18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19)
Here, Lord Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed in a garden. Parallel passage says that the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, but it grows larger than any other plant, and eventually becomes a tree. The kingdom of God is not an earthly kingdom, but the domain where God reigns as king. The kingdom of God began with the Lord Jesus and a few disciples; it was small at beginning, but gradually developed into the greatest kingdom. We know that the gospel spreads globally, and the kingdom of God develops globally. Now, many people in every country believe in the Lord; the number of believers in China is increasing, and the number in Muslim countries is also increasing. The mustard seed grows into a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches. The kingdom of God grows and be a blessing and a refuge for many. When the Lord Jesus returns, He will reign on earth for a thousand years, and the earthly kingdoms will become the kingdom of God, there is peace in the land.
22This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. (Ezekiel 17:22-23)
Here, in the book of Ezekiel of the Old Testament, there is a similar parable about a cedar tree growing from a small sapling to a large roosting place. This foretells the growth of God’s kingdom, the kingdom of Christ, from small beginnings to a haven for people.
May God bless you and your family!
