Biblical Prophecy

[Lees]

Parable of the Tares and Wheat (Matt. 13:24-30) (Matt. 13:36-43)

As with the parable of the Sower, Jesus gives the interpretation to His disciples. (Matt. 13:36) And He does so at the request of the disciples. "...Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.". This is interesting because Jesus has already said the parables are for His people to know the mysteries of the Kingdom. (13:11) So why don't they understand?

It is because it still takes God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, to reveal to His people the true meaning of the parables. The believer is not left to his own to dream up some interpretation. And any interpretation given of those parables, where Christ did not give interpretation, must be defined by and be consistent with the Word of God.

The parable of the Tares and Wheat is like a continuation of the parable of the Sower. Here the Sower is identified as Christ. (Matt. 13:37) The field is the world. (13:38) But the seed is different. In the parable of the Sower the seed was the Word of God. In the parable of the Tares and Wheat the seed are the children of God. Why the change?

It is because the seed of the Sower, which was the Word of God, has reproduced and become the children of God or of the Kingdom. (Matt. 13:38) As (1 Peter 1:23) says, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

And just like in (1 Peter 1:23) there is a corruptible seed spoken of, so also in the parable of the Tares and Wheat there is that reproduced by the corruptible seed. (Matt. 13:38) "...but the tares are the children of the wicked one;". This itself should be enough to show that not all are children of God as the world likes to declare. God produces children after His kind. Satan produces children after his kind. (Gen. 3:15) "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heed."

Note how the enemy, Satan, does his sowing almost immediately at the time Christ sows the good seed and, Satan sows in the same place. (Matt. 13:25) Wherever God has sown, Satan has sown also. Wherever there is a great movement of God, Satan will be busy sowing his seed also. Wherever there is Christianity, which is based upon the true Word of God and true faith in God, Satan has sown his seed which grows along with the children of God. (13:27-30)

As the seed of the Sower, is the Word of God, (13:19), then what is the seed of corruption that Satan sows? It is and will be a perversion of the Word of God. Is this not enough to show the importance of correct doctrine in the Church. I think so. And can we not see today the sad effects upon Christianity due to this perversion Satan has sown. How perfect the parable. "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed..."

This is the 'mystery form of the Kingdom of Heaven'.

Lees

 

[Lees]

Parable of Wheat and Tares (cont.)

It was shown in post #(61) the importance of correct doctrine in the local church. The Church, the true believers, must recognize that the counterfeit doctrine will come. Satan will sow his seed. So we must always be vigilant to call it out when we see it. And this counterfeit doctrine will most always involve the Person of Jesus Christ.

The Church is not the Kingdom. It is in this Kingdom of Christianity, the mystery form of the Kingdom. This constant production of the two seeds growing together must be contended with by the believers. We know it's going to happen. When we see it we must act upon it to remove it from our church. Whether it be sin that is being allowed, or the allowance of the corruption of doctrine, we must act against it.

One has but to read about the Seven Churches in the book of (Revelation) to see this constant warfare taking place in the churches. And one can see what Christ expects the Church to do concerning it. (Rev. 2:1-4:22)

In other words, (Matt. 13:30) is addressed to the Kingdom. "Let both grow together until the harvest" Within the broad profession of the Christian faith, they will grow together. But Christ expects His Church to fight against it. Expel it. And this fight will last throughout the whole time period of the mystery form of the Kingdom. From the rejection of Christ by Israel, to Christ coming in glory and judgement. (Matt. 13:39-43)

Lees

 

[Lees]

Parables of the Mustard Seed (Matt. 13:31-32)

We have seen in the first two parables that the Kingdom contains both the false and the true. Both grow together in the Kingdom up to the end of the world or age. (Matt. 13:30) (13:39) And in the end Christ sends the angels to destroy the wicked. (13:40-42)

This is important because many believe that the Church by spreading the Gospel will bring about the conversion of the world. But that is never taught in Scripture. In fact the impact of the Church becomes less and less as we near the end. (Luke 18:8) "...Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

And if one sees, as I do, the 7 churches in (Revelation) as prophetic of the Church as it moves through history, then the last condition of the Church is that of Laodicea. (Rev. 3:14-19) A lukewarm church distasteful to the Lord. (3:15-16)

The parable of the Mustard Seed is a parable of the mystery form of the Kingdom. Not the Church. In the parable of the Mustard Seed it begins small but then grows into a large tree where the birds of the air come and lodge in it. (Matt. 13:32) And what were the fowls of the air doing in the parable of the Sower? (13:4) They devoured the seed that fell by the way. Birds and fowls of the air represent evil. Abraham drove them from his sacrifices. (Gen. 15:11) And we find 'mystery Babylon', (Rev. 17:5), inhabited with these same birds. (Rev. 18:2)

The growth of Christianity, the mystery form of the Kingdom, becomes great. It becomes a habitation for evil.

Lees

 

[Lees]

The parable of the Leaven (Matt. 16:33)

Here we are told the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven. We should know right off the bat that this isn't good. No where in Scripture is leaven a good thing. See (Mark 8:15) (1 Cor. 5:7-8) (Gal. 5:7-9) Leaven here is identified as a corruption of the truth.

And most especially, (Lev. 2:11). "No meat (meal) offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire."

In this parable the woman hides the leaven in the meal. It is no wonder she hid it as it isn't supposed to be there. And why a 'woman'? Because with the counterfeit religions of Christianity there will be a feminine deity or influence. You can see it with Mary in the Roman Church, and women preachers in the Protestant churches.

Note the warning to the church at Thyatira. (Rev. 2:20) "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

And worst of all, this leaven will do it's work "till the whole was leavened". That is the nature of leaven. And who cannot look at the Church today and see how it is failing in it's fight with this evil work. The Holy Spirit works in the Church to restrain this evil. But not to stop it. And He has been restraining this since the Church began. (2 Thess. 2:6-7) "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

You could replace 'the mystery of iniquity doth already work' in (2 Thess. 2:7) with 'the leaven in/of the mystery Kingdom of Heaven doth already work'.

Lees

 

[Lees]

Parables of the Hidden Treasure (Matt. 13:44) and The Pearl of Great Price. (Matt. 13:45-46)

These should be looked at together as it is hard to speak of one without the other. The man and the merchant in these is usually interpreted to be the sinner who has found something of great price, salvation, and then sells all he has to obtain this.

But is that how we obtain our salvation? Do we purchase it? No. (Is. 55:1) "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." And, (Rev. 21:6) "...I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." See also (Rev. 22:17). The believer has nothing to offer.

The man who finds the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price is Jesus. Just like the man who sowed the field in the first two parables is Jesus. (Matt. 13:37) Jesus had all to give, and gave it. (Philippians 2:5-6) The field in the parable of the hidden treasure represents the world, just like in the parable of the Tares and Wheat. (Matt. 13:38). And the man who finds the treasure purchases the field in order to obtain the treasure. (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Israel represents the treasure in the field hidden. (Ex. 19:5) "...ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for the earth is mine:" (Amos 9:15) "And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land...." Israel is a hidden treasure now because God has ceased working with her at this time. He works for her, but not with her. She in all respects is hidden to the world as far as what God will do with her.

The Pearl of Great Price represents the Church. Though a mixture of both Jew and Gentile, the Church is predominantly Gentile. A product of God turning away from Israel and turning to the Gentiles. A pearl is a product of the sea. Not the earth. And the sea and waters typically represent the Gentile nations. (Rev. 17:1) (Rev. 17:15) "...The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Israel is a hid treasure in the earth. The Church is a pearl out of the sea. The pearl is made out of the body and pain of the oyster. And the Church is the Body of Christ born out of His pain. (1 Cor. 12:12,27) (Acts 20:28) "...to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

So, the mystery form of the Kingdom has Israel hidden and the Church as the Body of Christ.

Lees

 

[Messy]

Parables of the Hidden Treasure (Matt. 13:44) and The Pearl of Great Price. (Matt. 13:45-46)

These should be looked at together as it is hard to speak of one without the other. The man and the merchant in these is usually interpreted to be the sinner who has found something of great price, salvation, and then sells all he has to obtain this.

But is that how we obtain our salvation? Do we purchase it? No. (Is. 55:1) "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." And, (Rev. 21:6) "...I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." See also (Rev. 22:17). The believer has nothing to offer.

The man who finds the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price is Jesus. Just like the man who sowed the field in the first two parables is Jesus. (Matt. 13:37) Jesus had all to give, and gave it. (Philippians 2:5-6) The field in the parable of the hidden treasure represents the world, just like in the parable of the Tares and Wheat. (Matt. 13:38). And the man who finds the treasure purchases the field in order to obtain the treasure. (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Israel represents the treasure in the field hidden. (Ex. 19:5) "...ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for the earth is mine:" (Amos 9:15) "And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land...." Israel is a hidden treasure now because God has ceased working with her at this time. He works for her, but not with her. She in all respects is hidden to the world as far as what God will do with her.

The Pearl of Great Price represents the Church. Though a mixture of both Jew and Gentile, the Church is predominantly Gentile. A product of God turning away from Israel and turning to the Gentiles. A pearl is a product of the sea. Not the earth. And the sea and waters typically represent the Gentile nations. (Rev. 17:1) (Rev. 17:15) "...The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Israel is a hid treasure in the earth. The Church is a pearl out of the sea. The pearl is made out of the body and pain of the oyster. And the Church is the Body of Christ born out of His pain. (1 Cor. 12:12,27) (Acts 20:28) "...to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

So, the mystery form of the Kingdom has Israel hidden and the Church as the Body of Christ.

Lees

Interesting. So the beast from the earth is Jewish and the beast from the sea is Gentile?
There was an African preacher who, 5 years before covid, said it would come and he said God said it came from the sea, so I first thought natural, sea food caused it or something. Oh wait, the beast from the sea.

 

[Lees]

Interesting. So the beast from the earth is Jewish and the beast from the sea is Gentile?

Yes, I believe that is consistent. Are you referring to (Rev. 13)? The beast out of the sea is the political beast. Gentile. (Rev. 13:1-10)

The beast out of the earth is Jewish, the religious beast who points all others to worship the Gentile beast. (Rev. 13:11-18)

Lees

 

[Lees]

Parable of the Net (Matt. 13:47-51)

This parable as with the parable of the Tares and Wheat show a mixture of good and evil in the Kingdom of Heaven. And like with the Tares and wheat, the final separation of the two will be done at the end of the world, (age). (Matt. 13:48-50) (13:38-42)

Entrance into the Kingdom is through faith in Jesus as presented in the gospel. But the Kingdom draws also those who are not believers but want to identify with the believers. As believers become 'fishers of men', (Matt. 4:19), bad fish also enter into the net.

(Matt. 13:48) says "Which when it was full" speaking of the net. The 'full' net speaks to the fullness and completeness of those to be caught in this mystery form of the Kingdom age. God knows who they are and when the net is full. The angels are sent at that time to "sever the wicked from among the just". (13:49) This is of course at the Second Coming of Christ. And you can read much about the angelic participation in those days in the book of (Revelation).

And note the 'wailing and gnashing of teeth' in that day. (Matt. 13:50) That is done by the wicked who are cast into the fire. The gnashing of teeth speaks to angry hatred against God. No begging for mercy. No asking for salvation. As they hated God while on the earth, they will hate him still in hell. I am convinced myself that the very light of God which is the believers joy and salvation, is the very thing hated by the wicked, and may be the very fire of hell. The light of God is hell to the non-believer, the children of Satan. (13:38)

These parables are a great prophecy given by Christ concerning the age from His rejection to His Second Coming. Also called the Mystery Form of the Kingdom.

So, what do we have?

1.) Christ first comes to bring in the Kingdom, as promised to Israel. He the Messiah will rule in Israel over the world in a Kingdom of righteousness.

2.) That Kingdom is rejected. Christ rejects Israel and turns to the Gentiles and describes the Kingdom now in mystery form.

3.) That mystery form of the Kingdom shall run until the end of the age when Christ comes again.

4.) That mystery form of the Kingdom is characterized by a mixture of good and evil. Sons of God and sons of Satan constantly reproduced and at war with each other.

5.) The end of the Mystery Form of the Kingdom will be at the Second Coming of Christ where the good and evil are separated.

6.) And then, Christ will bring in the Kingdom that Israel rejected at the first. Israel will repent and accept her Messiah and Christ will rule from Israel over the earth in righteousness.

7.) And Christ will have His Bride, the Church with Him.

The last two points are not fully taught in these parables but are taught elsewhere, and I think important to see in the timeline given.

Lees