Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
|
posted
 The King's Return—Part 1
Matthew 24:1-44
The Olivet Discourse grew out of some questions the disciples asked when Jesus told them that the temple would one day be destroyed. First, they wanted to know when. This answer is not recorded in Matthew but is given in Luke 21:20-24. Second, they asked about the sign of Christ's return. This is answered in Matthew 24:29-44. In their final question, they asked about the sign of the end of the age. Christ's reply is in Matthew 24:4-8.
We must keep in mind that the "atmosphere" of this discourse is Jewish. Jesus talked about Judea (Matt. 24:16), the Sabbath (Matt. 24:20), and the prophecies of Daniel concerning the Jewish people (Matt. 24:15). The full truth about the Rapture of the church (1 Cor. 15:51ff; 1 Thes. 4:13-18) had not yet been revealed, for it was a mystery (Eph. 3:1-12).
Matthew 24:1-44 indicates that our Lord was discussing events that will take place on earth during the time of Tribulation. (See Matt. 24:8, where "birth-pangs" are a symbol of the Tribulation; and see also Matt. 24:21, 29). After the church has been suddenly taken out of the world, there will be a period of "peace and safety" (1 Thes. 5:1-4) followed by a time of terrible suffering. Many Bible scholars believe this period will last seven years (Dan. 9:24-27). It is this period of "Tribulation" that Jesus described in the Olivet Discourse. At the end of that period, Jesus will return to the earth, defeat His foes, and establish the promised kingdom.
In the section before us, Jesus explained three different periods in the time of the Tribulation.
The Beginning of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:4-14)
The events described in this section are "the beginning of birth-pangs" (Matt. 24:8). The image of a woman in travail is a picture of the Tribulation period (Isa. 13:6-11; 1 Thes. 5:5). Let's consider some of the significant events that will occur at the beginning of this period.
Religious deception (vv. 4-5). The Jews have often been led astray by false prophets and false christs. The rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:1-2 is the Antichrist, that final world dictator who will lead the nations astray. He will begin his career as a peacemaker, signing a covenant with Israel to protect her from her enemies (Dan. 9:27). Israel will welcome this man as their great benefactor (John 5:43).
Wars (v. 6). Note that wars are not a sign of the end. There have always been wars in the world, and will be until the very end. Wars of themselves do not announce the end of the age or the coming of the Lord.
Famines (v. 7a). War and famine usually go together. Revelation 6:6 suggests terribly high prices for staple foods, for a "penny" was a day's wages.
Death (vv.7b-8). Earthquakes help to create famines, and both help to cause epidemics that take many lives.
Martyrs (v. 9). Christians have always been hated by the world, but here we have an acceleration of persecutions and murders. All nations will be involved. This certainly was not true in the history of the early church.
Worldwide chaos (vv. 10-13). Those who once were true to each other will betray each other. This suggests that marriages, homes, and nations will be torn asunder because of lack of loyalty. Lawlessness will abound (Matt. 24:12), for even the law enforcement agencies will not be able to keep the peace.
Matthew 24:13 has nothing to do with personal salvation in this present age of grace. "The end" does not mean the end of this life; it refers to the end of the age (Matt. 24:14). Those believers on earth during this terrible period, who endure in their faith, will be saved when the Lord comes at the end and delivers them.
Worldwide preaching (v. 14). Revelation 7:1-8 teaches that God will choose and seal 144,000 Jewish evangelists who will carry the kingdom message to the ends of the earth. This verse does not teach that the Gospel of God's grace must be spread to every nation today before Jesus can return for His church. It is the Lord's return at the end of the age that is in view here.
The Middle of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:15-22)
The midpoint of the Tribulation period is most important, for at that time an event will take place that was prophesied centuries ago by Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27). Please notice that this prophecy concerns only the Jews and the city of Jerusalem ("thy people and... thy holy city," Dan. 9:24). To apply it to the church or to any other people or place is to misinterpret God's Word.
The prophecy involves seventy weeks, and the Hebrew word "week" means "a week of years," or seven years. Seventy sevens would equal 490 years. But this period of 490 years is broken up into three parts:
1. During seven weeks (49 years) the city of Jerusalem would be rebuilt and the worship reestablished.
2. After 63 weeks (434 years) Messiah would come to Jerusalem and die for the sins of the world.
3. The prince will make an agreement with the Jews for one week (seven years) to protect them from their enemies.
The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given in 445 b.c. by Cyrus (2 Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1). The city was rebuilt in troubled times. Sir Robert Anderson in his classic book The Coming Prince (Kregel, 1975) has proved that there were exactly 482 prophetic years (of 360 days each) between the giving of the decree and the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the King.
But we must account for the remaining "week" of seven years. Where does it fit in? Note that the same city that was rebuilt will also be destroyed "by the people of the prince that shall come" (Dan. 9:26), that is, the Romans. ("The prince that shall come" is a name for the Antichrist.) This event took place in a.d. 70. But the Jewish nation would be spared and the city restored again. For at some future date, the prince that shall come (Antichrist) will make a covenant with the Jews for seven years. This is where the missing "week" fits in. He will agree to protect them from their enemies and permit them to rebuild their temple. (Dan. 9:27 talks about a restoration of the sacrifices, and this would demand a temple.)
The logical place for this seven-year period is after the Rapture of the church. "The time of Jacob's trouble," the Tribulation period, will be seven years long. Second Thessalonians 2:1-12 indicates that the Antichrist cannot be revealed until the restrainer is taken out of the midst. That restrainer is the Holy Spirit in the church. Once the church is out of the world, then Satan can produce his masterpiece, the Antichrist.
He will make the agreement for seven years, but after three-and-one-half years ("in the midst of the week") he will break that agreement. He will then move into the Jewish temple himself and proclaim that he is God (2 Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 13).
The Antichrist will cause a living statue of himself to be put into the temple, and his associate (the false prophet, Rev. 20:10) will cause the whole earth to worship it. Satan has always wanted the world's worship, and in the middle of the Tribulation he will begin to receive it (Matt. 4:8-11). Jesus called this statue "the abomination of desolation" (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15).
An interesting parenthesis occurs at the end of Matthew 24:15—"whoso readeth, let him understand." This statement indicates that what Jesus was teaching would have greater significance for people reading Matthew's Gospel in the latter days. By reading the Prophet Daniel and the words of Jesus, these believers will understand the events and know what to do. This is another evidence that the Olivet Discourse applies to people during the Tribulation period.
Prophetic scholars have speculated as to why the Antichrist would break his covenant with the Jews after three-and-one-half years. It has been suggested that the invasion of Israel by Russia, prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39, would occur at that point. Certainly Israel will be at ease and dwelling in safety at that time, for she will be protected by the Antichrist (Ezek. 38:11). At that time, he will be the ruler of a ten-nation alliance, "The United States of Europe" (Rev. 17:12-13). Russia, of course, will be soundly beaten, not by Israel, but by Almighty God. When the Antichrist sees that his great enemy, Russia, has been beaten, he will take advantage of the opportunity and move into Israel, breaking his covenant and taking over the temple.
The readers of this prophecy in the latter days will know what to do: Get out of Judea! These instructions are similar to those given in Luke 21:20ff, but they refer to a different time period. Luke's instructions apply to the siege of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, and the "sign" was the gathering of the armies around the city. Matthew's instructions apply to Jewish believers in the middle of the Tribulation, and the "sign" is the desecration of the temple by the image of the Antichrist. Those who have confused those two "sign events" have ended up believing that Jesus Christ returned in a.d. 70!
This entire paragraph relates only to Jews, for no Christian believer would worry about breaking a Sabbath law. This event ushers in "the Great Tribulation," the last half of Daniel's seventieth week, when the judgments of God will be hurled on the earth. During the first three-and-one-half years of the Tribulation, the judgments were natural: wars, famines, earthquakes, etc. But during the last half, the judgments will be supernatural and devastating.
During this period, God will care for His elect (Matt. 24:22), referring to Jews and Gentiles who believe and are converted. "The elect" here does not refer to the church since the church will have been raptured at least three-and-one-half years previously.
The End of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:23-44)
World conditions will be so terrible that men will wonder if any relief will come, and this will give false christs opportunities to deceive many. Satan is capable of performing "lying wonders" (2 Thes. 2:9-12; Rev. 13:13-14). The fact that a religious leader performs miracles is no assurance that he has come from God. Many Jews will be deceived, for "the Jews require a sign" (1 Cor. 1:22). Jesus performed true signs in His Father's name, and the nation rejected Him (John 12:37ff). Satan's miracles they will accept.
Matthew 24:27 indicates that the return of Jesus to the earth will be sudden, like a stroke of lightning. The event that precedes His return is the gathering of the Gentile nations at Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:llff). The eagles flying around the carcass picture the awful carnage that will result from this great battle (Rev. 19:17-19). The cosmic changes mentioned in Matthew 24:29 precede the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
We are not told what "the sign of the Son of man in heaven" is, but the people on earth at that time will recognize it. When Jesus comes for the church, He will come in the air and His people will be caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Thes. 4:17). But our Lord's second coming at the end of the Tribulation will be a great public event, with every eye seeing Him (Rev. 1:7).
This event will have special meaning for Israel. Jesus will return at that hour when Israel is about to be defeated by the Gentile armies (Zech. 12). He will rescue His people, and they will see Him and recognize that He is their Messiah (Zech. 12:9-14). There will be a national repentance, national cleansing, and national restoration under the gracious leadership of their Messiah.
We must not confuse the trumpet of Matthew 24:31 with the "trump of God" mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. "His elect" in Matthew 24:31 refers to people on earth, Jews and Gentiles, who have trusted Christ and been saved. In the Old Testament, Israel's movements were announced by trumpet signals (Num. 10; Joel 2:1ff). Israel has been a scattered people for many centuries. The angels will gather Israel with trumpets just as the priests did in Old Testament times (Lev. 23:23-25).
Scholars of prophecy do not agree on all the details of future events. But the following summary is a fair representation of what many prophetic scholars believe as to the order of events:
1. The Rapture of the church (1 Cor. 15:51-58; 1 Thes. 4:13-18). This can occur at any time.
2. The leader of the ten European nations makes a seven-year agreement with Israel (Dan. 9:26-27).
3. After three-and-one-half years, he breaks the agreement (Dan. 9:27).
4. He moves to Jerusalem and sets up his image in the temple (2 Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 13).
5. The Antichrist begins to control the world and forces all people to worship and obey him. At this time God sends great tribulation upon the earth (Matt. 24:21).
6. The nations gather at Armageddon to fight Israel, but see the sign of Christ's coming and unite to fight Him (Zech. 12; Rev. 13:13-14; 19:llff).
7. Jesus returns to the earth, defeats His enemies, is received by the Jews, and establishes His kingdom on earth (Rev. 19:llff; Zech. 12:7-13:1). He will reign on earth for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-5).
The purpose of prophecy is not to entertain the curious, but to encourage the consecrated. Jesus closed this section of His discourse with three practical admonitions, built around three illustrations: a fig tree, Noah, and a thief in the night. Matthew 24:36 makes it clear that no one will know the day or the hour of the Lord's coming. But they can be aware of the movements of events and not be caught by surprise.
The fig tree (vv. 32-35). Luke 21:29 reads, "Behold the fig tree and all the trees" (nasb). The fig tree in the Bible is often a picture of Israel (Hosea 9:10; Luke 13:6-10); and the other trees would picture the nations of the world. Perhaps our Lord was suggesting that increased nationalism will be one of the signs of the end times. Certainly future events cast their shadows before them. "And when these things begin to come to pass" (Luke 21:28, italics mine) suggests that a sign need not be full-blown before it is important to God's people.
The budding of the trees indicates that summer is near. The beginning of these signs indicates that the Lord's coming is near. The generation alive on earth at that time will see these events take place. Our generation sees a foreshadowing of these signs. We do not look for signs as such; we look for the Saviour (Phil. 3:20). Jesus can come for His church at any time.
The days of Noah (vv. 36-42). Here the emphasis is on the fact that the people did not know the day when judgment would strike. Noah and his family in the ark are a picture of God's miraculous preservation of Israel during the awful time of the Tribulation. (Enoch is a picture of the church which is raptured before the Tribulation—Gen. 5:21-24; Heb. 11:5; 1 Thes. 1:10; 5:1-10.)
What kept the people from listening to Noah's message and obeying? The common interests of life—eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage. They lost the best by living for the good. It is a dangerous thing to get so absorbed in the pursuits of life that we forget Jesus is coming.
The verb "taken" in Matthew 24:39-41 means "taken away in judgment." Do not apply these verses to the Rapture of the church when believers are caught up in the air to meet the Lord. During the Tribulation, a division will take place: Some people will perish in judgment (be taken away), while others will remain to enter into the kingdom. The use of "took them all away" in Matthew 24:39 makes this clear.
The thief in the night (vv. 42-44). Jesus used Noah to warn that men will not know the day, and He used the picture of the burglar to warn that they will not know the hour. After the Rapture of the church, there will be a time of peace and safety on earth (1 Thes. 5:1ff). Then suddenly God's judgments will fall (2 Peter 3:10ff).
People alive on earth during the Tribulation period will be able, from the Scriptures, to tell the drift of events; but they will not be able to calculate the exact day or hour of Christ's return. Added to this is the fact that the days will be "shortened... for the elect's sake" (Matt. 24:22). This may mean fewer days of tribulation, or it may mean fewer hours so that the people on earth suffer a bit less (Rev. 8:12).
When we combine the exhortations found in these three pictures, we end up with: "Know that He is near! Watch therefore! Be ye also ready!" Believers alive during that period of history will certainly find great comfort in the promises of the Word of God.
While the interpretation of this section relates to Israel during the Tribulation, we may apply the Word to our own hearts. We do not know when our Lord will return for His church. Therefore, we must be alert, watchful, and faithful. Jesus dealt with this in detail in the next section of the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:45-25:30).
How grateful we ought to be that God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation when Jesus Christ appears. He has saved us from the wrath to come (1 Thes. 1:10; 5:9-10). As the people of God, we will certainly go through tribulation (John 16:33; Acts 14:22), but not the Tribulation.
![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif)
The King's Return—Part 2
Matthew 24:45-25:46
We noted that the "atmosphere" of the first section of the Olivet Discourse was definitely Jewish. A careful reading of this section indicates that the "atmosphere" has changed. Jesus had been describing the sign-events of the Tribulation period, and had named one judgment after another, culminating in His return to earth. But in this section, the emphasis is on the Lord delaying His return (Matt. 24:48; 25:5, 19).
It seems reasonable to assign Matthew 24:45-25:30 to our present age of the church, during which time it appears that the Lord is delaying His return (2 Peter 3). The closing section (Matt. 25:31-46) describes the judgment the Lord will execute when He returns to earth. In general, the teachings in the Olivet Discourse relate to the Jews (Matt. 24:4-44), the professing church (Matt. 24:45-25:30), and the Gentile nations (Matt 25:31-46). This corresponds with the threefold division of mankind mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:32. We have already studied in detail our Lord's coming as it relates to Israel, so let us look at it in the two remaining relationships.
Christ's Coming and the Professing Church (Matt. 24:45-25:30)
We must not be surprised that our Lord suddenly changed from discussing His return as it relates to Israel to His return as it relates to the church. It is not uncommon in Scripture for a speaker or writer to change emphasis right in the middle of a sentence. For example, the entire Church Age occurs in the time period between the words given and and in Isaiah 9:6. A similar "leap" is seen in Isaiah 61:2, where the Church Age takes place in the period between the "year of the Lord" and the "day of vengeance."
In the section devoted to Israel, Jesus described primarily the outward events of the period; in this section, He described inward attitudes. While everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour is going to heaven (John 3:16-18; 17:24), not every believer is ready to meet the Lord.
When Jesus Christ returns and takes His church to heaven, He will sit on His judgment seat and judge His own people (Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:8-11). He will not judge our sins, because these have already been judged on the cross (Rom. 8:1-4). But He will judge our works and will give rewards to those who have earned them (1 Cor. 3:9-15). These parables suggest that Jesus will judge three different groups of professed believers.
Obedient and disobedient servants (vv. 45-51). God's people on earth are called a household (Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19). God has put servants over each household to feed the members. This suggests to us the local church family with its spiritual leaders. The purpose of spiritual leadership is that the leaders feed the people, not that the people feed the leaders! The Apostle Peter caught this truth and emphasized it in his first letter (1 Peter 5:1-4).
It is a serious thing to be a pastor or other officer in a local church. We must take care that our motives are right and that we serve Christ and His people in love. Both in word and deed, we must lead the family in the right way (Heb. 13:7-8). The members of the family should submit to spiritual leadership, because one day both people and leaders will face the Judgment Seat of Christ (Heb. 13:17).
The servant's task is not to be popular, but to be obedient. He must feed the family the food that it needs, when it needs it. He should bring out of his "spiritual cupboard" things new and old (Matt. 13:52). Some Bible teachers, in their search for something new and exciting, forget the nutrition of the old truths of the Word. But other ministers are so wrapped up in the old that they fail to discover the new insights and new applications of the old truths. The new grows out of the old, and the old is made more meaningful by the new.
If the spiritual leader is obediently doing his job when the Lord returns, he shall be rewarded. But if that leader is not doing his job when the Lord returns, he will be dealt with in a severe way. I prefer to translate Matthew 24:51: "And shall punish him severely and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites." (Even in that day of despotic rule, it would be unthinkable for a master to cut his servant in half.) The whole picture is one of pain and loss. This does not suggest punitive measures at the Judgment Seat of Christ, because there we will have glorified bodies. But it does suggest loss of reward and loss of opportunity.
Jesus did not amplify the truth here, but from other Scriptures we learn that one reward for obedient service will be ministry in the kingdom that He will establish on earth (Luke 19:llff). The reward for obedient service is the capacity for greater service. Not to have a place of ministry in His kingdom would, to me, be a tremendous loss.
What caused this servant's downfall? Something went wrong in his heart: He ceased to expect his Lord to return (Matt. 24:48). He lived like the world and mistreated his fellow servants. Whenever God's servants cannot work together, it is often because somebody has forgotten that the Lord will return. Looking for His appearing, and loving His appearing, should motivate us to be faithful and loving (1 Thes. 2:19-20; 1 John 2:28).
Wise and foolish witnesses (vv. 1-13). A wedding in that day had two parts. First, the bridegroom and his friends would go from his house to claim the bride from her parents. Then the bride and groom would return to the groom's house for the marriage feast. The suggestion here is that the groom has already claimed his bride and is now on his way back home. However, we must not press the image of the church as a bride too far, because much of this truth was not revealed until the ministry of Paul (Eph. 5:22ff).
The church has known for 2,000 years that Jesus is coming again, and yet many believers have become lethargic and drowsy. They are no longer excited about the soon-coming of the Lord. As a result, there is little effective witness given that the Lord is returning.
The oil for burning reminds us of the special oil used in the tabernacle services (Ex. 27:20-21). Oil is usually a symbol of the Spirit of God, but I wonder if this particular oil is not also a symbol of the Word of God. The church should be "holding forth the word of life" in this dark and wicked world (Phil. 2:12-16). We need to keep the word of His patience (Rev. 3:10) and keep witnessing of the return of Jesus Christ.
When the bridegroom and bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil. "Our lamps are going out!" they cried. The bridesmaids who had oil were able to light their lamps and keep them shining bright. It was they who entered into the wedding feast and not the foolish girls who had no oil. This suggests that not every professing Christian will enter heaven, for some really have not trusted Jesus Christ sincerely. Without the Spirit of God and the Word of God, there can be no true salvation.
Jesus ended this parable with the warning He had uttered before: "Watch" (Matt. 24:42; 25:13). This does not mean standing on a mountaintop gazing at the heavens (Acts 1:9-11). It means "to stay awake and be alert" (Matt. 26:38-41).
Profitable and unprofitable servants (vv. 14-30). This parable must not be confused with the Parable of the Pounds (Luke 19:11-27) though the two parables do have similarities. Please note that each servant in this parable was given money (a talent was worth about twenty years' wages) according to his ability. The man with much ability was given five talents; the man with average ability received two talents; the man with minimal ability received one talent.
The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities. If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility. But if only one talent were given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced and degraded. God assigns work and opportunity according to ability. We are living in the period of time between Matthew 25:18 and 19. We have been assigned our ministries according to the abilities and gifts God has given us. It is our privilege to serve the Lord and multiply His goods.
The three servants fell into two categories: faithful and unfaithful. The faithful servants took their talents and put them to work for their Lord. The unfaithful servant hid his talent in the earth. Instead of using his opportunities, he buried them! He did not purposely do evil. But by doing nothing, he was committing sin and robbing his Lord of service and increase.
The two men who put their money to work each received the same commendation (Matt. 25:21, 23). It was not the portion but the proportion that made the difference. They started as servants, but their Lord promoted them to rulers. They were faithful with a few things, so the Lord trusted them with many things. They had worked and toiled, and now they entered into joy. Their faithfulness gave each of them a capacity for greater service and responsibility.
The third servant was unfaithful and therefore was unrewarded. Because this man was afraid he might fail, he never tried to succeed. He feared life and his responsibilities. This paralyzed him with anxiety, so he buried the talent to protect it. The least he could have done was put the money in a bank and collect some interest. There was no real risk in that.
What we do not use for the Lord, we are in danger of losing. The master reprimanded the unfaithful, unprofitable servant, and then took his talent from him. The man with the most talents received the extra talent.
Some feel that this unprofitable servant was not a true believer. But it seems that he was a true servant, even though he proved to be unprofitable. The "outer darkness" of Matthew 25:30 need not refer to hell, even though that is often the case in the Gospels (Matt. 8:12; 22:13). It is dangerous to build theology on parables, for parables illustrate truth in vivid ways. The man was dealt with by the Lord, he lost his opportunity for service, and he gained no praise or reward. To me, that is outer darkness.
It is possible that the one-talent man thought that his one talent was not really very important. He did not have five talents, or even two. Why worry about one? Because he was appointed as a steward by the Lord. Were it not for the one-talent people in our world, very little would get accomplished. His one talent could have increased to two and brought glory to his master.
These three parables encourage us to love His appearing, look for His appearing, and labor faithfully until He comes. We should be watching, witnessing, and working. We may not be successful in the eyes of men, or even popular with others. But if we are faithful and profitable, we shall receive our reward.
Christ's Coming and the Gentile Nations (Matt. 25:31-46)
This section explains to us how Jesus Christ will judge the Gentile nations. The word nations in Matthew 25:32 means "Gentiles," and it is in the neuter gender in the Greek. The word them in that same verse is in the masculine. This means that the nations will be gathered before Jesus Christ, but He will judge them as individuals. This will not be a judgment of groups (Germany, Italy, Japan, etc.) but of individuals within these nations.
We must not confuse this judgment with the Great White Throne Judgment described in Revelation 20:11-15. Some scholars merge both passages and call this "the general judgment." The Bible knows nothing of a "general judgment." This judgment takes place on earth immediately after the Battle of Armageddon. The White Throne Judgment takes place in space somewhere ("the earth and the heaven fled away," Rev. 20:11). The judgment here in Matthew 25 takes place before the kingdom is established on earth, for the saved are told to "inherit the kingdom" |(Matt. 25:34). The White Throne Judgment will take place after the 1,000-year reign oil Christ (Rev. 20:7ff).
There is another error we must avoid. We must not force this passage to teach salvation by good works. A superficial reading would give the impression that helping one's neighbor is sufficient to earn salvation and go to heaven. But this is not the message of this passage. Nobody at any time in the history of the world was ever saved by good works.
The Old Testament saints were saved by faith (Heb. 11); the New Testament saints were saved by faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-10). People today are saved the same way. The gospel of "do good" is not a scriptural message. It is right for believers to do good (Gal. 6:10; Heb. 13:16), but this is not the way unbelievers can be saved.
If we keep in mind the three groups in the account, it will help to solve this problem: There were sheep, goats, and brethren. Who are these people that the King dares to call "My brethren"? It seems likely that they are the believing Jews from the Tribulation period. These are people who will hear the message of the 144,000 and trust Jesus Christ. Since these believing Jews will not receive the "mark of the beast" (Rev. 13:16-17), they will be unable to buy or sell. How, then, can they survive? Through the loving care of the Gentiles who have trusted Christ and who care for His brethren.
The interesting thing about this judgment is that the sheep individuals are surprised at what they hear. They will not remember having seen the Lord Jesus Christ and ministering to His needs. But just as they lovingly ministered to the believing Jews, they did it to Christ. Their motive was not reward, but sacrificial love. In fact, these Gentiles took their own lives in their hands when they welcomed the homeless Jews and cared for them. "He that receiveth you receiveth Me," Jesus said to His disciples (Matt. 10:40); and surely this would also apply to His brethren.
The individuals designated goats were judged because they did not trust Jesus Christ and give evidence of that faith by caring for His brethren. They apparently received the mark of the beast and took care of themselves and their own, but they had no time for the Jewish remnant that was suffering on earth (Rev. 12:17). There are sins of omission as well as sins of commission (James 4:17). Not doing good is the moral equivalent of doing evil.
When we compare the two judicial sentences (Matt. 25:34, 41), we discover some interesting truths. To being with, the sheep were blessed of the Father; but it does not say that the goats were "cursed of the Father." The sheep inherit the kingdom, and inheritance is based on birth. Because they had been born again through faith, they inherited the kingdom.
This kingdom was prepared for these saved individuals, but Matthew 25:41 does not state that the everlasting fire was prepared for the goats. It was prepared for the devil and his angels (Rev. 20:10). God never prepared hell for people. There is no evidence from Scripture that God predestines people to go to hell. If sinners listen to Satan, and follow his ways, they will end up where he ends up—in the torments of hell. There are only two eternal destinies: everlasting punishment for those who reject Christ or eternal life for those who trust Him.
The sheep will be ushered into the kingdom to share in Christ's glory. The church will be reigning with Christ, and Israel will enjoy the fulfillment of the promises made through the prophets. All of creation will share in the glorious liberty of God's children (Rom. 8:19-21). Jesus Christ will rule from David's throne in Jerusalem (Luke 1:30-33), and peace will reign for 1,000 years (Isa. 11).
As we look back over the Olivet Discourse, we should review several facts. To begin with, God is not finished with the people of Israel. Jesus made it clear in this sermon that Israel would be purified and brought to faith in the Messiah. God has not cast away His people (Rom. 11:1ff).
Second, the Old Testament promises of the kingdom will be fulfilled. The Tribulation period will be a very difficult time for people on the earth. But it will be "travail" in preparation for the birth of the kingdom. The suffering will lead to glory.
Third, God is going to judge this world. He is not sending cataclysmic judgments today because this is a day of grace when His message is, "Be you reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:14ff). The heavens are silent because man's sins have already been judged at the Cross. God has spoken once and for all through His Son, and He will not speak to this earth again until He sends His judgments during the Tribulation.
Fourth, we as Christians and members of His church are not looking for signs. "The Jews require a sign" (1 Cor. 1:22). There will be no signs given prior to the sudden return of Christ in the air for His church. However, as we see some of these Tribulation signs beginning ("When these things begin to take place," Luke 21:28, nasb), we feel that the end is not far away. It seems that international tensions and problems are increasing to the point where the world will cry out for a dictator, and Satan will have his candidate ready.
Finally, no matter what view of prophecy we take, we know that Jesus is coming again. As Christians, we must be alert and ready. We must not waste our opportunities. We may not have a great deal of ability or a great many gifts, but we can still be faithful in the calling He has given us.
Wiersbe
Bible Exposition Commentary - Be Loyal (Matthew).
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged | 
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
