January 21. Matthew 3

“The kingdom of heaven is near”, what images or thoughts come to mind? 

John begins to prepare the way for Jesus, something the Jewish people had been banking on for hundreds of years. A savior to bring his people, the Jewish people out of “captivity” and once again they will be God’s special possession set apart from the rest of the world. It can easily be said they were diligently waiting for the arrival of the kingdom of God. Here we see the difference between the expectations of man and the truth of God.  

The kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God wasn’t the recreation of a national state or the return of the former glory of Israel. It was the completion of God’s plan to bring all of his people worldwide to him to form a new “kingdom”, his kingdom, and the kingdom of God. 

John the Baptist explains both sides of this new kingdom, one kingdom with the incredible opportunity of repentance, a change of life and mind. As we see in Hebrews 10 we now have the possibility to have our hearts truly cleansed of sin and guilt. The other side of this kingdom is judgment, illustrated by vivid imagery of the ax at the root of the tree and the burning of the unproductive tree. Both parts are equally present in the kingdom of heaven.

How do you view the kingdom of heaven? As someone who has a ticket into the kingdom through the waters of baptism we celebrate or life of repentance. We anxiously look forward to judgment because this judgment ushers in our Messiah’s return. As we continue to hold to the hope of his return we must continue to live a life reflective of that ticket, that entrance into his kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. 

What would your day look like, how would you carry yourself if you were submerged into the hope of the kingdom of heaven?