The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

John 1:19-34 This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? He confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Who are you Elias? He said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. Then they asked him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What have you to say of yourself? He answered, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the Way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” (Isaiah 40:3)

They which were sent were of the Pharisees. They asked him, and said to him, Why baptize you then, if you be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, “I baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. This is He of Whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for He was before me. I did not recognize Him: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” John testified saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me, Upon whom you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.”

 

“I saw for myself, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” (parallel passages Matthew 3:1-12, Mark 1:7-8, Luke 3:15-17)

This whole section of scripture is rich with the revelation of Christ and the workings of God through His subjects. I want to turn to Ezekiel who spoke many words using the phrase “son of man” to hear what he reveals about the man John the Baptist, but I must caution that much of what he says could also be applied to Jesus as well. I should also say this, most of the Prophets of Israel walked among the Hebrews at the same time and said similar prophesies about Israel's rebellion, their stone heartedness and unbelief of God. I say this because when we read the OT we have an opinion that these men were at deferent times or many years apart when in fact they were not. They like the ancients before Noah's flood knew each other and had conversation with each other, as fathers, sons, brothers, grandfathers and uncles. But our conception is askew because of how we have been trained in our church Sunday schools and from the pulpit.


Therefore our vision and understanding has been innocently corrupted, and because of this our minds eye has not a clear and precise perception which causes true understanding. This is what people use to misdirect our attention and thereby cause us to see something else than what is actually there. Much like the old card trick of slight of hand, known as the shell game. We have found out that our minds can be programed to both think and see subjectively instead of objectively. That being said, have you ever noticed how many times in scripture where God is speaking or a Prophet is speaking for God that He and they make reference to mans heart and not mans mind? Mans mind is the area through which Satan operates and uses to confound and deceive man. It is not until God open our heart that we begin to see and hear clearly that is why Jesus told Nicodemus that one has to be born from above, born again in order to enter the kingdom of heaven and God.(John 3:3, 7) That is why the Holy Spirit had Paul write in Romans10:9-10 that with the heart man is to speak and have understanding for righteousness and salvation.

Ezekiel 2:1-7, 8-10, 3:1-11, Malachi 4:5-6, Ezekiel 3:22-27 "He (the glory of the Lord as shown in verse 28 of chapter1 at it's close) said to me, Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak to you. And the spirit entered into me when He spoke to me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that spoke to me. He said to me, Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, to this very day. For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send you to them; and you will say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD. They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them. And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. You will speak My words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious." 

You, son of man, hear what I tell you; Be not rebellious like this rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that I give you. When I looked, behold, an hand sent to me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And He spread it before me; and it was written within and without: there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
 

Moreover He said to me, Son of man, eat what you have received; eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that roll. Then He told me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your bowels with this roll that I given you. Then did I eat and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. (John 6:43-59)

He told me, Son of man, go, to the house of Israel, and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words you can not understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have hearkened to you. But the house of Israel will not hearken to you; for they will not hearken to Me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. Moreover He told me, Son of man, all My words that I shall speak to you receive in thine heart, and hear with your ears. And go, to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus says the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. (parallel passage Malachi 4:5-6)