The Millennium, part 12

Shabbat shalom, friends, and Happy New Year! (Rosh haShanah)

There is one more parable in Matthew 13 that sometimes is forgotten:

Matt 13:51-53
51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
KJV

Yeshua` (Jesus) asked His talmidiym (students), "Did you understand all these parables?" Their answer was simple and true: "Sure, Master." It was easy for them to understand these parables because they had the background of their Jewish heritage, the weekly Shabbat teachings of their rabbis, and the yearly parashah readings that accompanied their high holy days - their holidays. They would read about the Messiah's coming and the glory of Elohiym being restored in His Kingdom every year at least once each year. To debate about the details of the Messiah and God's Kingdom being restored to Isra'el was a favorite pasttime for many Jews, and they would frequently ask the rabbis about the particulars and seek his wisdom.

When Yeshua` first began to herald the time for the Kingdom's arrival, He didn't need to explain what that meant to the Jews. Instead, we read...

Mark 1:14-15
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of (heralding the good news about) the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
KJV

So, Yeshua didn't have to explain; He just said, "It's time. God's Kingdom is within your grasp! Turn your hearts around, and BELIEVE the good news!" Having heard the good news about the Kingdom coming was not a new message for them, but as is typical for human beings, one becomes calloused to frequently taught things, and the message becomes routine and ritualistic. Yeshua` was saying, "Wake up! The time that the Kingdom may come is NOW!"

So, now Yeshua` gives the last parable of Matthew 13:

Every transcriber (of the "Tanakh," the Torah or the Law + the Navi'iym or the Prophets + the Ketuviym or the Writings, essentially the "Old Testament") who is taught about the Kingdom from the sky is like a man who is a homeowner who brings out of his treasure vault things old (exquisite antiques) and new (modern, state-of-the-art, finery - shiny and brand spanking new).

He will be able to show others both the finery of the past, the historical Scriptures themselves and the past glory of God's Kingdom under the leadership of the messiahs David and Shlomo (Solomon), and the finery of the present, the coming of God's Kingdom from the sky under the leadership of the promised Messiah in the prophetic Scriptures, happening at that moment in THEIR "current events."

The Kingdom from the sky, God's Kingdom, could have been theirs in the first century; however, the leadership of the tribe of Y'hudah rejected Yeshua` as God's promised Messiah, and so, He left them to return at a later date. The Kingdom is inherently linked with the presence of the King. If the King is present, so is the possibility of the Kingdom; if the King leaves, so does the possibility of the Kingdom.

Remember the question of His talmidiym as He was about to leave them?

Acts 1:4
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
KJV

They KNEW that things were changing because of His rejection and felt His impending departure was near. Yeshua`s answer to them was neither yes nor no, but...

Acts 1:7-8
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
KJV
Remember the prophecy told to Miryam (Mary), His mother, before His conception:

Luke 1:30-33
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
KJV

Our anticipation of God's Kingdom from the sky should also be linked to our anticipation of the return of God's Choice (Messiah, Christ) for King, Yeshua` (Jesus). We can consider ourselves ahead of time "subjects" for His Kingdom when He returns and establishes that Kingdom, but we need to remember that, without the physical presence of the King, the Kingdom is not actually here, yet.

THIS is our anticipation and our blessed hope! THIS is our excitement! THIS is our joy: the SOON return of the King-to-be! For, that is what "Messiah" or "Christ" (Hebrew: Mashiach = Greek: Christos) means! He is "Anointed" TO BE the King of Y'hudah, then the King of Isra'el, and then the King of kings - Emperor of the world!

Have a happy Shabbat!

In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter