THE SHEEP, THE GOATS, AND THE JUDGMENT

12-18-16 This message may be viewed live streaming video at www.tabernacleofmoses.org commencing today Sunday at 11:00am, and repeated 24/7 for one week; thereafter, the audio and notes without video are archived.

The brightness of our revelations depends upon the correctness of our doctrines (our building blocks)

1. Study the Bible         Mat 25:1-13                  Delivered 12-04-16                

2. Serve Me                   Mat 25:14-30                Delivered 12-11-16

3. Serve my People        Mat 25:31-46                Delivered 12-18-16 (today)

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

(Mat 25:31-33)  When the Son of man [Jesus Christ] shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

1.     Commentary: The flock of Jesus Christ (“I am the good shepherd” John 10:11,14) consists of sheep (saved believers) and goats (unsaved non-believers). It is the shepherd’s (the under-shepherd to Jesus)  responsibility to search out nourishing food for his flock by discovering (thru revelations) lush fertile pastures (i.e., good ground bearing fruitful doctrines), and then leading his flock to the revealed “good ground” pasture described in “the parable of the sower” (Mat 13:18). The flock, shepherd-less and on their own are lost upon “the way” and can find no healthy nourishing sustenance either “by the wayside” or “on stony ground” or “among thorns.” Happy compliant sheep will safely dine on fruit abundantly produced on “good ground” under a vigilant shepherd’s protective gaze, whereas the unhappy rebellious goats will eat (take in) almost anything, including tin cans (definitely not nourishing), garbage, and other harmful things (sticks, stones, etc.).

(Mat 13:15-17)  For this people's heart is waxed gross [Gk: thick, thickening, rendered callous], and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal [Gk: cure: make whole] them. But blessed [Gk: happy] are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them [i.e., revelations are progressive (built up one upon another)].

1.     (Psa 127:1)  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain [Heb: uselessness] that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

PASTURES IN WHICH THE FLOCK FEEDS

(Mat 13:18,19)  Hear ye therefore the parable  of the sower [Gk: to scatter]. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away [Gk: harpazo; to seize: pluck, pull, take by force] [comp. “caught up” 1 Thes 4:17; Rev 12:5] that which was sown in his heart [Gk: the thoughts or feelings (mind)] [“lest they should believe and be saved” Luke 8:12]. This is he which received seed by the way side [Gk: the road side] [i.e., walking pathways running alongside the fields (pastures)].

1.     parable = Gk: similitude, fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral): comparison.

a.     (Luke 8:11)  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

2.     “the wicked one” = “the fowls” Mat 13:4; “the wicked one” Mat 13:19; “the fowls of the air” Mark 4:4 & Luke 8:5; “Satan” Mark 4:15; “the devil” Luke 8:12.

3.     Commentary: God seeks to attach us to His Word, Satan seeks to separate us from God’s Word. His Word is Jesus Christ (John 1:14).

(Mat 13:20,21)  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root [Jesus Christ: Rev 5:5, 22:16] in himself, but dureth [endures] for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word [i.e., Jesus Christ (John 1:14)], by and by he is offended [Gk: entrapped, tripped up, stumbles or enticed to sin].

1.     (Luke 8:13)  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation [Gk: a putting to proof: testing] fall away [Gk: remove, instigate to revolt; desert: depart, withdraw self].

 (Mat 13:22)  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care [Gk: distractions] of this world [Gk: aion] [vs. kosmos], and the deceitfulness of riches, choke  the word, and he becometh unfruitful [Gk: barren: without fruit].

1.     choke = Gk: to strangle completely /// take by the throat.

(Mat 13:23)  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty [times the sown seed].

THE SHEEP

(Mat 25:34-36)  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand [the sheep], Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared [Gk: made ready] for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

(Mat 25:37-40)  Then shall the righteous [sheep] answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily [Gk: truth] I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me [a one-body concept; ref. “as one man” Judg 6:16, the Body of Christ].

THE GOATS

(Mat 25:41-43)  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand [the rebellious goats, the five foolish virgins (Mat 25:1-13)], Depart from me [“the unprofitable servant” Mat 25:14-30], ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

1.     (Psa 104:4)  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

a.     (Jer 23:29)  Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

2.     (Heb 1:7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

3.     (Rev 20:15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [because they (the goats) remain Satan’s fallen unconverted angels].

THE JUDGMENT

(Mat 25:44-46)  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Amen