What is the "Good News" of the kingdom mentioned in Matthew 3:23?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General.

Question:

I want to understand what Jesus meant when he talked about the Good news of The kingdom. What kind of good news he is talking about? (Mat 4:23)

Answer:

I recently finished a class on the Kingdom of God. The audios are available in the EFC store (see the button on the front page of the site). I am attaching a set of notes and a power point here.

In brief, the good news of the Kingdom is God coming to the earth The good news of the Kingdom is the reign of Jesus Christ. It was realized in part with the coming of the kingdom in Acts 2, but will be fully realized in the final Kingdom of God in heaven (Revelation 21:1f) I strongly encourage you to look at the notes on the Kingdom of God below.

Kingdom of God notes ppt Kingdom of God PPoint 15.13 Mb

The Kingdom of God and the Day of the Lord

1. Introduction: What is the kingdom of God? John Week 1

2. The Kingdom of God and the Church. John Week 1

3. The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament. The Day of the Lord John Week 2

4. Jesus and the Kingdom of God: Parables of the Kingdom. Robert Week 3

5. The Kingdom of God and the World. Robert Week 4

6. Prophecies of the Kingdom. John Week 5

7. Heaven. Robert Week 5

Our Outline:

The Kingdom of God is…..

The Kingdom of God is not…

The Kingdom of God is the topic Jesus spent by far the most time talking about.

The Kingdom of God is a very big concept.

The Kingdom of God is something which breaks out suddenly and dramatically.

It comes unextectedly.

It is sometimes called The Day of the Lord.

The Kingdom of God is within us.

The Kingdom of God is not coextensive with or equal to the church.

The Kingdom of God is already and not yet.

(In this world) The Kingdom of God is entered by being born again.

The Kingdom of God is not a physical place.

The Kingdom of God is not of this world.

The unrighteous cannot live in the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God cannot be moved.

The Kingdom of God is heaven.

The Kingdom of God is a "place" where there is peace and justice.

The Kingdom of God is a place where things are as they ought to be.

The Kingdom of God is a place where the Glory of God is declared.

The Kingdom of God is a place where God’s will is done.

The Kingdom of God is a radical ethic in complete and utter opposition to the worldly ethic and worldly kingdoms.

The Kingdom of God is best described in the Sermon on the Mount.

The Kingdom of God is also known as the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew.

The Kingdom of God is something you are completely in or completely out of.

There is no middle ground.

The Kingdom of God is not a premillennial kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is not Jesus reigning in Jerusalem.

The Kingdom of God is of inestimable value.

It is something to be searched for.

It is a pearl of great price.

It is a treasure hidden in a field.

The Kingdom of God is good news. The Gospel IS the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is the garden of Eden.

The physical earth-Nature is the kingdom of God.

Israel is the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is any individual who has Jesus as his or her king.

The Kingdom of God is the church (and I am not contradicting myself above)

The Kingdom of God is revealed, proclaimed, preached, announced.

The Kingdom of God is revealed in parables (because it needs to be)

The Kingdom of God is revealed in history.

The Kingdom of God is not a friend of the world.

The Kingdom of God is not good news to everyone.

The Kingdom of God is a place where Jesus is.

The Kingdom of God is a "place" where God is king-where God reigns.

So…. Let us start there.

I. The Kingdom of God is a "place" where God is king-where God reigns.

David Lipscomb: The Kingdom of God embraces everything and every person in the universe over which God rules as king."

Pre-eminently, the kingdom of God is a kingdom. It has subjects and those subjects worship and submit to their King.

My definition: The Kingdom of God is anywhere, any situation or any person where God reigns as king.

The Kingdom of God is a life submitted to God’s will.

II. The Kingdom of God is the topic Jesus spent by far the most time talking about.

If this is true, then we ought to talk about it a lot.

Acts 1:3 It was the thing he constantly talked about during his last days.

Q: What was he discussing????

Of course we can talk about it and not know we are talking about it, but in any case, we do not talk about it enough.

Q: How many lessons have you heard about the Kingdom of God?

Matthew 6:33 Seek first his kingdom…

III. The Kingdom of God is a very big concept.

It is all-embracing. This is why Jesus spoke of it in parables.

IV. The Kingdom of God is revealed in parables (because it has to be)

The Kingdom of God is like….

V. The Kingdom of God is something which breaks out suddenly and dramatically.

It comes unextectedly.

It is sometimes called The Day of the Lord.

The Day of the Lord: (the kingdom breaks out)

Miracles, judgment, salvation.

1. The flood.

2. Sodom and Gomorrah

1. Passover and Exodus

2. On Mt. Sinai

3. Crossing the Jordan and destruction of Jericho

4. Assyria takes Samaria

5. Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem

6. Cyrus takes Babylon

7. Antiochus Epiphanes persecutes Jews

8. Pentecost (and Cornelius)

9. Second coming

10. Final judgment

Most of these events came as a total surprise.

Jesus often talked about "the time has come"

"The day has arrived."

"In the fullness of time."

In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he calls all men, everywhere to repent.

VI. The Kingdom of God is revealed in history.

This is unique about Christianity from any other world religion.

The kingdom of God is a story. It is a story which is gradually revealed.

Christianity is about history. It is about God’s plan to return the earth to the kingdom that it was intended to be all along.

It is a plan. God chooses a man, he chooses a tribe, he chooses a people, he chooses a place, he gives them a covenant, he sends them prophets, he prepares a nation. When all is set, he comes to his people to reveal himself. But even this is not the end of the story.

He sets up a spiritual kingdom, he proclaims his message to the entire world.

Finally, when all is ready, he ushers in the great and final kingdom.

Hebrews 1:1 In the past…. But in these LAST DAYS he has spoken to us by his Son.

Heb 1:1-2 In these last days…. Q The last days of what?

In the past you were told this, but in the Kingdom of God, this is how it will be.

1. The kingdoms of the world.

2. Of God’s plan for the kingdom on the earth.

JTB: The time is fulfilled. The kingdom has arrived. History has reached its culmination. Matthew 3:2 Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near (at hand).

The next big step in God’s historical plan is coming!! This is exciting!!!!

Isaiah 2:1-4 The kingdom of God: In the last days… The mountain of the Lord’s temple will become chief among the mountains.

Isaiah 40:3-11 The Kingdom: All flesh will see the salvation of God. This is a historical event. The "Gospel" is the arrival of a king to his kingdom.

VII. The Kingdom of God is not coextensive with or equal to the church.

David Lipscomb: "The Kingdom of God embraces the church, but it is more extensive in its signification."

(also D L) "The kingdom now established will yet pass through successive stages of development until it ends in ‘the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ The kingdom in its present state is not called ‘the everlasting kingdom’ but will grow into it. It is the same kingdom in a lower stage of growth and development."

"The Kingdom of God is the church" has been a teaching of the ICOC.

We inherited this from the CoC (Texas branch)

Previous to Pentecost the Church or Kingdom is spoken of as in the future, but after that day it is spoken of as having an actual existence (Acts 2:41; Acts 5:11; Acts 8:1; Hebrews 12:28).

To quote the "Kingdom of God" study (ICOC)

"The church is the Kingdom of God on earth established in approximately 33 AD"

Matthew 6:33 Seek first of all his Kingdom. ICOC false teaching: This means seek first to be devoted to the church, to building it up and to being a tied-in part of the church.

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. This IS the gospel.

A Catholic catechism says:

The Kingdom of God began with Christ’s death and Resurrection and must be further extended by Christians until it has been brought into perfection by Christ at the end of time. The Christian does this by living the way Christ lived, by thinking the way Christ thought, and by promoting peace and justice. This can be accomplished by discerning how the Holy Spirit (God) is calling one to act in the concrete circumstances of one’s life.

What about Matthew 16:17-19? I used to use this as a proof-text.

Jesus: I will build my church on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus (to Peter) I will give you the keys to the kingdom. Peter did, in a sense, open the kingdom at Pentecost.

But notice, what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. This was the key, not to the church but to heaven.

What about Matthew 16:17-19. Is he not equating the church to the kingdom? No, it is not. The "Kingdom" in this case is heaven, not the church. Jesus makes a close parallel: Whatever you bind on earth (in the church?) will be bound in heaven. No one is questioning the parallel between church and kingdom, but the kingdom is something much greater.

VIII. The Kingdom of God (Mark, Luke, John) is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew)

Matthew says "heaven" rather than "God" out of deference to the Jews.

IX. The Kingdom of God is already and not yet.

The kingdom comes in stages. It is revealed gradually. It comes is starts and spurts.

Israel is the kingdom already but not yet. We can clearly see how it is not yet!!!

The church is the kingdom already but not yet.

Before Pentecost it was already and not yet.

Now it is already and not yet.

Eventually, it will come fully and in all its glory!!!

"God’s colonial outpost, the church, lives as a witness, in the present, of things to come. Through Christ we have experienced resurrection, though we will face death. Because of Golgotha, we have salvation, yet we wait in hope for the revelation of our redemption. We have the "first fruits" (Rom 8:23) of the Spirit as God’s pledge of the rest of the harvest." [Kingdom Come, Hicks and Valentine]

I would add that the resurrection of Jesus occurred on the feast of first fruits. It is a reminder, in faith, of a future harvest.

X. Nature-the physical earth is the Kingdom of God.

Romans 8:18-25 Glory will be revealed. The creation waits in eager expectation. Creation itself will be transformed in heaven.

XI. Israel is the Kingdom of God.

I am going to talk a lot more about this next week. The Covenant of Moses was already and not yet. The kingdom of David was already and not yet. All of these things are historical pictures of something greater to be revealed.

Israel, by definition, was the kingdom of God. It was a theocracy.

However, we learn almost as much what the KOG is not as we learn what it is from the history of Israel.

XII. The Church is the Kingdom of God. (and I am not contradicting myself)

Is the church the kingdom? Yes and no. It is "already, but not yet"

XIII. The Garden of Eden is the Kingdom of God.

What is the kingdom? It is Genesis chapter 2. If you want to have the closest earthly vision to what the kingdom of God is, go to Genesis 2. This is what God planned all along.

XIV. The Kingdom of God is any individual who has Jesus as his or her king.

XV. The Kingdom of God is heaven.

Rev 11:15 The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.

Rev 21,22 The New Heaven and the New Earth is the Kingdom of God.

But we will spend a whole week on that, so…

XVI. The Kingdom of God is within (among) us.

Luke 17:21 The Pharisees are looking for the kingdom to come physically. (not a total surprise because in a past iteration, in a past "already but not yet" it had been that.

The Kingdom of God is a relationship with God (and with others in the kingdom)

XVII. The Kingdom of God is not a physical place.

Luke 17:21 again The kingdom is not something visible. It is not located in any particular place.

Calvinists and even some CoC folks saw one place as somehow uniquely God’s place.

It is definitely not a physical, earthly kingdom (despite the fact that Israel was a physical, earthly kingdom).

XVIII. The Kingdom of God is not of this world.

Jesus: My kingdom is not of this world. Jn 18:36

It is a spiritual kingdom.

Folks: We tend to forget this.

Matthew 6:25 Do not worry about your life. Literally, give no thought or concern to your life. (But I am going to discuss this more below)

XIX. The Kingdom of God is not a premillennial kingdom.

XX. The Kingdom of God is NOT Jesus dwelling in and ruling from Jerusalem.

Acts 1:6 Can you imagine how frustrated Jesus must have been tempted to be at this point?

Q: Is he going restore the kingdom to Israel? NO!!!

This tells me something…. We are tempted too much to see the kingdom as an earthly thing!!!

Aside: This is the problem with premillenialism: They believe that God will at a future date restore the kingdom to Israel in Jerusalem. UGGGHHHH!

v. 7 The kingdom is breaking out… It will break out in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth!!!

The chief teaching of the evangelical churches is that the kingdom is a future kingdom, with Jesus reigning in Jerusalem over an earthly kingdom of God.

(Armageddon and all that)

A number of groups take a political/eschatological approach to the Kingdom of God emphasizing a physical reign of Jesus Christ on earth after the parousia (rapture). These groups often place special emphasis on the role of a restored kingdom of Israel.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considers the church itself as the Kingdom of God on the earth. However, this is limited to a spiritual or ecclesiastical kingdom until the Millennium when Christ will also establish a political Kingdom of God. This will have worldwide political jurisdiction when the Lord has made "a full end of all nations" (Doctrine & Covenants 87:6). However, Latter-day Saints believe that this theocratic "kingdom" will in fact be quasi-republican in organization, and will be freely chosen by the survivors of the millennial judgments rather than being imposed upon an unwilling populace. See Council of Fifty; Theodemocracy.

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that God’s Kingdom refers to more than merely a state of mind or heart. They base this on their understanding of scriptures such as Daniel 2:44: "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." They believe God’s Kingdom is a literal heavenly government that will bring an end to suffering and injustice, and fulfill God’s original purpose for mankind by restoring paradise on earth.^[41] According to the Witnesses, Jesus Christ has been ruling as king of the kingdom since 1914, based on their interpretations of biblical chronology^[42] and current world conditions.^[43] Jesus’ miracles and preaching of the kingdom while on earth illustrated the benefits that the kingdom would bring to those who gain God’s favor. They believe that their own door-to-door preaching work imitates that of Jesus by highlighting the Kingdom of God.^[44] Accordingly, the subtitle of their primary journal, The Watchtower, is "Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom". They also consider the kingdom to be the means by which God sanctifies his name and vindicates his sovereignty.^[45]

XXI. (In this world) The Kingdom of God is entered by being born again.

John 3:1-9

Citizenship in the Kingdom today is a definite thing.

The Kingdom of God is something entered (and left) You cannot be in the KOG and in the world!!!

How do we enter the kingdom? Through the gate Jesus: I am the gate John 10:7 I am the gate for the sheep. (and as we have seen, Peter was given the keys to the gate Acts 2:36-38)

[2 Cor 5:18-21]

XXII.The Kingdom of God is something you are completely in or completely out of.

There is no middle ground.

Mark 12:28-34 You can be close but not in it. (you are in or you are out.)

XXIII. The Kingdom of God is a radical ethic in complete and utter opposition to the worldly ethic and worldly kingdoms.

Now, we are really starting to get into what the Kingdom of God really is.

The Kingdom of God is occupied by citizens who in this world are aliens and strangers.

We do not fit in, nor should we try to do so.

David Lipscomb: "God calls us to a radical alien mentality, but he provides the power for such a life through his indwelling and empowering Holy Spirit that transforms us into the image of his Son."

The early church was dedicated to peace and opposed bloodshed in the name of Jesus, as well as any form of nationalism-it chose a counter-cultural refugee lifestyle as opposed to feeling at home in this world.

Hebrews 11:13-16 We, like Abraham, live as foreigners, strangers, aliens in this world.

Hebrews 11:8-10 Abraham lived in tents. Stranger in a strange land. This is citizenship in the Kingdom of God!

Abraham lived in a land which would eventually be his people’s, yet he remained a foreigner.

Diognetus:

While they [Christians] dwell in cities of Greeks and barbarians as the lot of each is cast, and follows the native customs in dress and food and other arrangements of life, yet the constitution of their own citizenship, which they set forth, is marvelous and confessedly contradicts expectation. They dwell in their own countries but only as sojourners; they bear their share in all things as citizens and they endure all hardships as strangers. Every foreign country is fatherland to them, and every fatherland is foreign…. Their existence is on Earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws, and they surpass the laws in their own lives. They love all men, and they are persecuted by all.

Citizens of the Kingdom of God are aliens and strangers in this world.

"To live in the shadow of the second coming is to take seriously the ethic of Jesus. The peculiarity of disciples is not that they wear quaint clothing or don’t use modern technology. Rather their strangeness is located in their embrace of an ethic the world considers nonsense." [Kingdom Come Hicks and Valentine]

Phil 3:20 Our citizenship is in heaven.

"We live as if the future is already present."

2 Peter 3:13 We are looking forward to a new heaven and earth.

We do not set down roots.

We are not immigrants-they are planning on staying. We do not. We are here only temporarily as sojourners. Therefore, unlike immigrants, we do not try to adapt to the "local culture" (the world).

XXIV. The Kingdom of God is best described in the Sermon on the Mount.

This is our ethic!!!

What is valuable in the KOG? Matthew 5:3-10 Being poor, mourning, meek, hungry, merciful, pure, peacemakers and persecuted.

(note: Matthew 18:1-4 Who is great in the kingdom? (the servant))

This is what is valuable in the Kingdom.

This is the opposite of the world!!!!

Matt 5:17-48 Kingdom ethics is way beyond even what was preached to Israel.

Not just avoiding adultery, avoiding even thinking about it.

Not just avoiding murder, avoiding thinking badly of others

Not just loving your neighbor, loving your enemy.

Kingdom values:

Matt 6:25-33 The key: Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not put treasures here. This earth is NOT the kingdom!!!!!!

The entire sermon on the mount is about the Kingdom of God. Jesus says to put our treasures in heaven, not on the earth. He is talking about heaven.

v. 21 the eye…. If you do not have this right, then you have nothing right.

If you do not understand the kingdom, then you understand nothing.

v. 22,23 We do not have a little problem, our entire vision is impaired. We are totally blind. We need to change our vision.

One thing we see here, the Kingdom of God is very unexpected. It is radically different from and the opposite of the world.

Example: do not worry (literally, take no thought to) your life, your food (pleasure) and your clothing (appearances). How opposite to the world is that? The "Gentiles" do that. No… think about the kingdom. Put your treasures there. Do not lay up treasures here. Do not give a thought to money.

Luke 9:57-62 Who is fit for the kingdom?

XXV. The unrighteous cannot live in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:24 You cannot love God and money.

1 Cor 6:9-11. The wicked cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

XXVI. The Kingdom of God is a place where things are as they ought to be.

Genesis 2

Isaiah 11:6-9 Lamb lies down with the wolf. Note: in the context he is talking about the restored kingdom of God on earth under Jesus (v 10)

65:17-25 The lamb lies down with the wolf. This time he is talking about a future (for us) kingdom: Heaven.

XXVII. The Kingdom of God is a "place" where there is peace and justice.

Isaiah 2:3-4 swords into plowshares. It this world there will be war and there will not be full justice. The KOG is different.

XXVIII. The Kingdom of God cannot be moved.

Heb 12:25-29 It cannot be moved.

XXIX. The Kingdom of God is a place where the Glory of God is declared.

1 Chron 29:10-12

XXX. The Kingdom of God is a place where God’s will is done.

Matthew 6:10 It is already done in heaven, may it be done on earth.

XXXI. The Kingdom of God is of inestimable value.

It is something to be searched for.

It is a pearl of great price.

It is a treasure hidden in a field.

Parables: The Kingdom of God is something to be searched for and, once found, to be greatly treasured.

XXXII. The Kingdom of God is good news. The Gospel IS the Kingdom of God.

Isaiah 2:3 The law will go out from Zion…. From Jerusalem.

Acts 2:1-41. The Kingdom comes. This is huge!!! It is the Day of the Lord. It is the beginning of the "Last Days." (v. 17-21) The Holy Spirit breaks out. People start prophesying. The key phrase here: And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (v 21). THAT is the kingdom of God. A place where people get saved.

XXXIII. The Kingdom of God is revealed, proclaimed, preached, announced.

Mark 1:14-15 Jesus came preaching the kingdom. Preaching = proclaiming, announcing. We do not convince as much as we announce the Kingdom of God.

Kingdom = gospel=Good News (Jesus came preaching the gospel)

XXXIV. The Kingdom of God is not a friend of the world.

Mark 10:23-25 The rich cannot enter it. Why not? Matthew 18:1-4

Like we already said, 1 Cor 6:9 The unrighteous cannot enter the kingdom.

XXXV. The Kingdom of God is not good news to everyone. The Kingdom of God is the enemy of the kingdoms of the world. We will see this when we look at "The Day of the Lord."

Matthew 3:3-10. In the context: JTB is preaching the Kingdom by preaching against earthly kingdoms and gets thrown in prison.

A big theme: KOG vs earthly kingdoms (media, political systems, philosophies, etc.)

Isaiah 40:17 Before him all nations are as nothing. They are regarded as worthless and less than nothing.

XXXVI. The Kingdom of God is a place where Jesus is.

Luke 4:18-21 Jesus declares the kingdom has arrived. What are its characteristics?

1. Jesus.

2. deliverance

3. sight (healing)

4. freedom Today this is fulfilled.

Why is it fulfilled? Simple…. Jesus is here. Where Jesus is, this is where the kingdom is.

XXXVII. The Kingdom of God is a relationship with God.

Eph 2:19-22 You, too, are being built into a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit

True in OT: Leviticus 26:11-12 I will put my dwelling place among you and I will not reject you. I will walk among you and be your God. (sounds like Eden)

Exodus 40:34-38 God comes and dwells with his people in the tabernacle.

2 Chron 5:13b-14, 7:1-3. God came and dwelt with his people in the temple.

(When Jesus died, the curtain was torn in two. Hebrews 10:19-20)

Parables of the Kingdom

Parable = Parabolé = Grk Para = along/side Bolle = cast/ throw : "throw beside" =

Heb: Mashal

Mashal = Hebrew for "To be Like"

Proverbs , riddles, sentences of the wise. Prov 1:6

Parable =Mashal that uses a short narrative fiction.

Parables are not generally found in OT but were used by Rabbinic teachers in Jesus time. Exceptions: (Nathan’s shepherd & Ezekiel’s eagle)

Solomon put handles on the Torah

Jesus put handles on the Kingdom

Rabbinic Parables were used to teach about the Torah: mostly 300-600AD

Jesus Parables were used to teach about the K o G

Parables of the Kingdom: Dodd Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8

Modern scholarship tends to be Apocalyptic in its study of the Kingdom

•1. Parable of the sower: Matthew 13;3-23, Mk 4:3-20, Luke 8:5-15 –

•2. Parable of the weeds: Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 –

•3. Parable of the mustard seed: Matthew 13: 31-32, Mark 4:30-32 –

•4. Parable of theLeaven: Matthew 13:33-35, Mark 4:33,34 –

•5. Parable of the treasure: Matthew 13:44 –

•6. Parable of the Pearl of great price: Matthew 13:45-46

•7. Parable of the net: Matthew 13:47-50

•8. Parable of the household Matthew 13:51-53

•9. Parable of the Lamp: Mark 4:21-25, Luke 8:16-18 –

•10. Parable of the growing seed: Mark 4:26-29 –

•1. Parable of the sower: Matthew 13;3-23, Mk 4:3-20, Luke 8:5-15 –

•2. Parable of the weeds: Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 –

Early stages – indistinguishable from wheat. Later obvious but then rooted

Was poisonous in later stages –

Was a way to sabotage a neighbor – sow tare into his crop!

2 major lessons about the Kingdom of God

Dont worry who is sneeking in (Motives of the heart) i.e. "True Disciples"

Don’t worry about protecting the Kingdom – The Pharisees

Judge not Mattthew 7:1

DONT WORRY, DONT GET UPTIGHT !

•3. Parable of the mustard seed: Matthew 13: 31-32, Mark 4:30-32 –

Mustard seeds in Israel grow to 7-8 feet tall – branches like a tree!

Field plant not Garden plant

Have faith!!! It WILL GROW and BE GREAT !!

•4. Parable of the Leaven: Matthew 13:33-35, Mark 4:33,34 –

Problem with Yeast – Usually Evil "Yeast of the Pharisees"

Symbolic of both spirit and the church

Power comes from without (Spirit)

Change comes from within (Spirit)

Power is unseen

Strength is from God and spreads to all

•5. Parable of the treasure: Matthew 13:44 –

Talmud teaches – The finder is the rightful possessor

•6. Parable of the Pearl of great price: Matthew 13:45-46

Pearl is pure and perfect – needs no refining

Highly valued above Gold & Diamonds

Value always requires sacrifice

•7. Parable of the net: Matthew 13:47-50

Roman -Greek – Jewish World > ( West and East )

•8. Parable of the household Matthew 13:51-53

•9. Parable of the Lamp: Mark 4:21-25, Luke 8:16-18 –

•10. Parable of the growing seed: Mark 4:26-29 –

Man must do his part, but God works, even when we "sleep."

The Lord will surely do his part

Things come in time and in stages

BE PATIENT It WILL GROW and BE GREAT !!

The Kingdom of God and the Old Testament:

I. The Day of the Lord in the Old Testament.

Sometimes the Kingdom breaks out, judgment happens and people start dying! (esp see the OT and the Day of the Lord)

The Day of the Lord is that period of time when God openly intervenes in history and the affairs of man-in judgment and in blessing. Joel 1:15 Woe, because of that day!

TDOTL normally appears as totally bad news, but for God’s people that is not the case.

TDOTL 26 times in OT The "day" of Jesus is also used in the NT (referred to as the day of Christ)

What is TDOTL? It is a day to repent. (or better yet, to repent before it arrives)

Let us read some sample passages

Is 2:12-22 TDOTL comes on prideful individuals. The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and the lofty.

Isaiah 13:6-13, 17-21. TDOTL is destruction of Bablylon. V 17 I will stir up the Medes. (that is what happened) vs 10-13 apocalyptic language.

Judgment on those who attack Israel

Is 34:4,8-10 Edom The starry host falls

Judgment on those who stand aside when Israel is attacked

Jer 46:10 Judgment on Egypt. Judgment on false allies of Israel. (don’t read?)

Joel: 1:15 (already read) 2:1-2 Blow the trumpet!!!

Joel 2:11-17 A dreadful day v. 13 But you can still repent.

Joel 2:28-31 quoted in Acts 2

The Day of the Lord Joel 2:28-29 I will pour out my spirit in those days.

A classic passage on TDOTL Joel 3:9-14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

(Amos 5:18-20, Obadiah 15, Zeph 1:8, Zeph 1:14, 1:18-2:3) (all Zeph chapter 1 )

Malachi 4:5 Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. John the Baptist. Refers to AD 70. For us: TDOTL is the return of Jesus and final Judgment Day. (Rev 21)

II. TDOTL in the NT:

2 Thess 1:6-10 The Day of the Lord will come to those who trouble you. V. 10 "on that day" (this should give us comfort)

Matthew 24:36-39 Concerning the day or the hour… As in the days of Noah… So it will be in the coming of the Son of Man.

2 Pet 3:8-10 The Day of the Lord will come like a thief.

The theme of these passages is that we need to be ready for the coming of the Kingdom of God-for The Day of the Lord.

Phil 2:14-16 …that I may boast on the day of Christ. (also 2 Cor 1:12-14)

1 Cor 5:5 hand this man over to Satan so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on The Day of the Lord. (Also Phil 1:9-10 blameless and pure until the day of Christ.)

[2 Thess 2:1-4 We do not need to fear The day of the Lord…]

1 Thess 5:1-11 (just read)

The Kingdom of God in OT:

Abraham sojourned, waiting for the promised kingdom (as do we). You will be the father of many nations.

Israel. Israel in Canaan is a picture of the future Kingdom of God (although a very imperfect picture!)

OLD TESTAMENT TYPE	nEW TESTAMENT ANTITYPE
SLAVERY IN EGYPT	LOST, SLAVE TO SIN
WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS	SAVED, BUT LIVING THE LIFE OF A DISCIPLE
ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND	ENTERING HEAVEN: The Kingdom of God.

Salvation from Egypt is a foreshadow or our salvation from sin.

In the wilderness, they were in the promised land/heaven "already, but not yet."

They were baptized into Moses as they left Egypt.

Entering Canaan is a foreshadow of our entering our eternal rest (Hebrews 3,4)

Hebrews 3:16-4:11 The Jews looked forward to a "rest" in Canaan. Our "rest" is in heaven.

Deut 8:7-10 a land with milk and honey (streets paved with gold for us)

Josh 21:43-45 They had peace and all God’s promises were fulfilled.

This is technically, not true!!! But from God’s perspective it was (already, but not yet.)

1 Kings 4:25 God completed setting up the theocratic kingdom. "Throughout Solomon’s reign Judah and Israel lived in safety form Dan to Beer-sheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree. This is the kingdom of God!

Hos 11:1 Out of Egypt I called my son (into the Kingdom of God). Fulfilled many ways.

Note: The priests had no homeland in Israel. This is symbolic of us priests who also have no homeland Deut 18:2 Levi: The Lord is his inheritance.

Exodus 19:6 A kingdom of priests. This is God’s vision for TKOG.

Rev 1:6 It will be even more so in heaven (Rev 5:10, Rev 20:6)

Prophecies of the Kingdom of God Fulfilled in the Church

Prophesied Aspect of the Kingdom of God	Old Testament Prophecies (and New Testament fulfillment)
Establishment of the Kingdom.	Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Hebrews 9:15) Ezekiel 36:24-27 (John 16:13-15, Acts 2:38)
Who will be the King?	Ezekiel 34:23,24 (John 10:14, Ephesians 1:22,23) Hosea 3:5 Joel 2:28-32 (Acts 2:16-21) Zechariah 13:1,2
Extent of the Kingdom of God.	Isaiah 49:6, 42:6 Isaiah 2:2-4 Isaiah 54:1 (Galatians 4:26-28) Ezekiel 17:22-24 Zechariah 2:10,11
Relationship between King and subjects.	Exodus 19:5,6 (1 Peter 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:5) Ezekiel 37:24-28 (2 Corinthians 6:6) Ezekiel 11:19,20 Hosea 1:10,11, 2:23 (Romans 9:25,26)
Relationships between subjects in the Kingdom.	Isaiah 11:6-10 (Galatians 3:26-28)
Persecution of those in the Kingdom of God.	Daniel 7:6-8 Daniel 7:19-25
Power and Endurance of the Kingdom of God.	Daniel 7:26,27 Amos 9:11 2 Samuel 7:12-14 Daniel 2:44