His Kingdom Is Within Us

By Troy Pomeroy

The topic of the “kingdom of heaven” has long been misunderstood by man. Our human nature leads us to look for a kingdom of this earth; a kingdom that we can see. None of us can fully understand or appreciate what His kingdom will be like. Jesus spent much time trying to teach His followers to be heavenly minded instead of being fixated on this current world. He also tried to show people that the One they had been waiting for had arrived. Sadly, many missed out on the fact that the Messiah was among them. And those who did understand who He is still misunderstood the realm of His kingdom.

Even with the benefit of 2000 years of history and scholarly research, we are not much closer in our understanding of His kingdom. We still focus on the present reality, our current physical needs, and the things of this world. And we need regular reminders to be heavenly minded.

The patriarch Jacob seems to have had a confidence in the kingdom. At the end of his days, after blessing each of his sons and Joseph’s sons, he made one last request. He wanted to be buried in Canaan, with his fathers, instead of in Egypt. (See Genesis 49-50) Egypt represented the world. But Canaan represented a promise made by God to Jacob and his fathers Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob had been promised that his number would greatly increase and his people would inherit the land. Jacob never saw these promises fulfilled. He couldn’t completely comprehend its meaning or how it would be carried out. Yet, he rested in confidence on a future unseen.

Jacob had a relationship with God that gave him confidence. He had wrestled with God and he had seen angels ascending and descending on a ladder from heaven. God had spoken to him and given him small glimpses of heaven. Those experiences would embolden anyone’s faith.

In many ways our journey toward the kingdom is like Jacob’s. Jesus spoke many parables about the kingdom of heaven recorded in the gospel accounts. He described it as seed a good man sowed in his field, yeast that a woman works into dough, treasure hidden in a field, a merchant looking for fine pearls, a net down to catch fish, a land owner paying wages to workers, a king preparing a banquet, among other things.

Jesus also taught that the “kingdom” was not what we would expect and will be very different than any earthly kingdom. His economy is different than ours. The first shall be last and the last shall be first. The meek shall inherit the earth. It is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom, and if we are to enter, we are to enter as children. The poor and the persecuted will inherit the kingdom. These are difficult things to understand. Indeed, the mysteries of His Kingdom are not meant to be fully understood until His kingdom comes. That’s why he said to only His closest few: "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Matthew 13:11-12

Glimpses of the kingdom come to those who seek Jesus and are closest to Him. The closer we get to Him, the more He reveals. Those who have the discipline, faithfulness and perseverance in seeking the things of God, receive greater revelations of things eternal. So the more we focus on Jesus and serve Him, the closer we get to an understanding of His kingdom. And like Jacob, we may not see it in this lifetime, but we can rest on God’s promises of a future and hope for us.

Perhaps the greatest hope concerning the “Kingdom” is what Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21: "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." We may not see it or fully understand it, but for those who follow Jesus, His kingdom is within us. We don’t have to wait to reap the benefits of our citizenship under the rule of the King of Kings. We can attend to kingdom business even now.

Troy Pomeroy writes from Eagle Point, Oregon. pastortroy@epacenter.com