Introduction to the Kingdom Parables

Bill Woody

The Kingdom Parables • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

Matthew 13:1–9

The Kingdom of God

Parable

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Introduction to the Kingdom Parables

Text: Matthew 13:1–9 (KJV 1900)

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Introduction:

* Each of the Gospel writers presented Jesus in a certain way.

* Mark, a cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), was an eyewitness to the events in the life of Christ as well as being a friend of the apostle Peter.

* Mark wrote his gospel for a Gentile audience, as is brought out by his not including things important to Jewish readers (genealogies, Christ's controversies with Jewish leaders of His day, frequent references to the Old Testament, etc.).

* The gospel of Mark emphasizes Jesus as the suffering Servant, the One who came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

* Luke, the “beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14 KJV), evangelist, and companion of the apostle Paul, wrote both the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the apostles.

* Luke is the only Gentile author of the New Testament.

* Luke often refers to Christ as the “Son of Man,” emphasizing His humanity, and he shares many details that are not found in the other gospel accounts that show the human side of Jesus.

* The gospel of John, written by John the apostle, focuses on the words that Jesus said. John presents Jesus as divine, “the only begotten Son of God.

* The gospel of John opens up with the words

John 1:1–5 (KJV 1900)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

I. The background of the Kingdom Parables.

* Now we get to the writer of our text this morning- Matthew.

* Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, and one of his purposes was to show from Jesus' genealogy, and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that He was the long-expected Messiah, and thus should be believed in.

* Matthew's emphasis is that Jesus is the promised King, the “Son of David,” who would forever sit upon the throne of Israel (Matthew 9:27; 21:9).

* The book of Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Eternal King of the kingdom of God.

* In the beginning of the book, Matthew proves by his genealogy that Jesus is of the royal bloodline of the kings of Israel.

* In chapters 5, 6, and 7 we have the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus the King of Heaven presented the principles that rule in the Kingdom of Heaven.

* In the following chapters, Matthew records the miracles of Jesus, which are the credentials that prove Jesus is the Messiah, the prophesied King of Heaven.

* Then in the following chapters after that, Matthew shows us the rejection of Jesus by the rulers of the Jews.

* The rejection of Jesus by the rulers of the Jews marks a turning point in the teaching of Jesus.

* Before his rejection, Jesus taught openly and plainly, but after his rejection, he began to teach and preach in parables.

* And so we come to our text here in Matthew chapter 13 which starts the parables of the Kingdom of God- the Kingdom parables.

* No one can read the Gospels without being impressed with how many times the words “the Kingdom of Heaven, or the “Kingdom of God is mentioned.

* The phrases “the Kingdom of God,” and the Kingdom of Heaven,” mean the same thing and are used interchangeably in the gospels.

II. The setting of the Kingdom Parables.

* Look with me now at the first two verses of our text in Matthew chapter 13:

* In verse 1, we are told that Jesus had been inside a house.

* As a matter of fact, before His rejection by the Jews, Jesus mostly taught in the houses and the synagogues of the Jews.

* After His rejection by the Jews, then we begin to see Jesus teaching openly in the public, on the side of the mountain, and on the sea shore.

* When we get to Matthew chapter 13, even though Jesus had officially been rejected by the religious leaders of the Jews, we see that the people are still curious about this strange prophet\preacher called Jesus of Nazareth.

* To understand their curiosity, you have to keep in mind that in that day, the people would flock to whatever might be happening at the time.

* There were no televisions, computers, cars, concert halls, sports arenas, or any other thing that might have occupied the attention of the crowds in that day.

* When people saw a group of disciples had gathered that day by the sea side to hear Jesus teach, and that this Jesus could do miracles, they flocked to the seashore that day by the droves!

* There were so many people that had gathered there that the crowd pressed against Jesus, and caused Jesus to have to sit in a boat in the water and to teach from there!

* The Bible doesn’t go into a lot of detail here, but I think we would be safe in assuming that people had waded out into the water, and were standing waist deep listening to Jesus teach that day.

* I would suppose that some of his disciples stood in the water and held back the crowds while Jesus taught from the boat.

III. The Occasion for the Kingdom Parables

* Jesus started His earthly ministry with a message that the kingdom of God,- the kingdom of their messiah that had been foretold by the Old Testament prophets, was now at hand.

* When John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, he shouted to the people who came to be baptized “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

* In Matthew 4:17 we read the words, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’.”

* The people that had come to hear Jesus preach were already expecting the kingdom of God to come to them.

* As Jesus came preaching that the kingdom of heaven was near, the Jews automatically assumed the kingdom was a physical kingdom that they could see with their eyes, and would replace the rule and occupation of their land by Rome.

* This kind of physical kingdom had been foretold by the prophets, and was being taught by the Rabbis of Jesus day.

* The people of Jesus day eagerly awaited the Kingdom of God.

* Neither John the Baptist, or Jesus, offered any explanation of what the "kingdom of God" was, because the Rabbis had taught them that God had promised to Israel a future, kingdom in which the Messiah would sit upon the throne of David.

* The people who had come to hear Jesus preach that day by the seaside had been taught in the synagogues that God promised David an eternal kingdom, a kingdom that would rule forever.

* They knew that the coming messiah would be the king of that eternal kingdom.

* Both Jesus, and John the Baptist, preached to the people that they needed to repent because they had now entered the prophesied time of the kingdom.

* Both John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching "repent for the kingdom of heaven was near at hand!"

* The Jews that had gather to hear Jesus preach, readily recognized the physical aspects of the kingdom of God, but the Rabbis and religious rulers had failed to understand the spiritual aspects of the kingdom of God.

* When Nicodemus, a respected teacher of the Jews, a member of the revered Sanhedrin, came to Jesus by night, he asked Jesus about the Kingdom of God.

* Nicodemus, like the other religious rulers of Israel knew of the physical aspect of the kingdom of God, but did not understand the spiritual nature of the Kingdom of God.

John 3:5–10 (KJV 1900)

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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

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

* While fully realizing the physical nature of the kingdom that Jesus was offering to the Jews, the Jews failed to understand the spiritual qualification for entering into the kingdom— that qualification was spiritual repentance!

* The spiritual element of this promised kingdom offer is found over and over in the book of Matthew:

1.) In Matthew 5:20 Jesus said:

“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

2.) In Matthew 7:21 Jesus said:

“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father, who is in heaven.”

3.) In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said:

“Truly I say unto you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

* It is at these spiritual requirements to bring in the Kingdom of God, that the Jews of Jesus day stumbled.

Matthew 23:23–28 (KJV 1900)

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,

and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:

these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Isaiah 28:16 (KJV 1900)

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, A tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation…

1 Peter 2:6–8 (KJV 1900)

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

* Speaking of the coming of Jesus the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 8:13:

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, And be snared, and be taken.

* The gospel of Matthew records the ministry of the Jesus as He demonstrated through His teaching and His miracles that He was indeed the prophesied Messiah, the King of the kingdom of God.

* The more apparent Jesus made His Messianic identity the stronger the opposition to Jesus grew.

* This opposition comes to a climax in Matthew chapters eleven and twelve.

* Matthew twelve records the rejection of the Messiah by the religious rulers of Israel.

* They had attributed the miracles performed by the Lord to the power of Beelzebub, or the Devil —this blasphemy was unpardonable.

* The scathing language of the following verses in Matthew chapter 12 clearly show, that because the religious rulers had rejected Jesus, God had also rejected that generation:

Matthew 12:31–32 (KJV 1900)

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

* The opening verses of Matthew thirteen must be understood in the light of this extreme rejection of the Messiah; the parables of the Kingdom were spoken by Jesus on that very same day.

* Later in the book of Matthew, right before that well known passage where Jesus speaks of the events of the last days, Jesus clearly states that Judgment has been pronounced upon the nation of Israel for rejecting Him as their King and Messiah.

Matthew 23:33–39 (KJV 1900)

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

37 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! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 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.

* The setting up of the glorious millennial kingdom on earth, as predicted by the prophets, was dependent upon the repentance of the nation of Israel.

* When the religious rulers of Israel rejected Jesus, the physical kingdom was taken away from their generation, and postponed until a future day in which Israel repents and recognizes Jesus as their Messiah, and prays for his return.

IV. The Purpose Of The Kingdom Parables.

* After listening to the first Kingdom Parable ,(the parable of the sower), Christ’s disciples ask the question, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

* Jesus answered and explained that the parables of Matthew thirteen, the kingdom parables, had a twofold purpose which was related to the twofold nature of those listing to Him teach.

* The parables had one purpose for the disciples of Jesus, and a completely different purpose for those would reject Jesus.

* To the multitudes, these parables were a means of judgment.

* Jesus draws a parallel from Isaiah’s day as the Lord had commissioned Isaiah to a message of condemnation to a people who persisted in their rejection of Jehovah God.

* Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9–10 where Isaiah said:

Isaiah 6:9–10 (KJV 1900)

9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; And see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, And make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

* Before the people had rejected Jesus, He had taught and preached openly, with great power, demonstrating the truths of the kingdom of Heaven and His qualifications as the Messiah.

* Now, after Jesus was rejected by the religious rulers of Israel, Jesus begins to veil the truths of the kingdom of God in parables so that only those who believe in Him will understand the truth He is teaching about the kingdom of God.

* Jesus plainly explains this in Matthew 13:12 when He said:

“For whoever has to him shall more be given, and he shall have in abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

* The first purpose of the kingdom parables was to hide the truth from those who had rejected Him.

* The second purpose of the parables was to reveal the nature of the true kingdom of Heaven to the small circle of those "to whom it is given."

* To that small group of disciples who followed Jesus, Jesus said:

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

* Look with me at our text in Matthew 13 and verses 10-16:

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 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.

12 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.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

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:

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

* Just like it was that day on the sea shore, so it was in the church at the time John penned the letters to the churches - there were those listening that had rejected Jesus, and those who still followed Jesus in the churches.

* Those that "had an ear to hear" were those who were willing to accept the words of Jesus and continue to follow Him.

* We see this in the introductions to the Kingdom parables, the first parable in or text in Matthew chapter 13 and verses 3-9:

* Now notice the phrase that Jesus users at the end of this introductory parable:

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

* We see this phrase used by the Old Testament prophets, by Jesus in the Gospels, and also used by Jesus in the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation.

* If you are willing to believe what Jesus said this morning, then it has been given to you to hear and understand all truth.

* Jesus said in John 16:13–15 (KJV 1900)

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

* The parables for the followers of Jesus, when interpreted by the Lord, became a great channel of truth about the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven.

* In the parables of the kingdom we see the two kinds of Kingdom citizens that were present that day by the sea side.

* The true citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and the false citizens of the Kingdom of heaven.

* This is the major theme present in each one of the Kingdom Parables.

* Just as in the days of the Old Testament there were those who called themselves Jews in the flesh, but had rejected God in their heart.

Romans 2:28–29 (KJV 1900)

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

* In the same way in the days of the New Testament there are those in the Church that claim to be Christians, but they have rejected the Word of God in their hearts like those mentioned in the letters to the churches.

* Those who had rejected the words of Jesus in the churches in John’s day held the doctrines of the Nicolaitans. To them Jesus also spoke in parables:

* Not only did Jesus speak to those “rejecters” of the Word of God in parables he also used the same phrase he used in Matthew chapter 13: "He that hath ears to hear"

* listen to what Jesus wrote to those in the churches that had rejected His word in Revelation chapter 2 and verse 5:

Revelation 2:5–7 (KJV 1900)

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

* Do you see the parable there- the hidden meaning that only the true believers would understand?

* Again Jesus writes in chapter 2 and verses 16 and 17:

Revelation 2:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

* In each of the Kingdom parables we will see this theme of the true and the false believers over and over.

* Jesus represented this truth in using the illustration of a vine and the branches in John 15:1-6: Jesus said:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

In each of the Kingdom Parables we will encounter two kinds of people, the true follower of God and the false follower of God.

V. The Pattern of the Kingdom Parables

* The kingdom parables can be divided into three couplets.

* The parable of the mustard seed and the leaven are similar in structure, and, when properly interpreted, form an directly opposed, or contrasted couplet.

* The parable of the treasure and the parable of the pearl are similar in structure and wording.

* These form a parallel couplet —the same theme is related to two different groups: the church and Israel.

* The parable of the wheat and tares and the parable of the dragnet are almost identical in theme and are similarly interpreted by the Lord.

* These six parables are all introduced with the phrase “the kingdom of heaven is like.”

* The whole picture presented in the Kingdom Parables relates some truth connected with the kingdom of heaven.

* The two parables that are left, the first one, and the last one, (the parable of the sower and the parable of things old and new) do not have the phrase “the kingdom of heaven is like.”

* These parables form the introduction and conclusion to the three couplets of kingdom parables.

Conclusion:

* In the scriptures we see two spiritual kingdoms.

* Which kingdom are you a citizen of this morning?

* Jesus told Nicodemus, before you can see the Kingdom of God, you must be born again.

* Born again with a spiritual birth.

Next Week’s introduction:

* In the Bible we have the story of two Kingdoms- the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of the earth.

* We see this truth illustrated in what we call the Lord ’s Prayer in Matthew chapter 6:

Matthew 6:9–13 (KJV 1900)

9 After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

* On the one hand, we have the Kingdom in heaven:

* The book of Enoch, which is quoted by the book of Jude, tells of the orderly reign of God in the heavens.

* A place where everything is orderly and the orders of the King on the throne in heaven are carried out without question.

* A perfect and everlasting kingdom.

* We also see in the visions of Enoch, the kingdom of earth.

* Earth is portrayed as a place of rebellion, violence and disobedience to the rule of Heaven.

* We see on earth the rebellion of men, and of the angels who sinned against God.

Genesis 6:1–7 (KJV 1900)

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

* The Kingdom on the earth was originally given to Adam and his descendants to rule in righteousness, but it was stolen away from Adam by Satan when he caused mankind to rebel and sin against God.

* When God originally created the world, He designed the world to be ruled through human instruments.

* The intent of God was to rule on the earth through human instruments.

* When God created Adam and Eve He said to them - Have dominion over the earth -didn't He?

* Have dominion over everything that's created.

* You rule for Me. You are My vice-regent, you are My vice-monarch, you are My sub-king, if you will.

* The kingdom of earth became a “Mediated” kingdom- man ruling, not in place of, but for God.

* We don’t know how many years went by with Adam ruling the earth for God in the Garden of Eden, but we do know that the Devil, Satan, in the form of a serpent, caused Adam to sin and rebel against God.

* Now, as a result of Adam’s rebellion, the Bible says that Satan rules the earth and has become the God of the earth:

2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV 1900)

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Matthew 4:8–10 (KJV 1900)

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world,

and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee,

if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Revelation 11:15 (KJV 1900)

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

* We know from the Bible that the kingdom of earth has become a fallen and rebellious kingdom.

* Jesus taught that by default, all the inhabitants of the earthly kingdom have become citizens of the kingdom of darkness.

* Jesus also taught that the default condition of every man in the human race is that they are the children of the devil and citizens of the Devil’s kingdom.

* When speaking to the Pharisees, who rejected Jesus, Jesus said:

John 8:44 (KJV 1900)

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

* The very first prophecy in the Bible Genesis 3:15, the key verse of the entire Bible, predicted that the seed of the woman would stomp the head of that serpent the Devil, and take away the kingdom of the earth from the Devil, and restore it once again to a man.

Genesis 3:15 (KJV 1900)

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.

* The book of Romans says that the last Adam, Jesus, the “son of Man,” one “born of woman,” came to regain what the first Adam had lost in the Garden of Eden.

Romans 5:14 (KJV 1900)

14 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…

19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 15:45–47 (KJV 1900)

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit…47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

* The Bible tells us that the Last Adam, Jesus, came to deliver men from the darkness of the kingdom of Satan and put us into the kingdom of Heaven.

* Colossians 1:12, speaking of how Jesus has delivered those who believe on Him, says the Jesus came to deliver the souls of men from the kingdom of Satan, the fallen earthly kingdom, the kingdom of darkness.

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

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

* The Kingdom of Heaven has always been proclaimed through history by human mediators.

* The Bible is the story of God mediating his rule over His creation through human instruments.

* God says I want My will known to men, I want My Word known to men, I want My Holy principles known to men!

* I want My moral standards known to men, I want my people, who I have created to be obedient subjects to Me.

* God in heaven wants to call men into His heavenly Kingdom, the Kingdom of God!

* God in the book of Genesis, mediated His rule on the earth through the patriarchs, great godly men to whom God had revealed himself to.

* Men who knew the mind of God, the heart of God, and the will of God.

* You see in the book of Genesis the men that God used to tell men of his Heavenly kingdom.

* You can see the Seths and the Noahs and the Abrahams and the Isaacs and the Jacobs and the Josephs and even the Melchidezek, at one point, who was a priest of the Most High God.

* Then God called out a nation of people who would be His human agents to mediate His rule. The Jewish nation.

* And what was Israel's calling? Israel's calling was to give to the world the Word of God!

Romans 3:1–2 (KJV 1900)

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

* The nation of Israel gave the world the statutes of God, the principles of God, the mind of God, the heart of God.

* Later the Bible tells us that God called out prophets and priests and kings to be His key human instruments to carry out His rule on the earth.

* You have God, mediating his rule through human instruments all thought the Old Testament.

* When you come to the New Testament, all of a sudden, God directly gets involved in mediating His Kingdom through the human instrument Jesus Christ!

* Jesus becomes a man and Jesus comes into this world in human form and He tells us what God is like and He tells us what God's standards

are and He preaches the Kingdom of God and He calls for people to be subjected to the Kingdom of God and He is mediating God's Kingdom, as it were, to men.

* The Bible tells us that Jesus is rejected. He goes back into heaven and immediately the message goes on and it is carried by the Apostles and it is carried by the Prophets and the church then becomes the human agency of the Kingdom of God on earth.

* Even now, in our very own day, God is mediating His rule on the

Earth through the believers who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

* And we are now God's human instruments to speak the Word of God, to hold up the standards of God, to bring to men God's will and ways and moral values.

* And now, we are here as God human instruments to call men to enter the kingdom of God and heaven!

* And there will be a day in the future, in the tribulation, when God will anoint 144 thousand Jews and those Jews will mediate the earthly kingdom of God in the sense that they will take God's message to the world!

* In those days the book of Revelations says that there will be a world-wide revival!

* The Gentile nations and a remnant of the nation of Israel will be saved and then Christ will come back and mediate His own Kingdom on the earth again.

* And then the kingdom of the man Jesus will be merged into the eternal kingdom in Heaven with a new heavens and an new earth.