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No doubt God's faithful have all wondered about and meditated upon this big subject over time and reached the conclusion that we will just have to wait and see. We are given glimpses of the Kingdom of God through reading our Bibles which is our primary source for truth and rightly so for our imaginations may run wild. Even though we want to know more about the future and how living in God's Kingdom will benefit us and others, it is rather obvious that God does not reveal everything to us for now. Some may view this as a disadvantage while others see it as a huge advantage because we enjoy the anticipation of what God has in mind for the whole of humanity on an eternal scale. These supernatural gifts of eternal life can stretch our thinking matter to their limits as we are familiar with physical limitations on a finite system under which we presently live.
If we asked each individual in our congregation what they thought the coming Kingdom of God will be like there would be different answers and these may surprise us in their diversity despite having the same source to learn from. Some may say "peaceful, joyful, fun, full of love and care for others" while some may focus on what will not be there such as pain and suffering. Then there would be a combination or balance of both — for me it would be the absence of death and the fact that all will be healed and made healthy — somewhat predictable you might say seeing that most of my working life involved caring for others as a Registered Nurse. During these 30+ years death became a regular fact of life after going through the traumatic experience of the death of my mother who succumbed to the ravages of cancer at 36 short years of age. It would depend on our life experiences and what is important to each individual, no doubt. How about yourself? Do you regularly give much thought to what it will be like and what you might be doing? Do you think we would become bored if everything is "too perfect" day after day stretching over the horizon of infinity and beyond with continuous work to do? This topic has recently been on my mind and as usual God had the answers for me.
We will definitely not become bored for this is faulty human logic that has no place outside of this human realm. It makes perfect sense for our enemy to place negative thoughts in our minds so that we drop our healthy Kingdom focus and extend this into fearful thoughts of the unknown by crossing over an invisible line. Yet if we keep our focus we see that God has given us enough information especially in the gospel section of the New Testament where Jesus Christ's words are recorded for us to draw from. Reading through Matthew, Mark, and Luke we can read "The Kingdom of Heaven/God is like"... Have you ever read and counted how many times Jesus said this to His disciples? Does it matter? It matters to me so I went ahead and counted all of these up. More importantly when reading all these teaching moments the focus went to what Christ was actually saying. Repetition is good for us and all the different ways Jesus said what He had to say makes it even more interesting as it involves a collective of information. Out of all the statements He made referring to "The Kingdom of God is like" it is challenging to choose only one as a favourite therefore they are all included here for consideration. No doubt about it, we will love everything about God's soon coming Kingdom. Let's visit the book of Matthew first as he has the most recorded for us to read and meditate upon.
Matthew 13:24-30 "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn'”.
Matthew 13:31-32 "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches".
Matthew 13:33 "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened".
Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field".
Matthew 13:45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it".
Matthew 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth".
Matthew 18:23-35 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 'But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 'So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses. '”
Matthew 20:1-16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the labourers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Matthew 22:2-14 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Matthew 25:14-30 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"
Mark 4:26-29 "And He said, 'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.'”
Mark 4:30-32 "Then He said, 'To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade. '”
Luke 13:18-19 "Then He said, 'What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches. '”
Luke 13:20-21 "And again He said, 'To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened. '”
There are many more instances of where Jesus taught His disciples about the Kingdom of God or Heaven (these are interchangeable) without saying "The Kingdom of God is like" and it is a great study to do when unhurried and relaxed as they are strategically peppered throughout the New Testament but mainly condensed in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. After searching these out carefully it might be a lot easier to go to a red letter edition Bible where Christ's words are printed in red ink — these were initially known as rubricated editions. All the very best in gathering up all the information on the Kingdom of God/Heaven in order to "paint" a big picture of what awaits us after Jesus Christ returns. It truly is a fascinating discovery and one we all need to make in order to keep our steady focus on the "big picture". For me, God's message is that there will be one united God family with countless family members stretching over the whole of an unlimited, vast universe, therefore imagine the diversity of people we will be helping and teaching to live God's way throughout the millenium and beyond. To wrap our minds around this is not easy, but no matter for God will be there to supervise and help us for I have come to learn that He is the best, most perfect and ultimate Supervisor. We will never ever get bored and furthermore, we will delight in teaching them as we will have all physical limitations removed. Just wait and see!
Included here at the conclusion of this article is a link to the inspired writing from Mr. John Ross Schroeder about The Kingdom of God. He writes truth with precision and provides a most wonderful study full of scriptures that will help you in your quest to enter into God's Kingdom. You will indeed be blessed from reading what he has to say as he deftly expounds on scripture.
https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/how-can-you-be-part-of-the-kingdom-of-god