The Word of the Kingdom Definitions

By Gary Kelly

The Word of the Kingdom

Jesus praised the Father for hiding “these things (of the Kingdom) from the wise and intelligent” and added “no one understands the Son except the Father, and no one understands the Father except the Son and to whomever the Son would wish to reveal.” (Matthew 11:25-27)

In the parable of the “sower and the seed” (Matthew 13:18-19, Luke 8:4-15), the seed being “the word of the kingdom,” Jesus reveals the level of how each person has ears to hear the Word, if impacted by the cares and desires of the world or, truly understands “the word of the kingdom” and “bears fruit.” (See John 15:1-10 and Galatians 5:16-26)

The Word of the Kingdom provides definitions clarifying not only the parables of Jesus, but the primary message of the “Good News” concerning the “Promise of God.” (Luke 24:49 - Acts 2:39)

Living Being

We are a “living being,” as the Word defines, when “the Lord God had formed man from the dust of the ground,” Adam was not yet a “living being” until God “blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) Consider also “the dust returns to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

Jesus conveyed the aspect of our spiritual being numerous times such as “when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21. See also 1 Corinthians 6:19 - John 7:37-39)

"You have clothed me with skin and flesh and have knit me with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and favor and Your visitation has preserved my spirit. And You have hidden these things in Your heart: I know that this is with You. ...The Spirit of God has made me and the breath of the Almighty has given me life." (Job 10:11-13, 33:4)

Entering the Kingdom

In defining salvation Paul declared: “Because if you would confess with your mouth the Lord Y’shua and you would believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved for he believes for himself in his heart into righteousness, and confesses for himself with his mouth into salvation.” (Romans 9:9-13 - See Joel 3:1-5)

Jesus explained and defined “Born Again” to Nicodemus: “Most certainly I say to you, unless someone would have been born out of water and Spirit he is not able to enter the Kingdom of God. What has been born of the flesh is flesh, and what has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘It is necessary for you to be born from above.’ (John 3:5-7 - See also John 1:10-13)

Jesus also defined “Eternal Life” in His prayer to the Father: “And this is eternal life, that they would know You, the only true God, and Whom You sent, Y’shua Messiah.” (John 17:3) The importance of “that they would know You” is confirmed by Jesus when He cautioned “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord. Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom” or claiming they have “prophesied” or “cast out demons” or “did many miracles in His Name,” and He will “declare to them that ‘I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Knowing God in the Holy Spirit

“The word of the kingdom” equates salvation, born again, and eternal life to “entering the Kingdom of God.” Paul defines the Kingdom of God and reiterated Jesus revealing the discernment between flesh and spirit to Nicodemus: “For the Kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

After three years of Jesus teaching His Disciples He still told them: “I still have much to say to you, but you are not now able to bear it: but when that One would come, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you in all truth: for He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He will hear He will speak and report the things that are coming to you. That One will glorify Me, because He will take from Me and He will teach you. Whatever things the Father has are Mine: because of this I said that He takes from Me and He will teach you.” (John 16:12-15)

The Promise of the Father

“He showed them His hands and His side. …Then Y’shua said to them again ‘Peace be with you: just as the Father sent Me, so I am sending you.’ And after He said this He breathed upon them and said to them, ‘You must immediately take the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:21-22)

After Jesus was Risen and while with His Disciples, “He ordered them ‘Do not go away from
Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which you heard from Me, for John on the one hand immersed in water, but you on the other hand will be immersed in the Holy Spirit after these not many days.’” (Acts 1:4-5)

"The Promise of the Father" is to be baptized or "immersed in the Holy Spirit" which began on the Day of Shavuot (Pentecost): "And a sound came suddenly out of heaven as bringing a violent wind and it filled the whole House where they were sitting and dividing tongues like fire were seen by them and the flames sat upon each one of them, and all were filled by the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages just as the Spirit was giving them to speak out boldly." (Acts 2:1-4)

The "Promise of the Father" was not only for Christ's disciples as Peter made clear on that same day to about 3000 people staying in Jerusalem, devout people from all the nations: "And when they heard this they were pierced in their hearts. They said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'What could we do, men, brothers? And Peter said to them, 'You must immediately repent, and each of you must immediately be immersed11 in the name of Y’shua Messiah, for forgiveness of your sins and you will take the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all those in far away places, whomever the Lord our God will call to Himself.'” (Acts 2:37-39) And was repeated throughout Acts for Jews and Gentiles alike. (For example see Acts 19:1-7)

The Holy Spirit is He Who would live "within you" and is required if we are to learn “the deep things of God,” which the “natural man” is incapable of as Jesus and the writers of the New Testament proclaim. (John 14:15-31 - 1 Corinthians 2:10-16)

[Scripture from ONMB & NKJV]

Gary Kelly's web site is EarsToHear.net and is author of “Lessons of the Holy Spirit: A Guide for Entering the Kingdom of God and Discover Why it Pleased God to Hide His Kingdom from the Wise”