Kingdom Parable Of The Sower
In Matthew the Massaiah told us to seek the Kingdom before anything and everything else would be added to us.
“But seek you first the kingdom of Yah, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Mat 6:34
Seek means to search for so apparently the kingdom isn’t just something you can just get up and go to, like the store. The Kingdom is something hidden that you must look for. In order to search for something, you have to want to look for it.
What do we know about the Kingdom?
The MassaYah spoke about details of the kingdom in parables.
The Reason for Using Parables
Not everyone who came to hear the Massaiah came to hear the word of Yah. There were many people following him hoping that he would say something they could use against him. When he spoke, his words offended those who were already offended in him, his manner, and way of being in the world.
When Yashawah was teaching he was aware that these same people were listening and the teachings he gave were not to be given to those whose hearts were not ready to receive them. Yashawah dealt with this by teaching in parables.
He explains this in Matthew.
And the disciples came, and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables?
He answered and said to them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever has (understanding), to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not (understanding), from him shall be taken away even that he has.
Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing – see not; and hearing – they hear not, neither do they understand.
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive:
For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. Mat 13:10–17
Yashawah tells us that it’s not given to them to understand because they have no interest in it. If the people should see, hear and understand with their hearts they would convert and be healed. But they don’t want to be healed, they are not looking for the kingdom.
And here we are. We want to find the Kingdom. We want to see, hear and understand with our hearts and be converted and healed.
But what is the kingdom?
And how shall we know when we find it?
MassaYah tells us in Mark that the Kingdom is like a grain of Mustard seed
“And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. And with many such parables he spoke the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.” Mar 4:30-33
This tells us that in its beginning the Kingdom is the least of all the seeds that are in the earth. Now I always consider people to be earth, because of that part of Genesis 3:19
“…For dustH6083 (earth) thou art, and unto dustH6083 (earth) shalt thou return.” Gen 3:19
H6080; dust – hence clay, earth, mud.
Let’s look at the parable of the sower to understand the parable of the Mustard seed better:
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Mar 4:2-9
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Know you not this parable? and how then will you know all parables? The sower sows the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. Mar 4:10: and Mar 4:13-20
What does the parable of the sower say to you?
“And these are they by the way side”
When they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Satan’s nature hasn’t changed. He still wants to bring everything and everyone under his sway. He still whispers his lies into every ear, sowing pride and doubt, just as he did while he was in heaven.
“And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground”
These are those who receive God’s Word “with joy,” but they lack true understanding —their relationship with Yah is physical not spiritual. They are easily withered by adversity. The MassaYah tells us to expect difficulties because the Adversary rules this world, but many are deceived by false teachers. And upon encountering trials and tribulations, they join the world because they think Yah does not want them to suffer adversity.
Can you think of something that might cause you problems because you are following Yah?
“And these are they which are sown among thorns”
They hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve Yah and materialism.” Matt 6:24 and Luke 16:12
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” John 15:2
People have a dual nature we have a divine desire to do what is pleasing to Yah and a selfish desire to do what is pleasing to ourselves. That’s why most people are not aware when they are under the sway of the devil. He uses our natural selfishness to keep us busy with ourselves and our greatness. We are often so self-absorbed that we can’t think of anything other than ourselves and what we want.
This state of being is not easy to avoid in this world which is ruled by Satan. We are reared up to love things and we are easily distracted by the world. We do love Yah, just not first and foremost. Yah not being priority one means we do not spend time in communion with Yah, thinking about His way, or studying His word. We stop growing and producing the fruit Yah wants to see in us. Love for Yah is, in contrast to selfishness and material possessions. Selfishness always ends badly and material possessions end; but Yah endures forever.
“And these are they which are sown on good ground”
They hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
The fruit of Yahweh is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are not fruits that we can manifest in ourselves, but Yahweh will manifest them in us, when we allow him to live in our hearts and obey his commandments.
The parable of the sower helps us to understand that we are the earth. We are either on the wayside, the stony ground, the throne covered ground or we are the good ground.
The earth that we are has many seeds sown in it. From birth seeds are sown in us that come to fruition as we grow. These seeds are related to protecting ourselves from our fears, or managing the cares of this world, having the benefits of money, and satisfying our wants for stuff in the world. We are taught to look for and pursue many things.
In contrast Yashawah tells us to pursue the kingdom of Yahweh. He advises us to be that good ground by keeping his commandments and loving one another. If we are blessed the mustard seed of the kingdom is also sown in us from an early age. It appears to be small and unimportant compared to all those other seeds, but when it is grown it becomes the greatest asset to us and all those around us.