The Kingdom of GodThe goodness and mercy of God far transcend the comprehension of the most brilliant human mind! He “who humbleth himself to look upon heaven and earth” (Psalm 113:6). Yet in His infinite love for us, He stoops to reveal Himself to us through a multitude of illustrations, types, and shadows, so that we may come to know Him. This article will describe what is meant by the Kingdom of God; will examine the religious philosophy of the different sects of Judaism during the Second Temple period: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Zealots, will describe the religious philosophy and political philosophy of each sect, it will also describe how the messianic expectation differs from the messianic role which Jesus presented and includes an exegesis of Jesus' temptation and how other sects have defined the Messiah. The Kingdom of God defined by the Israelites as a physical place here on earth. The Kingdom of God is also called “Kingdom of Heaven”. It signifies the reign of God in the lives of his chosen people and his creation. In the Old Testament, the people of God's kingdom were the Israelites. In the New Testament and today, the inhabitants of God's kingdom are those who believe in and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus returns, then the kingdom of God will become visible to all. The term “Kingdom” according to (Kingdom of God, 2011) refers to the rank, quality, state or attributes of a king; royal authority; sovereign power; ruler; domination; monarchy. It can also be used in the context of a divine kingdom, the term Kingdom appears 13 times in Matthew, 7 times in Luke and 2 times in John. The Kingdom of God has a similar meaning. It exists wherever the will of God is at work. And God's will is at work wherever people are faithful to the commandment...... middle of paper ......fe, death and resurrection.ReferencesCarson, D, & Moo, D. (2005 ) An introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Jesus the Man: Retrieved March 3, 2011 from: www.sullivan-county.com/news/mine/jesus.htmKingdom of God: Retrieved March 3, 2011 from: www.ucg.org/bible /royaume-de-dieu/ LaSor, W., Hubbard, D., Bush, F., & Allen, L. (1996). Surveying the Old Testament: The Message, Form, and Context of the Old Testament (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: EerdmansStevenson, J., (nd) “The Intertestamental Period.” Retrieved February 27, 2011 from: http://www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/15-400sy.htmlThomas Nelson (1991) Nelson Quick Reference Chapter-by-Chapter Bible Commentary.Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas Nelson Inc..