[Jesus’] disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:36-40, 42–43, NIV 1984).
My Musings – People often ask why God does not do something about the “weeds” now? Going so far as to blame Him for the evil that has been sown in the world. But there is “a time to uproot.” (Ecclesiastes 3:2, NIV 1984). This parable answers not only when this time is, but why it is delayed.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'” (Matthew 13:24–30, NIV 1984).
My Advice – God is not responsible for the evil in the world (“the enemy did this“), and He cares deeply for “the sons of the Kingdom.” Not just “at the end of the age,” but also in the age leading up to the “harvest.” He defers ultimate judgment (the when) on the unrighteous for the sake of the elect, lest they be uprooted (the why) with the weeds.
In the meantime, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45, NIV 1984). And He has the power to transform weeds into wheat, through the power of the resurrection and the work of the Holy Spirit.
So, let’s not be too hasty about asking for weeds to be uprooted. For we were once weeds ourselves, and should bs thankful that we were not uprooted.
The Brew Is A Musing 