The Holy Scriptures highlight the manifestation of God’s kingdom in two distinct phases:

(1) the kingdom of grace and

(2) the kingdom of glory.

Glory cannot exist without the prior manifestation of grace; therefore, it is essential to participate first in the kingdom of grace to enter the kingdom of glory.

When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, He proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of God with these words: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14, 15).

“As Jesus traveled through Galilee, teaching and healing, multitudes flocked to Him from the cities and villages. . . . Never before had there been such a period as this for the world. Heaven was brought down to men. Hungering and thirsting souls that had waited long for the redemption of Israel now feasted upon the grace of a merciful Saviour.”1

The kingdom of grace, heralded by Jesus, reached its climax at the cross of Calvary, where He took our place and died as our substitute to redeem us from the condemnation of sin. Through the provisions of His grace, humanity receives forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and complete salvation. As it is written in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

Jesus also taught about the future coming of the kingdom of God at His second advent. Among His various teachings, we highlight what Matthew 25:31–34 has to say in this context:

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

“As the message of Christ’s first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory. And the second message, like the first, is based on the prophecies.”2

The word “kingdom” in the text of Matthew, when referring to the kingdom of glory, is used by Jesus as a description of what will happen in the end times when He establishes God’s universal kingdom. Although this event is in the future, the promise that the Lord will come is a reality. As He Himself said:

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1–3).

Based on these precious revelations, the Christian not only lives in the assurance of redemption in the present but also in the hope of ultimate redemption in the kingdom of glory.

Glorification is the divine touch that transforms a human being, freeing us from the consequences of sin and making them immortal. Consider what 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52 declares:

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

The current body of a believer in Christ is not suitable for celestial life, as it is mortal, degraded, and fragile. Although the believer enjoys the fullness of the Spirit in their life, their body still bears the mark of death. Therefore, at the sound of the last trumpet, which will occur at the second coming of Christ, Christ will grant them a new body.

This new body will be imperishable, glorious, free from sin, and immortal, prepared for eternal life. The natural body of the Christian will be transformed into a spiritual body capable of withstanding the glory of God and ready for translation.

God will impart the divine touch of transformation to every redeemed individual, both to the resurrected saints and to the faithful who did not experience death. The book The Great Controversy beautifully expresses this thought:

“He will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto His glorious body. The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal.”3

All will be perfected! This transformation will affect the structure of the human body but preserve the personal identity of each individual, allowing the redeemed to recognize one another.

“Our personal identity is preserved in the resurrection. . . . The last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be removed, and Christ’s faithful ones will appear in ‘the beauty of the Lord our God,’ in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect image of their Lord.”4

When we refer to the kingdom of glory, we think of God’s Paradise, the New Earth, and the new heavens. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that our human language is inadequate to describe heavenly glory. All linguistic resources fall short in adequately portraying God’s Paradise. The page 675 of The Great Controversy emphasizes this point:

“Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.”

Despite the limitations of human language, we can draw inspiration from the words of the prophets and let our imagination guide us towards the divine paradise. In the revelations of Revelation, the Apostle John was blessed to catch a glimpse of the heavenly glories of God’s eternal kingdom. His emphasis lies in the account of Revelation 21:1–5, which states:

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”

Based on John’s prophetic vision, we can highlight some characteristics of the kingdom of glory:

The expression “New Earth” indicates a new creation. The planet that sin affected so deeply will be destroyed, consumed by the flames of divine judgment. Satan, his angels, and all the wicked will be completely annihilated. As Malachi 4:1 tells us:

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.”

With the destruction of the instigator of sin (Satan) and the purification of the planet, the glory of Eden will be restored. Creation will be in harmony with the Creator, and the New Jerusalem will be the capital of the New Earth.

The description of the New Jerusalem impresses us with its beauty and splendor. It will shine with the glory of God and gleam like a precious stone, like jasper, with a crystalline brightness. (See Revelation 21:10, 11.)

The Lord will be present with His people. God will choose to dwell among those He has redeemed, who are now His eternal children. They will forever enjoy His precious presence and His light. Christ, the One who redeemed them, will stand by their side. The saved will have the privilege of worshiping the Deity face to face for all eternity. The Tabernacle of God will be among them, establishing an intimate and loving relationship between Jehovah and the redeemed.

“The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and the Son. ‘Now we see through a glass, darkly.’ 1 Corinthians 13:12. We behold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between.”5

John, the prophet of Patmos, described a situation of eternal joy and happiness in God’s paradise:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4).

In the New Earth, the kingdom of glory will be the eternal home of the redeemed, where there will be no more tears, as all the reasons that cause sadness and weeping will be things of the past.

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).

In the New Earth, there will be no more sickness. There will be no need for hospitals, doctors, or medical treatments. All the consequences of sin will have been removed, and no one will say, “I am sick!”

“And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity” (Isaiah 33:24).

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5, 6).

In earthly life, death puts an end to many happy stories. In the New Earth, there will be no death, funeral processions, or graves.

“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8). And those who have passed through death and were resurrected will proclaim, “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

In the New Earth, the redeemed will explore the wonders of God’s love and continue to study tirelessly to understand more and more the creative power of God.

“There, immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.

“All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God’s handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation—suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator’s name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.

“And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.”6

The return of sin will never threaten growth in the kingdom of glory, as there will be no tempter or any risk of evil. Also, no tree of the knowledge of good and evil will offer an opportunity for temptation. The universe witnessed Satan’s rebellion and saw the consequences. Divine justice was established, and all of God’s vast domain will proclaim:

“Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints” (Revelation 15:3).

Indeed, there will only be a remembrance of the struggle between good and evil. Although the sufferings, pains, and temptations of Earth have ended, God’s people will always have a clear and intelligent understanding of the price their salvation cost. Christ will still bear in His body the marks of redemption. Throughout the endless centuries of eternity, these signs will bear witness to God’s immense love and Jesus’ immeasurable sacrifice to redeem us.

“That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe. As the nations of the saved look upon their Redeemer and behold the eternal glory of the Father shining in His countenance; as they behold His throne, which is from everlasting to everlasting, and know that His kingdom is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song: ‘Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His own most precious blood!’ ”7

After exploring the kingdom of glory and its incomparable wonders, profound questions arise: Who will have the privilege of enjoying the delights of this kingdom? Who will be its heirs?

In the light of divine revelations, we find the answers: Those who embrace and live the kingdom of grace will become subjects of the kingdom of glory. They are the ones who overcome the adversities of the world, the flesh, and the evil one.

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7).

These had a personal communion with Jesus Christ, the Saviour, and the Lord of their lives. They were transformed by His grace in the time of salvation.

Dear brothers and friends, we are living in the final moments of the history of this world. Soon, very soon, we will witness the arrival of the kingdom of glory and have the privilege to enjoy its eternal delights. Therefore, we “are to make the best of our present opportunities. There will be no other probation given to us in which to prepare for heaven. This is our only and last opportunity to form characters which will fit us for the future home which the Lord has prepared for all who are obedient to His commandments.”8

My sincere wish is that we stand together as conquerors. We cannot risk losing our salvation. May God assist and bless us so that you and I may share in the kingdom of glory in the heavenly paradise. Amen!