Ques. —Is not the treasure in Matt. 13:44 Israel? Is the Church hid in the field, or was it hid in God? Does Psa. 135:4 point on to the treasure in Matt. 13:44?
Ans.—“The kingdom of heaven" in its mysterious form, (that is, when the King is absent, only called so in Matthew's gospel), applies to this present time. It does not apply to Israel in the past, nor in the future that is, after the Church is caught up.
Israel was to be a peculiar treasure, if they had obeyed Jehovah (Ex. 19:5), and they will be it in the reign of Christ, the center for His earthly glory (Psa. 135:4). It will be the Kingdom in power then. Israel was never hid in the field. They were well known, not hidden.
In Matt. 13:44 the Man found it, and hid it, then sold all that He had, and bought the field for the treasure that was in it. The field is the purchased thing there. In verses 45, 46 we find the great object of His delight, the pearl of great price (Eph. 5:25-27). This is what was hid in God, and was only revealed (Eph. 3:9) after Paul was converted.
It is important to notice that all the parables of the Kingdom of heaven apply to the Church period.