to have dominion, over the earth, in his place. He knew that he had to disqualify man, as he was disqualified, so he could continue to be the prince of the power of the air over the earth. God has an organizational structure in His way of government, known as theocracy. The ruling authority continues to rule, even after he has become disqualified, until another qualified ruler has been appointed and the time is right. (An illustration is the story of David and King Saul.)
Jesus Messiah Christ has been qualified by His victory over temptations and has been prepared to rule and reign, But the time is not right, yet! Jesus is now, through the work of the Holy Spirit, getting His team ready to rule and reign. He is also waiting for the Holy Spirit, whom God the Father has sent, to get a bride for Him. The bride will rule and reign with Him in His throne room over the earth. This will be for the 1,000 years while He is bringing the earth back to the garden of Eden condition. The joint heirs and the bride will be ruling from the throne room in heaven with Christ. The King of kings will also rule from His throne in Jerusalem, Israel, here on earth.
The two thirds of the godly angels, according to Hebrews chapter 2, it would seem, are going to be dispatched to some other province like the earth, in God’s kingdom. The judgment seat of Christ will determine who will replace the angels who have been watching over Christians during this dispensation. These angels are the two thirds who did not follow Lucifer, and I believe they will be the 24 (two thirds of the elders, older ones, older angels) who will willingly cast their crowns in Revelation 4:10. The other one third will be forced to give up their crowns as Satan will be forced to give up his crown before they are cast into the pit with him. The number three is representative of the complete group of angels who were ruling over the earth at Lucifer’s fall. One third (or 12) went with Lucifer and two thirds (or 24) remained faithful to God. You can see the devastation that has taken place on the earth. That’s because only two thirds of the workforce is trying to do the job of three. And, not only that, the other third is trying to hinder them with Satan’s help.
Think of the problem when we try to make a decision, an angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other shoulder, both politicking in our ears.
Christians are going to be judged, based upon their obedience to God, as to whether they have been faithful or unfaithful. The Godly angels have been trying to help us, but we have been distracted by the ungodly ones. It has been a constant battle. “We wrestle not with flesh and blood.” Ephesians 6:12!) The overcomers are going to be put in the position which the Godly angels held and the position which the ungodly angels were supposed to be filling.
The overcomers will be helping Christ bring this earth back to the way it was in Eden. Then, the plan of God will move forward as it was supposed to move before the fall of man. The overcomers in heaven will be working with the people of flesh and blood on the earth.
Christians who have laid up treasures in heaven in this life will possibly be in a position to help those on earth accomplish the will of God with those treasures. They will be told by the overcomers where the treasure is and know how the treasure can be used.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
The kingdom of God is the total sum of all of the provinces in God’s heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven over earth is only one province in the whole group of God’s provinces. Satan wanted to be in charge of all of these provinces like God. In fact, he told Eve that she could be like God and have dominion over all of these provinces, if she would eat the fruit.
There are created beings in charge of each of these provinces. In Job 1:6 and 2:1 they were having a regularly scheduled conference in God’s presence and Lucifer was with them. We are only allowed knowledge of things concerning Lucifer and the earth in this passage. We are not privy to what else was discussed in this closed session. It would be presumed that each prince would have been given the opportunity to discuss the status of the particular issues under their control at these regularly scheduled meetings.
Each prince would probably have scores of helpers to rule and reign in their respective province.
It would seem that according to Scripture, there is no other province that has beings in it like man, “created in the image of God”.
THE HEAVEN ETERNAL
This is the heaven before Adam & Eve and the heaven after Revelation chapter 22. This heaven consists of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God and whatever else.
The Kingdom of Heaven is going to continue for ages and ages without end. At the end of the 1,000 year restoration of the earth, Christ will present this earth back to His heavenly Father who is “all in all”. There will be a purifying fire to bring about the new heavens and the new earth.
All sin will be destroyed. There will be no more sorrow or sin or sickness. It will be the new garden of Eden! Christians will be brought out of their place of protection, like Noah, during the purification. They will be put back on the new earth and become like Adam & Eve.
Remember, God formed the earth to be inhabited (Isaiah 45:18). Satan would be the victor if reproduction, man and animal, was over at the end of the 1,000 year reign of Christ. This is a new beginning on the new earth. Jesus will continue to have dominion according to the reason God created it, “not in vain”.
Christians, all Christians, faithful and unfaithful alike have been now punished and purified during the 1,000 years of Christ’s reign. They will now have a part in the administering of God’s kingdom in the heaven eternal over the earth from heaven. There will be flesh and blood people inhabiting the earth and those overcomers of Revelation chapters 2 & 3 will be ruling from heaven over the earth.
That’s what we are to know about God’s plan for eternity! Remember what happened to Lucifer when you decide to get involved in the plans of God for eternity. He was demoted to the second heaven. We are already lower than that! Trust God and leave it to Him!
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