Chapter 11 Where is the kingdom

Part 1 About the Kingdom

The Kingdom of Heaven is about humility, love, and obedience to God and service to others. It is about being a brother to the faithful and a witness to the world. Are we willing to give up our wealth, our time, our energy and our life for service to the will of God and His Kingdom of Heaven? Are we willing to be like Christ?

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Mt. 19:23

One must not love the things of this world more than the Name of God, more than His Character, His precepts, His Ways. There are many choices and sacrifices that follow those who suffer to seek the will of God and do it.

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 19:29

There are those who understand the contractual nature of the system of men, “The Covenants of the gods”. There are men who are in love with the power, praise and position of authority more than the love their brothers. These are the officers and ministers and prophets in the city of Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Caesar, Presidents, and the Secretary Generals of the organized world of men, a system that does contrary to the kingdom of God.

Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Luke 11:43

The Bible told us how we can be trapped by the words of our mouth, oaths and swearing, and the striking of your hands with those who do not believe in God’s precepts. We are warned against the deceitful dainties or benefits of the governments¹ We are told that men will make escape difficult for those who seek to obey the Father in Heaven and be free again, as Israel was at the Exodus.

Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. Luke 11:52

The leaders of the nation and the churches established by that chain of power and exercising authority deny the Kingdom and liberty of Jesus Christ, while they deliver all into greater bonds of servitude under authority or jurisdictions ruled by the elite of this world system. They have taken away the key of knowledge concerning the true nature of the Gospel and the government of God.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Mt. 23:13

There is almost no place for freemen in the world as they were defined in early Israel. All are made subjects in the land of their natural birth. Some long for the freedom that was once a part of being an American. Those who, in their hearts and souls take on the burden of faith and walk in the ways of the Lord, are besieged by the ignorant, boastful, or greedy who will have all or nothing. Seeking independence and a free dominion, they can find no wilderness to which to flee , no new unspoiled land that does not bear the mark of Cain’s city-state.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte [proselutos, a stranger, alien], and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Matthew 23:15

Some covet their neighbor's goods and compel the taking of taxes to finance the benefits and fulfill the prayers they have offered up to the gods of their own making. They take the Name of the LORD in vain, saying that they trust in God, while, in truth, they are reaching out to benefactors who operate, not upon charity, but upon force and control, exercising authority and oppression. They bow down and serve the gods of men instead of seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Proverbs 5:15, 17

There are many who see the wickedness of the system of men over men, the system of the rulers of the gentiles who exercise authority over the beneficiaries of the common purse of a social democracy and the Corban schemes of corvee bondage. Do they curse the burden of the system while harboring a love for its power? Do men wish to judge it, but, democratically or otherwise, desire its power? Are they one in spirit with that which they claim to despise and hate?

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Romans 2:3

Many, through ignorance and good intentions, have been cunningly coerced into becoming a part of such systems. They have lacked knowledge and the Church has failed to teach them of the fallacies of these systems' ways. They are often model citizens who willingly pay their share, but, deep in their hearts, they seek justice and mercy for all. They are charitable, patient, loving, and kind. Many have followed their pernicious ways because the way of truth of which was spoken as evil.² They have not been shown the ways of God and they have been taught an easy gospel, filled with half-truths.

Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. Ecclesiastes 10:20

The problem is not what the rich and powerful have done, but what those who love the LORD have failed to do. The way of righteousness is the way to freedom. If men will seek the ways of the Kingdom of God, all things shall be added unto them.

The kingdom comes

It is not enough to hate tyrants but one must despise tyranny even in ourselves.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Romans 12:14

We need more than mere water to wash us, to clean our souls. We need true repentance, a true turning around, and turning away from the beast in our own hearts and spirit, and, in our hearts, we must seek the true path of spiritual and temporal repentance.

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?… Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.... Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee… It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy [qodesh, set-apart, separate], and after vows to make enquiry. Proverbs 20

We may be beginning to wake up to the evil schemes of men, but are we willing to let the whole light of truth into our souls? Will we see our own love of the darkness that has been a comfort to our slumber? As we awake to the true light of the Lord God, the direction of our walk must change. Shall we make manifest the work of the Lord in us, edifying His kingdom in word and deed? Shall we walk with God or follow the ways of Cain?

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:19, 21

Yes, we may be vexed with the whips and scorpions of the taskmasters of the world, created by our own wantonness or ignorance. Yet, the sting they inflict has awakened men to their own slavery. Do we hate slavery or just hate being a slave? Is it only our flesh that is vexed, or in hope, is it our love of the righteous spirit which wishes to dwell in us and free all men to do the will of the Father? Do we love our neighbors freedom as much as our own?

The rulers of the world are as much a slave to their own lust of tyranny as we are victims of our own sloth and avarice. They have been corrupted by our weakness. Shall we seek to free the oppressor as much as we wish to free the oppressed? Christ came that all might be saved. If they repent and believe they might come to that salvation and it to them.

If we are not purged by the light of all darkness, greed, envy, avarice, lust for power, and pride, then what part of the curse of God should we not inherit? Have we loved our neighbor or coveted his goods? Have we lived by liberty or exercised authority? Who shall deliver us if we will not repent and turn around from the path of Balaam?

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government³ [dominion]. Presumptuous [are they], selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities [from doxa opinion, judgment]. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 2 Peter 2:

Who can understand the ways of the LORD? Many shall claim to come in the ways of our Father in Heaven, but they know Him not. Being out of the system of men does not bring you out of the darkness of men, nor does it bring light into the world.

Men have forsaken the right way, feasting on the benefits of Nicolaitans and seeking the rebellion of Core. By applying and loving the wages of these covetous practices of Balaam, men mock Christ, saying that He was not King and did not come in the flesh as King of that Kingdom and that His Kingdom was not at hand.

Many believe that social and indirect democracies are the best form of government and maybe it is, for those who will not follow the ways of righteousness. The beast in their hearts cannot resist ruling over others and compelling their neighbor to comply with what they see as right. Those who love the spirit of God must seek another way.

But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever… These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. Jude 1