Colin -
Thank you for your Post:
Hello everybody
I recall how well Ray, in explaining a particular parable, directed our attention to “joining words”, such as “and”, “wherefore”, “since”, “but”. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, we find an important “linking word”. It explains WHY a separation is to take place and enables us to identify which people will be “put into categories”.
People are going to be separated according to how they have acted; either with concern and love – or by ignoring the plight or needs of others.
Verse 35 contains the clue, as it begins with “for”, or “because”.
We have been correctly taught that we have no natural, inherent goodness, and we know that any loving conduct we perform stems from God’s spirit causing us to think and to do good, [Philip 2:13].
We can conclude then that the “sheep” - who are described as having done those kind deeds and have shown love towards others - match up with those with whom God has been working and selecting to be the inheritors of and to be the kingdom of God. They will be suitably qualified to teach/guide others who lack those qualities of love.
As verse 46 shows (in a correct translation), the “goats”, that is those who did not have God’s spirit in them, and thus enabling them to be “Christ-like”, will experience a period during which they will be “re-educated” with varying degrees of discomfort.
There are admittedly people today who, in their role as paramedics, nurses and charity workers for example, do tend to the suffering of folk in the manner they best understand. We cannot determine their motives nor judge them; that role is reserved for Jesus Christ. He is the One who will do the gathering and the demarcation.
We can volunteer to be chosen to join the “sheep” or look the other way when we have an opportunity to do good deeds for others who have genuine needs. The parable of the “Good Samaritan” seems to link in here as a possible “second witness”. Colin
As you have stated, His Sheep must have His Spirit in them - so they must be His Called Out, Called Out, Elect - and there are plenty of Scriptures (including the parable of The Good Samaritan) that explain and confirm who His Elect are.
I was focusing more on the goats; and I know goats were used as part of the sin offerings in The Old Testament.
I thought I would look at the first time goats was used in The Scriptures; and unless I am mistaken - this is the story:
Genesis 27: KJV:
1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.
8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence
two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
12 My father peradventure will feel me, and
I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?
19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.
21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.
26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:
28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.
32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.
34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
35 And he said,
Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
36
And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;
44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;
45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?
46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
I do not know if there is any significance to this - but Ray did teach that we should look at the first time words are used in Scripture.
Although I am probably going off on a tangent here, this is a very interesting story, on how through subtle deception Jacob stole his father's blessing which should have gone to Esau; which I have always thought was wrong - yet it is in The Scriptures, and Jacob got the blessing of his father instead of Esau.
Kind Regards.
George
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Topic: The Goats and The Sheep (Read 6782 times)