THE HIDDEN TREASURE

 by Dr. Hank Lindstrom

"Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Matthew 13:44.

     When Jesus spoke in parables, he spoke not to reveal truth but conceal truth.  Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 4:11,12, "unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without (unsaved), all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at anytime they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them."  Christ spoke to the multitudes in parables, but the disciples came to him privately, and He explained some of the parables to them.

     Therefore we need to be careful as we approach the parables and interpret them in the light of clear passages of Scripture.  As we look in Matthew 13:44 we will compare other clear passages of Scripture to find the meaning.

     The phrase "the kingdom of heaven" means the kingdom of the heavens and clearly represents the 1,000-year earthly rule of Jesus Christ called the Millennium.  It is called the kingdom of the heavens because it is the rule of the heavens over the earth.  In the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:10) we read, "Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  Never yet has this happened!  When it does happen there will be "Peace on earth, good will toward men."  This earthly kingdom of the heavens is told of in the book of Daniel as the kingdom which the "God of heaven" will establish here on the earth after the destruction of the Gentiles world-system by Jesus Christ at His Second Coming (Daniel 2:34-44).

     In the technical sense, the phrase the kingdom of heaven refers just to the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:4) and the seven years of tribulation that precede it.  The focus in the parable in Matthew 13:44 is on the seven years tribulation which prepares the way for Jesus Christ to come back and rule on the planet earth.

     What is treasure?  As we search the Scriptures, we find the answer in Psalms 135:4, where we read, "For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure."  So we know Israel is the treasure.  Also in Exodus 19:5 God says, "...you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:  for all the earth is mine."

     What is the field?  In a parable that Jesus has explained to His disciples Jesus said, "The field is the world (Matthew 13:38)."

     Who is the man?  From Matthew 13:37, we learn that the man is Jesus Christ.

     We know that after the rapture, when all believers on the earth will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-18), there will be a large remnant of Jewish people that will come to know Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and they will be saved.  We also know that the Antichrist will try to kill them all during the tribulation.

     A holocaust will occur during the tribulation that will make what Hitler did look small in comparison (Matthew 24:9).

     Matthew Chapter 24 has instructions of Jewish believers living during the tribulation as to what to do.  Those Jewish believers who come to know Jesus as their Messiah after the rapture are instructed to flee from the Antichrist to a place where they will be hid and nourished for the last 3 1/2 years of the seven-year tribulation.

     We know that according to Daniel 11:41 that the land of "Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon" shall not come under the control of the Antichrist.  This area is modern day Jordan of which Ammon is the capital city.  In Southern Jordan there is a rock city called Petra that is ready waiting for the Jews who flee the Antichrist.  Just as God miraculously fed the children of Israel in the wilderness and gave them water to drink, God will hide and nourish the Jewish remnant during the tribulation.

     Matthew Chapter 24:15 says that when the Antichrist goes into the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and places his image there, that they are to flee into the mountains.  Notice verse 16, "Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains."  The verses say that there is no time to lose.  Not even time enough to pack a suitcase.  Because Jesus said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)."

     The Jewish people exist as a nation again in the state of Israel today.  Their desire is to rebuild their temple, which could happen at anytime.  Shortly after the rapture the Antichrist will appear in the rebuilt temple to proclaim that he is God as the counterfeit Christ and demand to be worshipped (II Thessalonians 2:4).  When this happens Jesus will hide his treasure, Israel, in the wilderness in the rock city of Petra in Southern Jordan.  They will remain protected there until Jesus comes in glory at His Second Coming and defeats the Antichrist (Revelation 19).

     Then Jesus will establish His throne in Jerusalem, and Israel will be established as the head nation on the earth.  Jerusalem will become the capital of the world!  We are rapidly approaching that day.  If Jesus were to come today at the rapture would you be among the saved?  The Bible tells us, "For by grace (mercy) are you saved; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9)."  If you simply put your TRUST in Jesus Christ as the One who died for you on the cross, was buried, and rose again from the dead, God will save you!  Trust Him now!  John 3:16.