GENERAL DEFINITION
Simply put, the Kingdom of Heaven is the domain, the rule, and reign of God. The domain of God is universal while his rule and reign will never end (Psa. 45:6;103:19;145:8-13; Dan. 4:34). The Kingdom of Heaven is just another term for the Kingdom of God.
As we move towards a more particular or narrower definition we must speak of God’s Kingdom in terms decrees and precepts and of heaven and earth.
In terms of decrees and precepts: There is no time or place when or where even the smallest particle can ever resist God’s will except of course, when and where God would allow or permit it (1 Sam. 8:5-9; 10:19; Acts 17:26). For example while his eternal decrees are unbreakable (Psa. 148:6; Isa. 46:9-10; Jer. 5:22; Eph. 3:11; Rom. 8:28), he allows his precepts to be misunderstood (Mat. 13:19), ignored (Lk. 14:16-18), rejected (Heb. 3:8-13), and/or be violated (Rom. 1:32) even by his own people (1 Sam. 13:13-14; Mat. 21:43) but it is not without consequences.
In terms of heaven and earth: Even the powers of darkness that are in heavenly places (Eph. 6:12) are under the rule of God. From the very beginning the whole of creation is already under a leash: Satan submits to God (Job 1:6-12) and demons obey the Lord (Mat. 8:29-32; Lk. 4:41). Even so, the Lord speaks of a kingdom that is not of this world (Jn. 18:36cf. Mat. 4:8; 13:38). And as he was taken up in heaven and sits at the right hand of God (Eph. 1:20), having all authority in heaven and on earth (Mat. 28:18), he is yet to rule or enforce his preceptive will as King on earth. The Lord sits at the right hand of the Father until the appointed time the Father puts his enemies under his feet (Mat. 22:44).
As for the one people of God, the scriptures speaks of them as sons of the Kingdom (Mat. 13:38) or citizens of heaven waiting for their King (Phil 3:20-21). They are blessed and seated in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3; 2:6) yet they are to endure tribulations in this world where they live as aliens, strangers, or pilgrims (Jn. 15:18-19; 17:16; 1Pet. 1:1; 2:11; Heb. 11:13-16). In a world controlled by the evil one (1Jn 5:19), the ruler of this world (John 16:11), the god of this world who has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (2 Cor. 4:4). Even though he has already been judged (Jn. 16:11), all the more that he is furious, like a roaring lion (1Pet. 5:8) because not only that his time is almost up (Rev. 12:12) his leash is getting shorter as well until he is chained in the Abyss when the Kingdom of God is finally established on the earth (Rev. 20:3),
EDEN – KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON EARTH
Eden is a picture of God’s Kingdom of Heaven on earth, a place where there is no death nor corruption (Gen. 2:7-14). A place where man is delegated with dominion (Gen. 1:26-30 cf. Dan. 4:17) but must walk with and in accordance with the precepts of God (Gen 2:15-17). When Eve was deceived (Gen. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:14) and Adam disobeyed God’s precepts (Gen. 3:24), since then the earth has become a picture of a fallen rebellious world. A far cry from original creation (Mat. 25:34), it is now subjected to futility (Rom. 8:19-23). Eden was a picture of the Kingdom of heaven on earth that God will someday, at his appointed time, bring to fruition when he sends his Son again but not to save as sin-bearer (Heb. 9:28) but to save by judging and ruling “all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5).
PARTICULAR DEFINITION
Before he was rejected, he “who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron”; before he was crucified, he who “was caught up to God and to his throne” (Rev. 12:5), taught his disciples what to pray to the Father, saying, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Mat. 6:10; Lk. 11:2). This coming Kingdom they prayed for will be the fulfillment of not just of their longing for God’s restoration (Acts 1:6) but also of God’s promise to his saints, his own people (Dan. 7:18, 21-27), to them that love God (Jas. 2:5) that they will reign (Rev. 2:26-27) and judge (Dan. 7:22, 27) with David’s own son, who is also God’s Son (2 Sam. 7:12-17; 1 Chr. 17:10-15 cf. Mat. 22:42-46; Acts 13:32-38). This prophesied Kingdom will break all other kingdoms (Dan. 2:44) and bring about lasting peace, righteousness, justice, love and compassion (Isa. 9:6-7; Hos. 2:18-20) to all peoples (Dan. 7:13-14) throughout this fallen and wicked world (Zec. 9:10). And with Satan fully “bound in the Abyss,” the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will flood the whole earth (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14), everyone will worship the Lord (Psa. 22:27-31), every knee shall bow to him (Rom. 14:11).
Jesus also told them in Lk. 22:18, “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes” (see also Mat. 26:29). It’s fulfillment therefore is still future, since the appearance of the coming King is future (2 Tim. 4:1) which is to be preceded by tumultuous times (Heb. 12:26-29 cf. Hag. 2:6-9; Mic. 5:10-15), or by that which is called the Great Tribulation, a tribulation that will be like no other (Jer. 30:6-7; Mat. 24:21-28).
But even so, there is no time on earth where God has lost dominion as far as his eternal decrees are concern. As Prov. 16:33 puts it, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” Even pagans, as quoted by Apostle Paul, acknowledged, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). And in Rom. 9:9, Paul writes, “who can resist his will?”
Let’s also not fail to mention that there has always been a people of God, a people God calls his very own, a people he regenerates, enabling them to believe and obey him. From Abel to Zecharaiah so to speak (Mat. 23:35; Lk. 11:51). Called “a royal priesthood and a holy nation” (Exo. 19:6cf. 1Pet. 2:9), God has rescued them from dominion of darkness to the Kingdom of his Son (Col. 1:13), that is, they have been set free from sin and have become under grace, as slaves of righteousness, as slaves of God (Rom. 6:18, 22). They have become sons of the Kingdom (Mat. 13:38), a type, an expression of a Kingdom of Heaven on earth but they have yet to enter the Kingdom.
For as long as they are in the flesh they will still have the ability to disobey God’s because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 15:50). So as they hope to inherit the Kingdom, they are work it (Col. 4:11; 2Thes. 1:5) and preach it (Mat. 10:7; 24:14; Acts 1:3; 8:12; 19:8; 28:23, 31) with endurance (Rev. 1:9). But it is God who preserves them that they may enter it (2 Tim. 4:18) albeit with much tribulation (Acts 14:22).