PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE
PART 4
MATTHEW 13


7TH MYSTERY:
PARABLE OF DRAG-NET IN THE SEA

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
unto a net, that was cast into the sea,
and gathered of every kind:
Which, when it was full,
they drew to shore, and sat down,
and gathered the good into vessels,
But cast the bad away!
MATTHEW 13:47-48

PARABLE OF THE DRAG-NET EXPLAINED:

So shall it be at the end of the world:
The angels shall come forth,
And sever the wicked from among the just!

And shall cast them into the
Furnace of fire:
There shall be
Wailing and gnashing of teeth!
MATTHEW 13:49-50
(Reference: Matthew 13:18, 36)


Jesus called His disciples to be “fishers of men!” (Mark 1:17). They were fishermen by profession, and were mending their nets (Matthew 4:21). The night had been far from satisfactory, as nothing had been caught all night. Yet, Jesus said, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught” or ‘a haul or catch of that which is drawn in.’ Simon Peter complained that they had fished all night, and yet had caught nothing. “NEVERTHELESS, AT YOUR WORD we will cast the net again. Then the two ships of the disciples were filled so full that the two ships both began to sink. At this great miracle, the disciples, so astonished at the catch, bowed down in reverence to the LORD. “Then Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth you shall catch men.” And when all the disciples brought their ships to land, they (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) forsook all, and followed Him”(Luke 5:4-11).

Appropriately, Jesus’ parable of the dragnet here in Matthew refers to the fishing process of casting a dragnet into the sea and dragging it to catch “fish.” The “fish” are inspected and separated. The good fish are separated from the bad ones. The “sea,” if not a specified sea, in prophecy refers to “humanity”…every people, tongue, and race. As the Gospel is preached by Christ through His disciples, it is preached to every nation, tongue, and race. The gospel net cast into the sea of humanity is the universal gospel work of gathering men and women into the kingdom. The net is cast by proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the same net gathers in every kind of “fish” (men). Some of these men and women receive the Gospel Word but allow other things to fill their sensual, stupid, and insensible minds and do not consider the truth of the Word they have heard. So the WORD is lost upon them. Others receive the Gospel Word with joy, perhaps struck with the beauty of truth and grace, but having no root of character or deep conviction to believe the Word soon wither away from being a disciple of Christ. Some allow the cares of this life to choke out the Gospel Word that must be believed by faith; and some believe the Gospel Word until persecution arises. Having not allowed a deep work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, they don’t know how to stand firm on the Gospel Word and defeat the enemy until the victory for their lives is manifest. Therefore, they fall away from kingdom living. However, some of these fish become true disciples. With deep conviction, they are inwardly changed in their character, so that they will not draw back from believing the Gospel Word, even when tribulation or persecution arises. They learn to trust GOD, knowing that He is faithful and will help them, no matter what the circumstances are. These allow the Holy Spirit to do a work of grace in their hearts so that they continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD JESUS, committing their lives to being fruitful for GOD and the kingdom. The good ’fish’ separate themselves from the bad (evil ones) by continuing to walk in paths of righteousness by letting the WORD of GOD direct their lives…even unto eternal life. The separation and destiny at the end of the “age” of the “fish” in the net are the same as that in the parables of the wheat and the tares. The “bad” fish and the tares are destroyed, while the “good” fish and the “good” wheat is saved unto eternal life.

When the Gospel of the Good News of Christ Jesus is preached, it requires a response from those that hear the Gospel. Many, like true disciples, recognize Jesus Christ as the Creator of the Universe and GOD of all. Recognizing His Deity, they bow before Him to forsake all and follow Him in His commandments and disciplines. Yet, there are always a “few” that are not true disciples but merely “false, hypocritical professors (confessors) of the truth.” The good (true disciples that profess…confess) Christ as LORD) and the bad (those that look good but hide under a mask of deception) are gathered together to hear the Gospel of Truth. And, there will be an astonishing revival and a ‘catch’ of men at the end of the age to fulfill this prophecy of the ‘two gospel ships’ taking in so many people into the kingdom that the ships begin to sink, but the nets do not break. With the ships being close to shore, the nets will be dragged in. This is a picture of all Christians working together in unity to bring in the last great harvest of souls. The boats, have toiled all night, refers to the end of the age when Jesus returns the second time. There are so many fish (souls) that the ships are brought to shore (portals of heaven) to keep from losing the fish. Then the good fish, like the good wheat, will be taken into the kingdom of heaven where is eternal life, while the bad will be, as the tares, cast away and destroyed.

AND I say unto you my friends,
Be not afraid of them that kill the body,
and after that have no more that they can do.

BUT I will forewarn you
Whom you shall fear:
FEAR HIM,
Which after He has killed has power
To cast into hell;
Yes, I say unto you,
FEAR HIM!

ALSO I SAY unto you,
WHOSOEVER SHALL CONFESS ME
Before men, him shall
The SON OF MAN
Also confess before the angels of GOD:

BUT he that DENIES ME before men
Shall be denied before the
Angels of GOD.

LUKE 12:4, 5, 8, 9


WHEREFORE (as the Holy Ghost says,
TODAY
If you will hear His voice,
HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS,
As in the provocation (which causes bitterness),
In the day of temptation in the wilderness.
Hebrews 3:7-8

WHILE IT IS STILL CALLED TODAY,
IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE,
HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS BECAUSE OF SIN,
BUT HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD
CALLING YOU TO
SALVATION!

ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR AND BELIEVE ON HIM UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
WHILE IT IS STILL CALLED
“TODAY”

PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE

PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE
PART 3

THE SON OF MAN
SHALL SEND FORTH HIS
ANGELS,
AND THEY SHALL
GATHER OUT OF HIS KINGDOM
ALL
WHO OFFEND AND THEM WHICH DO INIQUITY:
AND SHALL
CAST THEM INTO A FURNACE OF FIRE:

THERE SHALL BE WAILING AND
GNASHING OF TEETH
(AT THE END OF THIS WORLD)!

MATTHEW 13:41-42


KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN:

THE ‘BE” ATTITUDES
and
THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

GOOD AND UPRIGHT IS THE LORD; THEREFORE HE TEACHES SINNERS IN THE WAY [of Salvation]. THE HUMBLE HE GUIDES IN JUSTICE, AND THE HUMBLE HE TEACHES HIS WAY.
PSALM 25:8-9 (NKJ)


"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal."
JOHN 6:22-27 (NAS)


“SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD,
AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS;
AND ALL THESE THINGS
SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.”
MATTHEW 6:33 (KJ)


If you really fulfill the royal law [of love] according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
JAMES 2:8-9 (NKJ)


“IF YOU FORGIVE MEN THEIR TRESPASSES,
YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU:
BUT IF YOU FORGIVE NOT MEN THEIR TRESPASSES,
NEITHER WILL YOUR FATHER FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES.” MATTHEW 6:14-15 (KJ)

“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the LEAST in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them; the same shall be called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven. (v20) FOR I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT EXCEPT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES [HYPOCRITES], YOU SHALL IN NO CASE ENTER INTO
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 5:19-20

REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM [GOVERNMENT] OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND! Often men seem to stumble upon the gospel by accident in their great desperation and eagerness to find an answer to their desperate situation, but there are no accidents in GOD’S plan. Those who reject His salvation or put off thinking about it will not earnestly submit themselves to the King. Those who reject the King will find themselves in an awful place of torment…a field of thorns, heartaches, uncertainty and defeat, as they fall under ‘the Stone, Christ Jesus’ to destruction. But those who find His salvation to be a precious treasure will never give up the wonderful, exciting relationship they have found with their GOD, but they will ’sell all
they have’ by giving up all of their previous ways in order to embrace this new way of life. The believer will fall upon the ‘Rock of Christ Jesus’ and be broken and humbled in repentance to receive this new life…the treasure…His salvation…that has been hidden in Christ Jesus. As the new believer continues to learn line upon line, precept upon precept, he finds that his salvation has opened up “the kingdom of GOD within him. …his treasure…is forever his, as he lives in the kingdom of heaven with His GOD. While the TREASURE hid in a field is the salvation of a place, a person, a field, a nation, the PEARL of great price is the Church, whose members have committed all to Christ to build their strong, enduring character by having the “Be” attitudes of kingdom living. Those in covenant with CHRIST, the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, are blessed to understand how the kingdom of heaven and its laws operate now!


“BE” ATTITUDES or THE ATTITUDES OF BEING:
GOD IS A “BE-ER;” AND WE ARE HIS BEINGS.

Blessed means “spiritually prosperous.”

These spiritually prosperous attitudes of being are principles of conduct that are to become the very part of one’s character that are then translated into action & deeds according to the dictates of wisdom as required by the time and the occasion. The citizen of the kingdom of Heaven looks only to GOD as the basis for his motive and action, and looks only for the praise of God, not the praise of men.

“Blessed is the man (or woman) that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the LORD: and in His law does he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of [living] water, that brings forth his fruit in his season: his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:1-3).

We all seek for ultimate satisfaction, recognition, and approval, but we should seek these thing in the right place, that is from GOD.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Those who are “poor in spirit” are those who are repentant before GOD with a humbleness and emptiness of spirit to receive from GOD His revelation knowledge of true wealth. A person must deny his own fleshly desires and empty himself of selfishness to be able to be filled with the things of GOD. Jesus emptied Himself of His divine attributes to take on human form to be made like unto us, His brethren. Natural man fell in a perfect environment revealing that mankind needs someone more powerful and wiser than himself to guide him in overcoming the problem of sin that destroys and brings death. Jesus, as a Man, obeyed His Father, and did only those things that He saw and heard the Father do. As He was baptized in water by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit of GOD came upon Jesus to anoint Him with power to accomplish the will of the Father, as a Man. As mere men, we also need to be filled with the Holy Ghost and be in communication with the Father in prayer to be able to be conformed to the godly, righteous image of Christ Jesus, in order to accomplish the will of the Father in our lives and in the world. We are conformed and sanctified unto holiness and righteousness little by little, from grace to grace, as we are able to empty our soul of selfishness by believing the Word, and take on the image of Christ Jesus in love, joy, gentleness, goodness, faith, patience, temperance (discipline), and meekness. Those poor in spirit have made room in their hearts to receive the disciplines, commands, and blessings of GOD’S law to be able to walk in His ways - in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).

“Blessed are they that mourn:
for they shall be comforted.”
The kingdom of heaven has comfort for mourners, who repent after a godly manner and resolve to live for the King. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, as it clears any guilty thoughts and fears of repercussion, and gives one a vehement passion to serve loyally and faithfully the living GOD (2nd Corinthians 7:8-12). (Matthew 5:4)
Also those who mourn (in prayer) for the souls of the world and for the will of GOD to be done on earth, as it is in heaven, will be comforted as GOD shows them how to minister to the world that the world might know the Sound of His Coming and be born of the Spirit of GOD, receiving the healing of spirit, soul, and body that they long for.

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”The kingdom of heaven has meek, humble saints, under the authority and dominion of King Jesus and His government, who inherit the earth to rule and reign with Christ Jesus (Matthew 5:5). Christians are called to pursue humility and meekness, fruits of the Spirit that build strength of character in the inner man. The inability to stand up for your beliefs and have real godly character is caused spinelessness. The intelligent willingness to submit yourself to GOD’S will in obedience to His Word and stand up for your beliefs and for Christ is called meek character. We must emulate Jesus, Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously” (1st Peter 1:23). Because meekness involves self-denial of fleshly interests, the Spirit-filled believer must not be easily offended but must follow an orderly pattern of living at peace with family members, church members, and with his government, where it is possible and still serve Jehovah GOD.

“Blessed be the GOD and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1st Peter 1:3-4). The meek, under obedience to GOD, shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
The kingdom of heaven has saints filled with righteousness and truth that are no longer hungry, thirsty, or in need. (Matthew 5:6) Seek the LORD with all of your heart, and He will answer. “If you…seek…the LORD thy GOD, you shall find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things are come upon you, even in the latter days, if you turn to the LORD, thy GOD, and shall be obedient unto His voice: (For the LORD your GOD is a merciful GOD;) He will not forsake you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers, which He sware unto them” (Deuteronomy 4:29-31). When you seek GOD first in all things, He orders your ways into an abundant living of blessings from Him.

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
A person that sows mercy, love, and compassion to others will reap that same love, mercy, and compassion from the LORD. The LORD taught us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We must be merciful and willing to forgive our brother, our enemy, if we expect GOD to forgive us. Seed time and harvest is a pattern of how GOD deals with man. When you sow seeds of righteousness by forgiving others, you will receive a harvest, at the appointed time of the Father, to receive the harvest of forgiveness and righteousness that you need. It is better to give than to receive, for when you give you are always sowing for a new crop to harvest (and receive) to be able to give again.
The kingdom of heaven has merciful saints. (Matthew 5:7)

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see GOD.”
The pure in heart are those overcomers that come through the fire of persecution and tribulation and have endured by believing the truth and promises of GOD. The crime dramas on television all want to know “What is the motive for their action?” Just so GOD wants to know what is the motive of your heart that precedes your deed or action. Have you separated yourself unto Him in holiness? Have you taken your attitudes to Him by prayer and asked Him to show you the right attitude to have toward certain problems or people in your life? New believers are made perfect in “spirit” when GOD re-creates their new “spirit” in Him. Then the new believer has to renew his mind (soul, emotions) by believing the Word of GOD concerning his character, attitudes, and motives. This is called sanctification by the Word. It allows the believer to accept that he (or she) is the righteousness of GOD in Christ (a free gift given by Jesus to all believers in Him). The mind (soul, emotions) is where the battle between good and evil is held. The renewed mind ordered aright by the Word of GOD with pure attitudes and motives is the one that will be able to overcome all evil…by the help of the Holy Spirit, Who is our Comforter and Helper. The kingdom of heaven has overcoming saints with pure hearts that will see GOD and do great exploits that honor Him! (Matthew 5:8) Purity that comes from living by integrity and truth results in ‘a foundation’ built upon GOD that will stand sure, having this seal, The LORD knows them that are His. And, Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the LORD out of a pure heart” (2nd Timothy 2:19-22).

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of GOD.”
The kingdom of heaven has peacemakers - the children of GOD (Matthew 5:9) Since GOD’S character is truthful, just, fair, righteous, and the GOD of peace, His children that imitate Him are peacemakers. Peace is defined as ‘law and order; harmony; agreement; serenity, calm, quiet, or freedom from war.’ Supernatural peace comes from knowing the wisdom of God. It is being emotionally stable, not upset by minor things, but calm understanding that the solution to a problem of strife or turmoil is available as one seeks GOD so that He can give the correct answer and control the path of the individual life. The overcomer who knows how to rule his own spirit by believing GOD’S word can also be the leader that helps others live in peace!

The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (Matthew 5:10, 11, 12).
“I (the apostle Paul) endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny him, He also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (2nd Timothy 2:10-13). You are the salt of the earth to bring those that are lost to eternal hell into the kingdom of safety in Christ Jesus (Matthew 5:13). You are the light of the world (the kingdom of light has come within you), so
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and [recognize and] glorify your Father, which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-15). When you are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, GOD comforts you with the fact that your reward in heaven is great! HE LOVES YOU. CONTINUE TO LOVE HIM.


THE SIXTH MYSTERY:
PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (MATTHEW 13:45-46).

The man in this parable, like the man in the other parables, is CHRIST JESUS. Christ is the merchant Man. Notice that the parable states that “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls.” It does not say “like unto pearls.” This merchantman is not limited to one city but was a traveler, who went about from country to country, nation to nation seeking goodly pearls. Christ, the merchant Man, is a specialist engaged in a certain kind of business…that of seeking goodly pearls. Every since the fall of man, He has been seeking…and continues to seek for goodly pearls of committed, faithful saints…precious jewels with which to fill His crown. The Merchant Man is an expert in business, able to distinguish between the genuine and the artificial. Down through the Old Testament dispensation He found many goodly pearls, but at length Christ came upon the pearl of great price, the Church of which all His saints are members. His plan of Redemption for saints under the Old Testament Covenant is that we, of the New Testament Covenant cannot be made perfect without the Old Testament saints. “And these [(Old Testament saints) all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: GOD having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). He knows them that belong to Him, and all saints are to be perfected in HIM together (Hebrews 9:15; 11:10-16; 13:14).

Being an expert, He searches with determination and discrimination to find the pearls of real quality to add them to His crown. While searching the avenues of GOD‘S Spirit, Jesus came upon the “pearl” of great price. What is this? It is the “pearl,” the great called-out company of the Church…a company of all peoples, tongues, and nations, who make up the true Temple of GOD. The Church is a precious gem…a product of life formed within Christ Jesus; as the pearl is a product of life formed within the oyster. As the pearl in the oyster is built gradually by many secretions thrown out by the oyster because of pain, so the Church has been built, one saint at a time…from the suffering Jesus, wounded in His purchase of the Church by His own blood. His blood…His own substance went into building the Church, which has literally become “members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”

The word “sea” in prophecy, if not literally mentioned by a name, is usually the “sea of humanity.” A pearl comes from the sea as does the Church, the pearl of great price, comes out of every nation [out of the sea of humanity].
At present the true Church is hidden in the world, the wheat among the tares. One day very soon the true Church, a glorious gem surrounded by the glory of GOD, will arise to do the bidding of their King in His governing of the earth.

The pearl in the oyster will be marred if the shell is opened too soon. To get a “goodly” pearl, the oyster must be permitted to die a slow, painful death before the shell is opened. So Christ Jesus was allowed a painful, lingering death to make way for resurrection power that saints can be glorified in Him, goodly pearls. Just as the pearl is secured through the oyster’s death, the saints are secured by the death of Christ Jesus. We can do nothing without Him. We live and breathe and have our being in Christ Jesus.

Jesus Christ sold all that He had to purchase the pearl of great price, the Church. He gave up the glory that He had with the Father before the world was. He surrendered His divine prerogatives and attributes and came to earth to take upon Himself the form of a servant…He left His home in glory with all of its benefits to pay a price of obedience unto to death to ransom souls from the stolen captivity of the devil. Jesus Christ was willing to give His all that He might purchase the Pearl of great price, the Church. Our salvation is purchased with His precious blood that we, the Church, might be ONE with Him. “For as the body [the Church] is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1st Corinthians 12:12-13). He is still looking for goodly pearls to add to His family, the Church - the Temple made of living stones…precious gems of great value.

As Christians believing in a risen Christ, we cannot focus and be consumed with the treasures - money and material wealth - of this earth. We cannot base our actions on pleasing men, but rather we must endeavor to serve a righteous, holy God, knows the motives of man. It is dangerous to set the longing affections of our hearts upon riches and the pleasures of this world, seeing it is so easy to make them our gods. Those who are satisfied with the world and its enjoyments do not deny self and seek a contentment and satisfaction in the favor and blessings of God. Without question, the Lord came to give us Life abundantly with favor and blessing, which things can only truly be found in a “loyal” life wholly submitted to Him in truth.” Each generation has been given a message…the manna…the Living Word…for all to be overcomers by hearing what the Spirit of God has to say. It is the true believer that becomes the “overcomer” in Christ that lays hold of this message of the true Bread of Life. There is reserved for this day…this generation… “hidden manna” that can only be discovered in His Presence…and not in the world. He manifests once more the hidden manna of the Bread of Life…His birth, life, death, and resurrection…to the “loyal” hearts of those who seek the precious treasure of His salvation and redemption . “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches: To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows save he that receives it” (Revelation 2:17). A white stone of innocence of sin…a goodly pearl.


MESSAGE FROM THE FATHER:

“Hearken unto me, O children: for blessed are they that keep My ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that hears Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors. For whoso finds Me finds life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD. But he that sins against Me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.”
PROVERBS 8:32-36


REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
IS
AT HAND!

Know Jesus Christ as LORD and SAVIOUR today, while it is still called “today” and not yet called “the Millennium,” when Jesus will visibly rule this world with a rod of iron to eliminate all rebels from His kingdom. After this, there will be a new heaven and a new earth …forevermore! And GOD will have a righteous family (those who have chosen HIM now) to love and serve HIM forever!
PRAISE GOD! FOREVERMORE!

REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND...


THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE…
PART 2


NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME,
‘LORD, LORD,’ WILL ENTER
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN,
BUT ONLY HE WHO DOES
THE WILL OF MY FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN…
MATTHEW 7:21

Matthew 10:32-33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father, which is in heaven. (33) But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father, which is in heaven.” (38) “And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me.” [Esteem what GOD esteems and value what He values by being a loyal, faithful servant.] (39) He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it.” [A person that finds his life of selfishness without GOD finds a lower way of life that brings sorrow, destruction, and eternal death; while one that loses his life by surrendering it to Christ will find a higher way of living in GOD unto eternal life.]

THE KING - JESUS CHRIST:

Matthew wrote of the King and his kingdom:
The person of the King in His relationship to earth is true and sinless
(Matthew 1-2);
His relationship to heaven is ‘Beloved’ of the Father (Matthew 3); and
His relationship to hell is ‘Conqueror of the devil’ (Matthew 4).

The book of Matthew announces what the kingdom of heaven is like. The preaching of the King and of the kingdom of heaven begins in Matthew 4:17 and continues through Matthew 16:20 to proclaim hope, deliverance, and eternal salvation to mankind.

Then ‘from that time forth,’ Jesus began to show forth the passion of the King (Matthew 16:21 - Matthew 28) to re-establish the kingdom of GOD over the rebellious part of GOD‘S realm, and to see eternal righteous men and women inherit the earth, for they are the sons and daughters of a loving, caring GOD.


MATTHEW tells how “Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17) With authority He began teaching men to understand that He is the Everlasting King. His parables teach His disciples to have a spirit of loyalty to Him and His kingdom (government). Otherwise, they will have a spirit of rebellion that will take them down a path of destruction AWAY from the love of the Everlasting Father. Luke writes: “The Word which GOD sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is LORD of all): That Word, I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How GOD anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for GOD was with Him (Acts 10:38-38). Jesus, under the Father’s Divine Commission to ’save the world’ was GOD’S divine Prophet, Priest, and King with all authority to complete His GOD-given task of the redemption of man.

PROPHET:

“For Moses truly said unto the fathers [of Israel], ‘A prophet shall the LORD your GOD raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you”…Acts 3:21-22

At the appointed time Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized in water and in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Even though He, the sinless Son of GOD, did not need to repent of sin or be baptized by John the Baptist, He choose to submit to John‘s baptism of repentance from sin to “fulfill all righteousness” and to identify with sinful men that needed cleansing from sin and needed the empowering of the Holy Spirit to lead a Christ-like life. For thirty years, Jesus had been studying to show Himself approved by the Father to be His divine agent to re-establish the kingdom of GOD over the rebellious part of GOD’S realm. Now as the LORD came up out of the waters of baptism, praying as He came (Luke 3:21), the heavens opened, and the Spirit of GOD descended on Him in the shape of a dove. Then a sound from heaven came saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.“ This evaluation of the hidden years of Jesus’ life by the Father proclaimed Him to be the Heir and adopted Son that would accomplish the Father’s business of saving the world.

Western adoption practices cloud biblical understanding of adoption in Eastern practices. In Eastern practices the eldest ’son’ of the family, if he has proven to have integrity and a propensity for doing the will of the father, will be ’adopted’ by the father ‘at the appointed time’ to continue the family business and the family line. Jesus Christ was adopted to be the ‘first born’ of a family for GOD ALMIGHTY. The Father said, “I will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I command Him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which He shall speak in My Name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). Recognizing Jesus as the adopted Son to speak GOD’S Word and to finish the plan of GOD for mankind led to His becoming the great Prophet that would reveal GOD to man, as no other man had. This great Prophet’s authoritative ministry of ‘the kingdom of heaven’ would lead Him to become the Saviour of the world!


KING:

“And the seventh Angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ;’ and He shall reign for ever and ever!”

During Jesus’ public ministry, there were many at different times who wanted to crown Him as a political ruler to overthrow the oppressive Roman government. “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a King, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone” (John 6:15). GOD’S plan to give Jesus the visible, public throne of authority would come later. Jesus carefully avoided becoming a political ruler, but recognized Himself as the rightful King of Israel, both in an actual and a spiritual sense. Now, ‘in the kingdom of heaven,’ Jesus is Lord and King of all to those who will submit to Him as Saviour and King. The triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem with the crowd waving palm branches and shouting ’Hosanna’ and ’Blessed be the king that comes in the name of the Lord (Luke 19:38) was the public testimony of His kingship. The crowd also called Him ‘Son of David’ suggesting His kingly lineage (Matthew 21:9), as they spread their outer garments on the road before Him and carpeted it with foliage, modeling the ancient method of welcoming a new sovereign (Matthew 21:8; 2nd Kings 9:13). Yet He knew that the nation soon would reject and crucify Him. This event underscored His authority as King of Israel, but He knew His actual, physical reign over regenerated Israel from the throne of David would come at a later time during the Millennium.


PRIEST:

“Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of GOD, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”…Hebrews 4:14-16

From the beginning, Jesus ministered in the authority and power of the Holy Spirit, in word and in deed. During this time, the priest of the Israelite nation represented the people in offerings and sacrifices given to GOD in order to contact GOD ALMIGHTY and hear His word. The priest was responsible for bringing GOD’S holy laws to the people in every area of their lives, that they might be sanctified and separated for service to the LORD, to live a joyful and peaceful life. There were many priest from Aaron to Christ, but Jesus, after his death, resurrection, and ascension became GOD’S family’s Great High Priest, the perfect One Who never changes or dies. He is the only Way (the Door) for mankind to come into the Presence of GOD to have fellowship with Him and hear His Words of life, wisdom and compassion. By reason of His endless life, His priesthood supersedes all others. The ascension was GOD’S exaltation of Christ to His right hand, where He now ministers for His family as High Priest. Two angels appeared at the ascension to tell awestruck disciples that Jesus would come again, even as they had seen Him go in the clouds (Acts 1:9-12); thereby anticipating His Second Advent as the King of kings. He ascended bodily in the clouds; so will He soon return to take charge of the governments of this world.




Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. Psalm 25:8-9 (NKJ)


What is the difference between the kingdom of GOD and the kingdom of heaven? The literal kingdom of GOD is a kingdom that includes the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of GOD includes the universe, for GOD is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, and King of His kingdom. It is a “past,” “present,” and “future kingdom” that “is” where GOD sits on His throne and rules over all. GOD spread out the heavens and established the earth (PAST). His glory is revealed in the heavens above (PRESENT), and His greatness is manifest throughout all the earth now and forever (FUTURE). HE is GOD, there is none else. His kingdom is eternal in purpose, with angels and heavenly beings attending the King to do His bidding. It is timeless, and no one or anything can ever destroy this kingdom. At present there is a warfare between good and evil in this kingdom to determine who will submit to the GOD of all gods, the Almighty GOD and belong to Him and His kingdom; or to see who will reject His lordship and burn forever in hell!

The kingdom of heaven is from heaven but only upon earth. It has been given to Christ the Messiah to re-establish the kingdom of GOD over the rebellious part of GOD’S realm. This government of the kingdom of heaven began with John the Baptist’s preaching and continues to be expanded today through the preaching of King Jesus, through His servants. When the end of the battle of Armageddon is finished with the second coming of Jesus Christ, the tangible, invisible kingdom of heaven will then transition into a physical, visible kingdom of the King over all His subjects. King Jesus will come to reign upon the earth in a physical kingdom that He will rule with a rod of iron. The kingdom of heaven has tares and wheat in it that now will be separated by angels, the bad tares from the good wheat. The tares - the mere professors and hypocrites that pretend to know and love GOD will finally be separated forever from the wheat - the meek of the earth who do know and love their GOD. The meek saints are the possessors of this kingdom…the joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. The professors, hypocrites, and all the evil tares will be sent to hell to be burned, along with the evil beast and the deceitful, false prophet. Then the kingdom of heaven will continue in its literal aspect during the Millennium, as King Jesus rules with dominion over all nations. If someone should try to disobey His laws during the Millennium, He will send one of His servant-agents to put things in order. No rebellion will be tolerated. All the seven feasts of the LORD (Leviticus 23) will be reinstituted in Israel and in all the nations. Any nation that will not come up to Jerusalem for the Feasts of Tabernacles will receive no rain for three years, which would cause famine and thirst for that nation. Don’t you know they will decided before the King’s agents leave that they would rather go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, rather than have no rain in their nation for three years. After the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, called the Millennium, His kingdom of heaven will transition into the eternal kingdom of GOD with a new heaven and a new earth.

ALL THE NATIONS YOU HAVE MADE
WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,
O LORD;
THEY WILL BRING GLORY
TO YOUR NAME!
Psalm 86:9


Without the WORD of GOD there could be no standard against which to measure ‘true profession.’ There would be no gospel of salvation, nothing to believe in, and therefore no kingdom, but GOD has magnified His WORD above all His name. Therefore, the Covenant of laws and standards of GOD’S Word, like any contract, is above the signature of the one involved in the contract. He has magnified His Word (the Covenant contract) above all His name (His signature in blood). His Word signed by His blood is our guarantee that all the promises from Genesis to Revelations are true! The parables of Jesus, that help people learn the standards of GOD, are apt similes or comparisons relating to man‘s way of life, which was an extremely common way of speaking in eastern countries. In this way, Jesus’ word drew and fixed the attention of many on what He was saying, and was the occasion for His truths to be delivered more deeply to the humble and serious hearers. At the same time, the meaning of the parable was hid from the proud and careless. The parables of the kingdom of heaven apply to this age to help mankind understand the importance of being in the kingdom of heaven, for Christ Jesus will come - the kingdom of heaven is at hand - and set up a literal earthly kingdom that will last forever. During the first 1,000 years of His eternal reign and government, or during the Millennium, Christ will put down all rebellion and rid the earth of all rebels. Then, GOD will become all in all as He restores all things as before the rebellion of the angel Lucifer (the devil) and before the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Anything that is said of the kingdom of heaven can also be said of the kingdom of GOD because the former is only the earthly dispensational appearance of the latter. Because the kingdom of heaven is part of the kingdom of GOD, some things can be said of both kingdoms. However, the dispensational kingdom of heaven is only on earth. Therefore there are other things said of the kingdom of GOD that can not be said of the kingdom of heaven.


LOYALTY AND OBEDIENCE TO JESUS BRINGS HIS WONDERFUL, GLORIOUS LIFE.
REBELLION AND DISOBEDIENCE BRINGS DESTRUCTION AND LOSS OF LIFE…FOREVER!

As Jesus sat near the Sea of Galilee, and He said, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He continued preaching to explain with understanding about the mysteries of GOD that men and women might understand about the ‘kingdom of heaven’ and be saved from eternal hell. And Jesus proclaimed, “From the days of John the Baptist until now (today) the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). There is a war now going on for the souls of men in the kingdom of GOD. Before John the Baptist came as a prophet, the kingdom of heaven could only be viewed in the light of prophecy, but now that the GOOD NEWS, the Word about the kingdom of heaven has been preached, men must press into it with an eagerness resembling violence to take hold of all that salvation is. This means making a fervent 100% commitment to become a naturalized citizen of the kingdom of GOD to serve GOD as his subject now and forever. A man (or woman) must commit his whole self to serving the King in loyalty and faithfulness to receive the inheritance that the King has promised to everyone who believes on His name, in His blood, and in His kingdom. A man’s response to the gospel is not automatic, but a choice…to be violently and eagerly responsive immediately and to receive GOD”S Word of light into His spirit and soul; or to eagerly choose selfishness, self-pleasure, and his own voluntary perverseness to live in utter darkness, without the Presence of GOD ALMIGHTY. The kingdom of heaven parables parallel salvation, which is GOD‘S rescuing power in this life and eternal life in the age of GOD‘S kingdom. These parables teach us how to live as subjects in His kingdom under grace, mercy, and His rule of righteousness, and with the favor of the King to live in His Presence.

Often Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes developing them from scenes that He witnessed in first century Israel. A parable illustrates truth and makes it clear by comparing it with something all ready familiar. His parables of enlightenment illumines subjects that otherwise would be difficult to understand. During the first century everyone had lamps to lighten their dark homes. By comparison Jesus Christ is the light, the lamp, that came into the world to shine light into a darkened world. From His parables, one can see that Jesus Christ came into this world with a passion and a mission to establish and rule the kingdom of heaven with dominion and authority over His just and righteous subjects; and to rid the world of all rebellion. He wanted everyone to understand and recognize their time of ‘visitation’ from ALMIGHTY GOD, EL SHADDAI (Reference - Luke 19:31-44). Even though His kingdom now is a spiritual kingdom, it is a real, tangible kingdom, not a temporary one but a permanent one! He has given men (mankind) the choice to receive His rule now, or later. You can choose to serve the King with a spirit of loyalty, and faithfulness or you will serve a substitute and be yielded to something that will lead to your destruction. Now you can bow your knee to King Jesus, as you enter into the kingdom under the leadership of GOD, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and be lead into a joyous life of fellowship with GOD ALMIGHTY. With steadfast loyalty and devotion to the King, we must lay hold of the kingdom of God to alleviate the justice of God that cries out for the destruction of rebellion and unbelief. Later, after it is no longer ’today,’ ‘those’ - the tares - who have not believed on Him or obeyed His law of government will bow before Him in deference to the King of kings. However ‘those’ who do not know Him, at this point, will not be given the choice to believe on Jesus and have eternal life in heaven. They
will find that after physical death there is no recourse or appeal to be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven with Jesus, as King, Lord, and Saviour. Later ‘those’ tares will see that the second death is to live eternally “without” the awesome presence of ALMIGHTY GOD, who gives peace, love, comfort, and every need met. It will be a place of horrendous darkness filled with burning fire, incessant strife, no drop of water, no crumb of bread, no comforting love, no sweet peace, no sound mind,…a place of pandemonium OF PAIN AND FEAR that can’t be healed. HOW HORRIBLE it will be to find that you have missed ’your visitation’ by GOD to know Him and live in glory with Him forever!


MATTHEW 13:44...FIFTH MYSTERY:
PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE(v44)

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field: the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy, thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”

This is a prophecy that has been fulfilled and is continuing to be fulfilled. What is the treasure? The treasure for GOD is the salvation of His Chosen People, the nation of Israel, and the salvation of His Church from the field of timeless ages of “today.” The Man who found the treasure by making a Plan for mankind is Christ Jesus. GOD ‘found’ this treasure when Abraham believed the Word that was spoken to him that he would be the father of many nations, and GOD promised Abram that He would bless all of the nations of the earth through him. Soon Isaac was born, then Jacob realized the El Shaddi blessing of provision for his life. It was GOD’S plan that Jacob, later named Israel, would have twelve sons from which would come the nation of Israel. Because of sin, Israel would be tested to see if they would be loyal and faithful to GOD. They, over many years, were not faithful to a faithful, loving GOD. To rectify this situation, GOD Himself came in the likeness of sinful men to give to Israel, but not only to Israel, but to give any person of any nation another opportunity to recognize their visitation from GOD ALMIGHTY to accept Him for who He is, King of the Universe. This plan for mankind’s salvation was proclaimed by the prophets of old, and retold by the Church, and is still being told by the Church to ’whoever’ will believe on Jesus, the Son of GOD, and be born-again of His Spirit. The field, therefore, is the timeless ages of ’today’ …since the birth of Christ Jesus until the new heaven and earth comes with ’eternal time.’ GOD the SON was willing to ’sell everything’ by leaving the glories of heaven to give everything of His love and willing to sacrifice in order to get the treasure of mankind’s salvation…Israel and the Church. Jesus gave His life, His love, suffered the painful death of a cross, and died as a Man, that His resurrection might prove Him to be the Son of GOD, who has the WORDS OF LIFE. These Words of Life were hidden among the Jewish nation of Israel until the fullness of time came for Christ to be born into this sinful world. Now, ’today,’ the priceless treasure of mankind’s salvation can be found by anyone who is willing to seek the kingdom of heaven and find the King.

Israel’s name as a nation and a kingdom would not have been cut off, if they had obeyed GOD (Isaiah 48:18-19). They were never cut off entirely as a race, for a remnant always was and always will be saved (Isaiah 1:9). Jehovah GOD commissioned the Messiah, His Son Jesus Christ to be His servant to bring back JACOB (ISRAEL) to Him (Isaiah 49:1-9) and TO BE A LIGHT TO THE NATIONS, so that HIS SALVATION could extend to the end of the earth. GOD the Father held the death of His Son as so precious in His sight that He would not waste this act of Christ Jesus’ obedience JUST to bring forth the twelve tribes of Israel, but He would also glorify Himself by giving Jesus as a light of SALVATION for the Gentile world also. GOD will arise at the end of the age and scatter His enemies forever, and all Israel, His peculiar treasure, will be saved to live eternally with Christ Jesus, their King and their GOD, forever! So will the Church that has been adopted into the Faith.

One must understand that GOD’S Word to mankind ‘must be precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little’: that those who have understanding will acquire more understanding of the rules of moral conduct of the kingdom, and walk pleasing and righteous in GOD’S sight. And those who do not want to understand and reject Messiah’s precepts will walk in darkness and stumble and fall at the Messiah, the Stumbling Stone, and eventually be destroyed at the end of time. Precept upon precept is learning one truth principle from GOD’S Word today and continuing to build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ with a little more understanding and knowledge each time His Word is heard. GOD’S Word, the Bible, is line upon line of information, line upon line of understanding, layer upon layer of knowledge, and layer upon layer of truth, which always requires a response. Today, you can read a passage and understand some of it, and the next day you can read that same passage and, by the Spirit of GOD, our Teacher, you can learn a little more to know how to conduct yourself in the kingdom of heaven, as the King’s subject.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU...

Then look at the parable again. Another layer of information speaks out. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”

“And when Jesus was demanded of by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of GOD should come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of GOD comes not with observation’ (of hostile watching): Neither shall they say ‘Lo, here! Or lo there!’ For behold, the kingdom of GOD is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). The kingdom is in the midst of you. The King of the kingdom of heaven, which is the earthly aspect of the universal kingdom of GOD, is in the midst of you now. His government, if you are His disciple, governs your life, from the midst of your spiritual heart. The treasure of the kingdom of heaven within us is a treasure indeed, but a treasure hid from the world, and from the most wise and prudent in it. What then is the treasure? The ‘treasure,‘ being equivalent to salvation, ’ is the ‘treasure of salvation’ of born-again men and women that Christ Jesus has purchased with His blood for His saints (Reference -Isaiah 55:1-3). The salvation that He gives is our redemption, our new covenant, and our new life in Him, which can be found in Christ Jesus alone. Any person that finds this treasure, hides it in his heart, willing to give all of himself (sell all that he is) to the Master Jesus Christ with joy, to be under his subjection in a glorious kingdom of salvation, including peace, joy, and love in the Holy Ghost. The believer, an heir of salvation, makes a 100% commitment to the LORD (sells all that he is) to buy (by laying down his own life) to be renewed and molded into the divine image of Christ Jesus to love righteousness and hate iniquity, as he serves the GOD of his salvation in a glorious kingdom of peace and love (purchases field).

Some people find the LORD after a long search for Truth, while others seem to ‘accidentally’ stumble upon the Truth and respond to it in a positive way. Regardless of the way you find ‘The Truth,” it is worth everything. Devote yourself wholeheartedly to finding and keeping the truth with all your heart and find the salvation Jesus Christ gives freely to all who will ask!

PRAISE GOD FOREVER MORE! FOR HIS GREAT SALVATION TO ALL MEN!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD...

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
IS LIKE…

PART 1

MATTHEW 3:2...After the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi had preached to Israel about turning to the true and living GOD from social ills and false doctrines, there were 400 “silent years” where there was a famine for the Word of GOD in Israel. John the Baptist broke this silence from GOD when he preached saying, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This was one of the reasons John the Baptist drew such large crowds…GOD was again speaking to His people, Israel.

MATTHEW 4:17... “Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” During the second year of His public ministry, near the Sea of Galilee, the Lord Jesus gave this instruction. His theme was “the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of GOD. And with the Father GOD’S blessing and favor upon His life, He began to preach with authority, boldness, power, and graciousness to explain the kingdom of heaven. Today, if you hear His voice calling to you, receive His words into your heart and believe on Him unto glorious eternal life with Him forevermore.

MATTHEW 13:11...Jesus said, “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.”
…a mystery is a secret previously hidden but now made clear so that no mystery remains for anyone who will accept the truth as revealed in God’s Word.

The kingdom of heaven denotes GOD’S rulership in the past, present, and future. GOD was, is, and always will be. GOD”S plan for man is bring out a people, who will be a family that loves and respects Him and His kingdom. Jesus’ kingdom today is a spiritual kingdom, where believers are to understand the King is present and deserves spiritual recognition. To all who believe in Him, He reigns on the throne of their heart as King, as well as corporately He reigns as the King of the Church. In the near future, He will absolutely, physically reign as King over the whole Universe when His plans for the redemption of mankind have been completed. In John’s Gospel Jesus denies having a temporary, physical, earthly kingdom to Pilate, placing the emphasis on the more permanent, eternal and heavenly rule of GOD. The Apostle Paul’s focus is apocalyptic and eschatological, show both the present spiritual rule of Christ and His second coming as King of all. Jesus gave John the Revelator a message for all Christians down through the ages to love GOD and the brethren. When GOD’S plan for man’s redemption reaches it fullness and is ready to be completed, King Jesus will return to take over the governments of this world and reign from an earthly throne in victory over all His enemies.

Matthew talks about what the kingdom of heaven is like.

Jesus often spoke in parables to the multitudes. He developed them from scenes that He witnessed in first century Israel. A parable is a comparison, which illustrates truth and makes it clear by comparing it with something all ready familiar. At this time everyone had lamps to lighten the darkness. By comparison Jesus Chris is the light that came into the world to destroy darkness. His parables illumines subjects that otherwise would be difficult to understand.

MATTHEW 13:1-23...FIRST MYSTERY:
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

(v3) “…Behold, a sower went forth to sow:” (Reference: Mark 4:1; Luke 8:4)

This kingdom of heaven parable is a picture of the course of this age of grace, portraying reception or rejection of the Word of God, according to the different kinds of soil in a man’s heart, and then the choice and results that follow. The Son is the Sower, He is the One that uttered the seed of His Word that men might hear His Voice and be saved! “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels” (Matthew 13:38-39).


The Son of God, the sower, went forth to sow. Some of the seed fell by the way side, for the Word spoken was not understood by these people, and Satan immediately snatched it away from them, lest they should understand and be saved. Then Satan is able to sow hate, evil, and miserable things into that life.

Some seed was sown on stony and rocky places in some hearts. These received the Word of the gospel with joy, but never renewed their minds with Christ’s Word. Then when the heat of persecution or tribulation arise, they have not put down roots in the principles of GOD’S Word, and do not know how to trust GOD to receive His promises that would help them. Because they do not know how to believe the promises and operate in the Word of GOD, they say, “It’s not working for me,” and get offended and jealousy of others that it is working for.

Other hearts of men had the thorns of the cares of this world sown in their hearts. When they heard the Word of the Gospel, they failed to root out the deceitfulness of riches, which choked the Word, and caused it to become unfruitful in their lives. Don’t be overcome with the cares of this world by drunkenness and deceitful lying, which brings more cares for the morrow, but have self-control and prayers to keep you from worrying. Hold on to the truth that you know, and focus on the promises of GOD till you see your faith-filled prayers answered.

There are some hearts that are good ground. They are open to hear the Word of GOD, and they want to understand it. They prepare their heart by taking out the stones of delusions and thorns of selfishness. Then they plow and properly prepare the ground to grow the wheat of the Word. They continue to worship GOD and by listening to His Word, they let GOD renew their minds with the principles of His truth and love. They keep the field of their mind cultivated to receive more from GOD. Then when it is harvest time, they reap the fruit of good crops from GOD, some bring forth fruit a hundredfold, some sixty fold, and some thirty fold.

“HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR,” (Matthew 13:9). Let him understand and receive the Word and the plan of GOD for his life.

MATTHEW 13:24-30 …SECOND MYSTERY:
PARABLE OF THE TARES AND WHEAT

(v24-25) “Another parable put He forth unto them (the multitudes), saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in His field: And while men slept, His enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”

In the East it was common for enemies to sow tares and other poisonous seeds in the fields of those they wished to hurt. The tares could be like various weeds of India that takes years to get rid of. Others are like “zizania” or “zewan,” a darnel, that mimics wheat but produces black, poisonous grain. You can not tell the darnel from the wheat while it grows into a blade, but at harvest time the grains at the top of the darnel are smaller and fewer. The farmer (sower) at harvest can tell the wheat stalk, weighed down with its ripe grain bending over, from the darnel, which stands taller. When full grown and ripe, the darnel has long ears, which produce black, poisonous grain.

GOD gave Adam and Eve a perfect paradise in which to live, with only one responsibility…to obey His Voice not to eat of the tree of good and evil (blessing and calamity). Yet in a perfect environment with all their needs meet with GOD’S loving hand, the snake Satan sowed tares in Eve’s mind. She was asleep to the promises of GOD and was deceived by the enemy, but Adam knew GOD’S law. He chose to rebel with her and reject GOD’S law not to eat the fruit of the tree of blessing and calamity. “By one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men” (Romans 5:12). However, “GOD commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ (the second Adam) died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:8-9). Through Christ Jesus, Christians have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1st Corinthians 1:30).

GOD’S plan for man to be redeemed from the corruption of sin is simple…believe on His Son and the blood that He shed for all mankind’s salvation. Believe, repent of evil ways, and turn to the Truth of GOD’S principles and walk in His ways. Those that choose to believe on the LORD JESUS as their Saviour are the wheat that GOD has planted in His field. Those that do not choose to believe on the LORD JESUS as their Saviour are the tares that Satan had managed to sow with lies and deceit. GOD has told His servants (the angels) to let the wheat and the tares grow together in the field (world) until the end of time…Harvest time. GOD has said, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but (2nd) gather the wheat into my barn (heaven)” (Matthew 13:30).

At harvest time, GOD’S wheat (his saints) will enter into a glorious eternity to rule and reign with Jesus Christ, their King, Lord, and Saviour.

MATTHEW 13:31-32...THIRD MYSTERY:
THE MUSTARD SEED

“Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in His field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Reference: Mark 4:30; Luke 13:18)

Here the grain of mustard seed illustrates ‘the kingdom of heaven,’ and is a figure that represents the great spiritual group called “the church.” All references to the mustard seed emphasize its smallness, “small as a mustard seed.” Rabbis used this seed to express anything minute, but Zechariah admonishes not to despise the day of small beginnings. Several varieties of mustard seed can be grown to the size of a small tree six to twelve feet high in the rich dirt of the Jordan Valley. In comparison with other shrubs, it is “a tree” that provides food and a resting place for birds.

The mustard seed parable illustrates normal growth from a small beginning to a tree, with its large branches becoming a refuge, a home, and a sphere of operation from which to base a kingdom. The gospel began its influence in a limited area geographically and even racially, and from ONE life -- that of Christ Jesus, the wheat that fell to the ground to produce more wheat. From this small beginning has come a great body of believers, the wheat that will be gathered into GOD’S barn. Yet the Church, beginning small, has spread all over the earth, becoming a strong body of righteous people that serve the King of kings. This great kingdom has been sown with tares to try to destroy it. The birds in this church tree represent evil spirits ruling in church councils, atheists, deceitful leaders, idolaters, false professors of truth, and evildoers of every kind. Its branches reach out into every part of society, and in every island and nation. Yet, GOD‘S kingdom will prevail, and the ‘birds‘ will be cast out. (See Mark 4:31; Luke 13:9). Only the wheat should have grown in the church, but the enemy sowed the tares to try to destroy GOD’S kingdom. The tares (the birds) are demon powers that have tried to seized it and have caused ’the kingdom of GOD’ to become a kingdom that must profess its faith in a living GOD!

MATTHEW 13:33-35...FOURTH MYSTERY:
PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN

“Another parable spake He unto them: The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” (Reference: Luke 13:20-30)

This parable of the “mustard seed” and the parable of the “leaven“ form a pair for contrasting the influence of the kingdom of God that sows goodwill, peace, and love with the influence of the enemy that sows discord and hate among brethren. The “mustard seed” parable on a positive note emphasizes the growth of the kingdom from small beginnings into a huge kingdom, while the parable of the leaven on a negative note emphasizes the false doctrines of men that cause people to walk in darkness and mere profession of Truth, in word but not deeds of the heart. The leaven, as symbol of sin and evil, is taken by a woman and hid in three measures of meal, which symbolizes the kingdom’s influence, till the whole was leavened. This may seem strange at first, but Mystery Babylon is a evil woman of religion that merely professes to believe in Jehovah GOD. If sin is not restrained, it will corrupt and destroy every doctrine of truth. In the end times, which are now upon us, many who profess to be Christians are that in name only, and the one world religion will be a false religion. Someone said unto Jesus: “LORD, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them (the multitude), “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house (kingdom of GOD) is risen up, and has shut the door (to the kingdom of heaven), and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door saying, LORD, LORD, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are.” Then shall you begin to say, “We have eaten and drunk in Your presence, and You have taught in our streets.” But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of GOD, and you yourselves thrust out” (Luke 13:22-28). Sin will be restrained by GOD. The negative is that ‘mere’ professors of the Word will be thrust out of the kingdom of GOD into everlasting hell and fire, but the positive is that Christians (believers in word and deed) will live eternally with a wonderful and glorious GOD, who loves us…forevermore!

How then can one know if he truly is born-again of the Spirit of GOD? “And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and he in Him. And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Holy Spirit, which He has given us” (1st John 3:23-24). Those that keep His commandments in deed and in truth are those who know Him and love Him! Are Christians “perfect?” There is not one righteous before Him of his own righteousness. A Christian must accept the free gift of righteousness that the LORD Jesus gives to His children…to wear that righteous garment in the presence of a holy GOD. We are perfect in Christ…now and forevermore. In this world, a Christian is constantly renewing and improving his (or her) mind to the principles of GOD. We grow and mature in the things of GOD, as we continuously walk in the Spirit of GOD.

Those who merely profess to know Jesus are not capable of walking in love toward others in a constant manner, for GOD, who is love, they do not know! Again at another time, Jesus was teaching His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1). Again the “leaven” means the false doctrines of men, which are mere interpretations and traditions of men that they substitute for the Word of GOD.” (Reference: Matthew 15:1-9; 16:6-12; 23:1-33; Luke 11:37-52). Read the Bible and learn the Word of GOD for yourself.

SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND YOU WILL FIND HIM!

T H E L A D D E R OF
P R O V I S I O N -
FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH!

MY SAIL IN THE DESERT
JEHOVAH-NISSI

THE NAMES OF GOD

JEHOVAH-NISSI means GOD is the Victory Banner over me! Jehovah-Nissi is just one of the compound names of GOD-YHVH. Jehovah-Nissi also means that GOD is my Sail in the Desert. Deserts are hot, hot, and dry, and you are terribly thirsty in the desert of life! There’s not much water in a desert, and you likely will not see a boat in the desert, not even a life boat. But Jehovah-Nissi is my miraculous-life-giving GOD. He is my Sail in the Desert! Where there is a sail unfolding in the breeze, there is a boat and deliverance. Jehovah-Nissi will cause Living Waters to flow for me in the desert or in the wilderness. His banner over me is Love, and His names are the Covenant Banner over me for the devil to see that I belong to GOD-YHVH, and that JEHOVAH is providing for me in every circumstance of my life!


“In the name JEHOVAH (YHVH) – God is revealed, in all His majesty, mystery, and magnitude of His redeeming self. According to His promises GOD reveals Himself in His Redemptive names to us. Gradually unfolding in the passing of years, they culminate in “JEHOVAH-JESUS.” Thus the ultimate name is the name of REDEMPTION.”
…from The Names of Christ – by Francis Derek


His name reveals Jehovah’s person and character. “Hallowed be Thy name” reveals that we should honor and respect GOD for all that is revealed to us in His names that we might walk in His promises. The JEHOVAH of the Old Testament is the JESUS of the New Testament, the Old and the New revealing Himself to us in all His magnificence!

COVENANT NAMES –
GOD’S BANNER of LOVE OVER ME!

I AM THAT I AM – God is a “Be-er” or “being.” So I Am continuing to be what I Am and always will be, yesterday, today, and forever! … Exodus 3:14

EL or ELOHIM – (Plural of EL) – “The Strong One”.
Jehovah Elohim – Creator and Benefactor, Sustainer.

JEHOVAH-YAVH – “the covenant GOD of mercy, who reveals Himself as the self-existing One.”

ADONAI – Master, LORD, Ruler, Bread Provider; Governor; Our Sovereign LORD … Genesis 15:2, Exodus 23:17

JEHOVAH-ELYON – “God is the Highest” – Most High GOD, possessor of heaven and earth…Genesis 23:10

EL-ROI – GOD of seeing – Genesis 16:13

EL SHADDI – “the self-sufficient One. The Breasty One.” “Provider of everything (Mother, father, brother, sister – all in ONE.)

EL ELOHE – GOD of worship. GOD of Israel (Jacob’s name changed to Israel).

EL-OLAM – “Everlasting One”. “The eternally existent One” … Genesis 21:33

EL-GIBBOR – “Mighty GOD, the Powerful One.”…Isaiah 9:6

ELOHEENU – Our GOD; ELOHAY – My GOD; ELOHEKA – thy GOD, the LORD our GOD is One GOD…the LORD JESUS.

JEHOVAH-JIREH – The LORD will see and provide …Genesis 22:14

JEHOVAH-RAPHA (OR RAPHEKA) – The LORD that heals you …I Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5; Exodus 15:26, Matthew 8:16:7

JEHOVAH-JESUS – the LORD, our Redeemer, JESUS CHRIST

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU – The LORD is our Righteousness…Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:16

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH – The LORD is there! His abiding Presence. Exodus 33:14, 15; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 97:5

JEHOVAH-SHALOM – The LORD is our Peace …Judges 6:24

JEHOVAH-RA`AH - The LORD our Shepherd…Psalm 23; John 10:11

JEHOVAH-SABBOATH – “LORD of HOST.” The Commander-in-Chief of His creation…
1st Samuel 1:3

JEHOVAH-MC KADDESH (or MeKaddish – Heb. ‘kahdesh’ means ‘clean, holy’) – The LORD who sanctifies…Leviticus 20:7, 8; Exodus 31:13, Isaiah 6:3; Isaiah 57:15

JEHOVAH-Kanna – His name is Jealous (Exodus 34:14) He is jealous to keep us from the evil one.

JEHOVAH-MAKKEH – the LORD who molds me (or smites and crushes me into obedience for my sake to be conformed into His image).

JEHOVAH-HOSEENU- The LORD our Maker …Psalm 95:6

JEHOVAH-TSUR – the Rock of Ages; strength like a rock…Isa 26:4; Exodus 17:6; Deuteronomy 8:12; Isaiah 8:14; I Peter 2:8…a Rock for the believer to stand in the storm; or a rock that the man who disbelieves will stumble over and fall.

THE LIVING GOD – Matthew 16:16

THE HOLY ONE – 1st John 2:20

JEHOVAH-JESUS – “Lamb of GOD” …John 1:29).

JEHOVAH-SAVIOUR – Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 9:7-14; Luke 1:31.

JESUS says, “If you have seen the SON, you have seen the FATHER. John 5:19-47; John 14:9

J E H O VA H IS:
The Bread of Life…The Door…The Way
The Truth and the Life… Advocate…COUNSELOR…Alpha and Omega…Almighty…Beginning and End…CHIEF CORNERSTONE…Deliverer…PRINCE OF PEACE…Great High Priest…HOLY ONE…Horn of Salvation…I AM…IMMANUEL…KING of kings...LIGHT OF THE WORLD…LAMB OF GOD…LORD of all…Morning Star…True Bread…WORD OF GOD…Ancient of Days…Bridegroom…Comforter…Refuge…FAITHFUL WITNESS (to the Father)…THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE…Everlasting Father…Friend of Sinners…GLORY OF GOD…THE GOOD SHEPHERD…Intercessor…Hiding Place…Kinsman Redeemer…Lifter of my Head…Merciful High Priest…MESSIAH…Mighty GOD…My Joy and My Delight…PHYSICIAN…Prophet…REDEEMER…Rose of Sharon…Creator of all Things…LORD of GLORY…SAVIOUR…CHRIST…JESUS.



WORSHIP AND ADORE HIM. POUR YOUR LOVE OUT ON HIM AND GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE!

Also read: hummmorhahaha.blogspot.com

THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
THE SERVANT SONGS FROM ISAIAH –
PART IV
ISAIAH 52:13-15 AMP.


BEHOLD! MY SERVANT!

The Servant Songs of Jehovah’s Servant are prophetic of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God the Father approved His Son as His Servant to bring redemption to mankind and gave us this picture of His Servant’s perfect character. Jesus, in His own words, said, I and the Father are one,” attesting that He was indeed GOD (John 30:30). The Jews recognized His claim to be GOD and wanted to stone Jesus for ‘this offense’ of blasphemy because He ‘a mere man’ would make Himself equal with GOD (John 10:33). Again Jesus claimed to be GOD when He told the Jews, “I tell you the truth before Abraham was born I AM! (John 8:58). And again, they wanted to stone Him for blasphemy. Jesus, by announcing His identity as “I AM” is a direct application of the Old Testament name for GOD (Exodus 3:14), which the Jews would have recognized as His claim of being GOD.

It is important to recognize that Jesus Christ was, indeed, GOD. Only GOD in the flesh could be the sin sacrifice, the perfect Lamb, required by GOD the Father to atone for mankind’s sin and disobedience and to bring redemption to mankind. Only GOD could pay mankind’s debt; only Jesus, a Man in the flesh, could die and shed His blood. John 1:1 says “the Word was God,” and John 1:14 says “the Word became flesh.” This clearly identifies that Jesus is GOD in the flesh, Immanuel (GOD with us). Thomas, when He saw the resurrected LORD declared, “My LORD and my GOD! (John 20:28). The apostle Paul describes Jesus as “our great GOD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST” (Titus 2:13), while the apostle Peter says, “our GOD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST” (2nd Peter 1:1). Old Testament prophecies announced His deity, “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). GOD the Father testifies of His Son, “Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever: the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre” [of righteous power and authority]. “You loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: therefore GOD, Thy GOD [the Father], has anointed You [Messiah] with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows” (Psalm 45:6, 7). GOD the Father has given Messiah, Jesus Christ, a kingdom and asked Him to people it with righteous men and women, who have come through faith, believing in Messiah as their Way of Salvation. Jesus’ deity is why He is the only way of salvation, as He declares, “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father” [GOD] “except through Me” [GOD the Son and Servant of the Father] (John 14:6). And the Holy Spirit comes to accomplish all the Words spoken by the Father and Son.



ISAIAH 52:13-15 AMP.
SERVANT SONG - PART IV

(v13) “Behold, My Servant shall deal wisely
and shall prosper” [deal prudently],
“He shall be exalted and extolled,
and shall stand very high.

• “Behold, My Servant shall deal wisely and shall prosper.” “Prosper” is the Hebrew word “sakal,” and is used in 1st Samuel 18:5 as “behaved wisely;” in Deuteronomy 29:9 and Joshua 1:7, as “prosper;” in Joshua 1:8, as “good success,” in Isaiah 52:13, as “deal prudently;” and in Daniel 9:25, as “understand.” The Servant of GOD’S task was to bring Israel back to GOD, raise up the tribes in Israel, be a light to the Gentiles, be salvation to all the earth, be for a blood covenant of the people, establish the earth by restoring the waste places of the earth, loose prisoners from spiritual bondage, free men from darkness, and guide men to their eternal destiny (Isaiah 49:3-10). Messiah, being found in the form of Man, was rejected, despised, smitten, and wounded for the salvation of mankind, for the saving of the nations. As Jesus meekly suffered all the pain of His false arrests, cruel, merciless beatings, vicarious sufferings from the crown of thorns, and unjust crucifixion, which drained His life blood from Him, He knew the Father would exalt Him to the highest position of leadership, above all powers and principalities, to accomplish the purposes and plans of ALMIGHTY GOD. His exaltation was planned before the world existed. His inhuman humiliation and vicarious suffering was the meek obedience to the Father GOD to see GOD’S high purposes accomplished:
• (1) mankind’s Salvation realized and
• (2) Messiah’s ultimate exaltation recognized by every creature, and by every nation, as He becomes King of kings and LORD of lords over all.
• The holy, anointed One was given a name above all names that every creature, great and small, shall bow their knee and give JESUS CHRIST glory as Majesty and King of the earth, the heavens, and the universe.
• “He shall be exalted and extolled, and shall stand very high.” The book of Hebrews 1:2-4, 8 expresses Messiah’s exalted position: GOD “has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” “Unto the Son, He [God the Father] has said, Thy throne, O God is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” There is coming a day soon when an angel will say, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His CHRIST; and He shall reign forever and ever in His position as LORD and MASTER of the Universe (Revelation 11:15).

(v14) “For many the Servant of GOD became an
object of horror;
many were astonished. His face and His whole
appearance [His visage] was marred
more than any man’s and
His form beyond that of the sons of men…”

Many people looking upon Messiah [Jesus\Yeshua] were so astonished at the horrible way His visage was marred more than that of any other man, and His pathetic form, covered in blood from horrible physical mutilation, was more terrible to look upon than any other son of men. He, the holy One, was “the Man of Sorrows.” Those looking at Him were so stunned and shocked by His dreadful appearance that they hid their agitated faces from Him in frightful disgust when they saw His horrific, exhaustive agonies, as JEHOVAH GOD (the Father) made Messiah’s righteous soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53). There are really no words to say how terrible and repugnant His visage was to those witnessing His sufferings, struggles, and death. Messiah (Jesus/Yeshua) had no personal sin, sickness, pain, or suffering for His own self, but the exhaustive ‘fasting’ to hear His Father’s voice, perpetual ‘watching’ for the Father’s exact timing, and intense ‘praying’ for mankind took a toil on His appearance, too. The pure, innocent Lamb of GOD came into the world to carry OUR sin, OUR sorrows, and OUR sufferings by taking them upon Himself and bearing them unto death so that we might be free from sin and sorrow. The pure, holy One became sin. Being touched ‘by sin’ must have been more horrible than even the physical, mental, and emotional suffering the Righteous One went through. The Righteous One that knew no sin became sin (our sin) and was then judged by the Holy Father GOD, the Judge of the whole earth. Only the Son of God could have lived through all the beatings and humiliations in word and deed that Messiah went through. No one could take His life, for He was GOD, but He G A V E His Life that mankind might be free to worship the Almighty GOD and Him, the Son, in the liberty of the Holy Spirit.


v15) “So shall He startle and sprinkle many nations;
The kings shall shut their mouths because of Him:
For that which has not been told them shall they see;
And that which they have not heard shall they consider and understand."

Christ Jesus will startle many with fright as they look at the brightly lit sky and see the glorious appearing of His second coming (Titus 2:13). All nations (Israel and all Gentile nations) of the earth will mourn because they have not believed in Him, as they see Jesus Christ, as the LORD of HOST, the GREAT GENERAL, come with His armies of angels and saints to defeat His contentious enemy at Armageddon. The LORD, with ten thousands of His saints, comes to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him (Jude 14, 15) …and sprinkle many nations (those that repent and accept His righteousness). Here is the opportunity for the nations that have come against Jesus to repent and be born-again of the SPIRIT of GOD.
• The LORD GOD is a GOD of mercy and this verse concerning “the sprinkling of the nations” means that those nations now have their ‘last’ opportunity to recognize Him for ‘who He is’ before judgment is passed on them. The gentile nations and Israel finally see that the Messiah, the LORD of heaven and earth, King of the Universe, having the preeminence in all things, is the PRINCE OF LIFE. The ‘BLOOD OF JESUS’, which brings ‘forgiveness, peace, and eternal life’, that was shed for all mankind has never lost its power. The Second Coming of Christ is a manifestation of His love, for He is the “Resurrection” and the “Life.” Now those nations can receive Messiah as LORD and Saviour and have His blood sprinkled on them for deliverance and salvation. The nations recognizing Jesus as Messiah, accepting His salvation, and His sprinkling His blood over them, probably, happens in a moment of time. Yet, after the battle of Armageddon, there will be lots of ‘mop up.’ “Immediately” after the tribulation, when the enemy has been dealt with, then King Jesus sends His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:29-31). “His elect” is the Jewish elect and any tribulation saints that have believed in Him and accepted His blood sacrifice. This is not the ‘Church,’ for the Church has already been raptured to heaven and come back with Him. Then shall King Jesus sit upon the throne of His glory, as the Millennium begins and He takes the government of the world upon His shoulders once and for all: and before Him shall be gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another…those that have accepted His blood covenant sacrifice and those who, like goats, refuse His sacrifice and still believe a lie. He will separate them as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, those nations that have been sprinkled with the blood of His covenant, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 26:31-34). The Millennium is a period of Universal Righteousness upheld by the Word of His power and by the ever “effective” blood of the Lamb. Christ will unite the hearts of fathers and sons, all children and parents will be turned toward one another; families will be united in Christ; the Holy Spirit will be outpoured upon all flesh and even all of Israel will be saved a result of the ministry of Elijah and Enoch, God’s two witnesses in the last days (Malachi4:5-6; Rev. 11:3-10; Acts 2:16-21; Rom. 11:25-29; Isa. 66:7-8 and other prophecy will literally be fulfilled.)





THERE IS NO APPEAL FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH ONCE YOU ARE DEAD!

However, as long as you live in this world, you can still choose to receive eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ. Even though you are spiritually dead and are living separated from GOD, you can be made spiritually alive in this world and enjoy eternal life now and in the world to come. Once you have died, however, there is no way to come back and receive Jesus. There is no appeal from the second death, which is separation from GOD forever.
• Won’t you take this opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and SAVIOUR today, while it is still called today?

THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
THE SERVANT SONGS FROM ISAIAH –
PART III
ISAIAH 50:4-9 AMP.


BEHOLD! MY SERVANT:

What is a servant? A servant is one that works for and obeys a master. A servant also ministers to another to fulfill physical or emotional duties, such as setting a table and serving a meal, or managing the work of another’s business and regularly performs that office to suit another. Faithful obedience is the character of a servant.

What is Character? The character of a person is marked by the distinctive qualities of that peculiar person. Peculiar means having one’s own particular set of characteristics. Therefore, character is the essence or substance of ‘who I am.’ Therefore the Father GOD, the Justice Judge and Ruler of all eternity, looked to find the integrity of righteousness and faithfulness in His Son that was necessary to accomplish His Plan for man. The Father looked and found mercy and compassion for others, as the Son was an obedient son to His parents. Peace, gentleness, faith, and goodness issued out of His heart toward His Father GOD and toward His fellowmen. The anointing of power of the Holy Spirit rested upon Jesus/Yeshua when John the Baptist baptized Him in the Jordan River; and a voice of the Father God from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” signifying that He approved His Son as the obedient Servant ready to purchase mankind’s deliverance from Satan’s stolen rule and to redeem mankind with salvation to eternal life.

ELISHA, THE SERVANT AND PROPHET OF JEHOVAH GOD:
In the courts of the king of Israel, Elisha was the godly advisor that the king called upon to hear GOD’S word. When the king of Syria determined to capture and kill the king of Israel, Elisha, hearing from the Father GOD, would advise the king of Israel not to go to a certain place for that was where the Syrians’ ambush was that day. After three times of being thwarted by Israel, the Syrian king shouted, “Who is the traitor among us who tells Israel’s king where we will be every time we go out?” A fearful soldier told him, “No one is a traitor in our camp.” The Syrian king then demanded, “Then how do they know our strategy?” The young man, evidently aware of Elisha’s reputation for being the GOD of Israel’s mouthpiece, trembling told him, “Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words that you speak in your bedchamber.” The reputation of your character goes before you, as people learn of the qualities of your life, either good or bad qualities. The qualities of righteousness and goodness went before Jesus when He healed the blind man, raised Jarius’s daughter from death, healed the lameness of the man at the pool of Bethesda, and raised a young boy from his casket in the streets and gave the boy to his mother, who was overjoyed with surprise at having her son alive again! The reputation of a man is judged not just by how he lives, but also by how he dies. Jesus didn’t die squeamishly because He saw the horror of it all, but He gave His life willingly, knowing the Promise from the Father was the redemption of mankind. Now, the healings and the things that Jesus did in His earthly life cannot all be recorded, for all the books about Him would fill the earth. Only a sampling of all the things that He said and did are written in the Bible to help us know HIM…and these things are marvelous to hear about! Jesus’ reputation as a Man of GOD still precedes Him, as the gospel story is told and retold to watch Him, even today, again and again deliver people from sin and sickness!

JOHN WYCLIFFE and THE LOLLARDS:
John Wycliffe, an English religious reformer of the 14th century, gave his life to publish the Bible from the ancient languages into an English Bible so that the common man could read and understand the way of JEHOVAH GOD. In the last decades of the 14th century Lollards, a righteous group of men that followed in Wycliffe’s footsteps even after his death, were numerous and carried out the mission that GOD had given to Wycliffe to spread the Word of GOD in English. Because of the vigorous persecution and many executions caused by the English prelate Thomas Arundel, their numbers decreased during the reign of King Henry IV. The Lollards remained numerous as a formidable group against the traditional Church through the reign of King Henry V. During the early years of the reign of King Henry VI, the Lollards were persecuted and many burned at the stake in London and the eastern counties. At the risk of being executed by burning as heretics, Lollards put as many English Bibles into as many hands of the people as possible. Ultimately Wycliffe’s English Bible strongly influenced the Bohemian religious reformer John Huss (Jan Hus) in his revolt against the traditional church. Martin Luther also acknowledged his great debt to understanding GOD’S Word to Wycliffe’s influence, as he translated a book for His Lutheran brethren. The determined purpose of these Lollards to allow the English common man to know His GOD is one of the things that lead to the rising forces of Protestantism in the reign of King Henry VIII.



WILLIAM TYNDALE (OR WILLIAM TINDAL):
After realizing that every plowboy in England in the 1500’s needed to hear the voice of GOD through His Word, the Bible, William Tyndale determined the working people of England would have an English Bible. Since the bishop in London, England, denied Tyndale the permission to publish his translation of the Bible, Tyndale went to Germany and found a printer, Peter Quentel, who helped him. However, before his manuscript was completely published, the Council of Cologne ordered the manuscript seized. With printer’s ink still on his hands and his robes flying behind him, he fled to the river at night and escaped by boat with his manuscript to another city. There he completed the printing of the Tyndale Bible in English. Many shipmasters befriended Tyndale and gave his Bibles out as discreetly as possible to all who wanted one. Finally, Tyndale was put in prison for 16 months, but eventually he was strangled and burned at the stake. Even though his unorthodox translations were vigorously opposed by ecclesiastical authorities in England, his version of the Bible, together with the earlier translations of the English theologian and religious reformer John Wycliffe, formed the foundation of the Authorized (King James) Version of 1611. Tyndale’s reputation still can be seen today from the way he lived his life…a life to please JEHOVAH GOD by extending His Kingdom with the souls of many men, women, and children, who read GOD’S word in English.

JESUS CHRIST:
Jesus, like John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit from His birth. GOD, the Holy Spirit, trained and disciplined the Son through prayer, learning the Scriptures, training by His parents, Mary and Joseph, and training by other godly elders (Psalm 119:97-104). No less than seven times while on earth, Jesus spoke “only what the Father has given Me to speak” (John 7:16; 8:28, 46, 47; 12:49; 14:10, 24; 17:8). Jesus was disciplined in His mature thinking, as seen in the parables He spoke. Compassion, courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, and faith were nurtured in Him, as a young Man. He understood responsibility and hard work, learning the trade of a carpenter from his father, Joseph; and also learning the trade of a carpenter from His Heavenly Father to shape and fashion mankind in “His image” to become the family of GOD. Here Jehovah’s faithful, obedient Disciple, enduring scorn, abuse, and painful beatings, continues to trust in JEHOVAH GOD to vindicate Him. JESUS CHRIST WAS, AND IS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE AWESOME!



JEHOVAH SAYS, “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT!”

THE SERVANT SONGS
ISAIAH 50:4-9 AMP.

(v4) [The Servant of GOD says] “The LORD GOD has given Me the tongue of [learned] disciples and of those who are taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary; He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as disciples—as those who are taught.”• GOD anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for GOD was with Him (Acts 10:38). He was endued with sound counsel and advice of prudence to provide leadership in decisions to achieve God’s plan and purpose. He operated in the gifts of the Spirit (Isaiah 11:2). Anointed with the Spirit of GOD and empowered for the work of the ministry and for the purpose of GOD, Jesus demonstrated the love of the Father for humankind by healing the sick, casting out devils and even raising the dead. To those who are weary and distressed, Jesus holds out His hand of hope and speaks a word of encouragement. GOD awakened Messiah early in the morning to prayer and communication in union with the Father and the Spirit to access the heart of GOD. He has opened His ear to understand the wisdom of fulfilling the purposes of GOD. “O LORD GOD, You have begun to show Your Servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what GOD is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?” (Deuteronomy 3:24).


(v5) “The LORD GOD has opened My ear, and I have not been rebellious or turned backward.”• JEHOVAH GOD opened His Servant’s ear by showing in revelation and vision the path that Jesus would have to walk to redeem mankind. In the Garden of Gethsemane Messiah asked three times, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless, Messiah was not rebellious; neither did He turn away from GOD. He was willing to do the will of the Father regardless of the suffering, abuse, persecution, and horror that awaited Him. He knew that His Father would send more than 12 legions of angels (more than 72,000) to slay His persecutors and deliver Him from abuse and physical death, yet He endured the cross for the joy of bringing His Father a family of righteous, godly people. (Matthew 26:47-68; 27:26-30).


(v6) “I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to those who plucked off the hair; I hid not My face from shame and spitting.”• It is hard to realize how Jesus lived through so many beatings and a scourging to be able to bear his own cross to the city gate, where Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry His cross the rest of the way to His crucifixion on Golgotha’s Hill (Matt. 26:67; 27:30, John 18; Luke 23). Jesus, according to Jewish Law, was brought illegally ‘at night’ to stand trial without any legal representation before Annas, a powerful political priest leader, and before the scribes and elders. Annas, father-in-law to the high priest, took Jesus bound to Caiaphas at his palace where the scribes and elders were again assembled. The chief priest Caiaphas, the elders, heads of families and the oldest of the tribes, and all the council, the heads of the twenty-four courses of priest, sought false witnesses against Jesus. They were all spitting in His face and saying to Him while slapping Him with the palm of their hands, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you? Finally two false witnesses were found who would testify against Jesus. When Caiaphas adjured Jesus to tell him if He was the Christ (the Messiah) and the Son of God? Jesus told him, “Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64). Then Caiaphas said that the Sanhedrin and council no longer needed other witnesses, for Jesus had blasphemed by saying He was equal to God! The priest and elders hated Jesus because He had shown the people how ‘legal’ and uncompassionate their worship of GOD was. They slapped Him with sudden, violent blows and mocked Him with angry, wrathful expletives all night, not allowing Him to sleep.

• Early the next morning, the Jews took Jesus bound to Pilate, the governor of Jerusalem, and demanded that Rome, who had the authority, crucify Jesus. The religious courts brought the charges that He was blaspheming GOD, but to Pilate and the Roman courts, Jesus was charged with inciting people to riot, forbidding the people to pay their taxes, and claiming to be King. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” However, Jesus answered nothing. Pilate marveled at Jesus, but sent Him with his Roman soldiers to the Praetorius, the open courtyard or judgment hall where the soldiers stripped Jesus and put on Him a scarlet cloak, perhaps a scarlet Roman military cloak, to mock Jesus for His claim of royalty! Then the Roman soldiers platted a crown of thorns for a king and placed it on Jesus’ head, and placed a reed in His right hand, like it was a royal scepter of authority. Then they insulted and spat upon Him, plucked out His beard, His outward symbol of dignity, one hair at a time, while beating the crown of thorns into His head. He gave His back to the smiters, who beat Him, insulted and spat upon Him. In Deuteronomy 25:9 spitting is used as part of a legal ritual of humiliation, and was regarded as a sign of contempt. During that time, it was an honor for a man to wear a beard. Pulling out Jesus’ beard, one hair at a time, was an insulting torture to break down his feelings of acceptance by His fellowman and to break His will into submission to them. [Satan tried to kill Jesus before He could go to the cross to die for mankind’s sins!]

• Then Pilate, finding out that Jesus was a Galilean sent Jesus to Herod, who was the tetrarch over Galilee. After Herod’s soldiers saw Jesus with the scarlet robe, they beat Him and crushed the crown of thorns further into His head, all the while throwing insulting verbal curses at Him and spitting in His face with vulgar remarks! Finally, the soldiers put Jesus’ own clothes upon him, and Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate for sentencing.


• Pilate then tried to release Jesus, but the multitude of people and the priest and elders demanded Christ Jesus be crucified! Pilate washed his hands of Jesus’ blood before the people, and said, Let His blood be on your hands!” After scourging Jesus, Pilate sent Him to be crucified. Scourging by the Romans was done with an instrument like a whip. The ‘whip’ had about a dozen leather cords or thongs attached to the handle with jagged pieces of bone or metal at each end of each cord to make the blow more painful and effective. Jesus was then tied to a post and the blows were applied to the bare back and loins, and often to the face and bowels. The flesh was cut in pieces by each blow. As the whip was brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs, at first it only cut through the skin. The succeeding blows from the whip would cut into the subcutaneous tissues producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin. Finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles would begin, and then the whip would tear into the deep skeletal muscles to produce ribbons of bleeding flesh. All the while a steady stream of loud, vulgar indignities came to His ears to humiliate Him and break His will, as the crown of thorns was struck again and again into his skull. Yet He never turned His face from the shame and spitting they rolled upon Him. He never spoke in frustration or anger toward His persecutors; He never was ‘unlovely’ to any of them.
• Finally, they sent Jesus to be crucified. The trials of Jesus represent the ultimate mockery of justice, as the most innocent Man was found guilty of false crimes and sentenced to death. BUT GOD had a better plan for MANKIND. Messiah Jesus suffered and died for our sins…for He had no sin. He died and was resurrected to NEW LIFE so that mankind has the opportunity to receive His Sacrifice and know Him as Lord and Saviour. He GAVE……so that ‘whosoever will’ can be saved to eternal life with Him forever!!

(v7) “For the LORD GOD helps Me; therefore have I not been ashamed or confounded; therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.”• Messiah knew that His Father and the Holy Spirit would help Him. He knew ‘Resurrection Morning’ was on the Way. He said I am not ashamed to be called the Servant of Jehovah; nor have I been confounded by all the suffering, hate, and scornful insults that man can fling upon Me. I, Messiah, know Who I AM and for what purpose GOD has sent Me. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint, which shows His determination to be the impenetrable obstacle that Satan could not bring down or go through before Messiah had accomplished Salvation for mankind and a peaceful reconciliation with the Father GOD and Him. In John 17, the Messiah asks this of His Father: “I have glorified You on the earth: I have finished the work, which You gave Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou Me with Your own self with the glory, which I had with You before the world was.” Messiah steadily set His face like a ‘flint’ to accomplished GOD’S purpose.


(v8) “He is near Who declares Me in the right; who will contend with Me? Let us stand forth together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near to Me.”• Messiah was dedicated to one end in life. He came to die, not live. His death was not just an event that happened, but He accomplished His purpose by giving His life. He was the Seed that had to die so a new and better life for all mankind could be accomplished. Messiah knew that GOD, who would vindicate His character, approved of what He did, and declared Him innocent. Messiah said, ‘Who is my adversary that can keep this from happening? Let my enemy come near now. Psalm 22 records that His prayer to the Father was: ‘Be not Thou far from Me, O LORD: O My strength, haste to help Me. Deliver My soul from the sword; My darling, My only One, from the power of the dog (Pilate, Gentile authorities). Save Me from the lion’s mouth for Satan roars as a lion. For You Father has heard Me from the horns of the unicorns, from the midst of My enemies.’ Messiah knew GOD was near and with His last breath committed His spirit into the hands of the Father.


(v9) “Behold, the LORD GOD will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Lo, they all shall wax old and be worn out as a garment; the month shall eat them up.”• Messiah knew He was innocent before the Father, with no guilt or sin in Himself. Who can condemn such a One? God the Father said to the Son: “Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore GOD, even Thy GOD, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Thy fellow (above all others). And Thou, LORD, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: They shall perish; but You Messiah will remain; and they all shall wax old as does a garment; and as a vesture shall You fold them up, and they shall be changed: but You are the same, and Your years shall not fail” (Reference-Hebrews 1:8-12).

We, GOD’S servants, are ambassadors for Christ to preach, teach, and be a witness for Him and His righteousness. GOD has carefully placed the Word of GOD in our trust to guard it, to believe it, to apply it to our own character, and to share it with others. This privilege of sharing this AWESOME WORD is a rich and gracious gift…give to His children… to extend His kingdom with the souls of many, many, many of mankind to everlasting life, that none might be lost to everlasting hell!





ALL GLORY TO GOD!