Many authors like C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien centered their classics on a battle between two kingdoms. The Bible reveals that this battle is between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of darkness. These two kingdoms are brought to light in Matthew 12:22-37, and in Chapter 33 of the Life-Study of Matthew Witness Lee shares on pages 412-413 about this battle:
“Chapter 12 of Matthew occupies a special place in the New Testament because it reveals that Satan has a kingdom, that Satan is the strong man usurping all the God-created people, and that in order to take people out of his usurping hand, there is the need to bind him. The way to bind the strong man is by fasting and praying [Matthew 17:21]. The battle unveiled in Chapter 12 is not seen in the foregoing 11 chapters...There are two kingdoms on the earth: one is the kingdom of darkness, and the other is the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore there is the need to fight the battle” (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Matthew. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1977, Print).
Through this chapter it seems the Lord is giving us a window to see the spiritual scene behind many earthly situations. It may look like just some nasty name calling is going on here, but actually the enemy was obviously behind them trying to frustrate the heavenly King from establishing His kingdom on this earth.
Surely the Lord is showing the disciples one of the keys to bring God’s kingdom to the earth is to not only to pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” but also “Lord, bind the strong man and plunder his house.” This reminds me of what the Lord said in Matthew 16:19 "I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on the earth, shall be been bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in the heavens."
Other blogs on the Life Study of Matthew:
You can listen to excerpts from the Life Study of Matthew along with excellent commentary by tuning into the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.
Do You Skip the Genealogy in Matthew?
What is the Focus of the Gospel of Matthew?
What is the Sermon on the Mount Really About? (Part 1)
What is the Sermon on the Mount Really About? (Part 2)
Why is the Crucial Significance of Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13?
How Does Jesus Calm the Stormy Sea in Matthew 8:23-27?
How Does the Great Physician Heal our Hearts in Matthew 9:12?
Have You Seen the Battle Between the Two Kingdoms in Matthew 12:26-28?
What is the Connection Between the Kingdom & the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:3-23?
What is the Significance of the Parables on the Treasure & the Pearl of Great Value in Matthew 13:44-46?
What is Walking By Faith All About in Matthew 14:22-33?
What Lesson Did Peter Learn on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-13?
How Does Matthew 18 and 19 Relate to the Kingdom?
What Does Peter's Denial of the Lord Teach us in Matthew 26:69-75?
From the Life-Study of Mark:
How Does the Kingdom of God Come in Mark 4:1-20, 26?
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