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The Strength of....

It is much for the honor of God that not only no force can prevail in opposition to him, but that no force can act but in dependence on him and by a power derived from him.

(1.) The strength of a king is nothing without God. No king is sacred by his royal prerogatives, or the authority with which he is invested; for the powers that are, of that kind, are ordained of God, and are what he makes them, and no more. David was a king, and a man of war from his youth, and yet acknowledged God to be his only protector and Savior.

(2.) The strength of an army is nothing without God. The multitude of a host cannot secure those under whose command they act, unless God make them a security to them. A great army cannot be sure of victory; for, when God pleases, one shall chase a thousand.

(3.) The strength of a giant is nothing without God. A mighty man, such as Goliath was, is not delivered by his much strength, when his day comes to fall. Neither the firmness and activity of his body nor the stoutness and resolution of his mind will stand him in any stead, any further than God is pleased to give him success. Let not the strong man then glory in his strength, but let us all strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God, go forth, and go on, in his strength.

(4.) The strength of a horse is nothing without God (Psa_33:17): A horse is a vain thing for safety. In war horses were then so highly accounted of, and so much depended on, that God forbade the kings of Israel to multiply horses (Deu_17:16), lest they should be tempted to trust to them and their confidence should thereby be taken off from God. David houghed the horses of the Syrians (2Sa_8:4); here he houghs all the horses in the world, by pronouncing a horse a vain thing for safety in the day of battle.

~ Matthew Henry

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NO LEDGER SYSTEM

While it is clear that there is a definite separation between the sheep and the goats, the holy and the unholy, sin causes the sheep to sometimes fear that they are "bad" sheep, and the goats to assume that they are "good" goats. In other words, the sheep recognize all of the bad things they've done in life and they sometimes fear that those things will be brought up on the Day of Judgment. The goats, on the other hand, assume that every act of theirs with a seeming sense of virtue will be counted to their credit on the Day of Judgment.

In reality, if you look closely at the text from Matthew 25 you'll find that Jesus commends the sheep, that is, He has only good to say to them and about them, nothing contrary. On the other hand, He condemns the goats, having nothing good to say to them or about them.

Somewhere in our DNA, we have imprinted there the notion that God will judge the world on the last day with sort of a two-column ledger system.  One column for all the good we've done and another column for all the bad.  Deep within our psyche is this notion that as long as the good column is longer than the bad we'll be O.K.  Consequently it's sort of natural for us to think in terms of "bad" sheep and "good" goats.

Our perception, however, couldn't be farther from the truth. Again, Scripture tells us exactly what the Day of Judgment will be like. Jesus, the Pantokrator, the Ruler of All, will separate the sheep from the goats solely on the basis of faith. Goats are goats because they, in life, denied the grace and mercy of God in Christ. Consequently, they stand before God, naked, as it were, in the unfettered corruption of their flesh. Even every supposed good they had done in life is counted as sin against them because they were so proud as to assume that they could impress God. While they hoped there would be that two-sided ledger of good and bad, there is only the bad. Everything is known about their life and everything is wrong. They had trusted in themselves and they are found, most decidedly, wanting.

Conversely, sheep are sheep by virtue of their trust in and their dependence on Christ who, throughout life, called them by name and spoke to them through His Word. They are sheep because they hear Him say, "I have called you by name. You are mine." They are sheep because they hear Him say, "I have loved you unto death, even death on a cross." They are sheep because they hear Him say, "Take and drink, this is My blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins." They are sheep because there are few words more meaningful to them than God's Word of absolution. "I forgive you all of your sins!" They are sheep because they have been washed in the blood of God's Lamb.

~ Rev. Alan Taylor 

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"Hell -- The Lake of Fire" | Pastor Steve Gaines

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A man was walking on the beach and found a magic lamp. When he rubbed the lamp, a genie appeared and told him that he would be granted one wish... Immediately he asked for a copy of the newspaper with the stock market report that would be published one year from that day. Suddenly the paper was in his hands and the genie disappeared. With greedy eyes the man scanned the columns of the paper and identified stocks in which he could invest and make millions and millions of dollars. Pleased with himself and his shrewd plan, he turned the page of the paper only to find his own obituary.

Obviously the story is fictitious, but, it does serve a purpose as we consider... Matthew 25 [v.46]. The passage is about Jesus' coming in judgment, the time when He will separate the sheep from the goats, believers from unbelievers. Scripture says elsewhere that Jesus will come "like a thief in the night." In other words, the day and the hour are unknown, consequently, we are warned that, "Today is the appointed day. Today is the day of salvation."

~ Rev. Alan Taylor 

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But they have a will to sin ever; and being worthless they cannot satisfy God’s justice in any time; therefore is their fire everlasting.

Trapp

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They had joined the devil in refusing allegiance to the Lord; so it was but right that, imitating his rebellion, they should share his punishment.

Charles Spurgeon

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Jesus clearly points out that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. Men only go there because they have willingly cast their lot with the devil and his angels.

David Guzik