A Popular Subject with Yeshua—Not So With the Church

Luke 8:10, The mysteries of the kingdom. The Greek word for mystery is musterion meaning “hidden thing, secret, mystery; religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals; a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding.”

Of the some 136 subjects recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and John pertaining to the life and words of Yeshua, there are 144 verses dedicated to Yeshua speaking about the kingdom of Elohim (or heaven). In fact, it was the fourth subject he talked most about (after himself, his Father and the hypocritical religionists of his day). In the four Gospels, there are 109 direct references to the kingdom of Elohim (or heaven).

This being so, why do we not hear much about this subject in churches? What is the kingdom of God/Elohim (or heaven)? What are the mysteries of the kingdom? Matthew 4:23 characterizes the message Yeshua preached as “the gospel (good news) of the kingdom.” Just prior to this (verse 17), we read that Yeshua preached saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Again, is this message preached in the church? If not, why not?

 

3 thoughts on “A Popular Subject with Yeshua—Not So With the Church

  1. When Matthew, Mark, Luke and John refer to the Kingdom of Elohim (Kingdom of {not in} Heaven) they are commenting on Yehovah’s and Yeshua’s plan to REestablish the Kingdom of Israel on earth.

    This all started with the covenant made with Abraham:

    Genesis 13:14-15 Yehovah told Abram, after Lot had left him, “Look ‘all around’ from the location where you are—north and south, east and west, 15 because all the land that you can see I’ll give to you, and to your descendants forever.

    This promise was to last forever:

    Genesis 17:7-8 I’ll establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, thruout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be your Elohim and the Elohim of your descendants after you. 8 I’ll give you and your descendants after you the land where you are living, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.

    The promise was still on track in the time of Solomon, but it was conditional:

    1 Chr. 28:7-8 I’ll establish his [Solomon’s] kingdom forever, if he continues to do My Commandments and My ordinances, as he is today.’ 8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, and Yehovah’s assembly, and with Elohim listening, observe and seek out all the Commandments of Yehovah your Elohim, so that you can possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children after you forever.

    But the promise is yet to be fulfilled because ancient Israel blew the marriage contract, but Yeshua still intends to revalidate the contract:

    Galatians 3:15-16 Friends, I’m speaking in human terms, when a human contract is made and signed in public, no one does away with it or changes anything in it. 16 Now a promise was made to Abraham and to his Descendant. He was not told to your descendants—many of them, but to your one Descendant, that being the Messiah.

    This is the astonishing context of the Galatians quote:

    1 Chr 17:9-14 I’ll appoint a place for My people Israel, and plant them, so that they can live in their own place, and move no longer, nor will the children of wickedness waste them any more, as in the beginning, 10 and from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and I’ll subdue all your enemies. I tell you that Yehovah will build you a house. 11 It will happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your ancestors, that I’ll set up your Descendant after you, who will be of your sons, and I’ll establish His kingdom. 12 He’ll build Me a house, and I’ll establish His throne forever. 13 I’ll be His father, and He’ll be My Son. I wont take My loving kindness away from Him, as I took it from those who were before you, 14 but I’ll settle Him in My house and in My kingdom forever. His throne will be established forever.”

    Immediately before Yeshua ascended to Heaven, He was certainly asked many questions. But this question boldly stands out as representing what was the burning issue on their minds: When is the Kingdom to be be restored?:

    Acts 1:6 When they assembled they asked Him, “Master, are You about to restore the Kingdom of Israel to its former state?”

    He had already answered that question, as we see in Luke:

    Luke 22:28-30 You are the ones who have stayed with Me in My trials, 29 and I PROMISE YOU THE KINGDOM just as My Father has promised it to Me, 30 so that you can eat and drink at the table in My Kingdom and sit on thrones governing the twelve tribes of Israel.”

  2. Lon, interestingly, we read in Luke of Yeshua telling his disciples as they were going about healing the sick to tell the people that “the kingdom of Elohim has come near you” (Luke 10:9 and 11).

    When Yeshua cast a demon out of someone, he told the people, “Surely, the kingdom of Elohim has come upon you” (Luke 11:20).

    Finally, when preaching to the Pharisees, he declared that “the kingdom of Elohim is within you” or “in your midsts” (Luke 17:21).

    Lon, without disagreeing with what you wrote above, how would you factor these statements of Yeshua into your understanding of the kingdom of Elohim concept?

    • Hi Natan. I considered commenting on that in my first comment but I thought it would be too long.

      Just as the Word of Elohim can either mean the Tanak (OT) or Yeshua Himself. I see the Kingdom of Aloha (Elohim), while primarily referring to what all of Israel was looking forward to, especially under Roman oppression, as also representing the embodiment of the King of (from) Aloha. The King is really inseparable from His Kingdom, for without Him there would be no Kingdom:
      Acts 8:12; Acts 28:23; Ac 28:31. In fact prior to Yeshua, there was no term “Kingdom of Elohim”.

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