The Parable of the House Upon the Rock (Understanding Matthew 7:24-27)

"The wise man built his house upon the rock...the rains came down and the floods came up..."

I still know the motions to this Sunday school song I learned as a child. It is inspired by the words of the Messiah found in Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus is giving an analogy about the wise man who builds his house on a firm foundation versus the foolish man who builds it on sand. When the rains and the floods happen the foolish man's house was destroyed, while the wise man's still stood.

This is practical, of course. Any home that is going to last needs a sturdy foundation. But this is also a parable. The house, the foundation, and the storm all stand in for other things. And the Messiah explains the meaning to us. The point he is really making is about following the word of YHWH.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."  -Matthew 7:24

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." -Matthew 7:26

This is not a vague spiritual principle. This is not generic advice. 

This is also not just about what the Bible says in the New Testament or limited to the words of the Messiah himself. Scripture identifies Jesus as "the Living Word" (John 1:1), and the Savior said that he only did what his father did, and that he and his father are one. Not to mention at the time he said this there was no 'New Testament.' With this in mind, we can see that the firm foundation he is talking about is all of Scripture.

For extra confirmation of this we can back up and look at the context of what was said leading up to the house upon the rock analogy. Not only is he talking about the whole of the Bible, but he specifically includes Biblical law and the commandments. 

"Many shall say to me in that day, 'Master, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many mighty works in your name?' And then I shall declare to them, 'I never knew you, depart from me, you without the law.'" -Matthew 7:23

Immediately after that he makes the statement, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

You can choose to build your life on whatever you like, but only a strong foundation will get you through the storms we all face. The Messiah said that that foundation is the word of God, and he expressly included the commandments and Biblical law in that statement.

Here is the Messiah telling us exactly how to build our lives. Upon the rock of what the Bible says and its commandments! You can choose to ignore Scripture's commandments...or you can choose to be like the wise man and have them be your foundation.

Now, it is important to correctly understand what Scripture's laws are. We need to make a distinction between the laws for how we live and the laws about animal sacrifice which are no longer in effect since the priesthood is now under Yahusha's Melchizedek order. We need to know that the law he is talking about is not manmade Jewish law, and it's also not just meant in a vague euphemistic sense or just Christian mantras or doctrines.

It's the Bible's instructions. That's what the Messiah said to build your life on.

These are the commandments that Scripture gives us for how we are to live. They consist of practical things like serving YHWH and not practicing idolatry. How to conduct your business and how to treat your neighbors and parents. What day is considered holy and what we should and shouldn't consume. Biblical law is not too hard for you to keep, according to the Bible. Jesus said that should be our foundation!

The rock that we should build our lives upon is Scripture's commandments.

Related posts:
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture
What the Messiah Said About Biblical Law
Basics of Biblical Law

Harvesting the Fields

"The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few." -Matthew 9:37

Reading a book on local eating I came across an incorrect version of this benediction. It read, "The harvest is plentiful and the labors few." Ha!

Our first frost came this week. If you garden you know the mad dash the night before a frost is supposed to hit. You gather up everything because whatever's left will be ruined. Only the heartier leafy greens and roots can take a bit of frosting. So you take everything else. The green tomatoes, the baby squash, bitty lettuce leafs. And if you are a gardener you know that a plentiful harvest is a lot of work. A bountiful harvest with little labor? Not gonna happen.

"The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." That's more like it.

What was the point of Yeshua announcing this? He didn't say much that falls under the 'common sense' category, and I struggle to believe that food was so abundant in the fields and vineyards of Israel that it was left to rot for want of harvesters. Plus, an actual commandment is to NOT harvest your fields too well, but to leave some of the grain and grapes behind for the poor. So if we take this strictly as an agriculture statement it doesn't make much sense. The fields are abundant but workers are few? What does that mean?

If we take it as a parable we can understand more. To begin with, Yeshua is hinting that there is something to be gathered that most of us are unaware of. Secondly, there aren't workers for the fields because most people don't realize there is a need.

But a freeze is coming to your garden? You realize the need and you gather the harvest. Food growers tend to do whatever it takes. I moved more weight in squash than I can at the gym. You recruit your family to help out. Shine car headlights on the garden to work after dark. A farmer friend told me he once stayed in the tractor for 36 hours straight to beat a bad storm. Typically, the grains and vegetables of the earth have plenty of harvesters.

But what is Yeshua saying? There's something that needs gathered in that most of us are missing.

This verse appears in Luke as well as Matthew. Taking a closer look at the context gives us a better idea of what he means. Matthew 9:35 tells us Yeshua traveled from village to village proclaiming the Besorah of the malchut and healing the sickness and disease in the people. Verse 36 tells us he saw the multitudes of people and had compassion on them because they were scattered abroad. In Luke 10, immediately after saying, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few," Yeshua sends his disciples to share the Besorah (good news).

"Scattered abroad," is a phrase used hundreds of times throughout Scripture as a threat, warning, and fact. "Scattered abroad," is what happened to the Northern Kingdom of Israel when it was sent into exile, and in a more limited way when Judah was exiled from the land. (Though, by Yeshua's time much of the house of Judah had returned.) The tribe of Ephraim and the Northern Kingdom is still, in every sense, scattered abroad. When he says the fields are ready for harvest, Yeshua is talking about the lost tribes of Israel! In Luke 10 he mentions three cities in particular: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernicum. These are three cities in the Northern part of Israel's territory. Historically they were occupied by tribes other than Judah. Though much of the Northern tribes were exiled, many still lived in the area at the time of Yeshua.

This is what Yeshua wants gathered in: the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He sent his disciples to Ephraim, to Manasseh, to Zebulon. He is after Israel's lost tribes, who have been scattered amongst the nations. He wants to bring them back.

Doesn't this understanding of the fields make more sense? The world has plenty of people to gather in food. While there are lots of missionaries, how many of them are reaching out to the house of Ephraim? Bringing back the lost tribes into covenant with YHWH doesn't occur to most of us, but it is the utmost desire of Yeshua!

Matthew 9:38
Make tefillah to the Master of the harvest, that He will send forth workers into His harvest.