What Is the Meaning of Matthew 6:33? “Seek First the Kingdom”?

My pastor once told me that he used to set his alarm for 6:33 a.m. Why? Because of Matthew 6:33. He wanted to wake up, see his alarm and immediately be reminded of the verse’s words. It was a helpful—albeit physical—way to keep the lesson of Matthew 6:33 at the fore. 

But to someone less familiar with the details of Matthew 6:33, “the kingdom of God” and “His righteousness” may not mean a whole lot. What is that passage really referring to?

How do we “seek” the Kingdom and His righteousness?

(To learn more about the gospel Jesus preached, read “What Was Jesus’ Message?”)

“But seek first the kingdom of God”

The devil has deceived literally millions of people about the true meaning of the Kingdom of God. It’s not some kind of warm, fuzzy feeling people experience when they “invite Jesus” into their lives, and neither is it the Catholic Church.

The Kingdom of God is a literal, world-ruling government to be set up on earth and continue into the endless chapters of eternity. It’s the focal point of the entire Bible, and the heart and core of Jesus’ teachings.

In Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient king of Babylon, had a dream. He saw a great statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay. It was grand, something sure to leave an impression. But at the end of the dream, a cataclysmic stone came and shattered the image (Daniel 2:31-34).

To “seek” that Kingdom is to have a strong desire to enter it—a willingness to go to any length to do so. Unsure of the dream’s meaning, Nebuchadnezzar eventually looked to the prophet Daniel for its interpretation.

Under God’s inspiration, Daniel explained, “You [Nebuchadnezzar] are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron . . . and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others” (verses 38-40).

The statue represented the rise and fall of four great, successive empires. These empires, or kingdoms, have been identified in history as the Babylonian Empire, Medo-Persian Empire, Greco-Macedonian Empire and Roman Empire. To learn more about these prophecies, read “Daniel 2: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream.”

The stone that shattered the statue was symbolic of another kingdom, a completely different one. Daniel said, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain” (verses 44-45, New International Version, emphasis added). 

How is this kingdom different from the others? It stands forever. But like the other kingdoms, it will have territory, subjects, laws and rulers.

• Set up here on earth (territory).
• Ruling over and serving human beings (subjects) during Christ’s millennial reign.
• Governed through God’s commandments and statutes (laws).
• Ruled by Christ and the saints (rulers).

So when we pray, “Your kingdom come,” we are pleading with God to send the triumphant Jesus Christ back to the earth—to permanently displace the fallible kingdoms of men and install a government that is good, righteous, just and holy. 

And the good part about that future reality is that it won’t be just Jesus Christ’s Kingdom. It will also belong to the “saints of the Most High,” who will “possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever” (Daniel 7:18).

How do we “seek” that Kingdom? We exhibit a strong desire to enter it—a willingness to go to any length that’s required of us.

Matthew 6:33 is another way of saying that being a part of God’s Kingdom needs to be our main priority in life.

To learn more about the Kingdom of God, read “What Is the Kingdom of God?”

“And His righteousness”

The next part of the verse tells us what making the Kingdom of God a top priority looks like.

What is the biblical definition of God’s righteousness? Psalm 119:172 says, “All Your commandments are righteousness.”

Notice that it does not say “some” or “nine out of 10” (excluding the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy), but “all” of God’s commandments.

Yet the Bible is replete with scriptures that prove obedience to God’s law is absolutely necessary to be a true Christian. Putting two and two together, we see Matthew 6:33 is telling us that we need to seek first God’s Kingdom by obeying all the commandments.

Unfortunately, obedience is a very unpopular message. Today, many people are obsessed with the idea of freedom to do whatever they please, no matter how much harm that kind of liberty may bring to themselves or others.

The result is people who lack respect for authority and refuse to yield to that authority.

God’s laws are treated similarly. They’ve become more of a suggestion, something optional for those who “feel” like obeying. 

Yet the Bible is replete with scriptures that prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, obedience to God’s law is absolutely necessary for a person to be a true Christian. Here is a clear scripture: “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).

And here’s another one at the end of the Bible:“ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14). 

The blessing for doing God’s commandments is entry into the Kingdom of God—that’s the end result for seeking His righteousness.

To learn more about true righteousness, read “What Is the Breastplate of Righteousness?”

“And all these things shall be added to you”

Earlier in the chapter, verses 25-32, Jesus instructs His disciples not to fret or be anxious about the physical necessities of life: “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ . . . For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

Father. What a fitting description of our God.

God knows. He sees. He is not blind to our needs or desires. He promises to provide for the physical necessities of this life if we prioritize His Kingdom and His righteousness. God could have designated Himself using any number of titles, but Father reminds us of not only His authority and strength, but also His tender love for each of us. To learn more about this role of God, read “Knowing God as a Loving Father.”

As Father and Provider, He promises to take care of us. 

Notice Matthew 7:9-11: “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

The point is, God knows. He sees. He is not blind to our needs or desires. He promises to provide for the physical necessities of this life if we prioritize His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Look to these scriptures and claim God’s promises if you’ve been seeking God with your whole being but are struggling to make ends meet and are overwhelmed with life’s demands.

To learn more, read “The Sermon on the Mount.”

What does Matthew 6:33 really mean?

Matthew 6:33 is a foundational scripture that directs our attention to what God considers to be the most important goal a person can have.

This is the goal that eclipses all other goals. This is the purpose for which all mankind was created. 

The author of Hebrews wrote to the Church that God wants to bring “many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10), not just a few.

This is the invitation offered to each of us through the gospel. The good news is that God sent His Son to die in our place so we can have a shot at entering His eternal Kingdom when He brings it at Christ’s return.

Until that time, we’re to keep busy seeking His righteousness.

Date Posted: September 3, 2025