Reply to Donna Danna and Gino Re: Tares cast into the fire

Donna Danna (9 Feb 2025)
"TO GINO: When Are The Tares Cast Into The Fire"(2 Feb 2025)

Donna, I think it is fairly obvious from the Parable passage in Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV (about the Wheat and the Tares) and other scriptures that the Kingdom of God can only be established on earth, AFTER the tares are removed from ‘the field,’ before the Wheat is gathered into the barn, otherwise the world’s condition would remain the same… i.e., the same old status quo! (See my letter to CHANCE 16 Feb. replying to his TOO MUCH WINNING?), in which I have applied the Wheat and Tares’ Parable to current events in USA.)

However, for those involved in the advancement of God’s Kingdom on earth, I don’t think that the gathering of the ‘tares’ from all the nations, AND the burning of them happens at the same time… (as per your first statement).

The first time would be at the beginning of Jesus' millennium kingdom when Jesus returns with His angels to set up his kingdom on Earth when the sheep (wheat) are separated from the goats (tares) with the goats going into everlasting fire which would be the lake of fire in Matthew 25:41.

It may be a two-part process as I have outlined to Chance: perhaps PART ONE is a moral and spiritual revival and the enemy’s tares are gathered at Armageddon just prior to the Second Coming, and PART TWO occurs at the White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennial Rule of Jesus Christ.

We could take as a pattern what happens in Revelation 16:12–17 and 19:11–21 (per NKJV) when the two beasts and the kings of the earth, and their armies who oppose God have been gathered together at Armageddon, to make war against the Lamb and God’s faithful people. It is apparent via these chapters that earthly affairs continue much the same while the ‘tares’ (enemies of God) are still around―that is, until Armageddon―when God allows them to be separated out from the nations, to gather them in one place so they can be killed. The sequence, as they are gathering… seems to start the 6^th Bowl.

Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Rev. 16:12–14)

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev. 16:15)

And they [the three unclean spirits from the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet] gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Rev. 16:16)

Here, a cross-reference in 16:16 directs us to Revelation 19:11–16… to the Second Coming of Christ:

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.[1]

And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11–16)

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, [i.e., within the animal-beasts’ domain and influence] by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Rev. 19:19–21)

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying ‘It is done!’ (Rev. 16:17)

A cross-reference in Revelation 16:17 then directs us to Revelation 10:6, and to a preparatory proclamation in 21:6: hence:

The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets. (Rev. 10:5–7)

Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And he said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.’ (Rev. 21:5–8)

Then, the Third Woe is announced in Rev. 11:15–19, when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, which focusses on the Kingdom proclamation and the wrath of God. Finally, we anticipate the separation of the believing overcomers from the unbelieving evildoers…

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

(Rev. 11:15–19)

The dead and living rebellious human tares seem to be destroyed in the lake of fire, after the great White Throne judgment, as per your second statement…

The second time would be at the great white throne judgment at the end of Jesus' millenium kingdom when whosoever was not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire according to Rev. 20:15.

And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:12b–15)

Revelation is an interesting and confounding book, because although it seems to have a flow to it that follows the Seals, the Trumpets, the Bowls and the Woes, yet additional information verbalising the proclamations precede the actions, and the retrospective scenarios that interrupt the narrative make it difficult to follow.

[1] Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. (Rev. 19:15)

This striking of the nations is a subject that I am pursuing further in the Kingdom of God and the end time Kingdoms (PART FOUR) of my study, which I hope will be ready to post on Five Doves later in February or March.

This same phrase is repeated again a few verses later:

And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. (Rev. 19:21) Cf. What does Revelation 19:21 mean? | BibleRef.com

It appears their physical death is caused by the Word of God, but the final decision made for their souls occurs after the general resurrection and the Great White Throne judgment in Rev. 20:5–6 below.

But this cause and consequence is off-set by this verse:

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.’ (Rev. 21:8)

To understand the second death we must refer to Rev. 20:5–6

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall…. reign with Him a thousand years.