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The Sower and the Coming of the Kingdom

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 22, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 20.

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The Sower and the Coming of the Kingdom

By C. M. S.

Is the world to be converted before the coming of Christ to fulfill his promise to his faithful people? A great many believe that it will be; but he who would know the truth, without regard to what he himself might desire, will inquire closely into the teachings of the Master upon this point. It matters not how much we should like to see the whole world converted to God at the time of our Lord’s return, the strongest possible desire will not change the fact one way or the other. Let us ask him; he knows, and he has given instruction sufficient to make it possible for us to know.
Let us examine the parable of the sower.
It is given by our Lord himself, and pertains to the upbuilding of his kingdom in the world.
It is interpreted by our Lord himself, and that interpretation is therefore unassailable.
According to this parable, the seed falls upon four different kinds of ground, with four different results. Three of those results are disappointing; only one is satisfying. While it is not likely that this was intended by our Saviour to indicate the exact proportion of returns from the sowing of gospel seed, it does indicate that they who reject the gospel message are far more numerous than they who accept it.
Some of the seed falls by the wayside, and before the kernels of grain have time to take root, they are snatched up by the fowls. Some falls upon stony ground, sprouts quickly, and perishes quickly for lack of proper rootage. Some falls among other growths, is choked out, and never comes to maturity. Some falls upon good soil, well prepared to receive it, and brings forth abundant increase.
That which fell by the wayside was snatched up, destroyed. Our Saviour in giving his own interpretation of the parable, says: “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the wayside.” Matt. 13: 19.
The one sown by the wayside became meat for the evil one. The one “sown upon the rocky places” endured for a while, but went down under the fires of persecution. The one “sown among the thorns” succumbed to the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.
The period of that sowing represents the entire gospel dispensation, and the number who reject the gospel invitation will always be greater than the number who accept and remain steadfast. There is no indication in the parable of a time coming when the seed would fall only upon good soil, well prepared, where no adverse conditions would be found, and only a satisfactory yield result. On the other hand, the Scriptures indicate very clearly that as we draw nearer to the end, the conditions will be more forbidding, and the good yield proportionately less. The Saviour’s question, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” is a very clear indication that the proportion of the wayside sowing would be greater, the stony ground and the thorn-infested soil more plentiful, when the last of the sowing is being done.
The Saviour reenforced this thought with a parable of the “man that sowed good seed in his field,” and his “enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.” Matt. 13: 24-30.
His servants desired to uproot the tares as soon as their blades began to appear; but the owner of the field refused, and said: “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” How long are the tares to be in the world?—“Until the harvest.” What is the harvest?—“The harvest is the end of the world;” for thus the Lord himself declared when explaining this parable to his disciples: “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Matt. 13: 37-43.
The tares and the wheat grow together until the end of the dispensation; until the time of the declaration of final awards, until that time when the fiat of the Almighty goes forth:—“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22: 11, 12.
These parables and this mandate of the great Judge all show that the wicked are in this world, alive and perniciously active, until the last stroke of gospel work has been done. The tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest—the end of the world. The tares are not then given a second chance, to see if they will transform themselves into wheat; but they are bound in bundles to be burned. The close of this dispensation does not usher in a glorious millennium of peace and instruction and successful evangelical endeavor. Instead, those who are then unreconciled, unprepared to meet their God, are cast into “the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
Other scriptures are in harmony with this. Of the closing days of the gospel dispensation we read: “But evil men and imposters shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Tim. 3: 13. How do we know he is speaking of the last days? The first verses of the chapter read: “But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof.” 2 Tim. 3: 1-5.
Another declaration of our Saviour voices the same thought: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in thewhole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt. 24:14. Some would wish it to read, “and then shall the millennium of peace and sinlessness be ushered in;” but the text does not read so, and the teachings of our Saviour hold out no such hope. He who builds upon such a hope builds upon sand, and is destined to most bitter disappointment. But we need not be thus disappointed. The Scripture is plain; the parables of our Lord, interpreted by himself, leave no occasion for uncertainty in this matter. The end of the sowing and of the dispensation draws nigh, and happy will he be whose faith is founded upon the Rock of truth.
C. M. S.