IF IT LOOKS SO GOOD. . .TACTIC OF THE ENEMY Pt.2
In the next few weeks we will discuss how the enemy comes not from without, but from within; how he uses Scripture – twisting it very carefully so it is barely noticeable; how rampantly this is occurring in the church today without many people being aware of it. The following is a quote from C.H. Spurgeon
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong.
It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” ~ C. H. Spurgeon
It is the “almost right” that is the enemy’s favorite ploy.
MESSAGES IN SYMBOLS FROM JESUS
To the multitudes, Jesus’ parables were simple stories that they found entertaining. On the other hand, to the disciples they were messages in symbols that conveyed the mysteries of the eternal Kingdom of God (Matthew 13:11 “ [Jesus] . . . said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to [the multitudes] it has not been given”). The disciples had to take the time to seriously inquire of Jesus to understand the deep spiritual truths contained in the underlying meanings of the parables
One important example of this is the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30; 36-39. Unger’s Bible Dictionary defines tares as: “a poisonous grass almost indistinguishable at the beginning from wheat while the two are growing into blade..” When they come into ear, they can be separated without difficulty.
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
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.”
At the beginning, all the crop “looks good,” according to what the eye can see. But as time goes on, the tares become visible. The wheat is sown first by the Lord, then the enemy sows his tares as men sleep. Is this not another way of saying the true gospel may be preached initially, but “alongside” of that, tares are sown? Additionally it is indicative of preachers who, at the beginning of their ministries, appear to be rock-solid. But as time goes on and these men are exposed to and succumb to more and more temptations, their inner undealt with sins come to the surface.
…when reason and conscience sleep, and people are off their guard then the enemy comes in…Note, when Satan is doing the greatest mischief, he studies most to conceal himself; for his design is in danger of being spoiled if he be seen in it; and therefore when he comes to sow tares, he transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor 11:13,14)…The tares appeared not until the blade sprung up and brought forth fruit, v.26. As the good seed, so the tares lie a great while under the soil, and at first springing up, it is hard to distinguish them…”
(Henry, Matthew. N.P., Matthew 13 Commentary)
If you’re not a farmer yourself, you may not understand the true significance of darnel/tares and may assume they are simply weeds. If we make that mistake, we miss the depth of the meaning Jesus wanted to convey. If someone deliberately sowed darnel among the wheat, he was subject to punishment under Roman law because of the serious danger of that weed. This particular weed, more precisely called tares or darnel, means “drunkenness.” When ground into flour and made into bread, the eater finds himself with all the symptoms of drunkenness: dizziness, slurred speech and vomiting. Additionally, the tares/darnel are infected with a fungus that causes hallucinations in small doses but in large doses affects the nervous system to such a degree as to cause blindness and even death. When the wheat and tares are sown together as they are in this parable, they are almost indistinguishable from each other at the beginning. Even experienced farmers would not attempt to separate them, one from another, in the early stages of growth. But let them grow and mature and it is a different matter. The wheat has fruit in its head; the head of the darnel has little black seeds. Wheat berries are full and green when they mature. The “fruit” of the darnel is small and gray in appearance. At maturity even a child can see that not only is this not wheat, nor even a bothersome weed; it is darnel. It is poisonous, even lethal and is to be judiciously avoided.
Jesus could have told a simple story about wheat and weeds; but He had a highly serious message to convey. Therefore, He told a parable about wheat and tares/darnel. It is now our task to carefully dissect the mysteries inside this parable.
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Search posts by publish date in right column JUNE 24, 2019
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