For decades, like most Christians, I mindlessly prayed ‘the Lord’s Prayer’ without really understanding it. Then, to stop feeling like I was babbling my prayers like a pagan, I decided to discover what Jesus really meant in each line of the Lord’s Prayer. In this article I’ll share what “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” really means.
What does “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” really mean? As I’ll explain in more detail below, in this part of the Lord’s Prayer, we’re first praying for YHWH to perfect His kingdom in heaven by throwing the Devil and his angels out, and then to extend the Messiah’s authority over all the earth, until all of heaven and every nation on earth is submitted to God’s throne and willingly aligned with His will.
In the Lord’s Prayer, we’re praying for God’s Kingdom to come and God’s will to be done, as it is in heaven, so let it be on earth. Therefore, the coming of God’s kingdom must begin in heaven, because “as it is in heaven” is what shall afterward be reflected on the earth. Before God’s kingdom can come to heaven, the Archangel Michael must throw the Dragon (Satan) and his angels out. But, before Michael can do this, he’s waiting for the Church to fulfill their end-time role.
As It Is In Heaven?
This will come as a shock to many, but God’s kingdom and God’s will are now contested in heaven. Until Michael throws the Dragon and his angels out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9), it will continue to have strife and contention.
Heaven’s Current State – Rebel Spirits
Most people think of heaven as a place of perfect peace and harmony, but that isn’t correct. The Book of Job (the oldest book in the Bible) starts by saying,
One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
Job 1:6-8
Job 1:6 is a picture of the ‘Divine Council‘ of the sons of God (and Satan, the accuser) meeting with YHWH in heaven. It reveals that heaven is orderly and the rebel spirits respectfully behave in Almighty God’s presence, but that doesn’t mean all the spirits in heaven are godly, or don’t oppose God, as Satan’s attitude proves.
Another good example of rebel spirits opposing God’s will is found in Daniel 10:13 and 10:20, where Gabriel and Michael were opposed by the evil angelic principalities of Persia and Greece. (Although it’s tempting to explore more details about Satan and his angels; how they fell into rebellion, their legal status in heaven, etc., these topics are outside the scope of this article. For those who are interested, these details are provided free in The Overcomers’ Treasure Map.)
Evil Thrones in Heaven
According to Genesis 10-11 and Deuteronomy 32:8, since the Tower of Babel, over 4000 years ago, the Dragon and his angels have enjoyed ‘thrones’ in heaven, with delegated authority over the nations of the earth.
Since the concept of ‘evil thrones in heaven’ will be new to many, the next paragraph will give readers a brief introduction. Again, The Overcomers’ Treasure Map has more detail.
God delegated His authority to His 70 ‘sons of God’ to rule the 70 nations of Noah’s descendants after the Tower of Babel. The 70 angelic sons of God are now known as the ‘principalities and powers’ of Ephesians 6:12 in the KJV. Soon after the Tower of Babel, they led their nations to rebel against God by encouraging men to worship them through idols, instead of worshiping YHWH. You’ll recognize some of their names: Molech, Baal, Ashtoreth, Isis, Osiris, Dagon, etc. Psalm 82 is about these sons of God, including: their place in the Divine Council, their rebellion, and their coming judgement.
Heaven’s Future State
According to Revelation 12:10, after Michael throws Satan and his angels out of heaven, then God’s kingdom will be realized in heaven. From that time onward, no adversary will ever enter heaven again.
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down–he who accuses them day and night before our God.”
Revelation 12:10-11
Michael Is Waiting for the Court of Heaven’s Decision
Today, the 70 principalities and powers are still God’s delegated authorities over the nations of mankind. God follows His own laws, so dethroning the principalities must be legally adjudicated in the Divine Council (or court) of Heaven before Jesus and His overcoming saints can legally replace them and begin governing the nations on earth.
The Court of Heaven’s Pending Decision to Expel Satan
Waiting For Testimony
The court of heaven has been waiting thousands of years for sufficient testimonial evidence to convict Satan and condemn him (and his followers) to be thrown out of heaven. (For my best speculation about the legal charges, see The Overcomers’ Treasure Map.) What kind of testimony do they need?
This is the evidence the court of heaven is waiting for. This is how Satan will be condemned:
“They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.”
Revelation 12:11
They conquered the Dragon by:
- Faith in the blood of the Lamb
- Testimony of a holy, dedicated life
- Faithfulness unto death
Only YHWH knows when the court of heaven will have sufficient testimony to cause Satan to be thrown down. As you can see below, there is a “full number” of martyrs that must be killed first.
And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld. And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood? Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been killed.
Revelation 6:9-11
The Court of Heaven in Daniel
Daniel 7:23-26 tells us about the heavenly court’s decision, and how it will be concluded at the end of this age, in the days of the Fourth Beast, the Antichrist’s kingdom. Speaking of the Antichrist and the Dragon who empowers him, Daniel writes:
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the set times and laws, and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time. But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
Daniel 7:25-27
The court will convene. Satan and the principalities and powers’ dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
Celebration in Heaven After Michael Throws Satan Down
Immediately after Michael throws Satan and his followers out of heaven in Revelation 12,
I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Messiah.”
Revelation 12:10
Thy Kingdom Come – On Earth
When the Dragon and his angels are ‘thrown down to earth’ there will be great rejoicing in the kingdom of God in heaven.
But unfortunately, there will be a 3.5 year delay before the kingdom of God fully comes to earth, and the Devil is full of rage.
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has come down to you, knowing he has only a short time.”
Revelation 12:12
The Abomination of Desolation Starts the Final Countdown
When Satan is thrown down to earth he will inhabit the Man of Sin, turning him into the Antichrist. He will commit the Abomination of Desolation, proclaiming himself to be god and starting the 3.5 year countdown until the end of this age.
The mark of the beast and worldwide persecution against Christians soon follows. According to Revelation 13:10, surviving Christians during this time will have one of three destinies:
The Seventh Trumpet Signals the Kingdom of God Coming to Earth
After exactly 3.5 years (or 42 months) of great tribulation on the earth, Jesus the Messiah will return from heaven in glory, with the blast of a heavenly shofar, to setup His earthly kingdom over all nations.
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
Revelation 11:15
Conclusion
In teaching us to pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Jesus wants us to petition the Father to throw Satan and his angels down from heaven, thus making God’s kingdom come to heaven. Then, Jesus can make His kingdom come to the earth, “as it is in heaven.”
1. Thy Kingdom Come to Heaven
First, when the saints of God complete their testimony, the court of heaven will authorize Michael the Archangel to throw the Devil and his angels down.
After Satan is thrown down there will be great rejoicing in heaven, but woe to the earth because the Devil is furious and knows he has only a short time remaining.
2. Thy Kingdom Come to Earth
After Satan is thrown down to earth he will instigate the Antichrist to commit the ‘abomination of desolation,’ starting the 3.5 year great tribulation. When the great tribulation is complete, Jesus will return at the seventh trumpet to establish His kingdom reign over all the earth, as it is in heaven.
What Do You Think?
Did this article answer all your questions on this topic? Please leave a comment below and tell me:
- Were you satisfied by the information in this article?
- Or, did it leave you wanting more?
Related Questions
Q: Where does the rapture of saints fit into this picture?
A: Before the Devil is thrown down I believe the ‘manifested sons of God‘ will visibly radiate with the glory of God and they’ll preach the gospel of the kingdom of God with accompanying, miraculous signs in every nation. Their ministry will cause the end-time harvest of the innumerable multitude seen standing before the Lamb in heaven in Revelation 7:9. Most of them will be martyred, but if any remain after the court of heaven adjudicates Satan, God may snatch them up. Otherwise, I believe the rapture (for those worthy of the 1st resurrection) will be at the 7th Trumpet, when Jesus returns.
Q: How can I expedite the coming of God’s kingdom?
A: Toward the end of The Overcomers’ Treasure Map there’s a chapter entitled How Will the Church Defeat God’s Adversaries? that answers this question well. You can either buy the book or download it free.
Thank you for the insight I have a better understanding of the Kingdom of God.
A very insightful commentary.
A very insightful commentary.