And when this shall come to pass, all the predictions respecting Messiah's Kingdom will at length be realised. "The everlasting Kingdom" (2 Peter i. 11) ordained "before the foundation of the world" (Ephes. i. 4), will then have embraced all nations, so that "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah xi. 9). Then will the reign of righteousness and peace of Him, who is "the Lord our Righteousness" (Jer. xxiii. 6), appear in all its perfect beauty. God's "people will be all righteous;" and "inherit the land for ever" (Isaiah lx. 21), even "the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. i. 12). And Christ, being at length in every sense "the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah ix. 6), when no foe will be left to be subdued, and "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain" (Isaiah xi. 9), will then be proclaimed "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Rev. xix. 16). And then also our daily prayer "Thy Kingdom come" (S. Matt. vi. 10) will have received its perfect fulfilment. For all that is now imperfect in His rule will have been set right; through the conversion of the heathen, the repentance of the ungodly, and the sanctification of all who "neglect" not "so great salvation" (Heb. ii. 3). The number of the elect will be accomplished. The Son will "have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father;" God will be "all in all" (1 Cor. xv. 24, 28). FOOTNOTES: [6] To prevent any doubt arising in the mind of the reader, it may be well to state that the expressions "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God" are used indiscriminately and with the same meaning in these Parables. By comparing S. Matt. xiii. 31 with S. Mark iv. 30 and S. Luke xiii. 18 it will be seen that "The Kingdom of Heaven" is "The Kingdom of God," and "The Kingdom of God" is "The Kingdom of Heaven." S. Matthew nearly always uses the expression "Kingdom of Heaven," whilst S. Mark and S. Luke use the expression "Kingdom of God." [7] Because leaven is commonly referred to in Holy Scripture as a symbol of evil, some have interpreted this Parable in a very different manner. But the meaning assigned to it above is in accordance with ancient interpretation; and the other explanation is involved in difficulties. For, if the leaven represents a corrupting influence, the Parable would describe the Kingdom of Heaven either as having an evil effect upon the world, or else as progressing itself towards corruption till the whole is corrupted. [8] The Jewish people and their rulers had formed God's Kingdom upon earth in ancient times; and they were still His chosen people, who would naturally continue to form a part of His Kingdom, now that it was to be extended so as to embrace the world. But the privileges which they despised they would lose; and others who valued them would gain them. CHAPTER IV. THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM.