What is the kingdom of heaven, and how is it related to the kingdom of God?
The kingdom of God is the entire sphere under God's sovereign control. The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom promised to Israel since Abraham's time, still future and destined to come upon the earth. Scripture places the kingdom of heaven within the broader kingdom of God, not as a separate or opposing realm.
Les explains that the kingdom of God is the whole sphere which is under God's sovereign control. The kingdom of heaven, by contrast, is that which had been promised to Israel ever since the time of Abraham, and it is the kingdom that will yet come upon the earth. Importantly, Les teaches that this promised kingdom of heaven is within the kingdom of God. In Acts 28, Paul expounded and testified the kingdom of God to the Jewish leaders at Rome, covering the whole gamut and not leaving a stone unturned. Thus, the kingdom of heaven is the future earthly kingdom promised to Israel, while the kingdom of God is the larger sphere of God's sovereign influence.