The Keys
to
The Kingdom
Some two thousand years ago Jesus gave onto mankind the "keys" to the kingdom of heaven and to this day these keys remain more or less of a mystery to the body of believers.
Now we know that Jesus' rebuke of the scribes, Pharisees and lawyers of the time was about their hypocrisy, the single thing that Jesus proclaimed to be "the leaven of the Pharisees". (Mat 16:6)
What is "leaven"?
Any thing which makes a general change in the mass, which generally means that something which corrupts or depraves has been added to something with which it should not be mixed.
And
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and
whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
(Mat 16:19)
"and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John"
"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear".
(Mat 11:12-13 &15)
Violent - βιαστής - biastēs - a forcer, from the word βιάζω - biazō -to force, that is, (reflexively) to crowd oneself (into) or (passively) to be seized.
I believe that what we are seeing on the earth today is the manifestation of what is taking place in the spiritual realm. Subsequently I also believe that the only way to effect what is happening in the natural realm is to alter what is taking place in the spiritual realm.
And we do that with the keys to the kingdom!
Everything that we see in the natural realm is the manifestation of that which is taking place within the three heavens.
When the term "heaven" is not used symbolically in Scripture, it usually refers to one of three realms:
(1) Our Immediate Atmosphere (2) Outer Space (The Sun, Moon, And Stars) (3) The Home Of God
Consequently we find the Bible speaking of more than one heaven or multiple heavens.
The fact that Jesus passed through the heavens gives evidence there is more than one heaven.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (Hebrews 4:14).
Third Heaven
Furthermore the Bible refers to the third heaven.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know - God knows (2 Corinthians 12:2).
If there is a third heaven, it seems there must also be a first and second heaven. The Bible, however, does not mention a first and second heaven.
1. The Atmospheric Heaven - The First Heaven
The atmospheric heavens include the air that we breathe as well as the space that immediately surrounds the earth. The technical term for this is the "troposphere." It extends about twenty miles above the earth. The space above this is called the "stratosphere." The Scripture uses the term heaven to describe this area.
I will destroy humanity whom I have created from the face of the earth, both humans and beasts, creeping thing and birds of heaven (Genesis 6:7).
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather in barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26).
The word translated "air" is ouranos, the same Greek word that is elsewhere translated "heaven." We have another example of this use in the book of James.
And he [Elijah] prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced fruit (James 5:18).
2. The Celestial Heaven - The Second Heaven
This use of the term heaven refers to outer space or the stellar heaven. It includes the sun, moon, and stars.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken (Matthew 24:29).
Stars are said to be in heaven.
And take heed, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage (Deuteronomy 4:19).
Heaven Of Heavens
The Scripture speaks of heavenly spheres beyond that which is visible from the earth. It is called the heaven of heavens.
Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it (Deuteronomy 10:14).
The psalmist wrote.
Praise Him, you heaven of heavens and you waters above the heavens! (Psalm 148:4).
3. Heaven As The Home Of God - The Third Heaven
The Bible is clear that God cannot be limited to any one geographical place.
But will indeed God dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You (1 Kings 8:27).
Yet Scripture also teaches us that there is a certain geographical place where God resides. It is also designated heaven. The writer to the Hebrews said.
The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 8:1).
Stephen knew he was going into the presence of the Lord.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55).
Heaven is called the presence of God.
For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:24).
The location of the abode of God is not revealed in Scripture.