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Matthew 13:24-30
In Matthew 13:24-30 is recorded another parable of Jesus as He describes the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:24). He is telling the multitudes of how God works in this evil world. In this parable, Jesus tells of a sower/farmer who plants his good seeds in the field, but while he slept, his enemy came and planted seeds of tares/weeds (Matthew 13:24-25). When the good seed sprouted and grew, the weeds also sprouted and grew along side of the good seed (Matthew 13:26). The weeds could not be uprooted from the field because as the weeds grew along side of the wheat, if the weeds were pulled up, the wheat would also be pulled up in the same clump of dirt, destroying the good seed as well (Matthew 13:28-29). The decision was made to allow the weeds to grow along side of the wheat until the harvest, when the weeds and the wheat would be separated; the weeds to the fire to burn them, and the wheat to the barn of the owner of the field (Matthew 13:30).
This is an example of how God plants good seeds within our hearts, but Satan also plants evil seeds within the hearts of man.
This parable, while to a farmer makes a good comparison, to those who are not accustomed to the farm life, this parable may be somewhat confusing. The good seed is the good news that God plants in our hearts and in our lives through the gift of salvation in Christ Jesus. As we live on earth, we grow in our relationship with God through our faith in Him and our obedience and sincerity to Him in learning about His never-ending plan for our lives. As we mature and come to the harvest of our lives (when we die the physical death) we are harvested into the barn of heaven, as is in relation to this parable, and we will shine in God’s glory for eternity as we will soon see when we study Matthew 13:43.
But the weeds, which represent the evil ones that remain in the grasp of Satan, refusing to open their hearts to Jesus and seek God’s will for their lives, will also be gathered at the harvest (when they die the physical death) and God will, “cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42, NKJV).
Jesus teaches us this hard truth not because God wants to scare us with the news of the horrible eternity in fire for all who refuse Him, but because He offers forgiveness through the gift of salvation in Christ Jesus for everyone who will put their faith in Him. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and He wants to share His great love with you and save you from the trickery of Satan which is all lies and deceit in this world. God sent Jesus to save us from sin (John 3:16-17) and that includes you too if you will put your faith in Him today and as the Apostle Paul states in Romans 10:9-10 (NIV), “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with our mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” No matter what seeds of evil Satan has planted in your heart, the seeds of the love of God are able to help you overcome them if you will put your faith in Him.
Dear LORD,
You teach us of the kingdom of heaven, and You teach us of the eternal fire that awaits all who refuse the gift of Your love and forgiveness through Christ Jesus. The seeds that Satan plants in our lives grow into chains that we cannot break by ourselves, but we know that You are the eternal chain-breaker that leads to life eternal. Please help us to believe in the saving, chain-breaking power of Jesus! In Jesus name I pray, amen.