Kingdom of heaven
refers to the prophesied reign of the Messiah (see Isaiah 2:2–5; Daniel 2:44–45; Micah 4:1–5). In Matthew 3:2, it also shows the coming of God’s judgment over Israel. While the prophets, particularly Daniel, depicted the heavenly kingdom as an eternal place of refuge for the believers in Israel, John also proclaims the necessity of repentance to prepare for the kingdom (Matthew 3:7–12).
The kingdom of heaven
does not refer to the general, ever-present providential rule of God, but to the reign of peace under the Lordship of the Messiah, the arrival of which which had also been announced by the prophets (see Isaiah 2:2–5, Daniel 2:44–45 and Micah 4:1–5).1
Matthew 3:2’s reference to the kingdom of heaven also simultaneously reveals God’s judgment over Israel. John proclaims: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Israel expected the arrival of this kingdom of heaven. The prophets, Daniel in particular, depicted a future time in which all earthly kingdoms would disappear and in which a heavenly kingdom will reign. It will be an eternal place of refuge for the believing remnant of Israel and for all whom God will add to it from the nations. For this reason John does not have to provide detailed information about this kingdom through his preaching, even if he could also not limit himself to proclaiming the glad tidings that the kingdom is now near. Although he does preach that, he does so in a special way. Its coming forms the heart of his message: Repent.
This is striking. But why does Abraham’s people have to repent when the promise is being fulfilled? Matthew will proceed to explain the reasons for it in Matthew 3:7–12.2
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”