There is a parable which exactly corresponds to the prophecy of Matthew 25:31-46. It is the parable of the dragnet pulling up the different fish from the sea.
Remember, that in the millennium the overcoming saints thus rewarded and the saved Jews will be the kings and priests respectively co-reigning with Christ.
They have to have someones to serve. The have to have someones over whom they reign. The someones over which they reign and serve are the peoples both left alive from the great tribulation who Christ justifies and the people BORN during that 1,000 year.
This parable tells us about Christ bringing these people OUT of the former age and INTO the new age of the millennial kingdom.
" Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a net cast into the sea and gathering from every species, Which, when it was filled, they brought onto the shore, and sat down and collected the good into vessels; but the foul they cast out.
So it will be at the consummation of the age: the angels will go forth and separate the evil from the midst of the righteous, And will cast them into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:47-50)
This parable does not refer to the final judgment of the great white throne at the conclusion of the millennium. It refers to the same event as the King separating the sheep from the goats among people LIVING on the earth by the time of Christ's return.
The sea into which the net is cast signifies the Gentile nations.
The bad fish correspond to the goats who were persecuting the Lord's brothers down to even the least of them. The good fish corresponds to the sheep who were kind to the Lord's brothers down to the least of them.
What is most untraditional about this interpretation (of which I am convinced is accurate) is that the good fish or the saved sheep are said to enter into eternal life.
As a brief, concise explanation of the dragnet parable (Matt. 13:47-50) I would say:
1.) There has to be some people to serve as inhabitants during the millennium over whom Christ's government exists as His kingdom.
2.) Too many of prophecies of the reign of the Messiah speak of the nations being healed, restored, worshipping, benefitted or in some way the recipients of God's restoration and reigning over the earth.
3.) We must remember that man as he was originally created entered into a kingdom prepared on the earth. Had not Adam sinned there appears no reason why his descendants would have died.
4.) The most crucial point briefly stated: To EAT of the tree of life is to receive the Triune God into our being. Whereas to be healed by the leaves of the tree of life means to be restored to the good state of man as he was created.
5.) The healed and blessed inhabitants of this coming kingdom other than the sons of God are the living nations who respond to the eternal gospel preached from the angel of Rev. 14:6-7 who are also the sheep and the good fish drawn in from the sea.
Therefore some nations will not have the eternal life enter into them but they will be healed and restored and enter into an everlastng life as originally prepared for the innocent Adam and Eve.
" And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. " (Rev. 22:2)
The sons of God eat the fruit of the tree of life - meaning they take God as divine life INTO them.
The ruled over nations are healed by the leaves of the tree of life- meaning that they are blessed deeply by the co-reigning of the sons of God with the King Jesus, who is Himself the Firstborn Son of God. This is to occur both in the millennium and in the eternal age of the new heaven and new earth.
-Removed-I thought I answered that question adequately.
You should not mistake your not reading carefully for my evading a question.
Read again carefully what I wrote:
"The eternal gospel, which will be preached during the time of the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21) differs from the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24) preached in the church age. The basic contents of the gospel of grace are repentance unto God and faith in the Lord Jesus (Acts 20:21) that men may be forgiven of their sins and be born again as the children of God (Luke 24:47; John 1:12); whereas the basic content of the eternal gospel is that men should fear God and worship God that they may not be deceived and follow Antichrist but may be brought back to the genuine worship of God, who made heaven and earth (v.7). Only man is privileged to preach the gospel of grace on the earth today (Acts 10:3-6). But the eternal gospel will be preached by the angel in the air at the close of this age."
[Footnote 6(1), of Revelation 14:6, Recovery Version, Living Stream Ministry]
The word "vs" or "verses" might better be thought of as "differs".
For certainly a presentation of the Gospel of Grace includes that God is the Creator as well, though its focus is on the redemptive work of the Son of God.
Originally posted by KellyJayOkay. But I think you are able to ask pointed questions which will help bring out truths needed for a clearer understanding.
I'm trying to limit my battles to those worth winning. 🙂
If you ask something that I cannot reply to, I don't mind admitting that I can't. We know in part and we prophesy in part.
But if not, thanks for reading anyway.
-Removed-I have a suspicion that behind all this smoke and mirrors is some more of your "off-piste" mumbo-jumbo. But I'm happy to be proved wrong
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After reading this comment more than once I examined myself to see if my conscience convicts me of hiding anything. It doesn't. There is nothing sneaky going on. I'm not sure why you would think I am hiding something or presenting something in "smoke and mirrors."
Now there is plenty that I have not YET explained.
Now there are other things I have not YET written which I believe strengthen the case.
Not yet writing them is only a time matter and possibly me asking myself prayerfully - "Is anyone really paying attention?" matter.
There is more to explain.
I explained above that the parable of the dragnet in Matt 13:47-50 corresponds to the prophesy of Matt. 25:31-46. Now I want to explain more about this.
That is the last three parables of Matthew 13 cover succinctly Christ's dealing with three groups of human beings.
1.) The parable of the treasure hidden in a field (Matt. 13:44) concerns Christ's dealing with Israel . We will see why latter.
2.) The parable of the pearl brought in from the sea (Matt. 13:45-46) concerns Christ's dealing with the the church. We will see latter why.
3.) The last parable, the parable of the dragnet hauling life OUT of the sea onto the land to be separated (the good from the bad) (Matt. 13:47-50) concerns the nations (Gentiles) living on earth at the time of Christ's second coming.
Read the last three parable in Matt. 13:44 - 50.
As a matter of fact the whole chapter of Matthew 13 would be good to read to grasp what I am going to write.
Enjoy the Lord in the word.
Israel - God's treasure hidden in the earth:
" The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. " (Matt. 13:44)
The Christian church :
"Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant seeking fine pearls; And finding one pearl of great value. he went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Matt. 13:45.46)
The Eternal Gospel (Rev, 14:6,7) and its result for the Gentile nations living at the time of Christ's second coming:
"Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a net cast into the sea and gathering from every species.
Which, when it was filled, they brought onto the shore, and sat down and collected the good into vessels, but the foul they cast out.
So it will be at the consummation of the age: the angels will go forth and separate the evil from the midst of the righteous,
And will cast them into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. " (Matt. 13:47-50)
The first of the last three parables is about Israel.
"The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field ..."
The field is the earth created by God for His kingdom (Gen. 1:26-28). The man is Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Jesus found the kingdom of the heavens in Matt. 4:12 - 12:23 and HID it in 12:24 - 13:43 . In HIs joy the Son of God went to the cross in 16:21; 17:22-23' 20:18-19 to sell all that He had and to buy the field, meaning redeem the created and lost earth. for the kingdom.
Christ died to redeem the whole earth in which His treasure Israel was. The treasure hidden in the field must consist of gold and precious stones, the materials for the building of the church and the New Jerusalem (1 Cor. 3:12; Rev. 21:18-20) .
Christ did come to Israel as His treasure hidden in the earth. But in dying a redemptive death He purchased more than just Israel. For the sake of Israel He died to redeem the whole earth.
Christ went to the cross and sold all that He had in order to redeem the whole planet, yet for the sake of His kinsmen Israel.
" ... a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field."
The merchant seeking pearls is also Christ.
"Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant seeking fine pearls; And finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it." (vs.44,45)
The merchant is Christ, who was seeking the church for His kingdom. After finding it 16:18 and 18:17, He went to the cross and sold all that He had and bought it for the kingdom.
The pearl is produced in the death waters, meaning the world full of death. Pearls are produced in a living oyster which stands for the living Christ. Christ came to the bottom of a sea of death when He incarnated and came into the fallen world.
We the sinners are like the little rock wounding the oyster. We wounded Christ with our sins on His cross. He became sin for us and died on our behalf.
Like the oyster secrets a juice out of itself to surround that irritating little rock so Christ poured out His life for us. This secretion of life around the wounding rock is to produce material for the building of the New Jerusalem. The gates are twelve pearls which suggest the same meaning. We enter into the New Jerusalem through the "gates" of the poured out life of Christ in His redemption. His death is the life secreting event which ushers us into the eternal city.
He pours His life out for us and yet also pours out His life around us. The church is produced by Christ pouring out His life for and around the offending sinner.
The treasure his in the earth stands for Israel.
The pearl found in the sea stands for the church.
The dragnet of the varied species in the sea speaks of the nations living on earth. Some of them will be cast into damnation for following Antichrist. And some of them will be transferred into the next age being saved by Christ for heeding the eternal gospel of God the Creator during the great tribulation.
The parable of the treasure hidden in a field implies transformation. For the precious stones are made so by transformation.
The parable of the great pearl brought in from the sea also implies transformation. For the pearl is made from the secretion of life juice around the offending particle to develop a precious pearl around it.
So the treasure in the field and the pearl from the sea both speak of people being transformed.
But the fish of every species brought in from the sea come just as they are. The separators deal with the fish as they have beeb dragged up from the sea, as they are.
The first saved men we of Israel which Christ came as their Messiah. He died as the nation's Messiah and Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. The Jews who believed were transformed by His salvation.
The disciples of the Gentiles who believed into Christ were also transformed to be the church, the pearl of a great price.
The fish of every species brought in from the Gentiles by the dragnet, come up as they are. The good correspond to the sheep who respond positively to the eternal gospel and are kind to the Lord's brothers (even to the least of them). The bad fish correspond to the goats who respond negatively to the eternal gospel and follow Antichrist or are unkind to the Lord's brothers.
This judgment is at the consummation of the present age:
"So it will be at the consummation of the age" (v.49a)