This notion of a kingdom of heaven holds a dual meaning as it refers to both a ‘kingly rule’ in the present world as well as prophetic kingdom where the nature and peace of the heavenly garden is restored, as demonstrated in Revelations 21:3 “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them”,outlining the fact that adherents have the opportunity to find peace in the assurance of the kingdom of heaven. Furthermore, the new testament also remarks that the kingdom of heaven will be a place with “no hunger, thirst, tears or pain” revelations 7:16-17) providing Christians with the basic understanding that the kingdom will epitomize the concept of peace as it will eliminate all human suffering. Moreover, the new testament also preached that the prophetic era will be one of perpetual peace where god will demonstrate his love and mercy and “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat and a little child will lead them” demonstrating the idea that when peace is once again upon earth all species will coexist harmoniously as they did in the tranquility of the Garden of Eden. Thus, providing Christian adherents with an understanding of peace in the kingdom of heaven, as well as encouraging peace amongst adherents as a means of attaining harmony on …show more content…
Jesus Militant message stated “I did not come to bring peace, but sword” (Mathew 10:34) demonstrating that fact that Jesus himself recognized occasions where war and conflict would need to arise in order to benefit the Christian community, such conflict even turning family members against one another. The New Testament also advise followers “that have no sword to sell [his] cloak and by one” causing social disturbance and upheaval in the Christian community by directly opposing his prominent message of peace rather encouraging and prophesizing “wars and rumors of wars” where adherents would be persecuted in the name of religion, similar to the rejection and persecution experienced by Jesus Christ’s own crucifixion. Despite Christianity being a harmonious religion more often then not Jesus actions and militant message has caused strife in the community from the time Jesus violently drove the merchants from his temple stating “it has been written, my house is a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves” (Luke 19:45-47) to more recently where denominational conflict has arose between Catholicism, Anglicanism, Protestantism and orthodoxy as a result of contrasting interpretations and understandings of the passages of the new testament. Underlying that idea that although peace is a