A L M A C I A S

TO WHAT SHOULD WE COMPARE the KINGDOM of HEAVEN?

As we study the Gospel accounts, we find that the Lord compared the kingdom of Heaven to different things, as He went about teaching the Gospel. If someone were to ask you about the kingdom of God, what would you say to try to show the preciousness of it? One of the methods which the Lord used often in teaching people about spiritual things was the parable. And it was through this method that the Lord managed, at least with some, to help them truly understand the importantance of the kingdom of God and also about entering the kingdom of God while there was opportunity.

In the Gospel account of Matthew, we find the Lord comparing the kingdom of God to the pearl of great price. We read in Matthew 13:4,46, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls, Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." I do not know how much you might know about pearls, but I, personally, know very little; and so it was with many of the first century Jews. As far as they were concerned, they had never paid that much attention to pearls and to their value. As we study the Old Testament, we find that the Jewish people were more interested in other precious stones and in gold and silver. So it was interesting that the Lord would make reference to pearls when the Jewish mind knew so little about them. We need to always understand that when the Lord taught others by parables, or any other means, he knew exactly what to say and what kinds of illustrations to use.

Why did the Lord use the pearl as the object of comparison when speaking about the kingdom of God? I believe that the Lord compared the kingdom of heaven to the pearl of great price because the Lord wanted to teach this people how their knowledge of pearls, as well as knowledge of the kingdom, was so important. Ignorance of anything can be deadly. In years past, in the medical field many things were done to supposedly help those who were suffering some ailment, but instead of helping them, they would make things worse. This was due to ignorance of so many things concerning medicine. And so it is with anything else. When knowledge is lacking, the probability of making destructive mistakes is very high. That is the way it is in secular matters, and that is the way it is in spiritual matters. Let us try not to be ignorant of things pertaining to the kingdom.