Chapter 2 – God Who Cultivates People
The God of love makes us understand, through the providence of His cultivation of people, why He brings wheat-like believers into Heaven and throws chaff into Hell.
Reading Verse: Genesis 1:28
“God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:28)
Memory Verse: Matthew 3:12
“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:12)
Reference Verse: 1 Timothy 2:4
“God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
Jesus often taught the will and providence of God through parables. Since human knowledge cannot understand the spiritual world, He used things of this earth to explain it (Matthew 13:34). Many parables are about cultivation: the sower, the mustard seed, the tares, the vineyard, the wicked farmers. These show that just as a farmer plows the ground, plants seeds, and gathers fruit, God also cultivates people on this earth, and at the proper time He gathers the wheat into Heaven.
- The Reason God Cultivates People
From eternity, God existed alone in the universe (John 1:1). He ruled in radiant and shining light, filled with pure and clear sound (1 John 1:5). After endless ages, God desired someone who could share, feel, and exchange love with Him. Since God has both divinity and personhood, He did not want to enjoy everything alone, but with others.
So God planned the cultivation of people. He mysteriously divided eternal space and began to exist as the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father would oversee the cultivation of people, God the Son would become the Savior, and God the Holy Spirit would perfect salvation.
When the time came, the Triune God created all things and made man. From the fall of Adam until today, God has been cultivating people, ruling history and the life and death of mankind, without stopping. His purpose is to gain true children who can understand His heart and love Him from the center of their being.
Imagine a parent with two children. The older child only does what is told, without showing his own thoughts or love. The younger child sometimes disappoints the parent, but soon turns back, clings with affection, and expresses his feelings in many ways. Which child would be more lovable?
Also, if there were a robot in the home that cooked, cleaned, and served in every way, would the robot be more lovable than the children? Even if it is useful, it cannot replace a child.
In Heaven, there are angels who obey very well. But God desired children with reason and emotion, who would obey with joy by their own free will. That is why He created man with free will, taught His Word, and has been cultivating people with great patience until they become His true children.
Cultivation means the effort of a farmer who plants seeds, cares for them, and gains fruit. In the same way, through the effort of cultivating people, God wants to gain true children. For this purpose, He planted the first seed, Adam and Eve, on this earth. Since man was made from the dust, he must go through the cultivation of his heart-soil to become a true child of God.
Genesis 6:5–6 says that God saw man’s wickedness on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. He was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Did God not know man would sin?
God is all-knowing, so He already knew everything from before the ages. Yet He still created man and cultivates people. The reason is like the heart of parents raising children.
Parents suffer much in bearing and raising children. A mother carries the child for ten months with pain, and goes through great labor to give birth. Parents work day and night to feed, clothe, and teach their children.
Still, parents want children because they desire someone who will feel their love and love them back. And if the children understand the parents’ hearts, serve them, and honor them, the parents are so happy.
In the same way, God already knew that people would disobey and fall, bringing Him grief. But He cultivates people with hope, because He believes true children will come out who can share eternal love with Him.
- God Who Separates Wheat and Chaff
A farmer works hard in the field because he believes in the harvest. But at harvest, there is not only wheat but also chaff. Wheat is stored, but chaff is burned.
In the same way, after His cultivation of people is finished, God separates wheat and chaff. As Matthew 3:12 says, wheat will be gathered into Heaven, but chaff will be thrown into eternal fire.
Wheat are those who accept Jesus Christ, live in the truth, and love God. They restore the lost image of God and live as children of light who obey the Word.
Chaff are those who do not accept Jesus Christ, or who confess with lips but do not live in the Word. They still practice evil and follow worldly desires.
Then why does the God of love throw the chaff into unquenchable fire?
Because, as 1 Timothy 2:4 says, God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God gives many chances, shows His love in many ways, and leads people to salvation. But some resist His will to the end with their free will.
Such people lose the value of being human, and they are like beasts (Ecclesiastes 3:18). Yet since their souls are eternal, they cannot simply be destroyed like animals without spirit, nor can they enter Heaven with the wheat. So God must prepare Hell, separate from Heaven.
It is like a farmer who does not store chaff with wheat after harvest. If sinful chaff-like beings lived forever with wheat-like believers, Heaven would be polluted. The existence of Hell comes also from the love of God, to keep Heaven pure and holy.
- The Cultivation of People and the Great White Throne Judgment
Just as farming does not finish in one season, God’s cultivation of people has not stopped. Through the Bible and through men of faith such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Peter, and Paul, He showed His love. Even today, through pastors and workers, He keeps cultivating people and warns us to stay awake.
But as everything that begins must end, so it is with the cultivation of people. Revelation 22:13 says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:13).
When the cultivation of people ends, there will be the Millennium Kingdom. After the Millennium, there will be the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:11–12 says, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.” (Revelation 20:11–12).
The wheat will be judged for reward and enter the dwelling places in Heaven according to their measure of faith. But the chaff will enter Hell and suffer forever. May you understand the providence of God’s cultivation of people and become wheat who enjoy eternal life and blessing in Heaven.
Plus
- Alpha and Omega: The beginning and end of civilization come from God the Father.
- The first and the last: The Lord became the firstfruit of resurrection, and at His second coming He will complete the work of redemption.
- The beginning and the end: The Holy Spirit is the beginning and the end of the cultivation of people.
- Cultivation: In the Bible, “to cultivate” means that God works like a farmer. He plants, cares, and finally gathers people. It is not about farming the body, but about raising true children who can love Him with free will.