Season 5 Podcast 42 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 25 G, “The Parable of the Sheep and Goats.”
The final parable in Mathew 25 is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Again, one of the primary purposes of the parables of Jesus is to teach us how to enter what Paul refers to as the Third Heaven, also referred to by Paul as the Celestial Glory, called by some The Celestial Kingdom which is compared to the glory of the sun. The lesser kingdoms of heaven are compared to the moon, called by Paul the Terrestrial Glory, and the stars respectively. The three degrees of glory are separated by light, the sun, the moon, and the stars. They are all heavens, however, the Father and the son dwell in the Celestial or highest glory, and unless otherwise designated every mention of heaven in the Holy Bible refers to the third or highest heaven, suggesting that is the only heaven we should hope for. As a prelude to the parable of the sheep and goats we read in Matthew 25:
“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:
There are many images of the Son appearing in his glory, all of which refer to the glory of the sun.
“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. (Acts 26:13)
“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (Revelation 1:14-16)
“And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” (Matthew 17:2)
In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, the sheep, who are placed on his right refer to the righteous who are invited to live with him in his kingdom. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the five wise virgins represent those who are on his right and the five foolish virgins represent those who are on his left.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)
They too will also shine as the sun.
“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:43)
Those who shine forth as the sun are referred to as sheep. All others are referred to as goats. We generally think of those who are referred to as goats as those who go to hell. However, the goats are not all evil. For example, in the Parable of the Talents, the slothful servant who buried his talent committed a sin of omission; therefore, he was not invited into the “joy of the Lord.” However, that doesn’t mean that he went to hell, the same with the five foolish virgins. Perhaps he just inherited a lesser kingdom comparable to the moon or the stars. When the Shepherd, meaning Christ, separates the sheep from the goats, he doesn’t slaughter the goats. Those who are referred to as goats are barred from living in his presence, but we don’t know where they go. Not all evil is alike and the justice of God, though noted for punishment is really the great protector. It allows no injustice, or it would not be a perfect law. Without the law of mercy none of us would get to heaven. Without the law of justice there would be no heaven or hell or God.
Season 5 Podcast 42 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 25 G, “The Parable of the Sheep and Goats.”
The final parable in Mathew 25 is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Again, one of the primary purposes of the parables of Jesus is to teach us how to enter what Paul refers to as the Third Heaven, also referred to by Paul as the Celestial Glory, called by some The Celestial Kingdom which is compared to the glory of the sun. The lesser kingdoms of heaven are compared to the moon, called by Paul the Terrestrial Glory, and the stars respectively. The three degrees of glory are separated by light, the sun, the moon, and the stars. They are all heavens, however, the Father and the son dwell in the Celestial or highest glory, and unless otherwise designated every mention of heaven in the Holy Bible refers to the third or highest heaven, suggesting that is the only heaven we should hope for. As a prelude to the parable of the sheep and goats we read in Matthew 25:
“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:
There are many images of the Son appearing in his glory, all of which refer to the glory of the sun.
“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. (Acts 26:13)
“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (Revelation 1:14-16)
“And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” (Matthew 17:2)
In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, the sheep, who are placed on his right refer to the righteous who are invited to live with him in his kingdom. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the five wise virgins represent those who are on his right and the five foolish virgins represent those who are on his left.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)
They too will also shine as the sun.
“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:43)
Those who shine forth as the sun are referred to as sheep. All others are referred to as goats. We generally think of those who are referred to as goats as those who go to hell. However, the goats are not all evil. For example, in the Parable of the Talents, the slothful servant who buried his talent committed a sin of omission; therefore, he was not invited into the “joy of the Lord.” However, that doesn’t mean that he went to hell, the same with the five foolish virgins. Perhaps he just inherited a lesser kingdom comparable to the moon or the stars. When the Shepherd, meaning Christ, separates the sheep from the goats, he doesn’t slaughter the goats. Those who are referred to as goats are barred from living in his presence, but we don’t know where they go. Not all evil is alike and the justice of God, though noted for punishment is really the great protector. It allows no injustice, or it would not be a perfect law. Without the law of mercy none of us would get to heaven. Without the law of justice there would be no heaven or hell or God.