Episode 892: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. [Matthew 13:9].

Well, if we have these things on the side of our head called ears, can't we hear Him? Yes, but notice the question and His answer.

And his disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables? [Matthew13:10].

Someone has said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

This is a good definition. But the word parable is from the Greek that we get our English word ball from. You throw something down beside an object to measure it. For example, it's like putting a ruler down beside a table to measure it. That ruler is a parable; it is put down for the purpose of measuring. Our Lord gave parables to measure heavenly truth which He could set before us.

Why did He do it?
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. [Matthew 13:11].

If a man wants to know the Word of God, he can know it. He who wants to know the truth can know it. But you can shut your ears to it. There are multitudes of so-called broadminded people who shut their ears to the Word of God. If you don't want to hear it, you won't hear it, my friend. Not only would you fail to hear it, but you wouldn't understand it if you did hear it. You must have the kind of ear that wants to hear the Word of God.

For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath. [Matthew 13:12].

If you know a little truth and you want to know more, the Lord will add to it. If you don't want to know the truth, the Lord will see to it that you won't get it. You see, the Lord will never shut the door to one who wants to hear. He makes it very clear that this is His reason for speaking in parables. Those who don't want to hear will not understand them.