What Is the Kingdom of God?

The phrase “Kingdom of God” is one we hear regularly in church culture, but the fullness of the Kingdom is not always realized or understood.

Oftentimes, people think of the Kingdom as a place, associating it with heaven, somewhere we will one day go. While that is not entirely incorrect, it does not fully capture what the Kingdom of God is. Others think of it in vague or abstract terms, without a clear understanding of what it actually means, how we access it, or what we are really praying when we say, “Thy Kingdom come.”

Many years ago, in South Africa, there was a story circulating about a Christian that had been visited by an angel. The angel stood in front of him, held up his hand right in front of the man’s face, inches away, and said, “the Kingdom of God is this close.”

Everyone cried, “Revival! Revival is coming. The Kingdom is so close, it’s almost here.” Some even thought it meant the rapture. And we all waited to see what would happen.

But things continued as they were and many walked off disappointed, forgetting the word.

When I look back on this now, I see it from a different perspective. Because it’s not dissimilar to the words Jesus used when he walked on earth, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” I’m not downplaying that was a unique time in history when Jesus ushered in a new covenant. Heaven touched earth, forever changing our relationship with God. It was pivotal. But, I do believe the message is still the same. The Kingdom of God is at hand. The Kingdom of God is “this close”.It’s right here.

What then is a kingdom?

Most governmental structures on earth have moved away from kingdoms, so we tend to think of them as ancient, or confined to children’s fairy tales. Even so, when I think of the word kingdom, I immediately think of one thing: a king.

A king needs a kingdom to rule, and a kingdom needs a king.

If we apply that to the Kingdom of God, we can see that where the King rules, the Kingdom is present. This is the doorway to understanding what the Kingdom of God is, and how we can begin to see, “Thy Kingdom come.”

When Jesus walked this earth, He did only what He saw His Father doing:

Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19)

And He not only told us with words that the Kingdom of God is at hand, although He did this frequently, but Jesus demonstrated it by showing us practically how the Kingdom of Heaven invades the realm of this earth.

It looked like

“…preaching the good to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, releasing prisoners from darkness, comforting all who mourn…” (Isaiah 61, paraphrased).

Jesus came to bring victory over the dominion of darkness by bringing Heaven to earth and establishing the rule and reign of the long-awaited King. Not only for the Jewish people, but over all creation. His rule begins in the unseen realm of the Spirit, breaking into the natural realm, influencing and transforming it.

So then, the Kingdom of God is not primarily a geographical location (confined to Heaven), a place we go to one day when we graduate into glory. Rather, the Kingdom of God is the active rule and reign of God in the hearts and lives of people who have surrendered to the King.

The Rule and Reign of God

If the Kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God, then what does it actually mean for God to rule?

It means authority. The Kingdom is present wherever God’s authority is acknowledged and submitted to. Where the will of God is not contested. It speaks the language of a King, of rule, and dominion.

This means the Kingdom of God is not something we simply believe in. It is something we come under.

It is possible to speak about the Kingdom, even to be familiar with the language of it, and yet still live as though we are in charge of our own lives. Christians do this every day, and we’ve all been guilty of this. But if we truly want to see the Kingdom of God on earth, we need to bow the knee to the King.

God’s rule is not symbolic. It is not partial or something that fits alongside our own preferences. Rather, it is our own preferences submitted to His, and if there’s a clash, ours is thrown out.

Jesus’ message was repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. We so often separate these ideas, but they are intertwined. Repentance is not “stop doing bad things” but a turning of the heart that acknowledges the authority of the King. It is laying down the right to rule our own lives, in order to walk in surrender to His.

Where God’s Word is received, believed, and obeyed, His Kingdom is established. The Word itself carries His authority. It reveals His will, His ways, and His nature. It is infused with power, so that when we speak it with faith, His Kingdom comes.

The Kingdom of God is not built on human opinion, cultural values, or personal preference. It is governed by the unchanging truth of who God is and what He has said. And as we, by faith, align ourselves, our words, our beliefs with God’s Word, we establish His Kingdom in our lives.