God’s Seeds and the Devil’s Birds

David W Palmer

(Matthew 13:31–32 NKJV) ... “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, {32} which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The birds in this parable are a problem. At first glance, they appear to represent people who are helped by the kingdom; as the mustard plant matures, it is large enough to provide support and shelter for others. Yet to be consistent, if they are the same birds that Jesus mentioned in the first parable of Mark 4—and he said that it is the key to all other kingdom parables—then they represent the enemy.

If the second view is true—that the nesting birds are Satan’s agents—then it highlights again the imminence and reality of spiritual warfare. The enemy is determined to hinder God’s kingdom in any way he can. If he cannot steal the seeds, stop them taking root, or choke them, he seeks an opportunity to build himself into the system they create. Satan seeks to set up strongholds in God’s kingdom structures. Jesus revealed that the enemy’s objective is to have his emissaries make nests for themselves in the branches of kingdom endeavors.

According to this picture, the seed of God’s kingdom can grow to such maturity and size in our hearts that it can then be externalized through our lives to become an enormous organization. When it does, it provides structure, security, and shelter for many other people. That’s when the enemy will seek to entrench himself in it too by planting some of his own people (Jesus later referred to them as “tares”).

For example, God’s enemy may seek to plant his own seeds into the governance of a church or Christian owned business; he would love to have his plant in the board, leadership, or teams. After all, he did have Judas in Jesus’s own ministry (See: Luke 22:3).

Therefore, we would be wise to be ever vigilant to this possibility. We must be ever watchful to ensure that we use God’s own criteria when appointing, ordaining, or empowering people in our businesses, ministries, and churches.

In Matthew’s record of Jesus’s teaching on The Day God Explained Himself, we find an additional parable that informs us further on this theme:

(Matthew 13:24–30 DKJV) He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like the case of a man who sowed good seed in his field. {25} But while men slept, his hateful enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and departed. {26} When the plants germinated, grew up, and produced fruit, then the tares also became apparent. {27} The servants of the landowner approached him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where have all the tares come from?’ {28} He said to them, ‘An hateful enemy has done this’. The servants said to him, ‘Then, do you want us to go separate, extract, and gather up the tares?’ {29} But he said, ‘No; in case while collecting the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. {30} Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the tares, and tie them in bundles to be burned; and then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Jesus clearly warns here of the enemy’s wicked intent to get his seeds into God’s crop wherever he can. Note: later in Matthew 13, Jesus explained what the tares represent:

(Matthew 13:37–43 NKJV) He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. {38} The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. {39} The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. {40} Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. {41} The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, {42} and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. {43} Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

This is a fact of Christian life; we would be wise to simply accept that what Jesus says here is exactly what happens. Our Lord spelled this out to forewarn us, and he clearly states the truth of what we will face. To further help us take up the right stance in this, he gave us the following reality check:

(Matthew 11:12–15 DKJV) “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven forcefully advances, and the forceful try to seize it back by force. {13} For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. {14} And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah, the one expected to come [just before the Messiah] (Mal 4:5). {15} Let whoever has ears to hear, hear!”

The enemy’s counter attacks are real; the devil will certainly try to put his seeds into God’s soil, and try to get his people built into our structures wherever he can. They could be in positions of prominence or responsibility, or they may simply be a drain on the pastor through needy, manipulative people who have continual, unsolvable, time-wasting, never-ending problems.

Jesus said the birds would nest in the branches. The trunk may be too difficult for the enemy to get a foothold in, as it is close to the soil of the original seed—the person whose heart carries the vision and faith. The branches, however, are more remote; they are newer areas, further from the root and heart of the tree. This is where the birds will seek to build their nests. Let us be on guard.

Conclusion:

A single small Kingdom of God seed has the potential to grow to worldwide influence—branching out in many directions.

The enemy will seek to have his agents set up their nests—make themselves at home and seek to reproduce—in the branches of large Kingdom of God plants. They are seed-stealers and strength-zappers that seek to perpetrate their evil from within the branches of larger kingdom organizations.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. We should vigilantly guard against the enemy’s agents gaining access to our branch operations. Nevertheless, we must not be shaken when it happens. In truth, we may have to live with the “tares” growing in our midst. We would love to work and minister in an environment free of enemy influence. Yet, we must not be naive or blind to the fact that Jesus will not remove some of the enemy’s plants until the “harvest” at his return. Meanwhile, we must simply learn to walk in the wisdom of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 10:16 DKJV) “Behold, I send you out as lambs in the middle of wolves; so be as wise as snakes, and as innocent as doves.”

The bottom line for us in this is: do not allow the “birds” or “tares” to discourage you to the point of giving up—either your Christianity or your own seed sowing. God knows that the “birds” will steal a percentage of his seed, but he keeps sowing and believing in the harvest anyway. He also knows that many of his precious seeds will wither under the heat, or be choked by the weeds, but he keeps sowing and believing. Even if only 25% of his original seeds come to harvest, their potential for 30, 60, or 100 fold increase gives a net increase of at least seven times as much as he sowed.

We need to take his attitude: keep going and sowing despite the setbacks, the losses, and the ever-present enemy. If we persevere, we win. If you persevere, you will win.