kingdom of God is promised

The kingdom of God is promised.

 

128. The kingdom of God (heaven) is spoken of and promised to us in all the major religions of God: Some of the religions of God, Christianity and The Baha’i Faith for instance, tell us that the kingdom of God is not a physical place and not to be taken literally. Christianity, for instance, tells us that the kingdom of God is not a place we can see with our physical eyes: the cross-5pix Christianity: Luke 17:20 “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:” Luke 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!” Christ tells us that the kingdom is not physical, but is found within us: Luke 17:21 “For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The Baha’i Faith also tells us that the kingdom of God is not a physical place but is found within us: the greatest name 8 pixBaha’i Faith: “In the fields and meadows of human hearts variegated flowers of inner significance were blooming and the good fruits of the kingdom of God became manifest.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 219)

The Apostle Paul also tells us that the kingdom of God is not literal the cross-5pix Christianity: Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” The Kingdom of God is not a place to eat or drink but is like state of mind in which we live in righteousness and experience peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

the greatest name-12pixBAHA’I FAITH: “The rewards of the other world are peace, the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and the soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section)

The shrine-17pix BABI RELIGION: “He has now passed from sight, but he is still in the ideal world, a true image of God and a true lover of man, and helps forward the reform of all those manifold abuses which hinder the firm establishment of the Kingdom of God…”

(Moojan Momen, The Babi  and Baha’i Religions, p. 53)

The shrine10 pix Babi Religion: “The hour of separation has struck, a separation which no reunion will follow except in the Kingdom of God, in the presence of the King of Glory.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 142)

the cross-25pix CHRISTIANITY: 1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” The Kingdom of God is not to be found or described in the words of a language. It is a force of spiritual nature not to be understood by us in this life time. 1 Corinthians 15:50 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” Paul couldn’t be any clearer, flesh and blood or the physical body of man cannot be found in heaven because flesh and blood cannot inherit or exist in The Kingdom of God, also the kingdom of God is not a place we find corruption. In the kingdom of God incorruption reigns supreme, without the corruption of the material existence hindering the spiritual progress of the spiritual inhabitants found there.

the greatest name-12pixBAHA’I FAITH: “The doors of the Kingdom of God are open! GOOD NEWS! GOOD NEWS! Armies of Angels are descending from Heaven! The Sun of Truth is rising! Heavenly food is being sent from above! The Trumpet is sounding! The Banner of the Great Peace is floating far and wide! The Light of the Lamp of the Oneness of Humanity is shining bright! The fire of the Love of God is blazing! The Holy Spirit is being outpoured! For Everlasting Life is here!” “O Ye that sleep, Awake! O ye heedless ones, Learn wisdom! O Blind, receive your sight! O Deaf, Hear! O Dumb, Speak! O Dead, Arise! Be Happy! Be Happy!”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 126)

As for the other, religions of God, they are not quite as clear on the non-literal nature of the kingdom of God but they talk of it: Islamic symbol-5pix Islam: “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah (God) and He has no partner in Lordship or in worship or in the Names and the Qualities, and for Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are for Him and He is omnipotent. O Allah!”

(Hadith, Bukhari Vol 1, Book 12 # 805)

Islamic symbol-10 pix ISLAM: 35. “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.” “The parable of the Garden (heaven for Muslims) which the righteous are promised! — beneath it flow rivers: perpetual is the enjoyment thereof and the shade therein: such is the End of the Righteous; “The pure spirit escapes from the bonds of the body.” “and the End of Unbelievers is the Fire.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 13 and 24)

Islamic symbol-5pix Islam: “Dost thou not know that God‘s is the kingdom?” “Nor have ye besides God a patron or a help.”

(The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   2 – The Heifer)

Islamic symbol-5pix Islam: “For the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth is (are) God‘s, (The Kingdom of God) and God hath power over all things.”

(The Qur’an (Rodwell tr), Sura   3 – The Family of Imran)

Zoroastrian symbol-12pix ZOROASTRIANISM: 5. “To the best of good rulers (is) verily the Kingdom, because we render and ascribe it to Him, and make it thoroughly His own (?), to Mazda Ahura (God) do we ascribe it, and to Righteousness the Best.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 35)

Zoroastrian symbol-5pix Zoroastrianism: 1. “Grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to our souls, O Ahura Mazda! 2. Of this do Thou Thyself bestow upon us for this world and the spiritual;” (heaven in this earthly life and the spiritual kingdom of heaven in the next world, The Kingdom of God)

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 40)

 Zoroastrian symbol-5pix Zoroastrianism: 2. “To Thy good Kingdom, (The Kingdom of God) O Ahura Mazda! may we attain forever, and a good King be Thou over us; and let each man of us, and so each woman, thus abide, O Thou most beneficent of beings, and for both the worlds!”

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 41)

(Zarathushtra tells us) Zoroastrian symbol-5pix Zoroastrianism: “There is in us The Light of Heaven.” (the kingdom of God is found within us, just as Jesus tells us in Luke 17:20 thru 17:21) (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 388)

Zoroastrian symbol-5pix Zoroastrianism: “The world is the same old world as it had been, but thanks to the inspiration of the prophet, it has put on a new color. The out look has changed and the devotee now feels the blissful presence of Mazda everywhere. The kingdom of heaven has come down on earth.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 833)

Hindu symbol-10pix HINDUISM: “Krishna speaketh in this wise! Yea, and whoso, full of faith, Heareth wisely what it saith, Heareth meekly, when he dies, Surely shall his spirit rise To those regions where the Blest, Free of flesh, in joyance rest.”

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 18)

Hindu symbol 5-pix Hinduism: “In Him establish the kingdom (Heaven, The Kingdom of Brahma, Vishnu, God), he says; verily in him he makes the kingdom to abide.” (heaven inside of us)

(Hindu, Vedas, Yajur Veda – Kanda  V)

Buddhist wheel symbol-10 pix BUDDHISM: 13. “Blinded indeed is this world. Few are those who see the truth. Like a bird breaking out of the net, few are those who go to heaven.” (The Kingdom of God) The righteous, spiritual, seeing man becoming free of the physical body is like the bird breaking free of the net is one of the few who make it into spiritual heaven beyond.

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

Dharma wheel Buddhist symbols-5pix Buddhism: 18. “Cleansed of your faults and now without blemish, you will go to the heavenly land of the saints.” (heaven, the kingdom of God)

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J.  Richards))

Dharma wheel Buddhist symbols-5pix Buddhism: “Those sages who do harm to no-one, and who are always physically restrained, go to the everlasting abode (heaven), reaching which they will face no more suffering.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

Dharma wheel Buddhist symbols-5pix Buddhism: “When we subject ourselves to the least differentiation or particularization, transformation takes place: otherwise all things would be as void as space, as they inherently are. By letting our minds dwell on evil things, hell arises. By letting our minds dwell upon good acts, paradise is manifested.” (Buddha, Sixth Patriarch)

Mandaean symbol-15pix SABEANISM: “Raising my eyes and lifting up my countenance toward the Place which is all portals of radiance, light, glory, beauty, repute and honour and to the Abode which is all beams of light; I adore, laud and praise the Mighty, Strange (other-worldly) Life (Haiyi/God).” “The assembly of souls which proceeded from Him, on the Last Day, when they leave their bodies, will rejoice in Him, will embrace Him and will rise up and behold the outer Ether and the everlasting Abode (heaven, The Kingdom of God). (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 9)

Mandaean symbol1 Sabeanism: “Great First Word, (God) which assured me sight in mine eyes, pour wisdom into my heart! Open the eyes of my understanding!” “Wreath is light, its weapon the living word, and its seal the chosen, pure one (the manifestation of God). Every man who openeth it and readeth therein shall live, shall be whole and his name will be set up in the House of Life (heaven), in the name of the great Sublime Life from worlds (of light).” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 63 and 171)

Mandaean symbol1 Sabeanism: “In the name of The Great Life (God, Haiyi)! Hear me, my Father, hear me! Draw me upward (by the spirit) (O) Great One” “he brought me forth from the world. life supported life, life found its own, its own did life find, and my soul found that for which it had looked. renowned is life and victorious, and victorious the man who went thither.” To the heavenly Kingdom of God. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 80 and 98)

Mandaean symbol1 Sabeanism: “They shall rise upward on a smooth road and by the path of the perfect, shall behold the Place of Light and the everlasting Abode and be established by Him who opened (revealed) the great first light.” “So (too) shall these living, (brightly) shining, steadfast and vigorous souls shine in splendour in the great Place of Light and the Everlasting Abode (heaven).” “The building that life buildeth will never come to naught. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 54, 56 and 102)

Mandaean symbol1 Sabeanism: “Thou, my lord Manda-d-Hiia, art blessed and praised And thy praise is established (on high).” “Bliss and peace there shall be on the road which Adam built well. Bliss and peace there shall be on the road which the soul takes. Go, soul, in victory to the place from which you were transplanted, the place of joy, in which the face shines. The face shines in it, the form is illumined and does not grow dim. The soul has loosened its chains and broken its fetters. It shed its bodily coat, then it turned about, saw it, and shuddered. The call of the soul is the call of life which departs from the body of refuse,” and, enters into the realm of the heavenly kingdom. (Sabeanism, Bliss and Peace and Ginza Rba- chapters 115 and 116)

The shrine-17pix BABI RELIGION: “Strive that by your deeds you may bear witness to the truth of these words of God, and beware lest, by ‘turning back,’ He may ‘change you for another people,’ who ‘shall not be your like,’ and who shall take from you the Kingdom of God. The days when idle worship was deemed sufficient are ended. The time is come when naught but the purest motive, supported by deeds of stainless purity, can ascend to the throne of the Most High and be acceptable unto Him.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 93)