31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Someday, Jesus is going to return. We don’t hear too much about His Coming these days, but His return is just as true as His resurrection. For those of us who are believers, His return will be filled with joyful celebration. For those who have rejected Him, fearful expectation of judgment. And there is no middle ground. I am glad I know the Lord! I look forward to that homecoming. Remember, this earth is not our home. We were created for intimate fellowship with the Creator of the Universe. We were meant to be able to walk with the Lord moment by moment. There was not supposed to be anything that would separate us from Him. No shame or guilt would stand in the way because there would be no shame or guilt. When obedience is the normal, and the disobedience of sin does not exist, fellowship with God is uninterrupted. Our verses today describe the scene of Christ’s return. It begins with a gathering and a separating. Everyone is gathered, and then those who know Him are separated from those who don’t. Notice that all nations are gathered. It is not just the Western world that is gathered. All nations are brought before Him. Christ is the universal door to God. No matter where you live on earth, Christ is the one way we approach God. There is no other way. This might seem harsh to some, but it really is a marvelous opportunity. There is at least one way to God! Sin means separation, permanent separation from the Lord. But there is a way! We can know the Lord. We don’t have to receive the consequences of our disobedience. Jesus took our penalty. We can be free.
The Arnold Journey 