NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God, Hebrew מלכות השמים, malkhut hashamayim, Greek βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ basileia tou theou) is a key concept detailed in all the three major monotheistic religions of the world — Islam, Judaism and Christianity. It refers to the reign or sovereignty of God over all things, as opposed to the reign of earthly or satanic powers. Hebrew (×¢Ö´×‘Ö°×¨Ö´×™×ª â€˜Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than seven million people in Israel and Jewish communities around the world. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people with around 15 million followers as of 2006. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the manifestations of the ultimate reality or God in Hinduism This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

The Kingdom in Christianity

The idea of God's Kingdom is found predominantly in the New Testament, specifically the Synoptic Gospels. The kingdom is a spiritual kingdom that people willingly enter through belief, spiritual rebirth, and carrying out the will of God. It is a kingdom peopled by the righteous, among whom the humble will be the greatest, and stands in stark contrast to the only other kingdom available to people: the kingdom of Satan. John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... The Synoptic Gospels is a term used by modern New Testament scholars for the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke of the New Testament in the Bible. ...

The Kingdom of God is a term used interchangeably with Kingdom of Heaven in the Synoptic Gospels. Matthew usually uses the term "Kingdom of Heaven", while Luke and Mark use "Kingdom of God". The standard explanation for this is that Matthew's Gospel was addressed to a Jewish audience who would avoid the direct use of the name of God. Mark and Luke addressed their gospels to a more general audience who would be unfamiliar with the term "Kingdom of Heaven". Heaven is an afterlife concept found in many religions or spiritual philosophies. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally: according to Matthew, Greek: ÎšÎ±Ï„Î¬ ÎœÎ±Î¸Î¸Î±Î¯Î¿Î½ or ÎšÎ±Ï„Î¬ ÎœÎ±Ï„Î¸Î±Î¯Î¿Î½ ) is one of the four Gospel accounts of the New Testament. ... The Gospel of Luke is the third of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. ... The Gospel of Mark is traditionally the second of the New Testament Gospels. ...

Some premillennialist interpreters believe that "Kingdom of Heaven" refers to the millennial kingdom of God, while "Kingdom of God" refers to His universal reign. However, most interpreters, including many premillennialists, believe that there is no basis for such a distinction. This article specifically relates to Premillennialism in Christian eschatology, for political millenarianism and other uses of the word see Millenarianism Premillennialism in Christian eschatology is the interpretation of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation in the Bible which sees Christs second coming as occurring before or pre- his...

Historian H. G. Wells wrote: "This doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven, which was the main teaching of Jesus, and which plays so small a part in the Christian creeds, is certainly one of the most revolutionary doctrines that ever stirred and changed human thought." H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 â€“ August 13, 1946) was a British writer best known for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, The Island of Doctor Moreau and The Time Machine. ... Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE â€” 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ...

Jesus Seminar scholars have translated the phrase "Kingdom of God" as "God's imperial rule", or sometimes "God's domain", to better grasp its sense in today's language. The Jesus Seminar is a controversial research team of about one hundred academic New Testament scholars founded in 1985 by the late Robert Funk under the auspices of the Westar Institute. ...

Present aspect

The Gospels describe Jesus as proclaiming the Kingdom as something that was "at hand", and forcefully advancing since the days of John the Baptist, and not merely a future reality (see Mark 1:15). The reported activity of Jesus in healing diseases, driving out demons, teaching a new ethic for living, and offering a new hope in God to the poor, it is understood to be a demonstration of that Kingdom in action. Having the Messiah, the King of the Jews, with them, is of course one aspect of the Kingdom: the King had come to represent His Kingdom. By His sinless life, and through His miracles, He also demonstrated what the Kingdom of Heaven would be like. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Failure of John the Baptist. ...

Jesus treated the subject with great importance, so that in the Lord's Prayer, he said it should be the second most important subject in prayer (Matthew 6:9-10). The Kingdom of God is referred to 36 times in the book of Matthew alone, primarily in parables beginning with phrases such as "The kingdom of heaven is like...". Jesus maintained the importance of seeking The Kingdom throughout his ministry (Matthew 6:33; Mark 9:43-47). Following his resurrection, the kingdom of God was the centerpoint of the teaching of the Twelve Apostles and Paul of Tarsus as they carried the message out to the gentiles. Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Lords Prayer The Lords Prayer, sometimes also known amongst English speakers as the Paternoster, a term derived from the first two words in Latin versions, is probably the best-known prayer in Christianity. ... The Gospel of Matthew is one of the four Gospels of the New Testament. ... According to the Trinitarian interpretation of the New Testament, Jesus was both human and God, so he had the power to lay his life down and to take it up again; thus after Jesus died, he came back to life. ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek Î±Ï€ÏŒÏƒÏ„Î¿Î»Î¿Ï‚ apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... Saul, also known as Paul, Paulus, and Saint Paul the Apostle, ( 3 â€“ 67) is widely considered to be central to the early development and spread of Christianity, particularly westward from Judea. ... A Gentile refers to a non-Israelite; the word is derived from the Latin term gens (meaning clan or a group of families) and is often employed in the plural. ...

The Kingdom of God also refers to the changed state of heart or mind (metanoia) within Christians (see Luke 17:20-21), emphasizing the spiritual nature of His Kingdom by saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within (or among) you." ...

Jesus' use of "Kingdom of God" language can be contrasted with that of the first century ADJewish revolutionaries who believed that the Kingdom was a political reality, that would come about by the violent overthrow of Roman rule and its replacement by a Jewish theocracy. Zealotry denotes zeal in excess, referring to cases where activism and ambition in relation to an ideology have become excessive to the point of being harmful to others, oneself, and ones own cause. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... The term theocracy is commonly used to describe a form of government in which a religion or faith plays the dominant role. ...

In Roman Catholic theology, the Kingdom of God can also refer to the Church. Protestants, however, believe that the Church is the instrument by which the Kingdom is manifested, but is not synonymous with the Kingdom itself. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Few modern evangelical scholars since George E. Ladd view the concept of the Kingdom of God as pertaining in its realm exclusively to the heart of believers, where the commandments of God are proclaimed, heard and observed. Instead, the phrase "inaugurated eschatology" has achieved near consensus among evangelical interpreters as expressing the essence of the present/future tension inherent in the teaching of Jesus and the apostles regarding the kingdom of God. "Inaugurated eschatology" posits that Jesus Christ, through his epochal incarnation, death, resurrection, and exaltation has ushered in the messianic age so that the kingdom of God may be understood to be present in an incipient fashion, while at the same time awaiting consummation in the future age following the parousia of Christ. The regal authority of Jesus, in addition, possesses dominion not only over believers (in the church) but over the cosmos itself, though this latter reign remains veiled until the Second Coming.

In Roman Catholicism, Jesus's proclamation of the Kingdom of God is one of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Our Lady of Lourdes - Mary appearing at Lourdes with Rosary Beads The Rosary is a string of beads used to count prayers. ...

Future aspect

The present fulfillment of the Kingdom was treated by Jesus as a provisional foretaste of a greater, future reality.

The future aspect of the Kingdom is the belief of a future, post-apocalyptic implementation of God's theocratic rule, especially in a premillennialist interpretation of the prophetic genre of scriptural texts. Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the manifestations of the ultimate reality or God in Hinduism This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Theocracy is a form of government in which a religion and the government are allied. ... Millennialism (or chiliasm), from millennium, which literally means thousand years, is primarily a belief expressed in some Christian denominations, and literature, that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth where Christ will reign prior to the final judgment and future eternal state, primarily derived from the book...

The tension between the present and future aspects of the Kingdom has been referred to as "the now and the not yet" of God's Kingdom. Traditionally, Catholicism, Liberal Christian and Pentecostal denominations have tended to emphasize its present aspect, while conservative Fundamentalists and evangelicals have emphasized its future aspect. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Roman Catholic Church. ... For Christian theological modernism in the Roman Catholic Church, see Modernism (Roman Catholicism). ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as shown in the Biblical account of the Day of Pentecost. ... In comparative religion, fundamentalism has come to refer to several different understandings of religious thought and practice, through literal interpretation of sacred texts such as the Bible or the Quran and sometimes also anti-modernist movements in various religions. ... The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of conservative Christianity, typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to cultural issues. ...

Occasionally, some groups, such as Sabbatarians or Adventists reject the idea of a present Kingdom of Heaven as interpreted by other groups, instead preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven existing only in heaven, but will later be extended over the Earth after the Second Coming of Jesus. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The term Adventist can refer to One who believes in the Second Advent (usually known as the Second coming) of Jesus. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The Kingdom in Islam

For Muslims, belief in the kingdom of heaven revolves around the holy land of Jerusalem. In Islam, Jerusalem is the third most holy site after Makkah and Madina, both located in current day Saudi Arabia. A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: Yerushalayim; Arabic: al-Quds; Greek Î™ÎµÏÎ¿ÏƒÏŒÎ»Ï…Î¼Î±; Latin Aelia Capitolina) is an ancient Middle Eastern city on the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea at an elevation of 650-840 meters. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: Yerushalayim; Arabic: al-Quds; Greek Î™ÎµÏÎ¿ÏƒÏŒÎ»Ï…Î¼Î±; Latin Aelia Capitolina) is an ancient Middle Eastern city on the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea at an elevation of 650-840 meters. ... Mecca or Makkah (in full: Makkah al-Mukkaramah; Arabic مكة المكرمة) is revered as the holiest site of Islam, and a pilgrimage to it is required of all Muslims who can afford to go. ... This article is about the Saudi city of Medina. ...

Muslims believe that by name Jerusalem suggests "a place of peace" and corresponds closely to the Muslim concept of the sacred; a place where peace reigns and conflicts are excluded. Islam holds a great estimation as the location of many vents associated with the life of Jesus. From that day, Jerusalem has had a very important spiritual meaning for Muslims, not only being the first Qibla but also the mystical experience of the Islamic prophet Muhammad's ascension to heaven (Isra). Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE â€” 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (helpÂ· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ...

The Kingdom in Judaism

The Kingdom of God is referred to frequently in the Tanakh (see 1 Chronicles 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 and Daniel 4:3 for example). It is tied to Jewish understanding that God will intervene to restore the nation of Israel, and return to rule over them. The Kingdom of God was expressly promised to the patriarch and prophet, King David, because he was a man "after God's own heart"; and God made the Davidic Covenant with King David, promising him that he would "never lack a man to sit upon His throne, forever". This has been interpreted by believing Jews and Christians to mean that "King David's descendants, or his Descendant, the Jewish Messiah of Israel, would sit upon the Throne of David and rule for eternity". Tanakh [×ª× ×´×š] (also Tanach, IPA: or ) is an acronym that identifies the Hebrew Bible. ... (Redirected from 1 Chronicles) The Book of Chronicles is a book in the Hebrew Bible (also see Old Testament). ... Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... A prophet is a person who has directly encountered God, of whose intentions he can then speak. ... This page is about the Biblical king David. ...

See also

Look up Apocalypse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Christ King is a slogan used by Christians who pursue a theocracy. ... Heaven is an afterlife concept found in many religions or spiritual philosophies. ... The 1st English edition of The Kingdom of God is Within You, 1894 The Kingdom of God is Within You is a non-fiction work written by Leo Tolstoy and was first published in Germany in 1894, after being banned in his home country of Russia. ...

External links

Categories: Bible | Jewish Christian topics | Luminous Mysteries Heaven is an afterlife concept found in many religions or spiritual philosophies. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. ... Empyrean (from the Med. ... The Fall of Man by Lucas Cranach, a 16th century German depiction of Eden The Garden of Eden (from Hebrew Gan Ä’den, ×’Ö·Ö¼×Ÿ ×¢Öµ×“Ö¶×Ÿ) is described by the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man - Adam - and woman - Eve - lived after they were created by God. ... Paradise, by Jan Bruegel The word paradise is derived from the Avestan word pairidaeza (a walled enclosure), which is a compound of pairi- (around), a cognate of the Greek peri-, and -diz (to create, make), a cognate of the English dough. ... The Pearly gates, in Christianity, is an informal name for the gateway to Heaven, inspired by the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:21â€” The image of the gates in popular culture is a set of large, white, wrought-iron gates in the clouds, guarded by Saint Peter. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In Islam, the houri (Arabic , pl. ... Sidrat al-MuntahÄ (Arabic: Ø³Ø¯Ø±Ø© Ø§Ù„Ù…Ù†ØªÙ‡Ù‰ ) is a lote tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass, according to Islamic beliefs. ... // Greek mythology consists in part in a large collection of narratives that explain the origins of the world and detail the lives and adventures of a wide variety of gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines. ... In Greek mythology, Elysium was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the Greek word Elysion). ... The Fortunate Isles, also called the Isles (or Islands) of the Blessed (makarÃ´n nÃªsoi). ... Arcadia is a poetical name for fantasy land (having more or less the same notation as Utopia ), named after the Greek land. ... Plato describes The Form of the Good in his book, The Republic, using Socrates as his mouth piece. ... Valhalla as portrayed in the animated film Valhalla In this illustration from a 17th century Icelandic manuscript Heimdallr is shown guarding the gate of Valhalla. ... Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple; see Etymology below) is a legendary island somewhere in the British Isles, famous for its beautiful apples. ... Annwn or Annwfn, ( under-world or un-world, sometimes inaccurately written Annwyn, Annwyfn or Annwfyn) was the Otherworld, the land of souls that had departed this world in Welsh mythology. ... In Irish mythology, Mag Mell (plain of joy), also called TÃr na nÃ“g (land of the young), Land of the Living, the Many-colored Land and the Promised Land, was a mythical realm achievable through death and/or glory. ... TÃr na nÃ“g, called in English the Land of Eternal Youth or the Land of the Ever-Young, was the most popular of the Otherworlds in Irish mythology, perhaps best known from the myth of OisÃn and Niamh of the Golden Hair. ... In Aztec Mythology, Tomoanchan is a mythical paradise ruled over by Itzpapalotl. ... In Egyptian mythology, the fields of Aaru (alternatives: Yaaru, Iaru, Aalu), are the heavenly underworld where Osiris ruled. ... Summerland can refer to two different things: The city Summerland, British Columbia Summerland, a 2004 novel by Michael Chabon Summerland, a television series ... The Myth of Er is an analogy used in Platos Republic. ... A map of Aman, courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Arda. ... A fan-created map of Aman and Valinor. ... Neverland is the fictional island featured in J. M. Barries play Peter Pan and subsequent novel Peter and Wendy. ... Dante shown holding a copy of The Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, with the spheres of Heaven above, in Michelinos fresco. ... DVD cover for What Dreams May Come What Dreams May Come is an Academy Award-winning 1998 dramatic film, starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr. ... Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the novel, Lost Horizon, written by British writer James Hilton in 1933. ... It has been suggested that utopianism be merged into this article or section. ... Millennialism (or chiliasm), from millennium, which literally means thousand years, is primarily a belief expressed in some Christian denominations, and literature, that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth where Christ will reign prior to the final judgment and future eternal state, primarily derived from the book... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Christian anarchism (also known as Christian libertarianism) is the belief that the only source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable is God, embodied in the teachings of Jesus. ... The Golden Age by Pietro da Cortona. ... The afterlife (or life after death) is a generic term referring to a continuation of existence, typically spiritual and experiential, beyond this world, or after death. ...

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