[johnlf]

We are introduced to the mustard seed in Mat 13:31 where Jesus is presenting the "mystery parables". They are referred to as such because our Lord claimed to be revealing things "which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." Mat 13:35

They were given to the crowd, but they could not understand them because they were presented as parables. Christ spoke in parables because Israel as a nation could no longer hear God:

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

Mat 13:10-17

In light of these facts, let's look at the parable:

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Mat 13:31-32

Before we begin dissecting this parable, let's look to see if we find the mustard seed anywhere else in scripture. In fact we do, in two other places:

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you

Mat 17:20

and

6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Luke 17:6

So we actually have 3 places in the Gospels where the mustard seed is mentioned. Is it mentioned in these 3 places just because it is the smallest seed? Or is there something more going on here? Note that in the two examples given, the tiniest faith causes a mountain to be removed to another place, and a tree to be plucked up by the roots and planted in the sea. Now we know that a mountain is a kingdom in the Bible, but what is a tree? In fact, didn't our mustard seed in the parable grow into a tree where the birds lodged in its branches?

Do we have another tree where birds lodged in it's branches? Yes, in fact we do:

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

Daniel 4

So the greatest Gentile king who ever lived. Whom God revealed the entire history of future Gentile rule to is represented by a tree. And the tree is hewn down for 7 years because of its pride. Hmmmmm.

There's a lot more here that I don't have time to explore, but I suggest you do. Is the boastful Gentile Church about to be plucked up and cast into the sea? Or live out in the wilderness like a beast for 7 years? Remember, Paul warned against boasting against the branches. Is your "tithe" being used to build the future Babylon which will "become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" ?

Revelation 18:2