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Text: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The parable is in verses 24-30 and the full explanation is in verses 36-43. The kingdom of heaven is the world to come and is set in contrast with this world (vs 40).
People in the parable (vss 36-39)
- Sower of good seed is Jesus Christ (vs 37)
- The field is the world (vs 38)
- The world and the earth are different things. This is an important distinction made by the Lord. The world is the people, the current civilization. The earth is the dry ground, grass, trees, and the planet in general.
- 1 Samuel 2:8
- Job 37:12
- When the earth was created, there was no world until man began to occupy the earth.
- The Lamb slain from the foundation of the WORLD, not the earth.
- The civilization that Noah lived in before every human being was drowned except Noah and his family, was called the world that then was in 2 Peter 3:6. (And no, that’s not talking about some pre-Adamic flood between Genesis 1:1-2. Peter is just talking about Noah’s flood because that’s what he’s been talking about in context with the end of this present evil world. As it was in the days of Noah…So the end of this world will be very similar except it will be by fire, not water.)
- This present evil world will be consumed in fire when the kingdom of heaven arrives.
- The world and the earth are different things. This is an important distinction made by the Lord. The world is the people, the current civilization. The earth is the dry ground, grass, trees, and the planet in general.
- The good seed are the children of the kingdom (vs 38)
- He commissions the good seed, which are the children of the kingdom, and sends them out.
- You could also say it’s the Lord’s calling. Look at Romans 1:1, 7 and Colossians 1:9-13.
- The Lord puts the seed out the way He wants to put the seed out. So the seed never says to the farmer, “I don’t like what row I’m in.” Or, “I don’t like where I am in the field.”
- The tares are the children of the wicked one (vs 38)
- Matthew 3:7-12
- John 6:44, 8:39-44, 1 John 3:12
- Revelation 2:9, 3:9
- The enemy that sowed them is the devil (vs 39)
- Matthew 13:11
- Mystery of iniquity in 2 Thessalonians 2:7
- The harvest is the end of the world (vs 39)
- More specifically it is the end of this world in verse 40. Not the end of the earth, but this present evil world.
- The reapers are the angels (vs 39)
Principle of the parable
- Thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; and when the kingdom of heaven comes in glory it will be the end of this world, but the beginning of a new world.
- The Lord has no intention of rooting out wickedness in this world until the harvest at the end of this world.
- As the tares are gathered first to be burned, so shall the wicked be gathered first.
- Who goes first? According to Matthew 13:30 the tares are gathered first.
- Matthew 24:29-39. Who is being taken away? The wicked. Almost like a SWAT team raid. Everyone is asleep, the door flies open, flash grenades go off and before anyone knows it the wicked are apprehended and arrested.
- The gathering by angels is found in Revelation 13-15.
- Revelation 13 is the abomination of desolation which is the “trigger” that infuriates the Lord. Then Revelation 14:6 is second (another) angel, 14:8 is third angel, 14:15 is fourth angel, 14:17 is the fifth angel, 14:18 is the sixth angel. Then in 15:6 there are seven angels that will torment the wicked.
- Zechariah 12:1-6 looks like the same thing.
- Once the wicked are cleaned out, the righteous shine bright.
