{"id":14603,"date":"2026-10-06T07:20:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T11:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/?post_type=oyb&#038;p=14603"},"modified":"2026-10-06T07:20:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T11:20:20","slug":"he-opened-his-mouth-in-parables","status":"publish","type":"oyb","link":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/oyb\/he-opened-his-mouth-in-parables","title":{"rendered":"HE OPENED HIS MOUTH IN PARABLES"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGive ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old\u201d (Psalm 78:1\u20132 ESV).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asaph called Israel to listen carefully as he interpreted their history in a parable. The Hebrew word translated \u201cparable\u201d could describe a proverb, comparison, or instructive saying. In Psalm 78, Israel\u2019s history itself became a parable. The Exodus, wilderness wanderings, rebellion, judgment, mercy, and covenant faithfulness were more than ancient events. They revealed the recurring story of human unbelief and divine faithfulness. The \u201cdark sayings\u201d were truths embedded in history that were not always obvious on the surface. Asaph revealed their meaning so that a new generation might learn to trust God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Matthew saw the ultimate fulfillment of this pattern in Jesus: \u201cI will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world\u201d (Matt. 13:35). Jesus used ordinary stories to reveal the mysteries of God\u2019s kingdom. Yet His parables did more than illustrate truth. They exposed the hearer\u2019s response to truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A parable can spring like a trap. Nathan told David about a rich man who stole a poor man\u2019s beloved lamb. David angrily condemned the man before Nathan declared, \u201cYou are the man!\u201d (2 Sam. 12:7). The story slipped past David\u2019s defenses, then suddenly revealed and convicted his own heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We must listen to God\u2019s Word with receptive hearts. It is easy to see someone else in the story while missing what God is saying to us. When Jesus opens His mouth, we must ask, \u201cLord, what are You revealing about Yourself and Your kingdom, and what are You revealing about us?\u201d May we incline our ears rather than harden our hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PRAYER<\/strong>: Dear Father, give us ears to hear Your Word and hearts willing to receive it. Expose our blindness, overcome our defenses, and reveal the truth we need to see. Teach us to recognize Your faithfulness and respond with repentance, faith, and obedience. In Jesus\u2019 name, amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cGive ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old\u201d (Psalm 78:1\u20132 ESV). Asaph called Israel to listen carefully as he interpreted their history in a parable. The Hebrew word translated \u201cparable\u201d [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"audio":"https:\/\/garycombsorg.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Oct-6-2026-at-7_15_17AM-enhanced-v2.mp3"},"categories":[],"tags":[],"scripture-book":[1286],"scripture-chapter":[1411],"oyb_day":[1806],"class_list":["post-14603","oyb","type-oyb","status-publish","hentry","scripture-book-psalms","scripture-chapter-1411","oyb_day-october-6"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb\/14603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oyb"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14603"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-book","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-book?post=14603"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-chapter","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-chapter?post=14603"},{"taxonomy":"oyb_day","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb_day?post=14603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}