Parable of the Sower, Part 1 - Satan

Author: Joseph

Date: August 9, 2020

The parable of the sower and the seed was used by Yeshua to describe how people react to the word of God and the good news of His kingdom. In this parable we find three major obstacles that affect peoples’ reactions and consequentially corrupt or remove our trust in God’s word and in His kingdom. This week’s article will explore the first of those three things: the enemy, also known as Satan.

The parable describes the way Satan interferes with someone’s ability to receive the word of God, specifically, the good news of His kingdom (Matthew 13:19). When the good news is preached (like a sower sprinkling seeds upon soil), the seeds land upon the soil (just as the message of the good news comes into contact with its listeners). However, right as the good news is preached, Satan (the bird), snatches the word from their heart (eats up the seed). How does Satan do this? He snatches the word from peoples’ hearts when they fail to understand it (Matthew 13:19). The reason people fail to understand the good news of the kingdom of God is because they do not desire it, either by willful ignorance or by rejecting it altogether. The good news is rejected so abruptly and completely that it cannot even begin to take root and is quickly taken away by Satan, who does not desire it to bear fruit.

"Satan follows the sower, like a predatory bird, with a will to destroy..."

Satan does not want people to believe in the good news of God’s kingdom. Satan does not want anyone to seek God and despises those that do (cf. Gen. 3:1; Job 1:7-11). Satan takes advantage of any opportunity he has to diminish God’s impact on a person and is actively (not passively) looking to do so whenever he can. In the parable, the bird (Satan) does not come much later or just by chance happen to come upon the seed. The bird is actively following the sower and looking for any seed it can snatch up as the sower is sprinkling it. The bird spots the seed laying on ground that will not accept it and immediately eats up the seed. Satan follows the sower, like a predatory bird, with a will to destroy good fruit (living in God’s will and for His kingdom) in its most infant stage: the hearing of the good news (the seed).

Some people will always reject the message of the good news, having made themselves a dwelling place for Satan’s will. By God’s guidance we can, however, prepare other people to receive the good news so that when they finally hear it, they do not reject it altogether and it has a better chance of taking root in their hearts. There are many ways we can do this but we must seek God’s guidance in each situation we are given. Every recipient of the good news is unique. We must rely on God’s guidance instead of relying on our own reason or inclination. No efforts are wasted when we preach the good news this way.

Satan is a predatory enemy against God’s people and God’s will. Pray that God will disrupt Satan’s attempts and ask for God’s guidance when preaching the good news. Recognize your enemy and do not allow Satan to have any opportunity to keep someone away from receiving God’s words.

Yeshua taught us that there is a real enemy to God, Satan. Are you ignoring this fact and thereby not being shrewd in your preaching of the good news? If we deny the existence of this enemy of God, that will not make Satan disappear from reality. Recognize this enemy, Satan, is real. Seek God’s guidance in how to oppose and overcome Satan’s will to avert people from seeking God and His kingdom.

Matthew 13:1-23