MATTHEW 13:47-5047Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:47‑50).
“Again, the kingdom of heaven [the heavens] is like unto a net [drag-net] that was cast into the sea, and gathered of [brought together out of] every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to [drew upon the] shore, and sat down, and gathered [collected] the good into vessels, but cast the bad away [corrupt out]. So shall it be at the end of the world [in the completion of the age]: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
THIS is the last parable of the series, corresponding with the address to the Church in Laodicea, the last of the addresses to the seven Churches, which contemplates the close of the present dispensation, through the Church's failure in testimony and its lukewarmness.
At that time the final division will be made, and the true saints will be separated from the false professors. The aspect of the last days of professing Christendom is represented as characterized by lukewarmness concerning the vital truths of Christianity, up to the time of the end of the dispensation, when, having failed as an outward witness to the faith once delivered to the saints, it is rejected. It is the Church aspect to the end. See Rev. 3:14-2214And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:14‑22). This parable has its allegorical foreshadowing in the reigns of Manasseh and Zedekiah, when through the sin of Manasseh, in the time of Zedekiah, Judah was carried captive by the Babylonians and the temple destroyed. In the times of these kings we have the closing days of the kingdom of Judah, after which the dominion was transferred to the Gentiles, and the vessels of Jehovah's house were carried to Babylon (2 Chron. 33., 36:11, &c).
In the parable of the net, it is the kingdom aspect characterized by great activity in the spread of the Gospel, and efforts for the conversion of man, as is manifest at the present time on every hand.
The word here employed for net (sageenee), signifies a "draw" or "drag" net, which may either represent a large net or seine enclosing a wide surface, and then drawn to shore, or a net which drags up from the bottom.
By the sea is signified the masses of the Gentiles; it is the Gospel preached to all the world for a witness to all nations before the end shall have come.
Into this Gospel net people of every nation and clime, of every character, high and low, rich and poor, young and old, are gathered.
In the Church at Sardis many had a name to live who were spiritually dead; here it is rather a gathering on the profession of faith, which profession is afterward to be put to the test.
“Which, when it was full, they drew up on the shore.”
This special dispensation of the Gospel, and of Gospel grace, in this accepted time and day of salvation had its commencement in the preaching by the Lord Jesus, and from Pentecost onward by the apostles and others.
This character of Gospel preaching will continue until the work on account of which the Comforter was especially sent down will be completed; that is, until every member of the spiritual body of Christ shall be brought in, and the Church arrive at its full stature (Eph. 4:1313Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13)).
Just so the sheet that was shown in vision to Peter was let down from heaven, and contained beasts, creeping things, and fowls of every kind, and then was received up again into heaven (Acts 10:11-1611And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. (Acts 10:11‑16)).
The partial veil of judicial blindness which has happened to Israel will also continue un-removed from the mass of the nation until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; although the Spirit of God may perform a gracious work in many of the Jews, as in these days.
The character in which the Spirit of God is now accomplishing His work is that of the Comforter, convicting the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; and baptizing all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, into one body, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, bond nor free.
But when this work shall be completed, at the return of the Lord Jesus to receive His Spirit-perfected Bride, the symbol under which the Holy Ghost will be then represented is that of the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, acting with sevenfold energy, and throughout the whole world (Rev. 5:66And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)).
Then the believing Israelite will be sealed as such, as belonging to one of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:4-84And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:4‑8)); and the believing Gentile will be recognized as a Gentile believer, out of every nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue (Rev. 7:99After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9)).
The Gospel then preached will not be that peculiar form of it which Paul styles "my gospel," but "the everlasting Gospel," true from the Beginning, setting forth redemption through the blood of the Lamb, accompanied with a solemn warning, "Fear God," and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come (Rev. 14:6, 76And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:6‑7)), and with a superadded warning that whosoever receives the mark of the beast shall be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 14:9-119And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:9‑11)).
For such there is no pardon, so that the righteous will be taught to cry, "Be not merciful to any wicked transgressor" (Ps. 59:5). There will no longer subsist the threefold division, the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God; it will either be the believing Jew, the believing Gentile, or the unbelieving world.
“And sat down.”
When the elect of the present dispensation are gathered in, those who are now occupied in proclaiming the truth will have finished their work and entered into rest. After them others will be raised up to preach the everlasting Gospel to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people (Rev. 14:66And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, (Revelation 14:6)).
“Collected the good into vessels, but cast the corrupt out.”
This collecting of the good fish into vessels and casting the corrupt out corresponds with the gathering of the wheat into the barn and leaving the tares to dry on the field, in the second parable; also with the wise virgins admitted into the marriage, whilst the foolish virgins are left outside (Matt. 25:10, 1110And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (Matthew 25:10‑11)).
It is the taking away of the precious from the vile. At the close of the present dispensation, as the result of the increased activity in the proclamation of the Gospel, there will doubtless be a vast increase in the number of outward professors of Christianity, many of whom, though having the form of godliness but destitute of its power, claiming the name of Christians but not having the Spirit of Christ, and in reality are none of His.
When the Lord Jesus conies to receive His own to Himself (John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)), those, and those only, who are quickened and indwelt by the Spirit of God will be changed and caught up to meet Him; those who have only the outward form and shell of Christianity will be left to that fuller corruption which will be developed in Babylon the great; or, according to the preceding parable, the pearl having been taken out, washed, and presented in its purity and beauty, the flesh in which it had been previously embedded will be left to perish in its own corruption.
“So shall it be at the end of the world [in the end of the age]: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Here we see the necessity and advantage of attending to that most important principle, that the interpretation of a prophecy or parable often goes beyond and adds additional truth to the prophecy or parable itself. (For example, Dan. 12:7-137And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (Daniel 12:7‑13); Matt. 13:40-4240As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The 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; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:40‑42)).
It is important to distinguish between the close of this present dispensation, when the fullness of the Gentiles will have come in, and that which is quite distinct—the end of the age, when the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled. After the Spirit of God has accomplished His present work in the formation of the Spiritual Body or Bride of Christ, the seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy must run its course before the execution of that judgment which shall usher in the manifestation of the Son of Man and the establishment of His millennial reign, which will be the end of the age.
During the present dispensation the fishermen are occupied with the Gospel net. At its close the Lord Jesus will receive His own to Himself, thus taking to Himself the good and leaving the bad or the corrupt behind.
Afterward there is angelic ministry brought in, and the action is totally the reverse: instead of the good taken and the bad left, it will be the wicked taken out and the just left for the enjoyment of the kingdom.
The judgment executed at the end of the age will be complete, final, and everlasting. "The Son of Man will thoroughly purge His floor and burn up the chaff with fire unquenchable" (Matt. 3:1212Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12)).