Is There A Difference Between The Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God

11/25/21, 5:46 AM Is There A Difference Between The Kingdom Of Heaven And Kingdom Of God?
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Is There A Difference Between The Kingdom Of

Heaven And Kingdom Of God?
by Jack Wellman · Print
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Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven and then the kingdom

of God. Are these the same and if not, what are the
differences between the two?
The King of the Kingdom Privacy - Terms
https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/is-there-a-difference-between-the-kingdom-of-heaven-and-kingdom-of-god/ 1/13
___ A kingdom is nothing without a king and our King is Jesus

Christ and we are told to seek first the kingdom above all
things (Matt 6:33) and this really means that we must seek
the King of that kingdom first and foremost. If we want to
know about the kingdom we must know about the King of
that kingdom and whether it is the kingdom of heaven or the
kingdom of God we are talking about. The King of both of
these is Jesus Christ but are these two the same kingdom or
are they different? Why does Jesus seem to mention two
Master Business Administration kingdoms? Aren’t they the same? If not, what’s the
difference and which kingdom are we to seek first?
Our online MBA programme is the
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The Kingdom of God

The gospel writers Mark and Luke wrote more about the kingdom of God while Matthew used the kingdom
of heaven and there are reasons for each of these writers using the different names for the kingdom. The
kingdom of God is used more frequently than is the kingdom of heaven and in fact, the kingdom of God is
mentioned 68 times and is double that of the kingdom of heaven (32) and there may be good reasons for that.
For example, the very first words out of Jesus’ mouth in His earthly ministry were “The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Matthew was writing to the
Jewish people as you can tell in the first chapter where he gives the Jewish lineage of Jesus Christ. This is
because the Jews didn’t typically use God’s name as it was deemed too holy to even pronounce. Since the
gospels of Mark, Luke, and John were not so much written to a Jewish audience, the word “God” is used
more often since the Greeks (Gentiles) were not hesitant to use the name of God. In the gospels of Mark,
Luke, and even John, we hear more about the kingdom of God and in speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus said
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3) and that
“unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5) so the kingdom
of God refers to those in the kingdom that must be born into it. The Greek wording for “born again” means
“born from above” and just like we had nothing to do with our choosing when and where to be born of our
mother, so too does God cause those of His own children to be born into this kingdom and be adopted by
Him (Eph 1). That doesn’t mean that we don’t have responsibility because we must repent and believe, as
Jesus said (Mark 1:15).
The Kingdom of Heaven

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As I mentioned above, Matthew uses the phrase “the kingdom of heaven” because it is a decidedly Jewish
gospel and it’s not written to the Greeks (or Gentiles) but to the children of Abraham. One such example is
where Jesus says “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:23).
Also, the Jews feared using God’s name for fear of misusing or mispronouncing His name. Jesus spoke a lot
more about wealth in the Gospel of Matthew because the Jews associated wealth with the favor of God and
of being more righteous than the poor but they couldn’t have been more wrong. John was certainly not rich
but in fact, poor (Matt 11:8) and Jesus referred to John the Baptist as the greatest of men born to women
(Matt 11:11) saying “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than
John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Jesus frequently used “the kingdom of heaven” in His many parables describing what the kingdom would be
like, what was involved in entering that kingdom, Who the Master of that kingdom was, and how many of
those who were born of Abraham’s seed and expected to be entering that kingdom by birthright would be
shut out of that kingdom. He angered the Jews one time by saying “I tell you, many will come from east and
west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven while the sons of the
kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
(Matt 8:11-12). Jesus also spoke about our need to be praying for God’s kingdom to come (Matt 6:10) and
that should be our prayer too.
Are there Differences?

We already know it is the same King of both where we read about the kingdom of God and the kingdom of
heaven. There is no confusion there but there may be differences in the way or in the place where these
kingdoms are referred to. Jesus seems to refer to the kingdom of heaven as an inauguration of a new
covenantal kingdom and the kingdom of God as the invisible theocracy under the sovereignty of God which
entails both the Old and the New Testament eras. I have read where some Bible scholars refer to the
kingdom of heaven as a physical or political kingdom where the kingdom of God is more about a spiritual
kingdom that’s coming of which Christ is to be King and more often refers to His coming reign.
Conclusion
Both the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are not separate entities or places even though they are
about specific applications to each kingdom as to the when and the where of each. In the end, the authors of
the gospels are more concerned with referring to different audiences but it is one and the same kingdom.
God’s kingdoms are ruled by God and specifically Jesus Christ Who is the King of all kings and kingdoms
and Lord of all lords and is Lord over all. If there is any difference or gap in these kingdoms, and I don’t
think that there are significantly, Jesus is still the King of the kingdom and will reign forever and ever.
That’s the most important part and the fact that we should all be on our faces and praying for His kingdom to
come and to be seeking the King of that kingdom above everything else in life and on earth.
Read more about the Kingdom here: What is the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven?
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright ©
2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Tagged as:
Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven
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Article by Jack Wellman
Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author and pastor of Heritage Evangelical Free
Church in Udall, KS & also a Prison Minister. He did his graduate work at Moody Theological Seminary.
His books are include: “Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children,“ “Do Babies Go To
Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?,“ "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and
“Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible."
Jack has written 1170 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Read them in the archive below.
If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. Thanks for
stopping by!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one } Privacy - Terms

Jim Schmechel
August 10, 2015 at 5:45 pm
Thank you pastor Jack for helping us with these two phrases.
I think your conclusion is excellent, and points us to what is most important. This world has many
distractions, and you help us to stay focused on what is of vital importance for eternity.
May the Lord bless you for all that you do!
Reply

Jack Wellman
August 10, 2015 at 5:48 pm
You, as always, are so kind. I had to really study hard on this one as it was harder than I
imagined it would be and had to go over every combination of the words “kingdom of God” and
“kingdom of heaven” and see which authors used them for it seems my brother that the authors
intended audience is all important. Besides, I am nothing, He is everything so we both know that
all glory goes to God and to Him alone. Thank you nonetheless my encourager.
Reply

Pamela Rose Williams
August 11, 2015 at 2:03 pm
Hi Jim, I just wanted to take a moment to thank your for your words of encouragement. I agree
Pastor Jack did a great job on this article. We are so blessed by the gift of exposition that he
shares at WhatChristiansWantToKnow.com.
Pamela Rose Williams
Senior Editor, WCWTK
Reply

DocReits
August 11, 2015 at 12:16 am
Amen Pastor Jack!
I believe that both the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are the same as you suggest.
Christians have many different ideas about what the Kingdom is though. I have not found any
completely satisfying. Robert’s is an excellent approach at clearing this confusion in the link you
provided at the end of your article.
I like things simple and the best way for my limited reasoning in trying to figure out the Kingdom of
God is simply to see it as the “Perfect Will and Purpose of God”. This fits all of those metaphors Jesus
used in Mt 13, from the seed to the dragnet to the leaven and to the pearl of great price.
God’s ultimate Will is that we will all be saved(1 Tim 2:4). Salvation or the born again experience is
when the Holy Spirit comes to reside within the believer. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is not a
location and we are told by Jesus not to seek it as such. “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!
for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”(Lk 17:21)
This is the great Mystery of God spoken of in (Col 1:26,27):

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“the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested
to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”
So maybe the Kingdom of God is simply “God’s Will” and the citizens of this Kingdom are the
“whosoever wills” and those outside the Kingdom are the “whosoever wont’s”. (Jn 3:16).
And perhaps in the Lord’s Prayer when Jesus taught us to pray “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be
done” He was not describing two different ideas but the same thought, restated for clarification.
Just my two cents as I struggle with the idea of the Kingdom. Thank you, once again for making me
think.
DocReits
Reply

Jack Wellman
August 11, 2015 at 7:44 am
Thanks brother. We can only view things in this side of the kingdom thru a glad darkly, right? I
wait, like you do, for that great day of the King and His righteous reign and may it come swiftly
my brother so I can finally meet you!
Reply

James Hoover
July 6, 2019 at 12:18 pm
It is NOT the same. I can direct you to a great utube channel to watch. Micheal Pearl and the 8
kingdoms. Watch at least the 1 and 2. It’s a big difference.
Reply

Jack Wellman
July 6, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Hello Mr. Hoover. There are not 8 kingdoms…only two. One is the kingdom of darkenss and the
other the kingdom of God or heaven (both the same). Please be warned about this Mr. Pearl
becasue there are some very serious errors that those who use their materials should be aware of.
In the topics listed at the No Greater Joy web site, “The Church” is glaringly absent. When
Michael Pearl speaks about the church it is almost always in a negative context. While the
family is the foundational unit in the church and society and is very, very important, I believe it
is possible to turn the family into an idol, when it is emphasized beyond biblical bounds and
when it becomes an end unto itself. My friends, the Bible plainly states that it is the church that
is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). Why doesn’t it say that the home is the pillar
and ground of the truth? And this is not some vague “universal” church. The context is a
scripturally organized assembly that has pastors and deacons (1 Tim. 3:1-14). The believer’s
service to the Lord is to be in and through such a church, in submission to God-ordained pastors
and elders (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:7, 17).
Any family that is not in proper relationship with and submission to God-ordained church
authority is not in the will of God (unless, of course, no such church exists in the area). I say this
on the authority of the Scriptures. I would ask such a family, “Who has the rule over you?” If the
reply is, “God does,” I would rejoin that God Himself says that church elders are to have the rule
over us (Heb. 13:17), not as lords over us but as under-shepherds who must, in turn, give
account to the Great Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:1-4).
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In fact, in his article “Sanctuary” (March 2005) he refers sympathetically to “several families”
who have “traded church attendance for a DVD player,” and he does not explain that this is
unscriptural.
Pearl complains that “church today is not a sanctuary from the world nor is it a ‘holy’ place.”
While I agree that too many churches are worldly from top to bottom, meaning that even the
leaders and workers are worldly, it is equally true that a scriptural New Testament church will
never be completely holy. If a church is reaching the world for Christ as it should, there will
always be unsaved and newly saved people in attendance who are not very holy, to say the least.
In fact, if we were to be honest with our own hearts, we would admit that there is plenty of
unholiness in the most mature of saints, as even the apostle Paul lamented in regard to his own
life. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present
with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom. 7:18). And the apostle John
added his Amen to this when he said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:9).
From what I’ve read and heard aabout Mr. Pearl, please distance yourself from this as he looks
down upon the church Jesus built and said the gates of hell will not prevail against it, but not so
with Mr. Pearl who feels a family gathering and a DVD are the same thing as coporate worship,
and they’re not.
Reply

Jeff
October 10, 2019 at 12:18 am
They are not the same. Matthew is the only one who uses the phrase Kingdom of Heaven. The others
purposefully avoid it. I won’t say why, because I am not permitted to do so. But you can rest assured,
the two kingdoms are different from one another. One clue is simply that Matthew uses both the
Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven. He’s not tired of using this one or that one. He is not trying
to be a good author by mixing it up; such a silly notion. He uses different terms because they are
different. People say they are the same because they don’t understand the difference. But the answer is
in the one Gospel that uses the term. Good Luck in finding the real meaning of the Kingdom of the
Heavens. It’s right under your noses and has been for almost 2000 years.
Reply

Jack Wellman
October 10, 2019 at 2:20 am
It is not right under our nose, but in the context and audience to whom it was written. It is
obvious that Matthew was written to the Jews and the Jews were avoidant of using God’s name
and heaven and God were synonomous with God so they are not different but the very, exact
same because of who Matthew was writing to. Why would there be two kingdoms when there is
only one New Jerusalem coming. Your opinion is wrong. If what you were say is right, then
there would be two New Jerusalems, which of course we know is not right. We don’t nee dluck
to find the real meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven….we just need a Bible. You are in error. A
good study Bible will clear this up for you.
Reply

Jason
January 7, 2020 at 12:41 am
Hey brother, I’m not saying I’m in agreement or disagreement with your thorough explanation of this
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topic, and I appreciate your explanation. But I just have a few questions…
If the KINGDOMS of GOD and of HEAVEN are the synonymous, then why aren’t the definitions of
GOD and Heaven synonymous? As we know, GOD always was, is, and will always be, but Heaven
was created and will be destroyed and will be recreated anew. Also if they’re synonymous then in
every scripture that one is used in, the other should make sense in its place, but Matthew 6:33 for one
wouldn’t make sense. I’m not arguing the truth, just trying to fully understand it. And I know that
HOLY SPIRIT is the revealer of revelations, but with all learned theology and doctrine aside, I would
like to hear your response. GOD’S BLESSINGS TO YOU, MAN OF GOD!!!
Reply

Bob
March 1, 2020 at 1:10 pm
Jason, perhaps it would help to understand language a little better. If I say I’m going to take care
of my better half, we all understand I’m using an indirect way of referring to my wife. Nobody,
except perhaps a small child, thinks I’m talking about my left half vs. my right half or my top
half vs. my bottom half. Language is complex and its meaning is based on social constructs.
Trying to make arguments that ignore accepted social constructs is illogical.
Reply
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11/25/21, 5:46 AM Is There A Difference Between The Kingdom Of Heaven And Kingdom Of God?

What Christians Want To Know

Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More

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5 Bible Verses That

Is There A Difference Between The Kingdom Of

Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven and then the kingdom

The King of the Kingdom Privacy - Terms

___ A kingdom is nothing without a king and our King is Jesus

perfect starting-point for a

successful career as a leader

The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of Heaven

Are there Differences?

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True Identity? Kingdom of

God or… Sale Teaching?

Personally? Bible? the Bible… Happened…

Article by Jack Wellman

{ 11 comments… read them below or add one } Privacy - Terms

Pamela Rose Williams

Senior Editor, WCWTK

Amen Pastor Jack!

This is the great Mystery of God spoken of in (Col 1:26,27):

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