“THE 41 PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST”
28 general parables and 13 kingdom of heaven parables
 Parable #11 –  “Pearl of Great Price”
Matthew 13:45-46 
The 6^th of the 13 kingdom of heaven parables

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-50)

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):

“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 …”

 “PEARL OF GREAT PRICE” Matthew 13:45-46

the kingdom of heaven = see above diagram

merchant man = God the Father

goodly pearls = pearls are found inside tightly closed oyster shells attached to rocks … and this pearl called Israel, God will never let go (Hebrews 13:5). 

Israel in the desert had the Rock follow them, but now under the kingdom of God dispensation, they can be in the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4). 

one pearl of great price = Israel … found in the world 

sold all that he had = his Son Jesus Christ 

bought it = Christ, a Jew, God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16) came to save his people, Israel, from their sins (Matthew 1:21) and purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28).

CHRISTIAN APPLICATION
We are reminded of John 3:16 where free eternally secure salvation is now open to all. Indeed Christians being in Christ are ‘little pearls’ … as it were.

Israel in the desert was only attached to the Rock like a pearl in an oyster shell.

Christians are not attached to the Rock like pearls in oyster shells, but we are pearls in the Rock as it were.

 Harley Hitchcock
October 2023

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“THE 40 PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST”
 Parable #12 -  ”The Net”
Matthew 13:47-50 

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