Humans perceive the world through their five senses. Stimuli received through sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch are converted into electrical signals and transmitted to the brain. The brain then synthesizes and interprets this information, forming recognition. As this process of sensation and perception repeats countless times, the accumulated data becomes the foundation for interpreting future sensory experiences. Thus, all recognition begins with sensation.
However, human senses are inherently limited. Vision can detect only light waves within the 400–700 nanometer range, making X-rays, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, and radio waves invisible to the naked eye. Likewise, hearing is restricted to frequencies between 20 and 20,000 hertz, rendering extremely high or low sounds inaudible. To overcome these limitations, scientists have sought ways to expand human perception. The development of telescopes, microscopes, mass spectrometers, seismometers, magnetometers, spectroscopes, accelerators, and particle detectors has significantly enhanced our sensory and cognitive abilities. These advancements allow us to explore previously inaccessible realms, such as the microscopic world of viruses, the intricate ecology of microorganisms, natural phenomena, human diseases, and the vast movement of celestial bodies. Yet, despite these remarkable breakthroughs, one fundamental truth remains: human senses and perception have definite limits.
What, then, about the kingdom of heaven? Since heaven lies beyond human perception, recognizing its existence is inherently difficult. This is why God Himself came within the range of human perception. To those who see but do not see and hear but do not hear, God revealed the secrets of the kingdom of heaven through parables: a hidden treasure in a field, a pearl of great value, a mustard seed, fish caught in a net, the narrow gate, and a king who prepared a wedding banquet. By using familiar situations and objects, He illustrated the kingdom of heaven—a place beyond pain and death—so that anyone could grasp its significance.
It is truly by God’s grace and blessing that we can take step by step toward recognizing the kingdom of heaven, the home of our souls—something we could never have conceived on our own had God not revealed it to us. Let us give thanks to God, who came in a humble form like ours so that we might understand the unseen kingdom of heaven. For those who move forward with unwavering faith and steadfast hope, heaven becomes not just an abstract idea but a tangible reality.