The Stages of Christ's Ascension and Return (Part 12)

There is one last thing I want to mention off the back of part 11, which dealt with the meanings of the phrases, 'the voice of the archangel' and 'the twinkling of an eye'. Having clarified these two important phrases used by Paul in our key verses, it effectively brings us to an end of the two primary points that I have explored in this 12-part series. Just to remind you of the two primary points, they are as follows,

1. As with many other patterns, shadows, and types found in the Bible, the ascension of Jesus Christ can teach us of the stages of His return.
   
   
2. Paul's two 'famous' rapture scriptures express the event in general, (ie: they expound on the WHOLE coming of Christ, for all saints, not just the rapture of the Body of Christ.)
   

So, let me wrap up with one last thought which plays itself out at the second coming of Christ, close to the end of the seven years of Tribulation. Let's start by reading this passage in Matthew 25. 

Matt.25:31 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: 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:    ……   

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: … 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

You will recognize this as the parable of the sheep and the goats. This parable that Jesus taught provides us with some analogy regarding the events that will happen at His second coming. Now, before I get into the interpretation of this parable, let's review what it says from a purely logical perspective.

When Jesus comes again in His glory He will have all the nations gather before Him in order to judge them and divide them out into the sheep (those who trusted in Him and His identity by faith), and the goats (those who believed not and rejected His true identity). As you try and picture this parable, you have to admit that this is a very difficult scene to grasp in a physical context. Firstly, how can ALL the nations of the world gather before Jesus? This would be a huge logistical undertaking! Secondly, how long do you think it will take to divide up all these millions of people; the believers to the right and the unbelievers to the left? Can you see that this parable cannot be taken in a literal sense based on this understanding?

So, let's now ask the question, if this cannot play out in the way I depict it above, how can we understand this parable for what Jesus meant by it? Do other scriptures, that speak of these future events, provide us with some insights on what might actually happen. The answer is, "YES"! Let me provide you with my interpretation of this 'Sheep and Goats' parable, and show you what I believe this can pertain to. The answer is so simple, and in hindsight, so obvious.

The scriptural answer to this parable was already revealed in part 11. Here is the scripture that I connect to this judgement and division,

Rev.14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 

Do you see it? When Jesus calls out the sheep to come and stand on His right hand, it will not be something that is accomplished in the physical manner I explained above. Rather it will be accomplished 'in the twinkling of an eye'. —Yep! did you grasp it! Did the lights go on when you read that?— The resurrection and rapture that happens after Jesus appears in the clouds of glory is the 'Sheep and Goats' event that divides the millions of people on earth. Those who are raptured are the sheep who will appear on the right hand of Jesus Christ; the right hand being a reference to a place of honour and status. Those who are left on earth, the unbelievers, will eventually be reaped by an angel and thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God, as documented in Rev.14:17-20. So, Matt.25:31-41 is the parabolic account of the resurrection and rapture of the saints at the end of the Tribulation. This reasoning provides a much more sound and 'practical' way of understanding the separating the sheep from the goats.

In Conclusion

This has been a long series, but my hope is that you have understood the interpretation I have exposed of 1 Cor.15:51-52 and 1 Thess.4:16-17, and how this ties in to the stages of Christs return. I hope that it reveals some truths in scripture that might inspire you, excite you and edify you. If anything, I hope that it will encourage you to get into the scriptures for yourself and study these things to gain the understanding that brings you to peace and a deeper relationship with our Saviour. My prayer is that God will continue to bless you with His truth and His love until the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.