parables

Work the Soil, Mark 4

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It’s the growing season, yes we love to work the soil. I put more into the veggie garden than I get out of it, and yes the soil is more expensive than the seed!!! So this year I’m changing it up for container gardening for peas and beans and strawberries. My garden needs weeding too, because I do see strawberries making a comeback there too, strawberries propagate by runners, a shoot to become rooted, and sow down the lane… 

We in faith, like the plants need good soil to root, plant ourselves and fruit. We in faith also have to branch out into new soils or spread seeds outward because new soils mean we are reaching, spreading the ABILITY to grow, not just tending close by. 

We know we are to spread seeds, but God does the ultimate miracle of growth… Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven – so many parables about seeds and soil and growth – as well as spreading them. I find too that the Lord has invested SO MUCH into the soil – so MUCH in so much as sending Himself down here to accomplish growth for everyone – the opportunity for salvation – the teaching to repent – the gift of the forgiveness of sins. The stage is set – the soil is poured and the nutrients are available. The Lord wants to have a well-watered season, and fruit in good yields.

I recently heard an interview with Rick Steves, travel expert, and Martin Sheen, TV and film star, about India and how experiencing travel puts into perspective our needs and wants. Travel is a whole level of privilege. It taught them to count blessings looking at the situations of impoverished people, and how they were grateful for having a passport and ability to get on a plane for their work – to travel the world . We can see the scenes on TV, but the in-person experience of the people changes your perspective. We grow by experiences.

We also surely grow in faith by experiences. We understand that Jesus loves all people (and there certainly are a lot of people in the world), and so we must keep working the soil – around us and sending seeds ahead – spreading faith – and enriching our own.

May we, like Jesus’s disciples, keep leaning into the learning and then sharing all that we have insight for – may we keep growing to keep teaching…

Amen

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Mark 4 excerpts

The Parable of the Growing Seed

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

My Sermon: Pearls of Wisdom and Treasure in Plain Sight

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Blessed to share in my “Back to School” series 

Pearls of Wisdom – and Treasure in Plain Sight – Sermon 13OCT

Matthew 13 scripture: 

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Dragnet – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age.

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I put on my 16th birthday gift from my Dad – a string of pearls – I love pearls and I love the concept of pearls as nature-made gems – even those forced – as a bead or something could be seeded – but regardless these are special stones – unique and treasured.

I have many favorite memories as a child – one of them is so vivid to me – but only snippets – I am sure my imagination has morphed my memories – but this one is from being at SeaWorld in Florida – late 70’s early 80’s – we took so many trips as kids with my parents – sometimes twice a year driving to Florida – until our teenage years – it was nice to have that time together – and I still love to travel – see other sites… Disney and SeaWorld were “inexpensive” then – and we almost always stayed at relatives houses – that was fun too…  love trips… learning by living…

On this occasion we were in SeaWorld and there were swimmers diving for pearls – for the oysters – in a glass encased pool – like mermaids or just divers – and they would watch for your direction as you told them what oyster to pick – you never knew what you would get and even if you would get a pearl. Oh – my Dad loved gemstones – he was a banker and he saw the monetary value, yes, but he especially saw the beauty of them. So I can remember him excited,  picking out an oyster – and I got to pick one too – we all did – and one of us – I don’t remember who – got a pink pearl – wow – special and more rare – and I remember us waiting in line with other people so anxiously awaiting to see what their oyster contained…  would it be the rarest of the black pearls? – or would it simply be empty?…  hmmm…  

The other part of the memory is that we had to then decide what we did with that pearl – just take it for the nominal price of the dive? Or have it mounted in a necklace? Of course, these were the days that I remember the tourist traps of gift shops and everything under the sun in plastic – but this was a real precious item – yet was the treasure of the pearl better if it were displayed or if you kept it hidden in a bag and forgotten…  

Looking for the real treasure!

The parables – these are treasured stories – a mechanism for Jesus to teach,  that we have a treasure in Heaven to be desired. Yes, Jesus as our treasure and Jesus reminding our treasure is in Heaven. We are to remember Him and what He did for us in coming to forgive our sins and make it possible thru Him to be His Treasure in Heaven.

We not to DISPLAY Jesus as what He did for us as a string of pearls of our purchase – He was the one who purchased this Way. And we search ways to not find ourselves flauntingly DISPLAY JESUS, but to PORTRAY Jesus as a Way of Life. Portray and Emulate Jesus – be His and teach others.

Jesus first had to teach the Way – and imagine the lessons people were motivated to hear – the crowds that followed him – either as hope – or a sideshow attraction – or a prophet – or a healer – or the ones who went after him as they saw Him as a blasphemer…

And these parables – were a vehicle to perk ears open – to understand Jesus more – why He came to earth – why He loves us so much – and these parables are back to school moments – and this one parable intrigued me as the shortest  – Pearls – in a set of 3 parables – I love how God loves numbers and 3 is a special number isn’t it? – they say we remember things in 3’s – and we are to know of course Three in One – God Jesus and the Holy Spirit – three. So the scriptures were read this morning – and I want to reiterate them here – 

(The Parables of the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Dragnet)

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

AH – so Heaven is worth it!  God’s great price to have us in it… A treasure…

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

AH – finding a very special pearl is worth it. This reminds me of the lost sheep – another parable – how finding the one lost sheep is worth it…

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.”

AH – not all will go to Heaven – the good made good by Jesus we know – but the bad, hmmm…  this reminds me of scripture prophecy of Jesus returning to gather us – one taken to heaven and the other left (The Great Disappearance)…

 

AH – but let us get back to the PEARL of wisdom about that PEARL – it is simple enough – HEAVEN IS A TREASURE – God looking for a treasure in us and we looking for a treasure in God – in being with Him forever – the prophets spoke so often: like in Jeremiah 32:38-40 “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them…”

I want us to think of a person new to these concepts, sitting in the crowd just listening – maybe a child there who is just now learning who God is – CURIOSITY – and then let us think about whole multitudes of people who were NOT there but then heard the stories of the stories – perhaps from the few disciples who travelled with Jesus place to place – or perhaps years later.

The Pearl –  the shortest of these parables – just hear about the pearl – the treasure – the price…  The child may comprehend and new ears later get ahold of Jesus as the answer to the question…  like we always ask in the children’s message… Isn’t it good to have One Word – Jesus!

AND on the flip side I also want to think of maybe an OLD-TIMER there – one who knew the stories of old back to Adam and Eve – there would be one coming to be the Savior and especially this person to know the prophecies – And this “old timer” may not have put all the pieces together at that point – they would have either heard or heard years later – remember these bible chapters were written soon after and up to 60 years after Jesus arose and ascended to Heaven. The “old timer” would have to have the Holy Spirit to understand this gift from God – to hear Jesus as the Way the Truth and the Life… 

I am not an old timer – maybe I am now – I myself have been enjoying the prophets Ezekiel and Hosea and their descriptions of how the people of the time would be best to follow God and follow His laws…  That is a history that cannot be ignored – that God was faithful even when the people weren’t – And can we even imagine God’s feelings for His children of Israel, those of the time and now – wandering – following God then abandoning the Lord and the Law of Moses – again and again. Imagine now the HOPE of God for His children to return to looking towards Him… and bringing back them/us/His children for a price, forgiving and forever-ing the relationship. A NEW COVANENT – a pain process that turned into purpose – a pearl which now shines – for the beauty shows up in the LIGHT. 

For Jesus as a teacher – this section is making people ponder and take hold of something that will open their ears when God chooses to open their ears –     we know Jesus is talking to a specific audience – those who write and those who teach: Jews with a NEW IDENTITY – JEWS who take Christ as the fulfillment of the Law:

51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 52 Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

WHOA – this is truly deep and we all must move deeper into the Word. Old and new to treasure… ah – the scribes can bring out the stories of the new – that Jesus walked the earth – AND the stories of the old – the faithfulness of God to an unfaithful but chosen people… 

And there is one more section of TREASURED scripture – to talk about – the treasure open to one who looks for SEEING IT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT – Treasure realized…  Jesus was sorry for the people who did not realize – those in His hometown in the days he went back – I am not saying that later they didn’t get it  – because we know of many people “got it later” – people who shunned then embraced that Him as the Christ – the Lord.  How many of those “pearls of wisdom” nestled in their brains and then maybe later on they remembered – like James Jesus’s brother… or were taught and Holy Spirit came to them – some even had a “road to Damascus” experience, like Paul.

SO Jesus hidden in plain sight rejected at Nazareth. Matthew continued:

53-58 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue – they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?” [So obviously they saw the works]  

Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 

[I aways wonder “what things” – were they distracted by the earthly treasures and not seeing the heavenly One?]

“So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

I love how Jesus’s brothers and sisters are mentioned – and I love knowing that James – his brother – became so devoted and wrote a tremendous scripture book in the book of James…

And I appreciate that people who rejected Him originally and those still who reject, can, after a Holy Spirit helping of education, can take Him then into their hearts – they could take Him as Lord and Savior – because they surely went “BACK TO THE BOOKS” – they THEN connected the dots of everything that happened and happened for a reason…

I don’t have my pearl from SeaWorld – but I also put on these earrings of fresh water pearls – they are different – and long – shiny yes but not the same as salt water pearls – and also a gift from my Dad. And thinking of both saltwater pearls and fresh water pearls as old and new treasures – I am reminded of how Jesus came for Jew and Gentile alike – The followers like Peter and Paul would understand this later we learn this in the book of Acts – the Holy Spirit chose the people – of all kinds – to accept this treasure…

I want us to ALSO think about pearls and how they are made – pearls are made from irritation – a piece of sand or foreign object inserted into the oyster – and then layers of calcium carbonate are adhered to the object and the pearl is created by the oyster itself – that the treasure – like the treasure of Heaven is taking a sinful person and making them beautiful and whole and covered with the blood of Jesus and now appearing new and unblemished and pleasing to God Almighty.

Heaven on earth itself is the ability for us to know the value of  Heaven – and act now like we will there – be thankful, gracious, forgiving, and whole… Pearls may be formed from the Pain but that pain is now precious…  Pearls get polished but not like a rock – they are carefully polished – and pearls are naturally going to vary in their brightness, their shine…  Isn’t that us too? We are to be the SHINE of God to be the treasure of God – understanding His treasure in heaven thru Jesus.

So – our back to school short take home message can be just that Heaven and getting there is a treasure… Jesus is the ANSWER.

Jesus came to save us – to teach us the Way – and to demonstrate how to live – this is again and again mentioned in scripture – what do we do with our knowledge and how do we live?

And in our old wisdom – let us remember these words of Paul to the church in Corinth 1Cor 2 snippets: “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

“… as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

And “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”  –   And: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” – we have the mind of Christ.”

May we hold onto the small pearls of wisdom AND the big treasure of knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus and live to Portray Him – not just display Him…

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Won’t you pray with me: 

Lord – we treasure these times to learn that You taught – that You came to all Jew and Gentile – old and young – simply spiritual and to break down the complex complications…  may we simply know you as the answer – Jesus…  Lord, You are so precious to us – may we worship you in spirit and truth and learn more and more of your work for us here on earth.    

Amen

Isn’t He Just Telling Parables? Ezekiel 19-20, 11JUN

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‘Isn’t he just telling parables?’ Well, yes and no – to God, parables are real – just a real way to explain things to people and make them think it thru – and remember it…

And we can say, ‘oh geez’ with the lost being lost – but the found being reminded to think of the efforts God put into finding. In the Old Testament, the lost bosses of the Babylon-bound lost Israelites, were not really wrapping their heads around the severity of the sentence God has for their judgement, exile, punishment. No one whole group could pull themselves completely out of sin. Ezekiel (God called him ‘Son of man’ as a prophet to speak to the people and their rulers) lays out God’s verdict in plain language in chapter 20, after a chapter 19 vivid portrayal of Israel as having a mother like a lioness rearing her cubs or as a vineyard bearing fruit plucked up and withering in dryness from disobedience. 

The parables of the Bible (old testament and new) make people think, therefore the rough reality truth of chapter 20 should make people know!!! Perhaps the wayward rulers wanted to go back to parables instead of plain truth: “I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you”, declares the Sovereign Lord.” The consequences of the wandering in Moses’s time continued in the hearts of the people putting idols first, not listening to the prescribed remedy for obedience. 

What about us? Ezekiel’s message reminds us of God’s Sovereignty and His Rule. We learn that God wants no one to worship falsely. 

“‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” …. As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. … I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.  

We also learn of His Mercy!!! And He scattered the tribes of Israel rather than destroy them. 

But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

Who can challenge the parables or the truth? No one. God’s lament over the lost becomes our lament too.

If we learn anything from the old testament, it is for us to listen to God and pray for those who aren’t.  Amen to this – AND – I read the lyrics of a song in these scriptures – “With a Mighty Arm and an Outstretched Arm…” the song continues “His love with last forever” – the scripture mentions, however, His Wrath…  Let us be remembering WHY God’s wrath was shown and stated – He want all to come to Him for this LOVE – God knows best – we best stick with God! Ezekiel said: Rebellious Israel Purged and the renewed. We know our Savior in Jesus – the renewal and the hope and the peace and the Way the Truth and the LIfe.

Amen Amen

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Ezekiel 19-20 NIV

A Lament Over Israel’s Princes

“Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel and say:

“‘What a lioness was your mother

    among the lions!

She lay down among them

    and reared her cubs.

She brought up one of her cubs,

    and he became a strong lion.

He learned to tear the prey

    and he became a man-eater.

The nations heard about him,

    and he was trapped in their pit.

They led him with hooks

    to the land of Egypt.

“‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,

    her expectation gone,

she took another of her cubs

    and made him a strong lion.

He prowled among the lions,

    for he was now a strong lion.

He learned to tear the prey

    and he became a man-eater.

He broke down their strongholds

    and devastated their towns.

The land and all who were in it

    were terrified by his roaring.

Then the nations came against him,

    those from regions round about.

They spread their net for him,

    and he was trapped in their pit.

With hooks they pulled him into a cage 

     and brought him to the king of Babylon.

They put him in prison,

    so his roar was heard no longer

    on the mountains of Israel.

“‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard 

     planted by the water;

it was fruitful and full of branches

    because of abundant water.

Its branches were strong,

    fit for a ruler’s scepter.

It towered high

    above the thick foliage,

conspicuous for its height

    and for its many branches.

But it was uprooted in fury

    and thrown to the ground.

The east wind made it shrivel,

    it was stripped of its fruit;

its strong branches withered

    and fire consumed them.

Now it is planted in the desert,

    in a dry and thirsty land.

Fire spread from one of its main branches 

     and consumed its fruit.

No strong branch is left on it

    fit for a ruler’s scepter.’

“This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.”

—

Rebellious Israel Purged

In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’

“Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.” On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

“‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live. Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.

“‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and destroy them in the wilderness. But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands— because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols. Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols. I am the Lord your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”

“‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws, of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents’ idols. So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live; I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.’

“Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me: When I brought them into the land I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings. Then I said to them: What is this high place you go to?’” (It is called Bamah to this day.)

Rebellious Israel Renewed

“Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images? When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.

“‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

“‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors. There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Prophecy Against the South

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest of the southland. Say to the southern forest: ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.’”

Then I said, “Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?’”