The End of the World

Matthew 25

I remember vividly reading a book at the age of 10 which contained a Notre Dame prediction that the world would end in July of that year. I lived rather fretfully, not really understanding what the end of the world meant, but it sounded bad and I didn't want to be around to see it! But July came and went, and the prophecy came to nothing.

The Bible does teach that the world will end, but we are never told WHEN exactly this will happen. Instead, we are told WHAT will happen and how we should prepare.

Matthew 25 is made up of three parables which Jesus taught, concerning the end of the world. The first is of the ten virgins, which depicts Jesus as a bridegroom who returns to find five virgins ready and waiting, but five virgins who were ill-prepared. They end up being shut out of the wedding feast. This is a picture of Christ returning at the end of the world to collect His people (the Church is often presented as a bride in Scripture- see Ephesians 5). Those who are not ready are excluded.

The second parable is of the talents. It teaches us to use our time on earth wisely- to take our resources (material, educational etc), and use them for our Master's glory. Those of us privileged with a high level of education, wealth, freedom, and good Bible teaching will be expected to use all these things well, and will be judged on how we have used these gifts. So Christians are not meant to hide away in a bomb shelter waiting for Armageddon, but we are expected to use our precious life for the glory of God, spreading the gospel.

The third parable concerns the sheep and the goats. This depicts the final separation of God's people from God's enemies. It is an awesome picture of the end of the world: Christ in glory with the angels, a throne of judgement, all nations before Him. And for God's people, it is a wonderful day- we receive our inheritance, the kingdom prepared for us since the creation of the world (34).

But the real question is, how can you tell a sheep from a goat? At the final judgement, how are God's people discerned? The answer Jesus gives may sound like it's the 'good people' who get to heaven, and the 'bad people' who go to hell. But this does not take into account the rest of Jesus' teaching. Simply put, God's people are discerned because their faith impacts the way they live their lives. Love for Jesus gives us love for the poor and needy. Jesus heavily criticised the Pharisees and other religious leaders for having lots of 'knowledge' about God, but this never impacted the way they dealt with the poor around them. But those who simply 'do good deeds' with no acknowledgement of God cannot be commended either, for they have failed to recognise the heavenly Bridegroom and have not prepared for His coming.

For those outside God's kingdom, the sheep and the goats parable is a terrifying picture of judgement and exclusion. As Christians, then, we should endeavour to make them aware of their situation, and urge them to accept Jesus. It is also a solemn warning to us that our faith HAS to show itself practically!