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!