Psst, it’s a Secret

Introduction

In Mark 4:3-32, Yeshua shares a parable and its interpretation with His disciples. He says they have been given the secret of the kingdom of Elohim (God). It’s a secret because not everyone is meant to enter the kingdom of Elohim. Yeshua spoke in parables to keep certain people from being forgiven.

• Mark 4:11-12: And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, ¹² so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

The Parable of the Sower

The sower went out to sow the seed, which is the Word of Elohim. It’s like a tiny mustard seed. Perhaps it is tiny because the world considers it to be insignificant. Satan knows how significant and powerful it can be in people’s lives. He knows it has the power to set people free.

The seed fell on different kinds of ground, which affected the seed’s ability to take root and grow.

• Path: The seed was eaten by birds – it was taken away by Satan.
• Rocky ground: The seed withered away because of lack of root – because of tribulation and persecution. This can take the form of ridicule, grief, physical abuse, threats, trauma, etc.
• Thorns: The seed was choked by the cares of the world – the deceitfulness of riches and desires for other things. As a result, it yielded no grain. This can take the form of the number of likes or followers in social media, the lust for designer clothes and accessories, climbing the social ladder of success, etc. These kinds of things hinder the seed from maturing into what God intended; it can cause the seedling to die. Because deceit is involved, people don’t know they are being deceived by the enemy.
• Good soil: The seed produced abundant fruit, which will be harvested at the appropriate time. What you are – how you are identified – at the final harvest will determine how you will be sorted and where you will go – either into the joy of the Lord or into outer darkness:
  • Righteous versus unrighteous
  • Clean versus unclean
  • Wheat versus tare
  • Blessed versus cursed
  • Seeing or perceiving versus blind
  • Hearing versus deaf or not understanding
  • Saved versus perishing

The word of Elohim is put out to everyone, but for the best result, it must fall on good soil. We control the quality of ground in our own lives and, to some extent, the lives of our children. We must guard our own soil as we battle for the lives of our children. We should expect our marriages and children to be attacked from all kinds of directions, and we should expect to encounter spiritual warfare from the wicked who are influenced by the world. Therefore, we should learn how to wage effective warfare.

The secret of the kingdom of Elohim is hidden, yet it is to be made manifest to those who are willing to hear (Mark 4:10-12, 21-23).

• Mark 4:22: For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.

Yeshua was called by the Father to be the Light to help the blind see, become a covenant for the people, and set His blind servant Israel/Jacob – the prisoners – free from darkness (Isaiah 42:6-7, 18-25). Many of the Pharisees were like those in Isaiah’s day who were blind. They had added their oral traditions to God’s laws. They wanted to maintain control and political power over the people. Some of them accepted the gospel, but most did not.

In jail ministry, we find a lot of people with poor soil, but I believe it’s a place where amendments can be made to the soil. Many who are backslidden are there, and many come to know the Lord for the first time there. It is a place where the Light of Yeshua can shine, and a place where healing and growth can take place under the right conditions of faith, hope, and love.

There is a remnant chosen by grace; this remnant is able to see and hear. The eyes of Gentiles have been opened, and they have been joined to the olive tree of Israel as true sons of Abraham by grace through faith in Yeshua. Even believing Jews have been grafted back into this tree (Romans 11:5-24; Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 3:7).

Unfortunately, the cross of Messiah is seen by the world as foolishness, and those who believe that will likely remain blind and deaf (1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2:14; 3:19).

As we understand the parables about the kingdom of God, more will be revealed to us (Mark 4:13, 24-25). There is a lot of repeated themes in these parables, but there are new insights in each that can deepen our understanding of the kingdom.

Conclusion

The secret of the kingdom of God was meant to be revealed to those who are chosen by grace. They must have the right kind of soil to bear fruit and grow into maturity. For those whose soil is poor, I believe there is still hope for them if God’s people will wage warfare, redirect them, minister inner healing to them, and disciple them.

What is the quality of your soil? Do you need some amendments in your life to get you in the condition you need to be to reach maturity and bear fruit?