HERE is a picture of harvesting hay in olden times, when they used oxen. It makes us think of a harvest that God’s Word tells us about in Matt. 13:24-3024Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:24‑30).
It is a parable that the Lord Jesus spoke while He was here upon earth, about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not heaven, but is the rule of the heavens; and the Lord Jesus used the parable to tell us that this rule is here upon earth.
He likened it to a man that sowed good seed in his field: and while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. When it grew, the tares came up too, and the servants said,
“Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.”
They wanted to gather up the tares, but he told them to wait till harvest, and he said,
Then in verses 37-43 He tells what that means.
“He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
There is one point we should like to impress upon you, and that is that you must make sure that you are like the wheat. The way you may be sure you are among those likened unto wheat, is by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.
Those who believe on Him will not be put into the bundles of tares to be burned; for the burning of the tares will be the wrath of God executed on the unbeliever. The Scripture says:
That harvest is near. Soon all the believers will be taken into the Father’s house to be forever with the Lord and the bundles of unbelievers will then get God’s judgment.
Blessed thing for the believer, but terrible thing for the unbeliever.
O, do not neglect this all-important question of your soul’s salvation. Have it settled now.
ML 07/16/1933