The Judgment On The Gentiles

I. The Judgment On The Gentiles -The Judgments Associated With The Second Coming Of Christ – Thy Kingdom Come

II. Details.

 A. The time of the judgment. In the chronology of Matthew 24 and 25 the judgment of the Gentiles (Matt. 25:31-46) is seen to follow the judgment upon Israel. This judgment takes place following the second coming of Christ (second advent) to the earth. Joel says:

“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land” [Joel 3:1-2].

The land of Israel has never been called Palestine by God.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel.” ([Hebrews 8:10, 64 A.D.)

The prophet (Joel) reveals that this judgment on the Gentiles will take place at the same time that the Lord restores the nation Israel to “their” land, which is at the second advent. Therefore this judgment must fall at the time of the second coming of Christ after the regathering and judgment on Israel. It must precede the institution of the millennial (thousand year) Kingdom Age, for those accepted in this judgment are taken into that kingdom (Matt. 25:34). 

B. The place of the judgment. Inasmuch as this judgment follows the second coming of Christ, it must be an event that takes place on the earth. It can not be said to take place in the eternal state. There is no statement that any of these nations arose from the dead, so there is none that any part of them descended from heaven to be judged; the language, provided no previous theory is made to influence it, simply describing nations here on the earth, in some way, gathered together at the Second Advent.

Joel 3:2 states that this judgment will take place in the “valley of Jehoshaphat.” This location is not easy to determine. Some hold that it is synonymous with the “valley of Berachah” (2 Chron. 20:26), where Jehoshaphat defeated the Moabites and Ammonites, which victory gave the place a new name. It is certain that our author did not have in mind the valley of Berakhah which was connected with Jehoshaphat’s victory over the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites, 2 Chr. 20:20-28. Not only its name, but also the distance is against it.

That there was a valley near Jerusalem named after King Jehoshaphat in ancient times is unknown. Others hold that it is the valley of Kidron which is outside of Jerusalem. However, It is well known that there is a deep ravine now bearing this name just outside Jerusalem, separating the holy city from the mount of Olives. But it is likely that the name was given it only in view of this prophecy, not that it was so called when Joel spoke, nor yet for centuries afterward, as we have to come down to the fourth century of the Christian era before it was thus designated. Perhaps the solution as to the place involved is given in Zechariah 14:4 where we are told that:

“at the Lord’s return to the mount of Olives a great valley shall be opened. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south” [Zech. 14:4].

A valley which is not in existence today shall come into being at the time of the second advent. Since the name Jehoshaphat means “The LORD judges,” it may be that the newly opened valley outside Jerusalem will bear that name because of the momentous event to transpire there.

C. The subjects of the judgment. It is to be observed that those brought into this judgment are living individuals, not the dead that have been resurrected and brought to judgment. The question before us is this: Does the “all nations” include “the dead,” or only living nations? In deciding this point we have the following:

(1) Nothing is said of “the dead.” To say that they are denoted is inferred from the fact that this passage is made, “wrongfully,” to synchronize with Rev. 20:11-15.

(2) The word translated “nations” is never, according to the uniform testimony of critics and scholars, used to designate “the dead,” unless this be a solitary exception.

(3) The word is employed to denote living, existing nations, and almost exclusively “Gentile” nations.

(4) The Spirit gives us abundant testimony that precisely such a gathering of living nations shall take place just before the Millennial Kingdom age commences, and that there shall be both an Advent and judging.

(5) National judgments are only poured out upon living, existing nations, and not upon the dead who are devoid of any organization belonging to the idea of nation or state.

(6) As there is no statement that any of these nations arose from the dead, so there is none that any part of them descended from heaven to be judged. According to Strong’s Concordance the word nation (ethnos) is translated as “people” twice, “heathen” five times, “nation” sixty-four times, and “Gentiles” ninety-three times. This then must be seen to be a judgment on “living Gentiles” at the second advent of Christ.

D. The basis of the judgment. The basis on which judgment is meted out at this judgment is the treatment received by a group called “my brethren.”

“And the King (Jesus) shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren (Jews), you have done it unto me. Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me” [Matt. 25:40, 45].

It is to be observed from Joel 3:2 that Israel is the very center of the whole judgment program:

“I will also gather all nations…and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” [Joel 3:2).

The prophecy of Isaiah would seem to narrow this reference to Israel down to the believing witnesses, mentioning the ministry of a specific group, for he writes:

“And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord” [Isa. 66:19-20].

According to the Book of Revelation God will seal a believing remnant, the 144,000, at the beginning of the tribulation period. They will be a witnessing remnant for that entire period and the fruit of their ministry are described in Revelation 7:9-17, where a great multitude is seen to have been redeemed. The “brethren” are evidently these same believing witnesses of the tribulation period (Jews). This judgment must be a judgment to determine the spiritual condition of those being judged. It is to determine whether the one judged is saved or unsaved. A casual glance at the passage seems to show that this is a judgment based on works, with the outcome depending on the works of the one judged. A closer observation will not support this conclusion.

(1) First of all, it is the accepted principle in Scripture that a man is never saved by works, for nowhere is salvation offered on a works basis. In Matthew 25:46 it says, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.” So, we see that the eternal destiny of the people appearing before the judgment was being decided. It could not be a judgment of works, for eternal destiny is never decided on that basis, but on the basis of the acceptance or rejection of Christ’s work for us.

(2) Further, those that had fed, given to drink, clothed, and visited the “brethren” were called righteous. If this is a judgment of works, they must have been constituted as righteous on the basis of what they had done. Such would be contrary to the teaching of Scripture.

During the period of the ministry of the brethren:

“this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations” (Matt. 24:14). (The Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is described by the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor 15:1-8).

It has been demonstrated, previously, that this gospel of the kingdom entails the preaching of the death of Christ and the blood of Christ as the way of salvation. Such a gospel these brethren were proclaiming. The Gentiles at this judgment were received or rejected on the basis of their reception or rejection of the gospel that was preached by the brethren. Those who accepted their gospel accepted the messenger and those who rejected their gospel rejected the messenger. The Lord had said,

“Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”. (Matt. 18:3).

“This gospel of the kingdom” required personal faith and the new birth. Such faith and new birth were best evidenced by the works which they produced. The Savior, therefore, in accord with the general analogy of the Scripture on the subject, declares that when He comes with His saints in glory to set up His kingdom, out of the nations, those who exhibited a living faith by active deeds of sympathy and assistance shall, with those that preceded them, inherit (i.e. be kings in) a Kingdom.

Some of the nations will receive their testimony. They believe the Gospel of the Kingdom, this last great witness. They manifest the genuineness of their faith by works. The preachers who are going about are prosecuted and hated by others, suffering, hungry, and some cast into prison. These nations who believe their testimony show their faith by giving them food to eat, clothing them, visiting them in prison, and by showing love to them. The case of Rahab may be looked at as a typical foreshadowing; she believed! It was at a time when the judgment was gathering over Jericho (the type of the world).

“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”

And again it is written of her, “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?”

She had faith and manifested it by works. And so these nations believe the messengers and treat them in kindness. So, grace covers them because they believed. So, it is concluded that these Gentiles are judged on the basis of their works to determine whether they are saved or lost as they have received or rejected the preaching of the gospel by the remnant during the tribulation period.

A question related to this whole consideration is whether the nations are here being judged on a national basis or on an individual basis. There is a wide divergence of opinion on this question. However, several considerations seem to support the view that those being judged here are judged, not in their national units, but rather as individuals.

(1) The nations will be judged on the basis of a reception or rejection of the message of the gospel of the kingdom. Any message given is given expecting a personal response. Since this message required faith and a resultant new birth, those being judged as to their response to the message must be judged on a personal basis as to their individual response. Revelation 7:9-17 reveals that a great multitude have come out of the tribulation who “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” They could be saved only as individuals.

(2) If this judgment is on a national basis whole nations must be permitted to enter the millennium. Thus, since no nation is made up of all saved people, unsaved would enter the millennium. Scripture teaches that no unsaved person will enter the millennium (John 3:3; Matt. 18:3; Jer. 31:33-34; Ezek. 20: 37-38; Zech. 13:9; Matt. 25:30, 46). So, this must be an individual judgment to determine the fact of salvation.

(3) If this is a national judgment, it must be on a works basis, since nations can not believe. This would introduce into the Scripture a new method of salvation on the basis of works. Since it can not be shown anywhere in Scripture that a person is given eternal life on a works basis, this must be an individual judgment.

(4) All the other judgments in God’s judgment program are individual judgments. No other part of this program is ever interpreted other than individually and so this interpretation would be in harmony with the whole program.

(5) Other parallel references to the judgment at the end of the age in connection with the second advent seem to be individual judgments:

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” [Matt. 13:30].

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

“Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world [age]: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” [Matt. 13:47-50].

“Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” [Jude 14-15].

In each of these instances, which depict this same process of judgment in separating the unsaved from the saved prior to the millennium, it is an individual judgment. None interpret these passages nationally. It must be concluded that Matthew 25 similarly depicts this same individual judgment. It might be questioned whether the term the nations could properly be used of individuals. The word is used in relation to individuals in Matthew 6:31-32; 12:21; 20:19; 28:19; Acts 11:18; 15:3; 26:20. Therefore, since it is used of individuals in other passages, it may also do so in Matthew 25:31. 

E. The result of the judgment. There will be a twofold result of the judgment on the living Gentiles.

(1) To those who have been appointed to the King’s right hand the invitation is extended,

“Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34).

(2) To those consigned to the King’s left the judgment is pronounced,

“Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).

The one group is taken into the kingdom to become subjects of the King, while the other group is excluded from the kingdom and consigned to the lake of fire (Rev 20:1-15). This group of Gentiles taken into the kingdom fulfills the prophecies (Dan. 7:14; Isa. 55:5; Micah 4:2) that state that a great group of Gentiles will be brought under the King’s reign, even though this is Israel’s kingdom.