“Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened” Matthew 13:33
The common interpretation of this parable which I have heard many times, and no doubt you have too, is that the 'MEAL' is the world and the 'LEAVEN' is the gospel. With this interpretation, the LEAVEN (Gospel) spreads throughout the world, bringing great end time revival. BUT, hold on a minute, that just cannot be so, because it doesn't agree with the overall message of God's Word, our Bible. It sounds all very CHRISTIAN and BIBLICAL, but in truth, it is far from BIBLICAL and I believe is the result of man's wishful thinking, or worse, the devil's attempt to bring false concepts and false understanding into the CHURCH.
At our Tuesday evening prayer and Bible study meetings, we have been looking again at what is known as the Kingdom Parables, mostly in Matthew 13, but some in Matthew 22 as well. We have clearly seen what is meant by “THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”. If you understand this to mean HEAVEN, then I respectfully ask you to think again, because these parables don't make any clear sense if look at them in this way.
The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN must mean, what we know as, CHRISTENDOM, which comprises of all things remotely CHRISTIAN. It's a vast KINGDOM where CHRIST is named and recognized, even if only in a very loose,vague sense. This short parable makes this clear. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN comprises of THOSE WITH AN OUTWARD PROFESSION and THOSE WITH AN INWARD REALITY.
LEAVEN in the Bible is always associated with things EVIL and FALSE. Let me explain. In the following scriptures, LEAVEN is always EVIL.
“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel” Exodus 12:15
“Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” Matthew 16:6
“Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” Matthew 16:12
“And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod” Mark 8:15
“Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” Galatians 5:9
So you can see, I hope, that the LEAVEN that was hidden in the meal represented EVIL. In the Matthew 16:6 reference, it clearly calls it DOCTRINE.
This is exactly what has happened in CHRISTENDOM, and in the VISIBLE CHURCHWORLD WIDE. Bad,and even evil doctrine, and even DOCTRINES OF DEMONS. Bad doctrine spreads like wildfire!
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” 1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV
It becomes MORE ESSENTIAL, in these last days before our precious Saviour returns in the clouds to RAPTURE us to glory, TO TEST ALL THINGS. Never take anything, even by preachers that you trust, as truth, unless you TEST IT BY GOD'S WORD! Don't be deceived.
“Test all things; hold fast what is good” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV
Brotherly love....Pastor Keith
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