KINGDOM - OLOGY 7

Parable mysteries of the Kingdom of God are then unveiled when it is clear that the people are not willing to accept the King

            Well along in the latter half of Christ's public ministry the religious leadership exhibited their confirmation in unbelief. They attributed to the devil the miraculous works of the Holy Spirit performed by Christ (Matt. 12:24-32). This provided the occasion to launch into a new method of teaching. The disciples noted this change and enquired the reason why (Matt. 13:1-10). His answer was twofold: To the disciples it was a method of unveiling the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. But to the unbelieving leaders and multitude it was designed to conceal the truth. And then he quoted from Isaiah to substantiate the change (Matt. 13:11-17). In essence this method of teaching was a judgment upon unbelief, to conceal what they did not want to know.

            Inasmuch as the kingdom was held in abeyance because the King had been rejected, there were certain secrets about this kingdom that would be progressively realized over the long years before its complete realization. God had not changed His mind concerning the Mediatorial kingdom, but He was waiting upon a change of mind in those who would experience that kingdom. In the interim He is making ready for the complete realization. By the use of the word, mystery, the Lord is not pointing to something incomprehensible to the human mind, but rather to something that belongs only to those who are the proper recipients, something that had not yet been revealed, and could not be revealed until it was certain that the King and his Kingdom would be rejected. Shortly Christ voiced his final lament: And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation (Luke 19:41-44).

            The nature and history of the kingdom in mystery form is now briefly outlined in a series of eight parables. During the period of Christ's absence there will be a sowing of seed to harvest a population for the kingdom (Matt. 13:3-9, 18-23). But the growth will be mysterious (Mark 4:26-30). Tares and wheat in mixed growth will develop, but cannot be discerned until the time of harvest at the end of the age (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43). Something about the kingdom will provide attractiveness to men so that there will be unusual outward growth like the mustard

seed and the birds that flock to it (Matt. 13:31-32). Error like leaven will permeate the entire outward system of the kingdom (Matt. 13:33). A remnant of Israel, like treasure in the field, will remain in the world and finally be redeemed by the Lord (Matt. 13:44). The church, a pearl formed out of the riven side of Christ, will be purchased by Christ and prepared to serve as the aristocracy of the Kingdom (Matt. 13:45-46). At the consummation of the age there will be a final separation of good and bad, each consigned to that place where he deserves to be (Matt. 13:47-50).

            Even though the secrets of the Kingdom are in operation through the long years of Christ's absence, the Mediatorial Kingdom in completeness is still future.