The Parables of Christ no. 21
The
Mortal Heir and the Mercenary Husbandmen
Rev. Brian Kocourek
Now, this Morning we will
continue in our study of the parables, and we will study the parable found in Matthew
Let’s begin our study this morning by turning to the
Book of MATTHEW
21:33 ¶ Hear another parable: There was a certain
householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a
winepress in it, and built a tower, and let
it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country (In other words, He placed the vineyard in the hands
of others and then He went off the scene) 34 And when the
time of the fruit drew near, he sent his
servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat
one, and killed another, and stoned another. (Now, Jesus
is speaking of the prophets here as Stephen gave testimony to in the Book of
Acts.
ACTS
7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and
they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom
ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by
the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. 54 ¶ When they heard these things, they were cut
to the heart, and they gnashed on him with [their] teeth. 55 But he, being full
of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then
they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with
one accord,
Now, notice that they beat one, killed another and
stoned yet another. These are the prophets of God, His angels spelled with a
small “a” meaning messengers, and these were Jewish prophets, because God never
calls His Gentile Bride the name “servants”, but the Jews He calls servants. 34 And when the time
of the fruit drew near, he sent his
servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat
one, and killed another, and stoned another
From his sermon called QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 54-0103M pp. 205 William Branham said, “The servants, are the Jews”…
and from another of his sermon’s entitled “THE SEAL OF GOD”
54-0514 261 Brother Branham said, “The Angel said,
"Hold it, till we seal the
servants," not the Bride. The Gentiles never was a servant; we are sons
and daughters. That's the servants, the Jews, Abraham was God's servant.
Hallelujah!”
Now, remember
– last week we showed you where brother Branham said that WW1 would have
brought on the great Armageddon but the Jews were not in position yet. They
were not positionally placed back in the homeland yet, so the Angel stopped the
4 winds from blowing, which the winds represents war and strife.
Now, in getting back to our parable.. 36 Again, he sent
other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. (again
we see more rejection, and more death and hurtful actions by these husbandmen
towards God’s servants. And now as Jesus tells us this parable He brings it up
to the day in which He was living.) 37 But last of all he
sent unto them his Son, saying, They
will reverence my Son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the Son, they said
among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
Now, the word seize was translated from the Greek
word katecho meaning to restrain, or hinder.
Notice these men thought that by putting
out of the way, the heir, that
eventually the father would die off leaving no heir, and thus by restraining
the heir process, they would themselves keep possession of the vineyards for
themselves for their own little kingdom. Now, this thought is very important in
understanding how this parable ties in with the hour that we live, so keep that
in the back of your mind as we continue breaking down this parable.
And I am afraid that many hireling have done the same
thing with God’s Kingdom today. You know, the ministry is supposed to present
the
Now, this word seize that was used of these
hirelings, was also used by the Apostle Paul in speaking of those who would
hold back the truth from those that would want to hear it.
ROMANS
Now, a more accurate reading of this scripture would
be For the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who hold down or hold back the truth in unrighteousness. Because this Greek
word kateko means to suppress or restrain, or hold back.
And we heard Jesus speak of this very same thing in MATTHEW
So we see that there are men who for some reason felt
that if they could do away with the First born son, then the kingdom would be
theirs for the dividing. Now, I realize that Jesus is telling this story to the
men of his age that they might understand what is in store for the Son of God
when He came. But we must never forget that Alpha has become Omega and we see
this same scenario repeat again in this hour, and they have tried to do away
with the Son of God altogether, and many claim themselves to be the incarnation
of God on earth today. They preach that God is in His church when God is not in
His church, but God is in His word.
Notice in the Book of HEB 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, (Now the Greek word for once is hapax pronounced
{hap'-ax} and it means – once, one time, or more specifically “once for all”.
So this is speaking of the time when the enlightenment comes with a once for
all enlightening.
In others, when God Himself comes down with a Shout,
which is a Message declaring His Presence and His Godhood. And notice these
that have received the once for all enlightenment, have also ) tasted of the
heavenly gift. Now, there is only one heavenly Gift and that is the
Holy Ghost Himself who is not only The Gift, but he is also the giver of the
gift. These are the ones who have literally tasted or experienced the heavenly
gift that God has brought with Him in this hour, and notice it also says that
these were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost, And notice that it is at this time the
people will become partakers or companions of this Holy Ghost. Now, the word partakers here is used in reference
to the fact that these people will be among those who will actually partake of
or walk in fellowship with or be companions to the Holy Ghost. God Himself.
And notice further that we are told these people 5 have tasted the
good word of God, (Notice these are the ones that have experienced
the Good Word, the Message, which is the Shout. Now the Good Word is not some denominational
viewpoint but these people have actually sat in the meetings and heard the
declaration, The Good Word, The Spoken Word, and they have experienced the powers of the
world to come,…
Now, what would be the world to come except it be
speaking of the millennium And when have we seen the millennial power of God in
a man like we have seen it in this hour, when the Word spoken created from
nothing squirrels. And when no disease was able to stand against it, and when
that spoken Word changed the weather, and departed the storms. When wild
animals would come for prayer and wild hornets would be turned away by just the
Spoken Word, and when a wild man killing beast would lay down in peace like a
lamb, the bull that turned from his rage and went to set down. And this
generation has seen al of this an yet they still do not believe the doctrine
that the man of God brought to our attention.)
And so the Apostle Paul continues by saying, 6 If they shall fall away, And The
same one who is warning of the people falling away also told the church at Thessalonica
that there is to come a falling away from the
Faith before the Day of our Lord can come.
II
THESSALONIANS 2:1¶
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and [by] our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind,
or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as
that the day of Christ is at hand. 3
¶ Let no man deceive you by any
means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition;
And in I TIMOTHY 4:1 This
same Apostle warns us that many will depart from The Faith. Not just Faith, but
THE Faith. And we know that Faith is a Revelation, and there is only One Faith
or One revelation and that is the Doctrine of Christ. Notice I TIMOTHY 4:1 ¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in
the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Notice they will give heed to doctrines of devils,
while denying the One and True doctrine, the Doctrine of Christ.
HEBREWS
6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; (Now, let me just stop here for a moment and explain
this because the Apostle Paul is not telling us that we are to lay aside the
doctrine of Christ. In no way, shape or form is he telling the people to lay
aside the doctrine of Christ. Because the Apostle John tells us that if we do
not have the Doctrine of Christ we do not even have God.) But notice what the
apostle Paul is telling us here. He says, Therefore leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Christ, and the principle thing is the first or
elementary things. And Paul list those elementary things as follows: not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the
doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the
dead, and of eternal judgment.
Notice, Paul is saying, Look, it is about time that
we graduate beyond water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the laying on
of hands, and having faith towards God, and the foundation or very beginning
which is repentance towards God. He
tells us these are all good things, but we must go on to perfection… Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine
of Christ, let us go on unto perfection…And then he said, 3 And this will we do, if God permit. but
God did not permit. Because it was not
the season for it to happen. And so we had to wait until he end time Elijah
ministry where God Himself has come down with a Message where it is God that
will restore all things.
MATTHEW
17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that
Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly
shall first come, and restore all things.
Notice in ACTS 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which
before was announced or appointed unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive
until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since
the world began. 22 For Moses truly said
unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say
unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, [that] every soul, which will not hear
that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
So we see then there is to come a time when God will
restore all things, and in order to do that there must be a once for all
enlightenment. And so we read in HEBREWS 6:4 For it is
impossible for those who were once for all enlightened, and have tasted of the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and
the powers of the world to come, 6 If
they shall fall away, Brother Branham said, not if they shall
fall away, but having fallen away, it is impossible for them to renew them again
unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and
put [him] to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that
cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is
dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and
briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
In other words those that fall away are cockleburs,
they are briars, they are chaff that the wind driveth away. And then Paul says,
9
¶ But, beloved, we are persuaded
better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus
speak.
Now, notice II TIMOTHY 3:7 ¶ Ever learning, and never
able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
You see, the once for all enlightenment came and they did
not get it. They were never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth.
HEBREWS
10:26 For if we sin willfully (and sin is unbelief) after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
From his sermon POSITION IN CHRIST
60-0522M 178 Brother Branham said, "He
that sins willfully after receiving the knowledge of the Truth, there's no more
sacrifice." Now, and there's where you'll rise up again, say, "How
about that, Brother Branham?” But just
remember See?, "who have received
the knowledge of the Truth." They
never received the Truth; they just received the knowledge of It. See? It's
impossible for those who are once enlightened and made partakers of Holy Ghost,
tasted the power of the good Word. Like them borderline believers back there.
Now, I would like to stop here just a moment and say,
“what about them border line believers back at Kadesh-Barnea? What was that all
about any way?”
Well, God had them cross into the promised land, and
they went over there and came back with a bunch of grapes which was the
physical evidence that they were in reach of receiving the promise. And what do
grapes represent? The stimulation of revelation, and they turned down the
revelation of the promise at hand. And what was that promise land to the
people? It was for their inheritance. And Brother Branham said our promise
today is the Holy Ghost, and he has come to bring us wisdom and revelation in the
Knowledge of Himself that we might understand our inheritance.
EPHESIANS
1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding may be enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
And so the presence of God to us in this hour is to
bring an understanding of our inheritance just as the grapes were a physical
manifestation to the people of their inheritance in that hour. And so we have
our grapes, our physical evidences as well. The picture was taken of the Pillar
of Fire, and of the white wigged One, the Supreme Judge in our midst, both showed by physical evidence, that God
Himself is here and still they won’t believe it. Those pictures are our grapes,
our stimulation of revelation, and the people just won’t receive it. And so the
people turned back then, and they died right there. And today they have turned
away although the physical evidence of our Promise is on the walls of almost
every message church. which is the Holy
Ghost in our midst and yet they turn right away from it. and so as with that
generation, they perished and received not the inheritance from God, and so
another generation was raised up that would receive it as a token of their
covenant with God concerning their inheritance.
Look what else brother Branham says in reference to
Hebrews 6…
ANOINTED
ONES AT END TIME 65-0725M 233 "For it is impossible for those which
were once enlightened and didn't move on with the Word as it come to
pass..." They're dead, gone. "And the thorns and thistles which is
nigh unto rejection, whose end is to be burned..." Is that right? Now,
hurrying just as quick as I can.
You see they just don’t want the doctrine of Christ.
They just can’t take it, because they just are not able to come to the
knowledge of the Truth. They just can’t endure it.
And Paul said, II TIMOTHY 4:3 ¶ 3 For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine; And what could be
more sound or healthy than the doctrine of Christ which John said, if you do
not have the doctrine of Christ you don’t even have God. But these, after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, because they having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. That’s
stories. They turn down the doctrine in favor of stories. Tell us a story
brother Branham, and thus it is impossible for them to come to perfection or
maturity.
And the Apostle Paul tells us it will be impossible
for those who fall away to renew them again unto repentance; (and we know
that repentance is a change of the mind, so we see here that those that fall
away this time will never be able to come back to a mind that is able to be
renewed. And Paul tells us why. He says, seeing they crucify (Not having crucified, but
present tense “seeing they crucify”) to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open
shame.
And how do they crucify the Son of God Afresh? By
doing away with him altogether. Is not that what they said when they sent Jesus
to the cross the first time? Did not they do away with him, or more
specifically, they said, “Away with Him?”
JOHN
19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus
forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the
Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the Passover,
and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, “Away with him”, “away with
him”, “crucify him”. Pilate
saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have
no king but Caesar. 16 ¶ Then delivered he him therefore unto them to
be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led
him away.
Now, Notice it is at the time of the once for all
enlightenment, “the Shout from God Himself”, “His Message”, it is at this time that
they try to crucify the Son of God afresh. And they try to put away the son of
God forever as they did in the alpha ministry of Jesus Christ. They said, away
with Him, away with him. In other words, they did not want his presence among
them, They did not want his Parousia, presence, and so they shouted apousia,
apousia, no presence, no presence, and so today the same thing has manifested
itself again, fulfilling Hebrews 6.
And so in getting back to our parable, we pick up at Mathew 21,
and verse 39, And
they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard
cometh, what will he do unto those
husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men,
and will let out his vineyard unto other
husbandmen, which shall render him
the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in
the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the
head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you,
and given to a nation (The Greek word for nation here is ethnos
and it speaks of the Gentiles that will bring forth fruit in the right season.) bringing forth the fruits thereof. That’s
us. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken: but on whomsoever it shall
fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and
Pharisees had heard his parables, they
perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on
him, they feared the multitude, because they
took him for a prophet.