If I were to ask you what the kingdom of God is like, how would you explain it to me? By the way, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are one in the same.
It is difficult for any human to give a clear picture of the kingdom of God because we haven't seen it. It is in a realm that is invisible to us. Yeshua Jesus on the other hand knows exactly what it looks like because He came from that realm to live with us as a human for a short while and has returned to His place there.
John 3:9-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man (Yeshua Jesus)
In this 3rd chapter of John, Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus about the way we humans can see, enter, the kingdom of God and to understand.
John 3:3 New International Version (NIV)
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
This idea of being born again is a difficult thing to understand. Most of us , like Nicodemus, probably would say, "What???? How can I be born again?"
First, let me talk about a kingdom. Here is the definition from the Merriam - Webster dictionary.
It is difficult for any human to give a clear picture of the kingdom of God because we haven't seen it. It is in a realm that is invisible to us. Yeshua Jesus on the other hand knows exactly what it looks like because He came from that realm to live with us as a human for a short while and has returned to His place there.
John 3:9-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man (Yeshua Jesus)
In this 3rd chapter of John, Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus about the way we humans can see, enter, the kingdom of God and to understand.
John 3:3 New International Version (NIV)
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
This idea of being born again is a difficult thing to understand. Most of us , like Nicodemus, probably would say, "What???? How can I be born again?"
First, let me talk about a kingdom. Here is the definition from the Merriam - Webster dictionary.
Full Definition of kingdom
- 1archaic : kingship
- 2: a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen
- 4a : a realm or region in which something is dominantb : an area or sphere in which one holds a preeminent position
- 5a : one of the three primary divisions into which natural objects are commonly classified — compare animal kingdom, mineral kingdom, plant kingdomb : a major category (as Plantae or Protista) in biological taxonomy that ranks above the phylum and below the domain
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- As I studied about kingdoms in my Bible Encyclopedia, I also looked up king and found out something very interesting.The Hebrew name for king is "melekh" and/or "malakh" meaning "to reign" "to be king". They have different meanings depending on the language. In Arabic it means "to possess", "to reign," and the possessor is also "lord" and "ruler". In the Aramaic and Assyrian, "melekh" means council and in the Syrian "to consult". So, another way one might look at seeing or enter into the kingdom of God would be to enter into the council of God where Jesus is the counsellor or teacher. When you couple this with what John 17:3 says about "eternal life" that it is to know (absolutely) the One True God and Jesus Christ, you can see how this fits.
- Another thing that is evident when we look at both these chapters in John, 3 and 17, is that God is the one who chooses those who are to enter into His council.
- John 3:5-8Common English Bible (CEB)
- 5 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 God’s Spirit[a]blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 17:1-5Common English Bible (CEB)
Jesus prays
17 When Jesus finished saying these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son can glorify you. 2 You gave him authority over everyone so that he could give eternal life to everyone you gave him. 3 This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. 4 I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created.
- Again, how does one enter into the kingdom or counsel of God? It is by the Holy Spirit (living water). To me, it all boils down to understanding. If you can understand this, you can enter or you are in the kingdom of God. It seems to me that there comes a time when anyone can ask for and receive the living water but this may be after judgement.(Revelation 22:17)
Revelation 22:17New International Version (NIV)
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
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