Hope for the House Part 3
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Hope in Hearing
Hope in Hearing
Often we view Passover from the perspective of the resurrection and the hope it gives us in Christ’s victory over sin and death. But there is another hope found in that because He resurrected and still lives, He is indeed coming back. This is a hope the Early Church clung to even unto death.
In Matthew 13, Jesus has been speaking to the people and utilizing parables or stories that illustrate principles of the Kingdom of God.
In Matthew 13:10-13, His disciples asked him why He spoke to the people only in parables?
We begin our study with Jesus’ reply as He responds with the words of the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 6 of the book of the Prophet.
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
To fully begin to understand Jesus’ reason for responding with this quote, you have to take a look at Isaiah 6. The Scriptures say that King Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. His name עֻזִּיָה means “My strength is Jehovah”. He became king of Judah at the age of 16 years old. He was a great king with many victories and great fame. He sought the Lord and strengthened himself in the Law of the Lord. But he assumed upon the Lord God and took it upon himself to enter into the Holy Place and burn incense upon the altar where only the priest were allowed. As such, his life tragically ended leaving the Prophet Isaiah discouraged. But God reminds the Prophet that Almighty is still on the throne.
David Guzik states, “The bottom line of atheism or materialism is that they believe there is no throne; there is no seat of authority or power all the universe must answer to. The bottom of humanism is that there is a throne - but man sits upon it. But the Bible makes it clear that there is a throne in heaven, and no fallen man sits on the throne, but the Lord GOD is enthroned in heaven.”
Yet, like King Uzziah and the people of Israel, people of God today would rather assume upon God rather than hear His voice and follow His instruction. They are okay with Christ in their lives but not on the throne. They would have hardened hearts and closed hears. Thus Jesus’ point in Matthew 13:16-17.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Jesus again gives another parable in Matthew 13:18-23 concerning the Kingdom of God and those who receive it and live; and those who just refuse to embrace it and surrender to it for love of self and this world.
But in this message, I want to focus primarily on the parable that follows next. It is like unto the first regarding the Kingdom of God. But there is more that Jesus is hoping His true disciples will see and hear (Matthew 13:24-30).
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’
He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
The word for “kingdom” is מַמְלָכָה mam-law-kawh referring to the realm of God’s authority. The “heaven” is שָׁמַיִם sha-mah-yim referring to the place where God’s presence dwells. So, in this parable Jesus is giving an illustration of the authority of God where His presence dwells opposed to where God’s presence does not dwell, God’s authority still exist but is not recognized or is refused by men.
In this parable we see that a good man sowed good seed in a field that he owned. And while his servants were asleep, they allowed the enemy to sneak into their master’s field and sow that which would seek to chock out the good fruit that was planted.
We all know what wheat is, the fruit it bares and the goods produced from it. But what is this weed that seeks to destroy the good?
The reference Jesus uses here is called in the Greek, zizanium ζιζάνιον ου also known as “darnel” or Lolium tremulentum), which is a particularly undesirable weed that resembled wheat but possesses a seed that is actually poisonous. In Hebrew it is ba-sah בָּאְשָׁה meaning foul weeds that stinks such as those spoken of in Job 31:40 and Hosea 10:4.
let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants; so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
Notice that both plants are now in the master’s field growing together. They even look the same. However, one carry’s good fruit that sustains life while the other carry’s a seed that brings death.
Now if there is any uncertainty as to who are the wheat and who are the tares, Jesus breaks it down for His disciples with extreme clarity in Matthew 13:36-43.
In this explanation Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of Man” which is believed to be taken from the Psalmist.
But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
Next he points out that the “field” in the parable is the “world”. Some have argued that He is referencing the church, or Israel. But you only have to look at the Hebrew to get clarity. The word here is tebel תֵּבֵל meaning the portion of the ordered cosmos that is inhabited with human existence.
He continues, the good seed are those who are ben בֵּן or sons, not only referring to biological offspring but those who possess the characteristics of another; those who are among a people that form a nation governed by a designated authority. These are are the sons of the Kingdom of God who bare the characteristics of His sovereign authority in their daily existence. But those who do not, are referred to as the sons of the evil one, the devil. Now this word in Greek is diablos διάβολος meaning adversary. You do not find the word “devil” in the Old Testament. Instead, it is satan שָׂטָן meaning an adversary, either personally or nationally (against a specific group of peoples). The use of the Proper Noun “Satan” is defined as Superhuman Adversary (in other words, when the heart of man esteems itself above the Laws of God), an enemy at war, an opposition in a court of law or that which is an adversary against the authority of God and takes on the nature of rebellion, deception, or self elevation above the sovereignty of God.
In the parable, the adversary plants the evil seed, those who have chosen to align themselves in opposition to the authority of God. What really throws people here is the reference Jesus makes to the “End of the Age”. This is where western religion has taken it upon itself to define. In the Greek it is aion αἰών referring to a unit of time as a particular stage or period of history. But in the Hebrew it is used as dor דּוֹר referring to historical periods according to generations in the context of human existence. Thus, Yeshua is stating that a time will come when the perpetual or olam עוֹלָם generations of men will cease. Not all of creation but the continuing of the generations of man. With this parable so many get focused on the “end of the age”. But you cannot understand this concept from Jesus’ perspective if you do not understand the Jewish significance of the harvest.
You see, the evil one seeks to destroy the harvest. Therefore, it is critical that we understand the harvest according to Scripture. . When this time comes, many peoples doctrines will be blown away. How you have lived for Christ will indeed account for something. What you have done with this Jesus Christ will be accounted for. The parable is clear in that there are two destinies man may choose. And the parable is clear that the host of heaven will harvest together the who? Read the passage -
Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Who is gathered here? All that cause sin. All that are law-breakers; the tares. And their future is the lake of fire.
So what does this Harvest have to do with Passover (Easter; Pasach פֶסַח)?
In the book of Acts, the Feast of Weeks or Day of Pentecost was when the Holy Spirit fell upon men and the church was birthed and began to grow. It fulfills prophecy and the Law of God.
“The Festival of Harvest is always on the first day of the week, because it is 50 days from the day after the regular seventh day Sabbath that falls during the Festival of Unleavened Bread”(Found at Festival of Harvest truthofyahweh.org).
“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord.
Yeshua’s parable makes the harvesting distinction between the sons of righteousness and the sons the evil one. Jesus called the Pharisees who opposed Him the sons of the devil. Yeshua’s parable makes a harvest distinction between the two destinies man may choose. As such, the parallel Feasts of Harvest repeat this pattern:
1.) “It is the day two loaves of bread were offered as the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. First, the Festival of Unleavened Bread had the wavesheaf as the firstfruits of barley; this foreshadowed Yeshua himself the firstfruit of man resurrected to eternal form. Then seven weeks later, Harvest had the wave offering of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest made into two loaves of bread with yeast; a foreshadow of the Hebrews and Gentiles being the firstfruit of a now joined people, the people of Yahweh.” (Found at Festival of Harvest truthofyahweh.org)
2.) “It was then on this day that the followers of Messiah were endued with power from on high (the Ruach Hakodesh רוח הקודש) to help them walk according to Yahweh’s guidance, direction, and teaching; to thereby overcome the flesh, the world, and sin; and to teach others to also have faith in Yeshua for our atonement.” (Found at Festival of Harvest truthofyahweh.org)
With all being said, here is where we find our blessed hope in Jesus Christ. He who was the Paschal Lamb (Qorban Pesah קרבן פסח) slain for our sins redeemed us unto righteousness that we may no longer live under the yoke and enslavement of sin and become the sons of God.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
He who died also rose from the curse of sin that could not hold Him in the tomb. We do not have to have a doctrine that justifies our living in the tombs of sinful flesh for we have eternal life in Christ Jesus even to the end of the age.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Let him with ears hear. Let you who understand this word obey the Words of the Lord that you be found in Him at the day of His harvest. He who was sent from God Almighty, crucified and buried has resurrected and sits at the right hand of the Father. Though He has tarried, He is coming back for those who are His. Do not let your lives be tainted and the fruits of righteousness chocked out by a world filed with tares. May your life bare the fruits of righteousness and may He recognize you from among the tares.
If our resurrected Lord returned today and looked at your life, would you be a wheat or a tare?