Why Does the Kingdom of Heaven Suffer Violence? (2)
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October 11, 2026 |
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"From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and violent men take it by force."
(Matthew 11:12)
Heaven is divided into several dwelling places
Taking the kingdom of heaven by force means more than simply escaping hell and entering heaven. It means longing for and pressing toward the better dwelling places, as heaven is divided into different levels.
The kingdom of heaven belongs not to the visible, physical heaven, but to the invisible, spiritual heaven, which exists in a dimension different from the physical realm. Nehemiah 9:6 speaks of "the heavens and the heaven of heavens," and First Kings 8:27 uses the exact same expression; throughout the Scriptures, it is recorded that there is more than one heaven. In 2 Corinthians 12, Apostle Paul's spirit was caught up to the "third heaven," to "Paradise," where he heard inexpressible words that man is not permitted to speak.
The Paradise is the lowest level in heaven, intended for those who barely receive salvation like the thief crucified alongside Jesus. Those who go there have accepted Jesus Christ, but fail to live according to the Word and render no service to the Kingdom of God, thus receiving no rewards. In contrast, New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is the most glorious place built on foundations of twelve precious stones. It is where the throne of God is located and is inhabited by those who have attained great faith by fully obeying and fulfilling the Word.
Between the Paradise and New Jerusalem lie the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Kingdoms, and where we enter is determined by our faith. As much as we overcome the enemy devil, fight against sin even to the point of shedding blood, and are transformed into a heart of truth, we qualify for a better dwelling place.
To Take a Better Heaven by Force
Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31?32). A mustard seed is a tiny seed, like a dot drawn on paper with a pen. Though a believer's faith is initially as small as a mustard seed, if diligently cultivated, it grows into a large tree capable of withstanding wind and rain, harboring many souls and offering life and rest. As one's faith grows and his heart broadens this way, he comes to dwell in a better place in heaven.
No earthly beauty can be compared to heaven. Even the Paradise, the lowest place in heaven, is far more beautiful than the most beautiful place on earth, and as one moves up from the First to the Second and Third Kingdoms, the glory increases immensely. In heaven, even the streets walked upon are made of pure gold, and gold and silver sand line the River of the Water of Life where beautifully colored fish swim.
From the 3rd Kingdom and above, angels serve us as our servants, and we enjoy eternal happiness with the Triune God and our loved ones. And the glory of New Jerusalem?where God's throne is located?is beyond all words to describe! After seeing the Paradise just once, Apostle Paul held fast to a great hope and walked that path with joy through countless hardships.
The heavenly dwelling place we will enter is decided the moment our life on this earth ends. Even if our faith is small right now, if we zealously press into the kingdom of heaven, we can enter New Jerusalem; conversely, if we do not cast off evil in our hearts and allow our faith to backslide, we may end up only in the Paradise or even lose our salvation. Scripture says, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12). I encourage you to earnestly long for heaven and quickly attain a greater faith. By redeeming the time and diligently pressing into the kingdom of heaven, I pray that you will take hold of the best heavenly dwelling place.
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