Parables,Spirit of stupor and Delusion.
Introduction
Matthew 13:10-17 (New International Version)
The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Parables
The Lord Jesus Christ spoke in parables to those whose heart has become calloused with sins so that they will not see or perceive,hear and understand truth which they will distort or misuse later.God knows each one of our hearts for He searches our hearts and thoughts.Isaiah the prophet in the Old Testament, prophesied of how truth will be veiled to those whose hearts are calloused.
The knowledge of the secrets of His kingdom are given only to those who already have the deposit of the Holy Spirit in them.They will be given abundance of the knowledge of the secrets of His kingdom that will overflow through the streams of living water in them.These secrets will turn many who are called,chosen and faithful to Christ for the forming of the righteousness of Christ in them fully.
Do you often despair that the secrets of God are not given to you but given to others.He says " Draw near to me and I will draw near to you " But, you should never draw near to God with the intention of 'gaining' something that is not yours.We have an example of coming to God with wrong motives in one's heart.The verses below shows us this example.
Acts 8:9-13 (New International Version)
Simon the Sorcerer
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
Continued in this same chapter at latter verses were this account of Simon:
Acts 8:18-24 (New International Version)
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."
Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me."
When you come to God through Christ our Lord,your intentions and motives of your heart must be right with Him. You will be found out by God."We can fool man but we cannot fool God".He is our Creator and He knows everything about us.
Simon thought with all the money in the world with him ,he could buy " the power of the Holy Spirit" to use it on others to gain himself more money and fame.He hasn't truly repented,has he?. That's why God speaks to these in parables and keeps them in the dark about His kingdom secrets but gives it those 'foolish,weak and despised' in the eyes of the world.He gives these abundance of secrets of His kingdom to the least respected.
Remember the Lord Jesus Christ himself was the 'stone' the builders rejected.But, He became the Capstone for God's eternal building.But, these supposed 'builders' where are they now? They probably don't even have a share in God's kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke in parables to these 'builders' who were the hypocritical Pharisees and the Saducees,the chief priests and priests,those who considered themselves very respected in the eyes of the public.They never had the approval of God in their lives,though they claimed they had. It showed in the end of things.
Spirit of Stupor
Romans 11:7-10 (New International Version)
What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written:
"God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes so that they could not see
and ears so that they could not hear,
to this very day." And David says:
"May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever."
A people who thought that they could do any evil and get away with it were given a spirit of stupor, that made them feel like they were drunk to the maximum. They were 'intoxicated' with this spirit of stupor that made them stagger and not see this truth.These were proud and arrogant people who did not trust in God or Christ whom He had sent, but their evil hearts flirted and trusted in their own intelligence and strength to do as they liked, without seeking God's help.
Just like a drunkard will have all his senses impaired temporarily, these people could not see clearly,hear, or understand. So 'drunk' were they that they could not recognise who was standing before them.
John 1:1-12 (New International Version)
John 1
The Word Became Flesh
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
The spirit of stupor was on them that they could not recognise who was standing before them, even the Son of God,the Lord Jesus Christ. They could only see Him as just another man.They could not see the difference.Their judgment was impaired too.
King David prophesied of them:
"May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever."
Delusion
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (New International Version)
For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
God sends this powerful delusion into those who delight in wickedness and have them to believe the lie and not see the truth forever and ever, till they are condemned and thrown into the lake of fire to be destroyed.
These are those who find delight in sinning even when warned.They delight themselves in wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (New International Version)
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Deception comes through delusion.Those who are easily deceived will be those on whom God has brought on the powerful delusion because they delighted themselves in wickedness and refused to repent and turn away from these sins even when warned.
Watch the coming days ahead!
