The Spiritual Wisdom Hidden in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

By Helena Lehman
Pillar of Enoch Ministry
http://pillar-of-enoch.com

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Are you an earnest believer in Yahshua that desires to dwell on the things of God, and are you excited over the Gospel of the coming Millennial Kingdom of God? Furthermore, do you find yourself bewildered and shocked when you are ostracized and avoided because of this? If so, “The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares” in Chapter 13 of the Gospel of John should be consulted for wisdom. Our Messiah Yahshua or Jesus, who is our Good Shepherd, gave this parable and its basic interpretation to His disciples and a large gathering of followers by the shores of the Sea of Galilee. At the time, He shared several other related parables, including the Parable of the Sower, which He also interpreted, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. 

This Parable teaches that - just before the Rapture and visible return of Yahshua Ha Mashiach - a great sifting out of wicked people from the ranks of the righteous followers of Yahweh would occur. This sifting has never been more evident in history than it is today. In fact, it can be clearly seen in the diametrically opposed views of conservatives and liberals - both politically and religiously - that are completely dividing the people within the USA and Israel into two totally antagonistic spiritual and moral camps. In fact, this scriptural sifting of the people into diametrically opposing camps is evident throughout the world right now, in EVERY nation, not just the USA and Israel.

Because of its major End Time significance, all students of prophecy need to thoroughly understand this Parable - especially its deeper spiritual applications. Please allow me to guide you in an exploration of this Parable to see what hidden wisdom it has to share. Let’s begin by reading the entire Parable:

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares - Matthew 13:24-30 (NKJV): “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 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?” 28 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?” 29 But he said, “No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 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”.’”

After reading it, it should be clear that this Parable is teaching that the Church is NOT exempt from judgment. In fact, the sifting process of dividing out the bad tares from the good wheat in the final harvest before the Millennial Kingdom of Yahshua is going on within the Church just as it is in the world at large. This is because, even as the Protestant Churches have grown in wisdom and truth over the past two centuries, the Devil has been busy sowing God’s enemies within, as well as outside of the Church, as well as in the much younger Messianic Synagogues! Remember what Yahshua said at the end of “The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares”:  “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’.’”

Note that, in this Parable’s conclusion, Yahshua is saying that He will gather the tares into bundles (by way of their seeming unity and their large congregations) BEFORE the wheat or true believers are gathered into God’s Barn. This means that the bad tares among the congregations are to be separated out of the Body of Christ just BEFORE the Rapture into Heaven. It also means that we who are inside the Body of Christ will KNOW who the tares are by their behavior and choices that are contrary to the Word of God. The most obvious clues that a person is not among the wheat can be seen in their moral choices, such as those who condone homosexuality and abortion. Scripture is clear that all unrepentant sinners and carnally-minded people will be known by their denial of God’s laws, and by seeing good as evil, and evil as good:

Unrighteous Excluded From The Kingdom - 1 Corinthians 6:8-10 (NKJV): “You yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Anyone with their spiritual eyes open, and that has a living, loving relationship with Yahshua Ha Mashiach and the Ruach Ha Kodesh (i.e. Holy Spirit), should be able to plainly see this sifting of people into opposing camps occurring today. They should also be able to spot the lairs that are wolves in sheep’s clothing within the Churches and Messianic Synagogues, and they should do all they can to expose them. Make no mistake! There are many lying preachers promoting false doctrines in the Church because they are secretly Gnostics, New Agers, or Pagan followers of Satan that wish to destroy the Church for various reasons.

Within the Messianic congregations, some of their Rabbis insist on a legalistic adherence to the Law at the exclusion of Grace. They also often deny, and constantly attack the freedom that Christians have been given in Yahshua. Finally, they often deny the true deity of Christ as equal to the Father. Many of the cunning liars in both the Churches and Synagogues are good at fooling the sheep by making false accusations against the true prophets and followers of Yahshua. In this way, they have created a terrible spirit of confusion among the saints. But ONLY those who are NOT living a sanctified life, who are not reading God’s Word for themselves, and who are not constantly praying for discernment will be, or will remain, deceived!

The lines are being drawn and everybody is being called to take a side. No one will be left on the fence when this divine sifting process is finished, and all who are meant to be exposed as the false teachers and liars that they are will be exposed - but ONLY to those whom God is soon going to call UP to His Heavenly Home to wed His Wonderful Son. Yahshua our Bridegroom also intimated that our enemies (the tares) would at times be our friends or members of our own family. This truth is clearly taught in the Scripture listed below:

Christ Brings Division - Matthew 10:34-39 (NKJV):) “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

I know of many devout believers, myself among them, in marriages with unbelievers or backslidden believers that are suffering persecution at the hands of their spouses, as well as at the hands of their parents, siblings, children, and other relatives. Those who have lost their carnal lives in order to inherit the spiritual life that Yahshua offers them will NEVER really fit in socially, or have a huge circle of intimate friends. They will, rather, find themselves increasingly alone, misunderstood, maligned, and ostracized from society due to their love of Christ. However, they will be greatly rewarded for their dedication and steadfastness in the Millennial Kingdom of Yahshua, and also afterward. In fact, it is likely that these solitary, persecuted, and often impoverished believers will be the only ones who will be worthy enough to be counted as the Bride of Christ. This is revealed in the Book of Revelation regarding the Church of Philadelphia:

The Faithful Church - Revelation 3:7-12 (NKJV) “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.’”

In reviewing this amazing passage, let’s identify the traits of the Church of Philadelphia. First of all, this church only has “a little strength”, meaning that it is a relatively small and materially poor congregation of believers that are nonetheless spiritually rich. Furthermore, this church has “kept My word, and have not denied My name.” This means that the members of this Church are not ashamed to profess their faith in, and love for Christ, and their desire to follow Him and His laws to love God, and one another.

As the name of this Church implies, they are full of “philadelphia” or brotherly love. They love one another deeply, and also show love to their enemies and persecutors by trying to reach them with the truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, which is that Yahshua is the Messiah and Son of God, and the ONLY way to Heaven. Only those who repent and accept Yahshua’s sacrifice on the Cross for their sins will receive the Ruach or Holy Spirit, Who teaches true followers to die to this world and live for Christ. Only those who have received the Ruach, and know how to hear the Spirit’s voice, are worthy of salvation in Yahshua, and will find their names written in the Book of Life.

Be forewarned! Living a sacrificial life in imitation of Christ is extremely difficult in this world, and those who choose to follow Yahshua DEFINITELY WILL find themselves persecuted for His Sake. In fact, Yahshua acknowledged the suffering of the Church of Philadelphia when He said that they have “kept My command to persevere.” By saying this, Yahshua meant that they would be able to endure the insults, lies, taunts, betrayals, and beatings that are part of the persecution of the saints by the Evil One without losing their faith or hope in Yahshua’s promises of deliverance. Those who persevere in the faith, and who refuse to let go of their hope in the Kingdom of God, are those whom Yahshua calls “overcomers”.

This means that only the believers who display the characteristics of brotherly love, faithfulness to God’s Word, and perseverance in persecution belong to the Church of Philadelphia. Furthermore, this is the ONLY church of the seven mentioned at the beginning of the Book of Revelation to which Yahshua promises: “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it”, and; “I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Both of these statements, which appear in Revelation Chapter 3 in regard to the Church of Philadelphia, are allusions to the Harpazo, Rapture, or “catching away” of the Church that many believers are hoping for, which the Apostle Paul described in 1 Thessalonians 4:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 - “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Depiction of Yahshua Coming in the Rapture

When Yahshua comes for His beloved Saints, He is going to know exactly who is on His side, and who is not by the spiritual ideologies that they follow. This is why the churches are being so heavily sifted into wheat and tares, and why there are so many true believers who are being persecuted within the churches, and driven outside of them. As this sifting process reaches its conclusion, the many divisions and squabbles going on within, and between, and outside of the world’s many churches will only increase. Meanwhile, those poor but loving believers who belong to the Church of Philadelphia or Brotherly Love will stand alone, for they will be the only people who are truly worthy of Yahshua’s love. Only they will love Yahshua with all their hearts. So, while they await the Rapture, they will be the only ones who claim to be followers of Christ that love one another by helping one another with every need, worshiping God together with joy in their hearts, and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the lost.

There is one final trait of the Church of Philadelphia that too many prophecy teachers have overlooked to the detriment of the Church. This is the fact that Yahshua only identifies the Philadelphians with the New Jerusalem, and only the New Jerusalem is identified as the Bride of Christ. Yahshua identified the Church of Philadelphia with the New Jerusalem when He said:

“I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God.”

Then, later in the Book of Revelation, we read:

The New Jerusalem - Revelation 21:9-10 (NKJV):“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God…”

Yahshua Depicted Hovering Over Jerusalem

This reveals that ONLY those who are in the Church of Philadelphia will dwell in the New Jerusalem. Meanwhile, all those who are not found worthy to be included in this group will dwell outside the New Jerusalem:

The Glory of the New Jerusalem - Revelation 22:22-27 (NKJV): “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

First of all, this Scripture teaches that only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will dwell with Christ forever on the New Earth. But it also teaches that there will be different communities on the New Earth, and not everyone will dwell in the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem, where the Temple of God is, is identified with the Bride of Christ, while the outside communities of believers are identified by the words “nations” and “kings of the earth.” These are the believers that were not chosen to be the Bride, but will be allowed to come within the walls of the New Jerusalem, experience its glory, and share in the joy of the Bride of Christ. But as attendants of the Bride, they will dwell in the blessed communities or “nations” surrounding the New Jerusalem. As a side note, the fact that there will be different communities of believers with different functions on the New Earth is described in the Book of 1 Enoch, which is considered to be canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The fact that there are some believers who are not in true fellowship with God, and will be excluded from being the Bride of Christ, is explained in the “The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins”(LINK TO POEM Blog Article For This Parable)(LINK to Matthew 25:1-13). In this parable, note that Yahshua distinguishes the Wise Virgins or wise bridesmaids from the Foolish Virgins with the phrase: “I do not know you” (See Mat. 25:12), which is similar to His admonition to the goats that: “I never knew you” (See Mat. 7:23). This statement makes it clear that those who are excluded from the Kingdom DO NOT HAVE AN ACTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND HIS SPIRIT. As a result, they will be left behind when the Rapture happens.

Meanwhile, the Wise Virgins who have cultivated a deep relationship with Christ through continual repentance and prayer, and worship will be allowed to attend the Bride of Christ, and partake in her Glory. Make no mistake! Those who want to be counted as the Bride, as well as the virgin attendants to the Bride, MUST have a personal and deeply intimate relationship with Yahshua and His Ruach or Holy Spirit. Even while living in troublesome or harsh circumstances in this fallen world, they will be the ones who will still be able to love their neighbors, love their relationship with God by seeking to know Him, and who will hear and follow God’s voice through every trial and tribulation, even if it leads to martyrdom.

For further study of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, please read the following article:

Deciphering the 
Parable of the Ten Virgins

http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2012/04/deciphering-parable-of-ten-virgins.html

Only Yahweh God our Father knows who the Bride of Christ is, and who her virgin attendants will be. Our job as believers should not be to worry about which category we fall into, but only that we are counted worthy to have our names written in the Book of Life. Indeed, all those who dwell on the New Earth - whether outside or inside the New Jerusalem - will have blessed and happy positions within God’s everlasting Kingdom, and no one will feel envy or jealousy ever again. They will all be united forever in the perfect love of Christ that casts out all fear and envy.

Amen and Hallelu-Yah to that!

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FOR FURTHER STUDY:

Please read my complimentary, newer revised article about the truth of the Rapture, and the fact that there may be not one, but two Rapture events - one at the beginning, and one at the end of the Great Tribulation. This article can be found posted at my Pillar of Enoch Ministry web site. Here is a description of it, and a link to the HTML and PDF versions of it now available online:

REVISED 2013 Edition: 

“Come Up Here and Come Away!” -

Clues Concerning Two Rapture Events In Scripture:

This 20-page article was originally written in March 2010, was revised twice in 2011, and revised and updated again in July of 2012. Subsequently, this newest edition was created on February 19th, 2013. If you read the original article or the older revisions, this article contains numerous changes in regard to the possibility and timing of Two Raptures during the Great Tribulation. This is due to Helena Lehman’s better understanding of the Signs in the Heavens after doing her Tribulation Time Chart, which is linked to in the body of this article, as well as to many other recent prophetic developments in the last two years. In this article, Ms. Lehman shows that the First Rapture is thematically tied to the Jewish Spring Feasts. This article also shows evidence that there may be a Second Rapture toward the end of the Tribulation that is tied to the Jewish Fall Feasts. 

HTML (Online) Version: http://www.pillar-of-enoch.com/essays/Come_Up_Here.html

PDF Version for Download: http://pillar-of-enoch.com/essays/Come_Up_Here.pdf

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I pray that these articles will bless you and help you to grow in spiritual understanding as we await the Rapture. In the meantime, remember that...

Yahshua is coming SOON! Maranatha!

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