Chapter 10 – Perfection of Divine Order
The King is crowned at a Wedding Banquet
“We fall down, we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus; the greatness of your mercy and love at the feet of Jesus. And we cry ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’, and we cry ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’, and we cry ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lamb’.”[1]
What will it be like when the saints of God have been raptured from the earth? What will we see and what will we do? What do we look forward to in heaven, while wrath is poured out on the earth? The Bible is not quiet on the subject.
This amazing song We Fall Down by Chris Tomlin will one day have its fulfillment in the throne room of God. Someday the saints of God will enter the courtroom of heaven and instead of being judged for our sins. Rewards for faithfulness and following the will of God will be handed out. The bible describes the lyrics of this song taking place in heaven during the period of time on the earth known as the seven year tribulation.
The saints of God will receive rewards from their God and King. Then those same crowns will be laid at the pierced feet of our glorious King. We will then sing shouts of praises to our Lord and our God. It should be one great praise service to our Lord and King.
Daniel saw the saints in heaven and records what took place; “I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and Myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, and the books were opened.”[2]
And the books were opened
Daniel sees the raptured saints in the throne room of God. These myriads upon myriads rising before God as the court sat and the books are opened. There is definitely a judgment about to take place for those standing before God.
The four books are named by name in the Bible that hold our names, actions and deeds are the Lamb’s Book of Life[3], the Book of the Living[4], the Book of Tears[5] and the Book of Remembrance.[6] The opening of these books will reveal the intimate details of our life which was dedicated to our Lord and our King.
The opening of these books will be our time before the judgment seat of Christ where rewards will be handed out. Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”[7] As the court is sat and the books are opened, saint will receive their due for what they have done in the body.
Amazingly, the judgment of the saints isn’t about our sins. Our sins have already been judged. We were crucified in Christ.[8] Christ is in us and us in Him. We basicly stood before Pilate in Christ and all of our sins have already been judged. This all took place before Pilate at “the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.”[9] This is why when we go to heaven and stand before God and not fear the past sins as they have all been judged.
Jesus said this, “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”[10]
Instead the works we have done in the body are judged. Did we serve the Lord? And what is the quality of our works? Paul wrote that, “Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.”[11]
The works that did not have value to God will burn and perish in fire. But those that were the works that He has called us for and were built on His firm foundation shall receive their just reward. This is the promise of our Lord when He said, “Behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”[12] We are going to be rewarded at the resurrection of the righteous, after the dead in Christ are raised and those who are alive are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
Jesus reminds us of the kinds of works that receive rewards. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”[13]
When we serve or love others who will love us back what benefit is that to the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gathers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”[14] Instead the heart of God is attracted to those who are poor, needy and afflicted. Jesus commands us to act kindly to those who have no way to repay us. So that He and His Father will be the ones to repay us for what we have done.
The Crowns Bestowed
We will stand before God and be rewarded for those things we have done in the body. Paul wrote that we do it not to receive a perishable wreath, but instead to receive an imperishable crown.[15] Ancient athletes competed not for gold and silver medals but instead a crown made of laurel wreaths. In fact, this is what the name “Lawrence” means a laurel wreath. These leaves that these athletes competed for was perishable. But we compete not for a perishable wreath, but instead we compete for an imperishable crown.
We are not competing for our fifteen minutes of fame. Instead our actions, thoughts and attitudes allow us to compete for the eternal and those things that shall not fade away. This is not the only place crowns are spoken of as a reward for faithful service to our Lord. Paul wrote to Timothy and said, “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”[16] This crown is not only for Paul but for all who have loved for His appearing.
Peter wrote of a crown of Glory. He wrote, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” While James wrote; “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
The crown of life is awarded to those who endure persecution and tribulation as it is again mentioned in the letter written to Smyrna in the book of Revelation. They were told, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”[17]
Paul also makes mention of another crown by name the crown of exultation when speaking to those who had come to believe the message of Jesus Christ saying, “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”[18] Those we bring into the faith become our crown of exultation in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming. That is just amazing and awesome.
The Bible reveals rewards of at least four different crowns by name, a crown of righteousness, a crown of glory, a crown of life and a crown of exultation. Jesus wants to reward His faithful servants and He implores us in the letter to Philadelphia in the book of Revelation, saying, “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.”[19]
Then we will be witness to the most amazing of sights, as those awarded crowns along with “the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, To receive glory and honor and power; For Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created’.”[20] That will be one amazing moment!
The Son of Man is crowned King
However, nothing will compare to seeing my king crowned, not a crown of thrones which He wore for me so long ago, but the most beautiful of crowns for my King of kings. Daniel has already beheld that moment. He recorded it in the seventh chapter of his writings.
Daniel writes, “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the people, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”[21]
Daniel was not the only one to see this great coronation of our King. John also saw that things which must shortly come to pass. He saw the throne room of heaven as Jesus was presented before the Father. And all those gathered, “They sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood Men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth’.”[22]
This kingdom will not pass away, Jesus being our King forever but amazingly the in the kingdom, those who were redeemed will reign upon the earth. This is what John records in Revelation and it is what Daniel saw and heard in his writings. He wrote;
“But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.” Jesus is the King over kings, that’s why He is called the King of kings!
The shouts of praise and songs of rejoicing will rock the throne room of heaven. What Daniel and John saw left both in awe! Both saw myriads of myriads of saints. John wrote;
“And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, Be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.”[23]
There are shouts of praise and the words of adoration for a king who died to redeem us all. In the midst of all this praise, Jesus receives power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Jesus is crowned the king! All glory goes to the Father and to the Son and all will worship before their throne.
Daniel and John were not the only prophets to see this great event. The prophet Ezekiel also got a glimpse of this and record the following; “Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.”[24] The figure with the appearance of a man is none other than the Lamb which appeared to have been slain. Jesus is high and lifted up on that which resembled a throne.
The prophesy of Daniel of the coronation of King Jesus ends like this; “Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.”[25]
Those invited will shout Hallelujah
Listen to the shouts of praise coming from the throne room in heaven. These shouts and the words those redeemed. John records it as a voice of a great multitude in heaven:
“After these things I heard, as it were, a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; and He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her’.”[26]
What was promised in the Song of Moses is fulfilled in the throne room in heaven. The Song of Moses says; “Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance on His adversaries, and will atone for His land and His people.”[27]
John records another shout of “Hallelujah!” from the throne room of heaven. He wrote; “And a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever’.”[28] Another shout for the Lord now takes vengeance upon those against His enemies. This is exactly what the prophet Isaiah prophesied would take place on the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Isaiah prophesied; “For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. And its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its loose earth into brimstone, and its land shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall go up forever; from generation to generation it shall be desolate; none shall pass through it forever and ever.”[29]
After two shouts from those redeemed we now hear a shout of “Amen and Hallelujah” from the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. John then hears a voice from the throne of God. He wrote; “And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And a voice came from the throne saying, “Give praise to our God all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.”[30]
The voice of God telling the bond-servants of Jesus, give praise to our God. This command sounds almost as if it had been read from the 115th Psalm, “He will bless those who fear the LORD, the small together with the great.”[31] Just read the Psalms from the 111th to the 117th, these Psalms over and over contain the words “Praise the Lord” which in the original Hebrew is Hallelujah. These are the Psalms of praise which we see now are sung in heaven at the crowning of our King.
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John records a fourth and final, “Hallelujah” in heaven. John writes; “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns’.”[32] We hear in this “Hallelujah” the voice of a great multitude which is the saints and the voice of Jesus, shouting praise to the Father.
Don’t forget that when John saw Jesus at the beginning of the book of Revelation, “His feet were like burnished bronze… and His voice was like the sound of many waters.”[33] So it is the voice of Jesus and all His faithful followers who shout, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”
A Banquet fit for a King
The next and last activity of our stay in heaven is the wedding supper of the Lamb. It is the high point, and the subject of the greatest number of Jesus parables. Jesus even gives us one regarding where we should sit. He said;
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”[34]
This is great advice, how embarrassing it would be to be moved back, how much better it would be to take a seat in the back of the hall and then be invited forward, by Jesus Himself.
John saw recorded the great event, writing, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, ‘Write, Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’.”[35]
The seven years in heaven for the saints of God will be a time of rejoicing like no other. Every great party has great food. Isaiah saw this time of rejoicing on the mountain of God. Isaiah saw the joy and prophesied, “O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; for Thou has worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”[36]
Isaiah saw it, and all of the faithful followers of the King will live it. Isaiah prophesied; “And the LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined aged wine. And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”[37]
There is so much within this passage. I am reminded that “the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son.”[38] What I love is it is a lavish banquet, with the finest foods and refined aged wine. This is a banquet for all who received and answered the invitation. The redeemed call out, “We have waited that He might save us; we have waited, let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
But it is with the words, “He will swallow up death for all time.” That I see that Death is vanquished, Death is swallowed up in victory! My thoughts race to 1 Corinthians 15 which says; “But this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”[39]
Jesus saved us in so many ways; we can now have relationship with God. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”[40] So with death concurred for all time, “the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth.” The reproach of His people is none other than the devil. But my favorite part is that God will wipe away all the tears from the faces of His people.
This is exactly the end that John confirms when he wrote; “And He [God] shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”[41]
This is why we sing round His throne, “Worthy is the Lamb to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
The Banquet is a Wedding Banquet
This great lavish banquet is a wedding banquet. Remember the parable Jesus gave said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son.” He also said, “The kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.”[42]
Our relationship with Jesus is likened to a marital contract. The Apostle Paul understood this and wrote; “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.”[43] Paul longed to present to Jesus a pure bride. Paul also wrote quoting out of Genesis 2:24, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”[44]
This is a great mystery that a marriage between a man and his wife, is the prophetic picture God wants to give us for Christ and the church. Let closely examine what Paul wrote about this great mystery. Paul writes, “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.”[45] This is exactly how God created a home to run with the husband as the head.
“But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything,”[46] the church is under the authority of Christ. Just as God created it in a marriage relationship and because this authority is given to the husband, he is commanded to love his wife. The husband is commanded; “love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.”[47]
This is the picture that God choose to reflect the relationship between man and His God. A God commanded to love his people as himself and a people command to respect their God. All this is represented in the church and Christ.
A Bride for the Son
The Father has chosen a bride for His Son. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son.”[48] We do have an Old Testament story that shadows exactly this concept. It is the story of Abraham searching for a bride for his “only son, whom [he] love[d].”[49] This story is told in the 24th Chapter in the book of Genesis.
In the story Abraham, the Father calls his trusted servant, Eleazar who is a prophetic type and shadow of the Holy Spirit, who “had charge of all that he owned,”[50] to find a bride for his son.
The story goes that the trusted servant, Eleazar, searches for a bride for the Son. Now remember this is the only son of the Father that was [almost] sacrificed on Mount Moriah. The Son was raised on the third day and lived. Then the Son disappears from the story.
Eleazar by the Father’s command goes out and searches for a bride for the Son who has been missing from the story for two chapters. Through the leading of the Lord, Eleazar is led to Rebekah who the Bible describes her by saying, “the girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her.”[51] Eleazar presents Rebecah with gifts knowing that she was the chosen bride for the son. The gifts included, “a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold.”[52]
Rebekah confesses the encounter with her family. After the family hears the entire story about this very rich Father who is searching for a bride for his son, “they said, “We will call the girl and consult her wishes.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”[53]
Rebekah returns to where Isaac is, so that they can be married. She has agreed to marry a man she has never seen face to face, based on the testimony of the beloved servant. Then after the son Isaac has been missing from the story since the sacrifice on the future temple mount, the story says, “Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening.”[54]
When is the return, about midnight, like a thief in the night? So Isaac who is the son a prophetic type and shadow of Jesus is out toward evening. He lifts his eyes to see his bride after being missing from the story for two chapters at the very end of the second chapter “He lifted up his eyes and looked”[55] as his bride was arriving to where he was.
The story goes that Rebekah on her arrival “lifted up here eyes”[56] when she saw Isaac for the first time. The story goes, “she said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.”[57]
The story concludes with the bride being brought into a tent, a dwelling place, a place which he has prepared for her; “And he took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her.”[58] Look carefully at the story and you will see prophetic types and shadows to the church and our bridegroom, Lord Jesus.
The Bride is presented to the Bridegroom
There are some very interesting parallels between a Jewish wedding and the wedding feast for His Son. First a Jewish wedding is traditionally seven days in length, which parallels the time period of the tribulation and the wedding feast in heaven. But something that I find most interestingly is that in a traditional wedding only the bride is presented to the groom.
However in a Jewish wedding both the bride and the bridegroom are presented at the wedding. It is somewhat easy to figure out who presents the bride to Jesus. The bride of course is the church, so the Ekklesia is presented by the Apostle Paul. Remember he wrote, “I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.”[59] Where would he present us to Jesus? He would present us at the wedding supper of the Lamb.
Think for just one second, who would present the bridegroom, Jesus of Nazareth? Some of you are thinking well if the Father doesn’t present the bride then maybe He presents the bridegroom. That’s not it however. The bridegroom is a friend. This is what is recorded in the Gospel of John; “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. And so this joy of mine has been made full.”[60] These words were spoken by John the Baptist.
So at this wedding in heaven the Apostle Paul will present the bride, His Church or Ekklesia, and John the Baptist will present the Bridegroom, Jesus our Lord. Jeremiah the prophet records the shouts of joy in heaven. “The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, “Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”[61]
Both the bride and the Bridegroom lift their voices giving thanks to the Lord of hosts saying, “The LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” This parallels what we find in the book of revelation, where it says, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”[62]
A Giant Love Story
The Bible is a giant love story woven like a fine tapestry through the pages of our Bible. God says to His people, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”[63] It was a love story, that why the most quoted verse in the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”[64]
Unlike the gifts of gold which Eleazar used to purchase a bride for Isaac, Peter writes, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”[65]
The church is the bride of Christ. Jesus gave Himself up for us, “That He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.”[66]
This is the church that Jesus is returning for one clothed in fine linen, bright and clean! “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” It should be a party that is out of this world.
Jesus Preached one message, “The Kingdom”
John the Baptist was that voice crying out in the wilderness preparing the way for the kingdom of the Lord. He preached one message, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[67]
Then immediately after being baptized Jesus is tempted in the wilderness, where the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth and their glory, saying, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”[68] The devil is willing to exchange the kingdoms of the earth and their glory, which is the people; if Jesus will just bow down and worship him. Jesus did come to save us, but He wouldn’t do it by glorifying the devil.
He saved us by glorifying the Father and by dying on a cross. Besides Jesus had a message to bring; “I must preach the kingdom of God… for I was sent for this purpose.”[69] And as soon as Jesus returned from the wilderness; “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[70]
Just look at the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus mentions the kingdom of heaven seven times. Even when he taught His disciples to pray it was, “Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”[71] Everything Jesus taught revolved around the kingdom.
Remember when Jesus was preaching, “Do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.”[72] Instead Jesus told them, “Seek first His kingdom… and all these things shall be [provided] to you.”[73] Jesus is saying don’t worry about yourselves, the king will take care of you, just seek the kingdom.
Jesus later runs into a centurion, who tells Jesus about a servant who is lying paralyzed at home. Jesus tells the centurion, “I will come and heal him.”[74] The centurion tells Jesus that he is not worthy to have Jesus enter his home. So he tells Jesus just say the word and I know he will be healed. The Bible says that, “When Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.”[75]
We see here the key to unlocking the kingdom is faith. We need to believe in the king and his kingdom. This is the key that unlocks salvation and the kingdom.
Read all for Gospels and “the kingdom” is mentioned 125 times. Matthew wrote, “And Jesus was going about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”[76] Jesus also sent His twelve disciples with the same message when He said to them, “And as you go preach, saying ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give.”[77]
It was always the same message, even when accused of casting out demons by the power of the devil. Jesus told them, “Any kingdom divided against itself… shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”[78]
Jesus told parable after parable trying to convey the concept of “the kingdom”. To farmers, Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.”[79] Jesus is like, “ok, that didn’t make sense, let me try this concept on you.” He then said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.”[80]
His audience included women who baked bread everyday so He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven [yeast].”[81]
Maybe there is a jeweler who is listening and he hasn’t understood any of these concepts. So Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field.”[82] Or let’s try this, Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls.”[83]
Jesus understood his audience, knowing there were fishermen listening, so He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind.”[84] Over and over Jesus is using every concept possible to explain the one concept he preached on which was the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus told Peter, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.”[85] He explained to His disciples who were “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”[86]
And the parallels didn’t end there. Jesus said, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner.”[87] “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son.”[88] “The kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins.”[89]
Starting to get it, and that’s why Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”[90] The four Gospels speak of the kingdom being near, but the King and His message is rejected. The king Himself is crucified to save those who would believe in Him and His Kingdom.
Who is the King of this Kingdom?
“Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah”[91]
The entire theme of the Bible is of a King and His Kingdom. The Old Testament describes a coming anointed one or Messiah who is to be King and His kingdom shall never end. In the third chapter, we learned that Messiah is God clothed in human flesh, we know Him as Jesus the Son of God. Jesus is the one coming to rule and reign over the earth forever and ever. The Psalmist wrote, “The LORD is King forever and ever.”[92]
The Psalmist also wrote about the coming Messiah King saying; “Thou art my King, O God.”[93] The entire Old Testament is about a kingdom that is coming and the King that will sit rule justly and righteously, in fact this coming King is seen as the “King of Righteousness”. This kingdom has been invading the earth for 2,000 years, is about to arrive. The Psalmist also wrote about the King of glory, here is what he wrote:
“The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers. Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Thy face – even Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.”[94]
The King of glory is coming soon but first He must be crowned with glory and honor in heaven prior to His return in Revelation 19.
[1] Lyrics We Fall Down by Chris Tomlin
[2] Daniel 7:9-10
[3] Revelation 20:12, Luke 10:20
[4] Psalm 69:28
[5] Psalm 56:8
[6] Malachi 3:16
[7] 2 Corinthians 5:10
[8] Galatians 2:20
[9] John 19:13
[10] John 3:17-18 Emphasis Added
[11] 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
[12] Revelation 22:12
[13] Luke 14:12-14 Emphasis Added
[14] Matthew 5:46-47
[15] 1 Corinthians 9:25
[16] 2 Timothy 4:8 Emphasis Added
[17] Revelation 2:10 Emphasis Added
[18] 1 Thessalonians 3:19-20
[19] Revelation 3:11 Emphasis Added
[20] Revelation 4:10-11 Emphasis Added
[21] Daniel 7:13-14
[22] Revelation 5:9-10
[23] Revelation 5:11-14
[24] Ezekiel 1:26 Emphasis Added
[25] Daniel 7:27
[26] Revelation 19:1-2 Emphasis Added
[27] Deuteronomy 32:43
[28] Revelation 19:3 Emphasis Added
[29] Isaiah 34:8-10
[30] Revelation 19:4-5 Emphasis Added
[31] Psalm 115:13
[32] Revelation 19:6 Emphasis Added
[33] Revelation 1:5
[34] Luke 14:8-11
[35] Revelation 19:7-9
[36] Isaiah 25:1
[37] Isaiah 25:6-9
[38] Matthew 22:2
[39] 1 Corinthians 15:53-55 Emphasis Added
[40] 2 Corinthians 5:19
[41] Revelation 21:4
[42] Matthew 25:1
[43] 2 Corinthians 11:2
[44] Ephesians 5:31-32
[45] Ephesians 5:23
[46] Ephesians 5:24
[47] Ephesians 5:33
[48] Matthew 22:2
[49] Genesis 22:2
[50] Genesis 24:2
[51] Genesis 24:16
[52] Genesis 24:22
[53] Genesis 24:57-58
[54] Genesis 24:63
[55] Genesis 24:63
[56] Genesis 24:64
[57] Genesis 24:65
[58] Genesis 24:67
[59] 2 Corinthians 11:2
[60] John 3:29
[61] Jeremiah 33:11
[62] Revelation 19:9-11
[63] Jeremiah 31:3
[64] John 3:16
[65] 1 Peter 1:18-19
[66] Ephesians 5:26-27
[67] Matthew 3:2
[68] Matthew 4:9
[69] Luke 4:43
[70] Matthew 4:18
[71] Matthew 6:9-10
[72] Matthew 6:25
[73] Matthew 6:33
[74] Matthew 8:7
[75] Matthew 8:9-10
[76] Matthew 9:35
[77] Matthew 10:7-8
[78] Matthew 12:25-56, 28
[79] Matthew 13:24
[80] Matthew 13:31
[81] Matthew 13:33
[82] Matthew 13:44
[83] Matthew 13:45
[84] Matthew 13:47
[85] Matthew 16:19
[86] Matthew 18:4
[87] Matthew 20:1
[88] Matthew 22:2
[89] Matthew 25:1
[90] Matthew 24:14
[91] Psalm 24:10
[92] Psalm 10:16
[93] Psalm 44:4
[94] Psalm 24
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