“THE 41 PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST”
28 general and 13 kingdom of heaven parables
 Parable #2 -  “LAMP UNDER A BUSHEL”
READ Matthew 5:14-16; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16-17;11:33-36
The 2^nd general parable of 28

 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

This parable is given under the now finished kingdom of heaven dispensation of a temporary salvation by works as given in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

 BACKGROUND:
In 445BC, with one Bible week equating to seven years (a prophetic year being 360 days), God commanded that seventy weeks each of 7 years, would be determined upon Israel, that is … 70 weeks x 7 years = 490 years (Daniel 9:24-27).

This time frame is broken into four time periods of (a) 7 weeks + (b) 62 weeks + (c) the mystery church age of about 2,000 years + (d) 1 week = 70 weeks and is explained as follows:

#1. Seven weeks of years is 7 x 7 = 49 years … the time it takes to restore and build Jerusalem from 445BC to 396BC.

#2. Sixty two weeks of years is 62 x 7 = 434 years … the time from the building of Jerusalem in 396BC to Christ being cut off at the cross in 32AD.

#3. The church age of approximately 2,000 years

#4. One week of years is 1 x 7 = 7 years … this is the seven years of tribulation of God’s wrath upon the earth, that takes place after the rapture … called Daniel’s 70^th week.

 
The following Timeline will help (not drawn to scale):

DANIEL 9:24-27
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city … from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks … after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off … he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week …”

bushel = a basket or box

house = in this case a literal house but signifying Christ’s house of Israel (Hebrews 3:6)

before all men = Israel and Gentile

your Father = God the Father of Israel

CHRIST WAS THE FIRST LIGHT THAT SHONE IN DARKNESS
As stated in the scriptures Christ was the original light … as prophesied

 
… “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (Jesus): they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

This prophecy becomes fulfilled … “The people which sat in darkness saw great light (Jesus); and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light (Jesus) is sprung up.” (Matthew 4:16)

Christ on earth was the Light that shined upon them, indeed lighteth everyman that cometh into the world (John 1:9) but they could not be put into that Light as a Christian can today.

Hence as Christ shined his light upon people, the parable urges the Messiah believing Jew to also do the same as Christ … shine their own personal light upon people as well.

However, the Jew could try his hardest at letting his light shine before men … and this would never be enough … in not matching the perfection of Christ (Isaiah 64:6).

Of course the Jew would need to go to the temple to sacrifice animal blood for these trespasses sin … the unknown sins of not being good enough.

THE EXCUSE FOR NOT WITNESSING
With the wrong incorporation of this kingdom of heaven element of ‘letting your light so shine before men’ into today’s kingdom of God of preaching the gospel … this has become the easy way out for lukewarm Christians for not witnessing or preaching.

 True street preachers will tell you of many so called ‘christians’ coming up to tell them they are offended by the open and active preaching of the ‘terror of the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:11).

These pretend Christians hate witnessing for the Lord and detest true street preachers, thinking that the preaching of the cross is foolishness.  

They think that people will rush up to them saying “Oh! You are just a wonderful shining light and I want to be like you … always smiling, bright and happy. How can I become a Christian like you?”

 But here’s what Paul said “Are these ‘light of the world’ religious people saved at all?”

He says ... “For the preaching (not the message) of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

 Do Christians follow Christ?
Categorically and absolutely yes we do … but not as Jews with the misapplication of this parable ... we follow the Christian Paul as he follows the Jewish Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Harley Hitchcock
October 2023

    Kingdom of God