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" &c.

The popular belief concerning this Scripture is, that we have here what is called "the general judgment," in

which all who have ever lived or died shall stand. But observe that

1. There is not a word said about Resurrection: and we may at least put the presumption that there will not

be one, against the assumption that there will be one.

2. WHO are they that thus "gathered"? It says "all nations." The word here translated "nations" occurs one

hundred and fifty times in the New Testament, and it is never used of any but nations actually existing as

such. It occurs with the article, as in our text, one hundred and thirty-two times: and it is rendered "the

gentiles," ninety-two times; "the nations," ten times; "the heathen," five times; and simply "nations,"

twenty-five times. Now is it too much to ask, that if in Matt. xxv. 32 the more usual translation -- "the

Gentiles" -- had been given, would the current belief have been as popularly held? If it has been rendered, as

it is ninety-two times out of a hundred and thirty-two "Before Him shall be gathered all the gentiles" --

would the popular belief have obtained the hold that it has?

3. WHERE shall all "the nations" be gathered? In answering this question we must note that there are many

prophecies in which similar expressions are used, which point to the conclusion that the very same event is

probably intended. When we look at them we must be struck with the fact that God will deal by and by with

the nations (or the gentiles) as such. In Isa. xxxiv. 1, 2, we read "Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken,

ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the

indignation of the Lord is upon all nations," &c. Again, Joel iii. 1, 2, 11, 12, "For behold, in those days and in

that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also GATHER ALL NATIONS,

and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and

for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land... Assemble

yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and GATHER yourselves together round about: thither cause thy

mighty ones to come down O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat:

FOR THERE WILL I SIT TO JUDGE ALL THE HEATHEN round about." Again, Ezekiel xxxix. 21, "And I will

set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my

hand that I have laid upon them."

4. It is important and material to be clear as to the fact "the Church of God" will not stand in t hat gathering.

For (1) it is written that God is now visiting "the Gentiles, to TAKE OUT OF THEM a people for His name"

(Acts xv. 14). If the Church is taken out of the nations, it surely cannot be included in nations, or be judged

with them. And (2) we have already heard the words of Christ, how He said, "he that heareth my word, and

believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT" (John v.

5. It is also clear that "the Jew" cannot be in this judgment of the "nations," for it is expressly declared that

the Jews "SHALL NOT BE RECKONED AMONG THE NATIONS" (Num. xxiii. 9). So that if "the Jew" be not

there, and "the Church of God" be not there, then it is certain that it can be only "the Gentile."

6. Look at the GROUND of the judgment. The popular belief is that the "sheep" are the just, and the "goats"

are the unjust. But there is a third party, whom the judge calls "my brethren," with reference to which both

sheep and goats are judged. How can this be a general judgment if there are three parties and one of them is

not included in it? The two parties are judges as to how they received and treated the third. Surely this

cannot refer to any who have lived in this dispensation of the grace of God. Surely those who now reject

Christ and His salvation will have something more to answer for than not caring for and tending "the Jews";

and those who are saved in Christ with an everlasting salvation will have a very different title to glory, than