Wednesday Evening Bible Study

December 5, 2001

:20-21  The Kingdom Within

:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

he was demanded of – eperotao – to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of, ask, interrogate; to address one with a request or demand; to ask of or demand of one

observation – parateresis – observation; from paratereo – to stand beside and watch, to watch assiduously, observe carefully

(Luke 17:20 NIV)  Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation,

The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah.  They knew that the Scriptures promised several things concerning the kingdom of God.

The Messiah would reign on the throne of David. (Isa 9:6,7)

He would reign over the earth. (Dan 2:44)

Jerusalem was to become the center of the earth (Isa 2:1-3)

Wars would cease (Isa 2:4,5)

The animal kingdom would become tamed (Isa 11:6,7)

The earth will be restored to the Edenic glory (Isa 35)

It seems they want to know when all these things would happen.  The problem is, these are the characteristics of Jesus’ Second Coming, not His first.

:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

within – entos – within, inside; within you i.e. in the midst of you = inside you; within you i.e. your soul.  Some of the translations say “among” or “in your midst”, but the only other place this Greek word is found is in –

Mt 23:26  [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

There the idea is clearly “within”.

A.T. Robertson –

What Jesus says to the Pharisees is that they, as others, are to look for the kingdom of God within themselves, not in outward displays and supernatural manifestations. It is not a localized display "Here" or "There." It is in this sense that in #Lu 11:20 Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God as "come upon you" (efyasen ef umav), speaking to Pharisees.

Lesson

Is it in your heart?

Don’t take this to mean, “Look deep inside your heart, grasshopper, for God is inside of you …”

The issue isn’t that the kingdom is inside of every person, the question is, “Is the kingdom in you?”

Some people want to get all caught up in looking for the signs of the coming Kingdom of God, but they are approaching the whole subject as “outsiders”.  They get excited about the things of prophecy, but they never let the truths of God change them on the inside.

:22-37  Be ready for His coming

:22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

ye shall desire – epithumeo – to turn upon a thing; to have a desire for, long for, to desire; to lust after, covet

There would be tough times ahead for Jesus’ disciples.  They will long for the days when they used to walk with Jesus.

:23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

go after – aperchomai – to go away, depart; to go away in order to follow any one, go after him, to follow his party, follow him as a leader

follow – dioko – to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away; without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone; metaph., to pursue; to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavour to acquire

Matthew records it this way –

(Mat 24:23-27 KJV)  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. {24} For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. {25} Behold, I have told you before. {26} Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. {27} For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Lesson

Be careful of people with “secret truth”.

It seems that there is a hunger in people to believe something that makes them feel good.

Illustration

Like many young boys, Kevin Winn would often pretend to be a sports hero, scoring the winning goal or hitting a crucial home run.  But Winn didn't know when to stop pretending.  As a young adult, he went from state to state impersonating professional athletes, then ripping off the people who believed him by stealing their money, credit cards, jewelry, or vehicles, and also forging checks.  Winn was apprehended and convicted of his crimes, but the writer who told the story was more amazed at the easy acceptance Winn enjoyed from his victims than he was at Winn's audacity.  The case proved again how much people dearly want to believe anything that makes them feel good or sounds exciting, like hobnobbing with a famous athlete.

I get concerned when groups appear that want to make an impression by claiming to have some special corner on the truth.

If a group is making a statement that you couldn’t get to yourself by the simple reading of the Scriptures, then I’d be careful.  Red flags ought to go up.

Paul wrote,

(Eph 4:14-15 KJV)  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; {15} But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

It is a sign of spiritual immaturity when a person gets caught up in every new “wind of doctrine” that blows through the church.  We grow up when we are centered in speaking the truth in love.  The truth is found in the Scriptures.

:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

lightning – astrape – lightning; of the gleam of a lamp

lighteneth – astrapto – to lighten; of dazzling objects

shineth – lampo – to shine

Lesson

Some of the things of God are obvious

There are times when God does things in a “low key” way, but there are also times when God works that you know God is working because it’s obvious.

When Jesus comes back, it won’t be only those in some secret organization that will know it.  The whole world will be aware of it.

:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

must – dei – it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper

suffer – pascho – to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo; in a bad sense, to suffer sadly, be in a bad plight

be rejected – apodokimazo – to disapprove, reject, repudiate

Lesson

Jesus came to die

Before Jesus could ever come in glory to rule over the earth, God had to take care of mankind’s problem, sin.

Jesus came the first time to die on the cross and pay for our sins.

His first coming was supposed to end in death.  This was God’s plan.

:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

in the days of the Son of man – at His second coming

(Gen 6:11-13 KJV)  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. {12} And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. {13} And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

In Noah’s time, the earth was filled with violence.

:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

married wives – gameo – to lead in marriage, take to wife

they were given in marriage – ekgamizo – to give away in marriage: a daughter

the flood – kataklusmos (“cataclysm”) – inundation, deluge

eat … drank … married … - all the verbs are in the “imperfect” tense, meaning that it was continuous action in the past. 

The idea is that life went on just as normal.  People did not expect the end of the world.

Did this mean that the people didn’t have a clue that the end was coming?  Does this mean that they were not warned?

Peter calls Noah a “preacher of righteousness” (2Pet. 2:5).  I think it’s likely that the world was aware of what was coming, but they chose to ignore it.

:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

it rained – brecho – to moisten, wet, water; to water with rain, to cause to rain, to pour the rain, to send down like rain

fire – pur – fire

brimstone – theion – brimstone; divine incense, because burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify, and to ward off disease

Just like in Noah’s time, life was going on as normal.

:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

When Jesus comes back, people will be surprised because they will be living their lives as normal.

:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

housetop – doma – a building, house; house top, roof; the house tops of the Orientals were (and still are) level and frequented not only for walking, but also for meditation and prayer; it was like a patio to the people in Jesus’ day.

stuff – skeuos – a vessel; an implement; household utensils, domestic gear

The whole aspect of the “day of the Lord” covers several years and many different events.

I don’t think the issue here is the “Rapture”.  I don’t think that there will be time during the rapture of the church to even think about getting your stuff out of your house.  The rapture will happen quick –

(1 Th 4:15-17 KJV)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. {16} For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: {17} Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

There will be a trumpet blast and then we will be “caught up”, or “snatched”, or “seized by force” to be in God’s presence.

(1 Cor 15:51-52 KJV)  Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, {52} In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

It will happen in the “twinkling of an eye”.  Very, very quick.

Instead, I think Jesus is talking about the same issues He talks about in Matthew 24, where He is talking to His Jewish disciples, warning them about the times of the end.

(Mat 24:15-21 KJV)  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) {16} Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: {17} Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: {18} Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. {19} And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! {20} But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: {21} For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Jesus is warning the Jews who will be living in Israel at the time of the tribulation that they will need to flee because of the reign of the antichrist.

Lesson

What would you take with you?

An old question we used to ask people to help others get to know each other is, “If you found out your house was on fire, all your family was out safe, and you only had time to run in and grab one thing, what would it be?”

The answer to that question can tell you a lot about what a person truly values.

But here, Jesus is telling us that these people aren’t going to have time to grab anything.  In fact, if they take time to grab that “one thing”, it would be disastrous for them.

I think the question to ask here is, “If you were told your house was on fire, and all your family was out safe, is there anything you’d risk your life for to go in and get?”

I remember years ago seeing a cartoon with three guys sitting up in heaven, and the first person looks very depressed.  The second person says to the third person, “It’s Saturday night and he’s bummed that he can’t watch Love Boat from here.”

:32 Remember Lot's wife.

When the two angels came to pull Lot out of the city of Sodom, they gave him a warning.

(Gen 19:17 KJV)  And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

But when the fire and brimstone fell, not everyone did what the angels asked.

(Gen 19:24-26 KJV)  Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; {25} And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. {26} But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

What did Lot’s wife do?  She looked back.  I think Jesus’ next statement will explain a little more.

:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

seek – zeteo – to seek in order to find

life – psuche – breath; the soul

to save – sozo – to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

lose … lose – apollumi – to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin; to lose

preserve – zoogoneo (“life” + “become”) – to bring forth alive; to give life; to preserve alive

I think the implication is that Lot’s wife couldn’t “let go” of her life in Sodom.  She couldn’t just turn her back on this city she loved and march off without ever looking back.  And so, when she turned to look at Sodom, she turned into a pillar of salt.

For the Jews living in Israel at this time, they will be faced with a choice of holding on to the things of this world or fleeing for safety.  I think the lesson applies to us today as well.

Lesson

Don’t cling to this world too tightly

Illustration

Monkey Treats

Monkey trappers in North Africa have a clever method of catching their prey. A number of gourds are filled with nuts (monkey treats) and firmly fastened to a branch of a tree.  Each has a hole just large enough for the unwary monkey to stick his forepaw into it. When the hungry animal discovers this, he quickly grasps a handful of nuts, but the hole is too small for him to withdraw his clenched fist.  And he doesn't have enough sense to open up his hand and let go in order to escape, so he is easily taken captive.

Too often we get these certain things in our lives that we just don’t want to let go of.  Yet it’s these very things that can eventually destroy us.  If we’d just let go, we could be free.

You preserve your life by learning to let go.

:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

men – not in the Greek text, it’s simply “two”

bed – kline – a small bed, a couch

shall be taken – paralambano – to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self

left – aphiemi – to send away; to let go, let alone, let be; to leave one by not taking him as a companion; to leave so that what is left may remain, leave remaining

This is where the book series “Left Behind” comes from.

The picture is nighttime, two people in bed, one wakes up and the other is gone.

I heard Greg Laurie tell how one time he played a trick on his wife.  They were in bed talking, and while she was talking, he slipped out of bed and hid on the floor.  Don’t try this at home.

:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

grinding – aletho – to grind; It was the custom to send women and female slaves to the mill houses to turn the hand mills.

shall be taken – paralambano – to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self

left – aphiemi – to send away; to let go, let alone, let be; to leave one by not taking him as a companion; to leave so that what is left may remain, leave remaining

The picture is of women at work.  One goes, one stays.

:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

This verse is not in some of the Greek manuscripts.

Note:  How come some people are in bed at “night”, while others are at work grinding at the mill or in the field?  I think that perhaps we’re talking about something happening around the globe.  In some parts of the world it is night, while for others, it’s the middle of the day.

:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

body – soma – the body both of men or animals

gathered together – sunago – to gather together, to gather; to bring together, assemble, collect

eagles – aetos – an eagle: since eagles do not usually go in quest of carrion, this may to a vulture that resembles an eagle

There are two ways of looking at these verses, it’s possible either way.

One idea is that those “taken away” are taken away in judgment.

In this sense, this would be talking about the end of the Tribulation, when Jesus comes back and those who are unbelievers will be put to death.

In this sense, Jesus might be hinting at death by talking about bodies and “vultures”.

The other idea is that those “taken away” are raptured to be with the Lord.

In this sense, the event would take place before the Tribulation, and the idea of the “vultures” and the “body” is that these people are the “vultures”, and they’ve gathered around Jesus, the “body”.

Jesus said,

(John 14:1-3 NASB)  "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. {2} "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. {3} "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Lesson

He can keep you safe.

As we spend time thinking about the Second Coming, God doesn’t want us being worried.  He wants us trusting Him.

(2 Pet 2:4-9 KJV)  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; {5} And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; {6} And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; {7} And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: {8} (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) {9} The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

(2 Pet 2:9 NLT)  So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while punishing the wicked right up until the day of judgment.

God knew how to rescue Noah and Lot.  He knows how to rescue you.