Point of contact

The kingdom of God is the kingdom of heaven. It is not a kingdom of earth; it does not consist of things that man has made. The kingdom of God is eternal; it has always been and it will always be.

But it can come near to earth. This is seen in Scripture.

The Lord came down to earth on Mount Sinai. The appearance to Israel was of a thick cloud, covering the mountain.

"Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently." Exodus 19:18

The kingdom of God came down in a place for a time. Moses went up the mountain; he spoke with God on the mountain. He received tablets of stone fashioned by the finger of God. The kingdom of God had come near.

Ezekiel saw this cloud as well; he saw it coming across the plain.

"And as I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire." Ezekiel 1:4

Ezekiel described what he saw inside the cloud.

"And within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. Each of them had four faces and four wings. And their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward. As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man, all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies. And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went." Ezekiel 1:5-12

Ezekiel saw four living beings inside the cloud, like nothing he had ever seen. He described them using similarities to living creatures, but these living beings were far more complex. What is at work inside the cloud is not based on the work of man. These living beings live within fire; they move like lightning.

"In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning." Ezekiel 1:13-14

Inside the cloud is fire and lightning; things happen quickly inside. What is at work around them are interworking mechanisms far more complex than the mechanisms of man.

"Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them. The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions, without turning as they moved. As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about. And whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And whenever the living beings rose above the earth, the wheels rose also. Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living being was in the wheels." Ezekiel 1:15-21

The kingdom of God works through complex mechanisms, yet with full vision in what it is doing. The kingdom of God works together in all things; nothing is disconnected or inconsistent. The kingdom of God works with one purpose; it is moved by one Spirit. It is a kingdom, not defined by a place on earth, but by what is above it.

"Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, extended over their heads. And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering their bodies on the one side and on the other. I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings." Ezekiel 1:22-25

This kingdom comes with awesome sound, but when it rests in a place, it is quiet. Then the King can be heard when He speaks.

"Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of his loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking." Ezekiel 1:26-28

This is the kingdom of God which comes near. This is the point of contact between heaven and earth. In a place and in a time, the workings of heaven come down to earth in holiness. In that place and time He speaks to man.