Posted on by James

Kingdom and God’s Will

The Kingdom and God’s Will

A Brief Paper

 

Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done upon the earth, as in the heavens.

 

To which kingdom does this refer? Does it refer to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of the heavens, or the kingdom of Messiah? All these kingdoms are the same kingdom; the Bible gives the expectation of only one Kingdom ruled by God.

 

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in the heavens, “Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Messiah! For the accuser of our brethren that accused them before our God day and night is cast down!”

 

Five items or conditions will be present at the same time:

  • Salvation
  • Strength
  • Kingdom of our God
  • Power of His Messiah
  • Accuser of our brethren is cast down

 

Sheep-Goat Judgment

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! 35For I was hungry, and ye gave me food! I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink! I was a stranger, and ye took me in; 36naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick, and ye visited me. I was in prison, and ye came unto me!” 37Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed, or thirsty, and gave drink? 38When did we see thee a stranger, and took in, or naked, and clothed? 39Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came unto thee?”

 

This text is the judgment of non-Jewish non-saints. This is what I have called the Sheep-Goat Judgment. All non-Jewish unsaved folks over the entire planet who have survived the Tribulation will be arrested are brought before Messiah Yeshua. He then separates them according to their works (only). If they met some minimal worksrequirements, they will be granted to remain alive, and will later obtain Salvation (by His Grace). If they didn’t meet those minimal requirements, they will be damned without appeal. This trial is very brief and efficient.

 

Living Jewish folks have already all been judged before this event.

 

The kingdom mentioned here was prepared for ‘you’ (referring to non-Jewish, non-saint folks classified as righteous) from the foundation of the world!

 

Timing of the Restoration of the Kingdom

Acts 1:3 He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen by them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 4And, being assembled together with [them], He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, “which ye have heard from me. 5For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.” 6When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him saying, “Lord, wilt Thou again restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7And He said unto them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has put in His own power.”

 

Yeshua did not restore the kingdom to Israel or to earth after His resurrection. That awaits a future time and a set of circumstances. Thus, the Kingdom of God is not here.

 

The Everlasting Kingdom

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings, the God of the heavens shall set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed. And the Kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

 

This text declares the following:

  • God will set up the Kingdom. Thus, no humans of any religion or action will bring it or build it.
  • The Kingdom will never be destroyed.
  • The Kingdom will not be left to non-Jewish peoples.
  • The Kingdom will break up and eat up all the kingdoms of the races.
  • The Kingdom will stand until the earth ends.

Daniel 4:3 How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation!

 

This affirms the following:

  • The Kingdom will come with great signs from Yehovah.
  • The Kingdom will come with powerful miracles from Yehovah.
  • The Kingdom is permanent
  • His dominion covers all future generations on the planet

Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes unto the heavens. And my understanding returned unto me. And I blessed the most High. And I praised and honoured Him Who lives forever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His Kingdom is from generation to generation.

 

This affirms the same things as the previous text, adding that He lives forever.

 

Daniel 7:14 And there was given Him dominion and glory and a Kingdom. And all peoples, nations and languages shall serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that shall not be destroyed.

 

This gives other details:

  • The dominion, glory and the Kingdom will be given to the Messiah.
  • All peoples, races and languages will serve Him.
  • His Kingdom will never pass away, and
  • His Kingdom will never be destroyed.

Daniel 7:18 But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever.

  • The Saints take the Kingdom!
  • The Saints possess the Kingdom!
  • The Saints possess the Kingdom for the rest of time on this planet.

Daniel 7:22 …until the Ancient of days came. And judgment was given to the Saints of the most High. And the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom.

 

The Saints do the judging.

 

Daniel 7:27 And the Kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under all the heavens shall be given to the people {Israelis} of the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.

 

Three items are given to the Israelis:

  • The Kingdom
  • The dominion
  • The greatness of the Kingdom under all the heavens

Ownership order is given. The Most High owns the Saints. The Saints own the Israelis.

 

All dominions will serve and obey the Most High.

 

Obadiah 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the Kingdom shall be Yehovah’s.

 

Yehovah will own the Kingdom. Add this to the above ownerships to get a clear picture of the Kingdom’s owners.

 

Micah 4:8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

 

Who is this daughter of Jerusalem? I propose that she is Jerusalem in a future generation when she will be inhabited by only righteous Israelis (and those from among the races who are righteous and who desire to live as Israelis).

 

God’s Will

Back to Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done upon the earth, as in the heavens,” what is His will? There is no mentioned single object of His will, but rather the statement that when the kingdom comes, whatever His will is will be done upon the earth (land) to the same degree that it is being done in the heavens.

 

Isn’t Messiah’s will being done now on earth? It most certainly isn’t being done (with a few individual exceptions). His will is mostly ignored, and He isn’t enforcing it—again with a few exceptions. His plan for the ages is not being hindered by anything.

 

Can humans stop His will from being done? If He enforces His will, they cannot stop it. If He doesn’t, every sin is a violation of His will.

 

Perfect and Permissive Wills

Some have felt that there are two wills of God: a perfect will and a permissive will. This is false, and there isn’t evidence for this in the Bible. Yehovah has only one will, and He isn’t schizophrenic. He makes His will very obvious; no one has to be concerned that he or she might accidentally miss it. What would be the permissive will of God, if it existed? This is supposed to be the alternate plan of God in case a Saint sins or makes an inferior choice, messing up God’s perfect plans. Thus, God would have to have three perspectives:

  • His perfect will
  • His permissive will
  • His no will–that is, something that He does not even permit or desire at all.

If God has alternate plans, this shows that He is uncertain about what will occur! He therefore waits to see what man will decide so that He can know which plan to use. Thus, man determines God’s ultimate action. Glory be to man! This is nonsense.

 

It is His will that the principalities and powers will know His multifaceted wisdom:

 

Ephesians 3:8 “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given—that I shall preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Messiah 9and to make all men see what the fellowship of the mystery is that has been hidden in God (Who created all things by Messiah Yeshua) from the beginning of the world, 10to the intent that the manifold wisdom of God will now be known unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places by the Church 11according to the eternal purpose that He purposed in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.”

 

This is not all His will, but it is very important. In order to demonstrate this and to have volunteers among men to do righteousness, it was His will that sin not be immediately stopped when Adam sinned and fell. Thus, He showed His patience by not immediately judging with death, but by giving opportunity for repentance. Yet, His will in the heavens has always been enforced: immediate obedience. When He comes, this will also be enforced on the planet. No one can delay or stop Him in anything, but He can wait to execute judgment, as He has. His will will be immediately enforced during the Millennium, as it is presently done in the heavens.

 

On the other hand, if Yehovah indeed has only one will (what the Scriptures actually teach), He already knows what He intends to do and how to do it. If He knows which way the Saints and non-Saints will go, and if He uses their actions to only further His absolute will, this shows His might and power, His Wisdom and His foreknowledge. If a Saint stupidly sins, someone (often innocent) will suffer the consequences. Yehovah will not adjust His will for the action of that Saint, however. He already knew and determined what His own act would be long before that Saint was born.

 

Seeking the Kingdom

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life—what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or yet for your body—what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  26Behold the fowls of the air. For they sow not, and they do not reap or gather into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not much better than they?  27Which of you can add one cubit unto his stature by taking thought?  28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field—how they grow; they don’t toil and they don’t spin.  29And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  30Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field that is today and tomorrow is cast into the oven, not much more you, ye of little faith?  31Therefore take no thought, saying, “What shall we eat?” or, “What shall we drink?” or, “How shall we be clothed?”  32For the Gentiles seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.  33But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you!  34Take no thought, therefore, for tomorrow. For tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  7:1Judge not, that ye be not judged.  2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  3And why dost thou behold the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but dost not consider the beam that is in thine own eye?  4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, “Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye,” and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam from thine own eye. And then, thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote from thy brother’s eye.  6Give not what is holy unto the dogs. And do not cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you!  7Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  8For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And it shall be opened to him who knocks.  9Or, what man is there of you, who, if his son asks bread, he will give him a stone?  10Or if he asks a fish, he will give him a serpent?  11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father Who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask him?  12Therefore all things whatsoever ye desire that men shall do to you, do ye even so to them! For this is the Torah and the prophets.  13Enter ye in at the constricted gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in there.  14For, the gate is constricted, and the way is narrow that leads unto life, and there are few who find it. 15Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but they are inwardly ravening wolves.  16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  17Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit.  18A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.  19Every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.  20Therefore, ye shall know them by their fruits. 21Not every one who says unto me, “Lord! Lord!” shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father Who is in the heavens.  22Many will say to me in that day, “Lord! Lord! Haven’t we prophesied in thy Name, and have cast out devils in thy Name, and done many wonderful works in thy Name?”  23And I will then profess unto them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, ye who work iniquity!”24Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock.  25And the rain descended. And the floods came. And the winds blew and beat upon that house. And it didn’t fall because it was founded upon a rock.  26And everyone who hears these sayings of mine and doesn’t do them shall be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand.  27And the rain descended. And the floods came. And the winds blew and beat upon that house. And it fell! And the fall of it was great!

 

Matthew 6:25-34 describes Israeli groups in great trouble. I know they are Israeli from verse 32: “For the Gentiles seek after all these things.” I know they are groups because of the use of the pronouns ye, you and your. I know they are in trouble because they have no source of food, drink, clothing or shelter. If they were not in a crisis, telling them, “Take no thought for your life—what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or yet for your body—what ye shall put on…” would be a command to become lazy. These folks cannot work for these items; they are in great trouble and are very desperate. They also have very little faith among them (verse 30).

 

Verse 32 commands these groups to seek two things: the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. If they seek these two things, “all these things” (food, drink, clothing, shelter) will be added unto them. This is 100% guaranteed to these groups.

 

How does one go about seeking the kingdom of God? Since the Kingdom of God will still be in exile as it is now with the King (Messiah) being in the heavens, and the seat of His government being there instead of on earth, the reader must consider what is left on earth that is part of the Kingdom of God.

 

A kingdom always consists of four necessary parts:

  • A king
  • A land
  • Citizens
  • A set of laws by which the kingdom keeps order

Remove any one of the four, and the kingdom falls apart. Yet, a king can go into exile and the rule of law can become foreign, but the kingdom still exists.

 

Since the King is in the heavens and therefore is in exile, and since the set of the Kingdom’s laws are found in the Torah, seeking those two aspects of this Kingdom is a futile and worthless occupation. Two are left: the land and its citizens.

 

If a person seeks the Kingdom’s citizens, those will most certainly include Israelis of any age and of any faith or lack of faith. Once a person finds such citizens and begins the journey with them, seeking the land is the next step. That land is the land of Israel, of course. Those who obey the text to seek the Kingdom of God will go to Israel in general, and specifically to Mount Zion. They will be provided with all necessities on the way; that will confirm to them that they are on the right track: what the Bible calls the way.

 

Seeking His Righteousness

What is His righteousness? Please view the following text in a different way (that I will describe):

 

Romans 3:21 The righteousness of God without the Torah is now manifested, being witnessed by the Torah and the prophets— 22even the righteousness of God unto all and upon all them who believe by Messiah Yeshua’s faith. For there is no difference. 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, 24being freely justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua 25Whom God set forth a covering through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God: 26to declare His righteousness at this time so that He will be righteous and the justifier of him who believes in Yeshua.

 

This describes God’s righteousness and the covering that is in Yeshua’s blood brought faith. That covering is from death (among other things). Yeshua died and rose again to save lives. No matter how one will describe the reason for Yeshua’s sacrifice, it will always come to one main reason: to save lives.

 

Most view salvation as a spiritual event that really has little to do with physical life and death; this is why many hold theological views that the real benefits of salvation will come after death. Such views are not Biblical; the Bible describes the real benefits of salvation occurring in this life and continuing after physical death (or physical change). Yeshua’s desire was to save lives—physical lives (as well as giving everlasting life). This is why He did some miracles that involved raising the dead.

 

All the deadly judgments of Yehovah from the beginning of man were designed to save lives. Some were slaughtered so that others would live. Yehovah commanded the annihilation of the Canaanites and associated races in order to save the lives of Israelis and in order to stop violent and deadly sins that the Canaanites did that bred death. Some rabid dogs just have to be put down.

 

If the righteousness of God was demonstrated in Salvation, which includes saving physical lives from physical death (as well as the obvious Spiritual Salvation from everlasting death), anyone seeking His righteousness will therefore seek to save physical lives, and, like Yeshua, will risk his/her life to save the life of another. This will be demonstrated by saving Jews (and non-Jews). This will certainly include saving children, producing the greatest risk.

 

The Matthew 6 text ends with this: “Take no thought, therefore, for tomorrow. For tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” The Tribulation will be so terrifying, that thoughts of what tomorrow will bring will stop all sleep, all rest, and even all desire to live if those involved give thought for tomorrow. Those who focus on what is occurring in each day as it occurs will be able to continue if they concentrate on the three objectives mentioned above:

  • Seeking Israelis to help, as part of seeking the Kingdom of God
  • Seeking Mount Zion, as part of seeking the Kingdom of God
  • Determining to save Jewish (and non-Jewish) lives as part of seeking and doing His righteousness.

This will give folks much incentive to live!

 

Don’t Judge

Matthew 7 commences with the following commands and explanations:

 

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.  2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  3And why dost thou behold the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but dost not consider the beam that is in thine own eye?  4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, “Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye,” and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam from thine own eye. And then, thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote from thy brother’s eye.

 

I repeat that Yeshua spoke this sermon on the mountain mainly to unbelieving Israelis—they didn’t know Yeshua’s identity. This sermon’s real thrust will be to folks in the Tribulation many centuries after Yeshua uttered these words. It warns non-believing Israelis to refrain from judging each other, but instead for each to first put off blindness regarding themselves and Yeshua. If they judge each other when they are not in faith, they will end up killing each other (rather than saving lives). If they instead seek and find life, they will be able to offer that life to and for fellow Israelis.

 

Don’t Give what is Holy to Dogs

Matthew 7:6 states, “Give not what is holy unto the dogs.” Dogs in the Bible either refers to the canine sets of species or to humans with very perverted actions. Wild dogs can be as vicious as hungry pack wolves. This text commands the Israelis to not give what is holy to the dogs. What is holy? What does holy mean? It always means owned in the Bible. It never means more, and it never means less. Anyone and anything that is owned is holy. The opposite of owned is unowned, and the opposite of holy is secular, which is the same as profane in the Bible.

 

The Israelis are holy (whether in faith or not); Messiah owns them (whether they know this or not). Telling Israelis to not give what is holy to dogs will first and foremost refer to fellow Israelis, and will include Israeli children.

 

During times of great crisis when Jews were in the most possible danger from enemies, many Jewish parents placed their children with Gentiles who took them in. The Tribulation will be similar, yet different. Because of the intensity of fervour against the Jews, much greater danger will accompany taking a Jewish child into one’s family. Not only would the entire family be killed if this is discovered (later in the Tribulation), but an entire city might be set for destruction. Taking in a person who is considered illegal will be viewed as a traitorous act. I propose these things because Messiah described this time as the worst the world will have ever seen:

 

Matthew 24:21 “For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time—no, nor ever shall be.”

 

Giving children to violent persons and refusing to help children who are being turned over to violent persons when help can be given are two examples of giving what is holy to dogs. Messiah’s command is a warning. Any Jewish person who violates this command will be destroyed even if that person would otherwise have survived the Tribulation.

 

Don’t Cast Pearls before Swine

Then comes the command, “Do not cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you!” I have proposed that pearls in the Bible either refer to those small and sometimes valuable ‘stones’ found in oysters, or to doctrine. I refer to the following parable when I propose that it is doctrine:

 

Matthew 13:45 The Kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls 46who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

 

I considered this text this way: The merchantman makes his living by buying and selling merchandise. He has enjoyed trading in pearls. He especially loves a beautiful pearl, if he can find one. He finally does find a gorgeous pearl, but it also has a gorgeous price. The only way he can afford this pearl is to sell everything, thus putting himself out of business. He doesn’t even have a way to live; he has banked all on that pearl that will now do him absolutely no good. I see stupidity in his action; he is now good for nothing.

 

Yet, the Kingdom of the heavens is like this foolish merchantman. Since the Kingdom is described in good ways and in bad ways by telling what will happen to it in the future before it is cleansed from all unbelievers who feign to be Saints, I knew that the parables easily could describe disasters as well as glories. This is one of those parables that describes a disaster.

 

As I considered these things, I thought, “What could be the most sought item among temporary members of the Kingdom of the Heavens (those who are not born of God)? Since all attached to the Kingdom of the heavens are either attached by birth or by a declaration of some faith in which they view themselves as members of that kingdom, I thought about doctrines. Biblically, a doctrine is a teaching that is either directly received from a god/God or from an infallible source that speaks the words of the god/God. It is always received. No person can discover, find, happen upon, or properly construct a true doctrine, though anyone can make up a false doctrine, claiming that it has been received from God.

 

Each different group (denomination) that claims to have full membership in the Kingdom of God has a central doctrine or set of doctrines to which it clings. I propose that each is like a pearl, and that all the doctrines are the necklace identifying the denomination.

 

If my proposal is correct, the merchantman represents something that isn’t very good; he buys and sells pearls—doctrines, in my proposal. That is his business. This is true of all television and radio preachers; their business is to sell doctrines, obtaining funds through donations. Yet, the merchantman also appreciates the more beautiful pearls (doctrines?), and seeks one of great beauty. He finally finds one; he sells allfor that one pearl. If this refers to doctrines, that would be like a pastor selling all other doctrines out to gain one most precious doctrine. Cults do something like this, abandoning doctrines that are clear in the Bible in order to stick with one doctrine that they consider most valuable.

 

Suppose that I am correct about a pearl referring to a doctrine; what do swine represent? They are unclean animals, and they don’t discern the food they take in with the same discernment as clean animals (all clean land animals are normally herbivorous—eaters of plants and not of animals, not being attackers of other species for food). Pigs are omnivorous (eaters of plants and animals), and can become violent under some circumstances. I propose that they are a type of unclean persons who take in anything (spiritually), having no discernment between what is good and what isn’t, and therefore who can be very dangerous types of persons to trust, turning against others. This text is definitely a warning to folks during the Tribulation so that they will avoid decisions that will get them and others killed.

 

Ask

Matthew 7:7 starts with this: “Ask, and it shall be given you.” The pronoun is plural: you. This therefore refers to a group that is asking for something. What does this group desire? This will go back to chapter 6: food, drink, clothing and shelter. While Yehovah knows what they need, He still will often wait for them to ask.

 

Seek

Matthew 7:7 continues with this: “Seek, and ye shall find.” It is still a group that is seeking. What is it seeking? That also goes back to Matthew 6: the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If they seek other Israelis and seek to save their lives, and if they seek the land of Israel, they will find all of these.

 

Knock

The text then states, “Knock, and it shall be opened to you.” Knock for what? Some recognize the similarity of this text and the following:

 

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me.”

 

Messiah is standing at the door (or one of His property with His image); the perspective is of the person inside. The Matthew text is the same circumstance, but the perspective is of the folks outside who need shelter, and who are Messiah’s property, made in His image.

 

Matthew 7:8 gives the three guarantees again: “For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And it shall be opened to him who knocks.”

 

This text uses singular pronouns, showing that individuals will also succeed in these three, guaranteed.

 

Bread and Fish

Then comes this text:

 

Matthew 7:9 Or, what man is there of you, who, if his son asks bread, he will give him a stone?  10Or if he asks a fish, he will give him a serpent?  11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father Who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask him?

 

Yeshua spoke of bread a fish, reminding me of the miracles He did. Saints will do miracles during the Tribulation that are of the same variety, and are even greater miracles. When these folks who are the fulfillment of these texts will ask for bread and fish, Yehovah will give them those items. (The stone may refer to this text in Luke 4:3: And the devil said unto Him, “If thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. The serpent may refer to the devil—being sent him instead of fish to eat.)

 

In Yeshua’s comparison, He states, “If ye then, being evil…” His sermon is not to Saints; it is to unbelieving and non-believing Israelis.

 

Yeshua makes another guarantee: “how much more shall your Father Who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask him?” The Israelis know how to give good gifts to their children; Yehovah also knows how to give good gifts to His children even if they don’t know Him. (All Israelis in faith or out of faith still have Yehovah for a Father.)

 

The Torah’s Golden Rule

The next verse gives a central command of the Kingdom of God:

 

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye desire that men shall do to you, do ye even so to them! For this is the Torah and the prophets.

 

While this appears to be the same as the ‘golden rule,’ “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” it isn’t the same. The ‘golden rule’ permits the dictum: ‘If you want to be left alone, leave me alone.’ Yeshua’s command calls for action, not for leaving alone: “all things whatsoever ye desire… do ye even so to them!” Thus, if you (plural) would desire that someone would attempt to save your lives from these murderous and torturing enemies if they had you, you (as a group) make that attempt to rescue others! If you all were children, and would desire that adults would rescue and help you if you were abandoned or your parents were killed, do this for children whom you find in such a state! These types of things will occur during the Tribulation.

 

Seeking the Land

Part of seeking the Kingdom of God is seeking the Kingdom’s Land. As folks taking these texts literally (or just going there without knowing any texts) arrive in the Land of Israel looking for a safe haven, they will come to the greatly enlarged Mount Zion—a mountain with a plateau that is 50 miles by 50 miles, and that has a great elevation. Not everyone will be able to come onto Mount Zion, however; only those (of Israel and of the Gentiles) who have extended themselves to save the lives of Israelis, and only those Israelis whose lives are being saved will be able to enter. Every other attempt to get up the mountain will be rebuffed.

 

Psalm 24:3 Who shall ascend into the mountain of Yehovah? Or, who shall stand in His Holy-[one’s] place? 4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his being unto vanity [an idol], nor sworn deceitfully. 5He shall receive the blessing from Yehovah, and righteousness from the God of his salvation! 6This is the generation of them that seek him—that seek thy faces, Jacob!

 

The Gates and the Ways

The text continues with the command and warning:

 

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the constricted gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in there.  14For, the gate is constricted, and the way is narrow that leads unto life, and there are few who find it.

 

Mount Zion will have a constricted gate—a gate that permits only one or two at a time to pass. Few will find this gate; it is well concealed. (Only those who have the credentials of willingness to save the lives of others will find it and be able to pass through. A few bad guys will also find it, and will speak with the good guys through the gate, but they won’t be able to pass through:

 

Psalm 127:5 Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them [children]! They shall not be ashamed! And they shall speak with the enemies in the gate!

 

Beyond the constricted gate is the narrow way that leads to life. (If the way in this text were that Way that is Salvation, it would not lead to life; it would be life.) Unbelievers who help Israelis and who come to Mount Zion will have the right credentials for entry; they are guaranteed Salvation (see Psalm 24:5 above).

 

Another gate that is wide and another way that is broad are mentioned. These lead to destruction; many go into this gate to walk down this way. These will be located in the rebuilt beautiful city of Babylon. Many will go there to find food, drink, clothing and shelter during the disasters of the Tribulation. That isn’t a wise choice!

 

False Prophets

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but they are inwardly ravening wolves.  16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  17Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit.  18A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.  19Every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.  20Therefore, ye shall know them by their fruits.

 

The phrase, “who come to you in sheep’s clothing,” sounds like an idiomatic expression. It isn’t.

 

Zechariah 13:4 And in that day it shall come to pass that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he has prophesied. And they shall not wear a hairy garment to deceive.

 

This text warns that prophets who come in hairy wool garments are false prophets. They will be imitating John the Baptist or other prophets in clothing styles. Yeshua twice guarantees: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” He also tells where they will end up!

 

Doing the Father’s Will

Matthew 7:21 Not every one who says unto me, “Lord! Lord!” shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father Who is in the heavens.  22Many will say to me in that day, “Lord! Lord! Haven’t we prophesied in thy Name, and have cast out devils in thy Name, and done many wonderful works in thy Name?”  23And I will then profess unto them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, ye who work iniquity!”

 

Doing miracles in Yeshua’s Name doesn’t entitle the person to enter that constricted gate leading to the heights of Mount Zion. (His Name, Salvation, has great power behind it; His Name can heal the sick and raise the dead. That doesn’t mean that anyone using His Name for such purposes has risked his or her own life to save others.) If the person didn’t do the will of Yehovah in the heavens by saving lives of His property, the person is not entitled to life. Messiah willingly offered His life so that others will live; everyone entering that Mountain must be of the same ilk, being ‘Christlike.’

 

Hearkening to the sayings of Yeshua will lead to heroism, and to the saving of the heroes and heroines themselves. Not hearkening to the sayings of Yeshua will lead to the Lake of Fire and Sulfur regardless of the person’s claims of faith.

 

Pertinence Now

I am often asked about this view of these texts. The question is often similar to this: “If these things are for folks in the Tribulation, what about us now? If we can’t apply these things to our situations, what value are these texts to us?”

 

Applying texts to self and one’s own situation is doing violence to the Word of Truth; it is self-centred. It makes the person and his situation most important, and the Bible becomes a servant of the person and the person’s situation.

 

Applying oneself to the texts is quite the opposite; it keeps the texts as the central focal point of Truth. Thus, if a person sees that Yehovah hates gossip, the wise reader will determine to refrain from gossip. If Yehovah appreciates those willing to risk their lives to save Jews from enemies, the reader will take that risk if the situation arises.

 

Many texts in the Bible deal with events, persons and situations that do not pertain to readers of the Bible. Yet, if they will read and think, they will understand the plans of Yehovah and His will. They will therefore know how to live where they are and in the time in which they live.

 

All texts of the Bible were given to Israelis to teach and deliver to the races. Many texts are to individuals and groups in history and in the future, but all texts are for all readers who desire to know any aspect of Truth. Keep to and for in mind when reading.