(2) The Fall Brought Chaos Back Into Creation
(3) The Kingdom: God’s Plan to Restore Peace to the World
(4) Jesus Was Sent for This Purpose (5) What is the Kingdom?
(6) Patterns of the Kingdom in Scripture
- The Garden of Eden
- The Wilderness
- The Promised Land
- The Kingdom of Solomon
- The Days of the Apostles
(7) The Life and Ministry of Jesus
(8) Attributes of the Kingdom
- Prosperity and Joy (Part - 8)
- Peace
- Righteousness
- Holiness
- Knowledge of the LORD
(9) The Millenium Kingdom
(10) The Believer’s Responsibility to Progress the Kingdom
They kingdom exists as the transitional period between the present world and the world to come as we move toward the unity with God, “so that God may be all in all,” (1 Cor 15:28). While the apostle Paul said that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking” (1 Cor 15:32), the prophets foresaw the kingdom as a place of great prosperity, abundance, and joy.
"’Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved…They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit.’” (Amos 9:13&15)
The prophets saw the fullness of the kingdom as an agricultural paradise, “The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the books will flow with water.” (Joel 3:18). Such prosperity would give each man time to “sit under his vine and fig tree,” (Micah 4:4)(1 Kings 4:24-25).
The use of the phrase “the vine” is seen in scripture as a metaphor for the prosperity of the kingdom. Jacob prophesized of the coming Messiah saying, “He ties his foal to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes,” (Gen 49:11). Apparently this vine is very prosperous. According to the Bereishis Rabbah, “there would be such an abundance of wine that one would conceivably be able to launder his clothes with white wine (white wine would not stain the garment)…There will be such plentitude of red wine that one would be able to dye his clothing red with it.”
When the twelve spies searched out the promised land, they returned carrying a single cluster of grapes that was so bountiful it had to be carried on a pole between two men, (Num 12:23). The Promised Land is a picture of the kingdom, where all human needs are abundantly supplied. In the words of John,
“They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Rev 7:16-17)
The kingdom is frequently seen in scripture as a joyful feast, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,” (Matt 22:2). The return of Jesus is seen to culminate with a great marriage ceremony of the Lamb and His bride, (Rev 19:7). It will be a time when the righteous sit down with the great patriarchs of the faith, “Many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,” (Matt 8:11). The Hebrew Feast of Sukkot celebrates the time Israel dwelt in the wilderness and is seen to be a picture of the kingdom. It was said that anyone who had not seen the rejoicing of the people at the temple during the time of Sukkot had never witnessed a real celebration, (Gemara, Sukkah 53a).
“The Son of man came eating and drinking” (Matt 11:18), would have been consistent with His words, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” (Matt 3:2). All the gospel writers record at least one of the miraculous feeding of the multitudes by Jesus because it both identifies Jesus with Moses and testifies to the power of the Kingdom of God. The first miracle Jesus performed, turning water into wine (John 2:1-11), may have been selected by John both for the wedding feast where it occurred and as a picture of the bounty of the kingdom. After the Passover meal before the crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom,” (Matt 26:29).
The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the future bounty of the kingdom saying,
"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.” (Isa 55:1-3)
(to be continued - Scott)
(to be continued - Scott)
No comments:
Post a Comment