Religion and Theology

The Kingdom of God is like...
According to the hymns and some biblical poems, the Kingdom of God has streets paved with gold and mansions for all. The Bible describes what the kingdom looks like in the following verses  And the building of the wall of it was of jasper and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass (Revelations 2118) l  And I saw no temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it  (Revelations 2122)  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof  (Revelations 2123)   And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it  (Revelations 2124)  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there  (Revelations 2125 ). It is clear that when we think of Gods kingdom, we cannot help but to imagine all the positive elements like elegance, tranquility, lightness, happiness and brilliance. That is why when a person dies, others say that maybe heshe is in a better place right now because Gods kingdom is indeed tenfolds more desirable that where we are right now.

The Kingdom of God for me is like a shooting star. Most of us are interested to look up and glance at it with awe. It is not everyday we see it rushing through the clouds, leaving a very shiny lining in the dark sky. This is why it becomes interesting to the extent that some people even dream of catching a shooting star.  I admire looking at it and wonder where it landed. How I wish I could touch it while making my wish. Just like the Kingdom of God, every time we feel confused, we look up to heaven and  pray. During the night, we find it peaceful to gaze upon the stars and appreciate Gods creation. This is just my idea of describing Gods Kingdom based on my personal insight and its role in my life. As long as we believe that God really exists and he is our personal savior, then his kingdom may seem to be just near and one prayer away.

Based on the article  And Finally.. The Kingdom of God is like this... , God was once described by the prophets as the shepherd. I totally agree with them. I consider God as my shepherd because he leads me to the path of righteousness. He shows me the way to achieve not only happiness but contentment. Every time I tried to connect with him in any way, I always find peace and comfort. In the midst of chaos and confusion, he faithfully showers me with blessings.

For me, God is like a home. I feel security and comfort knowing that God is watching over me. There is no place that I want to stay all the time aside from home. It is where I experience belongingness and the feeling of being loved despite my flaws. God makes me realize how special I am and brings out the best in me by opening doors for my spiritual and personal growth. No matter how many beautiful places  we see and how many exciting spots we want to explore, still at the end of the day we will always come home.

On the other hand, the Bible emphasizes that the Messianic Kingdom will be the final fulfillment of Gods covenant with Abraham. God had promised Abraham a land and a seed. The seed promise was fulfilled with the birth of Isaac and ultimately in the person of Christ. Paul says in Galatians 316, Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, And to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to one, And to your seed, that is, Christ. The land promised, never before fulfilled, will be fulfilled in the Messianic Kingdom. In Genesis, God says to Abraham, To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates (Genesis 1518). This land is an everlasting possession. God declares to Abraham, And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession and I will be their God (Genesis 178).

The chief characteristics of the Mosaic system were law and obedience. The chief characteristics of the present system, the Church age are belief and grace. The chief characteristics of the Messianic Kingdom will be peace and righteousness (cf. Is. 2 1-5. Is. 111-10, Jer. 235-8). Other characteristics are long life, perfect environment, and wealth.

Based on the module provided, as Jesus Christ traveled, he always imparted a lasting legacy behind. First, he contradicted the practice of washing the hands before eating many pharisees criticized him. He emphasized that it was not the food that brought impurity but rather the ungodliness of the heart reflected through words and actions. Second, his healings demonstrated that the kingdom was not restricted to the Jews. Third, he explained to his disciples the idea of the church. He said that the kingdom will not come without suffering so he revealed that he would suffer execution in Jerusalem in the hands of his enemies. His death and resurrection made the people realized that the kingdom would be ruled none other than God himself, Jesus Christ. Jesus exclaimed,  And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it  (Luke 1722).  It was evident that Jesus will return to establish the Kingdom in its full glory.

Jesus, as a Messiah, played a vital role which was to spread the word of God, to die for our sins and trespasses and live once again to show that he was truly the son of God.   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life  ( John 316). By simply realizing that he was our God and personal savior , salvation will be achieved and the experience of the eternal life in his kingdom will be given. This is just my personal insight. I still believe that no person has the right to question or attack someone elses religious beliefs  regardless of what they are.