The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 25 Part 6 Only The Sheep Of God Will Enter Into Christ's Kingdom

We previously examined the setting of final judgment that Jesus taught to His disciples.

It will happen seven years after the rapture of Christ's church and the resurrection of life (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 5:24-29).

Christ will return to the earth with flaming fire to destroy the antichrist and his kingdom, and to judge all wicked nations and people for their sins and transgressions.

All the angels of heaven will come with Jesus for this battle and all the saints will accompany our Lord (See Revelation 19).

This is when the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll.

The sun, moon and stars will not shine and the world will be rocked with massive earthquakes.

There will be Jews who fled Jerusalem when the abomination of desolation occurs half way through the seven years of tribulation. 

They will flee into the wilderness to a place God prepared for them.

Will people be saved by gospel preaching during the tribulation period? Scripture says many will be saved!

Revelation 7:1-4  And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 

God sealed 144,000 Jews to be His servants. This will include 12,000 from each of Israel's 12 tribes.

As servants of God they will live for His glory and be faithful witnesses, sharing the gospel with people.

They will read and heed the scriptures and live their lives in accord with God's Word as a witness condemning the world for gross sin and idolatry.

Much like when the early church was persecuted, and people fled Jerusalem, the 144,000 will be spreading the gospel of Christ everywhere they travel.

Whereas the antichrist demands that the mark of the beast be put on the forehead, God seals His saints in their foreheads, protecting them from the devil's evil schemes.

Revelation 13:16-17  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 

There will be people saved during the tribulation period, particularly after the antichrist demands to be worshiped. 

At that time he will insist that people take the mark of the beast in order to conduct business.

Those who refuse will be sought out and executed.

Those who accept the mark of the beast will be eternally damned.

Revelation 6:9-11  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 

The apostle John saw many wonderful and overwhelming sights in heaven that will occur while God is pouring out His wrath upon the kingdom of the devil and the antichrist.

He saw saints who had been put to death for believing the Word of God and telling others that they need to repent and be born again.

John saw them under the altar of God and this tells us that those who die for faith in Christ are especially loved by the Father.

One of the heavenly beings told those saints to wait patiently because there were many more people who would be killed for their faith in Christ.

The very fact that an unnumbered host of saints are martyred for their faith indicates that people will hear the gospel and be saved during the tribulation age.

Revelation 15:1-4  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 

Before the seven last plagues were poured out upon the world, John saw something great and marvelous.

He saw a sea of glass mingled with fire. The sea is often a picture of large numbers of people.

John tells us that they had victory over the name of the beast and the mark he sought to impose upon all people.

They refused to accept anything from the beast or antichrist, and were no doubt martyred for their faith.

Thus, they will stand before the throne of God with musical instruments singing the glorious song of Moses.

These saints in heaven clearly indicate that people will be saved during the tribulation period.

Revelation 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

John saw more saints again at the Great White Throne judgment.

They were beheaded for their faith in Christ and for being His faithful witnesses, sharing His gospel with lost people.

Also note that these saints refused to worship the beast much like Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego in the book of Daniel (See Daniel 3).

They also refused to take the mark of the beast in their forehead or right hands.

Scripture tells us that this salvation during the tribulation period begins with many Jewish people being saved.

There will be some Gentiles who hear the witness of the Jewish servants of God, and who will believe and be saved.

It is the opposite of what is happening in the church age, where mostly Gentiles are born again, along with some Jews.

Matthew 25:31-40  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: 32  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: 33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 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: 35  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: 36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 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. 

Jesus calls all the sheep to His side and invites them to inherit this wonderful kingdom of God prepared for them in eternity past.

Who are the sheep? 

In simple terms, they are believing Jews and Gentiles who responded by faith to the gospel of Christ during the tribulation age.

God has always been portrayed as our Shepherd and His people as His sheep.

Psalm 100:1-5  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. 

Psalm 100 is one of many texts that tell us about Jehovah our Shepherd (See Psalm 23; John 10).

Jesus beckons the sheep to stand on His right and to enter His glorious kingdom.

Psalm 100 is a brief declaration of the joy, worship and praise that all Christ's sheep will engage in.

In Christ's kingdom, all those who enter in will fill the air with joyful songs of worship.

His sheep will serve Him with happy hearts and our voices will sing truth from scriptures to our God.

All will acknowledge Christ as Creator and sustainer of all life, and that He made all things (See John 1:1-5; Hebrews 1:1-4).

The sheep of Christ's pasture will pass through His gates expressing thanksgiving for our salvation and His courtyard will ring with praises to His glorious name.

The foundation of Christ's kingdom is His eternal lovingkindness and goodness, His unchanging truth, and His endless mercy toward us. 

Therefore, Jesus set out the conditions of acceptance by the Father and admission into His eternal kingdom.

When He hungered, the sheep fed Him. 

When He thirsted, they gave Him water. 

When He was a stranger, they took Him in and when He was naked, they clothed Him.

The sheep ministered to Him in prison and in times of sickness.

Now, at that time the sheep will ask Jesus, "When or how did we ever do these things to you Lord?"

Jesus' answer is that if a person did any of these things to the Jewish people, then that is the same as rendering that service to Christ.

Although this is the basis of blessing during the tribulation age, it also reminds us today that we ought to love and serve others like Jesus always did.

We ought to obey God's clear commands.

The Psalmist tells us many times to avoid evil and do good, as God defines it.

We are to love and serve God while we love and serve others, even to our enemies (See Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:14).

Psalm 34:14  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Micah 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

These texts show us what the heart of faithful Jews and Gentiles will be during the tribulation period.

It is certainly good for us to cultivate the same loving and serving heart that Jesus has.

Bob