Matt 13:5 And others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much earth, and immediately they sprang up because they had no depth of earth. (6) But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered. (20) And the one sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) Yet he does not have root in himself but lasts only for a time, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he is stumbled.
The rocky places that do not have much earth signify the heart that is shallow in receiving the word of the kingdom, because deep within are rocks--hidden sins, personal desires, self- seeking, and self-pity--which frustrate the seed from gaining root in the depth of the heart. The sun with its scorching heat signifies affliction or persecution, which dries up the seed that is not rooted The heat of the sun is for the growth and ripening of the crop once the seed is deeply rooted. But due to the seed's lack of root, the sun's growing and ripening heat becomes a death blow to the seed. Some of you may still be hiding your lust, your selfishness, and your flesh. Instead of depth, there are rocks. Sooner or later, all these rocks will be exposed because the word that has been sown into you will not be able to be rooted in you. You may be happy and joyful, shouting praises to the Lord, but there is no root in you. Hence, when the affliction and persecutions come, you will be dried up like a plant without root that withers under the scorching heat of the sun. May the Lord have mercy upon us and dig out all the hidden rocks. May He dig out our temper, lust, self, flesh, and any other negative thing so that there may be room in our heart for the seed to be rooted deeply within us.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Matthew, pp. 443-444. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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