Sheep and Goat Judgment |
Created Date: 15-Apr-2020 |
Last updated: 11-Apr-2021 |
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There is a scriptural passage, Matthew 25:31-46, that is given as a parable on how Jesus Christ will judge when He comes back to Earth, which is known as the "Sheep and Goat Judgment" at the Second Coming.
The Second Coming event occurs at the end of the Tribulation Period. In order for Jesus Christ to come back then Israel would have had to recognize Jesus Christ as their Savior whom they pierced (killed), Zechariah 12:10, where many Biblical Scholars state that the primary purpose of the Tribulation Period is for Israel to recognize their Messiah.
Zechariah 12:10 | And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. |
Matthew 25:31 | But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And 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. |
Note that Jesus Christ will be ruling during the 1000-year Millennial Kingdom of Christ so He will have already returned, which confirms the passage is dealing with the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation Period.
This passage in the Sheep and Goat Judgment Parable informs us that those who took care of others were also thus doing it unto Jesus Christ.
Matthew 25:40 | The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. |
This passage in the Sheep and Goat Judgment Parable informs us that those who did not take care of others were not taking care of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 25:45 | He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. |
There are some Biblical Commentaries that state incorrectly that the Sheep and Goat Judgment means that Jesus Christ is judging differently during the Tribulation Period based on a person's works in life that were good or bad towards Israel. This cannot be the correct interpretation because it would contradict other scriptures. A person has to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior to receive the inheritance mentioned in the passage. Additionally no one is good according to Romans 3:10. Throughout the history of the classic Dispensations, Jesus Christ has always been the requirement for Salvation.
Romans 3:10 | As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. |
The naming in Biblical Commentaries of this passage as the Sheep and Goat Judgment is because of Matthew 25:31 reference of sheep and goats. The passage in this author's opinion is conveying these important truths:
James 2:14-17 | 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. |
Matthew 25:26 | Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? |
1 Corinthians 3:16 | Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? |
People who are alive at the end of the Tribulation Period or die during the Tribulation Period will fall into one these four categories:
The Antichrist and the False Prophet are the exception of how they are handled, where they will be thrown alive into the Lake of Fire. Many Biblical Scholars state that they are the first two humans to be cast there. There is a debate between Biblical Scholars if these two men will be brought out of the Lake of Fire to have their Judgment by Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne of Judgment. This author believes that will happen to the two of them.
As mentioned, there are some differences of opinions in some scriptural commentaries regarding Mathew 25:31, that somehow the "sheep" can be righteous without Faith in Jesus Christ because they helped or protected Israel during the Tribulation Period. During the Tribulation Period there will be many Jewish people saved, and if they are being helped by Gentiles, then the Gentiles will be told about Jesus Christ so that they can make a decision to believe on Jesus Christ or not. Jewish people alive at the end of the Tribulation Period, will have been told about Jesus Christ which is why they made to the end of the Tribulation Period alive.
Scriptures do not contradict scriptures. Based on the entirety of scriptures, regarding righteousness, the sheep group has to be those who have Faith in Jesus Christ or those who are under the Age of Accountability. Those who have Faith in Jesus Christ will be made up those in Israel along with many Gentiles on the Earth.
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