The Lord Jesus spoke a lot in parables, speaking plain truths that were hidden from the foundation of the world, yet only those who had “ears to hear” understood their meanings. Many times the things He said were directly opposite to our natural understanding, like in Matthew 16:25,
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.


There were times the disciples asked Jesus to explain himself, so that goes to show that there are many things that are hidden to our minds, that God wants us to know, but we can only grasp them by the Holy Spirit opening our understanding. To most people, that verse would make no sense whatsoever. What does He mean, if I want to find my life, I must lose it for His sake?

We need to look closer: whosoever will save HIS life shall lose it. He is saying that if you want to go through life living YOUR own way, according to YOUR will, you are refusing to know God, and cannot have everlasting life. BUT, if you will choose to abandon YOUR will, and take up HIS will, and live accordingly, then you will know Him and find life everlasting. It’s a simple truth, but not everyone “sees” it.

I used that verse to set things up for what I really felt the Holy Spirit was leading me to talk about. So many Christians are looking at the things happening in the world today and thinking, the LORD is returning any day now to “rapture” His church. Well, first off, the word “rapture” doesn’t even appear in the Bible, however, the principal is there. But it may not be what you have been taught to think. We need to look at another parable that Jesus spoke, in order to gain some understanding. It is the one about the “wheat and the tares”, given in Matthew 13:24-30. I’d like you to read this as many times as it takes until it sinks in.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which 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 blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Later, it was pretty obvious this had gone right over the heads of the disciples, so Jesus had to explain it to them. So let’s look at Matthew 13:34-43,

34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Let me help you here: go back to verse 30, …gather ye together FIRST the tares,….

So many are looking forward to that “first gathering”, thinking they’re going to be taken out of this world to be with the LORD forever. But…..Jesus said the FIRST gathering would be the tares, NOT the wheat. The tares will be gathered first, BEFORE the wheat harvest, in order to separate the “trash” from the “harvest”, and THEN the angels will gather the “harvest” to His barn, meaning God’s Kingdom!

It is written in Luke 13:23-30,
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Those who “laid down their will”, therefore “losing their life” to do God’s will are referred to as the FIRST. Those who didn’t, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE CALLED, were LAST. And even though they are “called”, they are NOT CHOSEN! Now, getting back to the tares and the wheat, the “last” shall be “first” in the gathering of the tares. The wheat, being the “first”, shall be gathered “last” into God’s Kingdom.

I hope this opens your understanding to strive with all your being to be “wheat”, instead of “tares”. Many going to church THINK they are saved, but they haven’t “lost their lives for Jesus”. They’re still living for themselves. Tell me, is it worth it, even perhaps to gain the whole world, and lose your own soul? That’s not my decision, it’s YOURS!

Please, if you don’t know Christ Jesus, Y’shua Messiah, as your LORD and Savior, make that decision right now, to lose your life in Christ Jesus, so you may FIND it! You don’t want to be in the gathering of the tares! As I’ve said many times, in the end, you will either HEAR, Well done!, or you will BE “well done”! How do you BEwell done”? by being burned up after being gathered with the tares. The best idea is to be gathered afterward to God’s Kingdom as “wheat” of the harvest! Remember, the LAST shall be FIRST. Choose wisely…..