Friday, July 9, 2010

Sowing and Reaping

By studying the Law of Moses, we find that every six years, Jewish farmers were to allow the land to rest for one full year. Likewise, they could do no sowing in their fields on the seventh day or weekly Sabbath.

Ex 23:10-11...And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still;

Lev 25:3-4...Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

Unfortunately, Judah violated this law for 490 years. Because of this violation, God took the land away from them for exactly 70 years during the Babylonian captivity!

2 Chron 36:21...To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

While this particular obligation of the Law dealt strictly with agriculture, "sowing" under the Old Testament covenant is also used metaphorically as in,

*Sowing righteous works and in due course...reaping a blessing.

*Sowing wicked works and in due course...reaping the curse.

The sowing of works and reaping the blessing or the curse is a principle of the Law (Deuteronomy 28) and not found in the New Covenant. Please read the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 28.

After Christ appeared in the fullness of time the concept of "sowing and reaping" took on a different meaning. In the teachings of Christ, what was "sown" was a message, and what was "reaped" was the result of that message. Likewise, in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles to the churches, we find numerous examples where a message is sown and the results are reaped. This New Covenant reaping is not the same as in the agricultural life. In farming, you only reap one plant from each seed you sow, but in sowing the message of the Kingdom, as in Matthew 13, you can reap 100, 60, or 30 people who receive that message!

Matt 13:18-19...Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side

Christ concludes this parable by saying:

Matt 13:23...But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Herein is the real 100-fold return: "Preaching the message of the Kingdom and reaping 100 souls who receive that message!"

In 2 Corinthians chapter 9, the "sowing of the message" about the needs of the poor saints at Jerusalem is a good example. The message is sown but money is reaped. By sowing throughout Asia Minor bountifully, they would reap alms more bountifully to give to the poor saints. Conversely, by sowing the message sparingly, they would reap sparingly. Again, it was the message sown.

2 Cor 9:5-13...Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

Be careful to note three things:

1. The message was not the financial needs of the local Church, but the financial needs of the poor saints at Jerusalem.
2. The message could be sown either bountifully or sparingly.
3. The reaping was the money received- not the "money sown".

We shall see that there is no reference to the "sowing of money" in the entire Bible. This reference of sowing the message for the poor saints at Jerusalem was mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16. Here Paul asks them in advance to start collecting a special offering on the first day of each week. Upon Paul's arrival, this entire collection was sent for the relief of the poor saints at Jerusalem.

1 Cor 16:1-3...Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

Paul's letter to the Galatians is another example of a message being sown. The "sowing and reaping" in Galatians 6 was sowing a message to the flesh or to the Spirit. Sowing to the flesh is teaching human works. Sowing to the Spirit is teaching who Christ is and the work He does within the human soul.

Gal 6:7-8...Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

The four Gospels teach...a Kingdom message sown in Israel

The sowing of the message of the Kingdom of Heaven cannot be the same message Paul preached because it was given under the dispensation of the Law. It was a message given exclusively to the people of Israel. It was a message given before the death of a testator, under the Old Covenant and under the Law. The following verses all indicate that Christ was born, lived, and started His ministry under the Law of Moses.

Born under Law...Gal 4:4...God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law

Circumcised under Law...Luke 2:21-24...And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Appeared in the Temple...Luke 2:42-52...And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Ministry started under the Law at a lawful age...Num 4:23...From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation

Christ taught the Law. He told the rich ruler that if he would enter into eternal life, he must keep the commandments.

Matt 19:16-17...And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

He told the lepers that were cleansed to offer the sacrifices Moses had commanded.

Luke 5:14...And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Luke 17:13-14...And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

The teachings of Christ during His earthly ministry were not Christianity but Judaism.

Matt 15:24...I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel

John 1:11...He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Jesus preached the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. John the Baptist preached the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus sent His disciples to preach the message of the Kingdom of Heaven, saying,

Matt 10:5-8...Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

The record is clear in this matter; Jesus did not preach a single sermon to the Gentile world. His earthly ministry was to the Hebrew nation only. His message was Judaism, not Christianity. If this message had been received, two Kingdoms would have been restored to Israel...the spiritual Kingdom and the visible Kingdom.

1. The Spiritual Kingdom...the Kingdom of God
2. The visible Kingdom...the Kingdom of Heaven

The message dealing with sowing is the message of the earthly reign of Christ and was preached only to the Hebrew nation. If His disciples had preached the message of sowing and reaping recorded in Matthew 13 to the Gentiles, they would have been openly defying Jesus' instructions in Matthew 10:5-8.

All the teachings of Christ concerning the Kingdom of Heaven prove if Israel had received Christ as Messiah, they would have received the divine nature, the Kingdom of God, and Christ would have begun to reign on the earthly throne of His father David. They would have had both Kingdoms restored which were lost in the fall. All Israel would have been in the divine image and had dominion over all the earth, over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, and every creeping thing. Everything that moved on earth would have been subject to them.

When Christ sent the disciples out with His message, it was only to the nation of Israel and the cities of Judea. They were not to take any purse or silver or gold. They were not to wear sandals, yet they were to trod scorpions underfoot and not be harmed! They were to cast out demons and not be harmed. They had authority over all diseases and were to heal the sick. This power was given to them to prove that Jesus was the Messiah that had come to Israel to establish the Kingdom.

Acts 1:6...Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel

The title of this Blog clearly shows that Jesus' Apostle's had understanding of the Kingdom that was promised to be restored in Israel. All of Jesus' Apostles preached the Kingdom message to Israel for 3 1/2 years. Jews of that day and hour were familiar with the Promised Kingdom in the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms. In fact, Israel was more familiar with the restoration of the Kingdom in Israel, than the crucifixion of Christ. That's why they asked the question, Acts 1:6...Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"

Let's go back to 40-50 days after the crucifixion of Christ. The Kingdom message had been sown in Israel for 3 1/2 years. Only few Jews received the Kingdom message which confirmed Jesus' parable of the sower and the seed. Only few were those who received the King and the Kingdom message as the message fell on good soil and produced a few good plants. As taught in the parable - the nation of Israel as a whole, rejected the King and the Kingdom message that clearly showed that the majority of Israel was not going to accept the Messiahship of Christ. Many Old Testament Prophecies (12) teach that Christ would be the stone that the builders rejected. Glory! Today Christ is the head of the Church that He purchased with His own blood!

Ps 118:22-23...The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

The time frame between Calvary and Pentecost was 50 days. The Kingdom in Israel was not restored but "postponed" by God until after the Rapture of the Church. The Church was birthed through the suffering and death of our Savior! The Apostles had witnessed the crucifixion of Christ. The Apostles remembered the message changing from the Kingdom of Heaven to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In the latter part of Jesus' ministry Jesus began to tell how it was necessary for Him to go suffer, die, and be resurrected. This revelation was peculiar to the Apostles as they were even vague about the Kingdom being restored in Israel. There was much doubt and unbelief going on at that day and hour...just like today. After Jesus was crucified and put in a tomb, He rose from the grave. He showed people the pierce marks in his hands. He walked among men and ate honeycomb and fish. These people actually witnessed a crucified and risen Christ.

Luke 24:40-43...And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.

Luke beautifully describes the crucified and risen Christ where Christ goes on to say...

Luke 24:49...And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Christ told the Apostles to tarry in Jerusalem until they were "endued" with power. They didn't understand what power He was talking about! Again, its important to realize what kind of understanding these Jewish Apostles had about Christ's earthly ministry and then His death and resurrection. The reason the Apostles asked in Acts 1:6...Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel is because they thought the enduement of power that Christ instructed them to tarry for in Jerusalem was the "Restoration of the Kingdom in Israel". Being Jewish and having revelation of the Kingdom in Israel these Apostles understood more about restoration of the Earth than restoration of the inner man...which Pentecost actually dealt with.

That's why the Apostles asked in Acts 1:6...Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel

They recognized the promised Kingdom on Earth because they were enlightened to it during the ministry of our Lord. Most Jews were enlightened to it because it was the majority of Prophetic truth in the Old Testament records. There are far more prophecies concerning the Kingdom being restored than the crucifixion of Christ. If more people today were enlightened to the Kingdom restored in Israel, many would have a better understanding of God's Word and there would be far less confusion in the name of Christianity.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

The burning bush...in light of Israel God's Elect

The Hebrew nation/Israel has always been the Biblical picture of a, "burning bush" that will never be consumed. Israel God's Elect, has burned through the pages of history without destruction. Israel has been captive many times, dispersed throughout the world, persecuted, and even slaughtered by the thousands for centuries, but never to a complete annihilation. Even today there are 28 Gentile nations that oppose Israel to a complete destruction. Why, because of Anti-Semitism that has existed since the destruction of the Temple in 70AD? The inquisition, the holocaust, and the Arab Israeli conflict. Anti-Semitism has existed through the pages of history and will continue until Christ establishes His Kingdom on Earth that is promised to be established and restored in Jerusalem during 1000 year reign of Christ.

Did you ever notice how Israel has always been the apple of God's eye? Israel is the instrument the God used to birth and bring forth the promised Messiah and confirmed this truth with hundreds of prophecies. Israel is the vehicle God used to compile and write the Word of God; Old Testament and New Testament. Israel is the vehicle God used to bring in the Law and Commandments of which there are 613. Israel was the vehicle God used to bring the Kingdom Message during Christ's Earthly ministry. Israel was the vehicle God used to bring the Gospel to a Gentile World. All the Apostles were Jewish! The Gospel was according to the Jewish Prophets. The Gospel was a message of salvation through the person of Christ, birthed through the nation of Israel.

Luke 24:44-45...And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

1 Cor 15:1-4...Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Think about the miracle of perfect genealogies all the way back to Adam in Luke and Matthew. Think about how these genealogies have been "preserved" through the pages of history. This knowledge has been kept track of "orally" and "scripturally" by the nation of Israel since the days of Moses. Moses wrote the Torah, which are the first five books of the Bible. Think about the oracles of God were spoken, written, and preserved. Even the Bible today in 2010 is a miracle in itself! How it was compiled! How it was preserved! How it was translated! Think about the prophets (all Jewish) that were given Divine revelation concerning the Messiahship of Christ. Think about the perfect blood lineages of the Levitical Priesthood. The precision of Israel's writings and Israel's dedication to God in obedience! Somehow someway these oracles were preserved and kept track of for thousands of years.

Before Christ came,The Law of Moses was the "greatest blessing" Israel had ever encountered. Since Christ came a, "greater blessing than Law has come". This "greater Blessing is the covenant of Divine Grace with the promise of the Holy Spirit" not for the Jew only but also for the Gentile! This is the Church the spiritual body of Christ! Israel is still the burning bush today, even since the Church came into existence. Why? Paul said,

Rom 1:16...For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The church (Christ's body) is a testimony to the nation of Israel. This testimony from a Gentile people who believe in Christ is God's way of provoking Israel to an acceptance of Christ as the promised Messiah. Still today, God's plan includes Israel. Israel still burns in the limelight. Israel is the burning bush.

Israel was given the promise of the land and; the Kingdom to be established in Jerusalem. Israel was the nation that brought forth the promised Messiah. Israel was promised to have outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Regardless of man's ideals or opinions Israel's position is foreknown of God from the foundation of the World. Israel plays a huge role in the Bible and should never be robbed of her promises. Unfortunately many today take what is written to Israel and apply it to the Church. The outcome of the tragedy is a mixed up and confused understanding of God's Word. This is very harmful to faith.

That's one reason why I write these Blog's. We Gentiles have very little knowledge of the nation of Israel. This lack of knowledge affects the way Gentiles understand the Holy Scripture. Gentiles are prone to mix up Bible truth because of a lack of knowledge about Israel, their history, culture, and religion. For the past couple of weeks I have posted material strictly pertinent to the message of the Kingdom Promised to Israel. I admit it's a very taxing study and not real popular in the mainstream. That doesn't make it wrong. One reason I am compelled to teach this truth is because of Gentile World's lack of knowledge concerning Israel God's Elect.

The Bible contains a vast background from the Jewish perspective. Gentiles had limited knowledge about that perspective. I am not Jewish. I am a just common folk in the rural area of southern Ohio. I am blessed by the Spirit of God and believe Christians have a clean and holy heart! The holy heart allows God to minister His truth freely. God piped in the light of Glorious Gospel to this preacher 23 years ago and I'm thankful for it in 2010. I have been fortunate to study under rabbinical teachings of the Law of Moses but still I know very little. I write these words not to be a "know it all" but only to encourage others to study the whole Bible with an open heart and mind toward the nation of Israel who has always been, and always will be the burning bush spoken of in the Bible. Especially on Christ's Kingdom message to Israel.

May the Christ of our Salvation continue to open the eyes of our understanding of His Word which in turn gives us a better faith in Him? Blessed be His Holy name forever! I appreciate ChristianBlog.com also as God has opened doors at this ministry for this concealed truth of the Kingdom message to Israel to be revealed! All this said to say one thing, "Israel is the burning bush that burns through the pages of history".

Ex 3:2-6...And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

Israel will never be consumed...but when you see the Arabs and Israeli's say peace in the middle East...be ready for the Rapture...because wrath and Judgment is on its way.

1 Thess 5:3...For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Israel fathered Abraham the father of the Hebrew nation, Isaac, and Jacob which means Israel in Hebrew. Did you know these forefathers of Israel will step down to the Kingdom of Heaven when it is established in Jerusalem? Jesus said they would! Glory! This shows the Kingdom of Heaven is an earthly Kingdom.

Matt 8:11..And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Gentile aggression against Israel...in relation to Christ's Kingdom message

In all your studies of the Bible, have you ever wondered what the Abomination of desolation really was? I admit I've been hammering the message of the Kingdom of Heaven to Israel, quite hard. The reason is because in the modern religious world Bible truth is so mixed up. When history, culture, religion, and prophecy in Israel are brought to light many of the Holy Scriptures begin to unfold in a Gentile World that knows very little about the nation of Israel. What is revealed? God's Word concerning Christ the promised Messiah and Christ's promised Kingdom to come.

This ongoing study is intended to bring light to the mystical "Abomination of Desolation" - Daniel the Prophet and Jesus spoke of. Both made reference to the Gentile aggression against Israel through the pages of history. Both made reference to the Kingdom of Heaven promised to Israel. Both taught prophetic opposition - from the Gentile world - that would take place against the nation of Israel.

Gentile aggression against Israel like the world has never known - will occur during the Great Tribulation: This aggression is a type of Babylonian captivity.

I'd like to point out a reference to the Kingdom of Heaven that may confuse some individuals. It's found in Matthew 24:14 and states the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world.

Matt 24:14...And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Jesus is referring to a false proclamation made by the Jewish people at that hour toward the Gentile world. That context is proven in the next few verses.

Matt 24:15... When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)

Verse 15 describes the abomination of desolation*.

*The Abomination of Desolation was a Gentile aggression against Israel during the great Tribulation which is a type similar to the Babylonian aggression during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes a Syrian king spoken of in Daniel 9:27. Epiphanes' hatred toward the Jew outlawed the Sabbath, the Torah, circumcision, temple worship, etc. He also erected a statue in the likeness of himself and sacrificed a pig on the alter.

Matt 24:16...Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Notice how vs. 16 speaks of them which be in Judea? It is crucial these scriptures are not spiritualized and taken from their actual meaning. To take verses like these its imperative to apply them to Israel to whom Christ was speaking...and not apply them to the Church. By doing this you are rightly dividing God's Word. Only another reason why I am publishing this great scriptural truth to a group of people who study God's Word!

Did you ever wonder why God allowed Israel to go into the Babylonian captivity: Violation of the Law of Moses?

By studying the Law of Moses, we find that every six years, Jewish farmers were to allow the land to rest for one full year. Likewise, they could do no sowing in their fields on the seventh day or weekly Sabbath.

Ex 23:10-11...And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still;

Lev 25:3-4...Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

Unfortunately, Judah violated this law for 490 years. Because of this violation, God took the land away from them for exactly 70 years during the Babylonian captivity!.

2 Chron 36:21...To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

All this said to say this one thing...It's so important to rightly divide God's Word! It's so important to know what is to be applied to Israel and what is to be applied to the Church. Knowledge about Israel is so very important when understanding God's Word...especially things pertaining to God's Promised Kingdom. Don't mix up the Bible! Learn about Israel. Learn about the Church. Apply to the Jew what God intended. Apply to the Church what God intended. I love you all! To Christ be the Glory!

The Kingdom of Heaven...our future hope

In the beginning, God gave man a divine nature. This was the Kingdom of God. Then He gave man dominion over all the earth. Likewise, in the present age, by the work of the Spirit, man is recreated in the divine image, and when Christ comes back a second time; He will restore man's dominion over earth.

We are told that if we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him. The suffering is for the present hour and the reigning is for the future. This is why the Scripture says in Revelation:

Rev 20:4...And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

 Notice the word thrones, is plural. The saints are going to judge the world and reign with Christ in His Kingdom. Paul told Timothy in:

2 Tim 4:1...I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

There is a Kingdom coming and that Kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not the Kingdom of God coming; it is the Kingdom of Heaven coming. The Kingdom of God is already here!

Take notice: The Kingdom of God is not the work of man; it is the work of Jesus Christ. Likewise, the Kingdom of Heaven is not the work of man; it is the work of Jesus Christ. Those who argue that the Kingdom of Heaven is already here are, in effect, saying that you can control the weather, the land and the beasts of the earth! They are implying that you never have to believe God for deliverance from your problems because you would have none! If the Church did have authority to control all these things, humanity would not have any problems and the saints would not have to call for the elders of the church when they are sick as in;

James 5:14...Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church;

All the hospital beds would be empty, tornadoes would not occur, millions of people would not starve to death in famine, and nothing would harm man on earth. All would know God, so there would not be any preaching, either. At the sight of the King ruling on the throne of David, all faith will cease-and be replaced by knowledge.

1 Cor 13:12...For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

If the Kingdom of Heaven is already come on earth, then the statement Christ made concerning the end times would not be true.

Matt 24:7-8...For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Speaking of end times, Christ openly stated that Israel will be hated of all nations for His name's sake, not respected as in the Millennial Kingdom.

Until Christ returns, the world is going to continue to have battles to fight and, adverse circumstances to deal with.

Eph 6:12...For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

This would not be true if the Kingdom of Heaven was already on earth, because Christ would be ruling everything and there would be no conflict! The Bible says;

1 Peter 5:8-9...Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith,

James 4:7...Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 *In the present Church age, we have to resist Satan by faith in Christ.

**In the future Kingdom of Heaven age, Satan will be bound and we will not have to resist him.

The devil will not even be here to flee from us when Christ returns to reign earth for a thousand years as written;

Rev 20:2-3...years,And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more,

*In the future Kingdom of Heaven age when Christ reigns on planet earth there will be nothing to try our faith!

James 1:3..Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1 Peter 1:7...That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ

*In the present Church age the Bible teaches our faith in Christ is tested by the world we live in.

God does not create the problems of life which we live under. They all stem from the original sin of Adam. The problems of life come because Adam sinned and lost control of all tangible, earthly things. The earth was cursed and even the animal kingdom was cursed by the fall. Worst of all, man was cursed to have a depraved heart and unholy nature.

The same God who promised to redeem us from our wickedness and give us a new heart and a new life is the same God who also promised to deliver the earth from all its curse and the effects of the fall. In the book of Joel, we are told how God is going to do away with the entire curse, including the locusts, the cankerworm, the palmerworm and the caterpillar. These are insects that devour your crops if you are disobedient to the Law of Moses. If you break the Law, those insects will destroy your crops. The insects that curse agricultural life will not be on earth anymore during the reign of Christ, and the Spirit will be poured out after the curses have been removed.

Be glad that the Kingdom of Heaven is coming. Christ is coming to establish a Kingdom in this world that will fulfill what is written in Revelation:

Rev 11:15...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The Bible tells us in Daniel 2 that the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's vision, representing ten kings, were smitten by a stone cut without hands which is Christ coming back in Divine Judgment to set up the Kingdom of Heaven.

*This stone cut without hands is Christ coming to destroy ten kings who give their power to the beast's world Government before Christ sets up His Kingdom on earth.

Dan 2:34… Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces

In Daniel 7, the forth beast's kingdom had ten horns. The ten horns are said to be ten kings in those days.

Dan 7:23-26...Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end

In the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up His Kingdom which is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Dan 2:44...And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Dan 7: 27...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.

Joel and Daniel's prophetic vision of the Kingdom of Heaven

It's important fo me to keep reminding the reader...In order to understand the Kingdom of Heaven it is important to recognize the distinct difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven:

The Kingdom of God is God's present rule over each individual believer. It is a divine nature restored in the heart of man through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

The Kingdom of Heaven is a future rule of Christ in the Millennial Reign where Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah are fulfilled. Believers in Christ at that time are given dominion on the earth like Adam had before the fall. When Christ comes back again He comes as the Messiah to establish His physical rule over a visible kingdom that begins in Israel.

Studies have shown that the Kingdom message to Israel was offered during Christ's earthly ministry. Due to the fact that the nation of Isreal as a whole "rejected" the Kingdom offered by Christ...that promised Kingdom was postponed until the Millennal Reign or what some call the 1000 year reign.

Here are some excellent prophecies of the Kingdom of Heaven, "Our future hope".

Kingdom of Heaven prophesied by Joel

The future Kingdom of Heaven is a restoration and deliverance from a cursed earth. In Joel chapter 1 the insect life (palmerworm, cankerworm, locust, and caterpillar) shows how the crops are destroyed in Israel. It shows how the soil and land affected under the curse also affects the agricultural life.

Joel 1:4...That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.

Joel 1:17-18...The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

The restoration in Joel chapter 2 shows that the curse has been removed. All agriculture is restored in Israel. The land flourishes; the vines and figs bring forth strength and the fruit trees blossom beautifully. This miraculous restoration actually occurs in the Kingdom of Heaven where Christ will restore every area of physical earth and its content, beginning in Israel.

Joel 2:22...Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

Joel 2:25...And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Joel 2:27...And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed

This promised restoration deals specifically with what Adam lost, which was the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ will restore them both!


Kingdom of Heaven prophesied in Daniel

The book of Daniel points out how Israel preserved its Messianic lineage during Gentile captivities through the pages of history. In Daniel chapter 2 Christ is described as the stone that smote the image and broke them into pieces. This prophecy directly relates to Divine Judgment and shows how Christ will subdue all nations, before He establishes His earthly Kingdom in Israel.

Dan 2:34... Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces

Dan 2:31-34...Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image*, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them:

*The Great Image in Daniel 2 is the Beast Kingdom, a Gentile one-world government that opposes Israel during the Great Tribulation, The beast is also mentioned in the Book of Revelations.

Christ classified Israel as the salt of the Earth that lost its savor

There are some people that have learned and been taught to call the Church today... the "salt of the earth". This is not a true statement and takes the Bible from its proper context! It twists up God's Word that's taught from the four Gospel's. Here's how! First, it wrongly divides God's Word by taking the message of Christ to Israel and applying it to the Church now. Second, It robs God's Word of it's true meaning about Israel rejecting the Messiahship of Christ and His Kingdom Message to restore Heaven on earth during His Earthly ministry. Israel (not the Church) was the "salt of the earth" because history proves Israel lost their savor when they rejected the Messiahship of Christ. 

Matt 5:13...Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, 

 Actually, Israel lost their savor before Christ came and the reason for this was they deviated from the Torah which is the first five books of the Bible. Israel began deviating from the Torah during the Babylonian captivity in 606 BC. Israel deviated from the Torah when Rabbi's began interpreting the Torah and adding their own opinion to it. By adding human opinion and tradition to God's Word they made the Commandment of none effect...with the traditions of men. 

Matt 15:3...But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Matt 15:6...Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 

The Talmudic teachings were not God inspired! Jews still follow these teachings today. The Talmudic teachings caused Israel to get away from the authority of the Torah. Israel faded away from their knowledge of sin, thus a backslidden state caused Israel to "not recognize the Messiah" when He came to establish His Kingdom on Earth. By getting away from the authority of Moses Law, Israel was simply recognized by Christ...as the "salt that lost its savor". When Jesus ministered He ministered the Law of Moses and the true Torah, He said you have heard of old, but I say to you. What Israel had "heard of old" was mixed with alot of traditional teaching and not true Torah. Jesus reproved them when He taught the moral holiness of the Torah in His sermon on the mount. His exact words were, "You have heard of old...but I say unto you! Mat. 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 44. Jesus taught the moral holiness of the Law. This shows how far Israel had gotten away from the true Torah. Jesus knew that the salt had lost it's savor!

The Church could never lose its savor or be trodden under the foot of men. If it did it would be "imperfect". Christ would never create an imperfect Church because He is perfect and the Church also is perfect! Israel was imperfect because they "rejected" Christ when He came. He offered the Kingdom, they rejected! Israel was imperfect because they deviated from the Torah and began living by Talmudic teaching and tradition. This deviation from God's Word caused Israel to miss Christ in the Scripture. Israel has continued lose its savor all the way up to this present hour. Israel will not be the salt that keeps its savor until Christ comes back in Divine Judgement to establish His Kingdom on Earth. At that time "all of Israel will accept Him" in the Millennial Reign of Christ. Their hearts will cry, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord". 

Matt 23:37-39...O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord 

This will happen at the 1000 year reign of Christ! Glory!

Full restoration/The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Promised Kingdom

The restoration of the Kingdom of Heaven was promised to the Hebrew nation, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was included in those promises. The Old Testament prophecies not only predicted complete agricultural and animal restoration but, also, that the wealth of the Gentile world would flow to Israel.

Zech 14:14...And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.

In Luke's record Jesus said,

Luke 6:38...Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

This restoration of all things to Israel was in perfect harmony with keeping the Law of God. If Israel would keep the Law of God, they would prosper. This is consistent with the book of Joshua, which declares,

Josh 1:8...This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Unfortunately, since Israel could not keep the Law, they could not prosper according to the Law. The only thing that could cause them to prosper was to receive the divine nature by accepting Jesus Christ as the Messiah. They needed to be born again, not by the waters of the Red Sea as they were born the first time of water, but by another birth from above, the birth from the Spirit. Only this birth of the Spirit would enable the Jews to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Before the captivity in 606 B.C., Joel prophesied the full restoration of everything Adam lost in the Garden, including a divine nature and man's complete rule over the natural laws of earth.

After the captivity, the prophets spoke of a partial restoration; only the land that God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be restored. Then the heathen would come up from year to year to worship Christ in Jerusalem and full prosperity would be in the land God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, since Israel rejected the King and the Kingdom, their land was not restored.

The restoration of Israel's land and Kingdom was intended to cause the heathen world to recognize the power of God, resulting in restoration of all the land on earth and not just the land of promise.

Had Israel accepted the Messiahship of Jesus, the Spirit would have been poured out upon all flesh in Israel, and everyone in Israel would have known the Lord, and no man would teach men about God all would know Him.

Jer 31:34...And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

The Holy Spirit was not limited to the Jews and Gentiles only...

In the Old Testament, the Spirit was promised only to the Hebrew nation. That is the reason Peter could not understand that the Gentiles could also receive the Spirit.

Acts 10:45...and they of the circumcision, which believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The circumcised Jews with Peter were astonished that the Gentiles had received the Spirit. They certainly had not expected them to, yet they heard them speak in tongues just as Peter and the Apostles did at Pentecost. It is significant that Peter was not even willing to preach the Gospel to these Gentiles until God gave him a vision and the Spirit led him.

The reason the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit was because Israel, as a nation, had rejected the Messiahship of Jesus and, therefore, was cut off from the natural olive tree. This allowed the Gentiles to be grafted in... thus fulfilling the promise given to Abraham that..."In thy seed (which is Christ), shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."

Gen 22:18...and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

When the Apostles asked Jesus in Acts 1:6, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Which Kingdom were they referring to? Certainly, not the Kingdom of God, which is God's rule over man. On the contrary, they were speaking about the earthly, visible reign of Christ on the throne of David. They expected the visible Kingdom to be restored on earth. In one sense, they had a right to expect that, since Joel's prophecies were not to be fulfilled until the restoration of the land.

There are in the Old Testament records:

559 prophesies which God said He would "gather" the Nation of Israel and return them to the Promised Land.
72 other times He said He would "establish" them
12 times He said they would not be "plucked up" anymore.

Prophecy after prophecy foretold that when the land was restored and Israel was gathered out of the graves of the nations, then God would put his Spirit within Israel. So the Spirit was to be given when Israel had their kingdom restored, and this kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, the full restoration is yet to come! Israel's kingdom is to be restored-not the Church. Without the King, Israel could not have either kingdom. Why? Because the Kingdom of God will not come unless Christ is accepted as King, and man cannot rule earth until Christ establishes the Kingdom of Heaven.

There is a distinct difference in Peter's approach in Acts 2 when he preached to the Hebrew nation and in Acts10 where he preached to the Gentile world. His approach to the Hebrew nation is based upon the Jewish prophets, Joel, and David. He does not quote the prophets to the Gentiles. Paul refers to Peter's apostleship to the Jewish nation and speaks that God also worked mightily in his ministry to the uncircumcised Gentiles. The Spirit was to take Jew and Gentile alike and put them both into the Body of Christ after Pentecost. Both Jew and Gentile can now receive the Spirit because we are living in the Age of the Church.

In this Age when someone accepts Christ as Redeemer, God rules their heart in what is properly called the Kingdom of God and will return again to give them the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our emphasis today should be on preaching the Kingdom of God because it is God's rule over man. It is man having a holy heart, having been renewed in the image of the Creator. When Israel rejected the Messiahship of Jesus, they rejected the Kingdom of God. Those Gentiles who accept the message of the death, burial, and resurrection have the Kingdom of God now and are looking for Christ to return and establish heaven's reign on earth.

Divine Judgment of Christ and His complete restoration of the Kingdom

The four Gospels show that the Kingdom of Heaven was presented to Isreal during the earthly ministry of Christ. The four Gospels show the Kingdom of Heaven message was rejected by Israel. Due to the rejection of the Messiahship of Christ by Israel God postoned this Kingdom until after the Rapture of the Church. After the death of a Saviour both the Rapture of the Church and Christ's return in Divine Judgement to set up His Kingdom in Israel are taught in the Epistles.

The difference between the Rapture of the Church and the Kingdom of Heaven given to Israel is: The Rapture is the Churches escape from Wrath and Judgement that's to come upon Earth before the seven year Tribulation. The Kingdom of Heaven (after the Rapture) is Christ's return in Divine Judgement to set up His promised Kingdom that was postponed during His Earthly ministry. This Kingdom shown in the Epistles is prophesied in the words of the Apostle Paul when he exhorts Timothy;

2 Tim 4:...I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Again, in Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica he warns;

2 Thess 1:7-9...when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power

1 Thess 3:13...at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Christ is to come in judgment. He is to come with all His mighty angels. He is to come with all the saints. He is to come in the clouds of glory. He is to come in flaming fire. He is to come to judge the world. Matthew 25 reveals He is to come to judge the nations. He is to reign the earth and rule in righteousness.

Matt 25:31...When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Matt 25:34...Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matt 25:41..Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

In Revelation 19 the Bible reveals Christ is coming back with an army from heaven. The army from heaven is dressed in fine linen, clean and white. The linen, clean and white, represents the righteousness of the saints. The same chapter shows the kings of earth preparing to make war against Christ, who is coming back to bring judgment into the world.

Rev 19:7-8...Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Rev 19:19...And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army

In Revelation 20, Jesus begins His millennial reign on earth. These records make it clear God not only promised the restoration of the earth but also that Jesus Christ is going to restore the Hebrew nation.

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

*This prophecy must be fulfilled and will be fulfilled, in spite of the fact that some claim that they are "building" the kingdom now. This is a misguided, misinterpreted, and unscriptural statement. The Kingdom is not the work of man; the Kingdom is the work of God. Both the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are strictly the work of the, King Jesus Christ. The Bible says so! Don't mix it up the fact fact that Christ is the builder of both Kingdoms...not man. Glory to Christ!

Israel, born of water and Spirit...to enter the Kingdom of Heaven

I once attended a service put on by a Christian group called, "Jews for Jesus". I asked them about the infamous Saint John chapter 3 passage, being born of water and Spirit and they enlightened me. Also I had the wonderful priviledge to be tutored by Dr. Hubert Lindsey who was likewise a learned man from the Jewish perspective. Brother Lindsey was tutored by a Jewish Rabbi who taught in a Hebrew Theological School in whom later he won to Christ with the prophetic passage of Gen. 49:10.

Concerning John chapter 3, I'd like to add the following discourse to further enhance our study on the Kingdom Message taught from the four Gospels. As we have found in earlier studies Christ commanded the disciples to carry this message of the Kingdom of Heaven...to the Jew only. Christ actually forbid His disciples to preach this message to the Gentiles.

In Saint John's Gospel we have Jesus addressing Nicodemus who was an Elder in the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin consisted of the rulers of Israel who handled the religious affairs, social affairs, economical affairs, and political affairs within the nation of Isreal.

John 3:3...Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Greek text says, "Except a man be born from above." Jesus is simply describing to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews that without an inner work of Spirit, man could not see the future Kingdom where Christ would reign, nor could he enter into it.

The new birth, which is an inner work from the Spirit of God, makes man eligible for the future Kingdom of Heaven. To be born again gives man a holy heart and a new life because it's a birth from above.

John 3:5...Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

*Promises from the Torah and the Law of Moses, continuously brought the nation of Israel to memory of the parting of the waters of the Red Sea where God took the Hebrew nation into the promised land of Canaan. Deliverance from above was always brought to the nation of Israel's attention through practicing the Law of Moses and hearing the Prophets and Psalms taught in the synagogues.

Many people today take the above passage in John 3:5...to be born of water, and apply it to water baptism. To be born in the Greek text actually means, to be delivered* and simply applies to the Hebrew nation's deliverance from Pharaoh in Egypt, through the Red Sea into the land of Canaan. This was the greatest of God's miracles at that time, upon the Hebrew nation.

*Even the Passover offered deliverance to Israel, from the destroyer.

Ex 12:21-24...Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever,

In John 3:5...Except a man be born of the water, and the Spirit. The Spirit dealt with promises of the Holy Spirit poured out on Israel and pointed to a future restoration on the earth; a rest, greater than the land of Canaan. Perhaps Nicodemus was familiar with this part of deliverance by the Spirit* however, Jesus questioned him about it.

John 3:10...Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

*Deliverance by the Spirit is twofold: 1. It's deliverance from sin in the new birth through the inner work of the Spirit. 2. The outer work of the Spirit when the earth is purged and restored physically where in the future Christ rules on the Throne of David visibly in the Millennial Kingdom.

**Remember, God had provided deliverance to Israel and promised to restore a Kingdom. He also promised to pour out His Holy Spirit! The invisible work of the Holy Spirit through a new birth offered any believing Jew entrance into Christ's visible Kingdom on earth at that time, had the Kingdom message been accepted. Unfortunately, the majority rejected His Messiahship and God's visible Kingdom on earth was postponed.

A little bonus concerning...THE SANHEDRIN of which Nicodemus was a member of.

The rise of this great council of the Hebrews took place in the time of Greek supremacy, though there has been some attempt to trace its origins to the council of seventy elders named by Moses. The first mention of the Sanhedrin is in the time of Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) It was evidently an aristocratic body, with the high priest acting as president. When the Roman order was introduced by Pompey, the high priest still retained the position of governor of the nation, making it likely that the Sanhedrin was carrying on.

Herod the Great began his reign by ordering the whole of the Sanhedrin to be put to death, appointing his own council of elders in their place. Under the Roman pro-curators, the internal government of the country was in the hands of the Sanhedrin to a much greater extent. And in the time of Christ and the apostles, the Sanhedrin is frequently mentioned as being the supreme Jewish court of justice. The Sanhedrin was abolished after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SANHEDRIN

The Sanhedrin was composed of 71 priests who served for life and who were selected from the following:

€ The acting high priest presided over the council; all former high priests were members.
€ Male members of the high priestly families
€ Scribes, legal assessors, bureaucrats
€ Pharisees and Sadducees
€ Elders - tribal and family heads

Criminal judges were members of the Sanhedrin, and twenty-three of them sat in judgment, with two clerks to record votes for acquittal and conviction. In capital cases, argument for acquittal was heard first, then those in favor of conviction. Anyone who had spoken in favor of the accused could not then speak against him; but one who had spoken against the accused could change his testimony in his favor. Sentence for acquittal could be pronounced immediately; but sentence for conviction was reserved for the next day.

In voting, each member stood, beginning with the youngest. A simple majority was sufficient for acquittal; but a majority of at least two votes was required for conviction. More members of the Sanhedrin would be brought in two at a time to vote whenever there was a majority of only one for conviction. When all 71 had voted, the person was acquitted if there was still a majority of only one.

Jesus appeared before the Sanhedrin on a charge of blasphemy (Matt. 26:65; John 19:7). Peter and John were charged with being false prophets and deceivers of the people (Acts 4 and 5), Stephen with being a blasphemer (Acts 6:13 ff), and Paul with being guilty of transgressing the Mosaic law (Acts 23).

Two Kingdoms lost...In the fall of Adam

Although Adam and Eve were created in the image of God with a divine nature and placed on a perfect earth they were also created to recognize the authority of a Creator. God in the garden, placed on them only one stipulation. To obey Him!

Gen 2:16-17...And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Through disobedience to the creator they violated the authority of God's rule. Their communion with God, which was the Kingdom of God, was lost through the Original Sin. In fact because of this original sin God cast both Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.

Gen 3:24...So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Their exile from the earth's perfect state at that time is where the Kingdom of Heaven was lost. Within that exile from the Garden man's dominion over the animals and the earth was also lost.

Both Kingdoms were lost at the fall. God knew neither man nor the earth could be restored from the curse of the fall without Divine intervention. Redemption of man and restoration of the earth from the curse was provided by God in the promise of a Savior in Genesis 3:15.

Gen 3:15...And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Since the divine image was lost at the fall man could not restore himself to the Kingdom of God. So, how could man be restored? By becoming a new creation in subjection to the Creator like Adam was, before the fall.

Eph 2:10...For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The restoration of Kingdom of God began in the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Christ according to the Scriptures. By the power of Divine Grace a penitent sinner is re-created by Christ with a divine nature after he is delivered from sin.

2 Peter 1:4...ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust

Col 1:13...Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

A new nature puts the convert back under the authority of God in subjection and obedience to God. The Kingdom of God is God's rule over the heart and life of a believer in Christ. The Kingdom of God is invisible but its manifestation is a true heart in obedience to God.

2 Cor 5:17...Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new

Eph 4:23-24...And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Man's dominion over tangible earth was lost in the fall of Adam. Adam had dominion over animals he lost it! Adam had dominon like men will have dominion in the future Kingdom Heaven on Earth! When Christ came the first time He came to establish that Kingdom on Earth. He also delgated that kind of authority to His disciples. He told them if they had faith the size of a mustard seed they would be able to move mountains. This is what is meant by man's dominion. Man had power and authority in Creation...it was lost! Man was delgated authority and dominion during the Earthly ministry of Christ. It was lost! Man does not have dominion over natural law or animals now! Man will have this dominion in the future Kingdom of Heaven.

Here's where modern religion runs into a snag...especially those who live under Kingdom authority in the four Gospels... and not the authority of a resurrected Christ taught in the Epistles. Mans dominion was lost...in the fall of Adam. Granted man will have dominion in the future Kingdom of Heaven. Granted Christ gave the disciples dominion during His Earthly ministry...but because of their "lack of faith" they couldn't live up to the standard of holiness in the Kingdom.

At the fall of Adam man's God given dominion over all the earth, was lost. Man lost full control when the divine nature was lost. Man's authority over the earth and everything in it was lost and has never been regained. If man presently had dominion like Adam had in the Garden there would be no need for faith or trust in God for the problems of life. God's solution to fixing man's problems through faith would not be needed. Problems of life would not exist. Man could control everything in nature: the plant life, animal life, atmospheric conditions, the weather, etc.

As a result of the fall, man lost control of the laws of nature. Perfect health was lost. Man eventually died physically as a result of the curse of the fall. The very ground of the earth was cursed, the plant life, vegetation, etc. Because man's food supply was a product of a cursed earth man physically began to decay. Through a gradual physical deterioration of the body the life span of man likewise decreased through the ages. Death* has reigned since the original sin of Adam.

Rom 5:12-14...Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

*Note! When God told Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:16...thou shalt surely die, it implied death. Death is not limited to physical death only. Death implies both physical death and spiritual separation from God.

All trials, conflicts, and problems of life that men have presently, stem from the fall of Adam. The curse of the fall is a result of Satan's past work. All evil that occurs in this present life is not always a direct attack of Satan. Many times it's a direct result of the curse of the fall. Remember, "Satan is not omnipresent."

Job 1:7...And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Satan is not omnipresent but the "effects of his past works" continue in this present world.

Every promise concerning the Messianic reign of Christ on earth points to a restoration from the curse of the fall. This is the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Within that future Kingdom of Heaven man's dominion on earth will also be restored.

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

Man cannot reign with Christ without true holiness of heart. Christ came first to redeem man from sin which is the Kingdom of God; second Christ comes to restore mans dominion, in the Kingdom of Heaven where all creation will be restored to its original perfection. Man must have a divine nature to have dominion over all the earth in the Kingdom of Heaven. At that time there will be no heartache, tears, suffering, trouble, sickness, death, or problems of life.

Rev 21:4...And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away

Again I state, "The Holy scriptures must be rightly divided" not only to see the Two Kingdoms but also to see where they were lost and how Christ "restores" them. To Christ be the glory!

Complete Restoration in the Kingdom of Heaven

The first chapter of the book of Joel tells how the insect life cursed the nation of Israel by devouring the crops. If Israel kept the Law of Moses all destructive forces of the curse upon the land would have been removed, including these insects. Joel however, does predict a time when these insects will no longer devour the crops.

Note!!! Joel prophesied six years before the captivity of the children of Judah-six years before they went into captivity under Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C.

The second chapter of Joel predicts a future and complete restoration within the land, the animal life, and damages from the insect life where Christ will be known in the midst of Israel.

Joel 2:22-29...Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

*This distinct passage says twice that, "my people shall not be ashamed". Israel certainly must be ashamed, having 28 nations against them now!

Joel prophesied the restoration of all things, beginning with the judgment of God. When we study the entire second chapter of Joel closely, we see the judgment of God must be against Israel. As a plague of locusts would move through the land, so would Gentile armies move through the land of Canaan to destroy every thing in it. The locusts would run up on the walls and enter in at the windows and nothing could stop them. Likewise, all Israel will be helpless to stop the armies of the Gentiles. That is the reason the prophet declared:

Joel 2:17...Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

This picture of God's judgment included the pronouncement by the Prophet concerning the king of Babylon and how he would besiege the city and completely destroy it if Israel did not call upon the Lord. He had already attacked the city five years earlier but did not completely destroy it. This utter destruction to come is a type of armies of the Gentiles that will fight against Jerusalem in the Battle of Armageddon in the last days. It is only then that Israel will finally call upon the Lord and be delivered.

The prophet Joel is expressing the full wrath of God upon Israel for their sin, and there is no escape from it without calling upon the name of the Lord. If they had turned to the Lord when the armies of the Gentiles came against Israel, the blessings of the Lord would have been upon the land.

Here's a more vivid description of the restoration of the land in Isreal that is given in Joel 2:22:

Joel 2:22...Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

Notice Joel prophesies of the former an latter rain which shows God's control of the atmospheric conditions in the future restoration of the Kingdom on Earth. All this is beautifully brought out in Joel's Prophetic picture of Israel's future Kingdom. The reason for the miraculous agricultural restoration is supernatural rainfall-an early and latter rain in the first month. Historically, this has never occurred in Palestine! Often misunderstood, this "early and latter rain" has nothing to do with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit but simply means that the restoration of the land must occur before the Holy Spirit is poured upon Israel. This is what you get when you take "spiritualization out of the scripture".

Here's what you'll have after God's Restoration takes place.

Joel 2:24...and the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

In chapter 11 of Isaiah, the prophet predicts the complete restoration of the land and the beast of the field will be once again in perfect harmony with man.

Isa 11:6-11...The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Here's one that is spiritualized often! It relates to God's gathering of His elect Israel from graves of the nations. The gathering of the Hebrew nation out of the graves of the nations will not occur until after the full restoration when Christ reigns on earth. This can be proven in Isaiah 11:1-11 in which all animal life is to be restored to the natural state enjoyed in the Garden of Eden. At this time, the lion will eat straw like an ox. It is after that restoration of the land and after the gathering of the people of Israel from the graves of the nations, "wherein you were scattered" that the Spirit will be poured out. Remember in Ezekiel 37 that the dry bones had to be gathered before the spirit of life was breathed into them.

Ezek 37:11...Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel:

The dry bones represented...the whole house of Israel. It is declared,

Ezek 37:13-14...And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you

Then the Lord would come and pour out His Spirit as promised to Israel.

Gospel of the Kingdom/Gospel of the death and resurrection rightly divided

There are two distinct messages that were preached. There are two distinct periods of time these two messages occurred. The Gospel of the Kingdom is not to be mixed up with the Gospel of the death and resurrection of Christ. The Gospel of the Kingdom was preached under the Law of Moses...during the earthly ministry of Christ. The Gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was preached under Grace...after Christ died ascended to Heaven where He rules from today.

Not knowing how to rightly divide the Word of God is so prevalent in our present age. Some people have misinterpreted 2 Chronicles 7:14 by spiritualizing the content and applying the passage to the Church today. This is dangerous, as the passage is a clear reference to the nation of Israel and promises the restoration of their land. This passage has no reference to the United States.

2 Chron 7:14...If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

First of all it says, "If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves". God's people in the Old Testament were the nation of Israel/the Hebrew nation. Israel was to humble themselves by keeping the Law of Moses. Christian's don't humble themselves to keep the Law. Christian's are humble by the power of God's Spirit that changes the moral makeup of a child of God. Israel was to seek the face of God...Christians don't seek the face of God...Christian's have already found God. Israel constantly sought God by keeping the Law and offering sacrifice. Christian's find God - the Christian experience when forgiveness of sin and holiness of heart takes over their lives - through the effect of Calvary in the human soul. This experience is found through the Christian's faith in the person of Christ. Christian's don't constantly seek God, they are satisfied with what they found in the person of Christ...Salvation, peace, and contentment. Israel was to turn from their wicked ways. Christian's turn from evil the minute they believe in Christ ... and live the holy life after they believe in Christ. Christian's get rid of wickedness when they accept Christ as Savior. Israel was a backslidden and disobedient people. Christians are true and obedient to God. Israel had to be forgiven from a backslidden state. Christian's are washed, cleansed, and forgiven by through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. This healing of Israel's land implied restoration that will be given to Israel when the Kingdom of Heaven is established on Earth. God will restore the land, the crops in Israel with rain, the plant life, the animal life, etc.

All that said to say this, "Spiritualization of Scriptures that are given to Israel and misapplying these to the Church now is wrongly dividing God's Word". It's dangerous, deceptive, misleading, and rampant this present hour.

If Israel would have accepted the Messiahship of Jesus this would have brought full restoration of the land. The only thing Israel had to do was to receive the message of the Kingdom by Jesus Christ the Messiah, John the Baptist, and the disciples. In their combined years of preaching, their message certainly was not the message of the death, burial, and resurrection according to the Prophets , which is the true Gospel.

Jesus did not preach His death, burial, and resurrection. In fact, He said very little about it until after He had given the Kingdom message to Israel and they had rejected the Kingdom of Heaven. They rejected His reign on earth saying,

Luke 19:14...We will not have this man to reign over us.

Only after Israel as a nation rejected their long-awaited Messiah did Jesus begin to talk about His crucifixion. Jesus began to foretell how He would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, how they would crucify Him, and how He would rise again the third day*.

*When the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are examined closely anyone who studies will be able to see where the Kingdom message ended and Christ began speaking about His crucifixion. For example,

Matt 16:20-21...Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

When Christ, Himself, told Peter that He was actually going to die, Peter did not believe Him.

Matt 16:22...Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee

Peter did not have Christian faith or New Covenant faith. He did not have faith in the death of Christ. He could not accept that Christ was going to die. Because of Peter's disbelief, he could not have faith in Christ's death or resurrection.

*Please note that Peter did have Kingdom faith and recognized the Messiahship of Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven as described in this question by Christ,

Matt 16:15-17...But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

The Kingdom message was given to the Hebrew nation with the purpose of offering both Kingdoms to Israel-God's rule over man and man's rule over earth. The Kingdom of God was to rule the hearts of all in Israel to prepare them for dominion over earth. However, instead of accepting His Messiahship, they rejected the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Christ's reign on earth was rejected by the Hebrew nation.

In order to reign with Christ on earth, man must have a holy heart. This was Christ's message to Nicodemus in John 3

John 3:5...Except a man be born of the water, and the Spirit. The Spirit dealt with promises of the Holy Spirit poured out on Israel and pointed to a future restoration on the earth; a rest, greater than the land of Canaan. Perhaps Nicodemus was familiar with this part of deliverance by the Spirit* however, Jesus questioned him about it.
John 3:10...Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

*Deliverance by the Spirit is twofold: 1. It's deliverance from sin in the new birth through the inner work of the Spirit. 2. The outer work of the Spirit when the earth is purged and restored physically where in the future Christ rules on the Throne of David visibly in the Millennial Kingdom.

**Remember, God had provided deliverance to Israel and promised to restore a Kingdom. He also promised to pour out His Holy Spirit! The invisible work of the Holy Spirit through a new birth offered any believing Jew entrance into Christ's visible Kingdom on earth at that time the Kingdom message been accepted. Unfortunately, the majority of Israel rejected His Messiahship and God's visible Kingdom on earth was postponed.

Here's the message that Peter received when Jesus said,

Matt 16:19...And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:

To have the Kingdom of God and to be eligible to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, man must be born from above. That Kingdom where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will sit down with the saints is, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here's the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven

Kingdom of God...The operation of God that gives man a holy heart. God saves man from his sins; sanctifies him by the Spirit; and gives him a divine nature to live a holy life. A believer receives the Kingdom of God within. This inner work is an invisible and spiritual Kingdom where God reigns over man from His Throne in Heaven.

Kingdom of Heaven...The operation of God that gives man the earth to rule and reign. This operation takes place when Christ comes back the second time. In order for any man to receive the Kingdom of Heaven he must first have the Kingdom of God in his heart. The Kingdom of Heaven is an earthly and physical Kingdom where Christ physically rules from His earthly Throne in Jerusalem

The Kingdom Message...a forgotten truth?

The Kingdom message is one of great Biblical truth yet has formed many controversial concepts and theologies in this present age. A wrong teaching of the Kingdom message can mislead a believer; hinder the necessity of evangelism; or even cause one to miss salvation of the soul. False theories of the Kingdom can destroy confidence in a resurrected Lord and even promote a feeling that Christianity is a failure. Incorrect understanding of the Kingdom message has caused many Christians to lose faith in Christ and lose their hope of His future coming, to physically reign as King over all the earth.

This Kingdom message will take the Bible further than believing in Christ from the four Gospels only. It contains a future hope and a future Kingdom based on Old Testament prophecies that are yet unfulfilled. Rightly dividing the Kingdom message from the Old Testament and the four Gospels is more than looking back 2000 years to the earthly ministry of Christ and His crucifixion. It takes the believer to a resurrected Lord, who is alive, exalted, and the head of the body of Christ, the Church. Who NOW...rules and reigns in all power and authority from His Throne in heaven seated at the right hand of the Father.

The intent of these posted expositions are to clarify the (present tense) work of Christ from the Throne Room as well as His (future tense) work in a promised earthly Kingdom. The central theme of these writings pertain first, to the work of Christ in the life of a believer (the Kingdom of God): second, that Christ will establish a future Kingdom when He returns (the Kingdom of Heaven) and restores all land to Israel according to Old Testament prophecy.

A right division of the Old Testament, the four Gospels, and the New Testament pertaining to the Church and Israel, the Jew and Gentile, and Law and Grace will clarify and confirm the vast distinction between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. May these posted expositions assist the teacher, the student, and the babe in Christ, to understand the truth of the Holy Scriptures and use them as a basis of their faith that can be added to, and built upon for a lifetime, in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why did Jesus teach parables?

The Parables

After hearing the message of the Kingdom of Heaven...many people ask the question, "Are the parables to be applied to the Church now?" The parables of the Kingdom were not given to the Gentiles but only to the Nation of Israel because Israel was the subject of the parables. Israel was blinded to the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. Jesus' reason for speaking in parables is given in Matthew 13:14 where He quotes from Isaiah,

Matt 13:14...And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

The parables of the Kingdom show Israel's rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven message that He preached. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 is an example. The Jewish people are likened to the different types of soil. The message of the Kingdom is sown on four different types of soil. Only one "the good ground" produced a crop, teaching that the majority of Israel was going to reject the Kingdom message and the King.

Matt 13:3-13...And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables:

In the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21:33-41, the lord of the vineyard sent his servants to collect his share. The wicked tenants beat his servant's and stoned them to death. Finally the owner said, "Then will I send my son." When the son arrived, the people said, "He's the heir. Let's put him to death." So they killed him. Likewise, Jesus Christ the Son was rejected and put to death. The Lord will come back again and bring vengeance upon the caretakers of the vineyard.

Matt 21:33-39...Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

Throughout the parables, we see object lessons of good fish and bad fish, wheat and tares, foolish virgins and wise virgins, all part of the message being given to Israel in relation to establishing the promised Kingdom on Earth. Parables do not teach the mystery of the Church. There is a vast difference between the Church and the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. *

*Some teachers in our generation have misapplied the parables to the Church and taught "sowing" money as seed, expecting to get 30, 60, or 100-fold as a return. The 30, 60, and 100-fold increase was to the Israelites that received the message of the Kingdom and had no reference to the Church or to money. There is no "sowing of money" in the parables of the Kingdom to Israel. Also, they could not sow the message of the Kingdom to the Gentiles for it was given to Israel only.

Matt. 25:1-13 is the parable of the 10 virgins and deals with the coming of Christ to establish His Kingdom on Earth. The virgins show the attitude of the two types Jew that either accept or reject the Bridegroom at his coming.

Matt 25:1-11...Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

This Parable is not to be mistaken for the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture is not taught in the four Gospels because the Rapture relates to the Church. The Church was not prophesied or taught in the four Gospels. The four Gospels relate primarily to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. That's why Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven was likened unto 10 virgins. Please note...when Jesus returns a second time to set up the Kingdom of Heaven...He returns (with the Raptured Saints) in Divine Judgment to separate the sheep and goats. This Judgment will come primarily on Israel who (rejects) the Messiah. After Divine Judgment the Promised Kingdom will first begin in Jerusalem with Christ and all His saints.

This Parable had to relate to the (2) types of Jew awaiting their promised Messiah (the bridegroom) because there are no "foolish virgins" in the Church, the body of Christ. "Are there wise virgins in the Church, Yes?" "Are there Foolish virgins in the Church, No?" There are however; (2) types of Jew at the time of the Messiah's return to set up the Promised Kingdom in Israel. Wise virgins and foolish virgins! Wise virgins have "oil" in their lamps. Foolish virgins have no oil in their lamps.

Oil in the Bible relates to God's ownership...Everything that oil had reference to in the Old Testament related to God's ownership.

The lamps are the Word of God (the Torah, the prophets, and the Psalms)

Ps. 119:105...Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

The wise virgins that have oil in their lamps are those in the Jewish Nation who recognize Christ as their Messiah. Israel's faith in the "Word of God" allowed God to have possession of their hearts and lives. Israel's faith in the word of God allowed them to recognize the Bridegroom when he returns. These are the wise virgins.

The foolish virgins are out looking for oil (God has no ownership of this people) when the Bridegroom returns. These foolish virgins are not subject to the Torah either. These foolish virgins will receive the Judgment of Christ because of their rejection of the Torah and the Messiah both. Jesus said if they would have believed Moses they would have believed Him.

The only thing that applies to Gentiles in the four Gospels is after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ where Christ purchased the Church with His own blood...Acts 20:28 When you learn to rightly divide the Word of Truth there will be no confusion caused from wrongly dividing God's Word. There will be confirmation to your heart and contentment that follows in your life. Get into the Throneroom where Christ is exalted! Don't live in the earthly ministry of during the Kingdom Age. Get into the Church Age "now" where the Spirit of God controls a child of God's heart and life by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul did not teach the parables or the four Gospels. Nowhere will you find Paul teaching Jesus parables in the Epistles! The Word of God mentioned in the Epistles makes reference to the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms...not the four Gospels! The four Gospels were not canonized until latter centuries.