(10) And when he was alone,
they that were about him with the twelve
asked of him the parable.
(11) And he said unto them,
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:
(12) That seeing they may see,
and not perceive;
and hearing they may hear,
and not understand;
lest at any time
they should be converted,
and their sins should be forgiven them.
-Mark 4:10-12
A parable is a verbal picture. But Jesus told His disciples that the parable of the Mystery of the Kingdom of God was more than just an illustration. It was a secret that had been hidden by God from those who would reject Christ.
Like the Mystery of the First Love Lost, the Mystery of the Kingdom will not be discovered by everyone.
Should the mystery of the Kingdom be this exclusive?
Is it unfair of God to be selectively hiding this valuable information from some people and revealing it to others?
No, not when He knows all things and already knows that those it has been hidden from, really do not want to know and will not value the mystery anyway.
Anyone who really, with their whole heart, wants to experience the mystery of the Kingdom of God and values it--will discover it.
(25) Then king Darius
wrote unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth;
Peace be multiplied unto you.
(26) I make a decree,
That in every dominion of my kingdom
men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:
for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever,
and his kingdom,
that which shall not be destroyed,
and his dominion
shall be even unto the end.
(27) He delivereth and rescueth,
and he worketh signs and wonders
in heaven and in earth,
who hath delivered Daniel
from the power of the lions.
-Daniel 6:25-27
King Darius was a wise ruler. He understood the preeminence of Daniel's God. This regal authority witnessed how God had delivered Daniel from the power of the lions; rescued him, working signs and wonders.
The king understood the importance of honoring this omnipotent power and submitting to it.
He realized that God's preeminence exemplified and qualified God's position as Universal King, that His Kingdom was indestructible and therefore eternal.
(8) But unto the Son he saith,
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
a sceptre
[#G4474 = staff - symbol of authority]
of righteousness
is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
(9) Thou hast loved righteousness,
and hated iniquity;
therefore God, even thy God,
hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness
above thy fellows.
-Hebrews 1:8-9
It is God's love of righteousness (doing what is right) and hatred for evil (iniquity) that has established His preeminence and right to rule. In addition to His qualification to rule by right of Creator, He is also the only perfectly good God that exists. It is God's ownership and His goodness that establishes His position of authority; and according to His universal laws, set forth in His Word.
These laws guarantee that in the great battle that currently exists between good and evil--good will ultimately and most definitely win.
(31) Therefore take no thought,
saying, What shall we eat?
or, What shall we drink?
or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)
for your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first
the kingdom of God
and his righteousness;
and all these things
[things mentioned above]
shall be added unto you.
-Matthew 6:31-33
Just as God is preeminent, His Kingdom should also be preeminent in our lives. The sooner we begin living the reality that this worldly system is not our home, the better off we will be.
When the Kingdom of God and the first love lost become our priority, everything we need will be provided. . . and everything else in our life will fall into place.
*Remember*
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