According to Holy Bible (KJV), Luke 17:20-21, Jesus is quoted saying, "The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! For, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you."
The Kingdom of God has many interpretations. Some interpret this 'Kingdom' as the words or teachings of God. Others have interpreted this Kingdom as something that 'we' will receive in the future. Others have gone as far as to interpret God's Kingdom as a place in heaven; so if we follow his teachings we shall receive God's Kingdom into our life eternally. There are people that think that if they are able to create a 'material kingdom' it is the power of God that has allowed them to be in power. Many kings throughout many ancient civilizations have believed this and preached these words to their people.
However, I think we should consider a slightly different interpretation of Jesus' words. It is commonly understood that the stories in the Bible are parables. These stories were written as parables for two reasons: (1) So that people would better understand spiritual teachings and lessons and (2) To keep certain knowledge known only to scribes (the most educated people during that time period) sacred and esoteric. Many people during that time were uneducated and would not have understood what certain aspects of the Bible were explaining.
Jesus has said that the Kingdom of God will not come with observation; we will NEVER see this Kingdom and no one should tell us to look for it anywhere. So if the Kingdom of God is WITHIN us, what exactly IS this kingdom? If it is not a place, then maybe it is the words and teachings of God? I don't think, it is ONLY the teachings and words of God. I believe it is also the POWER and nature of Godliness that resides within us. It is our union of the mind with the SELF (GOD).
If you look at Luke 11:17-20, Jesus says, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation...If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? But If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." I think what Jesus is trying to tell us is that this 'Kingdom' is our true SELF! YES. Our true SELF is the Kingdom of God. Any kingdom divided against itself will fall! This is a parable that is saying that any person divided among himself will lose his SELF: desolation. Satan's Kingdom (Godliness) will fall if he is not ONE with his SELF. Satan's kingdom will not fall because he (evil energy) is always one with it SELF. Jesus goes on to tell us that he and us are one and the same. Jesus is just as average as any man or woman. This is why he says that if he with the finger of God has casted out devils, we are cable of this "power" as well: "No Doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you." According to Jesus, it is without a doubt in his mind that if he has this power to cast out devils we should have that power and then some!
So what am I getting at? The word "KINGDOM" may have been misinterpreted. The esoteric meaning of the word Kingdom is the perfections of God, the words & teachings of God, and the powers of God. So if this is the true meaning of God, was Jesus trying to tell us that not only is the Kingdom of God within us, but that we are manifestations of God? If we are manifestations of God, are we in theory GOD in human form? In the Book of John chapter 14, Jesus states, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father..." Jesus says this because he is trying to tell us that we are just as great as he and can be even more great. That is why there have been many people that have walked the earth that have been prophets, great teachers or gurus, performed miracles, healed people, expressed powers of all sorts. However, understanding this, it is not about having "Powers," it is about knowing that you, GOD and JESUS are one and the same!
The Kingdom has come to you as it has come to Jesus and it will come to many others to come.
Thoughts?
doM
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Awesome blog! I agree---I think we are all capable of Godliness---it resides within our true self. However, so many people look to the external to find their Gods---it's already within us, we just have to pull off the veil that conceals it. Entering true self is entering Godliness.
ReplyDeleteGreat work! Looking forward to the next one!
your right on...you'd be interested in Thomas Troward's Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning, published in 1913, an excerpt,
ReplyDelete"...the grand foundation on which the whole Bible system is built up is that the Spirit, which is thus continually passing into manifestation, si always the same Spirit. In other words, it is only ONE.
These two fundamental truths -- that under whatever varieties of Form, the Spirit is only ONE; and that the creation of all forms, and consequently of the whole world of conscious relations, is the result of Spirit's ONE mode of action, which is Thought -- are the basis of all that the Bible has to teach us, and therefore from its first page to its last, we shall find these two ideas continually recurring in a variety of different connections: the ONE-ness of the Divine Spirit and the Creative Power of man's Thought, which the Bible expresses in its two grand statements, that "God is ONE", and that Man is made "in the image and likeness of God"..."
the Bible is a brilliant collection of work that makes the teachings of spirit, soul and body available to those that are capable of truly understanding it (say evolved enough, or enlightened enough), but this teaching has been hidden under symbols, allegories, and parables so that these universal teachings could stand the test of time, where they could in some way still have value and meaning for the rest of our brothers and sisters who are not ready/capable of understanding the true message behind the writings
ReplyDeleteHere are my thoughts. Jesus came to Jerusalem, wherein dwelt "the people of the book", the sons of Allah, who referred to themselves, and their religion, and their rule and reign in the earth, as "The Kingdom of Heaven". They still refer to themselves in this manner, today.
ReplyDeleteBiblically speaking, Jesus rejected the sons of Allah and their doctrine, and the law of Moses, as the Kingdom of heaven, teaching that He Himself, was the bringer of the GOOD news, and the real kingdom of God, who was ONE, meaning one nature, all good, with no evil tendencies.