J-44. THE TARES ARE GATHERED FIRST!

SPELLING EDITED

There is a controversy among Christians concerning the rapture of the church. This controversy has many sides but for the sake of easiness to understand which view is the correct sound Biblical view I am not going to even try to explain what each side believes and why they believe what they believe because I already have several studies that cover those question.

Rather I want to explain that all these different sides often use the SAME words but those same words do not always mean the same thing to all Christians. For example, when a Christian, who has been taught the pre-tribulation view, hears the word “Rapture” they instantly think of the PRE-tribulation. But when a Christian, who believes in a post-tribulation rapture, hears the word “Rapture” then they understand that the rapture will take place after the period of the great tribulation.

Now the same thing happens with other terms that Christians use and that is one of the reasons that there are so many different opinions concerning the coming of Jesus and the end of the world. In this study in God’s word, we will take a closer look at the teaching of some Christians who teach that there will be NO Rapture period! Case closed end of discussion!

Their number one argument is that Jesus himself teaches us that the TARES will be gathered FIRST but the Rapture teaches that Christians will be taken from the earth FIRST and then after the seven-year period of great tribulation THEN the tares or the wicked will be destroyed at the second coming of Jesus.

Now, the incorrect understanding of the parable of the tares and the wheat has led to many false doctrines which all place the second coming of Jesus AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus. The “names” of these doctrines may be different and their teachings may be slightly different but they all agree that the 1000 year reign of Jesus is NOT a LITERAL 1000 years.

In other words, some Christians teach a PRE-Millennial coming of Jesus while other Christians teach a POST-Millennial coming of Jesus.

In short, the pre-millennial Christians believe that Jesus will return visibly to the earth and set up His kingdom on the earth where he will rule and reign for a literal 1000 years. And the post-millennial Christians believe that the 1000 years is symbolic and Revelation 20 is speaking an indefinite unknown span of time and it is impossible for there to be a pre-tribulation Rapture of the church to ESCAPE the great tribulation because Jesus said that the TARES will be taken FIRST and first means FIRST!

So which view is teaching the truth? Will Jesus return BEFORE the 1000 years or will Jesus return AFTER the 1000 years.

One of my readers wrote to me asking me to take a closer look at the doctrine of the Rapture being concerned that I am incorrect in what I teach about the rapture. Her view was that there will be NO rapture and that all of the rapture teachings are in error.

But after I explained that the “term” Rapture means different things to different Christians then she agreed that the Bible does teach that Christians will be caught up into the air to meet Jesus in the air. So I quickly read through the articles she suggested which actually AGREED with what I myself teach to expose the errors of interpretations made by those who teach a PRE-tribulation Rapture of the church. I asked her why she disagreed with what I teach and then sent me articles to read that again actually AGREE with what I teach. Before I could ask her why she did not believe in the rapture of the church she wrote back explaining she misunderstood what I was saying. She saw that I teach that there WILL be a rapture but she missed where I went on to say that there will NOT be a PRE-tribulation Rapture.

But in her mind, she still does not see what I see as to WHEN the Rapture will occur. She believes that the Rapture will be AT the coming of Jesus but she sees that the coming of Jesus will be AFTER the 1000 years has ended and her argument is based upon the parable of Jesus teaching that the TARES will be TAKEN FIRST and the righteous will be LEFT. Then she suggested I read a few articles that teach the coming of Jesus will be after the 1000 years. This study is my response to those articles teaching that the 1000 year reign of Jesus is not a literal 1000 years.

Matthew 13:30.

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together FIRST the TARES, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Now for those of you who have never heard a teaching on the post Millennial position, this is their KEY go-to verse. They dogmatically demand that you cannot interpret this verse any other way and Jesus said that the TARES will be taken first and cast into the fire to be burned. There is no way around this verse and therefore it proves that it is impossible for other verses to be saying that Jesus will gather the church first before he destroys the wicked. Case closed end of discussion.

Now when I read this verse I do NOT see what they CLAIM Jesus is saying. Read the verse again.

Matthew 13:30.

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles TO burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Jesus is NOT saying that the angels will gather the tares and cast them into the fire to be burned first and then gather the wheat into the barn. There is no conjunction saying “THEN” in this verse. And there is no mention of casting the tares into the fire to be burned BEFORE the gathering of the wheat.

What Jesus is saying to the reapers is to first GATHER the tares and BIND them in bundles TO or TOWARD the burning of them. The BURNING of the wicked takes place AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus which is WHEN the wicked will be resurrected and judged and then CAST INTO the lake of fire to be burned. Yes, the wicked will be BOUND at the coming of Jesus BEFORE the 1000 year reign of Jesus but the final Day of Judgment will not take place until the 1000 year reign of Jesus has ENDED. So to ME, the translators should have placed a comma after the phrase “Gather you together FIRST, and the TARES bind THEM to be burned, BUT gather the wheat into my barn.”

How does a farmer HAVEST his wheat that has TARES mixed in with the wheat? Does he carefully cut down ONLY the TARE FIRST and then come back and cut down the wheat? NO! The farmer GATHER BOTH the TARES and the wheat all at the same cutting. And THEN the farmer separates the wheat out from the tares and bundles the tares to be burned. Jesus is simply COMPARING a HARVESTING of a crop that has TARES or weeds mixed in with the crop. This vers has NOTHING to do with the ORDER that will take place at the rapture of the church.

Let us read the whole parable and the interpretation of Jesus so that you can better see what I am saying. Please read the whole parable first on your own.

Please read Matthew 13:1-53 but I will just quote verses 24-30.

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: (First we must understand that these are “PARABLES” and not word for word thus says the Lord statement with no interpretations needed. Then we need to understand that if so be that this ONE parable of the tares being gathered first to be burned says it all then why did Jesus tell so many parables about the kingdom of God? This next parable is another parable following what Jesus already said and there are more parables that follow this parable. Even a parable needs to be kept in the context of the other parables on the same subject. The next thing you need to understand is that there will be TWO harvests. The FIRST harvest BEFORE the 1000 year reign of Jesus is called the post-tribulation, pre-wrath, pre-millennial rapture of the church. And not much is said about the SECOND harvests at the END of the 1000 year reign of Jesus. We do know that God promised to turn to the children of Israel a SECOND TIME which will be DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus.)

25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (There are two kingdoms, the one we are in now in this present world and the yet coming kingdom in the world to come, the 1000 year reign of Jesus when Satan will be bound.)

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, did not you sow good seed in your field? From whence then has it tares?

28. He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up?

29. But he said, Nay; lest while you gather up the tares, you 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 you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

I have said many times in the studies I write that sometimes there is truth on both sides of any given controversy but the truth of the whole matter is somewhere in the middle. In other words, BOTH sides of any given controversy may be right and BOTH sides may be wrong. In other words, there may be a little truth on both sides of any given controversy.

Here is what I mean by this. One side demands that the harvest is BEFORE the 1000 year reign of Jesus and the other side demands that the harvest is AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus. Well, BOTH sides are correct but what some Christians have failed to see in that there are TWO harvests of the righteous. Remember Jesus saying that the FIRST shall be LAST and the LAST shall be FIRST? Jesus is speaking of the TWO harvests. I will show this truth from the word of God shortly but for the moment I want you to read verse 30 again with TWO harvests of the righteous in view and then we will read the interpretation Jesus gives of this parable.

Matthew 13:30.

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles TO burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Again, Jesus is NOT saying that the angels will gather the tares AND cast them into the fire to be burned first and THEN gather the wheat into the barn. There is no THEN in this verse and there is no casting into the fire to be burned BEFORE the gathering of the wheat.

There is a SEPARATING of the wicked and the righteous. The wicked are BOUND BUT the righteous are gathered into my “barn”.

There will be many wicked who will be slain or BOUND in the grave at the coming of Jesus but they will not be resurrected to be judged until the END of the 1000 year reign of Jesus.

Also, there will be THREE groups of wheat or righteous at the coming of Jesus.

#1. Those of us who are IN Jesus Christ at his coming.

#2. The Remnant of the Jews.

#3. Those left alive of the nations.

No one is gathered into the “barn” until AFTER the first half of God's wrath is poured out. The order of events is as follows: the age we are in right now, then the great tribulation, then the coming of Jesus. Now AT the coming of Jesus, the rapture takes place first, then the wrath of God or the binding of the tares that will be SLAIN by Jesus and THEN the wheat is gathered into the “BARN”. The Rapture is NOT the gathering of the wheat INTO the BARN. In other words, this parable is not even speaking of the Rapture. It is speaking of God's WRATH and then the gathering of the righteous INTO the Millennial KINGDOM of Jesus. This is when the Jews will be gathered together from all over the world to possess their land in peace and safety. This parable is actually speaking about the separating of the sheep from the goats DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus.

Now it has been brought to my attention by one of my readers that it is incorrect to call all of God’s chosen people of Israel JEWS and I am in error for doing so by not giving my readers an explanation of why I call the house of Israel Jews. Now while I agree that “technically” a person can only be a JEW if they are born of the tribe of Judah, because the MEANING of the word Jew comes from Judean. So I apologize to my readers who are Hebrew but who are not a Jew for my error of including all Hebrew people as being Jews. But the fact remains that the translations of the Bibles that we read most all use the words Jew and Jews when referring to God’s people Israel, the Hebrew people. Paul himself calls himself a JEW in Acts 22:3 and also calls himself a Hebrew in Philippians 3:5 and an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin in Romans 11:1. So if you have a problem with me calling the children of Israel JEWS then take your complaint to the Apostle Paul and to those who publish the Bibles. I mean no offense by calling God's chosen Hebrew people Jews. So again, my deepest apologies if I have offended you.

Getting back to the study at hand, only group #1. Those who ARE Christ’s at His coming will take part in the FIRST resurrection and given eternal life to rule and reign with Jesus for 1000 years. Groups #2 and #3 will go into the 1000 years in their MORTAL bodies to be taught of the Lord.

Please read Isaiah 54:13-15.

“And all your children shall be taught of the LORD, and great shall be the PEACE of your children.

14. In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you. (This is just one description of what it will be like DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus for the children of Israel when Yahweh himself will gather them together in the land that he has promised to them.)

15. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but NOT BY ME: (God is saying, please understand that the children of Israel shall surely gather themselves in the land but THAT gathering is NOT the gathering that I am speaking of) whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake.”

The way you can know for sure that we are NOT IN the 1000 years right now is that the children of Israel are NOT dwelling in PEACE. Let us take a few minutes here and read some more verses giving us a description of what it will be like DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus.

Please read Isaiah 2:2-4.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

So then, DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus there will be NO more WARS which is just one of many proofs that we are NOT IN the 1000 years right now. Now some may argue that this is speaking of the new heavens and the new earth after the 1000 years has ended. Well, let us see if that interpretation agrees with the rest of God’s word. Let us read a very similar passage of scripture almost word for word which will prove that these verses are not speaking of the new heaven and the new earth but rather they are referring to the 1000 year reign of Jesus.

Please read Micah 4:1-5.

“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

2. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

3. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

4. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken it.

5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.”

Now, do you really believe that after God destroys all the wicked in the lake of fire and then creates a new heaven and the new earth that there will be people who still follow the name of their FALSE gods?

Keep in mind that there will be a remnant of people left alive of the NATIONS who will go into the Millennial reign of Jesus in their mortal bodies to be TAUGHT about the Lord.

Please read Zechariah 14:16-21.

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is LEFT of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Now WHO are the nations that are seeking to wipe Israel off the face of the earth? Read Psalm 89 and you will see that it is the Islamic Muslim nations who follow the name of their god Allah.)

17. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. (Now certainly there will be more than just the Islamic Muslim nations who repent and call upon the name of the Lord to be delivered from his wrath to be spared alive. I am sure that the unsaved people from all over the world will surrender to the Lord of lords, and the King of kings when they suffer God’s wrath.)

18. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (So it appears that those who will be left alive of the nation are given ONE chance to disobey God’s commandment to keep the feast of tabernacles. In other words, the punishment for disobeying this one commandment during the 1000 years will be NO rain on their crops. But if they disobey a SECOND time then it is the lake of fire for them. Jesus is going to be ruling with a ROD of IRON over the nations during the 1000 years. They will get one chance to disobey him and the second strike they are OUT)

19. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

20. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

21. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.”

Now think these things through for yourself dear children of God. IF all of this takes place in the new heaven and the new earth as some CLAIM then HOW will there be wicked disobedient people in the new heaven and the new earth seeing that God destroyed them all in the lake of fire right before he creates the new heaven and the new earth and they rise never again?

What post-Millennialist believers have failed to see is that there will be TWO WARS. There will be a war BEFORE the 1000 years and there will be a war AFTER the 1000 years. But there will be NO WARS DURING the 1000 years. The war before the 1000 years is coming called the Battle of Armageddon. So that is what I will call it as well. The war that is after the 1000 years is called the war of Gog and Magog.

Let us take a little time right now to see that there will be TWO wars, one before the 1000 years and one after the 1000 years.

Please read Revelation 16:12-21.

“And the SIXTH angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Notice that it is in the SIXTH vial that Satan is deceiving the nations to make war against God’s people. Also, notice the river Euphrates. Then notice what happens right after the SIXTH vial.)

15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked, and they see his shame.

16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Notice that Jesus COMES right in between the SIXTH and the SEVENTH. And from other verses, we know that when Jesus comes HE will execute the WRATH of God upon those who are killing God’s people, the Christians and the Jews. And since WE, the church, are NOT appointed to God’s wrath then something must take place first before Jesus executes God’s WRATH in flaming fire taking vengeance upon the wicked and disobedient to the gospel. And that something is the Rapture of the church. We will mount up as wings of eagles)

17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightning; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his WRATH. (So we know that this does not take place in the new heaven and the new earth. So it either has to take place before the 1000 years or after the 1000 years has ended. But what I have come to see is that the WRATH of God takes place BOTH before and after the 1000 year reign of Jesus.)

20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”

Now in my verse by verse study on the book of Revelation I give two different interpretations of this passage of scripture. Personally, I believe that BOTH interpretations are correct. There are many prophecies in the Bible that have a DUAL fulfillment. And in those passages of scripture, some of the things are fulfilled in the first fulfillment and the rest are fulfilled in the second fulfillment.

To say this another way, there will be a WAR right before the coming of Jesus and Jesus will put an end to this war. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and Jesus will rule and reign for Yahweh for 1000 years. All the weapons of the world will be destroyed and all people will learn to live in PEACE and will not learn war anymore for 1000 years. Then after the 1000 years, Satan will be loosed to deceive the nations one final time and God will send fire down from heaven to devour them.

That is when the heavens and the earth will pass away with a great noise and melt with fervent heat. Think these things through for yourself dear children of God. How will the ruined places be rebuilt during the 1000 year reign of Jesus if so be heaven and earth will pass away AT his coming and then again AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus? Now some of you may be thinking of what Peter said and think that I am in error but hear me out. More importantly, listen and truly understand what Peter is saying and not just what you have been told that Peter is saying.

Let us read 2 Peter 3:7-18.

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the DAY of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (There is one judgment BEFORE the 1000 years and the FINAL judgment AFTER the 1000 years. Go back and read Zechariah 14 to see that both judgments will be very similar.)

8. But, beloved, be NOT ignorant of this one thing, that ONE DAY is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (In other words, the DAY of Judgment is 1000 years long. Jesus will execute the first half of God’s wrath coming in flaming fire taking vengeance. That is when the antichrist and false prophet will be judged at the coming of Jesus to set up his kingdom and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord. Then there will be another judgment after the 1000 years.)

9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10. But the DAY of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; (Again the DAY of the Lord is 1000 years long. So Jesus will return as a thief in the night BEFORE the 1000 years and Jesus will come down from the air as a thief AFTER the 1000 years. It is NOT two comings. Jesus does not leave and come again. It is the SAME second coming called the DAY of the Lord that is 1000 years long in our measurement of time. So what takes place right before the 1000 years will be almost identical to what takes place right after the 1000 years. Jesus is not coming upon us, as faithful Christians, as a thief but rather Jesus will come upon all those who are NOT in Christ at his coming as a THIEF) in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (We have an example of a duel fulfillment with the Holy Spirit being poured at on the day of Pentecost but has not yet been poured out upon the remnant of Israel at the end of the last days. Again, if so be that the heavens and the earth pass away before the 1000 years then the new heavens and the new earth must be created so men could dwell on the earth. Now I personally do not see God creating the new earth as being DESOLATE and the Bible teaches us that during the 1000 years Jesus will rebuild the DESOLATE places.)

11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17. You, therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Now that you see that the DAY of the Lord is a 1000 year long day, let us go back and take a closer look at the SIXTH trumpet to see what happens BETWEEN the SIXTH and SEVENTH trumpet and what takes place during the SEVENTH trumpet.

Please read Revelation 9:12-16.

“One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

13. And the SIXTH angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14. Saying to the SIXTH angel which had the TRUMPET, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. (Now compare the SIXTH TRUMPET with the SIXTH VIAL in Revelation 16:12-14. “And the SIXTH angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (This teaches us that the wrath of God is in TWO parts. The first half of God's wrath will be executed by Jesus BEFORE the 1000 year long DAY of the Lord begins and then God will rain fire down out of heaven AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus has ended. When the SEVENTH seal is open we see silence in heaven for the space of HALF an hour. This represents the first HALF of God’s wrath. And right before this first half of God’s wrath, we see the Rapture of the church that just came out of great tribulation.)

15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

So we can see that there will be a WAR both BEFORE the 1000 years and right AFTER the 1000 years have ended. But DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus, Satan will be BOUND and there will be NO WAR DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus.

Now that you see that what happens after the 1000 years will ALSO be almost identical to the things that happen right BEFORE the 1000 years let us go back and read the interpretation that Jesus gives to us on the parable of the TARES being gathered FIRST.

Please read Matthew 13:34-53.

“ All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

35. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37. He answered and said unto them, He that sows 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;

39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. (Keep in mind that there is the end of this present world which begins the 1000 years reign of Jesus and then there is the end of the world when heaven and earth pass away and melt with fervent heat which is when God will create the new heavens and the new earth)

40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (Remember that we saw the tares being gathered and BOUND toward the burning on the final judgment day at the end of the 1000 years in verse 30. Keep in mind that Jesus is speaking of the age to come so the wording “this world” is referring to the end of the 1000 years and not this present 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; (Jesus is not yet ruling and reigning for Yahweh in his kingdom as yet. Please read Matthew 19:28 “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That you which have followed me, IN the regeneration WHEN the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The Bible teaches us that Jesus must remain in heaven UNTIL the restitution of all things. Please read Acts 3:20,21. “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

Act 3:21. Whom the heaven must receive UNTIL the TIMES of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” A DAY is as a 1000 years. There will be severing of the wicked both BEFORE the 1000 years and AFTER the 1000 years. But the BURNING of the wicked in the lake of fire is reserved for the final Day of Judgment AFTER the 1000 years has ended)

42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Now there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth both BEFORE the 1000 years and AFTER the 1000 years. I will show you this truth right after these verses.)

51. Jesus said unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.

53. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.”

We have already seen how the end of the 1000 years almost mirrors the coming of Jesus before the 1000 years. We can see how there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth both before and after the Millennium.

Please read Matthew 8:11,12.

“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus is warning the children of Israel that if they do not believe that he is their Messiah that they will NOT be allowed to ENTER into the city of God and they will be cast into outer darkness and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This does not mean that God has cast away his people Israel but rather it means that the FIRST shall be LAST and the LAST shall be FIRST.

Please read Luke 13:27-33.

“But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.

28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

29. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

30. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. (God chose the Hebrew people which were few in number to be his chosen people. Jesus came to save his people. The Gentiles were NOT the people of God. But after the children of God rejected Jesus as their Messiah then God turned to the Gentiles who were NOT his people to provoke the children of Israel to jealousy. And when they see Christians enter into God’s city they will become jealous and cry out to God to let them in as well. But Jesus will cast them into outer darkness and not be allowed to enter into the city of God. Again, this does NOT mean that God has cast away his people but rather that the Jews will NOT receive eternal life at the coming of Jesus before the 1000 years to rule and reign WITH Jesus. A remnant of Jews will be saved alive in their MORTAL bodies to go into the 1000 year reign of Jesus in the world to come.)

31. The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get you out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill you.

32. And he said unto them, Go you, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. (Please notice that Jesus speaks of THREE DAYS. The three days represent 3000 years. It has been almost 2000 years since the resurrection of Jesus and the beginning of the age of the church on the day of Pentecost. The clock for these three 1000 year-long days may have started right after the baptism of Jesus.)

33. Nevertheless, I must walk today, and tomorrow and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perishes out of Jerusalem.”

The church is the body of Christ prophesying God’s word to Israel and the entire world. If you are still not convinced that there will be TWO harvests please read Matthew 21:28-32.

Matthew 21:28-32.

“But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

29. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30. And he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31. Which between the two of them did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God BEFORE you. (In other words, ONLY those of us who ARE Christ at his coming will be given the right to eat of the tree of ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come and enter into the city of God to rule and reign with Jesus. And those left alive of the nations along with the REMNANT of Israel after the first half of God’s wrath is executed by Jesus at his coming shall go into the 1000 years in their MORTAL bodies to be taught of the Lord.)

32. For (or because) John came unto YOU in the way of righteousness, and YOU believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him.”

But God promised that he would turn to his people Israel a SECOND TIME.

Please read Isaiah chapter 11 verses 1-16 to see the FIRST coming of Jesus the SECOND coming of Jesus the 1000 year reign of Jesus and the final judgment of the wicked at the end of the 1000 year reign of Jesus

Isaiah 11:1-16.

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:(Speaking of the virgin birth out of the lineage of Jesse the father of King David.)

2. And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; (The baptism of Jesus when God anointed the Son of man with the Holy Spirit and with power.)

3. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: (Jesus being taught by God in the wilderness for forty days before Jesus began his ministry)

4. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. (The second coming of Jesus BEFORE the 1000 year reign of Jesus)

5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. (ONLY those who ARE Christ at his coming go into his “barn” the city of God, the New Jerusalem.)

6. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

7. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Verses 6-9 describe the 1000 year reign of Jesus which is nothing like this present world that some Christians CLAIM is the 1000 years.)

10. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Describing the day of salvation beginning on the day of Pentecost preached to the Jews FIRST and THEN to the Gentiles after the Jews reject God’s so great a salvation.)

11. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (This is Jacob's time of trouble that begins at the abomination of desolation and continues right into the WRATH of God. Many Jews will be killed but some will be taken captive in the surround countries.)

12. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (This is God’s gathering of his people Israel into their land to rule over the Islamic Muslim countries that just tried to exterminate them at the end of this present world.)

13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. (Living in PEACE during the 1000 year reign of Jesus.)

14. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

15. And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.

16. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.”

With most all prophesy there are some parts in the prophecy that have been fulfilled in history but even the fulfillment can be seen as a type or figure of the yet future fulfillment. We can see this here when God says LIKE as it was with Israel in the day he came out of Egypt. So we can see this second war at the end of the 1000 years.

Now the name of the second war at the END of the 1000 years is given to us in Revelation 20:7-9.

Revelation 20:7-9.

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”

Now we can read the prophecies about God in the land of Magog that describes TWO wars but on the surface appears to be one war. But if you look closely you will see that in one of the wars Israel will be dwelling SAFELY in their land. And that is NOT the case in this present world.

Let us read Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2. Son of man set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

3. And say, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

4. And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

5. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:

6. Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with you.

7. Be you prepared, and prepare for yourself, you, and all your company that is assembled unto you, and be you a guard unto them.

8. After many days you shall be visited: (Speaking AFTER the 1000 years has ENDED) in the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

9. You shall ascend and come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your bands, and many people with you.

10. Thus says the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into your mind, and you shall think an evil thought: (Being DECEIVED by Satan)

11. And you shall say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

12. To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn your hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, (Speaking of after they are rebuilt DURING the 1000 year reign of Jesus) and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.S

13. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto you, Are you come to take a spoil? Have you gathered your company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

14. Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus says the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shall you not know it?

15. And you shall come from your place out of the north parts, you, and many people with you, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: (Remember that all the modern weapons of war will be destroyed by Jesus at the beginning of the 1000 years)

16. And you shall come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, (Speaking of BOTH WARS. Remember that there are three 1000 year-long days.) and I will bring you against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes.

17. Thus says the Lord GOD; Are you he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring you against them?

18. And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. (speaking of BOTH the first half and the final half of God’s WRATH that is poured out in the SEVENTH, the seventh TRUMPET, and the seventh VIAL, the fullness and fierceness of God’s wrath.)

19. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that DAY (the 1000 year long DAY of the Lord) there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; (there will be an earthquake BEFORE the 1000 years and there will be an earthquake AFTER the 1000 years)

20. So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, says the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Now why the final war at the END of the 1000 years is described first I do not know. But what we do know is that there will be NO WICKED who will be left after the final part of God’s wrath is poured out at the END of the 1000 years.)

Continue on reading with Ezekiel chapter 39.

“Therefore, you son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

2. And I will turn you back, and leave but the sixth part of you, and will cause you to come up from the north parts, and will bring you upon the mountains of Israel: (After many days at the end of the 1000 years.)

3. And I will smite your bow out of your left hand and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.

4. You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you, and all your bands, and the people that is with you: I will give you unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

5. You shall fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, says the Lord GOD.

6. And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them, that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

7. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. (There will not be any more heathen after the final war at the END of the 1000 years so chapter 39 is describing the FIRST war that takes place BEFORE the 1000 years right before the coming of Jesus to rule and reign during the 1000 years.)

8. Behold, it has come, and it is done, says the Lord GOD; this is the DAY (The 1000 year long DAY of the Lord) whereof I have spoken.

9. And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the hand staves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: (Again showing that this war is NOT fought at after the 1000 years are finished.)

10. So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, said the Lord GOD. (The treasures of the UNJUST are laid up for the JUST. All the wealth of the wicked will be handed over to the righteous in the world to come.)

11. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The Valley of Hamon Gog. (Again proving that this war in chapter 39 is NOT the final war at the END of the 1000 years and thus proving that there are TWO wars, one BEFORE the 1000 years and one AFTER the 1000 years.)

12. And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.

13. Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, says the Lord GOD.

14. And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.

15. And the passengers that pass through the land, when any sees a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon Gog.

16. And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

17. And, you son of man, thus says the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh, and drink blood. (This is both literal and symbolic. Where the eagle are gathered together speaks of the saints being caught up like wings of an eagle into the clouds and being gathered together by the angels and TAKEN to meet Jesus in the AIR over the place called Armageddon to help execute the WRATH of God. Vengeance is sweet. This is the marriage supper of the Lamb. The honor of taking vengeance is given to the saints. This is the supper of our great God.)

18. You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.

19. And you shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till you be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. (It is a sacrifice for God because he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. It repented God that he had to destroy the wicked in the flood of Noah. So God is not sacrificing human beings to feed the birds.)

20. Thus you (Not they) shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, says the Lord GOD.

21. And I will set my glory among the heathen, (Those who will be left alive of the nations who will come against Israel during the period of great tribulation are heathen in the eyes of Almighty God. So again, after the FIRST war BEFORE the 1000 years, there will be a remnant of HEATHEN who will enter the Millennium in their MORTAL bodies to learn to live in PEACE with the children of Israel. So again, chapter 39 is NOT describing the final war at the end of the 1000 years.) that and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.

22. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.

23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.

24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.

25. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;

26. After that, they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.

27. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;

28. Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.

29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.”

Now that you have clearly seen that there are TWO WARS prophesied and TWO harvests let us take a look at the FIRST harvest to see WHO is gathered FIRST. Is it the WHEAT of the TARES?

Please read Revelation 14:14-20.

“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in your sickle, and reap: for the time is come for you to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. (This is Jesus reaping the FIRSTFRUITS who are IN him at his coming BEFORE the 1000 years. Notice that the saints are gathered FIRST before the wicked are severed or slain in the WRATH of God.)

16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. (Speaking of the FIRST harvest of those who ARE Christ at his COMING to set up his kingdom to rule and reign for a 1000 years.)

17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”

It should be clear to all who have eyes to see and ears to hear that the parable of the wheat and tares does NOT prove that the 1000 years is not a literal 1000 years. It certainly can be seen that the tares are BOUND at the coming of Jesus BEFORE the 1000 years and that they will not be cast into the lake of fire to be burned until AFTER the 1000 year reign of Jesus.

So again it should be clear to all who have eyes to see and ears to hear that the 1000 year reign of Jesus is a LITERAL 1000 years that the second coming of Jesus will be BEFORE the 1000 years. But if it is not clear to you then I implore you to read part two of this study in God’s word called “THE LITERAL 1000 year REIGN of Jesus!” where I give the reasons of why some Christians do NOT believe that the 1000 years are literal and believe that we are living in the 1000 years right now.

Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

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J-44. THE TARES ARE GATHERED FIRST!