From the Inside Out

One of the biggest misnomers concerning Scriptures is salvation versus restoration.   Restoration in a running theme throughout Scripture but has been set aside as the world focuses on salvation.  There is no salvation without restoration.

restoration

n

1. the act of restoring or state of being restored, as to a former or original condition, place, etc.

2. the replacement or giving back of something lost, stolen, etc.

3. something restored, replaced, or reconstructed

All of Yahshua’s parables are focused on this running theme and can be used to establish the direction and purpose of the Kingdom.

The Nature themed parables:

• The Sower and the Seeds (Mark 4:3-9; Matt 13:3-9; Luke 8:5-8)
• The Grain of Wheat  (John 12:24)
• The weeds in the Grain or the Tares (Matt 13:24-30)
• The Net (Matthew 13:47-50)
• The Seed Growing Secretly (Spontaneously) or The Patient Husbandman (Mark 4:26-29)
• The Mustard Seed (Matt13:31f.;Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18 f.)
• The Leaven (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20 f.)
• The Budding Fig Tree (Matt 24:32 f.; Mark 13:28 f.; Luke 21:19-31)
• The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)
• The Birds of Heaven (Matthew 6:26; Luke 12:24)
• The Flowers of the Field (Matt 6:28-30; Luke 12:27f.)
• The Vultures & the Carcass (Matt 24:28; Luke 17:37)
• The Tree and its Fruits (Matthew 7:16; Luke 6:43-49)
  The Weather Signs (Luke 12:54-56; cf. Matthew 26:2 f.; Mark 8:11-13)
All of these parables deal with things in nature and their restoration or lack thereof.  The results of the restoration culminate in salvation and the lack of restoration brings destruction.
The Work and Wages parables:

• Master and Servant (Luke 17:7-10)
• The Servant Entrusted with Authority or The Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (Matt. 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-46)
• The Waiting Servants (Luke 12:35-38; Mark 13:33-37)
• The Laborers in the Vineyard or The Generous Employer (Matthew 20:1-16)
• the Money in Trust or The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27)
• The Lamp (Matt 5:14-16; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16, 11:31) and The City Set on a Hill (Matt. 5:14b)
• The Body’s Lamp (Matthew 6:22 f.; Luke 11:34-36)
• The Discarded Salt (Matt 5:13; Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34 f.)
• The Patch and the Wineskins (Matthew 9:16 f.; Mark 2:21 f.; Luke 5:36-39)
• The Householder’s Treasure (Matthew 13:52)
• The Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-12)
• The Defendant (Luke 12:58 f.; Matthew 5:25 f.)
• The Unforgiving Official or The Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
• The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)
• The Wicked Vinedressers (Matthew 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16)
• The Two Builders (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)
• The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-43)
• The Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44)
  The Pearl of Great Price(Matthew 13:45 f.)

Again we see the same theme in these parables; however, we see more of another theme that was hinted at in the nature parables, maintenance.  Maintenance is another key ingredient in the salvation process.  Since Yahshua was using work in these parables it was easier to incorporate the topic of maintenance into these parables.  There is a needed restoration of which the restored must maintain otherwise there can ne NO salvation.

Open and Closed Doors parables:

• the Closed Door (Luke 13:24-30)
• The Doorkeeper (Mark 13:33-37; cf. Matt 24:42)
• The Thief in the Night and the Faithful Servants (Matthew 24:42-51.; Luke 12:32-48.)
• The Strong Man Bound (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21 f.)
• The Divided Realm (Mark 3:24-26; Luke 11:17-20)
• The Unoccupied House or The Demon’s Invasion (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26)
• The Importunate Neighbor (Luke 11:5-8)
• The Son’s Request (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13)
• The Unjust Judge or The Importunate Widow (Luke 18:1-8)
  The Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14)

Since these parables seem to be dealing with a distinction between one party and another, there is more than meets the eye here.  The entering into one room/area and the departure from another.  Once the transition has been made there is restoration, maintenance and ultimately salvation.  To effectively leave one thing to go into another takes action on the part of the party involved.  You cannot stay in one area and wait for change.  You must begin the change by deciding to leave one and go into the other.  Afterwards you must maintain to insure that you achieve salvation.  You cannot save yourself, but you cannot be saved unless you choose to move.

Wedding and Feasts parables:

• The Sulking Children or The Children in the Marketplace (Matthew 11:16-19; Luke 7:31-35)
• The Arrogant Guest (Luke 14:7-11)
• The Bridegroom's Friend (John 3:28)
• The Bridegroom's Attendants (Matthew 9:15a; Mark 2:18 f.; Luke 5:34)
• The Bride’s Girlfriends or Ten Virgins (Matt25:1-13)
• The Tower Builder and The Warring King (Luke 14:28-32)
• The Wedding Feast or The Unwilling Guests (Matt 22:1-10; Luke 14:16-24)
• The Wedding Garment (Matthew 22:11-14)
• The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

I do not see the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus so much as a parable, it mentions specific names and was most likely not a parable.  However, as with the parables in the theme, it contains the same basic elements.  There is decision, action, restoration, maintenance or lack thereof and salvation or destruction.  We can clearly see that Yahshua’s ministry was clearly focused on this theme.

To wrap this analysis up let’s look at the most obvious theme of the remaining parables.

Lost and Found/Father and Son parables:

• The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
• The Prodigal Son or The Loving Father (Luke 15:11-32)
• The Two Sons, The Apprentice Son, and The Slave and Son (Matthew 21:28-32; John 5:19-20a; John 3:35)
• The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)
• The Lost Sheep (Matthew 28:12-14; Luke 15:4-7)
• The Shepherd, the Thief, and the Doorkeeper (John 10:1-18)
• The Doctor and the Sick (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 5: 31 f.)
  The Great Assize or The Sheep and the Goats(Matthew 25:31-46)
These are the easiest parables to see the theme.  In this set of parables we see lots of action.  You will never find anything until you search for something.  Passive attitude is the damnation of humanity.  I am shocked at the masses of so called “believers” who show no initiative to seek their Creator.  The mindset is “I have been saved and I am waiting for the rapture” or “I am a good person and do not need to change.” 

We are missing the whole point of Yahshua’s work, for you see the Blood/Redemption is the starting point and the ending.  Let me explain.

Every human who has or is living must make a decision.  No one can be changed or restored without first deciding to seek and embrace change.  You can “witness” to people until you are martyred and only those who are looking/seeking will actually see change.  You will notice that Yahshua didn’t grab the sick, possessed and needy by the nape of the neck and force them into change.  Those that either came to Him or exhibited a desire for change were restored.  All of the miracles of Yahshua are signposts to guide you to Him.

Where does the first spark to seek initiate?  Somewhere deep inside, way deep in our very structural makeup, there is a link in every human back to our Creator.  Now don’t stop reading here if we disagree.  I will explain what I am talking about.

We are all descendants of Hawwah (Eve).

 

Gen 3:20  And the man called his wife’s name Ḥawwah, because she became the mother of all living.

 

We all came from the womb of the woman who came out of the side of Adam.  Adam was created by the Hands of YHWH using dirt, water and the Breath/Ruach.  When the Ruach went into Adam, he came to life.

 

Gen 2:7  And יהוה Elohim formed the man out of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils breath of life. And the man became a living being.

The combination of dirt, water and Breath  was life.  This life was IN  the blood.  YHWH had perfect and sinless blood, so man/adam had perfect blood and the half removed from him had the same blood.  The very name Adam keys us to this fact as the base of his name means “blood.”  Dom means blood in Hebrew, so Adam is actually ha dom or “the blood.”  When sin was introduced via fruit/seed the structure of mankind was changed.  Everyone born is born into sin.  Even innocent perfect little babies have the sin code flowing through their veins. 

So if seed entered mankind and got into the blood, then changed the DNA by writing in sickness, disease and death; we know need a covering or transfusion of perfect, sinless blood.  This process begins on the inside and works its way out.

Without understanding the steps (teshuvah/repentance, action, restoration and maintenance) one cannot and will not be saved.  We all must return to the Tree of Life and eat from its branches.  Then when we partake of Him, we become one with Him and the DNA change begins.

I am diabetic.  I have been for quite some time.  Undoubtedly, I became diabetic from the huge amounts of messages I continually wrote on my DNA by ingesting things that were not food.  Just because it is packaged as and presented as food doesn’t make everything food.  I am convinced that YHWH can heal my diabetes and restore my DNA to its proper state.  However, if He does and I continue to eat un-food, I will get diabetes again.

How often when Yahshua healed someone did He say, “Go your way and sin no more”?  Can you see that He knew the DNA had been rewritten (restoration) and the only  way to stay healed was no sin (maintenance)? 

This is the answer to why we do not see miracles and deliverance today like they did in the Besorah (Gosple) and the book of Acts.  We don’t see the connection to sin and sickness and oft times we are encumbered by these same issues due to a lack of maintenance.

When we as the Body of Messiah teach teshuvah-restoration-maintenance-salvation, we will see results.  Are there hungry/seeking people out there?  YES!!  We cannot prejudge the ground we are sowing, we must sow and let YHWH give the increase.  I am sure that all of us can attest to the fact that there was a time we might have been deemed not worthy of hearing.  But someway through somebody YHWH gave you access to a door that leads to Him, and you made the right decision.

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
(Proverbs 16:25 IAV)

“I have called the heavens and the earth as witnesses today against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore you shall choose life, so that you live, both you and your seed,
(Deuteronomy 30:19 The Scriptures 1998+)

Jos 24:15  “And if it seems evil in your eyes to serve יהוה, choose for yourselves this day whom you are going to serve, whether the mighty ones which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the mighty ones of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But I and my house, we serve יהוה.”