The doorways that God opened in the Old Testament all failed to bring heaven to earth because human hearts kept turning away from the will of God. So God made a totally new meeting place between heaven and earth in his very self, by becoming the man Jesus Christ.
If we look all around us, we can see that heaven and earth are not actually united – far from it. Currently, they are most definitely divided and the earth is not the heavenly place God intended it to be. The source of this issue is the way humanity has rejected Gods will. Since heaven is the dimension where God’s will is done we have in turn rejected heaven. The earth has become a place used for our own selfish ends.
The Bible tells us that God has not given up on humanity despite our rejection of his will. God opens doorways between heaven and earth, not so we can escape from one place to another but so that the power of heaven can flow down to earth to heal and restore a broken earth.
In the Old Testament an example of this is the tabernacle, where God was present on earth and amid his people. The doorways that we read about in the bible failed to make the earth a heavenly place as they failed to change people’s hearts. Humanity continued to be selfish and turning away from God.
Despite the doorways failing, God did not give up on his restoration plan. A final doorway, which all the others pointed to, and were in preparation for, was opened. God sent himself from heaven to earth, becoming human. Jesus was fully God and fully human, fully of heaven and fully of earth. His mission was not a ticket to escape the earth, but a doorway to allow the kingdom of heaven touch the earth and restore what was broken.
Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven was near. The kingdom of heaven is coming to heal and redeem the earth, not destroy it, and we see this through the miracles performed by Jesus whilst he walked the earth.
At the start of chapter 6, I write that Jesus ‘… wasn’t 50% God and 50% human, but at the same moment 100% God and 100% human.’
Mark tells us that when Jesus was baptised heaven was torn open (Mark 1:9-11). Take a close look at this illuminated manuscript showing the baptism of Jesus, painted by Simeon Ardjishetsi in 1305.
When Jesus began to preach, his message was, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ (Matthew 4:17)
After Jesus resisted Satan’s temptations in the wilderness, Matthew records that “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23)
Jesus told many parables to teach people about the kingdom of heaven. Two of them are in Matthew 13:31-33.
“The kingdom of heaven is likea mustard seed,which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
“The kingdom of heaven is likeyeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flouruntil it worked all through the dough.”
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7), and especially in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 3-10), Jesus shows us the positive ways in which we can bring the fullness of the dimension of heaven to the broken and hurting world around us.
‘Jesus said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”’
(You might like to look again at my paraphrased version of the Beatitudes on pp 84-5)
The apostle Paul wrote that ‘Love is the fulfilment of the law.’
Take one of the Beatitudes (perhaps one you find most difficult) and ask God to show you what it would look like for that beatitude to become more a part of your everyday life on earth.
