What can the Kingdom of Heaven be Likened to?

This is going to be a picture which is a bit similar to a parable given by Jesus. This is a variation of the picture, so please don’t go looking for this version in the bible, you won’t find it. 🙂

The Kingdom of Heaven can be likened to a very rich man’s mansion, out in the country side.

Inside the mansion was the most exquisite luxury.
No expense had been spared. Everything was the best, but also everything was tastefully done. There was a real class to all that had been done, no tackiness could be found anywhere.

Outside the mansion, it was a different story.
It was in the country side. It was also a wet boggy type of terrain. Not to mention the many cows that roamed the land, leaving behind the inevitable cow pats.

Everyone who walked about in the country side couldn’t help but have the mud stick to them. All had fallen over or slipped in the mud at some point in time. Many had fallen foul of the many cow pats that littered the land.
Many would clean themselves in the river. But it was a muddy river, and as soon as one left the river, well, they were back in the muddy terrain all over again.

The rich man had a very kind and generous heart and he wanted to share all that he had with everyone. But how could he? If he opened the doors to his mansion and let all come in, then in moments his home would be destroyed by the dirt, mud and cow pats of anyone who entered.

So the rich man put a plan into action.
He put an extension to his mansion at the entrance. He had a washroom added.
It was done at a great expense. But put in place it was.

Now the rich man had the means to invite the people outside his mansion, in. And invite them in he did.

He showed them to the washroom were they could be cleaned of all the dirt, mud and cow pats that covered them. He then also gave them fresh new clothes of the finest quality and warmly welcomed his guests in. “Come, enjoy and share in all the goodness that I have” the rich man would exclaim, with great gladness in his heart.

All who entered by the washroom could now freely enjoy all that the rich man had for all time. There was no limit to the rich man’s generosity for all who entered by the washroom.

Now let’s suppose that someone had managed to enter the mansion by a different route other than the washroom. (I know that this would be an impossibly as the rich man also had the best security that could be obtained.) But let’s suppose this scenario happened.

How would the one who entered by the wrong route feel?
How would you feel if it was you?
How would you feel if you were covered in all the dirt, mud and cow pats of outside, in an absolutely luxurious surroundings?
How would you feel knowing that you stank to the highest order, and nobody else did?

How would the rich man respond to you?

Would he possibly say, “Friend, you are welcome to enjoy all that I have, but you must enter by the washroom. It was put in place at great expense just for you, so that you could join me.”
(Strictly speaking, this part is not in the parables that Jesus spoke, but I do believe that it would be the Father’s heart.)

If one who was challenged (who was covered in dirt) then said, “I don’t need any wash room. I’m going to enjoy some of that fine food over there, then I’m going to sit on the fine white sofa and put my feet up on that table.” Then how will the rich man respond?

The rich man would then summon his security (which was the best of the best) and have the intruder bound hand and foot and thrown outside, were there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth. (That bit can be found in Jesus’s parables. (Matthew 22:13 for the bible version.))

I do believe that heaven and hell are true realities and that one day, every one will enter one or the other.

We all start off in the country side in the picture.
We all are covered in the dirt and muck of our surroundings.
We all need to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (the mansion) by the washroom.

The washroom in the picture is Jesus, the Lamb of God who has paid the price for all that we have done wrong.

In order to be cleaned, all we need to do is come to Jesus, to accept and acknowledge Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and then ask Him to enter our hearts and lives.
We most probably have things to repent of, (say sorry for and try to turn away from) but Jesus invites us to come just as we are.
We don’t need to keep going to the muddy river to try to make ourselves good enough for God. No, God tells us to go to Jesus and He WILL cleanse us.

John 3:16-18
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

If you haven’t already asked Jesus into your heart and life, then please do consider doing so.
It will be the best decision you’ll ever make to enter on into His Kingdom and His Love.
All you need to do is to say “Yes” to Him, Our Lord God Almighty.