The Judgement of the Gentiles
Posted By Joe on January 19, 2009
Growing up, I heard the words from the book of Matthew about "when you did for the least of my brethren, you did it for Me." I always thought it was just verses about Christian charity and helping out those in need. While those are worthwhile pursuits to be sure, that is not the true heart of the message of those verses.
Matthew 25 is part of a long discourse Jesus makes about the end times and Great Tribulation. It starts in chapter 24 and ends with chapter 25. Beginning with verse 31, Jesus is prophesying the future judgment of the Gentiles (everyone who is not Jewish). Specifically, those Gentiles who survive the Great Tribulation and whose faith is evidenced by their treatment of the Jews during those days.
"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 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; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left." Matthew 25:31-33.
The sheep symbolize those who do his will. The goats are those who do not. Keep in mind the differences between sheep and goats.
Sheep...
- have a natural inclination to follow a leader to new pastures.
- tend to congregate close to members of their flock.
- are also food-oriented, and when associated with people, causes them to solicit people for food.
- have a strong lead-follow tendency, and a leader is often not simply the first sheep to move.
- can become stressed when separated from their flock members.
- can recognize individual human faces and remember them for years.
Goats on the other hand...
- are extremely curious and intelligent.
- are also known for escaping their pens.
- will test fences, either intentionally or simply because they are handy to climb on.
- if any of the fencing can be spread, pushed over or down, or otherwise be overcome, the goats will escape.
In other words, you can see the differences in behaviors, thus sheep and goats are commonly used as examples throughout the Bible.
Jesus continues:
"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, ' Truly I sat 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.'" Matthew 25:34-40.
So, we see this verse now in its proper light: at the end of the age. What I think gets forgotten sometimes is that the Jews are Christ's brothers. I shudder to think of the judgment people will come under based on their treatment of the people of Israel. They are God's chosen people. No one else can make that claim. As Christians, we are also heirs to this.
Another cute phrase some people use is "he/she is the apple of my eye." Well, as endearing at that is, you have to put it into proper perspective and realize where that phrase came from.
For thus says the Lord of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. Zechariah 2:8
Yes, "apple of my eye" came from the Bible! Moreoever, the Jews are the apple of God's eye! Wow! How's that for favored!
The goats in Matthew 25 don't fare as well as the sheep.
"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, '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.' These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:41-46.
A few observations here. First, hell is a real place. But hell was never created for people. Christ clearly states in verse 41 that hell "has been prepared for the devil and his angels." However, in these verses, those who did not take care of the Jews during the Tribulation will spend an eternity in hell! There is no sugar coating that. It's plainly spoken in these verses.
Secondly, in verse 44, we see a complete neglect of duty when they ask when they "did not take care of [Him]?" This is in direct contrast with verse 37, when the sheep are unconscious of their good deeds. In other words, there is no self-righteousness displayed.
These can either be sobering verses are comforting ones. Either way, they are yet future. You cannot say that no one told you or warned you of what was to come. May we all take better care of each other, before those dark days. May He Increase!
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