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Aspects of the Kingdom of God

At least three distinct aspects of the kingdom of God are alluded to in Scripture, they are: the universal kingdom, the visible kingdom, and the invisible kingdom (see the figure below). While our present study is concerned mainly with the visible kingdom, and particularly its millennial aspect, it would be helpful to survey all three aspects so we can see how they relate to each other, and so we don’t confuse them.

The universal aspect of the kingdom of God

God’s sovereignty over all creation is often referred to as His “universal kingdom.” This concept appears early in Israel’s history and is a frequent theme in the Psalms (cf. 10:16; 29:10; 103:19-22; 145:10-13). The universal kingdom of God encompasses all creation, and includes even the realm of the ungodly (both human and angelic), for they too are under the sovereign rule of God. David says of this aspect of God’s kingdom,

[Psalm 103:19-22]

The LORD has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the LORD, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.

Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.

Praise the LORD, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

The visible aspect of the kingdom of God

To the Hebrew mind in the Old Testament the kingdom of God was equated with God’s theocratic rule over the nation of Israel. Ultimately this rule was to have its fullest expression in the rule of God through His Messiah, at which time Israel would be vindicated and exalted, and experience the joy of profuse divine blessing and peace.

Only in the New Testament does the “millennial” aspect of the visible kingdom come into sharp focus, in contrast to the Old Testament, which made no distinction between the millennium and eternity (cf. Isa. 65:17-25). It is in the Book of Revelation we learn that the earthly kingdom rule will occur in two phases. The first phase is to occur on the present earth (before it is recreated) and is called “the millennium” (Rev. 20:4-10), which as the name suggests, encompasses the first one thousand years of the visible kingdom. The second phase of the visible earthly rule of God occurs in eternity with the creation of the new heavens and earth, and the placement of the New Jerusalem that will rest upon the new earth (Rev. 21:1-22:5).

The invisible aspect of the kingdom of God

The invisible kingdom of God refers to God’s rule in the hearts of those yielded to Him. This aspect, like the universal aspect, is a present reality. This facet of the kingdom is largely developed in the gospels (cf. Matt. 6:33; 18:1-4; Mk. 9:1; Lk. 17:20-24; Jn. 18:36), but can be found elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Col. 1:13). Many Bible interpreters confuse the visible and invisible aspects of the kingdom and incorrectly view references to the invisible aspect of the kingdom as support for a “spiritualized” (allegorized) view of the millennium.

Aspects of the Kingdom of God

[ The universal aspect of the kingdom of God includes everything. The invisible aspect of the kingdom includes only those who are redeemed. The visible aspect of the kingdom will occur in two phases. The first phase will be the millennium (the first one-thousand years, which will take place on the present earth) and includes both redeemed and unredeemed people. The second phase will occur in eternity and will include only the redeemed. The kingdom of Heaven—discussed extensively in the Gospel of Matthew—should not be confused with the invisible kingdom of God. The kingdom of Heaven encompasses all who profess faith in Christ (including both the redeemed and those who profess faith but are not redeemed).]

“The kingdom of Heaven,” discussed extensively in the Gospel of Matthew, should not be confused with the invisible kingdom of God. While the invisible kingdom of God includes only truly saved people, the kingdom of Heaven encompasses all who outwardly profess faith in Christ. The parables of Matthew 13 indicate that as the present age progresses the kingdom of Heaven will be corrupted by the presence of unregenerate people. The kingdom of Heaven includes all who profess faith in Jesus Christ, and includes the truly saved (those who are part of the invisible kingdom) along with many who profess faith in Christ but are not redeemed. At present, the visible church, which includes both saved and lost, is representative of the kingdom of Heaven, but strictly speaking the two cannot be equated since the kingdom of Heaven extends beyond the bounds of the church age.

Adapted from What the Bible Says About the Future