The Prophetic Significance of the Parable of the Lost Coin
How then shall ye know all parables?
Introduction
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; Ezekiel 17
1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Psalm 78
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. Proverbs 1:6
A parable is a riddle. Dark sayings are also interpreted as riddles in the Strong’s Concordance. Therefore, parables which are riddles are to be interpreted and understood for they are the words of the wise. Daniel 12:10 says, “… and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” In the first mention of the word “parable” in Numbers, we see that a parable can be prophetic.
3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: Numbers 24:4
According to Christ Himself, understanding parables leads to conversion and the forgiveness of sin (part of sanctification). We are also to know all parables.
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? Mark 4
May this introduction motivate us to seek understanding on the prophetic significance of the parable of the lost coin.
The Parable of the lost coin
8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Luke 15
To understand this parable, we look at the key symbols used in Luke 15. What do these symbols mean or represent? As per custom, we go into the Scriptures of truth for an answer, for the Bible is its own expositor. The angel in Daniel said, “But I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth:...” May God show us that which is noted in the Scripture of truth pertaining this parable.
A woman
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2
2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. Jeremiah 6:2
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians 5:2
In the bible, a woman is a symbol of the relationship between God and His people, which is the church.
The silver coin
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Psalm 12
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Matthew 27
Silver is a symbol of pure words that have been purified seven times (seven signifying completeness). In Matthew, the thirty silver pieces paid to Judas by the priests are called the price of blood.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
We know that Christ’s blood cleanses us from all sin. Therefore, silver is again shown as a symbol of purification, cleansing or sanctification.
The number ten
Now that we have established silver as a symbol of purification or sanctification. What does the number of coins represent?
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Proverbs 16
142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Psalm 119
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17
7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. Isaiah 51:7
Truth purges iniquity and thus sanctifies us. Truth is the word of God and in particular, the law of God. The law must be in the heart for us to know righteousness which is through sanctification. This is why God writes His law in our hearts and minds in the new covenant of Hebrews. Therefore, the number 10 in this parable points to God’s Ten commandments.
A dark house
The phrase “doth not light a candle” in Luke 15 tells us the house must be dark. A light is needed to search and find the lost silver coin.
105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119
20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20
9 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2 Peter 1:19
According to the verses above, light is a symbol of God’s word. In other words, the woman had to study and understand God’s word to find the lost silver coin.
The sweeping
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. Isaiah 28
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Matthew 12:44
Sweeping is associated with removing lies and unclean spirits. This makes sense as Satan is the father of lies. Therefore, the woman had to remove lies, from the father of lies in order to discover the lost coin. Note that this light keeps us from an evil woman (a false church) who uses flattery which is lies. We identified this woman in the article, “The burden of Egypt, a symbol of the World”.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Proverbs 6:24
Sharing the message
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? John 4
After finding this coin, “she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.” Here she is spreading the news of her newly found truth. This language is similar to the experience of the woman at the well in John 4. Both point to a spreading of the message of truth, which is the Gospel.
Summary
The parable of the lost coin is prophetic. Through this parable, Christ prophesied that God’s church will lose one of the Ten Commandments. At that time of loss, the house would be in darkness. Historically, that time is referred to as the Dark Ages. Due to this darkness, the church must use God’s Word to find the lost commandment. When she finds the commandment, there is rejoicing and invitation to friends and neighbours thus spreading this message of truth. The writer submits to the reader that the lost silver coin is the fourth commandment.
12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Exodus 31
12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5
In this study we have shown that God’s law is sanctifying. However, the 4th commandment is the only one of the ten that explicitly speaks and teaches us of sanctification. In Deuteronomy 5, the reason for the sabbath is also listed as a remembrance of being brought out of Egypt. To be brought out of Egypt, is to be brought out of the world of sin - which is through sanctification. The 4th commandment is also the only one of the ten that has God’s name, His title, and His territory key principles of a seal.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. Isaiah 8
In a future study, God willing we will narrate the history of this lost coin. May God bless the reader that they may understand this truth.