The phrase “Kingdom of God” (or “Kingdom of Heaven” in Matthew) occurs about 100 times throughout the New Testament. The gospels are saturated with this idea, and Paul makes frequent use of it in his preaching (Acts) and throughout his letters. It has become common language in the church today to do things “for the kingdom,” or to be “kingdom minded.” But let us take a moment to ask the question:
What is the kingdom of God? What does this kingdom entail? Where can it be found? Are we awaiting the kingdom, or has it already arrived?
My working definition is this: the Kingdom of God is the rule, or reign, of God with and through His people with the aim of all creation being made new. Prior to the resurrection, Jesus’ earthly ministry foreshadows the renewal that the Kingdom is working towards. In Matthew 11:4-5, Jesus points towards His acts of renewal as proof that He is the promised Messiah. The lame walking, lepers cleansed, deaf hearing, dead raised, and blind seeing are all tangible results of creation being made new. Further, in John 3:3 Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless He is born again He will be unable to enter the Kingdom. “Born again” is a new creation language that we still use today while speaking of those in Christ. Progressing from these foretastes in Jesus’ ministry, the kingdom is then inaugurated with Christ’s resurrection from the dead. This death to life is a realization of new creation, and the resurrection is a foretaste of the renewal of all creation. From the resurrection and ascension onward, we see the ball rolling towards the end of all creation fully and finally being made new upon the second coming of Jesus.
Second Corinthians 5:17 shows that if anyone is in Christ, through faith they are then a “new creation” and a part of the Kingdom. Revelation 21 points towards the final new creation and restoration of all things that comes when Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom fully. Thus, the kingdom has been inaugurated and “already” exists, as seen in the renewal/new creation of believers, but has “not yet” been fully established as we await the second coming and are still faced with the brokenness of this world.
Let’s take a pause here and zoom out to ask: what exactly is needing restoration? Why is creation being made new?
If we look at the Garden of Eden, we see creation existing with complete shalom. A Hebrew word roughly translated as “peace,” shalom can be understood as harmony, flourishing, and completeness in all aspects of life. To break this down, we can understand humanity to have four types of relationships: with God, with others, with creation, and with ourselves. We see each of these relationships existing in harmony and wholeness in the Garden of Eden. God walks with Adam and Eve in the Garden and has no separation from them. Adam and Eve have no strife with each other. The garden is cooperative, fruitful, and abundant. Adam and Eve experience no shame internally despite their nakedness.
Then, in an instant, sin enters and shatters every aspect of shalom. We see the resulting curses fracture wholeness in each of these areas. Our relationship with God is fractured, as sin separates us from his presence and blinds us to the joy of communion with him. Our relationships with each other are fractured, as sin fosters selfishness, mistrust, and conflict. Our relationship with creation is fractured, as labor becomes toilsome and we exploit and neglect the world God entrusted to us rather than stewarding it with care and gratitude. Our relationship with ourselves is broken, as sin distorts our identity, instills shame in us, and leaves us restless. The beauty of the story we’re living in is God does not leave us in this state of shattered shalom. He has enacted a plan throughout history to redeem and restore his creation. Enter the work of Jesus and the inauguration of the Kingdom of God. We see the miracles of Jesus restore these aspects of Shalom, and we have hope as Christians because we know how the story ends. We see in Revelation 21 the picture of the New Creation, where this shalom is restored and we live in harmony and flourishing again, the way God intended.
So what does this mean for us today? How should we live in light of the Kingdom? What is our role in this story?
First, we can live with hope. As Christians, our hope is not to hang on long enough until this earth is thrown away and we are floating in clouds with the angels. Eternity is not going to be the bland image our culture often depicts. Our hope is in the end of the story we are given in scripture: new heavens and new earth, restoration of all things, and intimate communion with God. Today we’re able to identify the brokenness of this world, all the ways in which shalom is shattered around us, and understand why this is the case, and also hold onto hope that it will not be this way forever.
Second, we seek to cultivate shalom as co-laborers with God. While we await the final restoration of shalom in the new creation, the inauguration of God’s Kingdom means we are called to cultivate shalom in every area of life here and now. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:10 to pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Thus, we pray not for escape from the world but for God’s reign of justice and peace to break in here and now. In this, we share in God’s rule, serving as vice-regents of His creation. Just as Adam and Eve were entrusted with the care of the garden, we are called to participate in His purposes for the world today. You can find ways to cultivate shalom (wholeness, flourishing) today. Seek to bring restoration to your broken relationships. Care for God’s creation around you. Work to address the brokenness within yourself. And rest in the fact that in Christ, we are again in right standing with God. By God’s grace, we can be peace-makers in all spheres of our lives.
Third, we should continually immerse ourselves in this story by reading the scriptures. It’s only by knowing and remembering the story we’re living in that we can live the role we were intended to. The story you believe you’re living in inherently shapes how you operate. If you believe the story that we are nothing more than dust, here by chance, drifting through the galaxy without purpose or hope, then nihilism follows naturally; life is stripped of meaning, and nothing ultimately matters. Instead, we know the story we’re living in, and we know how it ends. It’s in this that we know our roles as co-laborers with God.
Grace and peace to you today as we seek to participate in God’s Kingdom, reflecting His justice, mercy, and peace while we await its full consummation in the new creation. Go forth and cultivate shalom.
Kyle Traber