What's Up With The Kingdom Of Heaven?

[Michael37]

Well, according to our Lord Jesus Christ quite a few things are up with the Kingdom of Heaven as follows:

Ten Kingdom Of Heaven Similitudes

1. Wheat with Tares Growing:
Mat 13:24-25 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; (25) but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
2. Branches with Birds Nesting:
Mat 13:31-32 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, (32) which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."
3. Flour with Leaven Spreading:
Mat 13:33 Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."
4. Field with Treasure Hiding:
Mat 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
5. Merchant with Expensive Pearl Purchasing:
Mat 13:45-46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, (46) who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
6. Dragnet with Fish Gathering:
Mat 13:47-48 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, (48) which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 

7. King with Debt Reconciling: 

Mat 18:23-24  Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.  (24)  When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

8. Landowner with Labourer Hiring:
Mat 20:1-2 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. (2) Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
9. King with Wedding Guest Inviting:
Mat 22:2-3 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, (3) and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.
Mat 22:10-11 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. (11) "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
10. Virgins with Lamp Trimming:
Mat 25:1-2 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:10-13 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. (11) "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' (12) But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' (13) "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

The Instructing Of Scribes Concerning The Kingdom Of Heaven:

Mat 13:51-52  Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."  (52)  Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

[Michael37]

The Kingdom of Heaven includes the Ekklesia of God but is not confined to it.

Dan 2:44  “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.

In the context of this verse the kingdoms to be broken in pieces and consumed are the four mentioned earlier in Daniel 2.

• Babylonia
• Medo-Persia
• Greece
• Rome

In describing the Roman Empire as iron mixed with clay the meaning is that its strength to subdue, and break, and crush did not bring it into unity and harmony with the intermingled nations under its rule, with their foreign languages, laws, and customs, but left them brittle, leading to a weakening and dividing of the kingdom they were expected to amalgamate with.

Dan 2:40-43  

The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.  (41)  Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.  (42)  As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly broken.  (43)  Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.
 

[Michael37]

The Three Privileges & Two Conditions For Israel 

Exo 19:3-8  And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:  (4)  'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.  (5)  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.  (6)  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."  (7)  So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him.  (8)  Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.

Privileges:

1. A Special Treasure to God, Exodus 19:5

2. A Kingdom of Priests to God, Exodus 19:6

3. A Holy Nation to God, Exodus 19:6

Conditions:

1. Obey the Voice of God, Exodus 19:5

2. Keep the Covenant of God, Exodus 19:5

The Prophesied Kingdom of Priests:

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
 

[Michael37]

More References To The Kingdom Of Heaven

• Overall Dominion

1Ch 29:10-14  Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: "Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.  (11)  Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.  (12)  Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.  (13)  "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.  (14)  But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.

• Everlasting Duration

Psa 145:10-13  All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, And Your saints shall bless You.  (11)  They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power,  (12)  To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.  (13)  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

• Divine Jurisdiction

Isa 9:6-7  For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  (7)  Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
 

[Michael37]

The Mysteries & The Word Of The Kingdom Of Heaven

• The Mysteries

Mat 13:10-11  And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"  (11)  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

The Kingdom of Heaven is made known:

1. When its King is made known
2. When its recipients are made known
3. When its blessings are made known 

 Mat 13:12-13  For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.  (13)  Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.

Mat 13:14-15  In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:  (15)  for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’

Mat 13:16-17  “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.  (17)  For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.

• The Word

Mat 13:18-19  "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  (19)  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

The Word Of The Kingdom Is Heard:

1. By the wayside where it is not understood and is snatched away by the Devil
2. On the rocky places where it withers under pressure
3. Among the thorns where it is choked by worry and wealth
4. On the good ground where it is understood and produces much fruit

Mat 13:18  “Hear, then, the parable of the sower. 
Mat 13:19  When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the wayside. 
Mat 13:20-21  What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 
Mat 13:22  What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 
Mat 13:23  What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.” 

[Heleadethme]

Amen.  Because His kingdom is not of this world.   That's what's up with it. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Heleadethme

[Heleadethme]

Mat 13:39-43

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

[Michael37]

10 hours ago, Heleadethme said:

Amen.  Because His kingdom is not of this world.   That's what's up with it. 

Yes, this world is definitely not the Kingdom of Heaven.

[Alive]

5 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Yes, this world is definitely not the Kingdom of Heaven.

Lord, give us understsnding. A kingdom exists where those who honor the King are. I see the Kingdom currently as a two tiered thing. First and foremost understanding that God is sovereign. There is nothing or no created being where this is not True. The second tier is the kingdom existing as His Church takes territory and that in the hearts of man, as those are included ‘in Christ’. One Day every knee will bow.

The enemy is a weak and utterly defeated foe serving God’s purpose. To think otherwise suggests that the created is greater than the Creator. This is error and grieves me. I see far too much of this. It is a delusion and a strong lie.

Lord, gives us eyes to see.

[Michael37]

31 minutes ago, Alive said:

The second tier is the kingdom existing as His Church takes territory and that in the hearts of man, as those are included ‘in Christ’.

A Kingdom Was Expected By Israel & A Change Required By Its King:

Mat 3:1-2  In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,  (2)  “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

Mat 4:17  From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Mat 10:7  As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’

Luk 9:57-62  As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, “I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord.”  (58)  Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  (59)  He said to another, “Follow me!” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”  (60)  But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce God’s Kingdom.”  (61)  Another also said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.”  (62)  But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”

Mar 12:32-34  The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he,  (33)  and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  (34)  When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that.