Justice and Judgment

GOLDEN TEXT: “For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” —Psalm 1:6

MATTHEW 25:31-46

THE Parable of the Sheep and the Goats will have its fulfillment during the thousand-year reign of Christ, the Millennium. This is indicated by the first verse of the parable, which reads, “When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” At his first advent the Son of Man did not come in his glory, in the sense of being seated on the throne of his glory. He came in humiliation, as a servant, and suffered the ignominious death of the cross.

The “holy angels” who share Christ’s glory, and are seated on the throne with him, are his footstep followers of this age, those who suffer and die with him in order that they might live and reign with him. (II Tim. 2:11,12) The Greek word translated “angels” simply means “messengers,” and the Scriptures reveal that the messengers who will share Christ’s glory will be his faithful followers.—Rom. 8:17,18

Since the Gospel-age followers of the Master are shown with him in this parable, the “nations” which are gathered before him do not include them. Indeed, Jesus promised that believers would not come into judgment with the world. (John 5:24 Revised Version) This means that the future judgment is exclusively for the unbelieving world of mankind—all those, that is, who did not become followers of Jesus during the present age.

The separation of these during the judgment day into two groups, as symbolized by the “sheep” and the “goats” of the parable, is not based on their past belief or works, but to their reaction to the righteous laws and arrangements of the judgment day period. And the judgment “day” is a thousand years long not twenty-four hours. During that thousand years all mankind will be given ample opportunity to conform to the laws of God, accept Jesus as their Redeemer, and upon this basis become qualified to live forever.

This is a parable. The sheep and goats are symbolic, so are the “works accredited to the sheep class. Their having clothed the destitute, and having fed the hungry, and having visited the sick and those in prison, reveals their spirit of unselfishness and desire to serve others. This shows them to be in harmony with the spirit of that new world, a world in which love will take the place of selfishness in human motivation and activity.

Thus symbolically, the parable reveals that the sheep class are those who, when enlightened and given full opportunity, open their hearts to the Lord, and become filled and controlled by his Spirit, the Spirit of love, reflected in acts of service for others.

The sheep class are revealed as not being aware of any virtuous works which they had performed. This indicates that the principle of love becomes, as it were, a part of them. They do not serve for reward, but because it becomes their nature to serve. It will be thus with all in whose “inward parts” the law of God is written.—Jer. 31:31-34

The reward received by the sheep class is twofold—the “kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world,” and “life eternal.” (vss. 34,46) The “kingdom,” or dominion, was the one given to Adam when he was created, and which he forfeited through disobedience. (Gen. 1:27,28) Because of his sin, Adam was driven from Eden to prevent him from partaking of the trees of life and living forever. But Jesus, through his redeeming blood, opened the way for the restoration of the lost dominion and, symbolically speaking, a return to Eden, where there will be “life eternal.”

The goat class fails to enter into the spirit of the new world under Christ. In that “land of uprightness” they will continue to flout the laws of God and of righteousness.

Concerning these willful sinners Peter said, “It shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear [obey] that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) This destruction of those who_ prove themselves to be incorrigible is symbolized in our lesson by “everlasting fire.” In the Bible, fire always symbolizes destruction.—vs. 41

This destruction in symbolic fire is described in verse 46 as “everlasting punishment.” According to Prof. Strong, the Greek word here translated “punishment” literally means “penal infliction.” The penal infliction administered by God is death. (Rom. 6:23) In this case it will be eternal death, with no hope of a resurrection.

QUESTIONS

To which age in the plan of God does the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats apply?

Who are the “angels” who are with Jesus in the throne of his glory?

Who are represented by the sheep and the goats?

What is the reward of the sheep class and the punishment of the goat class?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |