#2 Our Hope of Heaven
“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end...”
Hope in Heaven: What are you looking Forward To?
In this message I asked everyone what they were most looking forward to about Heaven. One person said “no pets” which caused a bit of a stir with some folks, but it was all in good fun.
Here were several of the answers…
Seeing Jesus—the One who gave His life for us.
Reuniting with lost loved ones—the joy of seeing family and friends again.
No more suffering, fear, or sadness—Revelation 21:4 promises, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Uninhibited worship—a celebration unlike anything we’ve ever known.
Perfect joy and peace—no more striving or uncertainty.
Exploring the wonders of God’s creation—a renewed world in which we will live forever.
Heaven is not just a future reality; it is emerging into our visible realm now through the increasing reign of Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven is already at work, and we are called to reflect it here, today. Jesus prayed, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10), and we are active participants in that fulfillment.
Like leaven in a lump of dough, which works its way through the whole lump, causing it to rise…so is the kingdom within us, working its way through our thoughts, our choice patterns, our actions, our relationships, and eventually our whole lives as we stay repentant and aligned in our hearts with His logic.
Matthew 13:33 The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.
The Kingdom Began With the Light in Zebulun
Jesus said in Mark 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.
What time is fulfilled?
The time Isaiah prophesied of in Isaiah 9:1-2 and 6-7
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, as confirmed in Matthew 4:15-16:
14 to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
The phrase, “near” or “at hand” is a reference to time. Jesus is saying, the kingdom of God is now. The time Isaiah spoke of about the reign of God in the earth is now.
Notice Young’s Literal Translation phrasing in Mark 1:15 'Fulfilled hath been the time, and the reign of God hath come nigh, reform ye, and believe in the good news.'
Isaiah and Jesus are saying…THE REIGN OF OUR GOD ON EARTH BEGINS NOW!!
This moment marks the beginning of the reign of God’s kingdom on earth. From the time that light was seen in Zebulun—from the time Jesus arrived—the government of God began to increase and will never stop increasing.
The reign of God is already here, and it continues to grow. We are in the midst of an ever-increasing kingdom. We should not expect darkness to prevail. The reign of Christ is already in motion, expanding continually. There is still an end, a resurrection and a final judgment, but we should not expect darkness to take over the world until that time, we should reign with him until Jesus return, in power and victory!
The Ever-Increasing Kingdom
This should change how we see the world. Many Christians believe that darkness is overtaking the earth and that we are simply waiting for Jesus to return and rescue us. However, the kingdom is growing. It is expanding. It will not stop.
God’s kingdom is not dependent on human government, politics, or world events. Jesus reigns now. His Spirit is actively working through His people to reflect heaven on earth. When we pray:
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10),
we are aligning ourselves with the unstoppable increase of His rule and peace.
Jesus described the kingdom in Mark 4:26-29:
"The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how."
The increase is happening whether we see it or not.
We are His image-bearers, His representatives, reflecting the light of His increasing reign into the world. Just like God reigns in the eternal realm, so do we, as his image in the earth, reign in the earth.
Living With Expectation
If the kingdom is increasing, then we should expect it to affect our lives. Instead of living in fear or defeat, we should live with faith and hope.
Jesus said in John 12:46:
"I have come as a light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness."
We must stop focusing on what the enemy is doing and start focusing on what God is doing. Instead of expecting the world to get worse, expect the increase of God’s kingdom. Expect transformation in your life, in your community, and in the world.
Mark 11:23 tells us:
"Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them."
Jesus said in John 14:12:
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
The government/kingdom of Christ is increasing. His peace is increasing. His kingdom is advancing through you, through His church, and through the power of His Spirit.
So lift up your eyes. Have hope. Expect the increase. Speak the kingdom into effectiveness in your life. Know that Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father, is reigning now and will continue to reign until the full manifestation of His kingdom in the resurrection.
"The increase of His kingdom has no end!"
Let’s live in that expectation. Amen.
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