Heaven on earth and what it looks like

He (Jesus Christ c. AD 30) put another parable before them, saying, “The heavenly realm is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ” (Matthew 13: 24-30)

With some justification, living in Jersey has been described as “heaven on earth”. Admittedly, those who say that are, more often than not, non-natives of ‘Beautiful Jersey, Gem of the Sea’. At this particular time of the year the whole Island is about to turn green: the trees are still skeleton-like after winter; but very soon every branch and twig will explode in the new spring. Heaven on earth. How the folk in Tikrit would love to be here in Jersey. And those who live in Kiev. And the people of Vanuatu. But is Jersey a true picture of heaven on earth? All four biographies of Jesus Christ provide eye-witness accounts of the life, death and resurrection of this man. All four leave their readers to decide what to make of this man – Son of Man, Son of God. And all four present him as the one who came from heaven and who, having become flesh and blood like us, is able to tell us the truth – the truth about heaven and what it looks like. Let’s take a look therefore at one statement from Jesus about “heaven on earth”. Then let’s compare that with Jersey today. Please read the words in bold above.
.	‘If a thief would get into heaven unchanged he would begin by picking the angels’ pockets.’ (C H Spurgeon, pastor and writer, 1834-1892)
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.” Jesus is describing the “heavenly realm” by means of a “parable” – a parallel which is similar to the real thing. This parallel uses a “field”. This probably means the earth or any part of it. It will include Jersey. How very intriguing, therefore, are Jesus’ words that the heavenly realm on earth is similar to a man who sows seed on earth. Seed is such an amazing thing. Tiny, seemingly dead, a seed comes to life when buried in the field. What then springs up from the field is, in this case, wheat: valuable, precious, life-sustaining, wheat….. Is that what “heaven on earth” looks like? Does it resemble an almost-invisible seed which enters the field and erupts into glorious wheat? Is heaven on earth when seed from the living God is placed in men and women and makes of them people very different from what they were – part of the soil of a field? Many folk today are looking to have for themselves “heaven on earth”. They are seeking wealth, longevity, health, security – in the sunshine and comfort of a peaceful island. Jesus said that “heaven on earth” was something very different – it was those same people themselves becoming “wheat”. How? By receiving the “seed” sown by the man from above. Like all faithful and honest teachers, Jesus wanted to make it clear to his followers and to all folk for all time a complete picture – warts and all, as it were – of what “heaven on earth” looked like. The servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’
.	‘Christians are not citizens of earth trying to get to heaven, but citizens of heaven making their way through this world.’ (Vance Havner, Author)
Jesus’ parallel about “heaven on earth” included teaching about “weeds”. The Greek word which he used was “zizania” meaning darnel. Darnel closely resembles wheat but only produces black grains. But, note this well, these “weeds” were not part of “heaven on earth”. They co-existed for a while. The only “heaven on earth” was the man who sowed the good seed and the wheat which sprang up from that man and his seed. As that man said, “Let both grow together until the harvest…….”

Richard Syvret

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