Tag Archives: Mark 4:1-20

The Parable of the Sower and Jude

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The Parable of the Sower is a favored parable  because of Jesus

The Sower

The Sower

explaining it.  You don’t have to worry about various meanings because Jesus tells the disciples exactly what He wanted them/us to know and see in it.  He clearly states that the Word will land on four types of people.  As I said in Job’s Friends that the majority of the seed lands in the field and those people will produce a good crop.  The Word also lands on other people and it does grow in two of the three of them it just does not produce a good crop.

In the Book of Jude, the half-brother of Jesus takes time to warn the people to beware of men/leaders who are there for their own benefit and are hurting people.  Jude names Cain, Balaam, and Korah as the types and shadows of these men.

Cain, the first-born child, is the type of the natural man who is jealous and angry and is willing to kill the spiritual.  He is the “pathway” where the Seed could not grow.  Think about what he had thought; he could talk with and hear God.  It may have been that he saw God, yet it did no good because as it says in 1 John 3: 11 – 12, “ His actions were evil and he belonged to the evil one.”  This happened because he refused to master sin (Genesis 4:7).  So the “way of Cain” is to kill the spiritual so you do not have to face your actions.

Balaam, a mystic in Numbers 22, is an example of the “rocky ground.”  He called God Lord (see Lord My God) and seemed to want to do His will but he had no root even though people recognized the Abrahamic covenant working in him.  His error was that he used his knowledge of the spiritual to make a financial profit.  He counseled Moab to have Israel sin sexually so that they would not be holy and out from the covering of the Lord’s blessing.

Korah, a Levite in Numbers 16, is the soil with the “weeds.”  This area is on the edges of the field and it is possible for it to produce fruit but it has problems that mess up its full potential.  (see Seeds)  His rebellion was against God’s earthly authority and thinking he could do someone else’s job and that God would bless him.  Part of his family did go on to serve as musicians so good did come from the family.

Luke 8:1–15, Mark 4:1-20, Matthew 13:2-23

The picture is from http://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/parable-weeds/ 

Reflections on Job – His Friends

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Job’s friends as compared to the soils in the Parable of the Sower

The comparison I saw was Job’s friends would be the people that would come from contact with the Word in the Parable of the Sower.  Job’s friends were not with out knowledge of God and His ways, just as the people in the parable may not have left the church and have some understanding of God.  Both of these groups miss the truth of God and would/did generously sprinkle in a good sounding philosophy.

Eliphaz (means God of gold,Strong’s 463 ) represents those that fell along the path and the devil takes away the word from their hearts so they may not believe and be saved. The verse that portrays Eliphaz is Job 4:12 and 15 + 16 – “A word was secretly brought to me” and “a spirit glided past me … but I could not tell what it was.” These are the people who missed God but still had an experience that was supernatural.  They know something exist but total surrender to Jesus will never take place because they are happy with the “higher” experience they have had.

Bildad (meaning of name unknown) represents those that fell on the rock and had no root so in the time of testing they fall away. The verse that portrays Bildad is Job 18:2 – When will you end these speeches?  Be sensible and then we can talk.  “Bildads” actually start to grow in God but hit a place where going deeper is just not possible for them.  They know the “language” but will always go to a natural solution with God as a cover instead of Jesus as the solution doing what naturally has to be done.

Zopher (means departing,Strong’s 6691) represents those that fell among the thorns and were choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures and do not mature.  The verses that portray Zopher are Job 11: 6 and 20:3; 11:6 says, “For true wisdom has two sides” and 20:3 says, “I hear a rebuke that dishonors me and my understanding inspires me to reply.”  “Zophers” may be the hardest to detect because they are always in church or at Bible Study but they become easily offended an can drift between opinions very easily.  Who knows, if they could/would leave the weeds they would be ok.

Elihu (means God of him,Strong’s 453) represents those that fell on good soil and have a noble and good heart so they hear, retain, persevere, and produce a crop. The verse that portrays Elihu is Job 37: 23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in Wheatpower; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.  Now “Elihus” are not always perfect and sometimes a little rough around the edges but they will grow and produce a good crop.  A point that is easily missed is that these are the majority of the people in the Church not the other three.

See Job, Luke 8:1–15, Mark 4:1-20, Matthew 13:2-23 all verses are from the NIV.

the Picture is from http://all-free-download.com/free-photos/hd_picture_5_of_the_wheat_fields_under_the_sun_166083_download.html