Closing Kingdom of God

Shutting Up The Kingdom of the Heavens

Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for YOU yourselves do not go in, neither do YOU permit those on their way in to go in. (Matthew 23:13)

I was on a website that holds discussions where all persons: Jehovah’s Witnesses, ex-Jehovah’s Witness, and a wide variety of persons with different religious backgrounds can participate; anonomously if they want. There are many interesting topics and discussions.

I came across a topic dealing with shutting up the kingdom of the heavens. The gist of the discussion was about what is required to go to heaven and the Jehovah’s Witness teaching that only a few – a little flock – go to heaven.

There were persons in the forum who defended the Jehovah’s Witness view and there were persons from the other Christian denominations who believed that all who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior go to heaven; and, that all others will be tormented in an eternal hellfire. There were persons accusing the Watch Tower organization of shutting up the kingdom of the heavens because of their teaching that only 144,000 go there.

As I was reading though all of the posts, I could see the depth of the damage done as a result of the misleading campaigns that have been going on for many hundreds of years by the religious system called by men, Christianity. I also saw a common denominator in all of the posts – no matter who was posting – and the common denominator in all was that humans will go to heaven.

All of them are in error. Why? Because Jesus never taught that humans would go to heaven. Jesus was clear in what he said at John 3:13:

Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.

What I find most intersting is that in spite of Jesus’ statement above, persons will scour the Bible to find proof-text to counter what Christ said at John 3:13. It is not enough for them to rest on what Jesus said. Jesus taught that no man has ever gone to heaven. The only man that has ever gone to heaven was the one who became a man and then died and resurrected and return to heaven. But not as a man, but in his original form when he was sent: An angelic spirit creature.

How Is The Kingdom of the Heavens Shut Up?

The answer is so obvious that many do not see it. At Matthew 6:9-10 the Master taught the proper things to pray for. He said that his disciples must pray in a certain manner. What manner was that? Look at the first two verses of that prayer:

YOU must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.

Notice verse 10, “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.”

In verse 10 Jesus is teaching that his disciples must pray that God’s kingdom come! Come where? Upon the earth!

If the religious system called by men – Christianity – (or any religious system for that matter) teaches that humans go to heaven, they shut up the kingdom of heavens. How so? Because God’s kingdom comes down to the earth! The lie that humans will or can go to heaven is just that, it is an untruth, a lie! Thus, the truth about the kingdom of the heavens is shut up or not taught!

It is like a person who knows the truth about a matter but he keeps it to himself; he keeps his mouth shut. He does not speak the truth.

The teaching that humans go to heaven is false because God’s kingdom will come down to the earth. If God’s kingdom comes down to the earth, there is no need for any human to go up to it. And that is what Jesus was explaining at John 3:13.

Today, every so-called Christian denomination that I have gathered information on teaches in various aspects that humans will go up to heaven. This is an error on their part and this error has misled millions and has shut up the kingdom of the heaven from them in that they have not been taught the truth that “God’s kingdom will one day come down to the earth, so why would there be a need to go up to heaven?”

Implications of the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Promised Resurrection

Jesus made a startling and seemingly unbelievable statement concerning all of the dead (all persons born since Adam to include Adam) at John 5:28-29:

Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice  and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.

If there will be a resurrection of all of the dead, where will they be resurrected from? The earth! It will be during Christs future one thousand year kingdom over the earth that he will accomplish the promised resurrection. Thus, by the end of his kingdom, no one will be in a grave and none will be in heaven or will have ever been in heaven.

Christs one thousand year kingdom is a part of the much larger kingdom that will envelope or come down to the earth. Christs kingdom is a definite one. Why? Because it will last only one thousand years. God’s kingdom – which will come after Christs kingdom ends – is not a definite kingdom but an indefinite one. It is everlasting and has no end.

What many have failed to see is that Christs kingdom is a seed of God’s kingdom. Christs kingdom over the earth, when it arrives, will one day be planted in the earth and like a seed will grow and envelope the entire earth. The Devil will be imprisoned for the duration of that one thousand year growth period and will not be able to interfere with Christs adminstration over the earth and he will not be able to stunt its growth.

Christs definite kingdom that is yet to come to prepare the earth and all of mankind (that he resurrected and taught throughout that 1000 years) for what must come down: God’s perfect kingdom! The earth and all of mankind must be perfect and unblemished like a virgin bride in order to receive the perfect kingdom of God that will come down to them.

So no human will have ever entered into heaven in order to come down with God’s kingdom when it does come down to the earth! All of mankind dies and lay in the ground awaiting to be resurrected. None have gone to heaven, ever! Again, Jesus is clear on this at John 3:13.

So the promised seed of God’s kingdom – Christs future kingdom over the earth – when it comes, is what will bring back to life all of mankind as he promised. And, from there, the seed becomes a proverbial tree spread out all over the entire earth: A paradise. A world full of the knowledge about God, knowing good and bad.

The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard grain, which a man took and planted in his field;  which is, in fact, the tiniest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the largest of the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and find lodging among its branches. (Matthew 13:31-32)

 

The Earthly Paradise Short Lived

Unfortunately, Christs future 1000 reign over the earth will be cut short; it must end. When it ends, another kingdom is supplanted on top of what Christ will have left behind: Satan’s Throne.

When Christs 1000 year kingdom over the earth ends, Satan is released from his prison upon the subjects of Christs kingdom in order to mislead them. No, he will not change the paradise conditions Christ will have established, he will operate within it and set up his beastly throne. I am going to show you several Scriptures that will help you grasp the importance of what will occur after Christs kingdom ends.

The first Scripture is found at Revelation 20:7-8. It shows what happens after Christs 1000 year kingdom ends:

Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison,  and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Ma′gog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea.

Revelation 20:7-8 confirms Christs kingdom of 1000 years ending. Aftwards, Satan is released and he goes out into all of the nations (not countries as there will be no countries, but nations of mankind, languages, colors, etc) to mislead them. Collectively, all of the nations are symbolically called Gog and Magog. Gog being the kings (formerly with Christ) over them (Gog) and Magog being the subjects themselves.

The second Scripture is found at Revelation 2:13 and it shows that Satan will have a throne over the earth.

I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is …

The third Scripture is found at Revelation 13:2. It shows that the throne (The Wild Beast) that Satan will set up on the earth in those future days gets its power and authority and throne from The Dragon (Satan) himself:

Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were as those of a bear, and its mouth was as a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave to [the beast] its power and its throne and great authority.

So what will happen after Christs 1000 year kingdom ends is that Satan ascends out of the Abyss and brings up with him his Wild Beast and establishes it on the earth. Most persons that I have had disccusions with over my life time do not speak of the Beast as arriving after Christs 1000 year kingdom (which has not been established yet), they speak of it existing now or in the immediate future. I tell you, it is afar off. Christ’s 1000 year kingdom must come and go before the Wild Beast arrives.

Here is a slight-of-hand teaching from the Watch Tower organization: They teach – and as a former JW of 30 years myself, I used to teach – that Christs 1000 year kingdom was established back in 1914. In other words, we are about 1000 years into that kingdom. Yet, the Apostle John at Revelation 20:2-3 tells us that the Dragon is locked up during the 1000 years. However, the Watch Tower teaches that Satan is among us at present influencing the nations!

So the question I ask is, “Is Satan locked up or isn’t he? If we are already within Christs 1000 year kingdom and he is reigning as king, why teach that Satan is influencing the nations? Where is that condemned man that Jesus promised would be in his 1000 year paradise? His testimony would provide powerful proof to all of the world that we are indeed in Christ kingdom and that he is reigning as king!”

Unfortunately, none of what the Watch Tower has been teaching with regard Christs kingdom over the earth has been accurate. It is in gross error.

The Watch Tower along with all of what is called by Christianity has spun and taught one error on top of another and the inhabitants on the earth are completey “tossed about” like violent waves of the sea and they never come to rest – knowing the truth – and the kingdom of the heavens is shut up before them.

The masses believe in a “going up” rather than what is to “come down” to them.

And, all of Christianity – which is the great impostor – will continue to teach this “going up” to heaven in order to keep the masses misled and uninformed about the truth of what must come down to the earth: God’s Kingdom.

By doing this, they shut up the kingdom of the heavens.

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R. Jerome Harris

No one of importance. A disciple (student) of Christ apart from the established religious systems who reasons, thinks and concludes matters for myself. Something is not right with the state of religion in the world. The real dichotomy is that we live in a world so full of religion, yet is an evil, immoral, and dangerous place to live. A mental and spiritual separation from this world that Jesus said his kingdom is no part of is the first step to a "break-through" to freedom and entry into a much larger spiritual world where God and Christ resides and the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God can be accessed.

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  1. John 14:2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also."

     

    Where is Jesus? Heaven right?

    Where is His Father's house? Heaven right?

     

    Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”"

    Revelation 713 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.

    These are people as scriptures states, and they are before the Throne of God in His temple.

    Where is God's Temple? Heaven right?

    This is all before Heaven comes down, after the 1000 year reign, after Satan is cast off into the lake of fire, after the new Earth. Take a look at these scriptures and the ones you use to support your position as well, and tell me what you think.

     

    1. Christs kingdom of 1000 years will be OVER THE EARTH. His subjects will be ON EARTH. A king does not have to be at the location over which he has rulership.

      Expressions such as “before the throne of God” does not mean that they are in heaven as Gods throne will encompass the earth.

      Think of this: Notice the expression “a great multitude which no one could count from every nation and ALL tribes of the earth.” If these persons are as the grains of sand on the seashore and their numbers are so great that no one could count them, then they must be ALL persons who were ever born and lived and died on the earth since Adam! ALL persons born since Adam are NOT going to be in heaven. (Jesus said no man will ever go to heaven [John 3:13] a Scripture many ignore like the plague.

      WE DO KNOW how many persons live on earth today. We can even make estimates about how many people lived on earth from several thousands years ago up to now. But this “Great Multitude” cannot be counted! That means that these are ALL persons who were born since Adam (to include Adam) and who have died and Christ resurrected ALL OF THEM as he promised he would at John 5:28-29)

      These persons will be resurrected into Christs 1000 year kingdom on earth. They will be raw. They will be taught throughout that 1000 year period God’s righteousness. 

      When Christs kingdom of 1000 years ends (Rev 20:7-8 another Scripture many avoid) this “Great Multitude” stand without a king and mediator over them. They will be tested in what is called “The Great Tribulation.” This Great Test will be performed within Satan’s Beast (Throne) on earth. The Beastly throne could last many hundreds of years as it takes time for it to be “established” upon the earth.

      That throne of Satan (Rev 2:13) will test this “Great Multitude.” In fact, many of this “Great Multitude” will be misled. We see their misleading taking place AFTER Christs 1000 year kingdom on earth ends. Notice that this Great Multitude is referred to as “nations  in the four corners of the earth.” At Rev 7:13 they are mentioned as coming out of every nation, all tribes, and tongues (language groups) AND THEIR NUMBERS ARE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA!!!

      “Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison,  and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Ma′gog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea.”

      All of the events occur on earth, not in heaven as no humans are in heaven. Additionally, time has no meaning in heaven. It is an eternal place. So referrences such as 1000 years have no significance in heaven, only on earth.

      I understand your reasoning and I held your few for many years so what you are saying is not new to me. 

      You are still a victim to the false teachings of religious organization (like I was) and you proceed from the premise that the events of Revelation ARE occurring. You also proceed from the premise that humans go to heaven. Jesu never taught such a thing. Men do.

      Where is King David? He was an anointed one of God. But where is he? In heaven? No!

      “Actually David did not ascend to the heavens …” (Acts 2:34)

      But no. Not one event within The Book of Revelation has had a START of being fullfilled.

      The “Revelation by Jesus Christ that God gave him” is a warning to all of us who will be resurrected and who will have lived through the entire 1000 year duration of Christs kingdom over the earth … I repeat .. A WARNING about the events that will occur on earth in those future days AFTER his 1000 year kingdom over the earth as ended and Satan is released from the Abyss. It will be during that time that Armageddon and The Great Tribulation will occur and the call for faithfulness and endurance. Jesus spoke of that time period at Matthew 10:22:

      “And YOU will be objects of hatred by all people on account of my name; but he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.” (Note: ALL of Christs subjects today ARE NOT hated by EVERYONE. So this pinpoints a future time period where ALL of the earth will be UNITED. This unity does not exist today and the world is no where close to being unified. So-called Christians in many parts of the world hate each other !!!)

      Those claiming to follow Christ need to stop fighting and opposing him and what he taught. That makes them antichrist.

      They need to stop saying things like “The Bible says this and that or The Bible teaches this and that ” and take the viewpoint of what God and Christ say. The Bible is nothing. God and Christ are everything.

      Did Jesus tell the Devil, “Man must not live on bread alone but on EVERY word that comes out of the Bible?”

      OR DID HE SAY …

      “Man must not live on bread alone but on EVERY word that comes out of GOD’S MOUTH?” And, if Christ is the Word of God (Did’s spokesman), we listen to him.

      The Bible is nothing.

      I quote from it only because SOME of Jesus’ teachings are within it. Because the book has a man-made name called “Bible” is irrevelant to me. If the book was named “Moby Dick’ would be irrelevant to me. What is relevant is what God says and what Christ says, not what “The Bible says as ALL of the Bible is not what God and Christ said.” Only a small portion of it contains actual utterances of God and Christ.

      Most of what comes from God through his Christ is not from a book, but is by His Holy Spirit that we receive through His Son. Yet, a book got cleverly inserted in the equation.

       

       

       

  2. Hi Jerome love to read your blogs. But is there a problem, I’ve tried different devices but I cannot get the comments that people have made to show, has anyone else had the same problem that you know to. please let me know regards mike

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