May 20, 2011
“
A
sower went out to sow his seeds. And as he sowed, some fell by the
wayside . . . some fell on stony places . . . some fell among the
thorns . . . but others fell on good ground (Matthew 13:1-8).
The Parable of the Sower
“The Thorns”
Continued from April 29, 2011; May 6, 2011; May 13, 2011
Dear Brethren,
In my last writing of the Parable of the Sower I wrote primarily about the seed sown upon the rocky or stony places of the field.
In this writing I will be focusing on the SEED that fell upon the THORNS.
The Mysterious Secret Parables
Experimental Commentary, Matthew 13 – Jesus Christ spoke seven parables in all in Matthew. The first four were spoken to the mixed multitude. The remaining three were spoken to His disciples in private. The Parable of the Sower introduces all the others. All are dependent on the state of the heart— these divisions, four and three, being themselves notable in the symbolical arithmetic of Scripture. Another thing remarkable in the structure of these parables is, that while the first of the seven—that of the Sower—is of the nature of an Introduction to the whole, the remaining Six consist of three pairs—the Second and the Seventh, the Third and the Fourth, and the Fifth and the Sixth, corresponding to each other; each pair setting forth the same general truths, but with a certain diversity of aspect. All this can hardly be accidental.”
The Major Key to Unlock the Understanding
Once again, A MAJOR KEY to aid in the opening up to the understanding of the Parable of the Sower, with related Scriptures, is to realize that HEART and EARTH as used in this parable are synonymous.
Cruden’s Concordance, Heart— “The word HEART is used in Scripture as the seat of life or strength; hence it means mind, soul, spirit, or one’s entire emotional nature and understanding. It is also used in Scripture as the centre or inner part of a thing.”
J
esus
Christ was buried in the heart of the earth:
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH” (Matthew 12:40).
It must be emphasized that the KEY that unlocks the door to the understanding of the SEED sown upon the STONY (rocky) ground, among the THORNS, and upon the Good Earth, is that the EARTH is used as a type of the HUMAN HEART in which the SEED of God’s Holy Spirit is sown; they are synonymous in their usage in this parable.
Related Scriptures:
James 1:18 “Of His own will BEGAT He us with THE WORD OF TRUTH, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.” KJV.
I Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy had BEGOTTEN us again [first time by our human parents to human life] to A LIVING HOPE [by the SEED planted by our Father’s Holy Spirit in our hearts] through the resurrection from the dead.”
Ephesians 1:4-5, 17 “He (our Father) CHOSE US in Him (Jesus Christ, John 6:44) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in LOVE, having predestined us as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the pleasure of His will . . . In Him you also TRUSTED AFTER you heard THE WORD OF TRUTH, the Gospel of your salvation; in Whom also HAVING BELIEVED you were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of Promise.”
The Need for Understanding the Parables
Some may question: “WHY is there a NEED to write about these parables in detail?” The answer: If it were not vitally important for our understanding today, Jesus Christ would not have spoken these parables, nor would He have given the understanding of them to His disciples.”
Since Christ wanted them to understand at that time, how much more do we need to understand in this end-time while we see what He spoke about in our time!
He wants us to learn vital lessons from these parables so that we might remain VIRGINS, preparing for our wedding with our bridal garments unspotted, in order to be accepted by our Bridegroom when He returns to this earth (Revelation 14:1, 4-5).
Not to profit from these intended lessons opens up the possibly of losing our virginity and become sexually immoral by associating with corporate churches of God that have gone off-track in doctrinal teachings as were restored by Jesus Christ within His Church through His late apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong (II Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 2:20).
This man of God for our time continues to be rejected because of the TRUTHS Jesus Christ used him to teach; the very same teachings that Jesus Christ taught, and was also rejected by the religious Jews because of them.
Remember! — There is only one true Church of God; and no other! (Matthew 16:18). And it can be identified by God’s faithful and true ministers, His holy righteous laws, and His true doctrinal teachings (I Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:4-16).
Direct Association
By understanding this MAJOR KEY the parts of this parable with related contextual Scriptures makes possible the opening of our eyes to the Scriptural identity of the off-track corporate churches of God in our time and where they connect with each part of the parable.
To remain a VIRGIN in God’s sight: it is vitally important that we understand the distinctions and differences to make sure we are not committing sexual immorality with those that Jesus Christ does not recognize as His people (Matthew 7:21-23; 25:10-13).
My effort in these and future writings will be to make the connections with them through the identifying parts of this Parable, the Tares, and the Synagogue of Satan. This is what Jesus Christ wants us to understand lest we become drowsy, lethargic, apathetic, complacent, and Laodicean, and end up in the Great Tribulation.
Always,
for the sake of our promised salvation, we MUST remain vigilant,
while watching and praying always that we might be counted worthy to
escape all these terrible things that can now be seen coming to pass
and then to be able to stand before Jesus Christ in all of His
awesome glory as He returns to this blood-soaked earth!
Now for the next part of this mysterious Parable of the Sower:
Seed Sown Upon the Thorny Earth
Once again: the need for understanding what Jesus Christ said in this Parable it is necessary to look closely at the writings of Matthew, Mark and Luke to see where there are differences which will broaden our understanding of this parable.
Inserts will also be added to give the needed meaning when and where necessary. Remember – Scripture often only gives the overview of a subject that needs other Scriptures to fill in the meaning with comments that also add to the meaning.
M
atthew
13:7-8 “And some fell upon
(Greek)
THORNS [the thorny earth], and
the thorns sprang up
[grew up later] and [began
choking]
choked them.”
The explanation by Jesus Christ:
Matthew 13:22 “Now he [the member] who received SEED among the THORNS is he who HEARS THE WORD, [but the thorns symbolizing] and the CARES of this world [the anxieties of this life, family, marital problems, employment difficulties, persecution, etc.] and the DECEITFULNESS of riches [both physical and spiritual, Revelation 3:17] CHOKE [stifled – obstructed access to] the Word, and he becomes UNFRUITFUL.”
NOTE: “The cares and interests of the world choked them. They still wanted to be like the world. They were liberals.” Mr. Armstrong
Mark 4:18-19 “, and THE DESIRE for other things ENTERING IN CHOKE (obstructs access to the Word) the WORD, and it becomes UNFRUITFUL”
Mark
4:7 “YIELDED NO CROP.”
Luke 8:14 “Now the ones that fell among THORNS are those who, when they have HEARD, go out [outside of a close and abiding relationship with God] and they are CHOKED WITH CARES, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring NO FRUIT TO MATURITY (Greek, perfection).
Related Scripture: John 15:2, 6 “Every branch in Me that does NOT bear fruit He takes away . . . If anyone does NOT abide in Me, he is CAST OUT as a branch and is withered; and they gather them [binding them in bundles, Matthew 13:30)] and throw them into the FIRE.”
In addition to having to win their salvation by repenting and remaining faithful while undergoing the horrors of the Great Tribulation, Hebrews 6 and 10 could well apply here for those who do not remain faithful and fall away.
Putting Together the Writings of Matthew, Mark, and Luke
To try and put together the differences of what we have seen here by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, is as follows:
Seed sown upon the tilled thorny ground that had not been cleared of thorns
Thorns grew up later after the wheat had begun their growth
Seed choked or stifled by the strength of the thorns
Seed brought no fruit to perfection due to the representation of the thorns leading members into other pursuits in life
Seed having been stifled by the symbolic thorns are rejected and to be burned in the Great Tribulation having to win their salvation through repentance and then remaining faithful while enduring the horrors that will lead to their deaths (Revelation 6:9-11).
After having heard the Word of God and received it in their hearts they began losing their closeness to God due to the pressures of difficulties and DESIRES for riches caused by the symbolic thorny problems in life that stifled their growth and relationship with God.
Even though they will have retained some OIL in their lamps it will not be enough; too late!, they will come to realize they can only ENTER the door to salvation by faithfully enduring the horrors just before them (Matthew 25:11-12).
At this time they do not see their spiritual problem because of feeling rich in Spiritual knowledge, and having need of nothing (Revelation 3:17)! They have it made with no cause for concern— so they think! I Corinthians 10:12.
Jesus Christ’s WARNING to His people today:
Luke 21:34-35 “But TAKE HEED to yourselves, LEST your HEART be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness; AND CARES OF THIS LIFE, and that Day come upon you unexpectedly. For it will come AS A SNARE (trap) on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Revelation 3:10).
The Laodicean Church Era/Five Wise Virgins
There seems to be no other explanation of where the seed (membership) was sown on the thorny ground than to identify them with the Five Wise Virgins and the Laodicean Church of God Era:
Matthew 25:1-5 Then the Kingdom of Heaven (Mr. Armstrong - The Church of God in Embryo) shall be likened to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the Bridegroom. Now 5 of them were FOOLISH (membership sown on the rocky or stony ground), and 5 were WISE (The seed sown upon the thorny earth). THOSE WHO WERE foolish took their lamps AND TOOK NO OIL WITH THEIR LAMPS, BUT the WISE took Oil in their lamps. But while the Bridegroom was delayed, they all (became drowsy) SLUMBERED AND SLEPT (continued sleeping).”
V
erses
6-7, paraphrased: And at the MIDNIGHT HOUR, there
AROSE A CRY:
Behold, the Bridegroom is coming, GO OUT to
meet Him!”
There is no other explanation for this Scripture than the Work Jesus Christ raised up His late apostle, the promised Elijah of the end-time, to do. And it began in the early 1930s, the beginning of the Midnight Hour.
The WISE continued to keep barely enough OIL in their lamps (to illuminate their understanding of the end-time prophecies while keeping the commandments of God), but NOT enough to please God. Unless there is A WAKING UP they will only be able to enter the door to receive salvation by repenting and remaining faithful to God while enduring the horrors of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12:17; 6:18-19).
Matthew 25:9 “But the WISE answered (the foolish five virgins – virgins meaning not connected with the off-track corporate churches of God), saying, “No LEST there NOT be enough for us – . . .”
To Laodicea, the Apostle Paul wrote A WAKE-UP MESSAGE for both his and our time:
Romans 13:11-12 “. . . It is high time to AWAKE out of sleep, for now our salvation is MUCH nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us CAST OFF the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of LIGHT.”
To the Laodiceans, Jesus Christ used the Apostle John to write a stern warning:
Revelation 3:14-22 “. . . I know your WORKS (no fruitful crop to perfection, Luke 8:14), that you are NEITHER cold or hot, I could wish you were [either] cold or hot. So then BECAUSE you are LUKEWARM, I will VOMIT you out of My mouth [into the Great Tribulation] . . .”
Even though it is very apparent for the wise to see that we are living in the end-time by observing the fulfillment of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, especially so in the House of Joseph, it would appear that most members do not grasp the urgency of these times and are not making any real effort to strengthen their relationship with God while CONTINUING TO SLEEP!
Tough and Trying Times
Prophecy makes known the end-times in which this world have now entered are going to be very trying for both the Laodiceans and the Philadelphia Eras of God’s true Church.
The Apostle Paul makes this known in his writing:
Acts 14:22 “. . . We MUST through MANY tribulations ENTER the Kingdom of God.”
They serve the purpose of purifying the Bride (Daniel 12:10).
A Scattered Membership
At this time the symbolic Five Wise Virgins, as symbolized by the Laodicean membership, are scattered, as is the membership of the Philadelphia Era!
The Laodiceans will not become an entity until just before the Great Tribulation
Awake and Watch unto Life
Yet the warning from Christ Himself should be enough to awaken all of us, but sadly, not so:
Mark 13:32-36 “But of that day and hour no one knows . . . take heed and watch and pray . . . LEST coming suddenly, he find you SLEEPING, And what I say to you, I say to all: WATCH!”
The Church of the Laodiceans are sleeping their way into the Great Tribulation
To be continued
Your servant and friend,
Don Billingsley
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