The Kingdom of God/Heaven

Many people have heard of the Kingdom of God in a church sermon or Sunday School class. We are exhorted to have faith in Jesus and perform “Kingdom Work” for him. Used this way, the phrase often has the connotation of a group of people working toward a common goal. Sometimes, however, we mention the Kingdom of Heaven. This time the connotation is usually a place, Heaven, the destination for those who believe, putting their faith in God. But what does the Bible tell us about God’s Kingdom?

When God’s Kingdom is mentioned it is natural to think of Jesus teachings; he often proclaimed the coming of The Kingdom as he taught. But many people longed for The Kingdom prior to the New Testament. Consider Psalm 103:15-19. In verse 15 the psalmist speaks about man’s frailty, beautifully contrasting this with the steadfastness of God’s love for those who keep His covenant in verse 17. Verse 19 extends these themes to God’s Kingdom:
“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”

Another reference to the Kingdom is found in a prophecy in the book of Daniel. Chapter 2 tells a vision of a statue made of different metals, obliterated by a stone. In the midst of describing the decadence represented by the feet made of iron and clay, Daniel relates:
“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…”

Not surprisingly, Old Testament writers describe God’s Kingdom in political terms; the people had many practical examples and so understood the security and peace a good king provided. But in the New Testament, Jesus uses many seemingly unrelated images to describe The Kingdom.

In Matthew 13:44 he says the Kingdom of Heaven¹ is like treasure hidden in a field, and in Matthew 13:45 he pictures it as a merchant in search of fine pearls. Jesus uses yet another image in Matthew 13:47, saying the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net thrown into the sea gathering fish. In order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must be born again (John 3:3) and while John the Baptist preached the coming of the Kingdom (Matthew 3:2), Jesus says time and again that the Kingdom is “at hand.” (Matthew 4:17).

What are we to make of all these references? What is the Kingdom and why would people long for it? Do Jesus’ descriptions describe a place or a movement? Does Daniel really long for a Heavenly dictator?

Who is a part of the Kingdom?

In an effort to clarify what the Kingdom is, let’s consider its membership. According to Robert Lindsay, Jewish teachers of Jesus’ day believed joining the Kingdom was spiritual: “With the sages it was a spiritual term meaning the rule of God over a person who keeps or begins to keep the written and oral commandments.” [Source]

Entering the Kingdom of God requires that you submit to the rule of God over your life. For the Israelites, following Torah (practicing the correct way to live as God’s people) only makes sense after you have accepted God’s rule. Note that this contradicts the common idea that following Torah was understood by the Jewish people as granting salvation; Torah is meaningless unless you have already placed yourself under His authority.

The Jewish Encyclopedia agrees with this interpretation and provides some examples from Israel’s history that enhance our concept of the Kingdom: the people witnessed the Kingdom at the crossing of the Red Sea, the people accepted the yoke of the Kingdom at Mount Sinai, and Abraham also accepted the yoke of the Kingdom. [Source] All of these examples demonstrate that “entering the Kingdom of God” means to accept God’s authority and rule.

We often claim that becoming a Christian is easy, how does entering The Kingdom compare? Joseph Frankovic discusses how the Kingdom of God is presented in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:3-8; Mk 4:3-8; Lk 8:5-8). Based on knowledge of parable structure and farming techniques, Frankovic believes that both the seed that fell among the thistles and the seed that fell in good soil are representative of someone who has been granted eternal life². According to Frankovic, the difference is that the seed that fell among thistles represents people who would not have entered the Kingdom of God. Here is what he says about the seed falling among thistles:

The seed falling among thistles may represent, therefore, an upright person, who allows worry or the accumulation of wealth to govern his or her life. Such a person may be Jewish or Christian (i.e., one whose inheritance of eternal life is likely); he or she may be honest, generous, and amiable; and he or she may be working as a rabbi, priest, or pastor. Nevertheless, while doing so, that person may be devoting considerable effort to saving for a new SUV, larger house, or secure retirement. None of these pursuits ipso facto will bar a person from inheriting eternal life, but it may exempt him or her from entering the kingdom of heaven. [Source]

These people have accepted God’s gift of salvation but have not put themselves completely under His yoke. Many of the things mentioned are things surrounding us today, things we rely on and often covet. Many times we justify these things with intricate explanations. Yet Jesus tells us that the yoke of The Kingdom of Heaven is to be desired above all else: a treasure in an ordinary field, a stash of pearls. The Israelites desired this yoke, though they did not always practice obedience. Do we desire this yoke enough to obey? No, obedience is not as easy as becoming a Christian.

The Road Less Traveled

The phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” is used in multiple ways and carries connotations that I do not fully understand. I am haunted by Joseph Frankovic’s words above about the seed falling among thistles because they speak about my own failings caused by everyday distractions. If I had to use two words to describe The Kingdom of Heaven as I currently understand it, I would choose humility and focus. A humility that allows no room for the arrogance I see all around me (sometimes called Patriotism, sometimes called Christian Fellowship) and a focus that defies the world around me even as it enhances my love for the world. It truly is the “narrow gate,” the way that few choose, even those who love God and are accepted into eternal life. Joseph Frankovic once again uses some eloquently hard words:

Entering the kingdom of heaven goes beyond piety, uprightness, kindness, and generosity. It cannot be contained within the walls of an institution or adequately expressed by the dogma of a community. It requires subscribing to a new economy that is sustained by God’s provision and not material wealth. Those who participate in this economy have joined a movement whose values are inverted, whose agenda is transparent, and whose hierarchy is horizontal. Not many enter the kingdom of heaven. [Source]

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¹I use the terms Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God interchangeably. That’s because Jewish people in Biblical times tried to avoid saying the name of God; instead of using His name they used the word “heaven.” So both phrases mean the same thing. [Source]
²I’ve usually heard this parable interpreted as saying that the seed on good soil is granted salvation, all other seed types are not

© 2012 – Kevin Fitting

Psalm 25, Parallelism, and Humility

Trusting in affliction… Humility.

What characteristics does the life of someone who trusts God demonstrate while undergoing affliction? Psalm 25 gives us some examples of the multi-faceted answer to this question. Certainly there are many themes that could be derived from this Psalm, but we are going to use parallelism (see parallelism) to focus on humility (see humility). True humility (as defined in David’s article) is determined by our view of our relationship to God; it is not how we treat other people, but how we submit ourselves to Him. Psalm 25 illustrates this truth and the centrality and importance of humility are demonstrated by parallel structure in verses 7-11 of the Psalm. Verses 1-6 set the context for verses 7-11:

Of David.
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.

3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.

5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
(Psalm 25:1-6, ESV)

Focus on Humility

Now let’s consider the parallel structure in verses 7 – 11. I have arranged the verses to illustrate the parallelism:

 7 (A) Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
            8  (B) Good and upright is the Lord;
               therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
                        9  (C) He leads the humble in what is right,
                           and teaches the humble his way.
           10  (B’) All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
                for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 (A’) For your name's sake, O Lord,
    pardon my guilt, for it is great.  (ESV)

Verses 7 and 11 focus on the difference between the Lord’s character (good and upright) and the psalmist’s (sinful and guilty). Notice how this dichotomy illustrates humility based on the psalmist’s perception of his relationship to God.

Verses 8 and 10 describe the Lord’s “way” or “paths.” Earlier in the psalm, the psalmist stressed how he wanted to know these paths (verses 4-5). In verses 6-8, the psalmist tells what kind of paths these are: they are paths of love and faithfulness, good and upright.

Verse 9 is in the center of this parallel structure, consequently it contains the main point or theme.¹ This verse continues to emphasize humility by stating it twice² and assuring that the Lord will guide those who show humility in “His ways.” But why is this verse at the center? Why should it be the center of our attention?

The psalmist desires a good and upright life and realizes that God’s paths are the only solution. He also recognizes that he is not capable of knowing or following these paths on his own, needing God’s help and teaching. But God can only lead those who will submit to Him, those who are humble. The opposite of humility is pride. A proud person tries to go his own way and does not willingly place himself under God’s guidance much less desire His paths.

There are other indications of the psalmist’s humility in Psalm 25: the Psalmist repeatedly admits his wrongdoings (verses 7, 11, 18) and repeatedly puts God above himself (verses 1, 2a, 5b, 14, 15, 21). These indirect references to humility give us additional insight into the character of the psalmist, and are examples of true humility. But why? Why does he desire God’s ways?

Benefits of Humility

By reading other portions of this Psalm we know that the psalmist is struggling with affliction (see verses 16-19, for example). Desiring help and hope in his time of need the psalmist turns to God. In the face of great struggle the psalmist recognizes the requirement of humility.

Verse 14 says, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”³ The psalmist desires God’s friendship, in other words, knowledge of God’s covenant (God’s direction on how to live), which leads to integrity and uprightness (v 21) and to deliverance from affliction and sin (verses 5b, 15b, and 19-20). The challenge for us is to maintain our humility whether we are suffering or not. He stands ready to teach and guide us in paths of righteousness. But are we willing to assume humility, recognizing His place over us?

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¹ The central portion of Hebrew parallelism contains the main (central) thought and the surrounding text is written to add to that focus.
² Verse 9 contains an embedded parallelism.
³ Verse 14 is another example of parallelism.

© 2011 – Kevin Fitting

Humility

Blessed are the meek . . .

Meekness is a word that is rarely used in English these days, being an archaic word for humility. When we think of humility, however, the phrase “blessed are the meek” may immediately come to mind. Those who are older perhaps remember the hymn with the words, “gentle Jesus, meek and mild.” As a subconscious mental image we see Jesus standing, hat in hand, asking if he could kindly come into our lives. Yet this same “meek” and supposedly mild Jesus is the one who went boldly into the temple complex and overthrew the money changers’ tables. He dared to speak the truth to the Pharisees and did not capitulate before Pilate. We see the same strength and courage in Moses, who stood before Pharaoh, emperor of the most powerful nation on earth, and demanded the release of God’s people.  But of Moses it is written:

“Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3)

Humility, or meekness, is not a synonym for wimpy.

What, then, is humility?

Several words in the biblical languages Hebrew and Greek are used for humility, but they all mean the same thing. They depict a state of neediness, often physical, financial, or social. In relation to God, however, these words depict a person who realizes his or her true standing before God and need of Him. A humble person receives the things of this life as a gift from God with a spirit of thankfulness.

Psalm 18:27 and Proverbs 3:34 are both good word-picture definitions of humility:

You save the humble

but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. (Psalm 18:27)

He [God] mocks proud mockers

but gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)

The humble are defined as being the opposite of those who are haughty or proud. What is haughtiness?  It is an attitude of self-sufficient, an I-can-do spirit that has no intention of submitting to God or acknowledging need for Him. A haughty person is one who will demand his/her own rights. Haughtiness is, in essence, rebellion against God. A proud person demands their rights and is personally offended when he or she feels that they have not received their due. (I want my hamburger—NOW!!) How contrary that haughty spirit is from the examples of Jesus, Moses, and others.

The humble are those who willingly submit to God, recognizing both His rightful authority in their lives and their need of Him. Submission to God is the essence of humility. A person who recognizes God’s right to their life and knows deeply his or her need for God is a humble person. That person will submit to God in the difficult situations in life.  Jesus humbly submitted to the greatest injustice ever perpetrated: his crucifixion. He understood to be in God’s sovereign plan and therefore submitted to it. “Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name . . .” (Phil 2:9). Sometimes it is right to speak out against injustice; the Bible is quite clear about that. But sometimes that act can actually be an act of pride in an unwillingness to accept a situation and humble oneself under God’s might hand.

Not surprisingly, David is a good example of humility. In 2 Samuel, chapter 3, Joab kills David’s enemy, Abner. Yet David mourns for Abner because he was murdered and he says concerning those who murdered him:

“And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!” (2 Samuel 3:39)

This same David, who stood up to Goliath when the people of Israel were threatened, would not raise his hand against his own enemy. Later in life, David was forced to flee Jerusalem when his son Absalom raised a revolt against him. Yet when Absalom was later killed, David mourned for him. As David was fleeing Jerusalem, a man taunted him and cursed him. When David’s men asked permission to kill the taunter, David replied:

“It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.” (2 Samuel 16:12)

Finally, David trusted God by not killing Saul, the king who was persecuting him, when he had the opportunity to do so. David’s attitude toward his enemies depicts humility of heart. David did not take his rights into his own hands, even his right to life, but trusted God to uphold him.

True Humility

Humility is an inward attitude toward God, yet when we think of humility, our culture mostly thinks of putting others before ourselves. This outward action only takes place after we have true humility, which is based on our relationship with God. We focus on the outward manifestation, which is a result of humility, rather than the inward reality, which is the attitude of heart toward God.

We see true humility and its outward action in Abraham. Abraham first responded to God when God told him to leave his family and land in order to inherit a new land. Yet later, when there was conflict with Lot, his nephew, he allowed Lot to choose the best land for himself. God had promised the land to Abraham, yet for righteousness’ sake he was willing for Lot to take what he wanted (Genesis chapter 13). Abraham did not demand his own God-given rights. He did what was right, and trusted God with the results. (We should note that after Abraham gave Lot his choice, God reconfirmed his promise of the land to Abraham.)

Confident Humility

Sometimes humility appears strong, or even arrogant.  We mentioned earlier that there is no contradiction between “humble” Jesus and his act of overthrowing the money changers’ tables.  Jesus was devoted to God’s plan, not his own.  Similarly, humility can look like David’s words before going out to meet Goliath:

You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

These words may sound boastful, but they are not. They are confident words, but the confidence is based on God and not himself.  This is not contrary to being meek, and it certainly is not weak.

Scripture rarely refers to God humbling someone. It is said about Moses, Paul, and the people of Israel. Other than that, it is generally, “humble yourself.” Humility has an element of choice to it, particularly in relationship to submitting to God’s will. Submitting to God’s will quietly is perhaps the most complete expression of humility.

Biblical truth calls forth a response on our part. So for each one of us the exhortation is:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

© 2010 – David Miller