Introductory remarks:
Chapter twenty-five presents' two parables (1) the parable of the ten virgins, and (2) the parable of the Talents, in answer to the disciples question in 24:3, What shall be the sign of thy coming? In verse 31 to the end of the chapter He teaches them of the judgment of the nations at the end of the Great Tribulation, and the separation of the unbelieving and the believing Jew. This chapter is a continuation of the Olivet Discourse. "The Olivet Discourse is Christ developing the eschatological program for the nation Israel" (Pentecost).
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Verse 1, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom."
LGT "Then the kingdom of the heavens will be made like ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom."
The word 'then' is a continuation of Christ dealing with Israel in chapter 24 at the end of the Great Tribulation. It is not my purpose to settle any controversy regarding the time and place of this meeting; there are many who believe this is taking place during the Millennial reign of Christ already in the Kingdom, however, I believe it is at the end of the Great Tribulation; others also believe the ten virgins represent all believers; however it seems to me that they represent Israel, as I have pointed out before, the entire Olivet Discourse is addressed to Israel. This parable is representing a test of the faith of the nation Israel, which will culminate at the end of the chapter beginning with verse 31 of separating the sheep from the goats. In this parable is pictured the Bridegroom with His bride [the Church].
McGee wrote:
"To better understand the custom in Israel during the New Testament period, we refer to the Peshitta, which is a Syriac version of the Bible. Although it is not a text to be recommended, it does shed light on some of the customs of the day. The Peshitta translation of the verse before us indicates that the virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom and the bride, which means that the bridegroom is coming from the marriage supper. It is my understanding that, although the marriage of Christ and the church takes place in heaven, the marriage supper takes place on this earth. A passage in the gospel of Luke substantiates this. As our Lord is giving warnings and parables, He says, Let your loins be girded about, and your lights be burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately (Luke 12:35-36). You see, the wedding has taken place, and the bride is with Him. Obviously, if He is coming from the wedding, the bride is with Him; no man ever went on a honeymoon by himself - if he did, it wasn't a honeymoon!
So here in the parable of the ten virgins, Christ, pictured as the bridegroom, is bringing the bride with Him, and the believers on earth are waiting for Him to come. While the Great Tribulation has been going on upon the earth, Christ has been yonder in heaven with His bride, the church. Then at the conclusion of the seven years of Tribulation, He comes back to earth with the church."
Regarding the lamps: "Probably a short, wooden stem held in the hand, with a dish at the top, in which was a piece of cloth dipped in pitch" (Vincent)
Barnes notes:
"The lamps used on such occasions were rather torches or flambeaux. They were made by winding rags around pieces of iron or earthenware, sometimes hollowed so as to contain oil, and fastened to handles of wood. These torches were dipped in oil, and gave a large light. Marriage ceremonies in the East were conducted with great pomp and solemnity. The ceremony of marriage was performed commonly in the open air, on the banks of a stream. Both the bridegroom and the bride were attended by friends. They were escorted in a palanquin, [a light covered litter suspended on poles] carried by four or more persons. After the ceremony of marriage succeeded a feast of seven days if the bride was a virgin, or three days if she was a widow. This feast was celebrated in her father's house. At the end of that time the bridegroom conducted the bride with great pomp and splendor to his own home. This was done in the evening, or at night, Jer. 7:34; 25:10; 33:11. Many friends and relations attended them; and besides those who went with them from the house of the bride, there was another company that came out from the house of the bridegroom to meet them and welcome them. These were probably female friends and relatives of the bridegroom who went out to welcome him and his new companion to their home."
Verse 2, "And five of them were wise, and five were foolish."
LGT "And five of them were foolish and five prudent."
I believe as we see this parable develop we will see that the wise virgins represent the believing portion of Israel, and the foolish virgins represent the unbelieving portion of Israel.
Verse 3, "They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:"
LGT "For the foolish having taken their lamps, did not take with themselves oil."
These foolish virgins, as is shown in the preceding verse represent the unbelieving portion of the Jews. Oil in the Word is representative of the Holy Spirit, and so it seems to suggest that these only professed Christianity. Of course we know that this parable is not suggesting that taking oil is any more than simply believing the Truth.
Verse 4, "But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."
LGT "But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps."
The prudent did believe, and so they were ready when the Bridegroom comes.
Verse 5, "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered"
LGT "But the bridegroom tarrying, they became drowsy and slept."
This is a picture of the imminent [forthcoming, unexpected] coming of Christ at His second advent.
Verse 6, "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."
LGT "But in [the] middle of [the] night a cry came, Behold, the bridegroom, Go forth to meet him."
The use of the term 'middle of the night' is that Jesus will come at the end of the Tribulation Period as a thief in the night. All ten of the virgins are asleep, however, the wise virgins are truly saved, while the foolish virgins are only professed believers. The Jews, having rejected Christ at His first advent, are still expecting Him to come; the reason they are sleeping is because they have waited over two thousand years, and He has still not come, and they ask themselves this past two thousand years: Where is the promise of His coming? The believing five wise virgins have no real worry, for they know they are secure, and should be waiting for their redemption with the same expectation we believer's have in this age of grace. When the call sounds forth, the wise virgins will be ready to meet Christ and His saints.
Verse 7, "Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps."
LGT "Then arose all those virgins and trimmed their own lamps."
The time had arrived for Israel to meet the Bridegroom with His Bride. The time had come, and they were to prepare their lamps and add sufficient oil to meet Him.
Verse 8, "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out"
LGT "And the foolish to the prudent said, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out."
"The A.V. misses the graphic force of the continuous present, denoting something in progress. They see the flame waning and flickering, and cry, Our lamps are going out" (Vincent).
They all lit their lamps but foolish virgins lamps were soon going out for lack of oil. "And perhaps we are to understand that there is something in the coincidence of the lamps going out just as the Bridegroom arrived. Mere religion is found to have no illuminating power" (Plummer).
Verse 9, "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves."
LGT "But the prudent answered, saying, [Not] perchance there be not by any means enough for us and you: but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves."
The actual response of the prudent virgins is quite courteous, not quite as rude as we have in the KJV. When the Lord returns with His saints at the end of the Tribulation, it will be too late to repent.
Verse 10, "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut."
LGT "But as they went away to buy, the Bridegroom came, and the prepared ones went in with Him into the wedding feast, and closed the door."
The KJV has the word 'marriage' which is actually, wedding feast. The Bridegroom came with His bride and went into the wedding feast; remember that the marriage happened in heaven when Christ was married to the church, and now the feast is on earth. Only believers will enter the kingdom and be allowed to go into the wedding supper. The door is shut forever on those who would not believe.
Barnes notes:
"The marriage ceremony took place before the bride left her father's house, but a feast was given at the house of her husband, which was also called the marriage, or part of the marriage solemnities. This part of the parable doubtless represents the entrance of those who are ready, or prepared, into the kingdom of God, when the Son of man shall come. They will be ready who have repented of their sins; who truly believe on the Lord Jesus, and wait for His coming."
Verse 11, "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us."
LGT "And afterwards come also the other virgins saying, Lord, Lord, open to us."
The foolish virgins arrive after the door had been shut; representing the fact that now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. It is not to be presumed that the unbeliever will arrive too late and seek admittance into the kingdom; it is part of the narrative of the parable as Barnes notes "to keep it consistent." The parable is a representation not to be taken literally; it is, as we have pointed out before, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
Verse 12, "But he answered and said, Verily I say to you, I know you not."
LGT "But he answering said, Verily I say to you, I do not know you."
This is the same reply the Lord uses when after He judges the unsaved world at the Great White Throne, after they fall to their knees and confess that Jesus is the Son of God; after they arise from their knees, they will curse Him for who He is, and they will willingly go off into a Christ-less eternity, and the reply of Christ will be; Depart from Me, you who work iniquity, I never knew you. "The word know is used in the sense of approving, loving, acknowledging as real friends and followers (See Matt. 7:23; Psalm 1:6; 2 Tim. 2:19; 1 Thess. 5:12)" (Barnes).
Verse 13, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
LGT "Watch therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour."
Every opportunity is afforded the unbeliever to repent, but the hour will come, and does come, in every person's life when it is too late. McGee points out that the use of the term day nor hour is indicative of the shortness of the time of the Tribulation, that is, He does not say, the year or the century.
The Parable of the Talent
(Luke 19:11-27)
This is another parable setting forth who will be accepted and who will be rejected to enter the kingdom, and how the Lord will deal with those at the close of the Tribulation Period.
Verse 14, "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods."
LGT "For [it is] as [if] a man, leaving the country, called his own servants and delivered to them his property."
Some commentators have interpreted this statement his own servants as meaning believers; however, I believe He is referring to believers, professing believers, and all of Israel at the time of the end, as we will see as the parable progresses.
Verse 15, "And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man to his several ability; and straightway took his journey."
LGT "And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one; to each according to his own respective ability; and left the country immediately."
"And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one;"
A talent was a considerable amount of money in those days, probably equal to around two thousand dollars.
"To every man to his several ability;"
This phrase in the Greek is literally, each according to his own respective or particular ability.
"And straightway took his journey."
After dispersing the money the master left the country.
Verse 16, "Then he that received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents."
LGT "And having gone, the one who received five talents, traded with them and gained a profit of another five:"
The Greek word for 'made' is kerdos meaning 'gained a profit'. This first servant made one hundred percent on his money.
Verse 17, "And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two."
LGT "In like manner the one who [received] two, gained a profit of another two."
This servant also gained a hundred percent profit. McGee wrote that the application to us is that whatever God has given us we should use for His glory; although I believe the principle of using all we have for God, I do not see that we can take these verses to teach us these principles; these verses are directed toward Israel and the judgment before the thousand year reign of Christ.
Verse 18, "But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid the lord's money."
LGT "But the one who had received one, having gone away, dug in [the] earth and hid the money of his lord."
Israel was called by God to be a light to the nations, and they failed in their commission; the light was given to the Gentiles, that is, the Church.
Verse 19, "After a long time the lord of the servants cometh, and reckoneth with them."
LGT "And after a long time the lord of those servants comes, and takes with them account."
This represents that on the return of the Lord in the last day, He will gather the nation together to have them give account of their deeds, that is, how they handled their commission as a light in the world.
Verse 20, "And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside five talents more."
LGT "And the one who had received the five talents having come, brought [him] another five talents, saying, Lord, five talents to me you did deliver; behold another five talents I have gained."
The first servant represents the faithful of the remnant during the Tribulation; Israel had lost her preeminence and had been set aside as God's servant (Exo. 19:5-6), but will once again be re-gathered during the Tribulation and once again will serve God.
Verse 21, "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
LGT "And his lord said to him, Well [done], good and faithful servant: over a few things you were faithful, over many things I will set thee: come into the joy of your lord."
The faithful among the remnant of Israel will be placed in administrative positions in the millennium. The joy of thy lord may refer to the marriage feast, but primarily it refers to entering the kingdom.
Verse 22, "He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: Behold, I have gained two other talents beside them."
LGT "[And] the one also [with] two talents, having come to [him], said, Lord, two talents to me you did deliver: Behold, another two talents have I gained."
The second servant also stood before his lord showing that he was faithful to him.
Verse 23, "His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
LGT "His lord said to him, Well [done], good and faithful servant, over a few things you were faithful, over many things I will set you: come into the joy of your lord."
His lord gives him the same greeting as the first servant.
Verses 24, 25, "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
LGT "And having come to [him] also the one having received the one talent said, Lord, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter, and being afraid, having gone away, I hid your talent in the earth: Behold, you have your own."
"Lord, I knew that thou art a hard man,"
This man describes his lord as one who takes advantage of the poor, and benefits by oppressing them; this shows he did not know him at all
"Reaping where thou hast not sown,"
This is indicative of an avaricious and overbearing disposition.
Verse 26, "His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest, that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:"
LGT "And his lord answered him, Wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reaped where I did not sow and gather where I scattered not?"
"Thou wicked and slothful servant,"
This servant is reprimanded for doing nothing. He is a lazy good for nothing.
"Thou knewest, that I reap where I sowed not, and gathered where I have not strawed:"
This phrase in the Greek is formed as a question. If you knew all this about how hard your master is, that would seem to have spurred you on to work harder.
Vincent notes:
"With no more trouble than he expended in digging, he might have gone to the exchangers. The verse should be read interrogatively, Didst thou indeed know this of me? Thou shouldst then have acted with promptness and care, which one observes in dealing with a hard master. To omit the interrogation is to make the Lord admit that he was a hard master."
Verse 27, "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury."
LGT "It would benefit you therefore to put my money with the money changers, and coming, I should have received mine own with interest."
"Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money with the exchangers,"
These money exchangers were lawful bankers who sat at tables and exchanged money for a fee, and also loaned money at a rate of interest. It was not lawful for the Jews to charge other Hebrews interest, only Gentiles and sojourners (Deut. 23:19, 20).
"And then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury."
"The word usury gr. tokeo is a very graphic word, meaning first childbirth, and then offspring. Hence of interest, which is the produce or offspring of capital. Originally it was only what was paid for the use of money; hence usury; but it became synonymous with extortionate interest. It is better translated with interest. The Jewish law distinguished between interest and increase. In Rome very high interest seems to have been charged in early times. Practically usury was unlimited. It soon became the custom to charge monthly interest at one per cent a month. During the early empire legal interest stood at eight percent, but in usurious transactions it was lent at twelve, twenty-four, and even forty-eight. The Jewish bankers of Palestine and elsewhere were engaged in the same undertakings" (Vincent).
Verse 28, "Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents."
LGT "Take therefore from him the talent and give [it] to the one having the ten talents:"
The one talent was taken from the lazy servant and given to the one who could make good use of it, by honest means, of course.
Verses 29, 30, "For every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
LGT "For every one who has shall be given, and [he] shall be in abundance, but from the one who has not, even that which he has shall be taken from him. And the useless servant will be cast out into the darkness, the outer one: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth."
In these last two verses the spiritual application is to Israel, and it means simply that the ones who believe will go into the kingdom; it does not mean, in verse 29, that something that the unbeliever, the useless servant, has will be taken from him and given to the believer, the profitable servant. And in verse 30 the useless servant will be cast into outer darkness. Joseph Dillow, in The Reign of The Servant Kings, sees this as rewards and punishment for the believer, that the mature believer will go into the marriage feast, while the immature believer will be cast into outer darkness, which he says is loss of reward. While I believe he is a good student of the Scriptures, in this case I believe he is grasping at spiritual straws, for I can't see how Christ would use the term outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth; my understanding of Scripture is that the saints will come back with Christ, but not necessarily to earth, and will not be a part of Israel's reign with Christ. I agree with Pentecost:
"Christ in this parable revealed that the nation Israel, which had been set aside as God's servant (Exod. 19:5-6), received a responsibility for which they were answerable. In the Old Testament Israel was designed to be God's light to the Gentile world. The candelabra in the tabernacle was to be a perpetual reminder of Israel's function. Because Israel was faithless to that function, Isaiah promised that another light would come to bring to the Gentiles (Isa. 60:1-3). Christ came as the true light (John 1:9; 8:12). God will set apart Israel again during the Tribulation to be His light to the world (Rev. 7:1-8). When Christ comes the second time, the nation will be judged to determine individual faithfulness to that appointment. Faithfulness will indicate faith in the person of Christ. Those who prove themselves faithful will be accepted into His kingdom, but those who are faithless will be excluded from His kingdom.
Thus in these two parables Christ described the judgment that will come on the nation Israel following their re-gathering after His Second Advent."
The Judgment of the Nations
Verse 31, "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."
LGT "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon the throne of His glory."
This section is the completion of the Olivet Discourse. The entire Bible is pointing in the direction of the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. When He comes He will first judge the nations, which are made up of individuals, to see who will join Him in His Millennial Kingdom, that is, who of the Gentile nations believe in Him; it is at this time that Christ will set the rules for His thousand year reign. I have read some commentators that say that some unbelievers will enter, and that they, like McGee, think, that if it weren't for the unbelievers Christ would not have to be Judge. The problem with this line of reasoning is that they do not consider that there will be many children born during this time, for it is a physical reign, and that not all children, like every other dispensation will be believers. Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless abyss, so he won't be a force to contend with; however, men will still have the flesh to contend with, and at the end of the thousand year reign Satan will be loosed, and he will go to the ends of the earth and gather together out of the nations his army to war against Christ, and they will be destroyed with the fire that comes down out of heaven: And when the thousand years are [ended], Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:7-9). At the beginning of the Millennium all members of the kingdom will be born again; Jesus answered Nicodemus; Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
Verses 32, 33, "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"
LGT "And shall be gathered before Him all the nations, and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on [His] left."
"And before him shall be gathered all nations:"
As these verses show it will not be a judgment of the nations as national entities, but individuals who make up the nations. "The whole human race; though the word is generally employed in the New Testament to denote Gentiles as distinguished from Jews" (Vincent).
"And he shall separate them from one another,"
"Them, gr. autois, the word is masculine, while the word nations is neuter. Nations are regarded as gathered collectively; but in contemplating the act of separation the Lord regards the individuals" (Vincent).
"As a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats."
The Goats are symbols of useless animals. "The sheep are usually white and the goats black. There are kids, which have grazed together. The goats devastate a field of all herbage. Indeed they have extirpated [rooted up] many species of trees which once covered the hills" (Tristam, Natural History of the Bible- quoted by Robertson).
"And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."
"The shepherd stands at the gate and taps the sheep to go to the right and the goats to the left" (Robertson).
Verse 34, "Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
LGT "Then the King will say to the ones on His right, Come, the blessed ones of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from [the] foundation of [the] world."
Christ now speaks a word to the separated Gentiles from among the nations. Come, blessed ones of My Father; that is, deserving of His favor.
"Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
This means that God's plan of salvation has never changed.
Verses 35, 36, "For I was an hungered, 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 to me."
LGT "For I hungered and you gave Me to eat; I thirsted and you gave Me to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in: naked, and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me."
These are all signs of a true Christian. They weren't Christians because they did these things, but they did these things because they were Christians. As we will see from the context that Jesus is not referring to Himself personally, but to His family.
Verses 37-39, "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee and hungered, 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?"
LGT "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when [did] we see You hungering, and fed You? Or thirsting and gave [You] to drink? And when [did] we see You a stranger and took [You] in, or naked, and clothed [You]? And when [did] we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?"
These saved ones, the righteous, will answer that they had not even seen our Lord, let alone do these things He speaks of.
Verse 40, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily 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."
LGT "And answering the King will say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as you did [it] to one of these, the least of My brothers, you did [it] to Me."
Here Christ will be speaking to either His Jewish blood brothers, or to the Tribulation believers, but it has a profound reference to us all. I have been studying the Word most of my life and this principle springs out as a wellspring of life; the principle is that we must treat our fellow-believer as we would treat our Lord Jesus Christ. This principle is applied to everyone one we meet in this life, and it certainly does not stop with our family; in fact, this is where our love must start; 1st with our wives and husbands; 2nd with our children; 3rd with those believers outside our immediate family; 4th to the unbelieving world. You may wonder why I have included the unbelievers, well, remember that we treat the believer based on our brothers union with Christ, and we treat the unbeliever based on our own personal union with Christ
Pentecost writes:
"The reference to these brothers indicates there will be a third group there in the presence of Christ. That phrase may refer to those who are Christ's brothers after the flesh, that is, the nation Israel; or it may refer to those chosen messengers, the 144,000 of Revelation 7, who will bear witness of Him during the Tribulation. Such ones will be under a death sentence by the beast. They will refuse to carry the beast's mark, and they will not be able to buy and sell. Consequently, they will have to depend on those to whom they minister for hospitality, food and support. Only those who receive the message will jeopardize their lives by extending hospitality to the messengers. Therefore what is done for them will be an evidence of their faith in Christ, that is, what is done for them will be done for Christ. These will not be accepted because of their works, for no man is ever saved by works. But their works will demonstrate their faith in the person of Christ that renders them acceptable to Him."
McGee adds:
"The 144,000 Jews sealed at the time of the Great Tribulation will go out over the entire world to preach the message of the gospel of the kingdom, which is to receive Christ as the sacrifice for their sins and to be ready for His immediate coming. Some nations will reject Christ. Antichrist will have God's messengers butchered and slain, and anyone who would give them a cup of cold water will do so at the risk of his life. To hand out a cup of cold water has little value in our day, but in the Great Tribulation it will have tremendous value. It will mean taking a stand for Jesus Christ. The basis on which the nations will be judged is their acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ. He says, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me because the messengers were representing Him. That will be the way they evidence faith in the message that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and that they are to repent and turn to Christ to be saved."
Verse 41, "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"
LGT "Then will He say also to the ones on [the] left, Go from Me [the] cursed ones into the fire, the eternal one, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels."
This is a thought the world completely rejects; first that there is such a place as the Lake of Fire, and second, that a loving God would allow human beings, whom He created, to go into an eternal fire; and then to top the whole matter off, it seems to the world absolutely incredulous [unbelievable] that He sent His only begotten Son to die on the Cross for all mankind. That is why the Apostle wrote: The preaching of the Cross of Christ is to those who perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).
Verses 42-44, "For I was hungered, 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. Then they shall also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee and hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?"
LGT "For I hungered, and you [did] not give Me to eat: I thirsted, and you [did] not give Me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took Me not in: naked and you did not clothe Me: sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me. Then they will also answer Him, Lord, when [did [we see You hungering? Or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?"
Here we have the opposite reaction of those who came into contact with the believers during the Tribulation. The thing that is wonderful to me about these verses is that man is always wanting to receive his just rewards, that is, man wants to get what they have coming; here we have men receiving the just recompense of their actions; they rejected Christ's messengers, and their message, therefore they will be cast out into outer darkness; the believer is saved by grace, with no works involved, that is, faith alone in Christ alone. Unsaved man will be judged for their works, and we who believe in grace know that they will fall short of the glory of God.
Verse 45, "Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of these, ye did it not to me."
LGT "Then will He answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not [it] to the least of these, neither to Me did you [it]."
When these stand before Christ, they will have heard the message of the messengers. They rejected the message, and they rejected the messenger. They will be turned into Hell, not because of their sins, but because they rejected the Christ of the message; the message has never changed, from the Garden to the Millennium it is immutable.
Verse 46, "And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
LGT "And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into life eternal."
The saved will be accepted into the kingdom, and eventually life everlasting, but the unsaved will not be accepted into the kingdom, and will go into hell, and after that, be raised at the end of the Millennium to stand before Christ at the Great White Throne, and then be cast into the Lake of Fire. The reason Christ put such a stress on 'works' in this last section is because that what man will stand or fall on, his works. As I have pointed out many times, sin is an abstract, and cannot be punished; Christ died for the sins of the entire world; sin is no longer an issue as far as eternal salvation is concerned; man will either accept Christ the 'sin Bearer' or he will go into everlasting punishment and bear his own sins.
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