Part Seven

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares and More

WHEAT AND TARES - “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Matt 24:36-41
When the Lord appears after many days of tribulation, this is when He takes His church and separates the wheat from the chaff. This would have to be a post tribulation rapture. This is the final great harvest. The righteous go with the Lord, the unrighteous are left behind in the fiery battle that takes place. Thus one will be taken and the other left (to destruction). The following parable explains things clearly:

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.” Matt 13:24-30

The meeting in the air takes place at this time. This speaks of a post tribulation rapture--our “translation” takes place when the Lord returns and gathers the wheat and tares. 1 Thess 4:16-18 This scripture witnesses with phase four above. The unrighteous are left to suffer the fiery battle and the righteous meet the Lord in the air. The Lord comes with his army in Rev 19.11-21. The unrighteous or tares are left to wrath at this time. The wheat is taken into the barn (we meet in the air) and the unrighteous are left to experience the wrath of God (burned).

More Witnesses:…and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 2 Thessalonians 1.7-10

Again this is Revelation 19.11-21 when the Lord comes in power. We see Him coming in flaming fire and taking vengeance on those who do not repent (wicked).

Deuteronomy 4.29-31 an Old Testament Witness: But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."

Jesus never says anything about His people being “raptured” out. He only warns us to be ready to suffer and go through difficult times. What is our hope? Our final resurrection and meeting Him in the air on the last day is our great sustaining hope. Then we all will be rewarded by ruling and reigning with Him in the millennial kingdom.

How are the dead raised? 1 Corinthians 15.35-49:35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?”  You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Corinthians 15.35-49

When we rule and reign with Christ for the thousand years we will be spiritual beings. We no longer have a mortal body. All things are become new!

The Last Enemy Destroyed But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15.20-28 (Psalm 8.6) Note this all happens "at the end."

The Mystery of Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15.50-58 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

At the last trumpet the dead in Christ will be raised to reign and rule with Him in the Kingdom of God. This is the first resurrection at his coming with his angels (army) in Revelation 19.11-21.
This is when we meet the Lord in the air. There is no “secret” rapture--the Lord only returns once--that’s when we meet him in the air.

The Great Apostasy  Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thess 2.1-4

Paul is now telling believers to not be deceived. If he is telling us not to be deceived that indicates that we will be going through the tribulation, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first... Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2.5-10

Paul continues to describe this time of deception:
The Day of the Lord...But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.   For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…. 1 Thessalonians 5.1-9

Paul tells us we know that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night and we should be prepared mentally, physically and spiritually for that time of trouble.

SIGN OF THE FIG TREE - “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Matt 24:32-35
The nation of Israel is the fig tree. The Lord is talking about a generation of Israeli’s and believers that will see it all. All the events will happen to that appointed generation.

GOD PROTECTS THE RIGHTEOUS - Happy is the man whom God corrects, despise not the chastening of the Lord…From six troubles He will deliver you, even in seven evil will not touch you. In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. “You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you will not be afraid of violence when it comes. "You will laugh at violence and famine, and you will not be afraid of wild beasts. “For you will be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you. "You will know that your tent is secure, for you will visit your abode and fear no loss. Job 5:17-24 We will experience difficult days, but we will not fear…the peace of God will be upon us.

Finally Isaiah 26.19-21 The Lord will comfort us and find us a hiding place.

Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.

Take Refuge from the Coming Judgment...Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.

Our refuge is in the Lord. We will experience difficult times and some will be martyrs--but others will not die and will be alive at His coming!

“And preaching the gospel to that city, and having made many disciples…and that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:21-22

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