Mark 4:10-14 “And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word.” KJV
Jesus taught the people in parables, stories using metaphors that they would be familiar with to help them understand. And yet, the mass of the people didn’t seem to get it. Thank God He did take the time to explain things to His disciples. It was obvious that they didn’t get it either. And we can see some of the reasons why. Jesus instructed them to preach the kingdom when He sent them out. Matthew 10:7 “And as ye go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” KJV He also told people , “The kingdom of God (or heaven) was at hand.” (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, and many others.KJV)
The hard part was, the people of Israel dreamed of the day their real king would come. If the kingdom was here, where was the king? They even tried to make Jesus king in John 6:15, “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” KJV
The gospels are full of Jesus’ parables about kings and kingdoms. But Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21 “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, ‘Lo here! or, lo there!’ for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.’” KJV The very word “gospel” means good news of the announcement of the arrival of a king.
It was one of the hardest things the disciples themselves had to deal with. Matthew 20:20-21 “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, ‘What wilt thou?’ She saith unto him, ‘Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.’”KJV It was enough to make the other disciples angry and jealous. All the way to Jesus’ last day on earth after the resurrection, they still wanted to know, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6 KJV)
All through the New Testament we encounter the mystery of the kingdom. But we also get the inside information of what the mystery is. Oh, Lord, King of kings, thank You for constant revelation of the mystery of how to live in Your Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven! Amen.
Restoration Ministries 