Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "matthew-5"
Christian Sophistry – Part 1
Thus says the Lord, “Where is the certificate of divorce by which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away [Isaiah 50:1].
Divorce is such a common thing nowadays, even in the church, that no one wants to listen to it denounced by the Word of God. We want to be Christians, you see, but we don’t want the Lord to be our Lord. We want to be our own Lord.
The result is that we use the word Bible profusely, but we don’t read it. We read other men’s words about the Bible and think that suffices for being a child of God and being spiritually astute. So we pick and choose from the Bible what we will eat—usually milk, with a little filler from other books tossed in to add worldly flavor—and we pretend the rest doesn’t exist.
Should anyone be so impertinent as to point out the other parts when we violate them, why, we become defensive and put up our barriers to keep them out. Whereas divorce dominates the American landscape today, both in and outside the church, it is one such solid meat teaching of the Lord that we cannot stomach.
I’ve even been challenged by thin-skinned Christians who are divorced, with a reference to the verse with which we kicked off this study. Their understanding of the verse is that the Lord divorced Israel, so divorce can’t be wrong.
What they fail to realize is two things:
1. we must keep the verse in context
2. the entire verse must be read, not a phrase out of context
Let’s diagnose the issue. The Lord divorced Israel, yes, but He did so for one reason only. He wasn’t fickle about it and walked out on Israel for every little thing! The Lord is perfect, so He makes no mistakes. If He divorced Israel, it was for a right reason. And guess what? This right reason He accepts from us mere mortals as well.
“So, then, what is this legit reason?” you ask. Listen and learn:
It was said, “Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce”; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery [Matthew 5:31-32].
Those words were spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He noted how the Israelites quoted the Law of Moses to justify divorcing their wives for any reason they felt like. Suchlike fellows claimed the Lord commanded them to divorce their wives by giving their wives a certificate of divorce.
On the surface this argument appears plausible. But even the devil quoted Scripture at Jesus in the wilderness, in order to tempt Him to sin! Of course the devil took Scripture out of context each time. In reality this is a type of argumentation known as sophistry.
Oh, but we’re out of time again! Tomorrow we will hear Jesus’ rebuttal of the sophistry. For now let’s come apart with Him and allow Him to speak softly to us. We cannot help but be blessed abundantly when we do.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Divorce is such a common thing nowadays, even in the church, that no one wants to listen to it denounced by the Word of God. We want to be Christians, you see, but we don’t want the Lord to be our Lord. We want to be our own Lord.
The result is that we use the word Bible profusely, but we don’t read it. We read other men’s words about the Bible and think that suffices for being a child of God and being spiritually astute. So we pick and choose from the Bible what we will eat—usually milk, with a little filler from other books tossed in to add worldly flavor—and we pretend the rest doesn’t exist.
Should anyone be so impertinent as to point out the other parts when we violate them, why, we become defensive and put up our barriers to keep them out. Whereas divorce dominates the American landscape today, both in and outside the church, it is one such solid meat teaching of the Lord that we cannot stomach.
I’ve even been challenged by thin-skinned Christians who are divorced, with a reference to the verse with which we kicked off this study. Their understanding of the verse is that the Lord divorced Israel, so divorce can’t be wrong.
What they fail to realize is two things:
1. we must keep the verse in context
2. the entire verse must be read, not a phrase out of context
Let’s diagnose the issue. The Lord divorced Israel, yes, but He did so for one reason only. He wasn’t fickle about it and walked out on Israel for every little thing! The Lord is perfect, so He makes no mistakes. If He divorced Israel, it was for a right reason. And guess what? This right reason He accepts from us mere mortals as well.
“So, then, what is this legit reason?” you ask. Listen and learn:
It was said, “Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce”; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery [Matthew 5:31-32].
Those words were spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He noted how the Israelites quoted the Law of Moses to justify divorcing their wives for any reason they felt like. Suchlike fellows claimed the Lord commanded them to divorce their wives by giving their wives a certificate of divorce.
On the surface this argument appears plausible. But even the devil quoted Scripture at Jesus in the wilderness, in order to tempt Him to sin! Of course the devil took Scripture out of context each time. In reality this is a type of argumentation known as sophistry.
Oh, but we’re out of time again! Tomorrow we will hear Jesus’ rebuttal of the sophistry. For now let’s come apart with Him and allow Him to speak softly to us. We cannot help but be blessed abundantly when we do.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Christian Sophistry – Part 2
Thus says the Lord, “Where is the certificate of divorce by which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away [Isaiah 50:1].
Jesus charged head on at the religious sophistry of His day, whereby divorce was justified with an allusion to how the Lord divorced Israel. Yesterday we stopped there. Today we will begin there.
Jesus’ rebuttal was to emphasize that the Lord NEVER commanded anyone to get a divorce. Rather, He recognized its frequent practice and regulated it for the benefit of the women of that time. The Lord didn’t tell the Israelites, “Get a divorce!”
Contrary to such a preposterous notion, Jesus noted that, from the beginning of man’s creation, the Lord made humans male and female, and that when a man and a woman married they became one. Then He added, “What God has conjoined, let no man separate. The words “no man” apply to women too. Jesus was referring to divorce as the means by which spouses were separated.
So much for the context. Now let’s get to the second point, viz., reading the entire verse. Jesus’ exception to this law against divorce is specified by the words except for the reason of unchastity. The word unchastity in this context means “adultery”. And that is the same thing Isaiah emphasized to the Israelites in Isaiah 50:1. The Lord sent His wife Israel away (i.e., divorced her) because of her “iniquities” and “transgressions” (i.e., her adultery).
Israel was unfaithful to the Lord by bringing idols into her religious practices. This was spiritual adultery. Physical human adultery always follows the practice of idolatry, dear friends. Consequently, adultery was rampant in the backslidden Israel of Isaiah’s day. But the Isaiah referred to Israel’s idolatry against the Lord as the reason for the Lord divorcing Israel. Israel was sleeping around with all the idols in town!
So Isaiah identified spiritual adultery as the Lord’s justifiable reason for divorcing His wife, Israel. Jesus identified physical adultery as man’s justifiable reason for divorcing his wife (or vice versa). Let it be added, though, that the Lord bore with Israel’s unfaithfulness for next to forever! He didn’t run out and divorce Israel the first or second or seven hundredth time Israel was unfaithful. He bore with Israel for centuries, attempting to work out the issue of her adultery within the context of His relationship with her.
So, too, should we spouses who face infidelity from our mates try to resolve the matter within the context of our marriage, rather than immediately terminate the marriage with a divorce. If a cheating spouse refuses to repent and snarls at his mate when she attempts a resolution; if he refuses to stop and continues being promiscuous—in that case divorce is absolutely justifiable.
If the cheating spouse repents, but then falls into the sin again—well, I cannot set a specific limit on the number of times to forgive such a one. Each person will have to decide for himself. Pray about it and have a heart to glorify the Lord by your decision.
But please, let’s get this issue right in the church. Divorce is sin! God hates divorce! Practically speaking, an adulterous spouse has already divorced his/her mate. A legal divorce in such a case is simply the acknowledgment of this reality, rather than creating the reality.
Let’s be in prayer about this issue. Pray for the people of God to stop living for self and start living for the Lord. If we return to the Bible in spirit and in truth, divorce will disappear of itself. May the name of the Lord Jesus be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Jesus charged head on at the religious sophistry of His day, whereby divorce was justified with an allusion to how the Lord divorced Israel. Yesterday we stopped there. Today we will begin there.
Jesus’ rebuttal was to emphasize that the Lord NEVER commanded anyone to get a divorce. Rather, He recognized its frequent practice and regulated it for the benefit of the women of that time. The Lord didn’t tell the Israelites, “Get a divorce!”
Contrary to such a preposterous notion, Jesus noted that, from the beginning of man’s creation, the Lord made humans male and female, and that when a man and a woman married they became one. Then He added, “What God has conjoined, let no man separate. The words “no man” apply to women too. Jesus was referring to divorce as the means by which spouses were separated.
So much for the context. Now let’s get to the second point, viz., reading the entire verse. Jesus’ exception to this law against divorce is specified by the words except for the reason of unchastity. The word unchastity in this context means “adultery”. And that is the same thing Isaiah emphasized to the Israelites in Isaiah 50:1. The Lord sent His wife Israel away (i.e., divorced her) because of her “iniquities” and “transgressions” (i.e., her adultery).
Israel was unfaithful to the Lord by bringing idols into her religious practices. This was spiritual adultery. Physical human adultery always follows the practice of idolatry, dear friends. Consequently, adultery was rampant in the backslidden Israel of Isaiah’s day. But the Isaiah referred to Israel’s idolatry against the Lord as the reason for the Lord divorcing Israel. Israel was sleeping around with all the idols in town!
So Isaiah identified spiritual adultery as the Lord’s justifiable reason for divorcing His wife, Israel. Jesus identified physical adultery as man’s justifiable reason for divorcing his wife (or vice versa). Let it be added, though, that the Lord bore with Israel’s unfaithfulness for next to forever! He didn’t run out and divorce Israel the first or second or seven hundredth time Israel was unfaithful. He bore with Israel for centuries, attempting to work out the issue of her adultery within the context of His relationship with her.
So, too, should we spouses who face infidelity from our mates try to resolve the matter within the context of our marriage, rather than immediately terminate the marriage with a divorce. If a cheating spouse refuses to repent and snarls at his mate when she attempts a resolution; if he refuses to stop and continues being promiscuous—in that case divorce is absolutely justifiable.
If the cheating spouse repents, but then falls into the sin again—well, I cannot set a specific limit on the number of times to forgive such a one. Each person will have to decide for himself. Pray about it and have a heart to glorify the Lord by your decision.
But please, let’s get this issue right in the church. Divorce is sin! God hates divorce! Practically speaking, an adulterous spouse has already divorced his/her mate. A legal divorce in such a case is simply the acknowledgment of this reality, rather than creating the reality.
Let’s be in prayer about this issue. Pray for the people of God to stop living for self and start living for the Lord. If we return to the Bible in spirit and in truth, divorce will disappear of itself. May the name of the Lord Jesus be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 1
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 2
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 3
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Christian Sophistry – Part 1
Thus says the Lord, “Where is the certificate of divorce by which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away [Isaiah 50:1].
Divorce is such a common thing nowadays, even in the church, that no one wants to listen to it denounced by the Word of God. We want to be Christians, you see, but we don’t want the Lord to be our Lord. We want to be our own Lord.
The result is that we use the word Bible profusely, but we don’t read it. We read other men’s words about the Bible and think that suffices for being a child of God and being spiritually astute. So we pick and choose from the Bible what we will eat—usually milk, with a little filler from other books tossed in to add worldly flavor—and we pretend the rest doesn’t exist.
Should anyone be so impertinent as to point out the other parts when we violate them, why, we become defensive and put up our barriers to keep them out. Whereas divorce dominates the American landscape today, both in and outside the church, it is one such solid meat teaching of the Lord that we cannot stomach.
I’ve even been challenged by thin-skinned Christians who are divorced, with a reference to the verse with which we kicked off this study. Their understanding of the verse is that the Lord divorced Israel, so divorce can’t be wrong.
What they fail to realize is two things:
1. we must keep the verse in context
2. the entire verse must be read, not a phrase out of context
Let’s diagnose the issue. The Lord divorced Israel, yes, but He did so for one reason only. He wasn’t fickle about it and walked out on Israel for every little thing! The Lord is perfect, so He makes no mistakes. If He divorced Israel, it was for a right reason. And guess what? This right reason He accepts from us mere mortals as well.
“So, then, what is this legit reason?” you ask. Listen and learn:
It was said, “Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce”; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery [Matthew 5:31-32].
Those words were spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He noted how the Israelites quoted the Law of Moses to justify divorcing their wives for any reason they felt like. Suchlike fellows claimed the Lord commanded them to divorce their wives by giving their wives a certificate of divorce.
On the surface this argument appears plausible. But even the devil quoted Scripture at Jesus in the wilderness, in order to tempt Him to sin! Of course the devil took Scripture out of context each time. In reality this is a type of argumentation known as sophistry.
Oh, but we’re out of time again! Tomorrow we will hear Jesus’ rebuttal of the sophistry. For now let’s come apart with Him and allow Him to speak softly to us. We cannot help but be blessed abundantly when we do.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Divorce is such a common thing nowadays, even in the church, that no one wants to listen to it denounced by the Word of God. We want to be Christians, you see, but we don’t want the Lord to be our Lord. We want to be our own Lord.
The result is that we use the word Bible profusely, but we don’t read it. We read other men’s words about the Bible and think that suffices for being a child of God and being spiritually astute. So we pick and choose from the Bible what we will eat—usually milk, with a little filler from other books tossed in to add worldly flavor—and we pretend the rest doesn’t exist.
Should anyone be so impertinent as to point out the other parts when we violate them, why, we become defensive and put up our barriers to keep them out. Whereas divorce dominates the American landscape today, both in and outside the church, it is one such solid meat teaching of the Lord that we cannot stomach.
I’ve even been challenged by thin-skinned Christians who are divorced, with a reference to the verse with which we kicked off this study. Their understanding of the verse is that the Lord divorced Israel, so divorce can’t be wrong.
What they fail to realize is two things:
1. we must keep the verse in context
2. the entire verse must be read, not a phrase out of context
Let’s diagnose the issue. The Lord divorced Israel, yes, but He did so for one reason only. He wasn’t fickle about it and walked out on Israel for every little thing! The Lord is perfect, so He makes no mistakes. If He divorced Israel, it was for a right reason. And guess what? This right reason He accepts from us mere mortals as well.
“So, then, what is this legit reason?” you ask. Listen and learn:
It was said, “Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce”; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery [Matthew 5:31-32].
Those words were spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He noted how the Israelites quoted the Law of Moses to justify divorcing their wives for any reason they felt like. Suchlike fellows claimed the Lord commanded them to divorce their wives by giving their wives a certificate of divorce.
On the surface this argument appears plausible. But even the devil quoted Scripture at Jesus in the wilderness, in order to tempt Him to sin! Of course the devil took Scripture out of context each time. In reality this is a type of argumentation known as sophistry.
Oh, but we’re out of time again! Tomorrow we will hear Jesus’ rebuttal of the sophistry. For now let’s come apart with Him and allow Him to speak softly to us. We cannot help but be blessed abundantly when we do.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Christian Sophistry – Part 2
Thus says the Lord, “Where is the certificate of divorce by which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away [Isaiah 50:1].
Jesus charged head on at the religious sophistry of His day, whereby divorce was justified with an allusion to how the Lord divorced Israel. Yesterday we stopped there. Today we will begin there.
Jesus’ rebuttal was to emphasize that the Lord NEVER commanded anyone to get a divorce. Rather, He recognized its frequent practice and regulated it for the benefit of the women of that time. The Lord didn’t tell the Israelites, “Get a divorce!”
Contrary to such a preposterous notion, Jesus noted that, from the beginning of man’s creation, the Lord made humans male and female, and that when a man and a woman married they became one. Then He added, “What God has conjoined, let no man separate. The words “no man” apply to women too. Jesus was referring to divorce as the means by which spouses were separated.
So much for the context. Now let’s get to the second point, viz., reading the entire verse. Jesus’ exception to this law against divorce is specified by the words except for the reason of unchastity. The word unchastity in this context means “adultery”. And that is the same thing Isaiah emphasized to the Israelites in Isaiah 50:1. The Lord sent His wife Israel away (i.e., divorced her) because of her “iniquities” and “transgressions” (i.e., her adultery).
Israel was unfaithful to the Lord by bringing idols into her religious practices. This was spiritual adultery. Physical human adultery always follows the practice of idolatry, dear friends. Consequently, adultery was rampant in the backslidden Israel of Isaiah’s day. But the Isaiah referred to Israel’s idolatry against the Lord as the reason for the Lord divorcing Israel. Israel was sleeping around with all the idols in town!
So Isaiah identified spiritual adultery as the Lord’s justifiable reason for divorcing His wife, Israel. Jesus identified physical adultery as man’s justifiable reason for divorcing his wife (or vice versa). Let it be added, though, that the Lord bore with Israel’s unfaithfulness for next to forever! He didn’t run out and divorce Israel the first or second or seven hundredth time Israel was unfaithful. He bore with Israel for centuries, attempting to work out the issue of her adultery within the context of His relationship with her.
So, too, should we spouses who face infidelity from our mates try to resolve the matter within the context of our marriage, rather than immediately terminate the marriage with a divorce. If a cheating spouse refuses to repent and snarls at his mate when she attempts a resolution; if he refuses to stop and continues being promiscuous—in that case divorce is absolutely justifiable.
If the cheating spouse repents, but then falls into the sin again—well, I cannot set a specific limit on the number of times to forgive such a one. Each person will have to decide for himself. Pray about it and have a heart to glorify the Lord by your decision.
But please, let’s get this issue right in the church. Divorce is sin! God hates divorce! Practically speaking, an adulterous spouse has already divorced his/her mate. A legal divorce in such a case is simply the acknowledgment of this reality, rather than creating the reality.
Let’s be in prayer about this issue. Pray for the people of God to stop living for self and start living for the Lord. If we return to the Bible in spirit and in truth, divorce will disappear of itself. May the name of the Lord Jesus be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Jesus charged head on at the religious sophistry of His day, whereby divorce was justified with an allusion to how the Lord divorced Israel. Yesterday we stopped there. Today we will begin there.
Jesus’ rebuttal was to emphasize that the Lord NEVER commanded anyone to get a divorce. Rather, He recognized its frequent practice and regulated it for the benefit of the women of that time. The Lord didn’t tell the Israelites, “Get a divorce!”
Contrary to such a preposterous notion, Jesus noted that, from the beginning of man’s creation, the Lord made humans male and female, and that when a man and a woman married they became one. Then He added, “What God has conjoined, let no man separate. The words “no man” apply to women too. Jesus was referring to divorce as the means by which spouses were separated.
So much for the context. Now let’s get to the second point, viz., reading the entire verse. Jesus’ exception to this law against divorce is specified by the words except for the reason of unchastity. The word unchastity in this context means “adultery”. And that is the same thing Isaiah emphasized to the Israelites in Isaiah 50:1. The Lord sent His wife Israel away (i.e., divorced her) because of her “iniquities” and “transgressions” (i.e., her adultery).
Israel was unfaithful to the Lord by bringing idols into her religious practices. This was spiritual adultery. Physical human adultery always follows the practice of idolatry, dear friends. Consequently, adultery was rampant in the backslidden Israel of Isaiah’s day. But the Isaiah referred to Israel’s idolatry against the Lord as the reason for the Lord divorcing Israel. Israel was sleeping around with all the idols in town!
So Isaiah identified spiritual adultery as the Lord’s justifiable reason for divorcing His wife, Israel. Jesus identified physical adultery as man’s justifiable reason for divorcing his wife (or vice versa). Let it be added, though, that the Lord bore with Israel’s unfaithfulness for next to forever! He didn’t run out and divorce Israel the first or second or seven hundredth time Israel was unfaithful. He bore with Israel for centuries, attempting to work out the issue of her adultery within the context of His relationship with her.
So, too, should we spouses who face infidelity from our mates try to resolve the matter within the context of our marriage, rather than immediately terminate the marriage with a divorce. If a cheating spouse refuses to repent and snarls at his mate when she attempts a resolution; if he refuses to stop and continues being promiscuous—in that case divorce is absolutely justifiable.
If the cheating spouse repents, but then falls into the sin again—well, I cannot set a specific limit on the number of times to forgive such a one. Each person will have to decide for himself. Pray about it and have a heart to glorify the Lord by your decision.
But please, let’s get this issue right in the church. Divorce is sin! God hates divorce! Practically speaking, an adulterous spouse has already divorced his/her mate. A legal divorce in such a case is simply the acknowledgment of this reality, rather than creating the reality.
Let’s be in prayer about this issue. Pray for the people of God to stop living for self and start living for the Lord. If we return to the Bible in spirit and in truth, divorce will disappear of itself. May the name of the Lord Jesus be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 1
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 2
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 3
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
