“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 13:47-50
All men and women are gathered in the net of God’s sovereignty. Those that are justified, or declared righteous and forgiven, through trusting in the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ are the ones that are “good”. They are good not by virtue of their own, but by the virtue of Christ and His sinless life. The good fish in the parable represent “believers” in Christ. These are placed into “containers”, a simple parabolic metaphor for the security and preservation of God and His presence.
The net is not yet full. But the net is filling. “The close of the age” is simply the end of human history as we know it. This is also the second coming of Jesus as the event that ultimately “closes” the age. (Matthew 13:30; 40-43) All men and women will be brought before the judgment seat of God at that time. Those in Christ will be blessed, while those that have never had an abiding relationship with Jesus will be “thrown into the fiery furnace”.
This is why the Bible lays great importance upon the idea that, “Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2) . Now is the time to turn from your sins and to come to Jesus in full assurance that He paid your sin debt at the cross. The grace and mercy of God alone through Christ is the good news that saves men and women from the fiery furnace and judgment for their own sins. Will you trust Christ and His gift of eternal life? “He who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”-Romans 10:9,10,13
Bless the Lord of glory who is worthy, the Savior who alone saves!
Wisdom Walk 