The Kingdom of Heaven
Here we have a discourse concerning the "Kingdom of God", that is, the Kingdom of
The Messiah, which was shortly to be set up, but did not need to be talked about at
this time. However, it was brought about by a question asked by the Pharisees.
"When will the Kingdom of God come?" Their question reflected their belief that
the Kingdom of God was an earthly kingdom and would return them to a place of
earthly importance. Now they knew that Jesus had taught His Disciples to pray for
the coming of it and the Pharisees had long preached that it was "at hand", so now
that they have the opportunity, they ask, "When is this going to happen?"
Jesus replied first to the Pharisees than to the Disciples.
- First, He tried to explain to the Pharisees that the Kingdom of
God was not an earthly kingdom but a spiritual kingdom. In
answer to their question, He told them that they did not know
what they were asking for. It could come and they not even know
it. It will have a silent entrance, without pomp or music.
- It will not be something that you can see, something that some
will claim is here and others will say, no, it is over here,
for the Kingdom of God is within you. As to the time, that is
not for you to know. We cannot confine the Kingdom of God to any
church or any denomination or any city or nation. Neither can we
confine it to one person or persons. As to when it will come, it
will come when the Lord calls and it will come from within.
- Then to His Disciples He said that the day would come before they
have finished their testimony, that they would long for the kind
of days they now had. They had been, so they thought, so successful
in their work, but here Jesus tells them that it will not always
be so. There will be days when thousands will be added to the
but do not think that it will always be so. They will eventually
be persecuted and scattered, silenced and imprisoned.
- Concerning Himself, He warned them that He must suffer before He
would reign. He would be rejected by that generation and His
Disciples must expect to be rejected also, and as it was in the
days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man.
- Notice how He described the days of Noah. Everything went along
as usual until the day Noah and his family entered the ark and
it began to rain. And the days of Lot, again everything went
along as usual until fire and brimstone fell and destroyed them
all. Here we see for the first time, that Jesus is speaking of
His Second Coming, not His first as it would seem and as the
Pharisees thought He was. He compares His Second Coming to that
of the flood in the days of Noah and the fire and brimstone in
days of Sodom and Gomorrah, previous days of God's judgment.
- Notice the condition of mankind at that time. They will be in the
position of Lot's wife, they will not be able to look back. If
they are up in the housetop, they will not have time to come down.
If they are out in the field working, they will not have time to
return to the house. Christ will come in the twinkling of an eye.
- "Whoever shall seek to save his life, shall loose it." The Jews
sought to save their souls by the observance of rites and rituals.
This would be worthless in the Day of the Lord. Works will not
save anyone. But, "whoever shall loose his life for the cause of
Christ, shall save it." The "way of the cross", that leads to
salvation and service, is the loosing of ones life for Christ's sake.
- Again He describes conditions at the coming of Christ. "Two women
shall be working together, one will be taken and the other left."
"Two men shall be out in the field, one shall be taken and the
other left." The description of the Day of the Lord, describes
the end of the parable of the wheat and the tares.
- Notice the question is no longer "when" will this happen, but "where"
will this happen. Where will those go who are taken up? Where
will those go who are left behind? The Pharisees believed that
the righteous went, at death, to the "Bosom of Abraham". The evil
went into Hades, but time explanation of what they presumed to the
day they died, left them with many questions
- Notice the answer that Jesus gives them. "Wherever the body is, there
will the eagles be gathered together." Corruption is the fate of
the body. Corruption draws the birds of prey. As to the soul,
salvation is the fate of the soul of the believer. As the eagles
as drawn around corruption, so shall the saved be drawn around
Jesus. When? When Jesus calls us home.
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