Metaphysical meaning of heaven (mbd)
heaven, kingdom of.
Meta. The kingdom of heaven, or of the heavens, is a state of consciousness in which the soul and the body are in harmony with Divine Mind.
Teachers of metaphysics find that their most difficult work is getting students to recognize that heaven is a condition of mind. Jesus evidently experienced like difficulty in making Himself understood, which accounts for the numerous parables and comparisons that He gave of the kingdom. These were all illustrative of some condition pertaining to the kingdom, and never did He describe it as a place located in some distant realm.
In spite of these oft repeated illustrations by Jesus showing the kingdom of heaven to be a state of consciousness the great mass of Christians are today teaching that it is a place, to which people who accept Jesus as their Savior will go when they die. There is no authority in the Bible for such doctrine. If such a place existed Jesus would certainly have described it plainly instead of giving parable after parable and illustration after illustration showing it to be a state of consciousness to be attained by man. In Matt. 13:31-33, 44-52, there are five short stories illustrating six different problems concerning this condition and our relation to it. Applying some of the laws of mind as we know them, we find that Jesus was talking about universal Truth and its expression.
The mustard-seed comparison is to show the capacity of the apparently small thought of Truth to develop in consciousness until it becomes the abiding place of a higher type of thoughts (birds of the air).
The "leaven" is the Truth, and the "woman" is the soul. When a word of Truth is apparently hidden in the inner mind it is not idle, but quietly spreads until the whole consciousness is light with Spirit. People who have for years had this hidden word of Truth at work in them are quick to respond to a larger exposition of the divine law, and we recognize that they are ripe for receiving Truth.
The treasure hid in the field is the logical truth that all that is belongs to Being and can be brought forth by one who gives up the outer and looks within for the real value.
The merchant is one who is seeking the jewel of the soul, or spiritual good, through exchange of thought, discussion, and argument. He also must give up all these so-called values for the inner pearl.
The net cast into the sea is the state of mind that seeks Truth in many places and gets much that has to be thrown away.
The "end of the world" is the point in consciousness where the true thoughts are in the majority and the error thoughts have lost their hold. This is the consummation of the regenerative process, and everything that has been stored up in consciousness is brought forth and becomes of visible, practical value to the man. This is the "householder" who brings forth his "things new and old."
"The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking [sensuous things], but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 14:17).
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Preceding Entry: Hazzelelponi
Following Entry: heaven and earth
