How old is the Kingdom of Heaven?

How long has the Kingdom of Heaven been around?  Is it one of those things that just always "has been" and "will be?"  Like God?  Or is it something new that came when Jesus came to the earth?  Yes, no, and sort of...

In Matthew 5:19, Jesus teaches, "Anyone who breaks one of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."

In this teaching, Jesus is telling them (and showing us) that he is continuing the message of the Old Testament.  He is teaching that the old way of doing things is not being thrown away, rather it is being fulfilled in Him.  He is the finish of the Old Testament.  He is the completion of the law.  He teaches the same things in new, more challenging and much more personal ways.  He serves as our Mediator, or one between us and God the Father.  Now we can do things much differently than they did in the Old Testament.

The Kingdom of Heaven is the reward for those who keep the law.  I think it's really interesting that it seems like there is a ranking in the Kingdom now.  If you keep the commands you are great in the Kingdom and if you don't you are least in the Kingdom.  This seems to reinforce the idea that the Kingdom of Heaven is not "heaven" as we think it.  It is right now.  It is on earth.

How old is the Kingdom of Heaven?  Well, here Jesus teaches us that it extends back to the commandments.  That gives it a few thousand more years.  Is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in the Garden of Eden?  Or has heaven and earth not yet been separated at the point in time?

Still more questions, but I think we are starting to get the border of the puzzle put together.

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