PROGRAM 68 ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS (PART 1) Tares Among the Wheat

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1 PROGRAM 68 ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS (PART 1) Tares Among the Wheat I PRINCIPLE OF THE SEED A. Mystery of the Kingdom To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. Mark 4:11 (NKJV) 1. Messiah teaches us that there are mysteries concerning the kingdom. 2. A mystery (Gr. musterion) is something that is not obvious to the eye, hidden. 3. Yet, His followers are given the privilege of understanding these hidden things. 4. This begins for us in the beginning - On 3 rd day of Creation, God called forth the hidden seed. Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind whose seed is in itself. Genesis 1:12 (NKJV) 5. Based on whose seed is in itself, it is essential that we grasp that: Whatever the seed is, that is what the fruit will be. The fruit is a reflection of the seed for the seed is in the fruit. 6. This law is the basis for determining the validity of teachers and prophets. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Matthew 7:16-18 (NKJV) 7. Based on the fruit you observe, you can determine the fruit within. 8. A corrupt tree is incapable of good fruit because the seed is corrupt. 9. Messiah speaks of natural things to teach of spiritual things. 10. Likewise, Creation account speaks of natural grass, fruit trees, etc, yet teaches of spiritual. 11. This is also a truth established in Scripture. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 1 Corinthians 15:46 (NKJV) 12. The seed that sprang forth on the 3 rd day of Creation is intended to teach us of something spiritual. 1

2 13. Likewise, the fruit trees etc also teach of a spiritual principle. 14. Just like a natural seed will produce after its own kind, so too will the spiritual seed. 15. The seed for everything was created in the beginning. B. The Good Seed 1. The seed that sprang forth on the 3 rd day of Creation is intended to teach us of something spiritual. 2. Likewise, the fruit trees etc also teach of a spiritual principle. 3. Just like a natural seed will produce after its own kind, so too will the spiritual seed. a. The seed for everything was created in the beginning. 5. All seed (physical and spiritual) was in the beginning. 6. The spiritual seed is the Word of God (personified by the Tree of Life). 7. We learn more of this in parable of the Sower in Mark Seed is scattered some finding good ground in which to produce good fruit. a. Other is picked up, choked out or fades away. 9. There is only one type of seed being sown in parable because there is only one Word of God. 10. This means there is only one good fruit, not multiple fruits of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV) 11. This also means that anything else representing itself as Word of God isn t. 12. Since His Word is truth, there is only one truth. 13. Everything else representing itself as the truth or another version isn t not the truth but a lie. 14. So by definition, believers in the Word cannot be tolerant of other beliefs. a. We respect their right to adhere to it. 15. We don t compromise our belief, to allow their beliefs to infiltrate ours. a. This is mixing which brings us to the next point. And He said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the Word. Mark 4:13-14 (NKJV) 16. If one doesn t understand this truth: one good seed, one good fruit which means anything else is of a different seed you will never understand the message of other parables. 17. That is important because of the message of the next parable. C. Wheat and Tares He put out another parable to them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. Matthew 13:24-25 (NKJV) 2

3 1. The Greek term kalon sperma speaks of morally pure seed, i.e. righteous seed. a. The Hebrew equivalent zera tov confirms this as pure seed (not mingled). 2. Knowing that: There is only one good seed This parable explains all other parables. 3. The Word of God is being sown in the field which is the world. [CG] REFERENCE: Matthew 13:38 4. We know that Messiah Y shua is the Living Word Word made flesh. a. The Sower is sowing Himself. [CG] REFERENCE: Matthew 13:37 5. We are told that the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. [CG] REFERENCE: Matthew 13:38 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one. And to your Seed, who is Messiah.... And if you are Messiah s, then you are Abraham s seed and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:16, 29 (NKJV) 6. Thus, the Good Seed is: the Word, The Messiah, The Body of Messiah (Israel). 7. At no point do we see that the owner of the field (Creator) intended for any other seed to be sown in the world. 8. The Adversary is the one sowed the other seed. 3

4 PROGRAM 69 ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS (PART 2) Tares Among the Wheat II TARES AMONG THE WHEAT A. Sons of the Wicked One But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. Matthew 13:25 (NKJV) 1. The owner of the field sowed good seed and good seed alone. 2. Have no reason to believe He wanted any other type of seed. 3. The Good Seed is: The Word The Messiah The Sons of the Kingdom. 4. Under the cover of darkness, his enemy sowed a different kind of seed tares. 5. The word enemy echthros is one who is actively hostile at enmity with God. 6. Messiah confirms that this enemy is Ha Satan and he scatters his wicked sons. The tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil - Matthew 13:39 (NKJV) 7. If the sons of the kingdom (wheat) produce fruit that reflects the Word, shouldn t sons of wicked one produce fruit that reflects a different seed a different word? 8. The Adversary is not content to let his sons grow in another field, but in the midst of wheat. 9. He aggressively tries, ultimately, to destroy the good seed (the Word) by restricting their growth. 10. Adversary wants to restrain the good seed. 11. When the wheat and tares are young, it is difficult to distinguish between the two. 12. The roots of both have intertwined and to uproot tares would pull up wheat. 13. They both grow together until the harvest. 14. At harvest, their fruit will announce who they really are. B. Know Them By Their Fruit 1. The heavy fruit that is the wheat causes the stalks to bow 4

5 2. The tares produce a different fruit which is not weighty causing to remain upright. 3. The wheat (sons of kingdom) is made into bread the staple of life. It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) 4. Bread teaches we need more than physical bread, but the Word of God. 5. Bread is likened unto the Living Word of God, the Messiah. Then Y shua said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. - John 6:32-33 (NKJV) 6. It only makes sense that the Good Seed produces wheat, the sons of the Kingdom. 7. It is our responsibility to disseminate the Word of God, knowledge of Messiah. 8. Tares, likewise would produce a fruit that is intended to disseminate their word. 9. If God s Word is His seed, it only makes sense that the other seed sown by the Adversary is his word, that is, a lie. 10. He is the father of lies. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44 (NKJV) 11. Every good lie always contains a measure of truth or else most wouldn t fall for it. 12. From the beginning, the Adversary: Is good with words Takes away from and adds to the Word of God Mingles falsehood with truth. And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?... Then the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. - Genesis 3:1, 4-5 (NKJV) 13. This mixture of holy and profane is why it is so difficult for many to distinguish between the wheat and tares. a. Hard to distinguish when they are young. b. Adversary knows this and exploits it. 14. So we see that his word is mingled seed. 5

6 a. Again, God s Word is His seed and Adversary s word is his seed. 15. Tares represent mingled seed sown in the midst of the wheat intended to: Confuse those who can t tell the difference. Restrict/restrain the wheat (good seed, Word of God0 Ultimately destroy the Good Seed. 16. Tares, also called darnel, is the Greek zizanion, believed to come from Hebrew zunim. 17. According to David H. Stern s commentary on NT, zunim is: a poisonous rye grass that looks like wheat until the heads appear. 18. Again, showing the intent to confuse and deceive. 19. Other commentators note that zunim, when ingested, causes nausea, intoxication, even death. 20. Judaism says, zunim is a degenerate form of wheat whose origins are traced to Flood. Even the earth debauched itself; wheat was sown and it produced zunim, for the zumin we find now came from the age of the Flood. Genesis Rabbah 28:8 21. The point being: It came about because of mixing It is a mixed seed It causes death It was sown by the Adversary 22. It will all become evident at the end of the age. 6

7 PROGRAM 70 ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS (PART 3) Tares Among the Wheat III MINGLING THE SEED A. Kil ayim 1. The Adversary purposely sowed mingled seed in the midst of the wheat to: Deceive and confuse To restrict the Good Seed Destroy the Good Seed Corrupt and profane the field (world) 2. Thus we see that the Adversary, from the beginning, is a saboteur. 3. The reason we say this because he knew that the Creator does not mix holy with profane. a. This mingling breeds corruption and death. 4. When Y shua gave the parables of the Sower and Wheat and Tares, He spoke to people who: Observed Torah as a guide to spiritual life. Observed Torah as a guide to everyday life. 5. This would include when and how one was to work in the field. 6. Specific laws known as Chukkot that, seemingly, have no obvious reason for their inclusion in the Torah. 7. Of these Maimonides observed: God has His reasons but no man can know them. 8. One of these chukkot is law against forbidden mixtures called kil ayim or mingled. 9. According to Torah, there are certain things that are mutually exclusive and should not be mixed. You shall keep my statutes (chukkot). You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed (kil ayim). Nor shall a garment of mixed (kil ayim) linen and wool come upon you. Leviticus 19:19 (NKJV) You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed (kil ayim), lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of your vineyard be defiled. Deuteronomy 22:9 (NKJV) 7

8 10. Deuteronomy passage reveals that a field or vineyard sown with mixed seed results in defiled fruit, destined to be tossed into flames unless somehow it can be redeemed! 11. Thus we learn why the Creator is adamantly against mingling the holy and profane. a. The end is corruption death. 12. Taking into consideration Paul s assertion: first natural then the spiritual, we learn look at the laws of kil ayim to teach us a spiritual application. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Messiah with Belial? Or what p art has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate says the LORD. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NKJV) 13. Paul is not referring to ethnic and cultural differences in this passage. 14. Applying to principle of kil ayim, he warns against the Good Seed mingling with the other. a. The result is corruption and death. 15. Good Seed and wicked seed are mutually hostile (enmity) toward one another. Why mix? 16. Also notes that God is holy set apart and can t co-exist with seed. 17. Thus calls us to be separate or holy. B. Trying to Restrain the Wheat 1. The Adversary s agenda is to restrain the progress of the righteous seed. 2. Root word of ki ayim mingled is kala to restrict or hold back. 3. This is also the root of the word for prison. 4. Sowing the mingled seed in the midst of the Good Seed: Impedes and undermines the purpose of the Seed. To bring them into the bondage of mixing with other seed. To stop the dissemination of the Word of God. 5. Deut. 22:9 says that mingling seed defiles both: The yield of the seed The fruit of your vineyard 6. The word yield is m leah and means something fulfilled. 7. Comes from ma le, which means fullness. 8. The yield speaks to what the seed is designed to accomplish. a. Mingling impedes the design of the Creator. 9. The fruit refers to the actual crop growing in the vineyard. 8

9 a. If the fruit is defiled, the seed within will suffer as well. 10. This is the Adversary s objective from the very beginning. 11. When Messiah calls him the devil the word is diabolos slanderer, false accuser. a. He is good with words in a deceptive way. 12. He comes sowing a degenerate form of wheat (word) in an attempt to undermine God s purposes. 13. That is why He encouraged them to have ears to hear. 14. Due to their Torah-based culture, they should have immediately picked up on that the enemy was corrupting the man s field and fruit. 15. If they had ears to hear, they would have understood; The parable of the Sower Significance of the seed The Adversary s opposition to the Word 16. They would have understood the Parable of Wheat and Tares to be a description of conflict between God s purposes and Adversary s designs from BEGINNING TO END OF AGE. 17. Yet, at the end of the age, the reapers will have no trouble distinguishing between the two. a. You will know them by their fruit. 18. Then He will remove all things that offend. 9

10 PROGRAM 71 ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS (PART 4) Tares Among the Wheat C. Removing the Offense 1. At the end of the age, both seeds will produce their respective fruit and it will be clear to all who is wheat and who is tare. 2. At that time, the tares will be uprooted and cast into the fire. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:40-42 (NKJV) 3. First notice that tares sons of the wicked one - are equivalent to those who practice lawlessness. 4. The word translated as offends is something that is a lure or trap and an impediment that causes one to stumble. 5. Obviously, those things that offend are intended to cause transgression of God s Word. 6. Lawlessness is Greek term anomian, the root of which is nomos law. 7. This is the primary Greek term used to translate the Hebrew torah. 8. The Son of Man will remove those who practice Torahlessness and the degenerate seed that spawned them. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:10-12 (NKJV) 9. The pure seed the Torah is the only Good Seed and only one that produces good fruit. 10. Thus every tree that is from a mingled seed and produces wrong kind of fruit is destined for fire. 11. Keep in mind when the Sower Parable is given and seed likened to the Word of God: There were no recorded Gospels. There were no Pauline epistles There was no book of Acts or Revelation. 12. The Word of God the Good Seed is the Torah. 10

11 13. Those who embrace the Torah the Good Seed personified in Torah produce good fruit. 14. Those who don t don t. 15. Sin is defined in the New Testament as lawlessness. [CG] REFERENCE: 1 John 3:4 15. The Greek word used here is the same one used in Matthew 13:41 anomia 16. That is to say, transgression of the Torah. 17. Thus we conclude that the parable of the wheat and tare is an overview of history. From the beginning when the pure seed was sown Acknowledging that, at some point in the beginning, the tare was sown by Adversary Throughout history both grow together But at the end of the age the harvest both produce their respective fruits All things that offend (mingled seed) and lawlessness (corrupt fruit) IV AT THE BEGINNING A. The Tare is Sown 1. If we believe we are living in the end of days at the time of harvest. 2. If we accept that the parable of wheat and tares is overview of history. 3. Then shouldn t be surprised to see that both seeds are putting forth their fruit. 4. It is imperative that we acknowledge that the end is revealed from the beginning. Remember this, and show yourselves men; recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure. - Isaiah 46:8-10 (NKJV) 5. If the parable of wheat and tare accurately describes the end of the age, then also the beginning of the age. 6. In other words, we are seeing today the results of what has already been - the tares were sown. 7. The beginning describes the time when the man was put in the garden to tend and keep. 8. The word tend is the Hebrew avad which literally means to work. a. Same word for bondservant. 9. The idea is the man was placed in the garden to till it so that it will produce good fruit. 10. That would suggest that good seed had already been sown into the good ground. 11. Was also told to keep which is the Hebrew shamar literally to guard. 12. Obviously, he was to guard it against the enemy, the Adversary, the saboteur. 11

12 13. According to the parable of wheat and tares, the enemy sowed the other seed while men slept that is, were not at their post. 14. Did the Creator instruct the man to guard Paradise because He knew that His enemy desired to corrupt His field? 15. He knew he desired to sow a mingled seed in His world and told the man to guard against this. 16. Obviously, the man slept and as a result the enemy gained access and sowed mingled seed that produced mingled fruit. 17. We must remember that: The serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. Genesis 3:1 (NKJV) 18. Rabbinic legend has it that the serpent originally had the power of speech and its intellect exceeded that of all other animals. 19. The word cunning is arum clever, crafty. a. The root word means to be bare, smooth. 20. Perhaps, to Adam, the serpent did not appear to be any type of threat besides he was good with words. 21. But gaining access to the garden, which is akin to the enemy who came into the field while men slept allowed him the opportunity to sow tares in the midst of the wheat. 12

13 B. Tree of Life PROGRAM 72 ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS (PART 5) Tares Among the Wheat 1. The serpent, having gained access to the Garden took the opportunity to deceive the woman. a. His methodology is to mingle truth with a lie. b. He took away from God s Word and then added to. 2. As a result, she ate the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 3. Then gave it to her husband who ate it and then their eyes were opened. 4. They realized they were naked, which is the Hebrew word eirom. 5. This word is derived from the same word that describes the serpent as being cunning. a. Developed some same attributes as the serpent cunning (taking away and adding to). b. Also they went to hide themselves. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you? So he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat? Genesis 3:4-5 (NKJV) 6. His nakedness is connected to eating the mixed fruit. 7. Their nakedness had not bothered them before the fruit so was their something in the fruit that prompted this? And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:9 (NKJV) 8. Some people determine this says God made every tree grow. 9. Scripture is specific about which trees He caused to grow. Pleasant to the sight Good for food 10. We also conclude the LORD is responsible for the Tree of Life. 11. This tree enabled the man and woman to live without fear of death. [CG] REFERENCE: Genesis 3: The Tree of Life represents the Word of God. a. If you eat of its fruit you will live. 13

14 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. Proverbs 3:18 (NKJV) 13. Though this is speaking of wisdom, it is understood that wisdom is synonymous with the Word of God. 14. That is why Judaism looks at the Torah as being synonymous with the Tree of Life in Eden. The parchment upon which the words are written are called leaves. The spindles are regarded as branches. 15. This reminds of two things: Messiah said, If I be lifted up (Jn. 12:32) The tree in New Jerusalem whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2). He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Psalm 107:20 (NKJV) 16. There is no doubt that the Tree of Life and the Word of God are synonymous. 17. This Good Tree produced a Good Fruit and would have come from a Good Seed. 18. When Adam and Eve ate from it they ingested, figuratively, the Word of God. C. The Other Tree 1. The tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil grew in the midst of the garden. [CG] REFERENCE: Genesis 3:3 2. This means it was in close proximity to the Tree of Life not in some far corner. 3. Recall that the tares were sown in the midst of the wheat. [CG] REFERENCE: Matthew 13:25 4. Growing so close that the owner of the field didn t want to uproot the tares for fear of uprooting the wheat. 5. Both grew together until the harvest the end of the age. [CG] REFERENCE: Genesis 13:30, This tree produced a fruit that was not considered good for food. Adam was not to eat lest he die. [CG] REFERENCE: Genesis 2:17 7. Did this warning mean that obedience itself would result in death or did the fruit of this tree contain something deadly? 8. Even though it looked good, was it a poisonous plant and that is what brought death? 9. To eat of this fruit meant death and to eat of the Tree of Life meant life. a. They could not have come from the same seed. 10. Furthermore, the fruit of this tree (and consequently the tree itself) is a mingled fruit. 14

15 11. It is good and evil lie and falsehood holy and profane. 12. How do we reconcile that: God made all the trees that were good for food this one was not? God forbids mixing holy with profane and this is plainly a mixed fruit? 13. It was the woman who determined it was good for food after being deceived. 14. Should I accept that God purposely sowed a mixed seed in the midst of the Garden very near the Tree of Life and then told the man not to eat of it? 15. Would I, as a parent, place poison that has been covered with chocolate next to broccoli and tell my child: eat the broccoli but leave the other alone? 16. The parable of the wheat and tare says the Adversary crept in and deliberately sowed a mingled seed in the field so as to corrupt the field. 17. He did it as men slept and were not guarding. 18. Thus, from the beginning we see Two Seeds representing two versions of the truth two words. Two Trees producing diametrically opposing fruits: one pure, one mingled. 19. We see the history of how this started and now are looking at how it comes to fruition. 15