The Mysteries of
the Kingdom of Heaven
PREFACE
In First Corinthians ten and verse thirty, the Spirit of
God draws attention to the three classes, generally speaking, in this present
age, namely, the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church of God. Throughout
Scripture, too, He distinguishes between the Church and the Kingdom. The
necessity of "rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15), and thus
clearly defining the various classes and the differing spheres, is of prime
importance in understanding the purposes of God for this present age and the
one to come.
Perhaps nothing has ever been so helpfully written to give the
student of the Word of God an understanding of the Scriptures in this regard,
as "The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven" by Bro. F. W. Grant. Having been
out of print for some time, we feel led of the Lord to make it available once
again to the people of God, with prayer for blessing on these timely and
important lines of truth.
Contents
1. WHAT
THE KINGDOM IS . 9
"The Times of the Gentiles" 10
The Kingdom
Announced 12
The King Rejected 13
Two Forms of the Kingdom 13
2.
THE KINGDOM IN THE HANDS OF MEN 15
The Sphere
of Discipleship 16
3. THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM . . . 23
"Baptizing" and "Teaching" 24
Water Baptism-A Figure and Witness
27
4. THE BREADTH OF THE KINGDOM .. . . 31
Water Baptism is not
Baptism of the Holy Spirit . . . 31
Baptism of Children 33
5. THE
KINGDOM AND THE CHURCH 35
Three Spheres in Ephesians 4 40
6.
PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM IN MATTHEW 13... 41
Seed Sowing and its Results
41
The Wayside Hearer 43
The Stony Ground Hearer 45
The Thorny
Ground Hearer 46
The Good Ground Hearer 47
7. TARES AMONG THE
WHEAT 48
Gathering of Tares in Angels' Hands 53
Tares Gathered in
Bundles For Burning 54
Wheat Gathered into His Barn 55
False Professor
Finally Linked With Tares .. 56
Apostasy of Christendom 57
The
Anti-Christ 58
8. SECULAR POWER and the VOICE of the CHURCH 61
Parable of the Mustard Seed 61
Leaven Always Symbolical of Evil 65
The
Coming of the Son of Man 66
Babylon the Great-"The Woman" 67
9. THE
DIVINE COUNSEL AND PURPOSE 70
Parable of the Treasure in the Field
71
Parable of the Pearl of Great Price 71
The Treasure in the Field is
Israel 75
The Pearl of Great Price is the Church 77
10. THE
"EVERLASTING GOSPEL" 78
Parable of the Net Cast into the Sea 78
Everlasting Gospel Going out to the Gentiles 81
THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
1. WHAT THE KINGDOM IS.
THERE is perhaps no term in
Scripture so largely used and so little understood as that of "the kingdom of
heaven." Yet its importance must be (in some measure at least,) proportionate
to the frequency of its use. It is only, indeed, one book - the Gospel of
Matthew, - in which it is found, though there thirty-one times; but the kindred
expression, "the kingdom of God," is used much more extensively, and in some
parables in other Gospels is found in its stead. Taken together, these
expressions have a very large place in the New Testament, and their
interpretation will correspondingly affect a great deal of Scripture. I
propose, therefore, a serious examination of the doctrine of the kingdom as
covered by these terms, and to inquire as to the practical bearing of the
doctrine also, which assuredly there must be, for "all Scripture is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness."
"The kingdom of heaven" is a New Testament term, then; but
it has its roots in the Old Testament. The idea is found in the germ in Daniel,
in the prophet's words to Nebuchadnezzar, who, effectually humbled by his
durance among the beasts, should learn by it that "the heavens do rule" (chap.
4:26). This is expanded afterward into the thought that "the Most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will" (v. 32). Here we
have but the idea, however,- the rule of God, supreme necessarily over men.
Here there is no thought of a special, limited, dispensational kingdom. This
"dominion," as the king himself says, "is an everlasting dominion, and His
kingdom is from generation to generation" (v. 34).
"The Times of the
Gentiles"
But the book of Daniel carries us further than this in the
direction we are seeking. Historically and prophetically both, it has for its
scope "the times of the Gentiles," of which the Lord speaks (Luke 21:24),- that
is, of Gentile supremacy over Israel. But this is the consequence of her sin,
and of God's controversy with her, and it means the interruption of His own
dwelling in her midst, as of old He did, and as He yet will do. For Jerusalem
shall yet be, saith the Lord, "the place of My throne, and the place of the
soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel
forever" (Ezek. 43:7).
The "place of His throne" had been given up before
Nebuchadnezzar could lay waste the city and the temple, and a notable change,
therefore, is found in the Old Testament books which give us the history of
that solemn and important time. The ark had been the symbolic throne of Him who
"sitteth between the cherubim;" and as "the ark of the covenant of the Lord of
all the earth" it had passed through Jordan to take possession of the land
(Josh. 3:11). Now the glory had left its dwelling place on earth, as Ezekiel
had seen (chap. 10:18; 11:23), and the very decree which ordains the rebuilding
of the temple is that of a Persian king to whom the "God of heaven has given
all the kingdoms of the earth" (2 Chron. 36:23; Ezra 1:2).
This is no mere
casual expression. It is characteristic of the books of the captivity - of
Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. Although the eternal throne of God can never be
given up, yet a dispensational throne is now removed; and this is what
characterises the times of the Gentiles - a responsible throne on earth which
is set up by God, and yet not God's throne, not the kingdom of God. For the
kingdom of God men must wait, but in hope; for the kingdom of God shall
come.
Daniel accordingly shows us the end of these Gentile empires, and
beyond them all a wholly different one:
"In the days of these kings shall
the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the
kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (chap. 2:44).
This
is in Nebuchadnezzar's vision, but the features of this final kingdom he is not
able more distinctly to see. The vision granted later to the prophet (chap. 7)
develops, as we may easily see, the spiritual significance both of the Gentile
powers and of that which supersedes them. For the king, the image has the form
of a man, though with no breath of life in it; and there is brilliancy enough,
though increasing degeneracy. But to the prophet's eyes there is no human form,
no unity; plenty of life and vigour, but bestial. On the other hand, as to the
final kingdom, though not much is seen as to detail, one feature newly given is
of the sweetest encouragement. It is that the government is in the hands of One
like a son of man, under whom the saints too possess the kingdom.
Here,
then, is a "kingdom of heaven"- a heavenly rule on earth,- a final world-wide
triumph of righteousness and peace. We recognise it as that of which all the
prophets speak, the expansion of the first prophecy of the victory of the
woman's Seed,- the unforgotten goal and purpose of the ages.
The
Kingdom Announced
Old Testament prophecy soon comes to an end after the
voice in Daniel has uttered itself. There is a long pause of expectancy, and
then one more than a prophet takes up the burden of those many years past, and
announces the kingdom of heaven is at hand. But the people are not ready: and
the voice is of one crying in the wilderness, a priest who has forsaken the
sanctuary, and stands apart from men. The baptism of repentance must precede
the remission of sins. The mountain must be levelled with the plain, that the
way of the Lord may be prepared.
Then there is another Voice, and He who
was announced is come. The kingdom is presented, now with the signs and powers
which make good its claim, and are ready to establish it among men. Nothing is
wanting, except, alas! the loyal hearts that should greet their divine King;
but here is a lack that nothing can compensate for. The more fully manifested,
the more fully He is rejected. He finds in a Gentile the faith He cannot find
in Israel (Matt. 8:10). And thereupon declares that. many shall come from the
east and the west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of
heaven, while the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer
darkness. with wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The King
Rejected
The steps of His rejection it is not necessary here to trace.
The twelfth chapter of Matthew already shows it complete. His mighty works,
instinct with the power and love of God, they ascribe to Beelzebub, and He
warns them that for blasphemy against the Holy Ghost there is never
forgiveness. They sought signs, but none should he given them but the sign of
the prophet Jonas, the Son of Man three days and nights in the heart of the
earth. The chapter ends with the solemn disowning of natural ties: whosoever
did the will of His Father in heaven, the same was His brother and sister and
mother.
This introduces the thirteenth chapter, in which seven parables
give us the prophetic character of the kingdom of heaven as it now is, the King
rejected and away. Instead of finding fruit in His vineyard, He goes forth to
sow the seed of fresh fruit among the Gentiles. Speaking in parables, because
hearing they heard and understood not, He instructs His disciples in the
"mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (v. 11) ,- that is, in things not forming
part of what had been revealed in Judaism, things which had been kept secret
from the foundation of the world (v. 35).
Two Forms of the
Kingdom
We see, in fact, in these parables that while the essential
idea of the kingdom of heaven is preserved, the form of it is widely different.
It is still a kingdom of heaven, and in the hands of the Son of Man; not yet,
however, established in power, but committed into the hands of men, and of men
who fail in the administration of it Thus there is disorder, and a possibility
of evil even in high places,- purging and rectification needed when the King
comes in power. "He shall send forth His angels, and they shall purge out of
His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity." The mysteries
of the kingdom terminate thus in its manifestation. The kingdom and patience of
Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:9) looks on to His kingdom and glory (1 Thess. 3:12), when
the fruits of the present sowing-time are husbanded.
These two forms of the
kingdom of heaven need to be distinguished carefully. The Lord's address to
Laodicea very plainly distinguishes them: "Him that overcometh will I give to
sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My
Father on His throne." It is as Son of Man He is seen in these addresses; His
own throne, therefore, is clearly what is His as Man, in contrast with the
Father's throne, the divine one. It is plain at once that while His saints are
promised to sit with Him upon the one, none but One Himself divine could sit
upon the other.
The Lord has, then, a present kingdom; but in it we can
serve only and not reign. We are "translated into the kingdom of God's dear
Son" (Col. 1:13). The time for Christians to reign cannot be yet; cannot be
till He takes the kingdom in the form in which the Old Testament shows it,-
comes as Son of Man, and reigns publicly.
It is with His present kingdom we
are now occupied. This is established in a very different way, namely, by the
sowing of the seed -"the Word of the kingdom." The kingdom extends no further
than as this is, in some way, "sown in the heart." Yet it may not be savingly.
It is the sphere of profession and privilege that is before us. The devil may
take away that which was sown in the heart. The man may have no root in
himself, the heart being a "heart of stone." Or the springing up of what is
native to the soil may choke the good seed so that it is unfruitful. By and by,
among the wheat also the enemy sows tares. All this is a picture of the
kingdom.
There may be other aspects of it, and there are. We may be called,
as in the last three parables of this series, to look at the divine plan and
purpose, which cannot fail of accomplishment; but from the human side there
cleaves to it ever the idea of condition, of possible failure, of a mixture of
evil with the good, of coming judgment needed to rectify this. If the idea of
mercy come in, it is still conditional, never pure grace, as witness the
parable which closes the eighteenth chapter of the same gospel.
The King is
away, the administration in the hands of man in the meantime: this accounts for
most of the characters we are considering. It is the distinctive, fundamental
feature of this "mystery"- form; and as such, we must now examine it more
attentively.
2. The Kingdom In The Hands Of
Men.
Home | Links | Literature