Just like what was pointed out about Thomas Edison in the previous blog, our Lord Jesus used this same idea with many of his sermons, discourses, and parables. One of His purposes for being here was to announce that the kingdom of God was at hand. But the people of the region did not understand that which pertained to the kingdom of God.
Instead of rebuking them for their ignorance, He helped them to begin to understand things about the kingdom of God by connecting them first to areas of familiarity. Those areas included leaven, seeds, farming practices, lamps, oil, salt, lost sheep, lost coins, and other common items and everyday matters of concern.
The people already had a great deal of knowledge about each of these common areas. We might call this household knowledge. Many individuals in his audience could have effectively expounded in great detail on any of the common subjects Jesus brought up. From this place of familiarity, He could launch them into a better understanding of kingdom concepts—concepts of which they had little to no understanding.
Jesus did not impress audiences with His insight of deep academic subjects. Instead, he astounded them by showing that the kingdom of God, which they may have stereotyped as profoundly mysterious, or presumed it was something military or political, could be so easily understood using uncomplicated, down-to-earth ideas.
He then would connect the people’s common knowledge to the kingdom of God. As a result, people came away from their experience with Jesus knowing something more about what had been, up until that time, a general mystery.
The same is true for each of us today. If we want to know more of the glorious intricacies of the kingdom of God, we only need to connect to what is already familiar and to which the Bible points us throughout its pages.
Generally, we all appreciate any attempt by a communicator to bring an analogy into the presentation because it makes us think, even if it is a poor analogy. But the better the analogy, the better we will understand.
The best analogies are those the Bible gives us. Verses 10 and 11 of Isaiah 55 will be no different. As we compare the two verses, you will be astounded by the encouragement this analogy provides. It will make available an inspiring focus that will empower your life in God and the faith in which you hope to walk.
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