稗子的寓言

马太福音 13 章 第 2 章

的预言寓言： 稗子的寓言。 这个寓言是该系列的第二个寓言，其内容与这个数字的含义相对应。一是统一的数字，因为它是独立的，排除了所有差异。但二有一个不同，另一个。这个不同可能是善或恶。在其邪恶的意义上，二代表差异、对比，因此也代表敌意。二是第一个可以分割的数字，因此它代表分裂、冲突。如果我们回顾圣经的开篇，我们会发现正是在第二天的工作中，上帝“把光明与黑暗分开，把穹苍下的水与穹苍上的水分开”。任何数字中的第二个通常都带有邪恶和敌意。以圣经中的第二句话为例：第一个是“起初，上帝创造天地”，但第二句话告诉我们“地是空虚混沌。”马太福音 13 章中的七个寓言也是如此：第一个寓言描述了基督的工作；第二个寓言描述了撒旦的工作！ 稗子的寓言解释了基督教在十九个世纪中一直存在的情况，以及现在的情况；情况混杂；真假并存；罗马和她的女儿们都伪装在基督教的幌子下。 “田地”代表宗教世界，麦子和稗子“一起生长”。这种混杂的状况是敌人在这一时代之初所为的结果，其影响一直延续到今天。这个 比喻和前一个比喻一样，也对千禧年后信徒的不合圣经的梦想提供了最确凿的驳斥。他们相信，通过传福音（在上帝的祝福下），基督的事业将不断扩大，直到整个地球都充满了对主荣耀的认识，就像水覆盖海洋一样。但基督在这里明确宣布，麦子和稗子应该“一起生长，直到收获”，他将其定义为“时代的终结”。他没有暗示“稗子”会逐渐枯萎，或者它们的数量会减少；但他宣布，到最后，它们的数量会多到需要“捆成捆”。

这个比喻和前一个比喻的联系最为明显。好种子的撒种者是同一个人，“人子”；“田地”是同一个世界（第 38 节），即宗教世界。但这里关于“种子”的一件事非常引人注目。第 19 节称之为“天国的道”，而第 38 节我们读到“好种子是天国之子”。相似产生相似：天国的道产生天国之子：果实取决于种子！

这个系列的第二个比喻中突出的是敌人和他的工作。让我们考虑一下：

1. 他工作的时间。

这是“人们睡觉的时候”（第 25 节）；也就是在夜间。换句话说，魔鬼是在黑暗的掩护下播下稗子的！这是撒旦的特点，因为他讨厌光明：秘密、隐秘、不诚实是他最喜欢的策略。但请注意，撒种者自己并没有睡觉：他不打盹，也不疲倦。撒旦也不睡觉。他总是保持警惕，四处游荡，“寻找可吞吃的人”。他是永恒运动的化身。

“当人们睡觉的时候”。这指的是主的子民中很快出现的疏忽大意的情况。麦子中“稗子”的存在很早就已显现。使徒对帖撒罗尼迦人说：“不法的隐意已经发动”（帖撒罗尼迦后书 2:18）。约翰不得不说：“你们听见说，敌基督的要来，现在已经有好些敌基督的了”（约翰一书 2:18）。犹大写道：“有些人偷着进来，就是自古被定受刑罚的，是不敬虔的，将我们神的恩变作放纵情欲的机会”（第 4 节）。基督对别迦摩教会说：“有几件事我要责备你，因为在你那里有人服从了巴兰的教训……你那里也有人服从了尼哥拉一党人的教训，这是我所恨恶的。”（启示录 2:14, 15）

2. 他所采用的方法。

首先，我们被告知人子在田里撒了好种子（第 24、37 节）——然后我们被告知魔鬼变成了农夫（第 25 节）。撒旦不是原创天才，而是一个模仿者。他制造了上帝作品的假货。基督徒了解这一点很重要，这样他们才能保持警惕。如果我们研究圣经，我们就不会不知道他的诡计（哥林多后书 2:11）。需要仔细注意的是，当敌人模仿基督时，他既没有播下荆棘也没有播下蒺藜——如果他这样做了，他的工作很容易被发现，而且很容易区分真假。不，他播下的是“稗子”，或者更确切地说是“毒麦”。这是一种退化的小麦，与真正的小麦非常相似，以至于在收获季节之前无法区分两者。 “家主的仆人”一长出稗子就认出了它们，这并不与我们上文的陈述相矛盾，因为这里指的是使徒，他们特别被赋予了圣灵，因此比任何人都具有更强的辨别能力。

这些“稗子”是假基督徒。当“仆人”第一次发现敌人的所作所为时，他们想把稗子连根拔出来（第 28 节）。但主禁止他们，说：“不然，恐怕薅稗子，连麦子也拔出来”（第 29 节）。只有当它们都完全成熟时，农夫才能安全地将它们分开，因为直到那时，才能看到稗子的穗子里没有麦粒。在收获季节之前，稗子呈现出美丽的景象。当这些绿色茂盛的假叶片与真正的小麦并排生长时，就有丰收的希望。但外表是骗人的，许多产品只会让那些花费大量时间和劳力耕种的人感到失望和嘲笑。“闪光的不一定都是金子。”收获时节将会出现巨大的幻灭。那时基督的羊群看起来只是“小”羊群。

那么，这个比喻就将撒旦所用的手段暴露无遗。他试图通过引入一种伪基督教，一种对真实事物的巧妙模仿，来摧毁上帝在地球上的见证。这个比喻表明，他从内部工作：他在麦子中播下了“稗子”！撒旦有一个模仿的福音。这在加拉太书 1:7-9 的严肃警告中得到了明确的暗示。哥林多后书 11 章更清楚地暗示了这一点，那里告诉我们“假使徒，行事诡诈，装作基督使徒的模样。这并不奇怪，因为连撒但也装作光明的天使。所以他的差役，若装作仁义的差役，也不算希奇”（第 13-15 节）。撒旦的主要代理人不是在酒吧或赛马场等地方，而是在我们的神学院和讲台上！这些人不是在鼓吹不法，而是在宣扬“公义”；但他们“不知道上帝的公义”，所以“四处建立自己的义”（罗马书 10:3）。这是律法和福音的混合，许多人因此受骗。

撒旦有一个模仿的教会。基督现在正在建立他的教会，这个教会将包括目前所有得救的人，任何不是其成员的人都不会得救。魔鬼也对此进行了讽刺。罗马天主教自称是“基督的配偶”，其牧师坚持认为在他们的范围之外找不到救赎。他们信奉基督的名，并持有他教导的一些重要基本原则。但与这些巧妙混合在一起的是异教的致命错误。但是，这种模仿是如此巧妙，他们如此巧妙地援引圣经来支持他们的主张，以致数百万人被他们毁灭灵魂的体系所欺骗。“有一条路，人以为正，至终成为死亡之路”（箴言 14:12）。

撒旦仍将被允许制造一个模仿基督的人。这将是他的杰作。圣经中对他有很多描述。他是伟大的敌基督。他将有能力创造奇迹；他一开始会声称自己是重返地球的真正基督。许多人将被他欺骗，以至于全世界都会跟随他（启示录 13:4）。是的，魔鬼播下的是“稗子”，是模仿小麦的种子——而不是荆棘和蒺藜。3

. 敌人的成功。

值得注意的是，在这个比喻中，我们并没有看到任何反对或阻碍稗子生长的现象，就像我们在第一个关于麦子的比喻中看到的那样。这里没有提到任何不适合魔鬼种子生长的土壤。没有“路边”的土地，太硬以至于它们无法穿透。没有“荆棘”会扼杀它们，因为它们会在任何地方茁壮成长。这里没有提到“空中的飞鸟”会来抓走它们。所有外部条件和环境都有利于这种种子的生长。不需要耕种；它们会自己生长。

这个比喻中对“稗子”的突出强调清楚地暗示了敌人的成功。这在第 36 节中非常清楚和庄严地表达出来。当耶稣打发众人离开，和门徒进屋时，他们说：“把田间稗子的比喻讲给我们听”，而不是“好种子和稗子的比喻”（见第 24、25 节）。占主导地位并占据田地大部分的是稗子而不是小麦。第 30 节中提到的“捆”也证实了同样的想法。

田地的主人禁止任何人干扰稗子。这一点让很多人感到困惑。为什么主允许敌人播种他的“稗子”？为什么他允许它们这么长时间占据田地的主要部分？换句话说，为什么上帝允许魔鬼如此长时间地自由？这个问题并不像许多人想象的那么难回答。他们忽视了一个事实，即这个世界的领导者拒绝了它的合法统治者；犹太人更喜欢巴拉巴。犹太人和外邦人都选择了杀人犯而不是生命之主，他们收获了自己所种下的恶果。魔鬼“从起初就是杀人的”（约翰福音 8:14），并且拒绝了救世主，这个伟大的灵魂毁灭者从那时起就统治着他们！

那时是“世界的末日”（第 39 节）——如果我们记住，存在一个时间世界，也存在一个物质世界，那么这种表达就不难理解了。但如果我们将其理解为表示“地球的末日”或“世界体系”，那么这显然是错误的。就个人而言，我们更喜欢 RV 的边注——“时代的终结”。希腊语不是约翰福音 1:10 中的“kosmos”，而是“aion”。为了表明我们不会为了迎合自己的观点而改变翻译，请翻到希伯来书 9:26：“但如今在世界的末了，基督曾一次显现，把自己献为祭，好除掉罪。”这是什么意思呢？如果“世界”是指地球或世界体系，那么这显然是荒谬的，因为基督被钉十字架时，世界体系肯定没有“结束”。但如果将“aion”译为“时代”，那就没有问题了。因此，马太福音 13:39 应该读作：“收获是时代的终结；”接下来还有另一个时代，即千禧年。启示录 14:14、15 进一步证明了马太福音 13:39 中提到的“收获”发生在这个时代的末期，而不是时间的末期，这与启示录 14:14、15 同步。启示录 14 应验后，启示录 20:1-6 讨论了千禧年。

现在让我们注意其程序的顺序。“到了收割的时候，我要对收割的人说，先将稗子薅出来，捆成捆，留着烧，惟有麦子要收在仓里”（第 30 节）。稗子在麦子真正收割之前就被捆成“捆”。尽管它们看起来充满希望和吸引力，但一切不是从人子所种的种子中长出来的，最终都要被永远焚烧：正如他自己所宣称的，“凡栽种的物，若不是我天父栽种的，必要拔出来”（马太福音 15:13）。但我们特别要关注的是将稗子“捆起来”。在这个初步阶段，并没有真正把它们扔进火里，也没有把它们从田里移走。这是在田里把稗子分开，以便留下独特的“麦子”，准备收割。在稗子被“烧掉”之前，麦子被收进谷仓——这确凿地证明了在上帝对世界的审判降临之前，圣徒们已经离开了这个场景。麦子的收集与帖撒罗尼迦前书 4:16, 17 相对应。

当我们根据马太福音 13:30 来审视当前的事件时，可以清楚地看到，将稗子捆成捆的过程正在以惊人的速度向各个方向进行。事实上，它是最突出的“时代标志”之一。

以商业世界为例。正如大多数商人所悲哀地知道的那样，个人正在迅速成为一种无形的存在。合作、组织、合并是当今的潮流。托拉斯、联合体、辛迪加、工会是工业利益现在被捆绑在一起的“捆”。“把稗子捆成捆”；上帝的命令已经发出了！

以社交世界为例。俱乐部、行会、兄弟会遍布各地。“阶级差别”越来越受到群众的憎恨。几个世纪以来存在的社会壁垒正在迅速被打破；而在许多国家，旨在摧毁个体企业的社会主义和布尔什维克主义正在寻求将所有东西聚集到一个大国“捆”中。是的，“把稗子捆成捆”这个词已经发出了！

在教会领域，同样的事情同样引人注目。跨教派的努力和运动正在成倍增加。就在上周，在这个城市，也就是所谓的“耶稣受难日”那天，来自四五个教派的教会成员和传教士聚集在一起，举行了他们所谓的“主的晚餐”庆祝活动——而这次是在牧师是一位著名的现代主义者的教堂里举行的。真是个笑话！如果某个著名的福音传道者来到这个城市，就必须举行一次“联合”会议。基督教世界的统一是许多人的理想，也是其领导人所追求的目标。新教实际上已经是一支耗尽的力量，而反对教皇将所有基督教世界聚集在其羽翼之下的障碍和障碍正在迅速消失。那些理解预言的人很清楚，不久她就会实现她长期以来为之奋斗的雄心壮志，一个庞大的教会“大军”就会形成。是的，“收集”稗子的命令已经发出！

同样的原则越来越多地规范着地球的外交事务。各主要“大国”正日益联合和合作。就对中国的最后通牒而言，要求采取一致行动就是明证。国际联盟是朝着形成又一个大“捆”的方向迈出的又一步。是的，我的读者们，除非我们是盲人——如果我们看不到，我们肯定是盲人——把稗子捆成“捆”已经在我们眼前进行：它不仅已经开始，而且进展顺利。预言每天都在成为历史。下一步就是除掉小麦！

现在让我们从这个比喻中得出一些实际的结论。首先，在这里看到“改革”运动和努力的毫无价值。我们可以通过清除有害的杂草来改善世界——消除酗酒和不道德行为，净化政治等等，这是一个空想。人们不妨尝试净化死海的水！主说过，“让两者一起生长，直到收获。”那么就不要浪费时间去耕种稗子了。“传福音”是我们的行动命令。

第二，这是一个多么严肃的警告，反对不警醒！正是在“人们睡觉的时候”，敌人来播种稗子。要小心懒惰和放松警惕。记住基督对门徒说的话，“我对你们说的，也是对众人说的，要警醒”（马可福音 13:37）。注意罗马书 13:11, 12 的警告——现在是从睡梦中醒来的时候了！

第三，注意基督对自己子民的爱。当祂禁止仆人拔除稗子时，祂说：“免得薅稗子，连麦子也拔出来”（第 29 节）。祂一定非常关心“麦子”：祂宁愿“稗子”长出来，也不愿麦子受到哪怕一丝伤害！

第四，我们的主对恶人最终的厄运的描述是多么可怕啊！“丢在火炉里；在那里必要哀哭切齿了”（第 42 节）。“火炉”不仅仅是“黑暗时代”的迷信，而是一个可怕的现实，正如现在活着的许多人将发现的，他们永远的痛苦，这是所有继续拒绝主耶稣基督的人的必然命运。令人无比庄严的是，圣经中关于地狱最令人敬畏的描述，都出自爱的化身之口！需要仔细注意的是，虽然基督解释了这个寓言中的每一个形象，见第 38-40 节，但他并没有解释“火”。这是字面意思！哦，我的读者，如果你还没有这样做，那么“逃离即将到来的愤怒”吧，否则就太迟了。逃到基督那里寻求庇护吧。

google translate from: https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=25579

Chapter 2.

The Parable of the Tares.

This parable forms the second of the series, and its substance corresponds with the meaning of this numeral. One is the number of unity, for it stands alone, excluding all difference. But with two there is a difference, another. This other may be either for good or evil. In its evil sense two stands for difference, contrast, and so, enmity. Two is the first number which may be divided, and hence it stands for division, conflict. If we refer back to the opening chapter of Scripture we find that it was on the second day's work that God "divided the light from the darkness, and the waters under the firmament from the waters above it." The second in any number of things generally has evil and enmity stamped upon it. Take the second statement in the Bible: the first one is "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," but the second statement tells us "and the earth became without form and void." Thus it is with the seven parables of Matthew 13: the first one describes the work of Christ; the second the work of Satan!

The Parable of the Tares supplies an explanation of Christendom as it has existed all through these nineteen centuries, and as it is today; a mixed state of affairs; the true and the false side by side; Rome and her daughters masquerading under the guise of Christianity. The "field" represents the religious world, in which the wheat and the tares "grow together''. This mixed state of affairs has resulted from the work of the enemy at the beginning of this dispensation, the effects of which are with us until this day.

This parable, like the former, also supplies a most conclusive refutation of the unscriptural dreams of post-millenniarians. They believe that, through the preaching of the Gospel (under the blessing of God), the cause of Christ will extend, until the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. But Christ here explicitly declared that the wheat and the tares should "grow together until the harvest," which He defined as "the end of the age." He gave no hint that the "tares" would gradually die out, or that they would decrease in numbers; but announced that, at the end, they would be found in such quantity as to need binding "in bundles."

The connection between this parable and the former one is most marked. The Sower of the good seed is the same, "the Son of Man;" the "field" is the same, "the world" (v. 38), that is the religious world. But there is one thing said about the "seed" here which is very striking. In verse 19 it is called "the word of the kingdom," while in verse 38 we read "the good seed are the children of the kingdom." Like produces like: the word of the kingdom produces sons of the kingdom: the fruit is according to the Seed!

The prominent thing in this second parable of the series is the Enemy and his work. Let us consider:

1. The Time when he worked.

This was "while men slept" (v. 25); that is, at nighttime. In other words, it was under cover of the darkness that the Devil sowed his tares! This is characteristic of Satan, for he hates the light: secrecy, stealth, dishonesty, are his favorite tactics. But mark you, the Sower Himself did not sleep: He slumbers not, neither is weary. Nor does Satan. He is ever on the alert, going about, "seeking whom he may devour." He is the personification of perpetual motion.

"While men slept." The reference is to the unwatchful condition which soon developed among the Lord's people. The presence of the "tares" among the wheat was evidenced at a very early date. To the Thessalonians the apostle declared, "The mystery of iniquity does already work"(2 Thessalonians 2:18). John had to say, "You have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists" (1 John 2:18). Jude wrote, "There are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness" (v. 4). To the Church at Pergamos Christ said, "I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam . . . . so have you also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate" (Rev. 2:14, 15).

2. The Method he employed.

First, we are told that the Son of Man sowed good seed in His field (verses 24, 37)- Then we are informed that the Devil turned farmer (v. 25). Satan is no originating genius, but is ever an imitator. He produces counterfeits of the works of God. It is important for Christians to know this, so that they may be on their guard. If we study Scripture we shall not be ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). It is to be carefully noticed that as the Enemy mimicked Christ he sowed neither thorns nor thistles—had he done so his work had been easily detected, and there had been no difficulty in distinguishing the false from the true. No, he sowed "tares," or better, "darnel." This is a degenerate wheat, and so closely resembles the genuine article that the one cannot be distinguished from the other until harvest-time. That the "servants of the householder" recognized the tares as soon as they sprang up does not conflict with our last statement, for it is the apostles who are here in view, and they were specially endowed with the Holy Spirit, and so had a greater measure of discernment than any since.

These "tares" are spurious Christians. When the "servants" first discovered what the enemy had done, they wanted to root out the tares (v. 28). But the Master forbade them, saying, "Nay; lest while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them" (v. 29). It is only when they are both fully ripe that the farmer can with safety separate them, for it is not until then that it is seen there is no grain in the ears of the tares. Until the harvest time the tares present a fair picture to the eye. As these imitation blades, green and flourishing, grow side by side with the real wheat, there is every prospect of a bountiful yield. But appearances are deceptive, and much of the product will prove only a disappointment and mockery to those who have spent so much time and labor on their cultivation. "All is not gold that glitters." At the Harvest-time there is going to be a great disillusionment. Then it will appear that Christ's flock is a "little" one.

This parable, then, gives a remarkable expose of the methods employed by Satan. He seeks to destroy God's testimony on earth by introducing a spurious Christianity, a clever imitation of the real thing. And this parable reveals that he works from within: he sowed the "tares" among the wheat! Satan has an imitation Gospel. This is clearly implied in the solemn warning given in Galatians 1:7-9. It is more plainly intimated in 2 Corinthians 11, where we are told "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness" (verses 13-15). The principal agents of Satan are to be found, not in the drinking-houses or race-courses, etc., but in our seminaries and in the pulpits! These are not advocating lawlessness, but are preaching "righteousness;" but "being ignorant of God's righteousness" they are "going about to establish their own righteousness" (Romans 10:3). It is a mingling of Law and Gospel, and multitudes are deceived thereby.

Satan has an imitation Church. Christ is now building His Church, a Church which will include all the saved of this present dispensation, and none who are not members thereof will be saved. The Devil has caricatured this also. Romanism professes itself to be the "spouse of Christ," and her ministers insist there is no salvation to be found outside of their pale. They profess the name of Christ, and hold some of the great fundamentals of His teaching. But artfully mingled with these are the deadly errors of Paganism. But so clever is the imitation, so subtly are the Scriptures appealed to in support of their pretensions, that millions are deluded by their soul-destroying system. "There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

Satan will yet be permitted to bring forth an imitation Christ. This will be his masterpiece. Much is said in Scripture concerning him. He is the great antichrist. He will have power to work miracles; he will at first claim to be the true Christ come back to earth. Multitudes will be deceived by him so that all the world will wander after him (Rev. 13:4). Yes, the Devil sows "tares," imitation wheat—not thorns and thistles.

3. The Enemy's Success.

It is to be observed that in this parable we do not read of any opposition or hindrances to the growth of the tares, like we did in the first parable concerning the wheat. No mention is here made of any soil uncongenial to the Devil's seed. There is no "wayside" ground, too hard for them to penetrate. There are no "thorns" to choke them, for they will thrive anywhere. There is no mention made of "birds of the air" coming to catch them away. All external conditions and circumstances are favorable to the growth of this seed. No cultivation is needed; they will grow of themselves.

The enemy's success is plainly intimated by the prominence given to the "tares" in this parable. This comes out very clearly and most solemnly in verse 36. When Jesus had sent the multitude away, and had gone into the house with His disciples, they said, "Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field," not "the parable of the good seed and the tares" (see verses 24, 25). It is the tares and not the wheat which predominate and occupy the larger portion of the field. The mention of "bundles" in verse 30 bears out the same thought.

The Owner of the field forbade any interference with the tares. This is a point which has perplexed many. Why did the Lord permit the Enemy to sow his "tares"? And why has He permitted them for so long, to occupy the principal part of the field? In other words, Why has God allowed the Devil such long-continued freedom? This is not so difficult to answer as many may suppose. They overlook the fact that the leaders of this world rejected its rightful Sovereign; that the Jews preferred Barabbas. Having chosen a murderer in preference to the Lord of Life, both Jews and Gentiles have reaped what they sowed. The Devil was "a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:14), and having refused the Savior, this great soul-destroyer has ruled over them ever since!

The time for this to be "the end of the world" (v. 39)—There is no difficulty in this expression if we bear in mind that there is a world of time, as well as a world of matter. But if we understand it to signify the "end of the earth," or "world-system," then it is manifestly erroneous. Personally, we much prefer the marginal rendering of the R. V.—"consummation of the age." The Greek word is not "kosmos," as in John 1:10, but "aion." To show that we are not altering the translation in order to suit our own views, turn to Hebrews 9:26: "But now once in the end of the world" has He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." What can be made of that? If by "world" be understood the earth, or the world-system, then it is a manifest absurdity, for that certainly did not "end" at the crucifixion of Christ. But if "aion" be rendered "age," there is no difficulty. Thus Matthew 13:39 should read, "The harvest is the end of the age;" there is another Age to follow this, namely, the Millennium. Further proof that the "harvest" referred to in Matthew 13:39 takes place at the end of this age, rather than at the end of time, is found in Revelation 14:14, 15, which synchronizes. After Revelation 14 is fulfilled comes Revelation 20:1-6, which treats of the Millennium.

Let us note now the order of its procedure. "In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn" (v. 30). The tares are gathered into "bundles" before the wheat is actually garnered. In spite of their promising and attractive appearance, everything which has not sprung from the Seed sown by the Son of man is ultimately to be consigned to the everlasting burnings: as He Himself declared, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up" (Matthew 15:13). But what we would particularly direct attention to is the "gathering together" of the tares into bundles. There is no actual casting of them into the fire at this preliminary stage, no removal of them from the field. It is the separation of the tares in the field, so as to leave the "wheat" distinct, and ready for garnering. The wheat is gathered into the Barn before the tares are "burned"—sure proof of the removal of the saints from this scene prior to the descent of God's judgment of the world. The gathering of the wheat corresponds with 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17.

As we survey current events in the light of Matthew 13:30 it is abundantly clear that the process of binding the tares into bundles is proceeding in various directions, and proceeding with amazing rapidity. In fact it is one of the most prominent of the "signs of the times."

Take the commercial world. The individual is fast becoming a non-entity, as most business men know to their sorrow. Cooperation, organization, amalgamation, are the order of the day. Trusts, combines, syndicates, unions, are the "bundles" into which the interests of industry are now being bound. "Gather the tares into bundles;" the Divine command has already gone forth !

Take the social world. Clubs, guilds, fraternities, are multiplied on every side. "Class distinctions" are more and more resented by the masses. Social barriers which have existed for centuries are rapidly being broken down; while in many countries, socialism and bolshevism—which aim at the destruction of individual enterprise—are seeking to gather all into one great State "bundle." Yes, the word "gather" the tares into bundles has already gone forth!

In the ecclesiastical sphere the same thing is equally noticeable and prominent. Interdenominational efforts and movements are multiplying. Only last week in this city, on what is known as "good Friday," members and preachers from churches of four or five denominations met together, and held what they term the celebration of "the Lord's Supper"—and this in a church whose pastor is a pronounced modernist. What a farce! If some noted Evangelist comes to the city a "combined" meeting must be held. The unification of Christendom is the ideal of many, and the goal for which her leaders are aiming. Protestantism is virtually a spent force, and the hindrances and obstacles against the Papacy yet gathering all Christendom under her wings are rapidly disappearing. Those who understand prophecy know well that it will not be long before she attains that ambition for which she has so long worked, and that one huge ecclesiastical "bundle" will be formed. Yes, the command to "gather" the tares has gone forth!

The same principle is more and more regulating the diplomatic affairs of the earth. The leading "Powers" are working increasingly in conjunction and cooperation. Witness the demands for concerted action in connection with the ultimatum to China. The League of Nations is another movement in the direction of forming one more great "bundle." Yes, my readers, unless we are blind—and blind we certainly are, if we cannot see it—the binding of the tares into "bundles" is already going on before our very eyes: it has not only commenced, but is far advanced. Prophecy is daily becoming history. The next thing will be the removal of the wheat!

Let us now draw a few practical conclusions from this parable. First, see here the worthlessness of "reform" movements and efforts. It is an idle dream that we can improve the world by gathering out noxious weeds—banish drunkenness and immorality, purify politics, etc. Men might as well attempt to purify the waters of the Dead Sea! The Lord has said, "Let both grow together until the harvest." Then do not waste your time on the cultivation of the tares. "Preach the Gospel" is our marching orders.

Second, what a solemn warning is here against unwatchfulness! It was "while men slept" that the Enemy came and sowed his tares. Beware of sloth and the relaxation of vigilance. Remember the words of Christ to His disciples, "What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch" (Mark 13:37). Heed the warning of Romans 13:11, 12,—it is high time to awake out of sleep!

Third, mark Christ's love for His own. When forbidding the servants to root up the tares, He said, "Nay, lest while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them" (v. 29). How much He must think of the "wheat": he had rather the "tares" grow, than that a single blade of the wheat be injured!

Fourth, how terrible is our Lord's description of the ultimate doom of the wicked! "And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (v. 42). The "Furnace of Fire" is no mere superstition of the "dark ages," but a dread reality, as multitudes now living will yet discover to their eternal misery, it is the certain portion of all who continue to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. It is unspeakably solemn to note that the most awe-inspiring descriptions of Hell, to be found anywhere in the Bible, came from the lips of Love incarnate! It is to be carefully noted that while Christ interpreted every figure in this parable, see verses 38-40, the "fire" He did not explain. It is literal! O my reader, if you have not already done so, "Flee from the wrath to come" before it be too late. Flee to Christ for refuge.

link: https://www.gracegems.org/Pink/prophetic_parables_of_mat_13.htm