What Is the Kingdom?

Two things came out after that: the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, and the Church. What is the kingdom? It is very simple, if we take the word as it is. It is the sphere of the reign, or where the King reigns. If I take the word church as "assembly," which it really means, I can never confound "church" and "kingdom." Compare the word "reign" with "assembly," and the difference is easily seen.
Another thing often not understood is the difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. If the kingdom of God had been accepted on earth, it would not have been the same as now, not the actual form of the kingdom of heaven. Matthew takes up the change in consequence of the King's rejection, and also speaks of the "Father's kingdom" for the heirs who follow Christ in His rejection, because He takes it from His Father when rejected. He is set down, not on His own throne (and so the judgment in this Psalm brought in), but for the present on His Father's throne. Divine righteousness is shown in God's setting Him there and justifying us according to all He had accomplished.
There was righteousness due to set Him on the throne of God. "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me," etc. Christ then sits down there, and there is no judicial kingdom at all now—it is postponed and known only to faith. The kingdom of the world is not become that of our God and of His Christ.