January 4, 2026 – A Study of Matthew – The Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven

Genesis 22:9-18 – New International Version (NIV)

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, ¹⁸ and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Who did Abraham lay on the altar (verse 9)?

Why did Abraham take “the knife” (verse 10)?

Who called out “Abraham! Abraham!” (verse 11)?

What was the proof that Abraham feared God (verse 12)?

What was sacrificed “instead of his son” (verse 13)?

Why did Abraham call that place “The Lord Will Provide” (verse 14)?

Who did the Lord swear by (verse 16)?

Why was the Lord going to bless Abraham and “make your descendants as numerous as the stars” (verses 16 and 17)?

How will “all nations on earth” be blessed (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 13:31-35 - New International Version (NIV)

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

³³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. ³⁵ So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”

What “is like a mustard seed” (verse 31)?

What happened to the mustard seed (verse 31)?

How is the mustard seed transformed when it grows (verse 32)?

What do birds do (verse 32)?

What is “like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour” (verse 33)?

Who did Jesus speak to in parables (verse 34)?

What was fulfilled (verse 35)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the kingdom of heaven?

In your opinion, what is the relationship between the descendants the Lord promised Abraham in Genesis 22:9-18 and the kingdom of heaven that Jesus described in parables in Matthew 13:31-35?

Galatians 3:7-18 - New International Version (NIV)

⁷ Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. ⁸ Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” ⁹ So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” ¹¹ Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” ¹² The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” ¹⁴ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. ¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Who are “children of Abraham” (verse 7)?

What did God announce to Abraham (verse 8)?

Who are “blessed along with Abraham” (verse 9)?

Who are “under a curse” (verse 10)?

How will “the righteous” live (verse 11)?

What does the law say (verse 12)?

How did Christ redeem us (verse 13)?

Why did Christ redeem us (verse 14)?

Who were the promises spoken to (verse 16)?

What does the law “not set aside” (verse 17)?

How did God give the inheritance (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the kingdom of heaven?

In your opinion, what does Galatians 3:7-18 help us understand about the descendants Abraham was promised in Genesis 22:9-18?

In your opinion, how do those who are “children of Abraham” due to their faith in Galatians 3:7-18 fit into the “kingdom of heaven” that Jesus described in the two parables in Matthew 13:31-35?

2 Timothy 4:9-18 - New International Version (NIV)

⁹ Do your best to come to me quickly, ¹⁰ for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. ¹² I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

¹⁴ Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. ¹⁵ You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

¹⁶ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What does Paul want Timothy to do “quickly” (verse 9)?

Why did Demas desert Paul (verse 10)?

Who was “helpful” to Paul in his ministry (verse 11)?

What did Paul want Timothy to bring (verse 13)?

Who will repay Alexander for the harm done to Paul (verse 14)?

Why should Timothy be on guard against Alexander (verse 15)?

What did Paul not want to be held against people (verse 16)?

Who gave Paul strength (verse 17)?

Where will be Lord safely bring Paul (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the kingdom of heaven?

In your opinion, how are Abraham’s actions in Genesis 22:9-18 similar to Paul’s actions in 2 Timothy 4:9-18?

In your opinion, how is the “kingdom of heaven” that Jesus told two parables about in Matthew 13:31-35 related to the “heavenly kingdom” that Paul is looking forward to in 2 Timothy 4:9-18?

In your opinion, how does 2 Timothy 4:9-18 help us understand some of the challenges that those who are the modern “children of Abraham” as defined in Galatians 3:7-18 face today?

In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from Genesis, Matthew, Galatians and 2 Timothy teach us about how the kingdom of heaven grows?

In your opinion, how do we who are a part of the kingdom of heaven grow to believe and learn to act like Abraham did when he named the place “The Lord Will Provide”?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)