[Triund]

My today's reading in NT was Mathew 13. Few verses are like this.

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who 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 grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

And then

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.

I am bit confused. First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. Correct me if I conclude different meaning. According to this, sinners would be removed "first" at the time of harvest. If this is what it means, then Godly people would be lifted afterwards, may be a moment, a second, an hour or a day later.

If in Rapture, one is left and one is taken up, then why is Jesus saying to "first gather together the tares?"

[homesell]

The end of thhe age is the end of the age. The theory that Jesus is coming down for his people and then making a u-turn back to heaven wasn't even proposed until the 1840's. When he comes for us that's it. Some people say it's at the seventh trumpet and it is, but it is also the last trumpet call. There is no conflict with scripture if as Jesus returns we are "raptured" Greek -snatched up- and meet him in the air as Paul says and then we descend with Him as he places His feet on the Mt. of Olives and proceeds to usher in the new kingdom.

[galveston]

My own opinion of these verses is that they apply to the end of the Millennium. Otherwise, you have conflicts with other scriptures.

Normal, mortal people will be born during the Millennium, and they will be required to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, just as we do if they are to be saved.

Human nature will not be changed, only controlled during that time so sin will not be allowed, even though many will not be spiritually right with God.

While it is true that Satan will be bound during this time, it is also true that he will be loosed for a short time and will deceive as many as possible and lead them to the final battle.

Then at that time, the tares will be bundled for burning, and afterward, the wheat will enter Eternity future.

The idea that the resurrected and living saints will meet Jesus in th air and make a "U" turn would mean that the Church will go all the way through the Great Tribulation, and there are just too many scriptures contrary to that idea.

[belovedgift]

This is a parable jesus teaches,it has nothing to do with the "final harvest" or rapture as it were. The principle of the message is similar to that about the sower who sowed on different types of ground. The seed is the word of god,the ground is the heart of man. The enemy sows seed on the good ground of mans heart as well, in the hopes of ruining the yield of gods word in our lives. It is a warning to us to yank out false teaching and make an end of it in our heart.