Audio Download

Ezekiel 20:26-49  For His Name’s Sake, we are not Consumed, Part 2

[Study Aired June 17, 2024]

Introduction

Today’s study continues with the people of Israel’s abominations and the Lord’s intervention to make His people holy because of His name. 

Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The lesson today narrates some of the abominations we have committed against the Lord. To the untrained mind, it is difficult to understand why we should go through so much evil before the Lord shows up. However, as we get to know the Lord, we come to see that His method of operation is for us to have an evil experience before He makes us into another vessel fit for His purpose. 

Ecc 1:13  And I gave my heart to seek and to investigate by wisdom concerning all which is done under the heavens. It is an evil task God has given to the sons of men, to be afflicted by it.

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made in clay was ruined in the hand of the potter. So repeating he made it, another vessel, as it seemed good in the potter’s eyes to make it. 

Being made into another vessel after an evil experience is to show us that our salvation depends solely on the Lord’s mercies.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

Our Abominations Before the Lord

Eze 20:26  And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD. 
Eze 20:27  Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

Worshippers of Molech, Baal and Asherah would sacrifice their own children to these false gods which were worshiped by the Canaanites. For example, the statue of Molech was like a man with outstretched arms and with the head of a bull. Worshippers of Molech put their children in the arms of the statue as they kindled a fire underneath the statue to burn their children as offerings. This practice is what is called passing children through the fire. Unfortunately, the Israelites became enchanted by the worship of these idols and therefore they also made their children pass through the fire. 

Verse 26 is therefore about our lives in Babylon where the Lord is saying that He defiles us through the very gifts or offerings of our first born who we make pass through the fire so that He can bring desolation to our doorstep. Spiritually, making our firstborn pass through the fire means making the Lord’s elect spiritually dead through the words spoken to them in Babylon which cause them to sacrifice their lives for another Jesus. This is what our Lord Jesus said about us becoming spiritually dead as we sacrifice our lives for another Jesus:

Mat 23:15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Most of the Lord’s elect also spoke about sacrificing our children through the fire. The fire in this case negatively represents the false doctrines that we hear in Babylon. This is what Paul and Peter had to say about this: 

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

It is interesting to note here in verse 26 that the Lord intentionally polluted our offerings (gifts) such that as firstborns, we were made to pass through the fire with the aim of making us desolate. What this means is that the Lord takes us through this evil experience of offering our children through the fire so that He would have the occasion to confront our old man to make him desolate. It is through this evil experience that gives the Lord the occasion He is seeking to come to us with His judgment so that we can know Him.

In verse 27 the Lord is showing us that we have sinned against Him. As we indicated in the previous study, a prerequisite to being judged in this life is being given to know that we have sinned against the Lord. It is when we acknowledge our sins that the Lord comes to us with His judgment to destroy the old man or our flesh so that we become obedient children. Unfortunately, when we were in Babylon, we were just like the fathers of the people of Israel as we were not given to know our sins. As a result, we did not acknowledge our sins, and therefore the truth was not in us.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Pro 28:13  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. 

Eze 20:28  For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. 
Eze 20:29  Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.
Eze 20:30  Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?

The Lord bringing the people of Israel into the land by lifting up His hands to give them in verse 28, signifies the Lord coming to start His work in us to overcome the flesh. The lifting up of the hand of the Lord to give the land to the people of Israel symbolized that becoming overcomers of the flesh is solely the work of the Lord. We play no part in it. This coming of the Lord to us is described as follows in Malachi:

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 
Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Verses 28 to 30 also show us the state in which the Lord found us when He came to us. Every high hill and all the thick trees where we were giving our sacrifices and offerings represents Babylon or the physical churches of this world where we served another Jesus. What this means is that when the Lord came to us, we were in Babylon. In verse 29, we are told that these high places where we were going to worship are named as Bamah to this day. According to Brown-Drivers-Briggs definition, Bamah means high place or places of idolatrous worship. The worshiping of another Jesus in Babylon is idolatrous worship. To this day means that the churches of this world, represented by the harlot woman, are still worshiping another Jesus.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

As shown in the Book of Revelation, we can see the idolatrous worship of the churches of this world (the harlot woman) only in the spirit, that is, when we are given to worship the Lord in truth and in spirit.

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 

In verse 30, being polluted after the manner of our fathers and committing whoredom after their abominations means that the elect of every generation are made worse off by the beast within us or our flesh. In other words, being polluted in the manner of our fathers is another way of saying that no one is able to make war with the beast unless Christ comes to us to do it on our behalf.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Being an overcomer therefore means being given power to conquer the dictates or the deeds of the flesh which is the work of the Lord. All we have to do is to believe that what He has started with us, He is able to bring to completion. This is what the Lord told us about our victory over the flesh:

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Eze 20:31  For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 
Eze 20:32  And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

It is impossible to hear from the Lord when we are serving another Jesus. In verse 32, we are told clearly that what we have in mind will never happen as long as we serve another Jesus. When we are not serving the Lord in truth and in spirit, our desires are just like the heathens, and therefore the Lord will not heed to our request. I remember during my time in Babylon when together with other brethren, we used the following Bible verse to ask the Lord to make us wealthy like other people of this world so that we can finance the gospel. 

Psa 81:10  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. 

Indeed, we opened our mouths wide to request so many things from the Lord, but at the end of the day, none of those requests came to pass. Looking back, our desires were just like the heathen, and here in verse 32, we know that the Lord did not hear our prayers then. We were serving wood and stone (another Jesus) during our time in Babylon.

The Lord will Restore Us His elect

Eze 20:33  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: 
Eze 20:34  And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 

In spite of our spiritual poverty as we served another Jesus in Babylon, the Lord is showing us in these verses the three things that He does to rule over us when He comes to us. In the first place, He comes to us with a mighty hand. As indicated earlier, the mighty hand of the Lord means that He does all the works within us to qualify us to become His sons. In the Bible, we are shown several examples of how the mighty hand of the Lord wrought victory for the people of Israel in their battles with their enemies. For example, in the first battle that the people of Israel fought in their wilderness journey with the Amalekites, the victory of the battle depended on Moses raising his hands. It did not matter whether Joshua and the army were armed to the teeth or not. The battle was won by the raised hands of Moses who in this case symbolized our Lord Jesus Christ coming to us with a mighty hand. It is not about what we have or have not or our strength or fragilities that determines our victory over the flesh, it is our Lord’s mighty hands that matter!!

Exo 17:8  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 
Exo 17:9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 
Exo 17:10  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 
Exo 17:11  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 
Exo 17:12  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 
Exo 17:13  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Secondly, it is through His outstretched arms that we come to be ruled by the Lord. His outstretched arms means that He is ready to receive us in spite of our weaknesses and faults. Like the prodigal son who was received by His father, we also are assured of the Lord’s outstretched arms to show mercy to us as He receives us.  

Luk 15:20  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luk 15:21  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 
Luk 15:22  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

It is by the mercies of the Lord that we are not consumed. Our Lord is always ready with His outstretched arms to receive us.

Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Thirdly, it is through the Lord’s fury poured out against our old man that the Lord will end up ruling over us. This fury is the judgment of the Lord. It is through the Lord’s judgment that we learn righteousness.

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Eze 20:35  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 
Eze 20:36  Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. 

The Lord pleading with us while we were in the wilderness implies the Lord coming to us during our time in Babylon to start the process of His judgment of our old man. 

Isa 66:16  For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. 

Jer 25:31  A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.

As shown in Isaiah 66:16 and Jeremiah 25:31, the Lord uses fire and the sword as instruments of His judgment when He came to us in Babylon.  As we know, the sword is His words, and therefore the Lord coming with fire and the sword signifies the tribulations and persecution that we go through when the Lord comes to us with His words.

Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. 

The result of the Lord’s judgment of our old man is that our sea and our springs dry up as shown in the verse below:

Jer 51:36  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.

Our sea drying up means our flesh is destroyed through the Lord’s judgment. Our springs drying up refers to the destruction of our false doctrines in our heavens as the Lord enables us to understand the mysteries or the truth of His words.  

In verse 36, we are informed that the Lord pleaded with our fathers in the wilderness, but it did not result in Him ruling over them. This is to let us know that in our time in Babylon, because we disannulled or cast off the Lord’s judgment or suffering, we did not benefit from the suffering we experienced. However, if we are called and chosen, then in the fullness of time, we shall come to see that the Lord’s judgment is the Lord’s intervention in our lives to bring us to an expected end.

Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 

The Benefits of the Lord’s Judgement

Eze 20:37  And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 
Eze 20:38  And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 

These verses enlighten us on the benefits of the Lord’s judgment of our old man. In verse 37, we are told that the Lord will cause us to pass under the rod and as a result we shall be brought into the bond of the covenant. Passing under the rod means being judged by the Lord and the effect is that we end up keeping the terms of the Lord’s promise. That is another way of saying that when we are judged, we learn righteousness.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

In verse 38, the rebels and those who transgress against us refers to our old man or our flesh. This implies that purging out from among the rebels and those who transgress against us signifies the Lord’s destruction of our flesh or old man through His judgment. As we learned from the Book of Job, the Lord delivering Job to Satan means Job being judged by the Lord. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, his asking the church to deliver the man who slept with his father’s wife to Satan was for the purpose of judgment by the Lord. Here in Corinthians, we are given added information which shows us that delivering the man to Satan was for the destruction of his flesh. In other words, the judgment of the Lord is for the purpose of putting to death the flesh or the old man.  

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 
1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Verse 38 also says that the Lord will bring us out of the country where we sojourn, and that we shall not go back into the land of Israel. What we are being told is that the judgment of the Lord has an added effect of disengaging us completely from our Babylonian captivity such that we do not go back to it. Although we have left Babylon physically, the fact that we still retain some of their false teachings means that we are still under Babylonian influence. The judgment of the Lord is also to enlighten our understanding concerning the truth of the words of the Lord. Such enlightenment of His truth is like hail that sweeps away the refuge of lies in our heavens so that we do not go back to Babylon. As we are aware, hail is one of the tools of the Lord’s judgment.

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 

Hag 2:17  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.

Eze 20:39  As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. 

A simpler rendition of verse 39 brings to light the benefit of the Lord’s judgment. 

Eze 20:39  “‘Nation of Israel, this is what the Almighty LORD says: Serve your disgusting idols. But afterwards, you will listen to me. You will no longer dishonor my holy name with your gifts and your disgusting idols. (GW)

This verse is another way of saying that even when we were sinners, Christ loved us and died for us to deliver us from our self-destruction. What turns us around from serving idols or another Jesus is the Lord’s judgment.

Rom 5:8  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 
Rom 5:10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 
Rom 5:11  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (ESV)

Eze 20:40  For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. 
Eze 20:41  I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. 
Eze 20:42  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.

As indicated in verse 40, the Lord’s holy mountain, where all the house of Israel shall come to serve the Lord, represents Jerusalem which is above or the church of the first born. It is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that He will accept us and will require our offering of ourselves as the first fruits. This offering of us is being presented as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him. 

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Offering our lives as living sacrifices is like a sweet savor which is acceptable to the Lord as shown in verse 41. It is through the offering of ourselves as living sacrifices that the Lord will reveal Himself as holy to the nations of this world. 

Eze 20:43  And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. 
Eze 20:44  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

As we fellowship with Christ in the house of the Lord, we come to know Him more and also come to appreciate the fact that it is not because of what we have done or can do but for His name’s sake. In other words, our salvation is not our work but the Lord working through us for His name’s sake.  

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Psa 106:8  Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

Eze 20:45  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 20:46  Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field; 
Eze 20:47  And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein. 
Eze 20:48  And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched. 

As we are aware, the south is toward the sea. The sea represents human flesh. Human beings are likened to trees in the Bible as follows:

Son 2:3  As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Therefore, the forest of the south field in verse 46 of which the prophecy is addressed represents those who were under the influence of the flesh of whom we were part at a certain stage of our walk in Christ. Here in verse 47, we are told that we shall surely face the judgment of the Lord. To the Lord’s elect, this judgment is a present reality. To others, the judgment of the Lord will take place at a later age.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Ti 5:24  Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

I Timothy 5:24 above affirms the fact that we, as the Lord’s elect, have our sins going before us to judgment. To others, their judgment will follow later.

The Lord Speaks to the Multitude in Parables

Eze 20:49  Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables? 

Ezekiel could not understand why the Lord speaks through him to the people in parables. The people of Israel at Ezekiel’s time represent the multitude while Ezekiel symbolizes the Lord’s elect. Although Ezekiel was not given to know why the Lord speaks in parables to the multitude, we, the Lord’s elect are privileged to understand why. The disciples of Jesus also enquired of the Lord as to know why He spoke to the multitude or Babylon in parables, and this is the Lord’s answer:

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15  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.
Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

May the Lord continue to unravel more of the mysteries of His kingdom to us as we see the day approaching. Amen!!