The Distinction Is Made In The Harvest! (2nd revision: March, 2021 and published under "Dare to LEAP Now" Blog)

Make No Mistake, It’s Harvest Time! 

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;  but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’  But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” - Matthew 13:24-29

Most would agree that we’re living in unprecedented times! We’re seeing (what many are calling) exposure on every level of life. Every day, in every genre, new accusations (whether true or false) are surfacing against some of the most renowned, respected, and influential people of our times, and even in our own lives, we’re seeing previously hidden things coming to light.  As a Body of Believers, what is really happening? Was Jesus giving us a picture of something we’re all experiencing? Have we been so focused on the sheaves of harvest that we neglected the process of dealing with the tares first? 

It’s easy to point the finger and judge high-profile individuals in the entertainment and sports industries, and sadly, even church leaders because with great influence of any kind, comes with great responsibility. But what about in your own life? Have you considered that the current tests and trials are exposing the hidden tares sown among your wheat?  Lately, have you noticed things within yourself, that you’ve been convicted of while going through them?

For example: Even though you've always been able to rebound from rough times in the company you founded by standing on God's Word, you’ve recently discovered that your business partner had been involved in unethical practices. You need to decide whether to work through this situation with this person or part ways altogether.

The child who once loved God has become virtually unrecognizable and wants nothing to do with Him, and they're on a far different path now!  Once filled with hope, love, and admiration, that marriage is now tainted by betrayal, heartache, and pain! Those habits your parents, their siblings, and cousins had are now showing up in your own life and although you once thought you were free, you again find yourself in this dark place.

“...but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”

While men slept!  Have you ever “slept” while getting your business off the ground, believing that someone else would do the right thing, so you didn't question when your spirit was troubled? You knew the company your teenager was hanging around was a bad influence, but you didn't want to be that “too strict” parent, so you “slept” on the discipline that you were raised on.  If you and your spouse hadn't slept on specific instructions God gave you, would your marriage be in the condition it’s in now?  

And “Yes,” you watched previous generations exhibit anger, alcohol, stubbornness, and all kinds of issues and the effects they had on the family, and you vowed that it would never be you, but when that brother or sister in Christ checked you “in Love” on something they were seeing in you, did you “sleep” on it because you were offended by the way they approached you rather than taking what they were telling you to heart?

Interestingly, the owner of the field instructed the workers to let both the tares and the wheat grow together.  Why would anyone allow something to remain when it's not supposed to be there? And what was the significance of the enemy sowing tares among the wheat anyway? 

In this particular region where Jesus was teaching this message, there was a weed referred to as a tare, or what we know as a Darnel weed.  Now these bear a strong resemblance to wheat during the early stages of development, and the average person would probably view them as the same. So in this parable's context, the field's owner is protecting his crop, lest they unknowingly uproot the wheat also.  

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1Corinthians 4:5

The thing I found to be so profound is that before this particular parable, Jesus ended his teaching to the crowd with “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (vs. 9)

What’s the significance? I’m glad you asked!

So, the tares look identical to the wheat until it is time to harvest.  The wheat is ready to harvest when the “ears” are developed!  Yes, just like corn stalks develop ears, so does wheat.  And when the ears appear, the weight of it causes them to bend over or to “bow” down.  Because the tares don’t have ears, they remain standing straight up, making it easier now to distinguish between the two and also making it easy to gather them, bind them up, and burn them.

Could what we are experiencing now be the result of the Boldness, Arrogance, and Pride existing in the world today?  We’re seeing exposure and alleged exposure at an all-time high on every level of life: Government officials, Entertainment, Corporations, Leadership, Communities, Churches (Yes, even the Church), Families, and let's not forget, even ourselves! 

The degree of unrighteous entitlement is like none other, as every kind of cause (some of which only a decade ago would have been shut down based on morality alone) but now, just like in 2 Timothy 3:2-5 “People “are” lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

Whereas there was once a clear distinction between Believers and Nonbelievers, many are the quarrels within the Body of Christ:

 “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’  But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” - ( Matthew 13 vs.28-30)

Jesus went on to explain the symbolism of this parable in verses 37-43 As the one who sowed the Good seed is the “Son of Man, ” The field is the world, the good seed are the Sons of the Kingdom, the tares are the sons of the wicked one, the enemy is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are His Angels. But we also see within the parable, that we are experiencing most of these very things NOW!

We see the pride of the tares (the disobedient, haughty, and everything Jesus described in Matthew 24 when He told them about the end of the age),  the humility of the wheat (those who hear and obey God’s voice), and the distinction that is being made between them!  

If we walk in humility, we can recognize areas in our own lives where tares (in fact) had been sown among the wheat!  (It’s all in the Master’s field, but only He knows those who are His and that it all had to come up together)  That humiliation you experienced,  exposed the pride that laid dormant and hidden underneath the accolades and successes celebrated by men.

The rebellion of your grown child is made public now because it’s harvest time!  The rebellion is not the end for them, because if they were trained up in the way they should go there was some good seed sown into them, so that when they became old (come into full maturity) they would not depart from the faith! And now, because of what they’ve gone through, God can use them as a witness to win souls for Him and you will see that your labor wasn’t in vain. As the seed of the righteous is blessed!

If that business situation hadn’t occurred, you would never have known the content of their character or lack of integrity, despite how you started together and how rooted and grounded they appeared to be in the Word.  And although you were allowed to start that business together, this may be where God is saying it is time to cut those ties because they can’t go where He’s taking you.  You are now about to step into a place you’ve never been, and being unequally yoked will stagnate the purpose He has for your life!

There is a distinction being made within the body of Christ because He is soon to return! 

Those who will repent, humble themselves, and obey the Master's voice will reap the harvest but will also be met with persecution: 

 “But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—”  - Matthew 10:33-35

Yes, in this season, there is a disruption of “normal!”  It’s being made known (even within households) who really believes His Word or if it is just a show.  In some cultures being a Believer in Christ can literally cost you your life and families are turning their Born agin children over to be stoned and publicly killed because of their faith!  What are you willing to sacrifice for Him? Make No Mistake,  It’s Harvest Time!

 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:40-43

Recommended Reading in addition to the Bible:  

“The Final Quest by Rick Joyner - TextVideo