The Kingdom of Heaven
1. The theme of the Gospel of Matthew is "The Kingdom of Heaven" It was the theme of all Jesus' preaching and teaching. He began his ministry by saying, "Be repenting; For the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17 or "Be turning back to God; For the kingdom of Heaven is now here." But exactly what is the "Kingdom of heaven." Jesus never spelled it out. He didn't have to. Most Jews of His day understood very well what He meant.
2. The people of Israel had been looking for "the kingdom of heaven" on earth for many hundreds of years. The idea of a "kingdom of heaven" had first been announced by God Himself at Mt. Sinai...
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:6
Thus the idea of a kingdom of heaven was born.
3. A brief history: At first, the nation of Israel identified itself as the "kingdom of heaven." They had been chosen by God, and were ruled by God through people upon whom the Spirit of God "rushed" - the judges and the prophets. There was no central government, unless it was the tabernacle, the place of worship. The people paid no taxes, except the yearly half shekel for the upkeep of the tabernacle. There was no conscripted army. There were no public works.
But the people demanded a king to rule over them, and the system of government by God was lost. The rebellious and idol worshipping people of Israel could no longer be "the kingdom of heaven."
Soon the people rebelled still further, and worshipped pagan idols until they had become worse, and more sinful, than any of the surrounding nations. God had to destroy them; preserving only a small righteous remnant who would follow Him. This righteous remnant came to be known as "the true Israel", the people who really wanted to follow God.
4. Jesus referred to His redemptive movement as "the kingdom of heaven." He meant the grace of God had come at last, and that He would set up His rule in the hearts of all believers. But what did that mean? It was impossible to explain it to human ears that had grown dull of hearing. "The Kingdom of Heaven" was so far beyond human understanding or experience that it was totally impossible to speak of it in any way except to say that it was like something... and then paint a word/picture of it in a parable. And that is exactly what Jesus did.
5. Jesus began most of his parables by saying "The Kingdom of Heaven is like..."* Matthew 13:24, 13:33, 18:23, 20:1, 22:2 etc.
6. Probably the best word/picture Jesus gave about the kingdom of heaven is one that people today do not see. But people of Jesus' day should have understood it well.
Speaking of John the Baptist Jesus said,
For this is he of whom it is written:
Behold, I send My messenger
before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way
before You. (Malachi 3:1)Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Matthew 11:10-15
7. "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force"
This phrase is an obvious reference to a parable recorded in the book of Micah.
"I will surely assemble all of
you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather
the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together
like sheep of the fold,*
Like a flock in the midst of
their pasture;
They shall make a loud noise
because of so many people.
The one who breaks open
will come up before them;
They will break out (forth),
Pass through the gate,
And go out by it;
The King will pass before them,
With the Lord at their head."
Micah 2:12-138. This is a picture of sheep gathered together into a pen for the night. The pen is made of rocks. Then, at dawn -- the breaking forth of the day -- (when revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, is breaking forth*), -- The one who breaks open comes and makes a breach (hole) in the wall by removing some of the rocks.** As soon as the sheep see the hole they rush forward to escape. But one must know sheep in order to understand this parable. They are not trying to get out of the pen so much as they are trying to get into the pasture! They are breaking forth (forcefully) into the kingdom of heaven. The sheep have been confined in the pen all night. Now, as the day dawns, the one who breaks open (John the Baptist), makes a hole in the stone wall for a gate. The hungry sheep burst forth, knocking down more stones as they go. They are so hungry, they are violent!
* through Jesus' preaching, and teaching, and His miracle working.
** John the Baptist did this by preaching repentance, and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29Interestingly the people of Jesus' day understood that the one who breaks open is not the shepherd. (see note) The king is the shepherd. He is standing in the pasture waiting for them. He is our Lord Jesus, and He leads them forward into the pasture -- the kingdom of heaven! Jesus is a shepherd king! This begs us to look at Psalm 23. Our Shepherd leads into green pastures, beside the still waters. There are still some dangers, and we will still have enemies. BUT our Shepherd leads on into the pastures of grace, goodness and mercy -- and even in the valley of the shadow of death HE is there. It is the Shepherd who makes the pasture good. All the peace, love, joy, healing, and sense of well being come from being with HIM. It is really His presence that the sheep crave. They hear His voice and they follow HIM. A stranger they will not follow. This describes the kingdom of heaven as it is found on earth. It is not a place, or a religion -- it is a relationship with the Shepherd. It is not future, but present. It is not developing. It is now! And it is complete. Psalm 23 is a good picture of the "kingdom of heaven."
note: The people of Jesus' day were looking for someone who would be the "forerunner" of the Messiah - someone who would break open the gate for Him. Jesus was telling the people that John the Baptist had been the "one who breaks open!"
In Jesus' day this prophesy/parable of Micah concerning John the Baptist was well known. That is why Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Jesus desperately wanted the people to understand this. If the people could understand this parable, they would know that Jesus was indeed the Messiah who fulfilled it -- and they could believe unto salvation. This view of the kingdom of heaven was the correct view.*
* (The Jews of Jesus' day had a lot of different ideas about what kind of kingdom the Messiah would have. Most looked for a political kingdom.)
9. Among all the parables Jesus told, this one may be the most revealing picture of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus expanded this view in many of His teachings. For example... Our King is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep! John 10:11
10. The kingdom of heaven is obviously a kingdom of grace. We do not serve by slavish obedience, but by grace.
*Speaking of the Gentiles (all people who are not Jews), Jesus gently reminded the people of His day that He had other sheep.
"And other sheep have I which are not of this fold; them also must I bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock, and one shepherd." John 10:16