THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (part 10)

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him.  And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13, 14).

 

"And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him." (Daniel 7:27).

 

It is God's intention to establish His Kingdom on the earth, and it is also His will that Jesus, His only begotten son, should reign as King of kings over that Kingdom.  "Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10).  It is also God's intention that His saints reign with Jesus in His Kingdom.  The Jews understood this, and were looking for the Messiah to come and destroy all of their enemies, and fulfill the words that all of the prophets had spoken concerning the Kingdom.  They expected a warrior riding on a powerful steed, but Jesus came to them meek and lowly, and riding on the colt of an ass.  What Israel failed to realize was that the Kingdom of Heaven was to be a kingdom of light, full of righteousness and true holiness; and God was seeking a people who were worthy to inhabit such a place, but for hundreds of years the Jews had failed God miserably in that regard. 

 

Jesus spoke a parable in Matthew 21 about a vineyard that a man planted and then let out to vinedressers.  When the time of harvest came, the man sent servants to receive the fruit of the vineyard.  The vinedressers, however, beat, stoned, and even killed the servants who were sent, refusing to give up the fruit of the vineyard.  Finally, the owner sent his own son, whom they also killed thinking that the vineyard would then be all theirs.  After speaking this parable to the Jewish chief priests and Pharisees, Jesus asked them what the lord of the vineyard should do to the vinedressers in the parable.  Without at first realizing it, the Jews pronounced their own judgment when they said, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons." (Matthew 21:41).  Jesus answered, "Therefore say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matthew 21:43). 

 

God was forced to reject His people Israel as a whole because they chose to reject Him.  Instead, He turned to "a nation bringing forth the fruits."  Who was this nation?  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:  which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1Peter 2:9,10).  It is us who have been redeemed and purchased by the blood of Christ, and who have believed in this great salvation that have become God's chosen.  It is us who have put off the works of darkness, and put on the righteousness of God in Christ, who are become God's people.  Us, who have been born again out of every nation on the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, who are now become a holy nation before our God.  The Kingdom (vineyard) that was originally given to the Jews, has now been given to those who will bring forth fruit to God.  As we have said before, this is an invisible Kingdom presently, but ultimately God will establish His kingdom on earth and it will be very real.  It is the meek, however, who will inherit the Kingdom and rule and reign with Christ.  No sitting on clouds playing harps of gold, my friends!  We will inherit the earth!  All of the nations who are fighting to carve out more land for themselves today don't have a clue that, fight as they may, it all belongs to the Saints of God! 

 

Why did Jesus teach so much about the kingdom of heaven and its principles if it would not be set up until the end of time?  It is because He is today preparing a people who will be fit to inhabit that kingdom.  Jesus, "...gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:14).  "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." (1 Thessalonians 3:13).  The law, given to Israel to testify to the world of the righteousness of God, could not perfect those who sought to live by its lofty standards.  It could not produce the fruit that God was seeking in the lives of His people.  Only the death and resurrection of the Lamb without spot could produce a people who would be changed from the heart and made holy by faith.

 

Jesus taught another parable about the vineyard in Matthew 21.  In it He spoke of a man who had two sons.  He asked the first son to go and work in his vineyard, and the son said, "I will not."  Afterward, though, he repented, and went to work.  The man then went to his second son and asked him to go to work.  This son said, "I go sir," but did not go at all.  Jesus asked which of the two sons did the will of his father, to which the Jews responded that the first did the father's will.  Jesus then said to them, "Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you." (Matthew 21: 31).  The Jews themselves were the ones portrayed in the parable who had agreed to work, but then did not.  The Gentiles were those who at first refused, but then repented and accepted the Father's will.  It was they who had accomplished God's will.

 

In the end, it is not what we say we are, or what we say we believe or will do for God that really matters to Him.  It is whether or not we are willing to actually do what He has asked us to do, and to live like He has asked us to live.  Even if it requires much repentance on our part (which it does), it is essential that we hunger and thirst to do what is pleasing to the Father.  Faith without any works to substantiate it, is dead.  Not that we have any power in ourselves to do the will of God - that is evident.  It is not in our own works that we can boast.  It is about what God through Christ is willing and able to do in us.  I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me!  We who truly believe will desire to be like our Master and Savior in every way, and will then become God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.  We will find ourselves being transformed day by day into the image of the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.  The principles of the Kingdom of Heaven will become even more important to us than the laws governing the earthly nation in which we live.  Let us not be content to love (or live) in word only, but in deed and in truth.   God is preparing a glorious Kingdom for His people to inhabit for eternity.  I want to be worthy to be a citizen, don't you?

 

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.  He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me." (John 14:23, 24).