The Parables

Parable of the Fishing Net, Matthew 13:47-50, continued.

A DESIGNATED CONCLUSION. When the shore is reached, the catch is examined. “Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away,” verse 48. Presently we are sailing homeward toward the shores of heaven. But when the journey ends, when the fishermen have finished their work, there will be a day of judgment for those in the net. See Hebs 4:1-2.

THE DIVINE AGENTS. “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” verses 49-50. This concurs with Matt 24:30-31. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

A DIVISION EXECUTED. In Matt 24 the angels gather the saints but in our parable the angels gather the wicked. In Matt 24 the Saviour is comforting His people. In Matt 13 He is preaching the gospel and warning the lost of their fate unless they get saved.
This word ‘world’, it is the Greek word aion, or AGE. At the end of this age there will a judgment of ‘Christendom’. This not the judgment of the ‘great white throne’, Rev 20:11-15. That is the judgment of the wicked. Here we are looking at the judgment of the professing church, Matt 25:31-46. Note the reference to the angels, Matt 13:49, 25:31. It is that day when: “God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel,” Rom 2:16. See 2 Cor 5:10; Matt 3:10 (Note HIS floor, HIS wheat); Ps 1:5; 1 Cor 4:5.
I ask the question the Saviour asked. “Have ye understood all these things?” verse 51. WELL, HAVE YOU??

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Parable of the Fishing Net, Matthew 13:47-50, continued.

THERE WERE GOOD AND BAD FISH IN THE NET.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind,” verse 47.

The word “again” indicates just how keen the Lord is to get this truth across to His hearers. He would have understand the truth concerning His kingdom.

1. Notice the fishing ends when the net is full. “Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, ” verse 48. The Saviour said to Paul on one occasion.: “For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city,” Acts 18:10. See John 10:16; Acts 15:14. The Saviour is seeking to ‘catch’ in the gospel net a certain people, His elect. “God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name,” Acts 15:14. They come from the deepest and darkest places. Out of such the Lord draws many sinners. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God,” 1 Cor 6:9-11. Not until the net is full will gospel fishing end in this age!

Stream or download The Parables #29

Parable of the Fishing Net, Matthew 13:47-50, continued.

THOSE CAUGHT IN THE NET WERE BROUGHT UP TO A VERY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.

It was a world of light and beauty and the warming rays of the sun.

1. It is a world which the fish hate. It is absolutely contrary to their nature! Likewise, the sinner does not like the light and brightness of the gospel. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:20.

2. It is a world in which they cannot live. The fish will die out of water. We use a proverb of one who is uncomfortable with his surroundings as “a fish out of water”! So was Judas. “Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place,” Acts 1:25. That is where sinners are travelling every day! The environment of Christ’s Kingdom is unbearable to them. “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” Matt 7:23. They must depart for they never came to Him. They were continuing to work iniquity therefore they were to continue on the path they had walked, which ends in hell. “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” Matt 25:41.

3. The good fish were those that could be eaten. They were useful and beneficial. To become such they had to be greatly worked upon and altered. So it is with sinners. What happens to the fish caught and used as food illustrates the workings of grace in the sinner saved.

A. It dies. “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Roms 6:2, 1 Peter 2:24.

B. It undergoes a process. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” John 3:3.

C. They became most profitable and beneficial. Saul into Paul. Man of Gadara into messenger of God. What a change grace makes! “Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me,” Philemon 1:11. “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy,” 1 Peter 2:10

Stream or download The Parables #28