THE SECOND PART: A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Gospel according to Matthew
Message Two—The Truth of the Kingdom
Scripture Reading: Matt. 5:3, 20; 13:31-32; 16:28—17:5; 13:43
I. If we would know the truth of the kingdom in a thorough way, we need a full understanding of the three aspects of the kingdom of the heavens—the reality, the appearance, and the manifestation—Matt. 5:3; 13:31-32, 43: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
A. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the inward content of the kingdom of the heavens in its heavenly and spiritual nature—Matt. 5—7: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
1. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is an exercise to the seeking believers—5:3, 20; 7:13-14, 21. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. Only the overcomers are in the reality of the kingdom—Rev. 2:7. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
3. Those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today will be manifested with Christ to be kings in the millennium—20:4, 6. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
B. The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is the outward condition of the kingdom of the heavens in name—Matt. 13: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
1. The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is today’s Christendom, which includes all the false Christians—vv. 27, 38-39a. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. That which constitutes the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens will be thrown in the lake of fire—vv. 30, 40-42a. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
C. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens is the practical coming of the kingdom of the heavens in power—chs. 24—25: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
1. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will be the manifestation of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens—5:3; 13:43: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
a. In the next age the reality of the kingdom will become the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens—7:21. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
b. At His coming back, the Lord will deal first with the appearance of the kingdom, and then He will transfer the reality of the kingdom into the next age to become the manifestation of the kingdom—13:41-43. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, composed of the overcoming saints, will actually be the New Jerusalem during the millennium—Rev. 2:7; 3:12. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
II. In Genesis 47 we have a picture of the millennium: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
A. Under Joseph, Egypt prefigured the millennium with all the people on the same level:
1. The whole land of Egypt became a land of enjoyment. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. All the people became enjoyers on the same level because everyone and everything was under Joseph; this is a picture of the millennium, where everything will be under the Lord’s hand—vv. 14-21; Psa. 24:1. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
B. Christ is typified by Joseph, and the kingdom is foreshadowed by the house of Israel—Gen. 45:8; 47:11, 27: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
1. Joseph’s life under the heavenly vision was the life of the kingdom of the heavens described in Matthew 5—7. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. We, the kingdom people, are being trained to be Josephs, to be kings, to manifest the reigning aspect of the mature life—2 Pet. 1:5-11. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
3. Joseph’s self-denial, his restriction under God’s sovereign hand, was the key to the practice of the kingdom life—Gen. 45:4-8; 50:15-21. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
4. Because Joseph denied himself and lived under God’s restriction, the kingdom could be brought in through him—Matt. 16:24-28. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
III. What is described in Matthew 16:28—17:5 is a miniature of the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the millennium: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
A. The center of this miniature is the glorified Jesus, and with Him are Moses and Elijah, representing the Old Testament overcomers, and Peter, James, and John, representing the New Testament overcomers—vv. 1-3. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
B. On the mountain with the Lord Jesus, Peter, James, and John had a foretaste of the coming manifestation of the kingdom—16:28—17:3. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
C. For the Lord Jesus to be transfigured meant that His humanity was saturated and permeated with His divinity; this transfiguration, which was His glorification, was equal to His coming in His kingdom—v. 2: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
1. The transfiguration, the shining, of the Lord Jesus was His coming in His kingdom; where His transfiguration is, there is the coming of the kingdom—Mark 9:1-4; Luke 9:27-31. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus was the realization of what He is. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
3. The kingdom is the shining of the reality of the Lord Jesus; to be under His shining is to be in the kingdom—Rev. 22:4-5. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
D. ”Then shall the righteous shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father”—Matt. 13:43a: (2001 ST, msg. 1)
1. At the time of the manifestation of the kingdom, our humanity will be glorified by the glorious divinity within us—Col. 1:27. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
2. Christ has been sown into our heart as a seed; this seed will grow and develop until it is manifested in glory—Mark 4:26-29; Col. 3:3-4. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
3. In one sense, the Lord will come back from heaven, but in another sense, He will come out of us; when He fully lives Himself out of us, that will be the time of His coming—Matt. 16:27; 2 Thes. 1:10; Col. 1:27. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
4. At the time of the full manifestation of the kingdom, we will fully enter into glory—Rom. 8:18, 21; Heb. 2:10; Phil. 3:21. (2001 ST, msg. 1)
5. In the millennium the overcoming believers will be with Christ in the bright glory of the kingdom, whereas the defeated Christians will suffer discipline in the outer darkness—Matt. 13:43a; 8:12. (2001 ST, msg. 1)