Luke 13:32 (ESV) And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.
Jesus is referring to King Herod as a fox that he was not concerned with. Jesus was on a mission from God. He mentions the demonstrations of kingdom power through casting out demons and healing people. Jesus was headed toward the cross to die for our sins and he knew the time was getting close.
Luke 13:34 (ESV) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
Jerusalem was the capital city of Israel. Yet over the centuries true prophets of God had been killed and stoned in it. Jesus longed for all the Jewish people to believe in Him as the Messiah. Yet, there were not willing to repent and believe in Jesus. So, because of their unbelief, they would be excluded from the kingdom of God. Jesus then pronounces God’s judgement on unbelieving Israel.
Luke 13:35 (ESV) Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
In 40 years, 70 AD, the Romans would destroy the temple and the entire city of Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day and down through history, most Jews have not recognized Jesus as the Messiah and entered the kingdom of God. One day, Jesus will return and everyone, including every Jew will see Him. Only those who put their trust in Him before he returns will be saved and enter the kingdom of God. Those who are not believers in Jesus are excluded from the kingdom of God.
Those who are excluded from God’s kingdom will spend eternity in the kingdom of Satan, referred to in the Bible as the domain of darkness. There is no escape from hell, there is no presence of God in hell. In fact, it appears from one of Jesus’ parables that those in hell can gaze into heaven, which only increases their torment. To choose to part of the kingdom of God is the most important decision in life.
The only way to enter God’s kingdom is to repent and believe in Jesus. Make sure that you have laid everything down and entered through the narrow door of the kingdom. And for those who are citizens of the kingdom, we have work to do. God calls every believer to be a soldier of the kingdom and to rescue people from Satan’s kingdom.
It doesn’t matter how nice a person seems to be, how many good things a person may do, what beliefs or religion they appear to believe. If a person doesn’t know Jesus, they are not part of His kingdom and aren’t saved. Just as we would through a life preserver to a drowning person, so we must tell the lost about Jesus. Some people won’t grab hold of a life preserver and drown, but we’ve done our part. Some people won’t believe in Jesus even though we’ve witnessed to them, but we’ve done our part. May God give us compassion for those who are not yet part of His kingdom.
Understanding the kingdom of God is one of the most important things in life. That’s why God’s kingdom was the main point of Jesus’ teaching. God’s kingdom is growing all around us as we plant the seeds of God’s Word. Even though it starts out small in people’s lives, in small groups, churches or cities, it will grow by God’s grace.
To be part of the kingdom, you must struggle to enter through the narrow door. To get through that door, everyone must lay down everything they own. Those that are not willing to give all to Jesus will be left out of the kingdom.
God is calling us as believers, as a church family, to bring the kingdom near to people. We bring the kingdom near through prayer, healing, deliverance and the gospel. May God help us to rescue more people from the kingdom of darkness and bring them into the kingdom of light, God’s kingdom.