The Last Days
​Revelation 20:4

 Lesson 80- Millennium: The Sheep and Goat Judgement part 2

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​Lesson 80 | 09/13/26 ​
Revelation 20:4 | Millennium: The Sheep and Goat Judgement part 2

Revelation 20:4 introduces us to the time frame of the Sheep and Goat Judgement. This is the second of three major eschatological (end time) Judgements in the Bible:

1. Bema Seat Judgement, Rev 4:1; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Cor 3:11-16
   1. Only for believers
   2. Takes place in heaven after the rapture
2. Sheep and Goat Judgement, Rev 20:4; Matthew 25:31-46; Ezekiel 34
   1. Distinguishes believers from unbelievers
   2. Takes place on earth after the 7-Year Tribulation
3. Great White Throne Judgment; Rev 20:11-15
   • Only for unbelievers
   • Takes place in God’s dwelling place after the Millennial Reign of Jesus

Last week, we began learning about the Sheep and Goat Judgement, preparing us to better understand this important event by answering several questions:

• What is the Purpose of this Judgement? Jeremiah 23:1-8; Hosea 5:14-15; 6:1-3
  • To make a distinction between His people and His enemies, the sheep and the goats; the wheat and the tares.
    • Focuses on the Jews and the Gentile nations treatment towards God’s people during the 7-Year Tribulation period.
    • Primarily Jewish, but also includes the mistreatment of the Tribulation Saints who were martyred at the hands of unbelievers
  • To reveal to the world those who are His;
  • To punish those foolish shepherds who scattered and mistreated His flock
  • To gather His sheep back to their folds to feed and take care of them
• Where is this Judgement taking place? Joel 3:1-17
  • Kidron Valley (the Valley of Jehoshaphat)
• Who is participating in the Judging? Revelation 20:4
  • Jesus Christ is the Righteous Judge, and yet Scripture is very clear that we, the faithful saints, will be participating in some capacity with Him as we rule and reign with Christ, Rev 2:25-26; 3:21; Matt 19:28-30; Luke 22:28-30; 1 Cor 6:2; Psalm 149:5-9; Daniel 7:17-27
• What is the timing of this Judgement? Daniel 12:1-13
  • Within 30 days after the 7-Year Tribulation (1290 days)
• What is the basis for this Judgement? 1 John 3:23; 5:1
  • “Did you keep the commandment of God?”
    • Believe in Jesus
    • Love the brethren

Loving the brethren doesn’t save us, but it is an outward expression of our heart toward God. This Judgement exposes the heart of faith.
There are two main accounts that speak directly to the Sheep and Goat Judgement, Ezekiel 34 and Matthew 25. Let’s start with Ezekiel’s account, Ezekiel 34.
 
Ezekiel 34:1-10

• Jesus is punishing the foolish shepherds for their selfish, mistreatment, misguidance of God’s people.
  • Only feeding and clothing themselves, v. 1-3
  • Not strengthening the weak, healing the sick, binding up the broken, nor seeking the lost, but ruling with force and cruelty, v.4-6
  • Jesus ultimately puts the responsibility on the wicked shepherds for the Jews being scattered and devoured by the nations (Antichrist and the system of the beast), v.7-10

Ezekiel 34:11-16

• The Good Shepherd is bringing healing back to the Jewish people.
  • Many of these sheep are mortal beings who survived the Tribulation. Jesus is taking care of them and punishing their enemies

Ezekiel 34:17-22

• Judge between sheep and sheep
  • Making a distinction between believing and unbelieving Jews
• Judge between rams and goats (all unbelievers)
  • Rams are mature male sheep symbolizing the Jewish leaders in authority... the foolish shepherds
  • Goats are unruly, independent animals that do not follow. They symbolize the nations governed by their own agenda, cunning and deceptive
    • Both are being judged and punished, but I believe the Jewish leaders will receive a worse punishment for their unfaithful stewardship of God’s people

Ezekiel 34:23-31

• Jesus restores His flock by installing David to be their king, v.23 and assigning shepherds over them, Jeremiah 23:4 (twelve apostles and even others in the Bride of Christ, Matt 19:28-30; Luke 28-30)
  • Some commentators say David is a type of Christ, and this refers to Jesus being their Shepherd
    • But there is no reason to question the literal reading of the text that David himself will be given the privilege and responsibility under the headship and authority of Jesus Christ
  • Jesus is the One bringing healing to His people, but we are will still be His hands and feet serving His people and taking care of them

Next, let’s look at Jesus’ words concerning this Judgement in Matthew 25:31-46. There is no doubt that we as Christians today can hold fast to the blessings and promises in this text. But I think it is also important to consider the context and timing of this Judgement knowing that the focus is on the people of the Tribulation, specifically vengeance on His enemies who are still alive being brought before the King. These are the rams and the goats as we learned in Ezekiel 34, and they are being judged for the mistreatment of the Jews, including the persecution of the Tribulation Martyrs during the 7-Year Tribulation, Rev 6:10; 16:6; 19:2.
Matthew 25:31

• Notice the timing of this Judgement... when the Son of Man comes in His Glory... sits on the throne of His Glory
  • Jesus is the King and He will rule from His throne, not His Father’s throne as He is now

Matthew 25:32-33

• The nations are gathered to His Kingdom in Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley
• Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, will separate the sheep from the goats. Making a distinction to the whole world those who are His

Matthew 25:34

• Then the King will say to His sheep, “Come, you blessed of My Father...”
  • This is the blessing of Ephesians 1. By this time, we as raptured saints will have experienced the manifestation of His blessings and the inheritance of the saints. We will be in our glorified bodies ruling with Jesus.
  • But now some of the same blessings are being given to those who “endured to the end,” Matthew 24:13.
    • The promises of the kingdom are to all the saints, but there will be different gradations within His Kingdom as we will see next week...

Matthew 25:35-40

• These “works” are not what save us, but rather Jesus is using these works in this court hearing as convicting proof of their belief or unbelief in Him
  • All Judgement is personal and is based on the evidence of faith.
  • The work of loving the brethren exposes the love for Jesus and our faith in Him.
  • Jesus takes the things we do to and for our brethren personally... good and bad
    • Mistreatment against God’s people is mistreatment against Jesus Himself, Acts 9:4... “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
• The sheep during the Tribulation were taking care of one another
  • The foolish shepherds abandoned the sheep, Ezekiel 34:1-10, but others who know their God will tend and feed the sheep, Daniel 11:32-35.

Matthew 25:41-46

• The foolish shepherd’s hearts will be exposed by the way they mistreated God’s people, and in turn, how they treated God Himself.
  • This is their punishment for not obeying the commandment of God... for not believing in Jesus and as a result, loving the brethren... everlasting hell fire.
• But notice the contrast...
  • The Righteous will go into everlasting life

 
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He takes care of His sheep... now and forever.
 
Next lesson we will look at the additional 45 days of the Blessed who will enter into His Kingdom...


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