The parable of the tares and wheat in Mat 13 is a description of this entire age from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until his return to harvest the wheat.
Look at it with me; It is the second of 7 mysteries of the kingdom of heaven parables in this chapter;
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
There was a break after the 4th parable and a change of locations from the seashore to Peter's house. It was at this time the disciples asked for the meaning of the parable of the tares and wheat.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
This teaches us that one must have a close relationship with Jesus for him to teach us his mysteries. We must be where he is at.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world (aion = age); and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world (aion = age).
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Here one can learn the art of comparison.
In the first parable the seed is the words that are sown in the field (world) that produces a crop.
In the second parable the good seed is the wheat that the seed produces. Children are birthed into the kingdom.
It was almost immediately apparent that someone had sown tares, children of the wicked one, into the field.
The solution of the sower is to let both grow in the field until the harvest.
When harvest time comes he will send the reapers to first gather the tares into bundles (cults, isms, religions, denominations, systems of theology) so they can be burned
But, gather the wheat into my barn.
Obviously the tares are prepared for burning but it will occur after the wheat is in the barn.
The burning and the end of the tares is the great tribulation that is symbolized by a great fire. Read Re 18 now.
The day of the Lord is the beginning of the great tribulation. It is the beginning of the 7th one thousand year day of the week of one thousand year days before the eighth day, the day of God, the eternal day. The Lord will purify the earth to begin the day and rule as King over the nations that are left. It is his sabbath rest and the world is at peace all day until the end of it.
His coming for the wheat is in verse 40 before the tares are cast into the fire.
The bundles of the tares are then cast into the furnace of fire with all things that offend God.
Read Matt 24 in light of verses 41-43.
There are 12 mysteries of the kingdom of heaven parables and 7 of them are in Matt 13. They give the characteristics and the prophesies of this entire age. This age is called by Paul, a present evil age.
Ga 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (aion = age), according to the will of God and our Father:
The scriptures teach the rapture of the church everywhere.
I admit that I see through a glass darkly and some things I say might need tweaking as I continue to learn and receive light. If someone corrects me with sensible, contextual, scriptural, logical, and faithful words, I will receive it.