Title: Eyes for the Kingdom of God
Contents
The kingdom of God is not below, but above, so only those who are born from above cannot see it. Only those born from above can “raise their eyes” to see. That is why the Bible says, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The word “born again” in the above verse means “born from above”.
Therefore, unless you are born again from above, you cannot see the kingdom of God above. Because only those who have been reborn from above have eyes that can see up. Those born from above are born of the Holy Spirit, so the eyes that see the kingdom of God are the spirit. It is written about this in the Bible, "[Song of ascents to the temple] Lord in heaven, I lift up my eyes to you" (Psalm 123:1), "Lift up your eyes", that is, "lift up your spirit," toward you something like
The Bible talks about this in more detail. It is written, “O LORD, have mercy on me for my affliction, for I have lost sight, soul, and body with sorrow” (Psalm 31:9). and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Above it is written “eye and soul and body” in the psalms, and in 1 Thessalonians below it is written “spirit and soul and body”. Therefore, the “eye” born above is the “spirit”. Without these eyes (spirit), we cannot see the kingdom of God above. If you can't see it, of course you can't get in.
“After Lot had left Abram, the Lord said to Abram, “Lift up your eyes and look from where you are, to the east, west, north and south, and I will give you and your descendants the land that you see, and I will give it to you and your descendants forever. If you are able to number them, your descendants will also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in length and breadth, and I will give it to you” (Genesis 13:14-17). This is “the land” that Abram “lifted up his eyes” to see, the new heavens and the new earth.
“If we had thought about the country we came from, we would have had a chance to return. But now they long for a better homeland, which is in heaven. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, but He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:15-16) As evidenced, the kingdom that those born from above will inherit is not a kingdom on earth, but a kingdom in heaven. Therefore, only those who have raised eyes, that is, those who are born in a “better home,” can see and enter the country of “a better home.”
As it is written, “Do you not say that the harvest will come in four months? People from above see different eyes. The eyes that people born from above see are “raised up” eyes.
Therefore, “When Jesus had said these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify the Son, that the Son may glorify you” (John 17:1) Because only those born from above can raise their eyes and look up to the sky. As it is written, “Jesus said, You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, and I am not of this world” (John 8:23).
To God our Father, who, born again of the Holy Spirit, lift up our eyes to see the way that Christ Jesus went before, and to seek a better home, the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen, thank you Lord.
little brother kim yoon-goo