Seven-O: The wheat and the tares are growing together and both will come to maturity at the same time. As we come near to the harvest, the wheat will bow down and the tares will stand tall. In this way, you will be able to distinguish between them. If you look at the tares, you will see things getting worse. If you see the wheat, you will see things getting better.
Good observation., Seven-O!
Postmillennialists (Dr E is one, as am I) believe that the ratio of wheat to tares will progressively alter in the wheat's favor, as the Great Commission is fulfilled in history (promised by Matthew 16:18, where Christ tells us the gates of Hell will not prevail against His church, and confirmed by Psalm 110, which says all of Christ's enemies will be vanquished before His return). Providing that God's people are faithful and obedient to Him, the world will indeed grow better and better as it is brought into submission to Him, and His blessings flow in return (fulfilling the parable of the yeast, Matthew 13:33/Luke 13:21). For good reason, postmillenialists have been described as being gleeful, while endlessly going on the offensive on this very thread. I consider that a compliment. Postmillers are, as you say, "looking at the wheat."
Premillenialists (P-Marlowe is one) believe that the ratio of wheat to tares will progressively alter in the tare's favor. The Great Commission is fulfilled in history only in the sense of being preached to all nations (positive returns on preaching, i.e. conversions, will steadily and progressively decline, as will the prospects for raising up Godly progeny). The gates of Hell will eventually prevail against His church, leading to a Great Tribulation and Armageddon where the AntiChrist holds sway and influence over every soul on the planet, and Christ's enemies progressively wield influence, achieving a decisive victory by the apex of history. They are unable to be defeated until Christ returns physically to kick their collective keisters. Pretrib/Premillers tell us that "Jesus already has the victory", but only a victory that fails to manifest itself within history, contrary to Psalm 110, Matthew 13, Matthew 18, Matthew 28, etc etc etc). While Christ personally may "have the victory", Christ's church will eventually lose all impact and influence as history progresses. It should then come as no surprise that the church ultimately disappears entirely (the rapture), having used up whatever opportunities it was given and having "left behind" nothing of lasting value in return. I have to wonder whether the premillers are expecting greater things of the wheat, or the tares?
You have an interesting take here. I believe that all metaphors in scripture bring meaning to the respective passages, but I urge caution here. The wheat does not become tares nor do the tares become wheat. The ratio is established at the time of the sowing, not at the harvest.
Typology is a reliable tool to teach doctrine and I will use it to defend pre-trib, pre-mil, unless you can convince me that I am wrong.
Seven