"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: 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," 31-33.

This is the final parable told by the Saviour and its is fitting that we look at it for I feel that it will occupy us until the end of this school year.

The time indicated. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him." This is the end of this age.

The event that takes place. "Before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats."

"All nations": this is an example of a general term which has a very specific and limited meaning. We commonly used a general, all embracing term when we actually means something much more limited. Consider how we see in the Bible general expressions which actually meant something much smaller or less than what it appears to be saying.

o "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me," John 12:32. Only ALL of God's elect come to Christ in response to the gospel.

o "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed," Luke 2:1. It was only a small part of the world that heard this decree!

o "Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth," Col 1:6. Likewise, only a small part of the world had heard the gospel.

Here are general terms with a limited meaning as we have in this parable.

Who then are 'all the nations? It is a reference to ALL those who profess in some form the Christian religion. The professing church is made up of either 'sheep' or goats. Some are sheep and others only look like sheep, they are in truth, 'goats' false professors!!