Objective:

This week’s discussion we will finish up Section 3 by reading passages about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Beads:

We will connect these two passages to the 10th bead in this section

The phrase associated with this bead is:

(10): “Whose train fills the temple, And whose Kingdom is not of this world”

Passages to Ponder

John 18:36

36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Isaiah 6:1

1. In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple.

Questions of Knowledge (What it says at the surface)

• This passage from John is from Pilot’s interrogation of Jesus, Pilot is looking for evidence that Jesus is planning an insurrection. To show he is not an insurrectionist, how does he explain he does indeed have a Kingdom without implying his kingdom is something for Rome to fear?
• What is the Lord’s “Train”? I’m going to suggest that the Lord’s “Train” as described by Isaiah is like the train of a bride’s dress which follows behind her as she walks.
• Visually speaking, how does a train “fill” a temple?

Questions of Wisdom (What it means below the surface)

• If Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world, where is it? (I realize there is a passage that says it is “within”, and its ok if that is your answer, however I’d like to point out that the only place that says that is actually modified in the Joseph Smith’s translation, and that might have been a misunderstanding)
• What Temple is Isaiah describing, and what is the “train” that follows after Him and fills that temple?
• What sorts of things attach the Lord’s followers to his garment like a train?
• Does filling the Temple of YHVH have anything to do with attending the temple? If so, what? If not, then what does it mean?

Questions of Understanding (Likening it to Ourselves)

• Are you attached to the Lord’s garment? If so, when did that happen?
• Is being part of His train that fills His temple the same thing as being part of the Kingdom of heaven?

Questions of Mystery (What deeper meaning can be harvested)

• Spend some time pondering upon the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. Is it a place? Is it a people? Is it an attitude? Is it Zion? Is it a Church? Is it a temple?
• Is it something that happens after this life? Or during this life?
• Is it something that does exist? Or something that will exist? Or something we must help create?