Many of the prophets spoke of this same end-time event and the same order of the removal of the wicked. For instance:
Proverbs 2:21,22 For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
I believe the words of these parables apply to this present age. The sons of the kingdom and the sons of the wicked one are still living together in the same world so we may be assured the end of this age has not yet come.
A careful look at Jesus’ plain words should cause us to carefully re-examine the popular teachings about the church being raptured out first, and thus leaving the unsaved behind.
In light of Jesus’ words, I hope to bring a different approach to the study of the book of Revelation and other end-time prophecy.
This study will begin with a look at the entire parable of the wheat and the tares and Jesus’ explanation of it. We will then see the same truth in the parable of the dragnet. Jesus’ words are so clear in this matter there should be no argument about them.
Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets in the Old Testament all spoke of a special time of removal of the disobedient in the latter days. The book of Revelation brings all this together and vividly describes the details of the destruction of all Jesus’ enemies.
The list of the tares to be removed includes Babylon, the kings of the earth and their armies, and all who practice lawlessness. The dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and death will be cast into the lake of fire.
The time of removal of the tares is called “the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2), or “the great day of His wrath” (Revelations 6:16,17). Their removal will be neither secret, nor silent, rather it will be open, loud and worldwide. There will be a great shaking. During the great day of His wrath, God will avenge the blood of all His saints and all the slain on the earth. (Revelations 18:20,24) The avenging of their blood will be the answer to the cry of “How long” made by the souls under the altar. They were told to wait until the full number of those to be killed was completed. God’s promise is a guarantee that from that ‘until’ point of time not one more of the righteous will be killed; only the tares will perish. (Revelations 6:9-11)
Rather than being hurt or killed during this day of wrath all the saints will share with Jesus in bringing to pass the judgments written. They will judge angels as well as the world in that day. (Revelations 2:26-27; 20:4; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Psalms 149:5-9)
Leave a comment