by Rusty Owens

“And when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers but the bad they though away.” Matt. 13:48.

The harvesting of all things is at hand. Both good and bad. An awesome concept is seen in this parable. That there will be a harvesting of all things sown. Both good and bad. That which is good will be accepted. That which is not will be thrown away. As ministers we are preparing a people to meet God. He has washed us with the blood of the Lamb, He has empowered us with the Holy Spirit, he has equipped us with the word. It would be a sad testimony if all we offered him at the end of the day is an uncircumcised band of people. Red headed step children who do not look like their Father. The passage above offers an interesting rendering. Not all things harvested are accepted. At least five of the early Latin translations have even a more sober take on this passage. They translate the word good to mean best. The actual Greek word there is kalos which translates beautiful. The Spanish bible renders this word Buenos. You can see the dilemma the early Latin text was creating. That He chose what was “the best”. I believe good is the actual translation, but I also see that good has become the enemy of best. We are to willing in our spiritual lives to exchange the good for the best. We will substitute doing something good over doing what’s best. Mary chose what is best over what is good in Luke 10:42. We are quick to exchange some form of service for sitting at His feet. Service is good but sitting at His feet will change you into His image. We will hear good music even hear good preaching in the place of hearing His voice. Again what is good becomes the enemy of what is best. The difference of doing good over what is doing best is manifest in the body of Christ. It’s the difference between going fishing all night or casting your net on the right side of the boat. (Jn. 21:3, Lk. 5:6).

“When it was full”, (verse 48) is significant. Not as it pertains to end time harvest, but rather as it pertains to the overall reaping of the kingdom since Christ resurrection. That His house will be full. Lk. 14:23. That GOD will accomplish what He set out to do. God wins! He finishes what He started.

The gentiles will come to there fullness AND He will receive a mighty harvest from Israel. That His house may be full.