About Heaven: Understanding the Kingdom of God

About Heaven: Understanding the Kingdom of God

Introduction

Jesus made a very special, but often misunderstood, promise to a thief who was on a cross next to His. This promise is used by some who study the Bible to prove that entrance into heaven awaits good people right after they die. Near death, a convicted thief asks Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus answered, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (verse 43). But what do these Bible verses actually mean? Did Jesus give someone who stole eternal life?

Further still, if the thief on the cross did not go to paradise or heaven when he died, then where did he go? Did Jesus receive His kingdom and appear before God right after death? If not, what happened to him? Does the Bible support heaven as the reward given to the righteous when they are resurrected, and does it tell us where it is located?

This article will answer these questions about heaven directly from your Bible. These answers will help us understand some of the truth behind God's great plan for man and the true reward in store for those who love Him. We will briefly take a look at four facts that will aid us in finding what Jesus' answer actually means: the length of time Jesus was dead after the cross, the time when Jesus is prophesied to receive His kingdom, the location of heaven and paradise, and the correct translation of what Jesus said to the thief.

The Kingdom of God: When Does It Come?

The thief on the cross asked Jesus to "remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:43). But when, according to the Bible, does Jesus come into His kingdom? According to prophecy, the kingdom Jesus will rule will be instituted at His Second Coming—when He returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The prophet Daniel wrote of this future event: "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44). This kingdom is established in the days of the end‑time kings, meaning it is a future event. The book of Revelation echoes this truth: "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).

The Bible is clear that the kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ will not fully come into existence until the near future. This means the thief on the cross could not, upon death, have immediately entered the kingdom he requested since it was not yet fully set up. The kingdom is not something that was inaugurated at the cross or at the resurrection; it is a future, visible, global reign of Christ over all the earth.

The Kingdom of God: Where Will It Be Located?

We now know when the kingdom comes, but where will it be located? The prophets provide a clear answer. Jeremiah proclaimed: "'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth'" (Jeremiah 23:5). This Branch is a prophecy of Jesus, the descendant of David, who will reign on the earth.

The book of Revelation also reveals that the saints will reign on the earth. John writes, "And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth'" (Revelation 5:9–10). Later, he describes the thousand‑year reign of Christ and His saints: "And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4).

The Bible clearly states that the kingdom ruled by Jesus as King will not be centered in heaven or the heavens, but instead will be on the earth. This is consistent with God's original purpose for humanity. God created man to dwell on the earth and to have dominion over it (Genesis 1:26–28). Sin interrupted that purpose, but through Christ, God will restore it. The redeemed will inherit the earth, not escape from it.

What Happens to the Righteous at the Second Coming?

If the kingdom is on the earth, what happens to all the righteous who are resurrected at Jesus' Second Coming? Paul describes this event in detail: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Paul also writes, "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).

The reward of the resurrected, immortal righteous is living and reigning with Christ on the earth for one thousand years, commonly known as the Millennium. This is not a flight to heaven, but a return to the earth to participate in Christ's rule over the nations. The saints will be with the Lord, but they will be with Him on the earth, not in some distant realm. The hope of the believer is not to leave the earth but to see the earth restored and to share in its renewal under the righteous rule of Christ.

Putting It All Together

When we consider these truths, the promise to the thief on the cross takes on new meaning. Jesus was not promising the thief a place in heaven immediately upon death. He was promising him a share in the future kingdom—a kingdom that will be established on the earth at Christ's return. The thief's request was, "Remember me when You come into Your kingdom." Jesus' reply was an emphatic assurance: "I declare to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise." That paradise is not a disembodied existence in heaven, but the restored earth, where God's people will dwell with Him forever.

Jesus Himself was dead for three days and three nights, unconscious in the grave. After His resurrection, He had not yet ascended to the Father (John 20:17). The kingdom had not yet been received. The thief, like all the faithful who have died, remains asleep in death, awaiting the resurrection at the last day. At that time, he will be raised and will reign with Christ on the earth. That is the biblical hope—the resurrection of the dead and the establishment of God's kingdom on the earth.

The Clear Conclusion

The promise to the thief on the cross is not a proof text for the immediate entrance of the soul into heaven at death. Rather, it is a guarantee that the thief would share in the future kingdom of Christ. Jesus was dead for three full days, unconscious, and after His resurrection He had not yet ascended to the Father. The kingdom is received at a future time, and the resurrection of the dead is the appointed time when believers will receive eternal life.

The Bible consistently teaches that the dead are unconscious, awaiting the resurrection. Solomon wrote, "The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). Peter declared that David is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day (Acts 2:29). David did not ascend to heaven, and neither have the faithful who have died. Their hope is the resurrection, when Christ will call them forth from the grave.

Furthermore, the kingdom of God will be established on the earth. It is not a heavenly realm to which believers escape, but a restored creation over which Christ and His saints will reign. The earth is the inheritance of the meek (Matthew 5:5), and it will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9). This is the glorious future that awaits all who trust in Christ.

Jesus' words to the thief were a powerful assurance of salvation—a promise of eternal life in the coming kingdom. That is the true hope of the Gospel. It is not a ticket to heaven immediately after death, but a confident expectation of the resurrection and the life of the age to come. As Jesus Himself said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). That life is yet future, but it is certain for all who trust in Him.

This article is based on a careful examination of Scripture, including Matthew 12:39–40, John 11:9, John 20:17, Luke 23:42–43, Daniel 2:44, Jeremiah 23:5, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 11:15, Revelation 20:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, 1 Corinthians 15:51–52, and Ecclesiastes 9:5. For further study, consider reading the full accounts of the resurrection and the prophecies concerning the kingdom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Did the thief go to heaven immediately after he died?

A: No. Scripture teaches that the dead are unconscious and await the resurrection. Jesus was dead for three days and had not yet ascended to the Father after His resurrection. The thief will be with Christ in paradise at the resurrection, not at the moment of death.

Q: What did Jesus mean by "today you will be with Me in Paradise"?

A: The punctuation in the Greek is not inspired. The phrase can be read as "I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise," meaning Jesus made a solemn declaration on that day about a future event. It is an emphatic promise of salvation, not a timetable for immediate entry into heaven.

Q: Where is paradise located?

A: Paradise is the heavenly realm where God dwells, but the Bible also speaks of paradise being restored on the earth. The full realization of paradise comes after the resurrection and the new creation, when God's people will dwell with Him on the earth.

Q: When does Jesus receive His kingdom?

A: According to prophecy, Jesus receives His kingdom at His Second Coming. The kingdom is not fully established until that time, when Christ returns to reign on the earth.

Q: Where will the kingdom be located?

A: The kingdom will be located on the earth. Scripture repeatedly states that Christ will reign on the earth and that the saints will reign with Him on the earth. The earth is the inheritance of the redeemed.

Q: What happens to believers when they die?

A: Believers who die rest in the grave, unconscious, until the resurrection. Their hope is not in going to heaven at death, but in being raised to eternal life at the last day.

Q: If we don't go to heaven when we die, what is the hope of the Gospel?

A: The hope of the Gospel is the resurrection of the dead and the establishment of God's kingdom on the earth. Believers will be raised from the dead and will reign with Christ on the earth forever. This is the true hope that sustains us.