The Wheat and the Weeds Mt. 13:24-30, 36-43. This parable follows that of the sower who sowed seed in various types of soil with varying results. One of the results that we can be sure of is that when we sow good seeds weeds will also grow! And we don’t need a specific enemy to sow them! Satan does not like to see people come to God and enter his spiritual kingdom. He will do his utmost to prevent them doing so. When they do, and if they become active there by witnessing and growing spiritually and attracting others then they will become the object of Satan’s attention. It would be great if God would simply banish all evil with a word. But that is not the way it works! If He did which of us would remain? Are any of us perfect? In this parable it is explained how God will deal with Satan and evil and a list of who represents what is given in Vs. 37-39, The sower of the good seed = Jesus. The field = the world. The good seed = the Sons of God. The weeds = the sons of Satan. The enemy = the devil, Satan. The harvest = the close of the age. The reapers = the angels. The crisis begins when it becomes clear that weeds have got into the crop. We don’t have to look too far to confirm that there is an awful lot of evil in the world, the field, [not the church, although probably there too!]. There are many believers now and down through the ages who have wanted to deal with the evil [people] themselves; but that is not Gods way. As I have pointed out, if God dealt now with all sin and evil which of us would remain? No! He dealt with sin at Calvary. Those who acknowledge that sacrifice and claim it for themselves have become ‘Sons of God’, Jn. 1:12. We continue to live in the world; but we are not of the world. With Gods help we endeavor to stand against the evil and the evil one, Phil. 4:1, 1 Cor. 16:13, and 1Pet. 5:6-11. Evil, just like a seed, can start out small and insignificant but it grows! And grows! Satan knows that if he can sow the seeds of jealousy, anger, lust, greed etc. they will grow in the world [and also in the lives of the believers] Remember, the field is the world, not the believer or the church! Vs. 38. Believers and unbelievers must coexist and live together in the world. How do we regard them? What is our relationship with them? 2 Pet. 3:9, 2 Tim. 2:23 and Tit. 3:9. It is not up to believers to deal personally with the ‘weeds’ in our society even though, like the servants in this parable, we might want to! God has that under control Rom. 12:14-21, especially Vs. 19! We do not become vigilantes! The message of the Book of Psalms is that God and good will win out in the end. Jesus knows exactly how he will deal with Satan and his followers. They will be cast into the lake of fire, Rev. 19:19-20:15. This will happen some time after the rapture, when the believers are taken home to heaven. You will notice that there is no mention of judgement or punishment in 1 Thess.4:13-18, one account of the rapture. In fact, this parable can be interpreted as referring completely to the period between the rapture and the final judgement referred to in Rev. 19 and 20. However, some elements of the parable, as with all scripture, can refer to differing situations and periods, e.g., how often have we heard the gospel preached from Rev. 3:20 and yet the verse is given in a completely different context? This parable should fill us with assurance that God is on the throne and all we have to do is obey him and live by faith, always saying ‘yes’ to him! He will look after the rest.