Tag Archives: kingdom of God

Isaiah 40: one prophecy with three fulfillments

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Isaiah 40:1-11 may be one of the best-known passages among all the Old Testament prophets. As anyone who knows Handel’s Messiah will immediately recognize, the text for several movements in the first part come from the first eleven verses:

  • Isaiah 40:1-4, the first tenor recitative and aria, “Comfort ye my people” and “Every valley shall be exalted”
  • Isaiah 40:5, the first chorus, “And the glory of the Lord”
  • Isaiah 40:9, part of the first alto aria (with chorus), “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion”
  • Isaiah 40:11, the second alto aria, “He shall feed his flock”

We associate these verses with the Christmas story because John the Baptist claimed to be the “voice of him that crieth in the wilderness,” words quoted in the tenor recitative.… Read the rest

Jesus’ government: the image of God on the throne of David

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A familiar Advent scripture says that a child will be born to us and the government will rest on his shoulders. A less obviously Advent-related scripture explains what that government will be like. The child, of course, is Jesus. In both scriptures, he has an extensive list of important titles.

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A wide-angle view of Christmas: Revelation 12

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In 1 Corinthians 13:9-12, Paul reminds us that now, we know only in part. Our knowledge of God’s ways and plans is like looking at an image in a dirty mirror. We can at least clean up the mirror a little by looking at less-familiar scriptures from time to time.

Our focus on Christmas (and Easter) is like taking a picture with a telephoto lens.

The familiar Christmas story in the gospels portrays a young peasant woman becoming pregnant in an unusual way, then having a very ordinary pregnancy.

The birth experience was certainly inconvenient, but many other women have given birth in awkward circumstances.… Read the rest

The kingdom of God: some assembly required?

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Unassembled furnitureHave you ever made something from a kit? A cabinet, perhaps, or an exercise bike. The kingdom of God is something like that.

You bring your kit home from the store and open the box. Inside you find lots of parts, both large and small.

You also find some instructions. They can be hard to understand. Your task is to assemble all the parts to make something that looks like the picture on the box. And it has to work, too.

I have gotten my projects assembled in three different ways. Sometimes I just do it myself. Sometimes I work with someone else.… Read the rest

Peter and the keys of the kingdom of heaven

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Have you ever wondered about what Jesus meant when he gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven? It can be confusing.

Somehow, the phrase has been turned into “keys to the kingdom,” which incorrectly suggests that Peter somehow had authority to decide whom to allow into the kingdom. God, not Peter is the ultimate judge.

Use of the wrong preposition isn’t the only way Christians have interpreted the passage in Matthew 16:19 in ways Jesus probably didn’t intend.

… Read the rest

Greatest of men, least in the kingdom of God

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In Luke 7:28, Jesus summarized his description of John the Baptist and his ministry saying, “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

What was so special about John? And how can the least in the kingdom of God be greater than John?

… Read the rest

The Kingdom of God has come. Now what?

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The kingdom of God has come. It is not at all like other kingdoms or nations. Since time immemorial, when one nation has invaded another, the invaded nation knows. Eventually so does everyone else who cares at all.

Most of you can probably know within a year or two the last two or three times Germany invaded France. It doesn’t have to be an invasion with armies, either. Regardless of where you stand on immigration, you have to know that a lot of Latin America has taken residence in the US. And come without passports or visas.

Has there ever been any kind of invasion on earth where it was not clear just who was invading?… Read the rest

Three parables of the kingdom of heaven–and its troubles

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Updated July 8, 2023

According to Matthew 6:33, “Seek first kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [material needs] will be added to you.” Simple enough in principle, but just what is this kingdom, and what does it mean to seek it first? Jesus explained the kingdom in a number of parables.

Matthew 13 contains several parables Jesus used to teach about the kingdom of heaven. He preached some of them to crowds, probably several times each. He taught some to his disciples privately. Matthew has placed them in a logical order. The three of them in Matthew 13:24-43 have undertones of trouble in the kingdom as we experience it on earth.… Read the rest

Isaiah 40: one prophecy, three fulfillments

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Isaiah 40:11 stained glass windowIsaiah 40 may be one of the best-known passage among all the Old Testament prophets. Anyone who knows Handel’s Messiah will immediately recognize the text for some of the familiar pieces. “Comfort ye my people” and “Every valley shall be exalted” (the first tenor recitative and aria), “And the glory of the Lord,” (the first chorus), “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion” (the first alto aria, (with chorus), and “He shall feed his flock” (the second alto aria) all come from first eleven verses of the chapter:

We associate these verses with the Christmas story at least because John the Baptist claimed to be the “voice of him that crieth in the wilderness,” words quoted in the tenor recitative.… Read the rest

The parable of the rich fool

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When Jesus told a parable, the story concerned familiar situations of his time. Sometimes we must translate it from his culture to ours. Other times we can find its familiarity downright embarrassing. Such is the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21).

A farmer has produced such an abundance of crops that his success has outgrown his barns. He decides to tear them down and have bigger ones built in their place. With careful planning and sharp business practices, he should never have to work again, and he intends to relax and enjoy what he has provided for himself.

Jesus’ parable did not end well for the farmer.… Read the rest