Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit explains the parable of the wheat and the tares as a present reality of the kingdom. Jesus shows that both true and false seed grow together until the harvest. Identity is revealed by fruit, not appearance. The Son of Man sows His people into the world, while the enemy plants counterfeits. Separation comes at the end of the age.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 13:24, Matthew 11:16, Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:37-38, 1 Peter 2:9-10, Ephesians 6:12, Revelation 10:6, Matthew 13:25, Matthew 13:39, Matthew 13:26, Matthew 13:38, John 8:44, Matthew 13:27-28, Genesis 3:15, Matthew 13:30, Matthew 13:39, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:38-39, Matthew 13:40-42, Matthew 13:40-42, Matthew 25:41, Isaiah 66:24, Matthew 3:12, Mark 9:43-45, Revelation 14:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Matthew 13:43, Revelation 22:15, Psalms 25:13, Psalms 37:9, Psalms 37:11, Psalms 37:22, Psalms 37:29, Psalms 37:34,
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Introduction to Matthew 13:24–43
We’re looking tonight at the Gospel according to Matthew, the book of the King, focusing on chapter 13, verses 24 through 43. I realized we wouldn’t be able to cover the entire chapter, so our aim is to deal with the parable of the wheat and the tares, and then, if possible, also touch on the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven. The introduction serves as a brief review to reconnect us with what we studied last week and to reorient our thinking.
In this lesson, we are examining three of the seven kingdom parables in Matthew 13. Parables are sacred secrets or mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, as Jesus explains in Matthew 13:11. They are spoken to only two kinds of people: those who hear and those who do not, those who receive and those who refuse. This ultimately comes down to good hearts and bad hearts. To one group, these mysteries remain concealed because they have closed their eyes, ears, and hearts, fulfilling Isaiah 6:9-10. Whatever revelation they have is taken from them.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
That is exactly what we saw last week. Jesus says they are fulfilling Isaiah by deliberately shutting their eyes, ears, and hearts, thereby echoing Isaiah 6:9-10. But He contrasts them with another group. He tells His disciples they are blessed because their eyes see and their ears hear. He reminds them that many prophets and righteous people longed to see and hear what they are now experiencing, as stated in Matthew 13:16-17. These kingdom seekers understand because their eyes and ears are open and their hearts are not hardened.
To this group, understanding is added. Jesus says in Matthew 13:11 and again in Matthew 13:16-17 that the mysteries of the kingdom are given to them. This is why we must open our ears, open our eyes, and prepare our hearts to receive the mysteries of the wheat and the tares, the mustard seed, and the leaven. The question before us is simple: do we want truth?
We begin with the mystery of the wheat and the tares, found in Matthew 13:24-30 and explained in Matthew 13:36-43. This parable reveals the mystery of the second advent of Christ. Some may say they never saw that before in this parable, but that only exposes whether ears, eyes, or hearts were closed. The parable shows how the kingdom of heaven will ultimately be purged, and that is the mystery it reveals.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Jesus begins by saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto,” in Matthew 13:24.
Matthew 13:24
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto…
That phrase matters. The expression “is likened” is present tense. The kingdom of heaven is not only past or future; above all, it is present. Until we understand that the kingdom is, we will never rightly understand the parables. We will either push them into the past or the future, failing to apply them to our lives now.
This is consistent with Jesus’s use of the same language elsewhere. In Matthew 11:16, He says, “Whereunto shall I liken this generation,” showing again that this is present-tense language applied to the current reality of the kingdom.
Matthew 11:16
16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The phrase “is like” is a present-tense word. Jesus applies it to the people standing before Him in Matthew 11:16. He continues to use the same present-tense language throughout Matthew 13. Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed in Matthew 13:31. He says it is like leaven in Matthew 13:33. He says it is like treasure hidden in a field in Matthew 13:44. Jesus says it is like a merchant man in Matthew 13:45. He says it is like a net in Matthew 13:47. He also says it is like a householder in Matthew 13:52.
This tells us something important. The kingdom is not only past. It is not only the future. The kingdom is now. It is likened to something that is operating in the present. It has been, and it will be. But most important for us, it is.
With that understanding, we turn to the parable itself. Beginning in Matthew 13:24, we read the parable. Jesus speaks of a man who sowed good seed in his field. While men slept, an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. When the crop began to grow and bear fruit, the tares appeared along with the wheat.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Matthew 13:24-30
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which 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 blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So 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?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let 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 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The servants notice the problem and question the householder. They ask if good seed was sown and wonder where the tares came from. He explains that an enemy has done this. When they offer to pull out the tares, he refuses. He warns that removing the tares too soon would also uproot the wheat.
Instead, both are to grow together until the harvest. At harvest time, the reapers will gather together the tares first and bind them to be burned. After that, the wheat will be gathered into the barn. This raises the central question of identity. Who is the man who sowed the seed?
Jesus answers that question in Matthew 13:37.
Matthew 13:37-38
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
He says the sower is the Son of Man. That title comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man is seen coming in the clouds. This means Jesus is not only the one who sows. He is also the one who brings judgment at the harvest.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The parable also explains the nature of the good seed. Verse 38 makes clear that the seed represents people. These are the children of the kingdom. Jesus sows His people into the world. They are kingdom people placed everywhere.
Those people belong to God’s nation. First Peter 2:9-10 describes them as a peculiar people, a holy nation, and a royal priesthood. They were once not a people. Now they are the people of God.
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
We are also people who live under God’s government. I want to be under that government, and I am learning more about it. That government is called the Kingdom of God. It is not an idea. It is a kingdom with a King, authority, and rule.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The children of the kingdom are those whose Lord and King is Jesus Christ. They are people who produce fruit that remains, as Jesus taught in John 15:16. These are the kingdom people. They belong to God’s nation. They live under His rule and bear fruit that reflects His kingdom.
I know there must be fruit because a right heart always produces something. When the heart is right, it receives the seed. That seed naturally brings forth fruit. It produces thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold, as shown in Matthew 13:8. We covered that point last week.
The Meaning of “World” in the Parable
Jesus then says the seed is sown in His field. He explains that the field is the world in Matthew 13:38. The field is the world, and your field is your world. That raises the question of what the world really is. It is not merely the physical planet on which we live.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The word “world” here is the Greek word “cosmos”. It refers to an ordered system or arrangement. Vine explains it as the earth in contrast with heaven. That means the natural realm, in contrast with the spiritual realm.
Understanding this changes how we read Scripture. When the Bible speaks of heaven or heavenly things, it is pointing to the spiritual. Paul says we are raised up and seated together with Christ in heavenly places in Ephesians 2:6. That does not mean sitting among the stars. It means living and operating in the Spirit right where we are.
Living in the Spirit places us in the heavenlies, thus “The kingdom of heaven.” Our struggle is not with flesh and blood. We wrestle against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, as stated in Ephesians 6:12.
Ephesians 6:12
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
That battle does not happen in the sky. It happens here, and it happens in the Spirit.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
James distinguishes between earthly and heavenly wisdom, as seen in James 3:15 and 3:17. This contrasts the natural and the spiritual. Vine explains the world in this way. It describes human affairs in opposition to God.
The world stands opposed to God. We are not of the world, even though we must live in it, as Jesus says in John 17:14-16. The world is alienated from God. It is made up of temporal affairs and possessions. These things pass away, according to 1 John 2:17. I mean the “cosmos” passes away, not the planet.
The Eternal Nature of the Kingdom
The kingdom is different. The kingdom is eternal. Spiritual things last forever. Earthly things are temporary, as Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 4:18. Because of this, God sows His people into the world. He places them into the ordered systems (cosmos) of this present age.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Most people do not realize that the King James Bible uses three different Greek words, all translated as “world.” This creates confusion when Scripture is interpreted. When Scripture speaks of destroying the world and uses the term cosmos, it refers to the destruction of the systems and arrangements that oppose God, not to the physical earth, as seen in 2 Peter 3:10.
Cosmos means an orderly arrangement or system. It describes the structures of the world. Another term translated as “world” is “aeon.” Aeon refers to an age or period of time. Different groups of people lived at different times, including during the time of Moses, before Abraham, and during the days of Noah.
We are now living in the church age. This is the aeon of the church, as described in Ephesians 3:2. When this age ends, another age begins. Scripture teaches that when the aeon comes to an end, time itself will end. Revelation 10:6 describes the angel declaring that time will be no more. This connects directly to the parable we are studying.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Revelation 10:6
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
The aeon is coming to an end. Another Greek word translated world is used far less often. It refers to the inhabited earth. That term refers to the physical world we inhabit. Scripture rarely uses the term “world” to mean the planet itself. Most of the time, it refers to an age or a system.
This distinction matters when Scripture speaks of destruction. We have to ask what God is destroying. Is it the earth, an age, or the systems of the world? All three are translated as “world,” which can cause confusion. Understanding the differences helps us interpret Scripture correctly.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
God Planting His People in the World
As we move through this parable, the word world must be examined each time it appears. In the New Testament, it almost never means the planet itself. It refers to systems that are separate from God’s kingdom. Scripture indicates the existence of a heavenly and an earthly realm, as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:40.
This explains what God is doing in the parable. He takes His children and plants them into world systems. That includes every area of life. Our thinking has often been distorted on this point. God places the children of the kingdom into all systems, including government, as Romans 13:1 shows. He also places them within religious systems, even when those systems are flawed.
The point is clear. God deliberately plants His people where He wants them. This parable shows Him placing His children into the world for His purposes. Each person is planted intentionally.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
God determines where people live and serve. Acts 17:26 shows that He places individuals in their appointed locations. He can use anyone anywhere. A person in a phone company or a meat department can affect an entire area. That happens because the seed of the kingdom is planted where God chooses.
The Enemy Sowing Tares
Verse 25 explains what occurs simultaneously.
Matthew 13:25
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
While God is planting His people, the enemy is also at work. While people sleep and remain vulnerable, the enemy comes in. Scripture says the enemy is subtle, as described in Genesis 3:1. He knows when to act.
The enemy plants his own seed. He plants the tares among the wheat. 13:39 identifies the enemy as the devil.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Matthew 13:39
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
He is the adversary who seeks to devour, as warned in 1 Peter 5:8. This is the true conflict. Our struggle is with him, not with one another.
The enemy comes and sows tares among the wheat. A tare is an obnoxious weed. In its early stages, it closely resembles real grain. It is a counterfeit. This particular weed, known as donel, carries a dangerous trait. It can host a fungus that is poisonous when eaten. That makes it harmful even though it looks harmless. The picture is clear. The devil plants something that appears genuine.
As the crop grows, the resemblance remains. Everything looks the same for a time. Jesus points to the moment of fruit. When the blade springs up and brings forth fruit, the tares finally appear, as stated in Matthew 13:26.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Matthew 13:26
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
The difference is revealed by fruit. That is how they are known. They may grow together. They may look alike, and they may act alike. But fruit exposes the truth. One produces poison. The other produces life.
Two Seeds Revealed
The tares are identified as the children of the wicked one in Matthew 13:38.
Matthew 13:38
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Jesus speaks directly to this in John 8:44.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
He tells religious people that their father is the devil. This shows something important. Tares are not limited to the obvious world. They can also exist within religious systems.
This fits exactly with what Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. He explains that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Because of that, it should not surprise us when his servants appear as workers of righteousness. What looks righteous is not always from God.
Especially ministry, but each of us is known by our fruit (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 12:33, Matthew 13 8, Matthew 21:19, Matthew 21:34-43),
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Matthew 13:27-28
27 So 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?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
The servants question the householder again. They point out that good seed was sown in the field. They ask how tares could be present if the seed was good.
That question leads to a larger truth. There are only two kinds of seed. Scripture shows this pattern from the beginning. Genesis 3:15 identifies the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Genesis 3:15
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The Pattern of Two Seeds Throughout Scripture
This pattern of two seeds runs all through Scripture. You see it from generation to generation. You find contrasts like Abel and Cain, Abraham and Nimrod, Isaac and Esau, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob. The same pattern recurs.
You also see it among women. There are Esther and Vashti. There are Sarah and Hagar. The division is consistent. Two seeds appear side by side.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The pattern continues into the New Testament. It also appears in individuals. Simon Peter reflects two natures. He is the reed and the rock. Saul’s conversion to Paul shows the same transformation. This suggests an inner conflict, though it is not the focus of this parable. Going deeper there would distract us.
Scripture concludes as it began. Revelation shows two women. One is the woman of Revelation 12:1, who represents the church. The other is the harlot in Revelation 17:1-5. From beginning to end, the Scriptures present two seeds. That reality never changes.
In Matthew 13:28, Jesus explains that the enemy caused this situation. The planting of tares is intentional. The enemy always plants a counterfeit alongside the real thing. That truth explains why counterfeits exist. Wherever there is something genuine, there will be an imitation.
The servants then ask what should be done. They want to remove the tares. The master refuses in Matthew 13:29, explaining that pulling the tares will also uproot the wheat. The reason is clear. The roots have become intertwined. Anyone who has worked in a garden understands this. Pulling one plant often damages others nearby. The same thing happens here. Removing a single tare could destroy several wheat stalks.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
This principle applies to people as well. Lives become connected. Roots grow together. In life and in the church, some may be identified as tares. The question then becomes what to do. According to this passage, the answer requires restraint. The full explanation comes later.
This is heavy, and I know it is resonating with many of us. We have to be careful because the roots are intertwined. If you pull up the tares, you will also destroy the wheat. Even if the wheat survives, the roots can be damaged so badly that the plant cannot become what it should be in producing fruit.
Great care has to be taken here. I want you to hear this clearly. Even when the wheat is not totally destroyed, it can be deeply affected in its root system and in its own fruit production.
So what is the answer? The answer is to let both grow together until the harvest (Matthew 13:30). That does not cancel out discipline, because Matthew 18:15-17, Romans 16:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, Titus 3:10) are still in effect. It means that discipline must adhere to this principle. You cannot uproot one at the risk of harming others.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Patience is part of the wisdom of this parable. Good fruit can be damaged by trying to remove the obnoxious weed too soon. For that reason, the instruction remains the same. Let them both grow together until the harvest (Matthew 13:30).
The Harvest and the Reapers
In Matthew 13:30, the harvest comes, and the reapers are told what to do.
Matthew 13:30
30 Let 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.
They gather first the tares, bind them in bundles to burn them, and then gather the wheat into the barn (Matthew 13:30). That leads to the next question. What is the harvest? Matthew 13:39 says the harvest is the end of the world (Matthew 13:39).
Matthew 13:39
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Now I have to determine what “world” means here. It is not simply the end of the ball of dirt. The word points to an age. The harvest is the end of the age. For that generation, it was the end of the age of Moses. For us, it is the end of the church age, the end of the dispensation we are living in. When that age ends, harvest begins.
That is why the word “first” matters so much. In Matthew 13:30, the instruction is to gather the tares first. That challenges what many of us have been taught about the coming of the Lord and the rapture of the church. If we are unsure who is gathered first, then something is confused in our theology.
The parable says the tares are gathered first. Matthew 13:39 identifies the reapers as angels (Matthew 13:39). Angels are the gatherers in Scripture. Matthew 24:31 shows angels gathering the elect (Matthew 24:31). Revelation 14:17-20 shows angels gathering the evil for the winepress of the wrath of God (Revelation 14:17-20).
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The Order of the Gatherings
Revelation describes a gathering where the blood reaches the horse’s bridle in Revelation 14:20. That passage shows two gatherings. Revelation 14:14-20 presents both of them together. One gathering is for the wheat, who are the righteous. The other gathering is for the tares, who are the wicked.
The order matters. The wicked are gathered first. That reveals a serious problem in how this subject is often understood in the church today. Something is not lining up. Seeing this clearly in the parable was new for me, even though many already know it.
The first action at the harvest is the removal of the wicked. That truth reshapes how the passage is read. With that in mind, I turn to another passage for confirmation. Matthew 24:36 brings this same day and moment into focus.
Matthew 24:36
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Jesus says that no one knows the day or the hour except the Father. That raises the question of whether He is still speaking about the same event. He is. He explains that His coming will be like the days of Noah, as stated in Matthew 24:36-37.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
In Noah’s day, life continued as normal. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. They did this until Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and took them away, according to Matthew 24:38-39. The flood did not take the righteous. It took the wicked.
Matthew 24:38-39
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Jesus continues that same pattern. Two people will be in the field. One will be taken and the other left, as seen in Matthew 24:40. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left, according to Matthew 24:41. The one taken is the same group that the flood took. That is the wicked.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The Burning of the Tares
This lines up with the parable of the wheat and the tares. Scripture consistently teaches that the righteous inherit the earth. God gives His creation to His people. That is why Jesus says the tares are gathered first and burned. He explains this clearly in Matthew 13:40-42.
Matthew 13:40-42
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 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;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
At the end of the age, the tares are gathered and burned. The word world here is aeon. It refers to an age. It points to the Messianic period. When that age ends, Jesus comes again.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
When Jesus returns, He sends His angels. They separate the righteous from the wicked. There is a harvest for both groups. The righteous are gathered into the barn, which is the kingdom.
Multiple translations emphasize the same order. They all say the weeds are gathered first. This confirms that the righteous and the wicked remain together until His coming. When He comes, that age ends. A new age begins.
At His coming, the first act is removal. The wicked are taken out of His kingdom. Everything that offends and everything lawless is purged. The word first matters. It means first in time, order, and importance.
This shows the end of the church age. Angels are sent as reapers. They gather out of His kingdom everything that offends and all who practice iniquity, as stated in Matthew 13:41. Anything that causes sin is removed.
Those who live in lawlessness are included. It does not matter where they are found. Being religious does not change the outcome. Lawlessness leads to judgment, as emphasized again in Matthew 13:41.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The Reality of Judgment and Lawlessness
I know many believers who live in defiance of the kingdom’s laws. That concerns me. Sometimes I feel pressure to preach what people want to hear. Scripture warns about that in 2 Timothy 4:3. When I speak like this, I speak what God has placed in my heart. The call is to overcome the world. 1 John 5:4 makes that clear. That is the message I am called to preach.
Returning to the text, the harvest is described as the end of the world. That word means the end of the age. Several translations confirm this. One even says the end of time.
That connects directly to Revelation 10:6, in which the angel declares that time will be no more. This confirms that the harvest marks the end of the age and the close of time as we now know it.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Revelation 10:6
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
This does not describe the end of the physical earth. It is not even the end of time as we currently measure it. It points to the end of the church age. A day is coming when that age will close, and our theological confusion will be corrected.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
At the end of time, Christ advances, and the kingdom is purged. Everything that causes sin is removed. All who practice it are taken out. Jesus says they will be burned. Matthew 13:40-42 describes this as being burned in the fire and cast into the furnace of fire.
Matthew 13:40-42
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 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;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The Church and the Doctrine of Hell
There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. The question is whether the church truly believes that. I am speaking to the church as a whole. This teaching applies to the church universal. No doctrine in Scripture has more support than this one. That leaves only two possibilities. Either we do not believe it, or we assume it will not apply to us. Anyone who is lost is included.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Salvation has been made easy, and it is easy. Still, righteousness has not been worked into people along with salvation. I do not want to go deeply into that. I only want to touch it briefly.
Scripture speaks clearly on this issue. One example is Matthew 25:41, which describes the judgment of the nations. The sheep are placed on one side. The goats are placed on the other.
Matthew 25:41
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
This judgment applies to the nations of the earth. Jesus says the nations will be divided as sheep and goats. The goats are cursed and sent into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, as stated in Matthew 25:41.
We have no place there. If a person belongs to the devil, that person will share the devil’s destiny. John 8:44 makes that clear. A child of the devil ends up with the devil.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Those who belong to the heavenly Father share His future. Isaiah speaks directly to this reality. Isaiah 66 concludes with a clear warning and describes an unending condition. The worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Isaiah 66:24
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Unquenchable Fire and Eternal Consequences
Matthew 3:12 speaks of unquenchable fire. It shows that what is worthless is burned. A wasted life ends in that fire. This passage makes clear that nothing without value remains.
Matthew 3:12
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
I admit I have not preached this enough. That realization made me angry with myself. I need to speak more clearly about hell.
Jesus speaks with urgency in Mark 9:43-45. He uses strong language to make His point. The message is clear. Do whatever it takes to avoid destruction.
Mark 9:43-45
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Revelation 14:11 describes unending torment. It says the smoke rises forever, and there is no rest day or night. This judgment falls on those who worship the beast, which represents the world, and the false prophet.
Revelation 14:11
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
The false prophet represents religious systems. If the beast represents the world with its power and structure, then the false prophet points to religion that replaces God. Worship must be directed to God Himself, not a system, as John 4:24 makes clear.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Revelation states that anyone not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15 describes this as final and eternal. It is the destiny of all men and angels who reject God.
Paul preached the same warning. He spoke of judgment coming in flaming fire on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. Obedience matters. It is more than words, actions, or outward association. Scripture teaches that obedience is better than sacrifice, as stated in 1 Samuel 15:22.
Paul says those who do not obey the gospel will face everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Second Thessalonians 1:8-9 describes this separation clearly. At that time, the angelic reapers act. They gather the lawless first. Those gathered are cast into the furnace of fire, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
The Reality of Hell and Personal Responsibility
Did you realize the Scriptures speak that much about hell and its burning? This is the hard part. I do not want that for anyone. Still, it is as real as heaven. It is real now. It lasts forever.
I heard a story from Doug about a man he works with. Doug asked him what he believed about hell. The man said he did not plan on going there and did not think about it much. I realized I often think the same way. I do not preach on it much because I do not intend to go. Yet if I remain silent, someone else may never stop to consider it, as Ezekiel 33:6 warns.
I do not believe in scaring people into salvation. I do not believe in fear-based religion. If fear brings people in, fear has to keep them in. The same is true of entertainment. If singing and dancing draw them in, singing and dancing must keep them. What I want is for people to know Jesus Christ and understand His goodness. I try to preach overcoming, obedience, and knowing the Father, as Jesus describes eternal life in John 17:3.
Even so, some truths must still be preached. Jesus says the wheat is gathered into His barn in Matthew 13:30. That is good news. The righteous, the children of the kingdom, will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, according to Matthew 13:43.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Matthew 13:43
43 then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The sun is the picture of that brightness. There will be no darkness at all. God Himself is light, and in Him is no darkness, as stated in 1 John 1:5. This same truth appears again in Revelation.
Revelation 22:5 says there will be no night there. The Lord Himself will be the light. That happens because the kingdom has been fully purged. Everything that does not belong has been removed.
God gathers His good seed into His barn. His kingdom is completely cleansed. At the coming of the Lord, the tares are removed and burned. Outside that kingdom remain the unrighteous. Revelation 22:15 lists those who are outside. They are not part of the city. They do not belong in the kingdom.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Revelation 22:15
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
The Earth as the Inheritance of the Righteous
We are not going to reach the parables of the leaven and the mustard seed in this lesson. Accordingly, I want to slow down and take my time here. One truth needs to be clear.
The earth is the inheritance of the righteous. We are not destined to rule from some distant place in the stars. Scripture teaches that our inheritance is here. Psalm 25:13 says,
Psalms 25:13
13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
People sometimes picture ruling from some distant corner of glory, but that idea is wrong. Scripture points us back to the earth. Psalm 37:9 says,
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Psalms 37:9
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
Scripture fits together when we line it up correctly. Psalm 37:11 says the meek will inherit the earth. Psalm 37:22 adds that those blessed by the Lord will inherit the earth, while those who are cursed will be cut off.
Psalms 37:11
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Psalms 37:22
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
Psalm 37:29 says the righteous will inherit the land and dwell there (Psalm 37:29). I will be honest and say I do not understand everything involved. I do not fully grasp the time references. What I do know is what the Bible clearly says.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Psalms 37:29
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
I know we are meant to inherit the earth. I also know that when Jesus comes again, He will first remove the tares and burn them. After that, the earth is given to us.
If I force Scripture in another way, the Bible becomes a jigsaw puzzle shaped by my theology. When I read it this way, everything fits together naturally. Nothing has to be forced.
Psalm 37:34 says the Lord will exalt us to inherit the land when the wicked are cut off, and we will see it (Psalm 37:34).
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Psalms 37:34
34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
Isaiah 61 states that God’s people will inherit the land forever (Isaiah 61:7). Matthew 5:5 states that the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Revelation 5:10 states that we will reign with Him on the earth, not somewhere off in the stars (Revelation 5:10).
If I am interpreting these passages correctly, then this parable reveals a clear mystery. It points to the second advent and the harvest that will purge the kingdom. That is what I see unfolding here.
The Final Separation of the Two Seeds
The enemy, the devil, plants tares. They are identified by their fruit, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:20. The good seed represents the children of the kingdom. The tares represent the children of the devil. Both remain together until the advent.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
At the coming of Christ, the order is clear. The tares are taken first and cast into eternal fire. After that, the good wheat is gathered into His barn, which is the kingdom of the Father. Jesus closes this teaching with a call to hear and understand in Matthew 13:43.
Matthew 13:43
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus Himself preached this truth. He ends by saying that those who have ears should hear. That statement refocuses attention on the seriousness of this parable and its meaning.
How many really heard this? These are the mysteries of the parables. They are the secrets of God, as Matthew 13:11 says. Be honest with yourself. Did we truly hear what we saw tonight? I am not just talking about us here. I am talking about the church as a whole.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
There are two kinds of people. One has a hard heart. Their ears are shut. Their eyes are closed. They will not hear, just as Isaiah 6:9-10 says. When you break it down like this, it becomes clear and simple. One group hears. Another group does not.
You Are the Seed
Now, take what we learned tonight. Understand who the seed is. Know that you are the seed.
You are sent into your world. You are planted there. As you plant that seed, people can see the kingdom of God, as shown in Matthew 13:38. At the same time, a tare will be there. Just as certain as you are present, the tare will be present as well. The roots are intertwined. You cannot pull it up. What you can do is bear fruit. That is how things are revealed. God calls us to bear fruit, as John 15:8 teaches. Wherever we go, we are seed. God takes us throughout His world.
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
Matthew 13 24-43 How to Identify True Seed by Fruit
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