There is a phrase that sums up the link between the Gospels and The Revelation.  That phrase is “the kingdom of heaven".

When we observe how much the term "kingdom of God" or "kingdom of heaven" is used in the gospels, and how much that summarises what is taught in The Revelation, it becomes apparent that The Revelation adds an important dimension to what it means to be a Christian, especially at this point in human history.

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus instructed his followers to pray daily that his kingdom will come.  This attitude is fundamental to our relationship with God.  In the teachings and parables of Jesus, he repeatedly says:  "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto..."  and he goes on to give clues about what this kingdom means to those who wish to be his followers.  Growth in our understanding of this kingdom is essential to our Christian walk.

The last book of the Bible is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ."  But "Jesus Christ" is more than just a name.  Bible prophecy says a lot about kings and kingdoms, and one of the observations we have made is that kings and the kingdoms over which they rule are often used interchangeably.  A "revelation of Jesus Christ" will make us appreciate who Jesus Christ is, but it will also be a revelation of his kingdom.  Paradoxically, Jesus and his kingdom are not two different things; they are one and the same.  I will explain.

This mysterious "kingdom of heaven” does “not come with observation” (Luke 17:20); it is not "of this world” (John 18:36); it is not ruled by "carnal weapons” (II Corinthians 10:4); in fact, by human political standards, it is not a kingdom at all.  Instead, it is a relationship between the human race and our Creator.  It consists of attitudes and spiritual forces at work in the lives of those who are humble, loving, and sincere in their faith toward God.  All of these forces come from the Spirit of the One who Created us, which, in some mysterious way, is also the Spirit of the One who died on the cross in Israel some 2,000 years ago.  In other words, God's kingdom IS the Spirit of Jesus.  The kingdom of heaven is the REVELATION of Jesus.  The kingdom of heaven is what Jesus came to demonstrate, at the same time that it is something yet to come when he returns.

This on-going relationship and revelation between the Creator and His Creation is why The Revelation is, to me, so important in gaining a fuller understanding of all that Jesus said and did in the Gospels.  The work is still going on, and it is leading to a fuller revelation of God's will than the human race has yet experienced.

The "Seventy Weeks" prophecy in the book of Daniel is a significant part of that progressive revelation of God's kingdom, as it shows that "God's people" evolved from the physical descendants of Israel (Jacob), to those individuals everywhere who have a humble, teachable spirit toward God, to a final coming together of all those sincere individuals in the last seven years of earth's history just before Jesus returns.  This amazing picture of God's kingdom transcends all of our efforts to bring about world peace through manmade religions, human governments and even through human protests against those governments.

There is a real kingdom coming, but it is so far above and beyond anything that human efforts have ever been able to achieve, that we will need a powerful spiritual transformation before we will be able to even begin to comprehend it.  As Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Unless a person is born again, they cannot even see the kingdom of heaven.” (John 3:3) This transformation is the highest calling of every living soul on this planet.

That kingdom is "at hand".  It is closer now (of course!) than it has ever been before.  We need to be "born again" now more than ever before, if we are to be ready for it when it comes.

Forget about religious organisations.  Forget about formal ordinations and theological training.  Forget about various political ideologies and agendas.  Forget about everything except your relationship with the Lord of the Universe and the coming kingdom to which he alone holds the keys.  

Prepare ye the way for that great Day of the Lord!  That is the call of God to each of us today.  And to respond to that call, we need to open our hearts and minds to the truths of The Revelation... the events that are most significant in these "last days", such as the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, the institution of a worldwide "mark" in the right hand or the forehead, without which people will not be able to buy or sell, and the rise of a world leader who will appear to be bringing world peace.  

All of these events (while counterfeits of the real thing) point to something far greater that will come AFTER them according to The Revelation.  In Christ’s first coming the genuine preceded the counterfeits, but the ultimate fulfilment of God’s kingdom will come after God has used the deceptions of the Antichrist to sift the hearts of people everywhere.

God's kingdom is coming, Friends.  God's kingdom is coming!  We need to be prepared, in heart and mind and soul.  Religious counterfeits are nearing their ultimate end, and political substitutes are approaching their diabolical consummation.  We are about to head into the times of greatest trouble ever to come upon the earth.  Deception is going to be widespread and devilishly clever.  

Only a broken heart before God will protect any of us from becoming a part of that great deception.  We each need to fall on our faces before God and cry out for his protection and covering... that we might be totally yielded to his will and open to his kingdom, which will reign in the hearts of those who are prepared to give up all and become like little children before him.

*For more information related to this article, please check out the following video: Predicting the Date of Jesus' Return