The Parables of Jesus: Pt. 5 No fish get away in this parable.
Good morning...
"Rescue the Perishing" by Fannie Crosby is such a convicting song, one many churches have long forgotten.
Verse 4 reads:
"Rescue the perishing, duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the LORD will provide; back to the narrow way patiently win them, tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died." Chorus reads: "Rescue the perishing,care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save."
The parable of the net & fish.
Matthew 13:47-50 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
This is the 7th parable of Jesus in Matthew 13. This one is interpreted for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. It follows the pattern and begins with "the kingdom of heaven is like..." This parable is one that the disciples would readily understand because it was about fishing.
A net was cast into the sea and caught a large amount of fish. The fishermen drew the net to shore when they realized that it was full of fish. Then, they sat down and sorted out the good fish from the bad fish. Good fish were put into vessels to preserve them but the bad fish were cast away.
The fishermen represent the apostles sharing the gospel.
Matthew 4:18-20 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Jesus called Peter and Andrew to be fisher's of men. This is the clear meaning of this parable. The net is not bringing up literal fish. Rather, it is a harvest of souls snagged by the preaching of the gospel.
The sea represents all of humanity, good and bad.
Revelation 15:1-3 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
This is the clearest text that teaches this truth although Revelation 13 & 17 also use an image of the sea and connects it with wicked humanity.
John describes a sea that looked like glass mingled with fire. All those who were saved out of the tribulation period are standing on this glass sea. They sang a new song and praised Jehovah because He is king of all the saints.
Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
John describes the judgment of Babylon which is the root of all idolatry as sitting on many waters like a sea. Revelation 13:1 we see the beast rises up from the sea. Then, John is given the explanation of the sea or many waters. It represents people, multitudes, nations and tongues.
The fishermen sorting the fish represent the angels of God.
Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
Jesus said His angels would be sent to gather out all that is sinful to remove them from His kingdom. The righteous sheep of His pasture will be separated from the wicked ones.
Revelation 21:25-27 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
John saw the new heavens and the new Jerusalem. Notice his conclusion of what it will be like. There will be nothing that defiles, nothing sinful, nothing wicked that will ever enter in to this eternal kingdom of light.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Again, this is the final destination of all who reject the gospel in any age. Their going to be sent to that terrible place called hell, the lake of fire. When the fishermen cast them away it will be into a furnace of fire as John describes.
Points to Ponder...
"Rescue the Perishing" by Fannie Crosby is such a convicting song, one many churches have long forgotten.
Verse 4 reads:
"Rescue the perishing, duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the LORD will provide; back to the narrow way patiently win them, tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died." Chorus reads: "Rescue the perishing,care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save."
The parable of the net & fish.
Matthew 13:47-50 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
This is the 7th parable of Jesus in Matthew 13. This one is interpreted for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. It follows the pattern and begins with "the kingdom of heaven is like..." This parable is one that the disciples would readily understand because it was about fishing.
A net was cast into the sea and caught a large amount of fish. The fishermen drew the net to shore when they realized that it was full of fish. Then, they sat down and sorted out the good fish from the bad fish. Good fish were put into vessels to preserve them but the bad fish were cast away.
The fishermen represent the apostles sharing the gospel.
Matthew 4:18-20 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Jesus called Peter and Andrew to be fisher's of men. This is the clear meaning of this parable. The net is not bringing up literal fish. Rather, it is a harvest of souls snagged by the preaching of the gospel.
The sea represents all of humanity, good and bad.
Revelation 15:1-3 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
This is the clearest text that teaches this truth although Revelation 13 & 17 also use an image of the sea and connects it with wicked humanity.
John describes a sea that looked like glass mingled with fire. All those who were saved out of the tribulation period are standing on this glass sea. They sang a new song and praised Jehovah because He is king of all the saints.
Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
John describes the judgment of Babylon which is the root of all idolatry as sitting on many waters like a sea. Revelation 13:1 we see the beast rises up from the sea. Then, John is given the explanation of the sea or many waters. It represents people, multitudes, nations and tongues.
The fishermen sorting the fish represent the angels of God.
Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
Jesus said His angels would be sent to gather out all that is sinful to remove them from His kingdom. The righteous sheep of His pasture will be separated from the wicked ones.
Revelation 21:25-27 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
John saw the new heavens and the new Jerusalem. Notice his conclusion of what it will be like. There will be nothing that defiles, nothing sinful, nothing wicked that will ever enter in to this eternal kingdom of light.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Again, this is the final destination of all who reject the gospel in any age. Their going to be sent to that terrible place called hell, the lake of fire. When the fishermen cast them away it will be into a furnace of fire as John describes.
Points to Ponder...
- Who is casting the net? It was first cast by the apostles and the task of fishing with a net to save souls has been passed down to us.
- Who pulls the net to shore? The angels of God pull this net to shore.
- What happens next? The angels are going to sort out the good fish from the bad fish.
- The good fish will be preserved while the bad fish are cast away.
- One cannot imagine a clearer picture of the gospel and the resurrection of life for the born again and the resurrection of death for the unrepentant sinners.
The Lord Jesus used these 7 parables to pour truth into His disciples because they were going to become fishers of men and carry on the Great Commission after Christ ascended to heaven.
We have a part to play because we have been entrusted with the gospel to tell others about their need of salvation. Eternal life or eternal burning are the outcomes that all people will face. This is why Jesus said you must be born again to enter His kingdom.
Bob
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