IT HAPPENED WHILE MEN SLEPT

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." (Matt 13:25).

What is the Kingdom of heaven like? How does God fulfill His purpose among men? Under what circumstance is our salvation being wrought out? Because the manner of the heavenly Kingdom radically differs from the manner of men, Jesus taught extensively concerning it. His parables were frequently preceded by the words, "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto . . . " (Matt 13:31,33,44,45,47,52; 18:23; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1). The parable of"the tares of the field" is such an occasion of teaching. A vivid picture is given of a good field planted with good wheat, by a good sower. That field was defiled when an enemy came and sowed tares "among the wheat." There are several personalities depicted in this pungent parable. (1) The Son of man, (2) the children of the kingdom, (3) the children of the wicked one, (4) the devil, and (5) the angels. The "Son of man" started things, the angels ended things, and the devil worked between the beginning and the end.

Satan made no attempt to sow his unproductive seed when the Son of man was sowing. He did it "while MEN slept." He did it when there were no workers in the field, no cultivators of the wheat, no activity being expended upon the "good seed." There is a sense in which "the field" is left in the care of men. Although it is not the ultimate sense, it is a vital one. When the field is left unattended, and men sleep, "the enemy" knows it, and by stealth comes in and plants his children among God’s children.

Somehow, there has been a loss of the awareness that "the wicked one" does have children. There are people in this world who belong to him in a very special sense. Judas was "the son of perdition"–one of Satan’s children (John 17:2). Ths Spirit also refers to "sons of Belial" (Deut 13:13; Judges 19:22; 1 Sam 2:12; 2 Sam 23:6; 1 Kgs 21:10). Belial is identified as the devil (2 Cor 6:15). He plants his children amidst "the children of the Kingdom" when men are asleep– when they are insensitive to the light or the night, and slumber in inactivity. When the wicked spring up amongst us, it is not because the Son of man slept. It is because "men slept." When suddenly unproductive people are found among believers, who contribute nothing but only take up space–those who will not be harvested for the Lord, but cast into the fire–it is not because Jesus was sleeping. It is because "men slept." Here is another powerful reason for not permitting "the sleep of death" (Psa 13:3) to descend upon your soul. When men sleep, whether on the individual or collective level, the Devil sows his seed. There is something to ponder!