The Mystery of the Kingdom

I created this devotional-style booklet as a study aide to facilitate clarity and connection. Clarity of mind and connection between like-minded people. 

I recommend you read it slowly, meditate on it’s meaning, discuss it with others and look up the scripture references at the end of each chapter. 

 © 2026 Catherine E. Gavin

This work is free to be shared, copied and distributed, provided it is not modified.

Introduction 

The Mystery of the Kingdom Revealed through Parables

The Bible is chiastic.
A chiasm is when the beginning of a text is repeated in reverse order at the end, with the middle of  the text serving as the focal point—the hinge upon which the entire message turns. 

The Bible begins with a river and a tree of life in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were clothed in animal skins and driven out of the garden. The ground was cursed with thorns and thistles. Cherubim with a flaming sword kept the way of the tree of life.

The Bible ends with a striking reversal: we see Jesus, his eyes are as a flame of fire and out of his  mouth proceeds a sharp sword (Revelation 19:12–15). The Lamb’s wife is granted fine linen, clean and white (Revelation 19:8). She is brought into the New Jerusalem, where there is once again a river, a tree of life, and “no more curse” (Revelation 22:1–3).

From Genesis to Revelation, the pattern mirrors itself. The story that began in a garden ends in a city—the restored dwelling place of God with His people.

So where is the middle of the Bible? I propose it is the Gospels, which came after the four hundred years of silence. If we narrow our focus to the Gospel of Matthew, we find the centre of that book—its heart—is Matthew chapter 13, containing seven parables about the kingdom of God. 

Seven: the sacred number of completion and rest.

Then in between the two main parables, the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, Jesus makes a remarkable statement:

“It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
— Matthew 13:11 (KJV)

Mark records it this way:

“Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:”
— Mark 4:11 (KJV)

I propose this is not only the focal point of Matthew’s Gospel but the focal point of the entire Bible. The “mystery of the kingdom of God” is the hinge upon which all Scripture turns—from the first garden to the final city and Jesus chose to reveal it through parables. 

What Is a Parable?

The word parable comes from the Greek parabolē, meaning “to throw alongside.” A parable takes a familiar, earthly image and throws it alongside a hidden, heavenly truth. Through this parallel, the unseen becomes visible. A parable is not merely an illustration—it is a mirror and a mystery. It invites the hearer to look deeply, to interpret, to see.

Features of a Parable

• Everyday Imagery – Jesus spoke of things His audience understood: sowers and seeds, fishermen and nets, shepherds and sheep, brides and lamps.
• Hidden Depth – On the surface, a parable appears simple. Yet beneath its simplicity lie layers of meaning. Like a seed in the soil, it grows in revelation over time.
• Invitation to Interpretation – A parable is not a proverb. A proverb gives a concise statement of wisdom; a parable unfolds as a story, demanding engagement. The listener must wrestle with its meaning—and in that wrestling, the heart is revealed.
• Division of Hearers – Parables both reveal and conceal. To those humble and hungry for truth, they open the door of understanding. To those proud or indifferent, they remain closed and puzzling.
• Kingdom-Centred – Almost every parable of Jesus begins with the same refrain: “The kingdom of heaven is like…” The parables unveil what the reign of God looks like.

Why Jesus Spoke in Parables

After hearing Jesus teach, His disciples asked Him plainly,

“Why speakest thou unto them in parables?” (Matthew 13:10). 

Jesus answered:

“Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Matthew 13:11).

His answer reveals the dual purpose of parables: they illuminate truth for the faithful and conceal it from the hardened. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said:

“Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.”
— Isaiah 6:9; cf. Matthew 13:14–15

Thus, parables are spiritual tests. They separate the seekers from the scoffers, the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats. The parable itself becomes a dividing line.

The Mystery of the Kingdom

When Jesus spoke of “the mystery of the kingdom,” He used the Greek word mysterion—something once hidden but now revealed by God. It is not a riddle meant to confuse, but a revelation meant to unfold in the hearts of those who believe. This mystery is nothing less than the gospel itself.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

Let us return to the beginning of Jesus’s ministry:

“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
— Mark 1:14&15

The gospel and the kingdom are not separate themes—they are one. Jesus came not only to forgive sins but to proclaim the arrival of the “kingdom of God”.

Mark 1 speaks of the gospel of the kingdom.
Mark 4 speaks of the mystery of the kingdom.

Put them together, and we see the truth:
The mystery of the kingdom is the gospel.

Therefore, if we desire to understand the gospel, we must understand the mystery; and if we would understand the mystery, we must understand the parables. 

Devotional Reflection

Imagine sitting among the crowd on the shores of Galilee. You hear Jesus speak of a sower casting seed upon the ground. The story is simple, familiar—until He explains that the seed is the Word, and the soil is the heart. Suddenly, it’s no longer about a farmer—it’s about you.

That is the transforming power of a parable. It begins in the ordinary and ends in eternity. It is both a mirror and a doorway—revealing not only the kingdom of God but the condition of your own heart.

Reflection Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to reveal the kingdom through parables rather than plain explanations?
2. What does it mean to you that understanding the kingdom is called a gift from God (Matthew 13:11)?
3. Have you ever read a passage of Scripture that suddenly became alive with meaning after many years? How does that relate to the idea of a “mystery” being revealed?
4. In what ways do Jesus’s parables still separate hearers today—between those who listen casually and those who seek earnestly?

Additional Scripture References for Study

• Matthew 13 — The parables of the kingdom
• Isaiah 6:8–13 — Prophecy of hearing but not understanding
• Daniel 2:27–28 — God reveals mysteries
• Mark 1:14–15 4:1–20— The gospel of the kingdom and the mystery of the kingdom
• 1 Corinthians 2:7–10 — The wisdom of God revealed by the Spirit

Chapter 1

 The Mystery Hidden from the Foundation of the World

“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
— Matthew 13:35 (KJV)

When Jesus said that the mysteries of the kingdom had been hidden since the foundation of the world, He was not referring to the creation of the universe. Rather, He was revealing that from the very beginning of God’s covenant dealings with Israel, His redemptive plan had been veiled—hidden within the stories, symbols, and shadows of Scripture.

To understand these mysteries we must think in covenantal terms not cosmic ones. 

The Covenant Setting of Creation

The book of Genesis was written by Moses, the same prophet who penned Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. He wrote these while Israel camped in the wilderness of Mount Sinai (Num. 1:1 Deut. 1:1), learning how to live as God’s covenant people.

In that light, the creation story takes on a new meaning. It was not written to explain the scientific origins of the universe, it’s about the beginning of Torah.

When God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), He was declaring the dawn of revelation—the unveiling of divine instruction. Just as light exposed and ordered creation, the Word of God was about to order Israel’s life, revealing how they were to live as His image-bearers in the world.

The creation story is not about the beginning of humankind, it’s about the beginning of Israel’s identity as God’s chosen nation. Like wise, it’s not about the beginning of time but the beginning of  national time for Israel. Their calendar, for example, began with Passover, the memorial of their deliverance from Egypt.

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”
— Exodus 12:2

According to the creation story, on the fourth day God made the sun, moon and stars for signs, seasons, days and years.

Seasons מוֹעֵד mô‘ēḏ means appointed time. The sun, moon and stars served a covenantal function, they were to help Israel identify the appointed times in which they should celebrate the seven feasts (Lev. 23:4), sabbath day, sabbath year (every seven years) and year of Jubilee (every 50 years). 

The fact that mô‘ēḏ appears both in Genesis and Leviticus further confirms that the creation story was written by Moses and describes God’s Covenant dealings with Israel. 

 A Warning Within the Story

The creation story served as a covenantal warning. Just as Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden for disobedience, Israel was warned that if they forgot the commandments of the Lord, they too would be driven out of their promised land.

“Take heed to thyself, that thou forget not the LORD thy God… and it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God… ye shall surely perish.” Deuteronomy 8:11, 19

“Ye shall therefore keep -- my statutes and -- my judgments…That the land spew not you out…as it spewed out -- the nations that were before you.” Leviticus 18:26&28

Thus the story of Eden was about obedience to God’s commandments.

The Parabolic Nature of Genesis

The Creation, Noah’s Ark, and Tower of Babel stories share the structure and language features of parables. They use symbols, repetition and contrast to reveal spiritual truths through familiar imagery. They were also deeply prophetic—depicting what would be.

Each story, in its own way, portrayed Israel’s covenant journey. 

From Creation to Covenant: The Pattern of Seven

The six days of creation, followed by the seventh day of rest, foreshadowed Israel’s journey from Egypt (the land of chaos and darkness) through the wilderness, into the Promised Land. 

Just as Adam and Eve fell through disobedience, so too did Israel. When Solomon married pagan wives and worshipped their gods, the kingdom was divided—Israel in the north, Judah in the south. Prophets came, warning them of “the day of the Lord” * but they wouldn’t listen. Eventually, Israel was conquered by Assyria and scattered among the nations; like wise Judah was conquered and taken captive by Babylon.

They were driven from the land, out of God’s presence and out of covenant fellowship with him—just as Adam and Eve were driven from the garden.

Even within this fall, the prophetic pattern continued. Cain killed Abel, just as the rulers of Israel killed the prophets, the apostles and ultimately, Jesus Christ. 

* “the day of the Lord” Joel 1:15 2:1-11&31, Zephaniah 1:7-18, Isaiah 2:10-22 Amos 5:18-20

The first exodus began with the blood of the Passover lamb. The second Exodus began with the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His death and resurrection opened the way out of bondage—not from Egypt, but from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). 

Noah’s Ark and the Days of Judgment

In Genesis 3:15 God said that the seed of Eve would be at enmity with the seed of the serpent. Adam and Eve had a third son, Seth to replace Abel. Seth’s descendants began to “call upon the name of the Lord” therefore Seth represents righteous seed whilst Cain represents the serpent’s seed. In Noah’s day, both these seeds became mixed. The distinction between godly and ungodly blurred. Noah preached righteousness while preparing the ark and for one hundred years the world ignored his message. Finally, God’s judgment came in the form of a flood but Noah and his household found refuge in the vessel God had designed.

The ark became a prophetic picture of salvation—eight people were preserved through obedience to God’s Word, while the rest perished. Peter would later draw upon this image to describe salvation in Christ (1 Peter 3:20–21).

The Tower of Babel: Man’s Wisdom Versus God’s Design

The Tower of Babel stands as the opposite of both Noah’s Ark and the Garden of Eden. The ark was built by God’s command; Babel was built by man’s ambition. The people said, “Let us make us a name” (Genesis 11:4). Their unity was not born of faith but of pride and God confounded their language, scattering them across the earth.

The chaos of Babel mirrors the chaos of Genesis 1:2—“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” The Hebrew word תְּהוֹם tehôm translated “deep” in the KJV, corresponds to the Greek ἄβυσσος ábussos translated “bottomless pit” in Revelation.

Thus, the bottomless pit—without form or foundation—is an inverted Tower of Babel, the ultimate expression of humanity’s rebellion against divine order. It stands in stark contrast to the New Jerusalem, the city with twelve foundations, descending from heaven, radiant with God’s glory (Revelation 21:10–14).

Over and over, scripture traces the same redemptive arc—from chaos to covenant, from darkness to light.

Reflection Questions

1. What changes when we read the creation story as the beginning of Israel’s covenant rather than the beginning of the universe?
2. How does the story of Eden mirror Israel’s relationship with God?
3. How does the use of appointed times (môʿēd) deepen your understanding of God’s order and purpose in Israel’s worship?
4. How do Noah’s ark and the Tower of Babel present two contrasting paths—submission to God’s design versus human self-exaltation?
5. In what ways do you see the same pattern—from darkness to light—reflected in your own walk with God?

Additional Scripture References for Study

• Matthew 13:34–35 — The mystery hidden from the foundation of the world
• Exodus 12:1–14 — The beginning of Israel’s calendar and the first Passover
• Deuteronomy 8:11–20 — Warning against forgetting God in the Promised Land
• Genesis 1–11 — The creation, flood, and Babel narratives
• Hebrews 3–4 — The promise of rest and the warning of unbelief
• 1 Peter 3:18–22 — The ark as a symbol of salvation in Christ
• Revelation 21 — The New Jerusalem with twelve foundations

Chapter 2 

The Tabernacle and the Divine Pattern 

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”
— Exodus 25:8–9 (KJV)

After Israel received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, God commanded Moses to build a Tabernacle—a dwelling place for His presence that would travel with them through the wilderness. Like Noah’s ark, the Tabernacle was constructed according to God’s specific design, not human invention. Every part of it was symbolic. 

The Tabernacle as a Reflection of Creation

The Tabernacle’s design reflected the pattern of creation itself. According to the historian Flavius Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book III, Chapter 6), the three divisions of the Tabernacle represented the universe:

“The sea and the land were accessible to all; but the third part he reserved for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men.”

Thus, the outer court symbolised the sea, the holy place represented the earth, and the holy of holies heaven—the dwelling place of God. It was a miniature cosmos, a sacred model of creation where heaven and earth met.

The Tabernacle as a Picture of the Exodus 

The simple layout of the Tabernacle also mirrored the story of the Exodus. The outer court, with its altar of sacrifice, represented Egypt—the place of bloodshed and deliverance. The holy place, illuminated by the golden lamp stand and perfumed with incense, represented Mount Sinai—the place of revelation and worship. The holy of holies, where God’s glory rested above the mercy seat, represented Canaan—the place of covenant rest and divine presence.

From Egypt to Sinai to Canaan, the structure of the Tabernacle told Israel’s own story of redemption and relationship with God.

The Feasts and the Divine Rhythm 

This same threefold pattern was woven into Israel’s annual feasts. The three pilgrimage feasts—Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles—each corresponded to a key stage in Israel’s covenant journey. Passover marked deliverance from bondage, Pentecost commemorated the giving of the Law at Sinai and Tabernacles celebrated God dwelling among His people.

These feasts also foreshadowed the second Exodus through Christ: His crucifixion (Passover), the outpouring of the Spirit (Pentecost), and His parousia—the fullness of His kingdom and tabernacling presence (Tabernacles).  

The Tabernacle and the Divine Marriage

The design of the Tabernacle also reflected the three stages of an ancient Hebrew wedding:

1. Shiddukin — the betrothal agreement or covenant promise.
2. Erusin — the formal vows and gifts that sealed the relationship.
3. Nissuin — the final union, when the bride and groom dwelt together.

Just as a bride was brought into her husband’s home, so God desired to dwell among His covenant people. 

The Holy of Holies and the Midst of the Garden

Once a year on the day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of an animal seven times upon the mercy seat (the golden lid of the Ark of the Covenant) to make atonement for the sins of Israel. Only the High Priest could enter the sacred, innermost part of the Tabernacle and commune with God (Ex. 25:22). 

The Holy of Holies represented the midst of the garden, where Adam and Eve once walked in perfect fellowship with God. It was also like Noah’s ark, where a remnant found refuge through obedience. Both stand in contrast to the Tower of Babel, which symbolised man’s attempt to reach heaven through his own design.

The Tabernacle, built by divine pattern, was the antithesis of Babel, built by human ambition. One descended from heaven; the other reached upward in pride.

 In this sacred structure, heaven touched earth, and God dwelt among His people once more. The same divine pattern will unfold again through the parables of Jesus, revealing the second Exodus—from death to life, from old covenant shadows to new covenant glory—culminating in the final separation of the faithful from the unfaithful.

Reflection Questions

1. How does viewing the Tabernacle as a reflection of creation and the Exodus deepen your understanding of its symbolism?
2. How does the Tabernacle foreshadow the second Exodus and the establishment of the New Covenant kingdom?
3. How does God’s insistence on a divine pattern shape the way you understand true worship and obedience?
4. What does God “dwelling among” His people reveal about His purpose from creation to the kingdom?

Additional Scripture References for Study

• Exodus 25:8–9, 40 — The pattern of the Tabernacle
• Genesis 2–3 — The creation and the fall
• Leviticus 23 — The feasts of the Lord
• Hebrews 9 — The earthly Tabernacle and the heavenly pattern

Chapter 3 

The Parable of the Sower and the End of the Age

After sending His disciples to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” to preach “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:6&7), Jesus began to teach the multitudes by parables, revealing the hidden mysteries of the kingdom. In Matthew 13, He told the parable of the sower—a picture of how the message of the kingdom would be received among His people.

“Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth…
And some fell among thorns…
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.”
— Matthew 13:3–8

The Seed and the Soil 

Jesus explained that the “seed” was the Word of God (Luke 8:11). The various types of soil represented the different conditions of men’s hearts. Some heard the Word but did not understand it, “the devil” (Luke 8:12) then caught away “that which was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19). Others received it with joy but had no root; when persecution arose, they withered away. Some were choked by the cares and riches of this world. Still others received the Word into an honest and good heart, they’re roots ran deep and they bore fruit with patience (endurance).

These four types of soil describe the mixed responses to the gospel message in Jesus’ day. The seed was good, but the ground varied. The obstacle was often “the devil”.

The Birds and the Thorns

In Scripture, devil (diábolos) simply means false accuser. Likewise satan (Satanás) means adversary. In Jesus’ day, the greatest opposition came from the religious rulers—the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees—those He most often rebuked. They devoured widows’ houses (Mark 12:40), oppressed the poor, and resisted the Word of truth. Like thorns, they choked spiritual growth. Like birds, they snatched the seed away from men’s hearts.

Revelation uses similar imagery: “Babylon…has become… a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (Revelation 18:2)

These unclean birds represent corrupt religious rulers opposing the truth. Thus, the parable of the sower revealed both the work of God through His Word and the work of “the devil” through religious hypocrisy.

The Wheat and the Tares 

Immediately after the parable of the sower, Jesus gave another parable, deepening the mystery:

“The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”
— Matthew 13:24–25

The “tares” looked like wheat in their early stages however they bore no good fruit. When the servants asked if they should uproot the tares, the master said,

“Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest.”
— Matthew 13:29–30

The separation would come at the time of harvest—at the end of the age—when the Son of Man would send forth His angels to gather the wheat into His barn and burn the tares.

The Seed of Abraham and the Seed of the Serpent

When explaining the parable, Jesus called the tares “the children of the wicked one” (Matthew 13:38)

This connects to what he said to the Pharisees in John 8:

“If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
But now ye seek to kill me… Ye do the deeds of your father…
Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do.”
— John 8:39–44

Here Jesus revealed the spiritual genealogy of the two seeds first seen in Genesis 3:15—the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. The Pharisees, though physically descended from Abraham, were spiritually aligned with the serpent. Their hearts were hard and their fruit was evil.

Jesus confirmed this again in Matthew 15:

“Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”
— Matthew 15:12&13

Thus the Pharisees were the tares—the plants not sown by the Father. They were part of the covenant community outwardly but not inwardly. The wheat were Abraham’s true children—those who had faith like his.

“Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
— Galatians 3:7

The Fulfilment in Christ 

God promised Abraham that through his seed all nations would be blessed. This was fulfilled in Jesus, the ultimate righteous seed (Galatians 3:16). His death and resurrection sparked the second exodus—the redemption of His people from “the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

Jesus was crucified at Passover. He was buried during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and rose again on the Feast of First fruits. In Him, the prophetic feasts found their meaning.

Before ascending, He said:

“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
— Acts 1:8

This commission mirrored the creation pattern—garden, land, sea—spreading outward until the whole earth was filled with His glory.

Pentecost and the Great and Notable Day of the Lord

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2), fulfilling the feast that commemorated Israel’s arrival at Mount Sinai. Peter addressed his hearers—“Ye men of Israel”—and charged them:

“Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” the Lord Jesus.
— Acts 2:23

Quoting Joel, Peter warned:

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.”
— Acts 2:20

Those who heard were “pricked in their heart” and cried out, “What shall we do?” Peter answered,

“Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
— Acts 2:38

They desired to be saved—not merely from sin—but from the impending day of the Lord, the coming judgment upon that generation.

The Days of Noah and the End of the Age

Jesus compared the end of that age to the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37). Before the flood, righteous and wicked seed mingled until only Noah’s household remained pure. God delayed judgment while Noah prepared the ark—a hundred years of patient warning. Then the flood came and took them all away.

Likewise, in the first century, God delayed judgment until the gospel had gone forth “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Between Pentecost and the destruction of Jerusalem, there was a period of growth before the harvest.

The Pattern of Sowing, Growing, and Harvest

The parables of Matthew 13 reveal a divine timeline:

• Sowing — The Word of God planted through Jesus and His disciples.
• Growing — A forty year testing period.
• Harvest — The end of the age, when the wheat and tares would be separated.

The same pattern appeared in the Exodus story: Israel was delivered from Egypt, tested for forty years in the wilderness until only a remnant entered the promised land. So too, in the new covenant, only a remnant entered the kingdom—the spiritual “barn” of the Lord.

The Final Separation 

At the end of the age, Jesus said:

“The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.”
— Matthew 13:41

Notice that the tares were gathered out of the kingdom, meaning they had once been part it however the New Covenant Kingdom—the New Jerusalem—would be pure and undefiled. As Revelation declares:

“There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
— Revelation 21:27

In the New Jerusalem, there are no tares, no thorns, no thistles—no more curse (Revelation 22:3). Only the righteous remain, those who have endured to the end and produced fruit unto life eternal.

Reflection Questions

1. What do the parables of the sower, wheat and tares teach us about the growth of God’s kingdom in the first century?
2. How does persecution reveal the true condition of the heart?
3. Why does Jesus compare the end of the age to the days of Noah?
4. What does it mean that the tares were gathered “out of the kingdom”?
5. How can we ensure that our hearts remain “good soil” for the Word of God?

Additional Scripture References for Study

• Matthew 13:1–43 — The parables of the sower and the tares
• John 8:31–47 — The true and false seed of Abraham
• Matthew 15:13 — Plants not planted by the Father
• Acts 1:8; 2:1–41 — The outpouring of the Spirit and the call to repentance
• Genesis 6–9 — The days of Noah
• Deuteronomy 8:2–5 — Israel’s testing in the wilderness
• Revelation 18:2; 21:27; 22:3 — The unclean birds and the curse removed

Chapter 4

 The Wedding Banquet and the Ten Virgins

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.”
— Matthew 22:2 (KJV)

After revealing the mystery of the kingdom through the parable of the sower, Jesus told another parable that began in a similar way—a king sent out his servants, scattering invitations like seed in a field. Just as the sower’s seed fell on different kinds of ground, the king’s invitation was received with differing responses. Both parables describe the spread of the gospel message and the varied reactions of those who heard it.

The Invitation Rejected

In Matthew 22, the first group invited to the wedding banquet refused to come. Some “made light” of it, going instead to their farms and businesses. Like the seed choked by thorns, they were preoccupied with the cares of this life. Others reacted violently, seizing the king’s servants and killing them.

When the king heard of it, he was angry. “He sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city” (Matthew 22:7). This points unmistakably to the judgment that came upon Jerusalem within that generation, just as Jesus foretold in Matthew 23:

“Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify…that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel…O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets…behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”
— Matthew 23:34–38

The destruction of Jerusalem in AD70 was the “day of the Lord”, a divine reckoning for generations of hardened hearts and shed blood.

The Invitation Extended

After the first invitees proved unworthy, the king sent his servants into the highways, saying, “As many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.” They gathered all they could—“both bad and good”—until the wedding was furnished with guests (Matthew 22:10).

This widening invitation parallels the expansion of the gospel mission. At first, Jesus sent His disciples only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6), declaring, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” However after His death, resurrection and the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, the invitation broadened to the nations:

“Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
— Acts 1:8

In Acts 10, Peter was astonished to see Cornelius—a Roman centurion—receive the Holy Spirit. The wedding invitation had gone out to all peoples.

The Wedding Garment and the Final Separation 

Among the guests, one man came without a wedding garment. When confronted, he was speechless. The king said, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13).

Here again we see the separation of “bad and good,” like the fish sorted from the dragnet (Matthew 13:47–50) or the tares separated from the wheat. The wedding garment represents the righteousness provided by the King Himself—those who reject it cannot remain in His presence.

This parable, like the sower and the wheat and tares, portrays the same spiritual timeline:

• Invitation (Sowing): The gospel proclaimed to Israel and then to all nations.
• Response (Growing): A mixed multitude—both faithful and faithless.
• Judgment (Harvest): The final separation between those clothed in righteousness and those without.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

In Matthew 25, Jesus told another wedding parable that builds upon the first—the parable of the ten virgins. If the banquet illustrates the invitation, this parable illustrates the consummation.

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”
— Matthew 25:1 (KJV)

Five were wise and took oil with them; five were foolish and took no oil. When the cry rang out at midnight, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh,” the wise trimmed their lamps, but the foolish found theirs gone out. While they went to buy oil, the bridegroom came. “They that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” (Matthew 25:10).

The Oil of the Spirit and Covenant Betrothal 

In ancient Israel, a marriage unfolded in three stages:

1. Shiddukin — the covenant arrangement or proposal.
2. Erusin — the betrothal, sealed by gifts or tokens.
3. Nissuin — the final union, when the groom received his bride into his father’s house.

At Mount Sinai, Israel entered into Erusin with God, saying, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8). The Ten Commandments were like a ketubah—a marriage contract. God dwelt among His people through the Tabernacle.

After Jesus’ crucifixion and the outpouring of the Spirit, a new covenant betrothal began. The Holy Spirit was given as the “earnest”—the token of this marriage covenant (Ephesians 1:13–14). The wise virgins with lamps full of oil, symbolise believers in-dwelt by the Spirit. The foolish virgins, lacking oil, represent those without the inward life of God.

When the bridegroom came, the wise entered the bridal chamber and the door was shut, echoing the story of Noah’s ark when God shut the door once all the animals had been ushered in.

The Closed Door and the End of the Age

The foolish virgins cried, “Lord, Lord, open to us,” but He answered, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Matthew 25:11–12). These are the same solemn words from the Sermon on the Mount: “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).

At the end of the age, the faithful remnant entered the place of refuge—the New Covenant Kingdom of God—while the unfaithful were cast out into darkness. The pattern repeats: the midst of the garden, Noah’s ark, the Holy of Holies, the barn and the bridal chamber—all represent the same reality: communion with God, a place of peace, rest, and spiritual safety for His covenant people.

The Mystery Revealed

The “mystery of the kingdom,” hidden from the foundation of the world, is revealed through these parables. The Sower, the wedding banquet, the virgins with their lamps—all point to the same great reality: the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan through Christ.

From creation to covenant, from garden to kingdom, God has been preparing a bride—a people purified, filled with His Spirit, and clothed in righteousness—ready for the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb.

“Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
— Revelation 19:9 (KJV)

Reflection Questions

1. How do the wedding banquet and ten virgins parables build upon the themes of the sower and the wheat and tares?
2. What does the wedding garment represent and why was it essential?
3. How does the oil of the wise virgins symbolise the Holy Spirit?
4. What parallels can be seen between the ark, the Holy of Holies, and the bridal chamber?
5. How do these parables reveal the “mystery of the kingdom” that was hidden from the foundation of the world?

Additional Scripture References

• Matthew 22:1–14 — The wedding banquet
• Matthew 25:1–13 — The ten virgins
• Matthew 23:29–39 — The judgment on Jerusalem
• Acts 1:8; 10:34–48 — The gospel to the nations
• Ephesians 1:13–14 — The Holy Spirit as the pledge of the covenant
• Genesis 7:13–16 — The shutting of the door in Noah’s ark
• Revelation 19:7–9 — The marriage supper of the Lamb

Chapter Five 

The Wicked Husbandmen and the Talents

When Jesus spoke the parable of the wicked husbandmen (Matthew 21:33–46), His words echoed the long and tragic story of those given stewardship of God’s vineyard. “There was a certain householder,” Jesus said, “which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about… and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.” When harvest time drew near, the householder sent his  servants to receive the fruits, but the husbandmen beat one, killed another and stoned a another. Finally, he sent his son, saying, “They will reverence my son.” Yet the husbandmen said among themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.”

Jesus asked, “When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?” The chief priests and Pharisees replied, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” Then Jesus declared, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”

The chief priests and pharisees perceived that He spoke of them.

The Vineyard and Its Stewards

This parable draws upon Isaiah’s song of the vineyard: “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel” (Isaiah 5:7). The “householder” represents God, the vineyard is Israel, and the husbandmen are the priests entrusted with her care. God had planted Israel as a choice vine, delivering her from Egypt, establishing their covenant at Sinai, giving her the Law, the priesthood and the promises.

The Levites, set apart to serve in the tabernacle, represented all the firstborn males of Israel (Numbers 3:12–13). In ancient Israel, the firstborn son inherited the father’s household and judicial authority. Just as Adam was called to “dress”(āḇaḏ serve) the garden and exercise dominion over the animals, the Levitical priests were called to serve and exercise authority within the tabernacle. The Levites’ inheritance was unique: “Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land… I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel” (Numbers 18:20). God Himself was their inheritance.

Once established in Canaan, Israel was not content with God’s order. They desired a king “like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). God granted their request and eventually David—a man after God’s own heart—became king. When David’s son Solomon took the throne he built a grand temple, however he also married many women from the surrounding nations who eventually turned his heart away from God towards idols, thus idolatry entered the kingdom. The prophet Ahijah tore a garment into twelve pieces, gave ten to Jeroboam and declared, “thus saith the Lord… I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee” (1 Kings 11:31). These words foreshadow Jesus’ own declaration centuries later: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you.”

The Prophets and the Slain Servants

God sent prophet after prophet to call Israel and Judah to repentance but they were persecuted and slain, like the servants in Jesus’ parable. Eventually Judah was conquered and taken captive by Babylon because King Manasseh filled Jerusalem with innocent blood (2 Kings 21:6 24:4). The same spirit that killed the prophets was at work in the first century among the religious rulers who sought to destroy Jesus.

Caiaphas the high priest said, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation” (John 11:48). They were afraid of losing their position of authority—like the wicked husbandmen who sought to “seize upon” the son’s inheritance- they wanted to own the Kingdom. Jesus told them, “Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth” (Matthew 23:32–35). 

The Parable of the Talents

The same theme continues in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30). Once again, “a man travelling into a far country” entrusts his servants with his goods. To one he gives five talents, to another two, and to another one. Upon his return, he reckons with them. Those who multiplied what they were given are commended but the servant who buried his talent in the earth is called “wicked and slothful.” His talent is taken from him, given to another and he is cast into “outer darkness.”

The man who buried his talent in the earth symbolises those who invest in an earthly kingdom rather than the heavenly one. Like the wicked husbandmen, he sought security in what is physical and temporal. Both parables reveal the same divine principle: stewardship of God’s kingdom is taken from the unfaithful and given to those who will bear fruit.

The Kingdom Taken and Given

Throughout Israel’s history, the kingdom was “taken” from one and “given” to another—Saul to David, Solomon to Jeroboam and finally, in the first century, from the corrupt religious rulers to those who would bring forth fruit in the New Covenant. The Church—the Body of Christ—is the new royal priesthood, exercising the spiritual authority once given to the firstborn of Israel (1 Peter 2:9).

The wicked husbandmen and the slothful servant both end outside the covenant household, in “outer darkness.” This darkness recalls the תְּהוֹם tehôm—the deep, formless void of Genesis 1. It is the chaos of Babel, the bottomless pit of Revelation, the realm of confusion and exile. In contrast, the New Jerusalem, with its twelve foundations and streets of gold, represents the ordered, radiant beauty of God’s New Covenant kingdom. It is precious beyond measure, “more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold” (Psalm 19:10).

The lesson is clear: what we have been entrusted with must not be buried in the earth. We are called to steward the kingdom faithfully, to bear fruit and build not our own kingdom, but His.

Reflection Questions

1. What does Jesus’ parable of the wicked husbandmen teach us about spiritual stewardship and accountability?
2. How does Israel’s history illustrate the principle that the kingdom shall be taken and given?
3. In what way does the parable of the talents challenge believers to invest in eternal rather than earthly things?
4. What does it mean for the Church to be a royal priesthood and heir of God’s inheritance in Christ?

Scripture References

• Matthew 21:33–46; 25:14–30 – The Kingdom taken from unfaithful stewards; warning against investing in an earthly kingdom
• Matthew 23:32–35 – Religious leaders fill the measure of prophetic bloodshed
• Isaiah 5:1–7 – Israel as God’s vineyard entrusted to stewards
• Numbers 3:12–13 18:20 – The Levites represent Israel’s first-born, God is their inheritance
• 1 Samuel 8:5–7 – Israel rejects God’s rule for an earthly king
• 1 Kings 11:31 – The Kingdom torn away and given to another
• John 11:48 – Fear of losing authority leads to rejecting the Son
• 1 Peter 2:9 – The Church as a royal priesthood and holy nation
• Psalm 19:10 – God’s kingdom more precious than gold

Chapter Six 

The Sheep and the Goats

When Jesus first sent out His twelve disciples in Matthew 10, His mission was clear: “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” They were sent as heralds of the approaching kingdom. Yet they were warned, “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Those words appear again in Matthew 24 “ye shall be hated of all nations…He that shall endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved.” The link between Matthew 10 and Matthew 24 is unmistakable: the “end” to which they must endure was not the end of the physical world, but the end of the age—the close of the Old Covenant order and the dawn of the New.

The Coming of the Son of Man 

In Matthew 10, Jesus said, “Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.” This anticipated His Parousia—the climactic return in judgment and glory that would mark the end of the second exodus. He spoke of this again in Matthew 16:28: “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”

Standing before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Jesus declared, “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). His words were drawn directly from Daniel 7, where “one like the Son of man” comes with the clouds of heaven to receive everlasting dominion and a kingdom that shall not be destroyed.

The book of Hebrews is all about the transition from the old to new Covenant. It describes Jesus entering the tabernacle “not made with hands”, sprinkling “his own blood” upon the mercy seat, then sitting down (Hebrews 9:12 10:12). The mercy seat became his throne. The book of Hebrews, using symbolic liturgical language, declares Jesus as both our high priest and king. 

The parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 begins with the same imagery: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” This was the moment of His enthronement—the establishment of His kingdom and final judgment upon those who rejected Him.

The Judgment of the Nations

At His coming, “all nations” are gathered before Him and He separates them as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. The imagery echoes the earlier parables—the wheat and tares, the wise and foolish virgins—each depicting the same separation at the end of the age. 

On what basis are the sheep and goats divided? To answer, we must return again to Matthew 10. When Jesus sent His disciples out, He instructed them to take no money, no extra food, nor additional clothing. They were to depend entirely on the hospitality of those in the cities of Israel. “He that receiveth you receiveth me,” He said, “and whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only… shall in no wise lose his reward.” Those who rejected them would face the “day of judgment.”

“Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.” Matthew 10:15

In Matthew 25, this judgment unfolds. The King says to those on His left hand, “I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink… naked, and ye clothed me not.” The goats protest, “When saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or naked?” The King replies, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it not to me.”

Conversely, the sheep are blessed: “I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat… thirsty, and ye gave me drink… naked, and ye clothed me…Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

The Reward of the Righteous

Here the connection to Matthew 10 becomes clear. The “least of these my brethren” refers to Jesus’ own disciples who were sent to the lost sheep of Israel. How the “cities of Israel” received or rejected them determined their place in the final judgment. Those who received the messengers of the kingdom were counted as sheep; those who rejected them as goats.

To the sheep, the King says, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” This echoes the language of Matthew 13, where Jesus spoke of the mystery which had been “kept secret from the foundation of the world.” The kingdom, hidden from the beginning, was now revealed and given to those who believed.

In Genesis, Noah “prepared” an ark with many rooms to preserve the righteous through the flood. In John 14, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you.” Likewise, the kingdom in Matthew 25 was “prepared” from the foundation of the world—a divine dwelling for those who endured to the end.

The End of the Age

When Jesus’ disciples asked, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3), He answered, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” In Scripture, a generation is forty years—the same length of time Israel wandered in the wilderness between Sinai and Canaan. So too, the first-century Church endured a forty-year transition—from the death and resurrection of Christ to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. When the Groom came to receive His bride, her betrothal period was complete and the New Covenant age had fully begun.

The Fire of Judgment

The goats are cast into “everlasting fire,” just as the tares were bundled for burning. This judgment was vividly fulfilled when Roman soldiers burned Jerusalem and its temple to the ground. The once-holy city became a lake of fire—a solemn image of divine justice. Yet even in judgment, God was faithful, preserving a remnant who believed.

The sheep inherited the kingdom that cannot be destroyed—a kingdom not of this world but of heaven. Its foundations are unshakable, its glory eternal. Those who endured to the end were saved by entering the everlasting presence of the King who reigns upon the throne of His glory.

Reflection Questions

1. How does Matthew 10 help us interpret the parable of the sheep and goats?
2. What does Jesus’ Parousia signify in the context of the first century and the close of the Old Covenant age?
3. How does the separation of sheep and goats mirror earlier parables of separation and judgment?
4. What does it mean to “inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world”?
5. Does this parable call believers to faithfully receive and support the messengers of Christ’s kingdom today?

Scripture References

• Matthew 10:5–42 –The mission to Israel and judgement based on receiving Christ’s messengers
• Matthew 16:28 –Some would see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom
• Matthew 24:3–34 –The end of the age fulfilled within that generation
• Matthew 25:31–46 –Separation of sheep and goats at Christ’s enthronement
• Matthew 26:64 –Jesus declares His coming in clouds before the Sanhedrin
• Daniel 7:13–14 –The Son of Man receives everlasting dominion and a kingdom
• John 14:1–3 –A prepared dwelling in the Father’s house for God’s people
• Genesis 6:14–22 –The ark prepared to preserve the righteous through judgement
• Numbers 32:13 –Israel’s forty-year wilderness period as a generational transition
• Deuteronomy 8:2–3 –God tests and humbles His people during the wilderness journey

Chapter Seven 

The Hidden Mystery Revealed through Paul’s Epistles

In Mark 4, Jesus told His disciples, “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.” The “mystery” that Jesus spoke of was not something new, as He said in Matthew 13: “I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

The apostle Paul later described this same mystery as something “hid in God,” (Ephesians 3:9) concealed from ages and generations (Colossians 1:26), but revealed in the first century through Christ and His apostles. In Colossians 1:27, he explained that the mystery was “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” In Ephesians 3:3-6, he revealed “the mystery…that the gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.” In Ephesians 5, he likened the mystery to a marriage between “Christ and the church.” Finally, in Ephesians 1, he spoke of “the mystery of His will… that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”

The Parables and the Mystery

When Jesus described seed falling upon good ground, He was portraying “Christ in you,” whilst the harvest represents the “hope of glory.”

Likewise, the five wise virgins with oil in their lamps reflect “Christ in you,” whilst the bridegroom’s arrival represents “the hope of glory”. 

The Betrothal and the Bride

At the cross, Jesus purchased His bride with His own blood—the mohar, or bride price. At Pentecost, He gave her the “gift” of the Spirit, a pledge of their covenant bond. At His Parousia, He redeemed His “purchased possession”(Ephesians 1:14).

Just as wheat was gathered into the barn, just as the wise virgins entered the bridal chamber and the sheep inherited the kingdom prepared for them, the Ekklesia—the Bride of Christ—was received into the New Covenant Kingdom.

The Coming of the Bridegroom

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Paul wrote, “The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”

In Scripture, clouds often symbolise God’s presence: He appeared in a cloud above the mercy seat (Exodus 40:34) and Solomon’s temple was filled with the cloud of His glory (1 Kings 8:10–11). Clouds can symbolise not only God’s presence but His judgment, as in Isaiah 19: “Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud.” Furthermore clouds can represent a covenantal transition—like when God descended in thick cloud upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-18 24:15-18).

The Hebrew Scriptures sometimes liken clouds to a covering or  canopy

Psalm 18:11
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were… thick clouds of the skies.
— Pavilion = סֹךְ (sōḵ), meaning shelter or canopy.

Joel 2:16
...let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
— The Hebrew word for closet is חֻפָּה (ḥuppāh), meaning bridal canopy or pavilion.

The bridal chamber or bridal canopy was called the ḥuppāh.  A bride was often carried upon a palanquin to the huppah where the marriage was consummated. Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians likely draw from this wedding imagery.

The Preparation of the Bride

During the betrothal period, the groom would go away to prepare a dwelling for his bride—an extension upon his father’s house. Jesus told His disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). In a similar pattern, Noah “prepared” an ark with “rooms” (Genesis 6:14) 

The bride also had to prepare herself. Paul described this in Ephesians, where believers—Jews and Gentiles—were built into a holy temple, a household and habitation of God through the Spirit. The temple was growing, indicating an ongoing process of sanctification and preparation (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Putting on the New Man

In Ephesians 4, Paul urged believers to “put off the old man” and “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” He said that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers were appointed “for the perfecting of the saints…till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man.”

The word “till” suggests a definitive point when the bride would become “perfect”, meaning complete or mature—ready for her presentation to Christ. In Ephesians 5, Paul said Christ loved the church and “gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,” so that He might “present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle.”

The Wedding Garment and the Chosen

The Church was washed by “the Word” through apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. The presentation of the spotless bride to Christ is “the redemption of the purchased possession” mentioned in Ephesians 1.

In that same chapter, Paul described the Church as “chosen.” In  Jesus’s parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22), a man was cast into outer darkness for not wearing the proper wedding garment, with the words “Many are called, but few are chosen.” This reinforces the idea that the wedding garment represents the “new man”, provided by God but “put on” by faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The Fullness of Time

From Pentecost onward, the gospel spread to “the uttermost part of the earth.” Jesus had said that once this gospel was preached in all the world, the end would come. Paul explained in Romans 11 that Israel’s blindness would last “until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” Compare that to Ephesians 4:13 where he wrote, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith…unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

When that fullness was reached, the bride was ready—fully unified thus presented to her Husband. The wedding garment symbolises the complete unity of Jew and Gentile in one body but also those “which are in heaven and which are on earth” gathered as one in Christ (Ephes. 1:10 1 Thess. 4:16&17).

The Great Mystery: Christ and His Church 

In Ephesians 5, Paul alludes to Adam’s words in Genesis: “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” Thus the mystery of “Christ and the Church”, hidden in God from the beginning is unveiled:

On the sixth day of creation, God put Adam into a deep sleep, took a rib from his side, formed a woman, then presented her to him as his bride. In the same way, Jesus—the last Adam—slept in death, His side was opened and from it came the Church, His bride. Through "the washing of water by the Word”, she was sanctified, prepared and finally presented to Him as His glorious counterpart at the close of the Old Covenant age.

Just as the Eve was presented to Adam on the sixth day of creation and just as the High priest entered the Holy of Holies during the sixth feast (atonement), the Ekklesia entered the heavenly bride chamber during the Roman-Jewish war, when the sixth Feast was fulfilled.

Reflection Questions

1. How does Paul’s description of the “mystery” in his epistles expand on Jesus’s teaching in the parables?
2. How does the ancient Jewish wedding pattern help clarify the sequence of cross, Pentecost, and Parousia?
3. What does the bridal imagery reveal about the corporate identity of the Church rather than an individualistic faith?
4. What does “perfection” or “maturity” mean in the context of Paul’s letters, and how does it differ from modern notions of personal perfection?
5. How does viewing clouds as covenantal imagery reshape the interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4?

Scripture References

• Colossians 1:26–27 – The revealed mystery: Christ in you, the hope of glory
• Ephesians 1:9–14 – God’s revealed plan and the redeemed, purchased possession
• Ephesians 3:6 – Jew and Gentile made one body in Christ
• Ephesians 4:13–24 – Growth into maturity by putting on the new man
• Ephesians 5:25–32 – The great mystery of Christ and the Church as bride
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 – The Bridegroom’s coming and covenantal gathering
• Romans 11:25 – Israel’s blindness until the fullness of the Gentiles
• Genesis 2:21–23 – Eve formed from Adam and presented as his bride
• John 14:2 – The Bridegroom prepares a dwelling in the Father’s house
• Isaiah 19:1 – The Lord coming in clouds in judgment
• Exodus 40 – God’s glory dwelling with His covenant people

Chapter Eight

The Mystery Finished

In Revelation 10, John hears a mighty angel declare that “there should be time no longer… but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.” This moment marks the culmination of prophetic history—the revelation of what had been hidden from the foundation of the world.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly tied the “mystery of the kingdom of God” to the completion of His redemptive mission and promised His disciples this would occur within their lifetime (Matthew 10:23, 16:28, 24:3&34)  

The Urgency of Revelation

Revelation, from the very first line, reflects this same sense of eminence: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ… to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass…for the time is at hand” (Revelation 1:1–3). The closing chapter repeats the refrain: “These sayings are faithful and true… behold, I come quickly… the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:6–12).

This creates a perfect inclusio—a framework around the whole book to emphasises it’s imminent,  first century fulfilment. The time was not distant; the end was near. Daniel was told to “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4). In contrast, John was told, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10). The difference is striking: what Daniel foresaw, John witnessed in his day.

Daniel’s Prophecy Fulfilled

In Daniel 9, the prophet described a three and a half year period of warfare, beginning when “the sacrifice and the oblation” ceased and ending when “the city and the sanctuary” were destroyed. This prophecy found its literal fulfilment in the Roman-Jewish war.

First-century historian, Josephus, records that in A.D. 66, Eleazar ben Hanania, a “very bold youth” and “captain of the temple”, persuaded his fellow priests to cease offering sacrifices for foreigners. 

Josephus wrote that this was “the true beginning of our war with the Romans” (Wars 2.17.2) 

Later that same year, Cestius Gallus advanced upon Jerusalem with 30,000 Roman soldiers. Josephus wrote, just when he could have “taken the city…without any reason in the world” except for “the aversion (of) God” he retreated. His army was then pursued and slaughtered by Jewish rebels in the valley of Beth Horon, an event that sealed Jerusalem’s fate (Wars 2.19.6-9)

In A.D. 67, Vespasian began his campaign through Galilee, burning everything in his path. Josephus vividly describes the Sea of Galilee as “bloody and full of dead bodies” (Wars 3.4.1 Wars 3.9.3 Wars 3.10.9). This corresponds precisely with the imagery of Revelation 8, where the trees are burned and the sea becomes as blood—a reversal of creation itself. Those who survived the devastation fled south toward Jerusalem, including the zealot leader John of Gischala, who brought with him further turmoil (Wars 4.2.1-4).

The Death of the Witnesses

In Jerusalem, internal strife erupted. The high priest Ananus ben Ananus, described by Josephus as a noble and peace-loving man opposed to the zealots, rallied the people against them. Another priestly zealot, Eleazar ben Simon, seized upon the temple with his followers, prompting Ananus to “set guards in the cloisters” so they could not escape (Wars 4.3.7-12). In desperation, Eleazar called upon the Idumeans for help—a fierce and bloodthirsty people.

As the Idumeans gathered outside the city, another high priest, Jesus ben Gamala, stood upon a tower and implored them not to get involved. His plea was ignored. During the night, zealots secretly opened the city gates and the Idumeans poured in. (Wars 4.4.1-7). Among their first victims were the two high priests, Ananus and Jesus, the “great defenders” of the city. Their bodies were thrown into the streets—an act Josephus called a sign of Jerusalem’s doom (Wars 4.5.2). 

Revelation mirrors these events. In chapter 9 the bottomless pit is opened and locusts come swarming out. In chapter 11 “the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit” makes war with the two witnesses, kills them, and leaves their bodies in “the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” The parallel is unmistakable: the great city is first-century Jerusalem.

As I said earlier, the Hebrew word for “deep” תְּהוֹם tehôm is equivalent to the Greek word ἄβυσσος ábussos translated “bottomless pit” in Revelation. The de-creation process of the trees being burnt and the sea becoming blood went all the way back to the pre-creation chaos of Genesis 1:2 “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep…”.

The Seven Vials and the Fulfilment of Atonement

Whilst the seven trumpets in Revelation 8-11 represent the warning blasts preceding judgment and correspond to the Feast of Trumpets (fulfilled in AD 67), the seven vials of wrath in Revelation 16 correspond to the Feast of Atonement (fulfilled in AD 68–70).

In vials 2-4, men are scorched with fire and the seas and rivers become blood—a vivid echo of trumpets 1-3 and the “scorched-earth policy” of Vespasian as he advanced through Judea. Josephus records that bodies choked the Jordan, drifting into the Dead Sea until the waters literally ran red with blood (Wars 4.7.3-5). 

Rebel leader Simon bar Giora, upon hearing that the two high priests had been killed, travelled through Idumea gathering an army of at least 40,000 men who called him “king” (Wars 4.9.4&7). Josephus wrote he “proclaimed liberty to slaves and rewards to the free…” (Wars 4.9.3–4), words drawn from Isiah 61:1 that have messianic and Jubilee undertones. Josephus described his army as “locusts”—consuming everything in it’s path (Wars 4.9.7). John’s vision of locusts from the pit having a king over them finds its historical counterpart in Simon.

 

In A.D. 69 Simon entered Jerusalem and arrogantly took “possession” of the city. (Wars 4.9.11&12). There is evidence that he minted coins with messianic slogans like “For the Redemption of  Zion” and when finally captured by the Romans he emerged “clothed in a white tunic and a purple mantle” (Wars 7.2.1), the colours of royalty. His kingdom was man-made and man-centred—a revived Tower of Babel, marked by death, darkness, destruction, division and disorder.

The Tower of Babel was built to “make us a name” (Gen. 11:4). Revelation says that 666 is “the name of the beast or the number of his name…it is the number of a man”(Rev. 13:17&18). It  represents unregenerate man. Hence 666 was the mark that identified those belonging to a man-made, man-centred, counterfeit kingdom. 

By A.D. 69, Jerusalem was consumed with civil war. Three factions led by—Simon bar Giora, John of Gischala, and Eleazar ben Simon—divided the city and burned one another’s grain stores, sealing their doom (Wars 5.1.1&4). Revelation’s seventh vial describes the city divided into three parts, followed by a great hailstorm with stones weighing a talent (Rev. 16:21). Josephus likewise recounts white stones, each the weight of a talent, hurled by Roman catapults into the city when the siege began in the spring of A.D. 70 (Wars 5.6.3). 

The city became a lake of fire, engulfed in judgment. Death and Hades were cast into that lake—signifying the final end of the old covenant order. This was not merely the fall of a city but the climactic end of an age.

The Seventh Trumpet and the Jubilee

Following the death of the two witnesses, the seventh trumpet sounds and the “mystery of God” is finished. Trumpets in Scripture were used to announce impending warfare or the approach of a king. They were also blown at weddings, when the groom came for his bride. Paul echoed this imagery: “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). 

Furthermore, the trumpet imagery of Revelation connects directly to Israel’s feasts. The Feast of Trumpets was celebrated on the very first day of the seventh month. It was a time of fasting, reflection, repentance and preparation for the Day of Atonement that was on the 10th day of the seventh month. Every fiftieth year, on the Day of Atonement, the Jubilee trumpet sounded throughout the land, proclaiming freedom, forgiveness, and restoration (Leviticus 25:9–10). Debts were cleared, captives released and land returned to its original owners.

The “seventh trumpet” that John wrote about and the “trump of God” that Paul described both represent the Jubilee trumpet—signalling the redemption and release of God’s people from the bondage of the Old Covenant into the freedom of the New. Just as the Jubilee trumpet sounded when the high priest entered the holy of holies on the day of Atonement and just as a groom sounded a shofar when he came to receive his bride into the Father’s house, in about A.D.67-68 the Bride of Christ, clothed in fine linen, pure and white, entered the New Covenant Kingdom of God, in fulfilment of both the day of Atonement and year of Jubilee.

What Daniel had sealed, John unveiled. What the prophets longed to see was accomplished in Christ. The “mystery of God” was the union of heaven and earth—the marriage of the Lamb and His Bride, the establishment of an everlasting kingdom that would never be destroyed.

Reflection Questions

1. How does the contrast between Daniel’s “sealed” prophecy and Revelation’s “unsealed” prophecy highlight their fulfilment in the first century?
2. In what ways did the events described by Josephus parallel the imagery of Revelation chapters 8–11?
3. What is the significance of the seventh trumpet as the “Jubilee trumpet” in biblical symbolism?
4. How does the fulfilment of the Day of Atonement reveal the union between Christ and His Bride?
5. What does it mean for believers today that “the mystery of God” has been finished?

Scripture References

• Revelation 1:1–3 – The revelation of events soon to take place
• Revelation 8:7–9 – Trumpet judgments reflecting de-creation and warfare
• Revelation 9:1–11 – The abyss opened and locust armies unleashed
• Revelation 10:6–7 – The declaration that the mystery of God is finished
• Revelation 11:7–13 – The death of the witnesses and judgment on the great city
• Revelation 22:6–10 – The prophecy unsealed because the time is near
• Daniel 9:26–27 – The destruction of the city and sanctuary
• Daniel 12:4–9 – Prophecy sealed until the appointed time of fulfilment
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – The trumpet call announcing Christ’s coming for His people
• Leviticus 25:9–10 – The Jubilee trumpet proclaiming release and restoration
• Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Books II–IV– Historical record of events fulfilling Revelation’s imagery

Chapter Nine 

The Mystery Complete—A Kingdom Without End

Jubilee Judgement

In Revelation 19 we see Jesus, his eyes are as a flame of fire and out of his mouth goes a sharp sword. This is the other side to Jubilee—vengeance. In Isaiah 61:1&2 Jubilee is associated not just with forgiveness, freedom and restoration but with vengeance. In Luke 4 Jesus read from Isaiah 61 then a few chapters later said “when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies…these be the days of vengeance…” (Luke 21:22). Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica “it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance…” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8). Who were troubling the Thessalonians? Acts 17 tells us it was envious, unbelieving Jews. Jesus avenged the blood of the martyrs (Rev. 6:9&10) via the Roman-Jewish war that culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem. 

In Revelation 20 the dragon, serpent, devil, satan is bound in the bottomless pit for 1000 years, then loosed a little season (Rev. 20:2&3). There was roughly 1000 years between King David and Jesus Christ—the final King in the Davidic reign. When David took up the Judaic scepter (Gen. 49:10), unified the 12 tribes, conquered the ancient city of Salem and subdued Israel’s enemies—the dragon, serpent, devil, satan was bound. However when the beast ascended out of the bottomless pit and killed the two witnesses  (Rev. 11:7) the “little season” of chaos had begun.  

Revelation 20 also mentions a resurrection of the dead and white throne judgement (Rev. 20:11-13). This is the same judgement described in Matthew 25 that is connected to Matthew 10. It is also the same resurrection described by Paul in his epistles and Acts. Numerous scriptures confirm that first century believers were still “alive” (2 Thessalonians 4:15&17) when Jesus returned to resurrect the dead and separate the faithful from the unfaithful.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul wrote that when Jesus came back he would destroy his last enemy—death. This is why in Revelation 20, death and hades are cast into the “lake of fire”. Paul told his audience “we shall not all sleep”, meaning some of them would not “sleep in the dust of the earth”(Daniel 12:2), they would not go to Sheol (the grave) when they died because they’d be physically alive when Jesus came back and destroyed death. Paul wrote “we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…at the last trump”. Both those physically alive and physically dead “put on immortality” at the end of the age (1 Cor. 15:51-53). Old Covenant eschatology was fulfilled, the hope of eternal life became a reality in the first century (Titus 1:2 2:13 3:7 Jude 21).

The Lamb’s Wife

Revelation 19 states that the Lamb’s wife has “made herself ready” for the marriage supper thus she was granted “fine linen clean and white”.  This is in stark contrast to the five foolish virgins who were not ready for their bridegroom (Matthew 25), also the man cast out of the wedding supper for refusing to “put on” the provided garment (Matthew 22).

There is a beautiful connection between the garments granted to the Lamb’s wife and the garments worn by the High priest on the day of Atonement. First century historian Flavius Josephus (who was also a priest) wrote “the robe…reached down to the feet” (`Antiquities of the Jews’ 3.7.4-6). This corresponds to Exodus 28:39 “the coat of fine linen”. Coats were long linen tunics that completely covered the body, from the shoulders to the feet. 

When the seventh/Jubilee trumpet sounded the bride was “ready” because she’d reached “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Her garment reached down to her feet, the uncomely parts of the body (1 Cor. 12:23), representing complete unity among the members. The great commission was fulfilled, the message had been preached to the “uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8), the entire field had been harvested (Matt. 13:30), even the outer edges that were left for widows, orphans and foreigners (Leviticus 19:9&10 23:22).

In the final two chapters of Revelation we see that the “Lamb’s wife” is “the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God…(with) 12 foundations” (Rev. 21:9,10&14).

On the sixth day of creation, God presented Eve to Adam, then on the seventh day He rested. The pattern that began in Genesis finds its completion in Revelation: the bride is presented to Christ (the fulfilment of the sixth feast—Atonement) and the New Jerusalem descends (the fulfilment of the seventh feast—Tabernacles). The feast of Tabernacles was a seven day celebration (Lev. 23:34), likewise an ancient Israelite wedding was celebrated in the Father’s house with a feast that lasted seven days (Gen. 29:27, Judges 14:10-12). In Revelation we see the great chiastic structure of Scripture comes full circle—from the garden to the city, from the first creation to the new creation.

City Abraham Saw

By faith, Abraham left his homeland, “for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). In Hebrews 12 that same city is called the Heavenly Jerusalem. In Galatians, Paul referred to “Jerusalem which is above”, aligning it with the New Covenant (Galatians 4:24-26).

When Revelation 21 declares, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…and I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem…” it describes not a future cosmic cataclysm, but the end of the Old Covenant world. Hebrews 1:11&12 says that God would fold up the heavens and earth like an old garment. Likewise, Hebrews 8:13 says the Old Covenant was waxing old and “ready to vanish away”. Peter wrote “the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we…look for a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness” (2 Peter 3:12&13). The word elements here is stoicheíon, a word Paul used several times to mean the ceremonial ordinances of the Mosaic Law (Gal. 4:3&9, Col. 2:8&20, Heb. 5:12) . The old heavens and earth represented the old order; the “new” represents the New Covenant with Christ enthroned at its centre.

No More Sea 

In the New Jerusalem, John saw that there was “no more sea” (Revelation 21:1). Throughout Scripture, “sea” often symbolises the nations (Revelation 17:15). The absence of “sea” therefore represents the “fullness of the Gentiles” being brought into the kingdom (Romans 11:25) where there are no outsiders, no separation—“for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

This imagery also reflects the tabernacle. In Moses’ tabernacle, the brazen laver filled with water stood before the holy place; the priests had to wash before entering. This laver, made from the polished mirrors of the women (Exodus 38:8), reflected their image. Likewise, in Revelation, the elders and living creatures stand upon a “sea of glass”—a heavenly counterpart to the laver (Revelation 4:6). This “sea of glass” was the boundary before God’s throne, but in the New Jerusalem, there is no more sea, for the Church has been fully cleansed and sanctified—washed with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). The barrier has been removed.

Now all God’s people—Jew, Gentile, male, female, rich and poor—are priests in His presence. There is no distinction, no hierarchy of access, for “we all with unveiled face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

No More Curse

The New Jerusalem is a garden-city where “there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3). The thorns and thistles that sprang from cursed ground in Genesis 3 have been gathered out of the kingdom (Matthew 13:41–43). No longer do weeds choke the garden; only righteousness and holiness remain.

At the heart of this city grows the Tree of Life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit “every month”. Every month (Ex. 12:2), meaning Israel’s 12 month calendar with it’s seven feasts, sabbaths days, sabbath years and Jubilee has been fulfilled. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations—a beautiful symbol of inclusion and restoration. The wild olive branches (Gentiles) have been grafted in among the natural branches (Israel) to partake of the same root and fatness (Romans 11:17). The Spirit and the bride now cry, “Come… whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

The twelve gates of the city are always open. There are no walls of hostility, no national, ethnic, or social barriers. The invitation is universal but entrance requires a cleansed heart—those who “keep His commandments” may enter and partake freely of the divine life.

An Unshakable Kingdom

The story that began in Eden concludes not with exile, but with eternal communion. The Church—the New Jerusalem—is the restored garden, the everlasting dwelling of God with His people. The mystery once hidden is now made known.

The message we proclaim is no longer “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” but the kingdom has come. It is a kingdom not built on physical land or by human power, it’s an eternal, unshakable, indestructible kingdom—without end (Hebrews 12:27&28, Daniel 7:14).

Reflection Questions

1. How does understanding Jubilee as both restoration and vengeance reshape our reading of Christ’s return in the first century?
2. In what way does seeing satan “bound” during the Davidic reign clarify the symbolism of Revelation 20?
3. How does Paul’s teaching that some believers in Corinth would not “sleep”, challenge modern assumptions about the resurrection?
4. Why is the New Jerusalem described as having “no more sea” and “no more curse”?
5. In what ways are believers now living as priests with access to the Holy of Holies, rather than waiting for future access?

Scripture References

• Galatians 3:8,16,28; 4:22-26 – Christ as the Seed and the Jerusalem above. 
• Hebrews 1:10–12; 8:13; 11:10; 12:22–28 – The passing Old Covenant and the unshakable kingdom
• Psalm 102:25–27 – Heavens folded like a garment.
• Isaiah 65:17–19 – New heavens and earth language.
• Revelation 4:6; 10:7; 21:1–2,22–27; 22:1–3,17 – The completed mystery and New Jerusalem.
• Romans 11:17,25 – The inclusion and fullness of the Gentiles.
• Colossians 3:11 – No ethnic distinctions in Christ.

Chapter Ten 

The Garden Within

The Mystery in a Box

You may have heard the saying, “You can’t put God in a box.” Yet in a sense, that’s exactly what we’re going to do, because the “mystery” Jesus and Paul revealed—the hidden plan of God from the foundation of the world—can be condensed to a small, sacred space.

From the beginning, God has manifested His presence in confined, holy places: the midst of the Garden, the ark of Noah, the Holy of Holies, a barn, a bridal chamber, the New Jerusalem—and finally, the human heart. 

Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). Paul echoed this, saying, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). What began as a tree of life in the midst of Eden now takes root in the soil of the believing heart. The mystery that was “finished” in the first century is now being lived out through us—the holy temple not made with hands.

The Soil of the Heart

Now that we’ve admired John’s heavenly vision, it’s time to come back down to earth—to the soil of our own heart—and consider it’s condition. Has your heart been broken up and turned over by godly sorrow and repentance? (2 Corinthians 7:10). Is it soft, yielded, and receptive to the seed of God’s Word?

Jesus said that the Word is a seed, and our heart is the soil. Some hearts are hard, others shallow or crowded with thorns; only those that are soft and yielded can bear fruit with patience (Luke 8:15). The tests and trials of life, like the heat of the sun, reveal whether our roots run deep enough into God’s love to endure.

Even though the disciples in the first century were called to endure to the end of their age—A.D. 70 when the temple was destroyed, the Levitical priesthood and animal sacrifice ceased—the principle remains timeless: every generation must persevere through its own trials. If we “dig deep” (Luke 6:48), removing stones and thorns through humble repentance, grace (divine influence upon the heart) will work in us to bring forth good fruit unto completion.

Fruit from the Hidden Root

In Scripture, “fruit” means ergon—works, deeds, the outward expression of an inward reality. Our actions are the visible manifestation of what is cultivated in the heart.

Paul described “the fruit of the Spirit” as love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). These are not mere emotions but the evidence of divine life within. If the kingdom truly resides within us, if Christ truly dwells in us, then the Spirit’s fruit will naturally grow as a testimony to the world.

There should be no weeds in this sacred space—no envy, bitterness, or pride—but pure motives flowing from a circumcised heart. We must guard this inner garden diligently, for it is where heaven and earth meet.

Passing Through the Veil

Under the Old Covenant, the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies only once a year, only by passing through a veil. When Jesus died, that veil was rent from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51), symbolising direct access to God’s presence. Hebrews 10:20 explains that the veil represented His flesh.

The rent veil also represents the circumcised heart. Paul said in Colossians 2:11–12 that true circumcision is not of the flesh but of the heart, through putting off the old man and putting on the new. Only through death to self, can our hearts become the dwelling place of the Spirit.

The Word of God, like living seed, can only take root in a heart that is open and receptive. A heart ploughed by grace—God’s part—through faith—our response—is the true Holy of Holies. Through the gospel (the power of God unto salvation) this inner temple is filled with divine light. 

A Kingdom Unshakable

Each of us must ask: am I investing in the temporal or the eternal? In this world or in the kingdom that cannot be moved? Those who build their hopes upon worldly foundations will find them washed away in the storm (Luke 6:49). Their works, like chaff in the wind, will not endure.

But the heart that is broken and yielded before God, united to Him in loving obedience, becomes fertile ground for the Spirit’s creative work. It becomes the foundation upon which God’s building can be measured—the inward reflection of the New Jerusalem, perfect in proportion and divine in design.

The word Logos—translated “Word”—is the root of our words logic, reason and ratio. To reject God’s design—to live in pride, lust, or envy—is to fight against the Logos Himself. The result is chaos: darkness, confusion and spiritual death.

The Abyss or the Garden

A heart in rebellion is an abyss—a bottomless pit, like the formless void before creation. Any fleeting sense of peace or joy is surface-level, without root or foundation. However when a heart is "crucified with Christ” and buried with Him, it is raised a new creation (Gal. 2:20 Rom. 6: 2 Cor. 17).

Just as the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, transformed and free, so the believer rises from death to life, clothed in immortality. Christ alone is the source of eternal life. All self-made, man-centred kingdoms will crumble into dust but those who abide in Him will flourish like trees planted by rivers of living water.

The mystery that began in the garden and culminated in the New Jerusalem is now fulfilled in us: the Kingdom within—Christ in you. 

So my question is, who is seated on the throne of your heart? Is it Christ or is it self? When Christ is on the throne, your life will reflect his order. The appetites of your flesh will be kept in their right place, in subjection to your inner-man (Ephesians 3:16). You will not be driven by carnal desires, you’ll exercise dominion over them. You’ll walk in the Spirit, your affection will be “set on things above” (Col. 3:2). 

The bottomless pit is always empty and the the tower of Babel is never complete. However through Christ we are filled, we take form, we find completion “ye are complete in him” (Colossians 2:10). 

The animal nature of man apart from divine influence is the Greek word σάρξ sárx, usually translated flesh in the KJV. Flesh will always remain at 666. It is not able to reach 777, representing divine rest and completion. The animal skins given to Adam and Eve represent sarx Flesh. 

Notice that Adam, once cast out of Eden, had to work the land and eat bread by the sweat of his face (Gen. 3:19). Sweat is associated with work while fine linen is a breathable material that does not cause sweat (Ez. 44:18). Hence the fine linen representing the new man “created in Christ Jesus” is associated with spiritual rest and just as priests were clothed down to the feet, the new man also represents completion. The completion of the corporate body of Christ but also personal completion. The “new man” is designed and woven by God, when we yield ourselves whole-heartedly to his “workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10).

Reflection Questions

1. How do the sacred spaces throughout Scripture—garden, ark, holy of holies, heart—reveal God’s desire for intimacy with His people?
2. What does it mean for your heart to be “ploughed” by godly sorrow and repentance?
3. In what ways can you actively cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in your daily life?
4. How does the rent veil symbolise both access to God and transformation of the heart?
5. What are you building your life upon—temporal pursuits or the eternal kingdom within?

Scripture References

• Luke 17:21 – “The kingdom of God is within you.”
• Colossians 1:27 – “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:10 – Godly sorrow leads to repentance.
• Luke 8:15 – The good and honest heart bears fruit with patience.
• Galatians 5:22–23 – The fruit of the Spirit.
• Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:20 – The veil torn, representing His flesh.
• Colossians 2:11–12 – The circumcision of the heart.
• Romans 1:16 – The gospel as the power of God unto salvation.
• Luke 6:48–49 – The wise man builds on the rock.
• Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:7–8 – The righteous as trees by rivers of water.

About the Author

My name is Catherine E. Gavin and I’ve spent nearly all my life on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. I was raised Catholic but at the age of 15 joined a local Pentecostal church with my mother. At 16 I went away to boarding school, at 18 I went even further to University. This is when I reached a really low point in my life. I could feel the weight of sin upon my shoulders as the Word of God came alive to me “enter ye in at the straight gate…narrow is the way that leads unto life…” (Matt. 7:13&14). 

I realised I could never be right with God unless I forsook my old sinful ways, so that is what I did. I moved back to my parents house, made a fire in their backyard and burnt my ungodly books and tapes. As I drew near to God through repentance he drew near to me and transformed me into a “new creature” in Christ (James 4:8, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Over the next 25 years the group that I began attending at 15, changed from charismatic Pentecostal, to Holiness, to Church of God. 

While we were Church of God I remember the pastor teaching us that the "New Jerusalem”, in the final two chapters of Revelation, is not a literal building that will descend from the sky in the future but a picture of the church. This resonated with me deeply. I became fascinated in John's vision of precious stones, pure gold and a crystal clear river flowing from God’s throne. Thus my journey towards understanding what Jesus called “the mystery of the kingdom” began. 

At 40 years old I left that fellowship, with my husband. We began to study the bible with people who emphasised repentance proven by deeds, heart purity and enduring temptation. I was immediately drawn to the Parable of the Sower because it seemed to illustrate those very themes. I became fascinated not only with the heavenly Jerusalem but with the soil of the heart. I thought, “could these things be connected?” 

In 2018 I created a Youtube channel, I also started an on-line bible study group that my husband and I facilitated. During Covid, a Texan couple joined us and it soon became apparent they had a deep understanding of eschatology. Back then I didn't know what the word eschatology meant, however I quickly learnt it is the study of end-times. 

Over the next few years we studied the bible together week after week, chapter after chapter, book after book, both old and new testament. Under the mentorship of the Texan couple my husband and I learnt about audience relevance and time-statements. We also familiarised ourselves with the works of first century historian Josephus while studying Revelation, which eventually led me to rethink the creation story. “The mystery of the kingdom” unfolded in a way we'd never seen it before. 

This booklet is the result of around eight years of study, from 2018 to 2026 and yes, the conclusion I've reached is that the Heavenly Jerusalem and the soil of the heart, are connected after all. 

May God bless you richly as you navigate your own spiritual journey. 

With love, 

Mark, Catherine and Eliza Gavin.

YouTube channel: Crystal Clear 2260

Blog: crystalcleartruths.blogspot.com

Email: crystalriver053@gmail.com