Matthew 25:31-46
Q.1. What is the future event that Jesus was foreshadowing? When will this event take place? How will this differ from the Great White Throne Judgment? (Mt.25:31-33 c.f. Rev.19:11-16; 20:4-6; 11-15)
Jesus described – when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne (Mt.25:31 c.f. Mt.24:30-31). This will bring in the fulfilment of the promise to Israel when the Messiah will set up His Millennial Reign (Isa.2:2-4; 4:2-6; 9:6-7; 11:1-10). Christ will initially judge the nations that survive the Great Tribulation – All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Mt.25:32 c.f. Mt.24:21; Rev.20:4-6). This is not to be equated with the final Great White Throne Judgment that will usher in the eternal state, with a new heaven and new earth, which will come after the Millennial Reign of Christ (Rev.20:11-21:3. The redeemed – came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed … (Rev.20:4-5). There will be no further opportunity for the unsaved to respond to the Gospel. The Thousand Year Reign of Christ will reveal the absolute righteousness of God that has applied to every dispensation, from the Garden of Eden through to all eternity.
Q.2. Will anyone living escape His judgment? What does the imagery signify? When was the choice of His sheep decided? How is their faith in the King displayed? – (Mt.25:32-40)
There is no escape from Christ’s judgment for – All the nations will be gathered before Him … and I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened … (Mt.25:32 & Rev.20:12). Throughout the Scriptures, God is portrayed as the Shepherd of His people. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. The imagery used by Jesus identifies people as His sheep, and the goats are the children of the Devil. Jesus confirmed that the redeemed are His chosen ones, who will – … inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Mt.25:34 c.f. Rom.8:29-30; Eph.1:4-5). Their faith in the King expressed itself in deeds of kindness and good works towards the helpless and defenceless. When these people ask how this conclusion was reached – The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' (Mt.25:40 c.f. Eph.2:10). Many misconstrue the meaning of - … to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them … (Mt.25:40). This refers to His own race of Israel, and will be especially applicable during the Great Tribulation, when the antichrist will attack the people of Israel (c.f. Gen.12:3; Jn.1:11; Rom.9:3-5) punishment.
Q.3. Who are the ‘goats’? How did they fail to please the King? What judgment will befall them? For whom was this judgment prepared? How final will this judgment be? – (Mt.25:41-46)
The goats are identified with the Devil and the fallen angels (Mt.25:41). They failed to do their good works in order to please the King - …Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ (Mt.25:45). Jesus was not introducing a gospel of ‘good works’ but revealed that their deeds must be motivated by their love for Him. Even as they have rejected the King, so they will be excluded from His presence – … Depart from Me, accursed ones … (Mt.25:41). Because they made the choice to reject the King and thus prove to be the children of Satan, they will share Satan’s destiny – in the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt.25:41). Their judgment will be final and everlasting, as – These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Mt.25:46). This teaching of Jesus should spur us on to be unceasingly reaching out to the unsaved, while there is still time. No one likes the idea of ETERNAL fire and punishment, but this is how Jesus, God’s Son described hell (verses 41 & 46). You cannot explain away the everlasting nature of God’s damnation of sinners. In verse 46, Jesus described the reward for the righteous (in Christ) as eternal life, and the judgment of the ungodly as eternal