Matthew 25:32b "...and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:" That is a simile! Just like a shepherd will divide sheep from goats, Christ is going to separate the lost from all these nations (which are usually seen as just Gentiles but we know that there remains a remnant who are Hebrews still the scattered), from the saved. The saved are likened to the sheep and the lost to the goats. That’s all it is, just a simile. What saddens us is knowing just how many out there that are of the deception and remain deceived into listening and believing to what is called another gospel. Though it sounds right it is but anti-Christ in its very nature. Now verse 33.
Matthew 25:33 "And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left." Now here it comes, verse 34!
Matthew 25:34 "Then shall the (The King! Because it says, He’s going to sit on the throne of His Glory.) King says to them on His right hand (the side of strength), Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom (the one He is setting up on earth, NO His place at this time His Spiritual Kingdom which is the greater of kingdoms) prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" This is what the whole program of God has been working toward. The day when Christ would set up His glorious Kingdom promised primarily to the Nation of Israel, the Hebrews. His Kingdom is Spiritual and has always been so. Just few there are who awake to this Truth of Fact, Israel looked outward as has the whole of the church world under Satan's deception, they've not looked inward. Then He says in verse 35.
Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was an hungry, and you gave me meat (food), I was thirsty and you gave me drink: I was a stranger and you took me in:" And so forth as it continues in verse 37.
Matthew 25:37-39 "Then shall the righteous (these believers, those who become spiritually awake) answer him, saying Lord, when did we find you hungry, and fed you? Or thirsty, and gave you drink? 38. When did we find you a stranger, and toke you in? or naked, and clothed you? 39. Or when did we find you sick, or in prison, and came to you?" Now, verse 40:
Matthew 25:40a "And the King shall answer and say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my (what?) brethren,..." Who were His brethren that were instrumental in the salvation of these Hebrews and Gentiles? Lets look at Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, He also did predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many, WHAT'S THE NEXT WORD? Brethren. So from our point of view it is more that the 144,000 Hebrews who were commissioned to go out around the planet, during that seven years. But Jesus refers to those Jewish young men as His BRETHREN! That’s why we know that they had to be Hebrews, a Hebrew is not who is one outwardly, but is one inwardly, spiritually called the Israel of God. He doesn’t call Gentiles His brethren. We are not the brethren of Christ in the flesh. The Israel of God was not by virtue of His being born into the family of Joseph and Mary. Jesus is speaking of a spiritual reality not a physical one.
We just wanted to see how Jesus referred to these Jewish young men, the 144,000, as His brethren. But we never in Scripture see a Hebrew of any status calling Him their brother. So we think it’s a point to be taken that back here in Hebrews, it is just exactly like we see here in Matthew where he can refer to the Believing a people, as his brethren. And that of course, is who we are addressing in this Epistle of Hebrews. Come back to Hebrews then, chapter 2, verse 12.
Hebrews 2:12 "Saying, I will declare your name to my brethren, (that is to the Israel of God, the people of God known as the sons of God) in the midst of the church (we prefer the word assembly, the ekklēsia, ek-klay-see'-ah ) will I sing praise to you." Verse 13.
Hebrews 2:13 "And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children (the born ones, spiritually birthed) which God has given Me." We think most of us who are Bible students, know there is one chapter in our New Testament where we see Jesus referring to those who were given Him. Remember where it was? John 17. In His high priestly prayer, what did He pray? "I thank you Father for those whom you have given Me." Well, we think He is referring primarily to the Twelve, but all of this fits together, that when God makes reference to His brethren, He is primarily keeping the believing people in mind but don't limit your thinking by that thought. Again, He is referring to the fact that all believers who become receptive were given to Him as a work of God (remember Romans 8:29). Now verse 14.
Hebrews 2:14a "Forasmuch then as the children (the offspring, this is also seen in Genesis 1 and 2 where man in first created and formed in His likeness and image.) are partakers of flesh and blood, He also (speaking of His birth through Mary at Bethlehem and Luke 3:23-38) Himself likewise took part of the same;..." Now this is also repeated in John 6:50-51, which reveals the world can become the partakers of His flesh and blood.
What’s He referring to? How that He became flesh, not through a creative act like He made Adam (as a divine spirit being in a physical body). He could have! But you see Christ didn’t just suddenly appear, 30 years old, as a creative act of God, ready to begin His earthly ministry. Instead, God brought Him about how? Through the virgin Mary, so that He could be identified with the human race as the son of man and with the Hebrews in particular. As they were the chosen people through whom He would come. Why? to fulfill the promises and the Law and Prophets.
So, all of this is just part of the amazing plan of redemption. We depend on it, but we're afraid that most of us never really stop to think. The best word we can find for it is ‘amazing!’
A word comes to mind. Come back to Ephesians. In Ephesians chapter 3, coming down to verse 8. This is beyond human (worldly, carnal, natural mans) comprehension, though the spiritual person can gain the understanding. The only little bit that we can get is by faith anyway. Paul writes:
Ephesians 3:8 "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this Grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;" Do we know what that word ‘unsearchable’ means? Unfathomable. There is no way that we can fully contemplate and understand the unfathomable riches and Love of Christ. It is beyond us, it points out the meaning of His Old Testament name EHYEH (I AM) meaning. What little bit we can grasp, yes, we take by faith. Now read on in verse 9 - Paul’s whole emphasis for living:
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