Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The Lord used children to demonstrate
the fact that his kingdom can only be seen by those to whom
it is revealed. But Jesus called them unto him
and said, Suffer little children, come unto me, and forbid them
not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you,
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child
shall in no wise enter therein. We are certain that the Lord
did not have reference to chronological age when he used these children
as an example, but rather to the fact that those who see and
enter the kingdom do not do so in their own power or understanding. Children have neither the wherewithal
nor the knowledge in themselves to accomplish much of anything.
Yet they are the example of the manner in which his kingdom can
be seen, and the fashion in which it shall be entered. The kingdom
of God is not meant for those who can see with the eyes of
the flesh, but rather for those who see even though they may
be blind in the sight of men. We see this demonstrated by a
blind beggar sitting beside the Jericho road. And when he heard
that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say,
Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged
him that he should hold his peace, but he cried out the more a great
deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. When he called him
the son of David, he clearly addressed him as the Messiah,
since this was a common term for the one whom the Jews were
supposedly looking for to deliver them. This is exactly why the
Pharisees were incensed that the Lord Jesus did not rebuke
the children in the temple who called him the same thing, saying,
Hosanna to the son of David. Though this man was blind according
to the standards of the flesh, yet insofar as the kingdom of
God was concerned, he could see more clearly than any of those
who sought to silence him. The kingdom of God does not appeal
to the flesh, nor does it appear to the flesh. Even as Paul said,
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God. For they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned. The Jews looked for
a kingdom of flesh and blood, which had an earthly king sitting
upon its throne. This is exactly why they would
not receive the Lord Jesus as that Messiah sent from God. He
did not match up to their expectations, nor fit their description of
what the Messiah they were looking for would do. David's immediate
understanding of the decree of the Lord that his son would reign
forever was that this had reference to his son Solomon. Yet Solomon
could not sit upon the throne forever due to the weakness of
the flesh, which was demonstrated by his departure from the ways
of the Lord in following his wives to do evil and ultimately
manifested by his death. Rather, this prophecy, as all
prophecy, is about the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
that house which He has built with His own hands, and purchased
with His own blood, unto the glory of His Father. This is
a house which was originally revealed in the Garden of Eden,
when the Lord said, And I will put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy
head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. The kingdom of the Lord
Jesus Christ is a mediatorial kingdom. He is the mediator between
God and man. He said, Now is the judgment
of this world. Now shall the prince of this
world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said signifying
what death he should die. Those whom he is pleased to draw
can see the glory of this kingdom as they are given eyes to see
Jesus Christ offered for sin, bathed in his own blood as the
Redeemer and only hope of sinners. The house of God is a place where
he is pleased to dwell. It is the gate of heaven, as
Jacob declared. The house of God is a place where
mourners gather to cry out to the Lord. The house of God is
a place where his glory is displayed as he fills the house and leaves
room for no other to glory. The house of God is where the
treasures of the kingdom and the weapons of our warfare are
kept. The house of God is the place where the covenant is made
with the King. The house of God is a place of
joy and praise in the keeping of the true Sabbath. The manifestation
of the house of God in the earth can be most clearly seen in the
congregation of the saints as Paul instructed Timothy. "'But
if I tarry long, that thou mayest know "'how thou oughtest to behave
thyself in the house of God, "'which is the church of the
living God, "'the pillar and ground of the truth.' "'Many
have tried to define this church "'as the one they are a part
of, "'much like the Jews define the kingdom. "'This house of
God, however, "'is one which is not made with hands, "'and
is made up of those whose names are written "'in the Lamb's book
of life, "'those who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.'" If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.