From the beginning of the world Satan has had one objective: To be like the most high [Isa 14:14, John 8:44].
· God has His city - the daughter of Zion, Jerusalem
· Satan has had his city – Babylon
Ø God has his angels
Ø Satan has his angels
· God has His word
· Satan has his word - Hath God said” Gen 3:1
· God has his children
· Satan has his children Mat 23:13, 15; John 8:44
Satan’s one battle plan is deceiving man into doubting God’s word. This is true today and It will be true during the seven year tribulation {7YT} and It will be true during the thousand year reign of Christ. {TYRC}
There are eleven parables that the kingdom of heaven is likened to, of which six are in Matthew 13. These six parables are tied to Satan’s battle plan. They show how his plan will be active in TYRC even though he is chained in the bottomless pit.
1st) 13:24, 36 Wheat and the tares
Seed is the word of the kingdom [V19]
· During TYRC there will be two seeds [words] sown in the world.
Ø By the Son of Man: Jesus Christ Mt 24:13
Ø By the wicked one, he devil Gen 3:1
· During the TYRC there will be two families used to sow these seeds
Ø Children of the kingdom
Ø Children of the wicked one [Matthew 23:13, 15; John 8:44],
These two families of the TYRC will be growing in size, living and moving among each other and they will look the similar. After the TYRC ends, during Satan’s little season, the difference will be made clear. It will be the angels of the Son of man who cast the children of the wicked one into the fire. If Satan is bound during the 1000 year reign of Christ how can he have this evil influence while Christ reigns on His throne in Jerusalem?
2nd) 13: 31-32 The mustard seed and the mustard tree
The kingdom of heaven begins at a speck on the earth, the throne of Christ, in Jerusalem, in the land of promise. As the word of he kingdom spreads the kingdom becomes so large that the angels of the wicked [fowls are Satan V19] one are able to be hidden within the kingdom.
Notice: when the wicked one is working with them the word fowls are used, during the TYRC they are alone and called just birds.
In mustard tree of Mark 4:32 it is fowls that lodge in the tree during the kingdom of God Satan is with his angles, today.
Webster’s 1828; FOWL, A flying or winged animal; the generic name of certain animals that move through the air by the aid of wings. Fowls have two feet, are covered with feathers, and have wings for flight. Bird is a young fowl or chicken, and may well be applied to the smaller species of fowls. But it has usurped the place of fowl and is used improperly as the generic term.
The fowls are ravenous birds; Isa 46:11 and Eze 39:4
**The angels of the wicked one are stronger more ravenous when the wicked one is on the earth leading them.
3rd) 13:33 The woman and her leaven
· Leaven is a picture of sin. His woman spreads sin throughout the world during the TYRC of Christ until the world is full of sin.
· The woman must be identified
· The two womans of Revelation during the 7YT
Ø The woman in 12:1-6 is the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel is tied to another woman - the daughter of Zion, Jerusalem [Isa 52:2; Jer 6:2]
Ø The woman in 17:3-18 during the tribulation The woman is a city of a great city full of the names of blasphemy: the birds Satan’s devils
· During the TYRC Satan’s devils will build another city of their own. As righteousness will spread from Jerusalem blasphemy will spread from this city.
· Could the mustard tree also be a picture of this city full of blasphemy that will rival the city of Jerusalem in size and influence?