Two In The Field One Is Taken One Is Left

Shalom, kaoticprofit.

Well, are you forgetting that the original Messianic congregation (that most call a "church") consisted entirely of Messianic Jews? Also, you should consider the fact that when Yeshua` was talking to His disciples, He was NOT talking to the "church"; He was talking to His students who accepted Him as the Messiah of God for Isra'el! They accepted the fact that He was meant to be Isra'el's KING, starting with being the King of the Jews! He was called that at His birth, and it was written over His head on the cross! That wasn't just a title for Him; there was great truth in that appellation! It was (and is) His RIGHT to rule! He was (and is) ENTITLED!

So, when you find that the word "eklektos" is used in Matthew and John, KNOW THIS: He is talking to the Jews who were His followers and His heralds, announcing His Kingship in the towns and villages of the Jews! (He also announced this fact to some of the inhabitants of Shomron or "Samaria", who were half-breed Isra'elites from the northern tribes!)

Let me give it to you straight:

Here are the verses that have the word "eklektos" in them: Matthew 20:16; 22:14; 24:22, 24, 31; Mark 13:20, 22, 27; Luke 18:7; 23:35; Romans 8:33; 16:13; Colossians 3:2; 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:4, 6, 9; 2 John 1, 13; and Revelation 17:14.

This noun stems from the verb form "eklegomai," which means "to select," which also gives rise to the abstract noun, "eklogee," meaning "selection." These words, too, need to be considered more than just the single noun:

Here are the verses that contain "eklegomai": Mark 13:20; Luke 6:13; 10:42; 14:7; John 6:70; 13:18; 15:16 (twice), 19; Acts 1:2, 24; 6:5; 13:17; 15:7, 22, 25; 1 Corinthians 1:27 (twice), 28; Ephesians 1:4; and James 2:5.

And, here are the verses that contain "eklogee": Acts 9:15; Romans 9:11; 11:5, 7, 28; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; and 2 Peter 1:10.

In fact, here's what I can share from the Englishman's Concordance:

1586 eklegomai
Mark 13:20 ...elect's sake, whom he hath chosen...
Luke 6:13 ...and of them he chose...
Luke 10:42 ...and Mary hath chosen that...
Luke 14:7 ...he marked how they chose...
John 6:70 ...answered them, Have not I chosen...
John 13:18 ...I know whom I have chosen...
John 15:16 ...Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,...
John 15:19 ...world, but I have chosen...
Acts 1:2 ...the apostles whom he had chosen...
Acts 1:24 ... of these two thou hast chosen...
Acts 6:5 ... multitude: and they chose...
Acts 13:17 ...people of Israel chose our...
Acts 15:7 ...ago God made choice among...
Acts 15:22 ...church, to send chosen...
Acts 15:25 ...accord, to send chosen men...
1 Corinthians 1:27 ...But God hath chosen the...wise; and God hath chosen...
1 Corinthians 1:28 ... are despised, hath God chosen...
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen...
James 2:5 ...brethren, Hath not God chosen...

1588
Matthew 20:16 ...be called, but few chosen.
Matthew 22:14 ...called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 24:22 ...but for the elect's sake...
Matthew 24:24 ...deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:31 ...together his elect from the...
Mark 13:20 ...but for the elect's sake,...
Mark 13:22 ...possible, even the elect.
Mark 13:27 ...together his elect from the...
Luke 18:7 ...his own elect, which cry...
Luke 23:35 ...he be Christ, the chosen of...
Romans 8:33 ...charge of God's elect? It is...
Romans 16:13 ...Salute Rufus chosen in the...
Colossians 3:12 ...as the elect of God, holy...
1 Timothy 5:21 ...and the elect angels, that...
2 Timothy 2:10 ...things for the elect's sakes,...
Titus 1:1 ...faith of God's elect, and...
1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus to the (elect) strangers...
1 Peter 2:4 ...of men, but chosen of...
1 Peter 2:6 ...a chief corner stone, elect,...
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen...
2 John 1 The elder unto the elect...
2 John 13 ...children of thy elect sister...
Revelation 17:14 ...are called, and chosen, and...

1589
Acts 9:15 ...for he is a chosen vessel...
Romans 9:11 ...God according to election...
Romans 11:5 ...to the election of grace.
Romans 11:7 ...but the election hath obtained it...
Romans 11:28 ...as touching the election,...
1 Thessalonians 1:4 ...beloved, your election of...
2 Peter 1:10 ... your calling and election...

And, as far as these words being applicable to Isra'el, consider these verses:

Acts 13:16-23
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
KJV

Matthew 20:1-16
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
KJV

Matt 22:11-14
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
KJV

Matt 24:29-31
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth (Land) mourn (Zechariah 12), and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 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.
KJV

Mark 13:14-22
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
KJV

Mark 13:24-27
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
KJV

Luke 18:1-8
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
KJV

Luke 23:35
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
KJV

Rom 8:33-36
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
KJV

2 Tim 2:8-13
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
KJV

1 Peter 2:1-10
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord (Yeshua`) is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner (Psalm 118:22),
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 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.
KJV

Rev 17:14
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
KJV

Acts 9:11-16
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
KJV

Rom 9:10-13
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
KJV

Rom 11:4-7
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
KJV

Rom 11:26-29
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
KJV

Now, tell me that these don't have to do with the children of Isra'el!

 

Retro,
I have learned over the years that the simplest interpretation is usually the correct one. Fabricators are great complicators. Congratulations! You certainly win the prize!

Besides. This passage isn't about a rapture. It's the judgement of the sheep and goats. i.e. the judgement of nations. That judgement answers the infamous pretribulational question, "Who will populate the millennium?"
Jesus said the gathering occurs after the tribulation and I believe HIM!

 

Shalom, kaoticprofit.

Actually, I agree with you that the gathering occurs after the tribulation. Yeshua`s account about the sheep and goats is about who will populate the Kingdom. All of them will populate the earth during those first 1,000 years; however, not all of them will share in the bounty of the Kingdom. There will be some nations that will be immediate tributaries to the Kingdom, while some will be forced to make it on their own. ALL of them eventually become subjugated to the King, whether they like it or not, whether they want it or not, but this will occur over time throughout the 1,000 years.

One must be VERY careful with the wording of Matthew 25:

Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
KJV

Notice that BOTH groups are NOT the "my brethren" to which Yeshua` referred! Thus, neither the "sheep" nor the "goats" of this account are His brethren, either Isra'el "born in a day" or the righteous believers of both the remnant of Isra'el and the Gentiles.

The "sheep" would be the nations like the USA and England who have treated the Jews and Christians well; the "goats" would be the nations like Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia who mistreated the Jews and Christians alike! This is a WAR TRIBUNAL that Yeshua` will hold after the battle at Har Megiddown - Tel Megiddo - after He routes the enemies, destroying most of them, and after He has been crowned as King in Isra'el.

Furthermore, this is a judgment on the NATIONS as groups of people, not on individuals within those nations. This judgment will affect the majority of the people within those nations, but exceptions to the rule individually will be found in any nation.

Secondly, notice too that, although the "goats" are sent away into everlasting punishment, but they are not BOUND and THROWN there, yet!

One should remember the words of Paul under the inspiration of the Ruach haQodesh (the Holy Spirit) in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28:

1 Corinthians 15:20-28
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
KJV

Remember that this is in a chapter all about the resurrection. Sometimes, the Jewish presentation of history, even future history, can be difficult for Westerners to comprehend, but the scenario here is this:

1. First, the Messiah Himself was the firstfruits of the resurrection.
2. Second, there will be those who belong to the Messiah resurrected at His second coming.
3. Then, He begins His reign.
4. During that portion of His reign, the 1,000 years, Yeshua` will begin subduing His enemies, one by one, until He is at last the King of Kings, the World Emperor, a benevolent dictator.
5. After He has subdued all of His human enemies and every "rule, authority and power," the last enemy to be defeated will be death itself, and Paul mentions that, of course, the exception is God Himself who put all things under His feet.
6. That's the end when there is yet one more resurrection - the resurrection of the condemned.
7. Finally, Yeshua` the Messiah hands over the World Empire to God His Father so that "God may be all in all."

We are currently between points 1 and 2. This passage parallels Revelation 20, and they may be harmonized.

While that's the end of the Millennium, it is certainly NOT the end of Yeshua`s reign, for we also have this prophecy:

Luke 1:30-33
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
KJV

Thus, although the World Empire will then be ruled by God the Father, Yeshua` will continue to reign as the King of Isra'el. Remember, too, Yeshua`s words in John 5:

John 5:21-23
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
KJV

This happens primarily at the end before He hands over the Empire to His Father, but it also occurs THROUGHOUT the Millennium.

One other little thing I feel I should bring up: Today, I heard Ron Hutchcraft in "A Word With You" on Moody Radio Florida (91.1 FM) say something to which I just had to shake my head. During the Christmas season, we will often read the Christmas story (or should) and read the following about Herod:

Matthew 2:8
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
KJV

Mr. Hutchcraft made the statement that Herod was being religious, that for him it was a "spiritual matter." However, everyone should know that the word "worship" is NOT about being religious or spiritual! The Greek word translated "worship" is "proskuneesoo," coming from "proskuneoo" (using the "ee" for eta and the "oo" for omega), and according to Strong's Greek Dictionary, "proskuneoo" means...

This word is not about religion or being spiritual; it's about BOWING in homage to the One who is King!

Herod was not saying that he would come and worship Yeshua` as God; he was saying that he would come and do homage to the one born King of the Jews!

The reason I bring this up is that this kind of "worship" or "falling prostrate before the throne" is what is meant in the following passages:

Romans 14:9-12
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
KJV

Philippians 2:9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
KJV

"Kurios" simply means "lord." It CAN refer to God and was used to translate the tetragrammaton into Greek, but it can also mean more simply "master," "mister," "sir," or "sire," a simple term of respect. Yeshua` in His role of "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords" or "Master of Masters," is given those titles BECAUSE He will rule the world in a worldwide kingdom or empire, just as Nebuchadnezzar (Nebuchadrezzar) was called the "King of Kings" in Dani'el 2:37 and Ezeki'el 26:7 and Artaxerxes was called "King of Kings" in Ezra 7:12. Thus, they will bow the knee before Him in His presence - one way or another! They will either do so willingly because they love Him, OR they will bow the knee because they MUST because they are standing in the presence of ROYALTY!

Psalm 2:1-12
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed (Messiah), saying,
3 "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: 'the LORD hath said unto me, "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." '
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little! Blessed are all they that put their trust in him!"
KJV

 

nice read Retrobyter