The lesson discusses the immense value of receiving the “open word” or true understanding of the Bible’s parables and prophecies, as this distinguishes those belonging to God from the enemy and determines whether one can enter the kingdom of heaven or not. It explains how Jesus spoke in parables to fulfill Old Testament prophecies and conceal secrets from the enemy. Understanding these secrets through the “opening” of the word, moving from God to Jesus to an angel and finally to someone fulfilling prophetic roles like Isaiah and John, is crucial to comprehending God’s will and securing entry to heaven, rather than merely professing faith. The overall emphasis is on the paramount importance of this spiritual understanding unveiled through the opened word.

Report – Discernment Study Guide SCJ Bible Study

The value of the open word in my Faith-Walk

We'll study the value of the open word, not for others right now, but we're going to focus on ourselves, our life of faith, our own faith walk, and our own relationship. So, whenever you come before the word, your mind should not start thinking about Uncle Bill or Aunt Judy. You shouldn't be thinking, "Aunt Jemima really needs to hear this," focusing on somebody else. Instead, we should be thinking, "This is the word of God that God wants to speak to me."

Let me share a story from yesterday. I took my little brother out for his birthday. He's just starting his life of faith, so please keep him in your prayers. Can I ask that of you? Keep my little brother in prayer. I believe if all 85 of us pray, he'll be fine.

During our meal, we started talking about the Bible because he knows I teach it. I had given him a Bible similar to mine, and in the front, I wrote him a letter. This was significant for us because we didn't have the closest relationship growing up. When he received that letter, it was very heartfelt for him. I asked, "Do you read the Bible I gave you?"

He said, "I don't read the Bible very often, but I've read the letter you wrote over and over again." We were both on the verge of tears, but we held it in, with just a little water in our eyes.

Later, he started asking questions about the Bible, showing interest in learning more about God. He wanted to know why we have a Bible and why we read it.

I told him, "You know, the letter I wrote to you in the front? You read my words to you over and over again. What about God's word? It's the same. These words written in the Bible are God's words to us believers." After I explained that, he understood the Bible's importance, not just for reading but also for understanding. I imagine saying to him, and to all of us now, that this is not a time to think about Uncle Bill, my brother, or somebody else. Instead, we must have the mindset that these are the very words of God speaking to me.

We need to pray for that kind of heart and mindset. Another thought we need to have, not just in class but whenever someone is speaking the word, is that it's not the person speaking. Whenever someone speaks the word, you have to discern the spirit at work – distinguishing between good and evil, God's Spirit or Satan's Spirit. God's Spirit and Satan's Spirit work through the words people speak. Jesus said in John 6:63, "Words are spirit."

Because words are spirit, when we hear them, we must listen carefully and then check with the Scripture. That is how we can discern. This is why, every single day, the evangelist asks, "Do you have your Bible? Do you have your Bible?" They repeat it before class because we want everybody to hear and check. Don't focus too much on taking perfect notes right now. During small group, the evangelist can screen share the board, and you can take more detailed notes then. But right now, focus on really listening with eagerness. Can we do it? Thumbs up, we can do it.

So today, we're going to learn a special lesson: the value of the open word in my life of faith.

In verse 37, Jesus said, "I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you are ready to kill me because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father." Does everyone understand who Jesus is talking to?

Jesus is not speaking to people who did not believe in God and did not carry out life and faith. He is actually addressing those who, as you can see in verse 41, were protesting to Jesus, saying, "We are not illegitimate children. The only father we have is God." So, these were people who firmly believed that God was their father.

However, Jesus implies that God was not truly their father. In verse 41, Jesus says, "You are doing the things your own father does," telling them they actually have a different father. And they protest against Jesus, saying, "We are not illegitimate children; the only father we have is God Himself."

Let's consider this scenario. Imagine there were these people, the Israelites, the Jews at that time, who firmly believed in God according to their own standards. They even protested, right?

When someone protests, they are convinced of something so much that they feel the need to proclaim it. So here, they were protesting, 'We are not illegitimate children. The only father we have is God.' And then Jesus, what did he say? Did he say, 'Oh yeah, you're right'? No, he says, in verse 44, 'You belong to your father, the devil.' That's what he said to them. Can you imagine just proclaiming that God is your father, and then someone says, 'Actually, no, you're wrong. You belong to a different father'? Can you imagine how they must have felt? Do you think they must have felt good when they heard those words?

They could have felt offended. They could have felt like someone was attacking them, like Jesus was attacking them. They could have felt like wanting to kill Jesus. They couldn't want, and they did actually; they could have called Jesus demon-possessed. They did actually. They could have thought, 'Who is this man? What is he talking about? Who is he? Someone we've never heard of suddenly comes and tells us that we're not God's children.' So this was the situation at that time, not just with random people, but these were people who firmly, more than anything, believed that they were children of God and that they were not illegitimate children.

And yet, Jesus came and said, 'Actually, God is not your father.' We have to understand the reason why Jesus declared this. And not only that, we have to think not only about these people but also about ourselves too. Because today, how many people protest and proclaim, 'God is my father'?

How many people do that today, right? A lot of people, even us too. But according to Jesus's standard, it was different in that situation. So we have to understand why and not only think about these people but also think about ourselves too. Yes, I am a child spiritually, but a child of whom? And how can I know for sure? Because it didn't matter that these people protested; it was still wrong.

Actually, it didn't matter that they believed it because what they believed was wrong. So, they have to change according to the words Jesus spoke. So here, why did Jesus even say that they belong to a different father?

He said, 'You're ready to kill me because you have no room for my word.' In their hearts, what was stored was pride and greed. In their hearts, you know what they thought? 'We're God's children. We're good.' That's what they were filled with. So, they had no room for Jesus's words that said otherwise. 

And then, also, if you look at John 8:48, Jesus says, 'Because I tell you the truth, you don't believe me.' So, the Lord Jesus spoke the truth, but they didn't believe in the truth that was being spoken. Who do they belong to? They belong to the one whose native language is lies; he speaks lies. And then, Jesus also said, in verse 47, 'He who belongs to God hears what God says.' The reason you don't hear, Jesus said, is because you do not belong to God. 

So, think of the people at that time; these were people who said that they believed in God. These weren't like atheists. No, these were people who went to the synagogue, read the law, offered prayers, offered sacrifices, served at the temple, carried out a life of faith, and memorized the law. It was this kind of people that Jesus was talking to. But the problem here is that they didn't hear what God said. They didn't truly understand the words of God. They were in error. 

For us believers today, it truly doesn't matter if someone proclaims themselves as a child of God; the standard is the Bible. Anyway, if the Bible says otherwise, then what can I say against the Bible? I should change myself according to what the Bible says. I can claim to be God's child, but it's wise to double-check and even triple-check. For example, how many of you have ever left an oven on at home? Any bakers? Now, are your stoves on?

Have you ever experienced smoke from forgetting to turn off the stove? Has that ever happened to you, or have you left your car engine running? You might think, 'I turned off the car,' but sometimes it's not that we did it; it's just that we think we did. So what do you do? Do you just say, 'I'll leave it; we'll see'? No, you're like, 'I can't do anything unless I check,' right? I need to go back to my house and find out for sure.

And you check the oven. Okay, it's hot or not hot. So we're good. All right, maybe you can go about your business. In the same way, for something seemingly small, if we leave the oven on, the house can catch fire. Right? Leave the stove on, and the house can catch fire. But that's just for a physical house; for our life of Faith, the conclusion is either the Kingdom of Heaven or the other place that nobody wants to go.

Do you think people who belong to the enemy can somehow end up in the Kingdom of Heaven by accident? No. These people here who claim that they were God's children, and yet Jesus said otherwise. In the end, we have to understand that it is only the children of God who can live together with God in heaven. So for myself, I should not just protest, "I'm a child of God."

But what I used to do is actually check once again, double-check, triple-check, and confirm. Not according to what I think or how I feel, and not according to what people say, but according to what the Bible says. That's the one thing that never changes: the Bible. Feelings change; thoughts change. The Bible does not change. The Bible is objective; it is truth, and we can rely on the Bible. It is like a rod we can rely on. So even if I protest, "I'm a Child of God," in the end, what God checks to truly confirm is the person's actions.

So what if I continue to say, "I'm God's child," but when it comes to studying the word, I can't make any time? Which spirit is at work within me at that time? Then, right, God's spirit would lead me closer to the word; it would not lead me away from the word. A different spirit leads me away from the word. So when I say I'm God's child but then from the same mouth, I say, "I don't have time to review God's word," it doesn't make much sense, does it? So we have to confirm and check.

According to the Bible, we must make room for Jesus's words, whether in our hearts or even within our schedules; we must activate that space. Frankly, none of us had initially planned for this class in our schedules; it somehow happened, didn't it?

How many of you feel like you've somehow ended up here? That's how I felt when I studied. I thought, 'Whoa, suddenly I'm in a course.' It was the best decision of my life, I can tell you that. But while we may not have known how we ended up here, I'm sure many of us prayed, 'Father God, help me to understand you more; help me to know your will. Help me to truly understand what your word says. I don't feel I can comprehend it much. God, help teach me.' You might have even prayed, 'Father God, teach me some things I didn't know before. Develop my life of faith.' And what did God do? He said, 'Okay.' And now, here we are.

In Jeremiah 29:11, it says, 'I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, to even give you a hope and a future.' People may have different types of hopes: 'I hope to have a big house. I hope to have a nice car. I hope to have the dream job or the dream education.' But at the end of the day, true hope, do you know where it comes from? Understanding God's word. That's where true hope comes from.

So God gives us hope by providing us an opportunity to understand and study his word. We're like Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. There were some things that this eunuch didn't understand, no matter how much he read, and then Philip came and explained them to him. Philip came, but not on his own guidance. According to the guidance of the spirit, he came and brought those two together. For us here too, we prayed so much that God would give us an opportunity to study, and he created that opportunity. So it's not an exaggeration to say that God's will for us now is actually to study, to understand him, to know him. If you're wondering what God's will is for our life, there's no need to wonder much. It's right in front of us. Every time we log in, we're doing what God's will is for our life, which is to understand him more.

So through today's lesson, my hope is that we can confirm once again whether one is just protesting or truly, according to the Bible, one is a child of God. We have to discern between the two. So let us listen well and study well.

1. Why can one read the Scriptures and not understand

Of course, there are easy parts to understand in the Bible, but there are other parts that are much more difficult. Why are there parts that we cannot understand? You know the reason. How could someone read the Bible and not comprehend certain parts?

Actually, there are even times when someone could pray and cry for 24 hours, and still, when they read the scripture, they won't be able to understand it.

And the reasons are:

 

1. Some parts of the Bible are written in parables. Consider the Book of Revelation. How many of us have read that book several times, and yet, sometimes, we read it the first time, second time, third time, and then by the fourth time, we feel more confused than the first time we read it.

With the Book of Revelation, right? There's a reason for that confusion. It's not just a coincidence, actually. That book is written in parables. And that book specifically contains God's plan or prophecies. And if you remember from the last lesson, the meaning behind the prophecies can only be understood at the time when those prophecies are fulfilled, remember?

Nobody knew which country the Israelites were going to be slaves in until suddenly, in Moses's time, they were in Egypt and were slaves. No one knew who the Virgin and the son were going to be until that prophecy was fulfilled when Mary and Jesus appeared, according to what was promised. But during that time, from the period of Isaiah when that promise was made until it was fulfilled, there was no one who could understand it, no matter how much they asked, because it simply wasn't time yet to understand.

So during that time, what people should do is just wait until that promise is fulfilled. And the reality can be explained. But most people, instead of waiting, add and take away and try to guess and make up their own ideas and explanations about what it could be or what it might be, or what it sounds like it should be. But only when the promise is fulfilled and we know what it truly is, can we understand it.

 

2. Because the fulfilled reality has not appeared.

So, when do realities appear? When the promise is fulfilled.

Reality appears when a promise is fulfilled.

For example, if somebody says, "Hey, Reese. I'm gonna buy you pizza." That's a promise. You're not gonna see that pizza until the day they bring it to you. And then you can confirm, "Ah, here's the pizza. This is where it's from. This is how it tastes. It was cut into triangles, not squares."

The pizza was circular, right? It's not until you have it in your hands that you're able to understand all these things about that pizza. So in the same way too, when a promise is made, nobody can know its reality until that promise comes to pass or is fulfilled. Okay, we have to understand this very well.

So regarding parables,

2. Why did Jesus speak in parables?

Once, I asked a student, 'Why do you think people had such a hard time understanding Jesus when he spoke?' The student responded, 'Because he spoke Aramaic.' However, that was not the correct answer. The language Jesus physically spoke, whether Aramaic or Hebrew, was understandable to the people. They could comprehend each other's spoken words. But when Jesus spoke, he often used parables. So, why did Jesus choose to speak in parables?"

 

1. To fulfill Old Testament prophecies.

Old Testament Prophecy

The passage states, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden." Some versions might say, 'since the creation of the world' or 'things from of old.' To provide context, in Psalm 78, the person who recorded it was named Asaph.

At the very beginning, it is stated, 'a maskil of Asaph.' So, this person, Asaph, in Psalm 78:2 says, 'I will open my mouth in parables.' However, did you know that this was also a prophecy about someone who had to appear in the future and speak in parables?

We know who that was. It was Jesus. So, in Psalms 78:1-2, there is a promise about speaking in parables. Can you show with your fingers what time period this promise was fulfilled? It is an Old Testament prophecy. When was it fulfilled? You are doing this correctly, right? This means the First Coming. Jesus appeared and spoke in parables, fulfilling the role that Asaph promised about in Psalm 78:1-2.

First Coming Fulfillment

Once again, Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables, not for any random reason, but to fulfill the promise that was foretold in Psalm 78.

In Luke 24:44, Jesus says, "Everything that was written about me in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms has to be fulfilled." He said this, and it came to pass. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in the Psalms by speaking about the Kingdom of Heaven in parables.

There was a transitional period from the Old Testament to the First Coming. During the First Coming, Jesus not only came and spoke in parables about the Kingdom of Heaven but also made a promise. He promised that a time would come when He would no longer use figurative language but would tell us plainly.

New Testament Prophecy

Not only did Jesus speak in parables, but He also promised a time when He will no longer use figurative language, but He will tell us plainly. In other words, a time when you and I will be able to understand the things that Jesus once said figuratively, we will be able to comprehend them plainly.

Is everyone following along up to this point? This was a promise to help us understand plainly at the second coming, to be able to comprehend plainly.

Okay, now raise your finger. I'm going to give you two options, so you say either one or two, alright? Number one, God is illogical and chaotic. Number two, God is very orderly, methodical, and follows a process. The answer is number two. God is very orderly and logical.

He is also very methodical. He plans His plans, and then He promises, and then He fulfills. So, you too should make a plan, okay? You're going to be here every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. And then fulfill it.

Wow, how orderly God is. Step one: He promised someone would appear to speak in parables. That was step one, and He fulfilled it by sending Jesus. But then, there was another step; Jesus promised that, though at that time He spoke in parables, there will be a time for us to understand plainly.

So why is it that we will be able to understand plainly?

The Book of Revelation promises that there is a sealed scroll that no one in heaven, on Earth, or even under the Earth can open or look inside. However, it says that there is one who can open it. Who opens this scroll? Jesus opens this scroll at the time of the second coming, so the word can only be opened by the work of Jesus. Only Jesus can open the scroll. If the word is open, it means Jesus is working and fulfilling the promises written in the Book of Revelation.

A couple of classes ago, we had a back-and-forth discussion with a student or two because the concept of the word being sealed and opened was new to them. Many of us can relate to that situation, right? Perhaps we had never heard about a sealed word, an open word, and such things before. This person was protesting, saying there is no such thing as a sealed word and an open word, and that the word can always be understood at all times.

However, such thoughts come from someone who does not actually believe in Jesus. Even though they claimed to be a believer, according to the Bible, they were no different than someone who did not believe in God or Jesus because their thinking was wrong. Instead of changing their thinking, they decided to discard Revelation and what it says about Jesus opening the scroll in Revelation 5, 6, and 8.

For us, it might be the first time hearing about this concept, but that does not necessarily mean it is wrong. We have to confirm and check with the scriptures. When Jesus came at his first coming, many people thought his teachings were new. They said, "What is this? A new teaching? And with authority!" Similarly, for us today, it would be new if nobody understood it before, but now it is being understood. It may sound new, but it has been in the Bible for a long time. We read it but did not understand due to spiritual blindness, which is why it feels so new to us now.

But it was always there, and now it is being revealed, thankfully. This is God's life, God's work, and God's logic of work first. He promised and fulfilled, then promised again and fulfilled. We can see how the true God, the power of God, is promising something and fulfilling it. That is something only God can do: prophecy and fulfillment. As it is written, Jesus spoke in parables.

 

1. To fulfill the Prophecies of the Old Testament. 

2. It was also to hide. The secrets. Of the Kingdom of Heaven from the enemy. And those who were with the enemy. 

Why did Jesus speak in parables? It was to hide the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven from the enemy. The enemy should not know these secrets. It's like a war. You know, in a war, the two sides use codes when they communicate.

That's right. The enemy is not supposed to know the plan of the other side. For example, how many of you have a lock on your house? I have a key and a lock for my house, right? Maybe except in Canada, I heard they don't do that over there because it's so safe.

So, I'm sure most of us have a key and a lock. How many of you have an alarm system? In my family, my parents' house has an alarm system; they're very particular about security. But anyway, do you just give the code for your door to anyone? No, right? Because what's inside your house? Your valuables. Your family is there; you want to keep them safe. But what do you call a person who gets inside the house without having the key or the code? You call them a thief.

In the same way, according to Matthew 13:10-11, there were those who understood the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven; they were called 'you,' the 'you' group. But then there were those who didn't understand, and they were called 'them.' To 'them,' everything was just said in parables. No matter what was said, they couldn't understand the true meaning behind it.

First, who does the 'you' group belong to? There are two spirits; the 'you' group belongs to God. What about the 'them' group, to whom everything was just said in parables? They belong to the enemy, the devil.

But you have to keep in mind how God works. The time to truly know and plainly understand these secrets is actually during the second coming. That's what Jesus promised, right? The time is coming, and I'll tell you plainly. So this 'you' and 'them,' these two different types of people – those who belong to God and those who belong to the enemy – when are they really distinguished?

Do you think it was only for people at the first coming? What about today as well? This also applies to people living here today. Now, keep in mind that the people whom Jesus was speaking parables to were the same people in John 8 who proclaimed that they were God's children. But because they didn't understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, in other words, they didn't know the meanings of the parables, whose side do they really belong to, even though they said, 'we belong to God'? They belong to the enemy, in reality.

So, if one doesn't understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, that's like not knowing the code or not having the key. Would you be able to enter the house without knowing the code or the key? No. What about the Kingdom of Heaven? It's a secret of heaven, so they have to do with heaven. If one does not know the meanings of the secrets to the Kingdom of Heaven, do you think they can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven?

Knowing versus not knowing these secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven is the difference between: Number one, being on God's side or being on the enemy's side. And number two, entering the Kingdom of Heaven versus not entering the Kingdom of Heaven. So, do we understand why receiving the open word today is so valuable? It's the difference between Heaven and no Kingdom of Heaven for an individual, for me, for us. It's the difference between God looking at us and thinking, 'Yes, they belong to me,' or God looking at us and thinking, 'enemy.' Don't give them the secrets. Don't let them enter.

We'll have to think about our position; where are we? Am I 'you'? Or am I 'them'? Do I know the code, or do I not know the code? In the end, only God's family can enter into God's kingdom. But we want to be a part of God's family, don't we?

That's why we're learning the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven through the parables. That's why we're receiving the open word. And that's why God allowed you here so you can learn these things. Four or five months ago, did we understand the meaning of the figurative cooking pot, the figurative tree, seed, field, tree, bird, or any parables?

Surely, you were not able to comprehend it then. You have to understand the reason as well. There are those who are blind, and those who can see. There are those in the sea, and those in the net. There are those who have the sealed word, and those who have the open word.

And the difference between these two groups is Heaven and Hell.

But why do we have to discuss this? Because at the end of the life of faith, there's a destination, we know that, right? In the end, there's one eternal destination, either heaven or hell. So, what determines which place we end up in is not just professing, "I'll go to heaven"; that doesn't matter.

What matters is what the Bible says about the path I am taking. If I know the code, if I know the secrets, then I'm welcome to the house. But merely saying, "I'll just enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, I know, I'm gonna get there for sure," is no different than trying to get into the house without knowing the code. That thought does not come from God but from the enemy. So, just like the Israelites, right?

Their thoughts had to change because they couldn't change their thoughts; they couldn't receive Jesus's words. They had no room; they couldn't make room for Jesus's words. We have all the room in the world for Jesus's words, right? We do, at least I hope so. If not, then whatever is taking up that room has to be tossed out.

How do you put new food into a container? Take the old food out. If work is taking too much of my time, and I cannot even study the word, one has to give eventually; one gives, right? If a certain situation is taking up too much time that I cannot study the word, one is going to have to give. Even the things that are most close to us, family, friends, sometimes, just because we're not careful, they can go above God's word and become like an idol. Something has to give. I'm not saying don't go to work; you need to; we all need to. I'm not saying don't spend time with your friends. But studying the word is a priority. Why do you have to go out from seven o'clock to nine o'clock on a Sunday? Why does it have to be then? Why does it have to be Tuesday from seven to nine? There are 22 other hours in the day, right? Why don't we keep those two hours for God?

Because we love Him. Why not? Let's make room for the word of God in our schedules, but more importantly, in our hearts.

3. The Secrets of Heaven in Four Gospels and Revelation.

In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." How many of us call Jesus our Lord? He is our Lord; we have all accepted Jesus as our only Lord and Savior in heaven. That's why we are studying these words.

However, Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." The condition is, only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter. Even to work in the world, even to work at McDonald's, there are qualifications to meet.

To get an engineering job, aren't there qualifications? To own a house, aren't there qualifications that we have to meet? To get a car, there are qualifications. To rent something, there are qualifications. And these are just worldly things that are going to pass away. But why is it that when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven and entering Heaven, believers just think that they'll stroll right in?

That is a very wrong thought. According to Matthew 7:21, it's not because somebody says they'll enter the Kingdom of Heaven by saying "Lord, Lord, Lord." Be careful with that. It says that only those who do God's will will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And look at the people mentioned in Matthew 7:22-23.

Jesus said, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? And in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'" So, these are not just your average believers. These are people who are prophesying in Jesus's name, casting out demons, and performing miracles in Jesus's name. How many of us have heard of somebody healing somebody else these days? Or giving a prophecy about a person's life in Jesus's name these days? How many of us have heard of people doing wonderful works, as some of your Bibles might say?

Serving a lot at the church or the temple, whichever one you want to call it. Doing work as like a missionary or something like that. Someone who is declaring themselves as a prayer warrior or people who have titles even as pastor or evangelist. In the end, do you think God will look at a person's title and say, "Yeah, enter; go right ahead"? Do you think He'll look at their position and say, "Yeah, get in"? Do you think He'll look at the fact that they prophesy in Jesus's name or do miracles and say "Yeah, get in"?

No. Only those who do God's will will enter. But this is for me, right? For us. Please know that I speak to myself when teaching as well. So, this is for us, for all of us, right? Because they're God's words for all of us. If I don't do God's will, heaven is nothing but a dream that I have. But the result will be different in the end. So, the standard for qualification is to do God's will. If I don't, Jesus already said how it will be: "No Heaven." But the opposite is true; if I do God's will, then I'll be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, glory to God.

Let me explain about God's will. Actually, the number one question most believers ask is, "What is God's will?" How many of you have asked that question before? We've all asked that question, I'm sure. Or sometimes we say, "What is God's will for my life?"

However, in the end, God has a will that He planned in the Bible. We are God's creation; don't you think we should mold our will towards what God desires, rather than expecting God to mold His will towards what we want? We have to move ourselves accordingly, don't we?

Right. But let's change ourselves according to the word. There's nothing wrong with changing; we can do it; we can do all things. So, regarding God's will, when somebody says "will," are they talking about the past? You know, right? "I will buy pizza." "I will come to class." You're saying that in the future, something's going to happen, and you're promising that it will take place. But what about God's will? Do you think it's talking about past events? No, God's will is God's plan. God's promise, and another word for promise is prophecy.

Did you know that? In order to find God's will, we need to know the prophecies. But do not take my word for it.

 

The Sovereign Lord does not do anything without first revealing His plans to the prophets. So, God has revealed His plans to the prophets. Therefore, through the prophecies, we can understand what God's plan is.

Take Revelation, for example. What is Revelation? It is God's plan for the second coming. God's will for the second coming. But what's the problem? It is recorded in parables. So, if I don't understand the parables, can I comprehend the prophecy?

Let's explore this. Yes or no. Okay, I'm going to ask a lot of questions.

If I don't understand the parables, can I comprehend the prophecy? No.

If I don't understand the prophecy, can I grasp God's plan or will? No.

And if I don't follow God's will, can I enter the kingdom of Heaven? The answer is no.

So, heaven is directly related to understanding the parables because the parables are the Secrets of Heaven.

Therefore, the opposite is true. If I know the parables, I can understand the prophecy. I can understand God's will, believe in it, and act according to it. And if I do it, then, Hallelujah! We can enter the kingdom of Heaven. Come in. So, this is the value of what you're learning now, the Parables.

You should think of it this way: Why am I learning the parables in class? Not just for cool knowledge so I can know the prophecy, but for what? So I can do God's will. And for what purpose? So that I can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So, attending class versus not attending class can mean the difference between Heaven or not.

It's not because of the people, not because of how good the music is or my classmates. But because of what I am learning: the parables, because of the word. Let us view it in this way.

4. OPAGH

The Bible employs parables in five distinct ways: objects, people, animals, geographical locations, and historical events. God can utilize objects as parables, individuals as parables, and animals such as dogs, pigs, and sheep. It is noteworthy that geographical locations and historical events can also serve as parables.

Today, our focus will be on the concept of "people" being used as parables.

How does God employ individuals as parables in the Bible?

Old Testament Prophecy

In verse one, it states, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me." That's what it says, right? It's part of the phrase, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me." Who is this "me" referring to? In Isaiah 61, it is Isaiah speaking. However, here it says, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me." It sounds like it's talking about Isaiah because Isaiah is the one who recorded the Book of Isaiah. He says, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me." But did you know? God often uses the person who recorded the prophecy figuratively. It doesn't mean that the person never existed. Of course, the person existed, right? It sounds like things are happening from their perspective, but actually, they themselves are being used to speak about someone who will fulfill their role in the future. Let me give you an example. "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me" sounds like it's talking about Isaiah.

However, in reality, let's look at Luke 4.

First Coming Prophecy

In Luke 4, we can see how Jesus actually fulfilled this promise. 

It seemed like it was referring to Isaiah. However, when the promise is fulfilled, we realize that Isaiah himself was being used to speak about someone else who would appear in the future. In other words, Jesus, in reality. To help you understand, let me explain it this way.

It sounds like Isaiah, but it's actually talking about someone else, or you could say, someone like Isaiah. In other words, someone who fulfills the role that Isaiah was prophesying about, or it's like Asaph, right? Asaph said, 'I will open my mouth in parables.' But did he actually do so?

In reality, the one who probably fulfilled it was Jesus. So, Jesus was someone like Asaph, someone who had the same situation or duty as Asaph to speak in parables. Once again, it sounded like it was talking about Isaiah. Actually, when the word is opened and the fulfillment appears, people can realize, 'Oh, Isaiah was never talking about himself.'

He was talking about someone who was to come in the future. And this pattern is repeated frequently in the Old Testament prophecies, but even in the New Testament. Let's take a look at the last few verses of the New Testament. I'm going to show you the process of how the word is opened at the second coming.

New Testament Prophecy

Everyone, did you all see a sealed scroll? When you read this, you witness a sealed scroll. In whose hand is it held? It states in the right hand of Him who sits on the throne. 

God is the one who sits on the throne, but it is mentioned that the scroll is sealed. However, who opens it? Who is the only one that could open the sealed scroll? Only one: Jesus. He is the one who opens the scroll.

In the book of Revelation, chapters 6 and 8, the sealed scroll goes from God, then it is passed to Jesus. Jesus opens this sealed scroll. And then, what does Jesus do after opening the scroll?

The scroll is sealed in God's hand. However, Jesus is able to open the scroll, so it goes from God to Jesus. Then, in Revelation 10, there is a Mighty Angel, and this Mighty Angel has a scroll that is open in his hand. The scroll, the word, goes from God to Jesus, who opens the scroll, to a mighty angel, and then someone receives it.

The question arises: Who receives the open scroll? Who is told to eat it? The answer is, the Apostle John. He is the one who reported the Book of Revelation.

However, this prophecy in Revelation is not for people living during the Apostle John's time but for the future, for the second coming. The prophecy will be fulfilled at that time. It does not mean that the Apostle John will come back to life and receive the open word during the second coming.

Instead, consider this: 'The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me' refers to the first coming. Did Isaiah himself come to life and receive the spirit? No, someone else appeared – Jesus – and fulfilled that role. Or one could say that someone like Isaiah appeared with Jesus, and the spirit of the Sovereign Lord was actually upon him.

Similarly, for the second coming, we should not expect the same Apostle John from 2000 years ago to come back to life and receive the open scroll. Based on historical patterns, someone else will appear to fulfill that role. For the sake of clarity, let us distinguish between the Apostle John who recorded the prophecy and the "New John" who will appear when the prophecy is fulfilled.

This is the process: the word is opened from God to Jesus, to the angel, and then to the Apostle John in the prophecy. When the prophecy is fulfilled, someone else must appear to fulfill the promise. This is how God uses people as parables in the New Testament to conceal His plan.

God's wisdom and cleverness are truly beyond our imagination. It is only through God's spirit that we can understand these secrets. No matter how intelligent or educated a person may be, their knowledge or IQ does not determine whether they will know the secrets or not. It is solely by the work of God's spirit that the secrets can be comprehended.

Memorization

Let's Us Discern