15, 16. (a) Why do we say that Jesus did not become King of God’s Kingdom in 33 C.E.? (b) When did Jesus commence ruling in God’s Kingdom?

¹⁵ At that time, however, Jesus did not act as King and Judge over the nations. He was seated next to God, awaiting the time to act as King of God’s Kingdom. Paul wrote of him: “With reference to which one of the angels has he ever said: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet’?”​—Hebrews 1:13.

¹⁶ Jehovah’s Witnesses have published much evidence that Jesus’ period of waiting expired in 1914, when he became ruler of God’s Kingdom in the invisible heavens. Revelation 11:15, 18 says: “The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.” “But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came.” Yes, the nations expressed wrath toward one another during World War I. (Luke 21:24) The wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages, and the like, that we have seen since 1914 confirm that Jesus is now ruling in God’s Kingdom, and the world’s final end is near.​—Matthew 24:3-14.

17. What key points have we thus far established?

¹⁷ By way of a brief review: God can be said to sit on a throne as King, but in another sense he can sit down on his throne to judge. In 33 C.E., Jesus sat at God’s right hand, and he is now King of the Kingdom. But does Jesus, now reigning as King, also serve as Judge? And why should this concern us, especially at this time?

18. What evidence is there that Jesus would also be Judge?

¹⁸ Jehovah, who has the right to appoint judges, chose Jesus as a Judge meeting His standards. Jesus showed this when speaking about people becoming spiritually alive: “The Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son.” (John 5:22) Yet, Jesus’ judicial role goes beyond that kind of judging, for he is judge of the living and of the dead. (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1) Paul once declared: “[God] has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man [Jesus] whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him.”​—Acts 17:31; Psalm 72:2-7.

19. Why is it correct to speak of Jesus as sitting down as Judge?

¹⁹ Are we thus justified in concluding that Jesus sits down on a glorious throne in the specific role of Judge? Yes. Jesus told the apostles: “In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28) Although Jesus is now King of the Kingdom, his further activity mentioned at Matthew 19:28 will include sitting on a throne to judge during the Millennium. At that time he will judge all mankind, the righteous and the unrighteous. (Acts 24:15) It is helpful to keep this in mind as we turn our attention to one of Jesus’ parables that relates to our time and to our lives.

What Does the Parable Say?

20, 21. What did Jesus’ apostles ask that relates to our time, leading to what question?

²⁰ Shortly before Jesus died, his apostles asked him: “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matthew 24:3) Jesus foretold significant developments on earth before ‘the end would come.’ Shortly before that end, the nations will “see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”​—Matthew 24:14, 29, 30.

²¹ How, though, will people in those nations fare when the Son of man arrives in his glory? Let us find out from the parable of the sheep and the goats, which begins with the words: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him.”​—Matthew 25:31, 32.

22, 23. What points indicate that the parable of the sheep and the goats did not begin its fulfillment in 1914?

²² Does this parable apply when Jesus sat down in kingly power in 1914, as we have long understood? Well, Matthew 25:34 does speak of him as King, so the parable logically finds application since Jesus became King in 1914. But what judging did he do soon thereafter? It was not a judging of “all the nations.” Rather, he turned his attention to those claiming to make up “the house of God.” (1 Peter 4:17) In line with Malachi 3:1-3, Jesus, as Jehovah’s messenger, judicially inspected the anointed Christians remaining on earth. It was also time for judicial sentence on Christendom, who falsely claimed to be “the house of God.”c (Revelation 17:1, 2; 18:4-8) Yet nothing indicates that at that time, or for that matter since, Jesus sat to judge people of all the nations finally as sheep or goats.

²³ If we analyze Jesus’ activity in the parable, we observe him finally judging all the nations. The parable does not show that such judging would continue over an extended period of many years, as if every person dying during these past decades were judged worthy of everlasting death or everlasting life. It seems that the majority who have died in recent decades have gone to mankind’s common grave. (Revelation 6:8; 20:13) The parable, though, depicts the time when Jesus judges the people of “all the nations” who are then alive and facing the execution of his judicial sentence.

24. When will the parable of the sheep and the goats be fulfilled?

²⁴ In other words, the parable points to the future when the Son of man will come in his glory. He will sit down to judge people then living. His judgment will be based on what they have manifested themselves to be. At that time “the distinction between a righteous one and a wicked one” will have been clearly established. (Malachi 3:18) The actual pronouncing and executing of judgment will be carried out in a limited time. Jesus will render just decisions based on what has become evident about individuals.​—See also 2 Corinthians 5:10.

25. What is Matthew 25:31 depicting in speaking of the Son of man sitting down on a glorious throne?

²⁵ This means, then, that Jesus’ ‘sitting down on his glorious throne’ for judgment, mentioned at Matthew 25:31, applies to the future point when this powerful King will sit down to pronounce and execute judgment on the nations. Yes, the judgment scene that involves Jesus at Matthew 25:31-33, 46 is comparable to the scene in Daniel chapter 7, where the reigning King, the Ancient of Days, sat down to carry out his role as Judge.

26. What new explanation of the parable comes into view?

²⁶ Understanding the parable of the sheep and the goats in this way indicates that the rendering of judgment on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after “the tribulation” mentioned at Matthew 24:29, 30 breaks out and the Son of man ‘arrives in his glory.’ (Compare Mark 13:24-26.) Then, with the entire wicked system at its end, Jesus will hold court and render and execute judgment.​—John 5:30; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.

27. What should we be interested in knowing about Jesus’ final parable?

²⁷ This clarifies our understanding of the timing of Jesus’ parable, which shows when the sheep and the goats will be judged. But how does it affect us who are zealously preaching the Kingdom good news? (Matthew 24:14) Does it make our work less significant, or does it bring a greater weight of responsibility? Let us see in the next article how we are affected.

What Future for the Sheep and the Goats?

“He will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”​—MATTHEW 25:32.

1, 2. Why should the parable of the sheep and the goats interest us?

JESUS CHRIST certainly was the greatest Teacher on earth. (John 7:46) One of his teaching methods was the use of parables, or illustrations. (Matthew 13:34, 35) These were simple yet powerful in conveying deep spiritual and prophetic truths.

² In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus pointed to a time for him to act in a special capacity: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and . . .” (Matthew 25:31) This should interest us because it is the illustration with which Jesus concludes his reply to the question: “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matthew 24:3) But what does this mean for us?

3. Earlier in his discourse, what did Jesus say would develop immediately after the great tribulation begins?

³ Jesus foretold striking developments to come “immediately after” the outbreak of great tribulation, developments we await. He said that then “the sign of the Son of man” would appear. This will profoundly affect “all the tribes of the earth” who will “see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” The Son of man will be accompanied by “his angels.”