THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS
Chapter 25:31-46
THE concluding section of this prophetic discourse of our Lord's extends beyond the range which has hitherto been brought before us, It is very peculiar, and distinct too, in its character of instruction. It is not the Bridegroom coming for the wise virgins, nor is it the Master judging His servants, but it is the Xing sitting upon His throne and judging the nations, which will then be gathered before Him. Such it is stated to be. It describes a scene of judgment on living persons, which will not have its accomplishment till after we have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, for the Lord does not take unto Him His Kingly power and reign, till He comes forth in manifested glory. Then we shall come with Him; for "when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory. (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4).) This is enough to shew that this judgment cannot refer to us, put is simply what it says, a judgment of nations.
“When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations."(vv. 31, 32.) This judgment must not be confounded with the" great white throne "scene, for that is a judgment of the dead, when the earth and heaven will have fled away; but here we have" nations" judged on the earth. I say on the earth, because Christ is coming to the earth as King, and He will be King, over all the earth, and all will be made subject to Him. "He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet." (See Zech. 14, and Psa. 110) It is a scene to be fulfilled on the earth, and therefore there is not the least hint of a single dead person being raised at this time. It is the King in manifested glory, attended with angelic hosts (See 2 Thess. 1) judging "the nations" gathered before Him. It is not Israel, but Gentiles—all nations.
The character of the judgment is as to how they have dealt with His brethren. It is important to see that there are four companies in this scene—"the King," "the sheep," "the goats," and "the brethren.”
Who are these brethren? Surely, as we have seen, they cannot be those who form the body, the church, for we shall have been caught away from the earth before this. The principles here inculcated are always true, for those who love the Lord Jesus love His saints, &c., but we are not now considering principles, but endeavoring to understand the true character of instruction which the Lord here sets before us. That there will be a company of Christ's brethren after the flesh, of the true and literal seed of Abraham and David; raised up, inspired with Jewish hopes, joyfully anticipating Messiah's kingdom, who will carry what is called "the gospel of the kingdom" after the church is gone, is plainly taught in the Scriptures. Their prayers will come up to the throne of God in heaven as incense, while the heavenly saints are there, hence we read in Rev. 5 of "vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints." We also saw Jewish saints in suffering during the great tribulation when meditating on Matt. 24 Again in Rev. 6 when the fifth seal is opened, we read of souls under the altar crying for vengeance. This is surely not a Christian cry. How came they there? We are told they were Slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. (v. 9.) Our Lord spoke of this testimony. He said, as we have already considered in ch. 24., "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world," that is the civilized world, or as Mark expresses it "among all nations." The gospel of the kingdom, or the glad-tidings of the King coming to set up the promised kingdom on earth, will characterize this testimony. The consequence will be that some will hear and treat these messengers of the King kindly; others, however, will not hear, but will persecute and put some to death. This testimony, therefore, will be connected with a special judgment. However, when the King comes, all nations will be gathered before Him.
Of necessity, therefore, there will be two parties, sheep or righteous, goats or wicked. He knows all things and reads every heart. Hence we read that, "Se shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep on the right hand, but the goats on the left."(vv. 32, 33.) The whole question, I repeat, is as to how they acted towards the King's brethren. Nor can this judgment be regarded as singular, for when God called out Abraham, he said," I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee." (Gen. 12:33And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3).) This has often been marked in God's dealings with the descendants of Abraham, and will be specially fulfilled in this judgment, in connection with God's having raised them up to go forth with "the gospel of the kingdom.”
No wonder then, that it is written, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Observe here, it is the kingdom they are brought into, and it is from, (not before) the foundation of the world. "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or, thirsty, and gave Thee drink? when saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or, naked, and clothed Thee? or, when saw we Thee sick and in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." (vv. 34-40.) Whet characterized these "sheep," or "righteous," as they are called, was their love to the King's brethren, and their destiny is a place in the kingdom, and a kingdom, too, prepared from the foundation of the world. It need scarcely be added, that there is nothing heavenly in this scene.
Now, look at the goats, "Then, shall He say unto them on His left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not., Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me." (vv. 41-43.)
The sentence is final. "These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”