As I ride my bicycle through the countryside, I pass acres of crops that had been planted and will be harvested at the appropriate time. There are fields of soy-beans, wheat, corn and others but what you don’t usually see in those fields are weeds due to extensive weed control. One article had a heading titled “know your enemy.” The article said, “Regardless of the measures used, the effectiveness of weed control depends on recognizing the weed populations that exist in the field, their location, and of course, the early observation and management actions.” In our own yard we try to keep the weeds out of the grass and gardens which takes constant effort. We used to spray with weed killers but then they were banned. I purchased an approved weed killer at Costco but that was basically a waste of money as some of the weeds just laughed and mocked me. Thankfully my wife actually enjoys getting rid of the weeds by picking them by hand (Thank-you by the way). I try to keep up with the watering (sand-point) but our front yard takes a beating from the sun. The amazing part about weeds is they are now growing along the edge of the road and are as green as can be. If you let them, weeds will take over your yard or crop in a very short time.
Although I love watching the process that leads to harvest, I am not a farmer. It is hard enough just keeping a small property looking nice, let alone hundreds of acres. If I ride by a field that is covered with weeds, I know there is a problem. Another problem is many who drive by may not know that wheat field at this time of year should be golden, not green. What you should see is a field of wheat, not weeds. Jesus gives us many illustrations that have to do with farming. In Matthew, Jesus talks about the farmer sowing his field and then talks about the enemy sowing weeds in that same field. As the writer said above it is important to know your enemy, so today are you a weed or the intended crop? What you have been taught to believe compared to scripture is the answer to that question. Between the parable of the sower and the parable of the weeds, Jesus talked about knowledge. He said Matthew 13:13 “This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” We are also told Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” Disobedience, rebellion and unbelief has left the land (church) desolate. The key phrase is the people have a calloused heart. Ezekiel 15:8 “I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Every so often you see a run-down farm or an abandoned field and it is covered with weeds. Like that run down farm, the church today is filled with weeds because most do not know their enemy or how the enemy works. Many have chosen to just close their eyes to the mess the church is in. Knowing there are weeds everywhere effects how the church moves forward yet many think that because many weeds have flowers on them it is okay. They don’t realize or refuse to acknowledge the severity of the problem. Jesus said Matthew 13:24 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” He then went on to explain this parable to the disciples. Matthew 13:37 “He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” You do not want to find out you are a weed when it is too late!
Today the church stands desolate due to our rebellion against God’s word, which has allowed the enemy to sow his weeds throughout the church. We were warned all through scripture this would happen, yet the church seems to be content with a field covered with so many weeds you can’t even see the original crop. This leaves us with a serious problem when it comes time to harvest, as many who thought they were secure will be burned in the fire. Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” satan is at work. Matthew 13:8 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.” Many in the church hold on to verses like this next one and think they are secure even though what they believe does not line up with scripture. John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” Yet they miss the verse right about it that says 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” If you do not believe all of God’s words, not just the part your denomination or church teaches you, you will be snatched away. 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.”
The weeds have come by doctrines of demons and false teaching. We were told Daniel 8:12 “Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” That has already happened as the church is desolate and in ruins. Jesus warned us Matthew 24:4 “Watch out that no one deceives you. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Yes, it is possible, just look at the church. 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Most have not tested because of a lack of knowledge, while others don’t test because they are afraid to find out the truth. They really don’t want to know they have spent their whole lives following a false gospel but as God said Ezekiel 18:30 “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”
The only way to be saved is to repent. Plead with God to open your eyes and ears and turn from your wicked ways. Jesus said Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Jesus came to destroy satan’s work. 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” The only way for that to happen again is for God to turn His face to us once again so that we can be clothed with power from on high. Isaiah 49:8 “This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’” satan’s work is everywhere in this desolate church we see today but there is hope. Ezekiel 36:33 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35 They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” 36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.” Acts 15:16 “‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’— 18 things known from long ago.” Isaiah 58:12 “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
Just as there is no proud farmer who looks out over his fields only to see weeds, the church should fall on their knees and return to God’s word as the church is in ruins. Jesus said Luke 18:8 “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” The answer today would be very little true faith as we saw when we talked about faith. The good news for us is the promise God gave to David. Jeremiah 33:17 “For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, 18 nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’” 19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21 then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’” In the same chapter God said to Jeremiah 2 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: 3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ 4 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness. 6 “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. 7 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. 8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. 9 Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’ 10 “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.”
Don’t give up because God will keep His word. Join with Daniel in praying, Daniel 9:2 “In the first year of his (Darius) reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. 17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
