D&C 86

Most christians are familiar with the Savior's parable of the wheat and the tares. As we find typical between the books of scripture that -

"...In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (New Testament 2 Corinthians 13:1)

The Savior again explains this parable saying -

"...the field was the world, and the apostles were the sowers of the seed;
3 And after they have fallen asleep the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that maketh all nations to drink of her cup, in whose hearts the enemy, even Satan, sitteth to reign—behold he soweth the tares; wherefore, the tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 86:2 - 3)

As this revelation is being given, the restored Church was yet just over two years old. Therefore, the Lord teaches -

"...in the last days, even now while the Lord is beginning to bring forth the word, and the blade is springing up and is yet tender—" (Doctrine and Covenants Section 86:4)

But even with this being the case, the Lord warns that at the time of this revelation -

"...the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;" (Doctrine and Covenants Section 86:5)

To which the Savior tells us what he is telling them at that time -

"...pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.
7 Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 86:6 - 7)

Ripeness in itself is a very interesting topic. Throughout the scriptures the Lord talks of the consequence when people become fully ripe in iniquity. It is then that destruction is fulfilled. I've wondered that now, about 180 years after this revelation, if this time is quickly approaching when this people are fully ripe where it is about the time that the angels -

"...shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 86:7)

I note that the tares will not necessarily be burned but bound into bundles or grouped together. This seems to coincide with the teachings of Alma to his son, Corianton regarding -

"...what becometh of the souls of men from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection?" (Book of Mormon Alma 40:7)