We were able to get through part two, of our three part study of the three 2nd Advent parables, the parable of the penny, the parable of the talents, and the parable of the pounds. So, today we unpacked the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30.
As we saw last week a talent is the value of 20 years wages, or about conservatively $1.2 million in today's money. The issue in proper Bible study is to make sure that we who are in the dispensation of grace, is that we do not apply to us doctrinally what is for Israel. The three basic applications of scripture should keep us on track, but sometimes we must be reminded to be careful when we hear familiar scripture, that we do not hy-jack it and make application to the Church that does not belong to us.
In this parable, Jesus states that he is teaching on the 2nd Advent...For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country... We read Revelation 12:5: And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
In John's prophecy, he gives us some history and prophecy together. First, the woman (Israel) bears the messiah (Jesus) who is prophesied to rule all nations with a rod of iron. But, the kingdom was put on hold, and he was caught up to heaven. Daniel 9:26 prophesies that messiah will be cut off at a specific time. Acts 1:1-11 records the events where Jesus was caught up to heaven.
Knowing that he was going to travel to a far country, he delivers to three servants all his goods, according to their individual ability. One received five talents, one received two talents, and one received one talent. No one was given more than they were able to handle. V.19 states after a long time he returned to reckon with them.
Since this is a 2nd Advent parable, the time frame is the end of the tribulation when Messiah King Jesus will judge everyone in their order. In Matthew 25, the foolish virgins, which picture Jews of the tribulation who did not live faithfully. Jesus declares he never knew them, and they are cast out.
The next parable is the talents. These are servants of this wealthy man. He knows these three men and entrusts his wealth to them. When he returns, he rewards the first two with physical inheritance of ruling physical cities. The third servant was not so fortunate. He was declared wicked and slothful and was stripped of the one talent and was cast into outer darkness.
This is why we cannot apply this parable to this dispensation of grace in any doctrinal sense. Our judgment will be one of reward for our service to our Savior, and our eternal security is never in jeopardy, although there will be many at the judgment seat of Christ who will suffer loss of reward because they served Him with wrong motives. 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, 2 Corinthians 5:4-11
We read Isaiah 35:10, Ezekiel 20:33-38, and Malachi 3:16-18 which all prophesy of the restoration of faithful Israel and destruction of the wicked. These events are surely going to come to pass when Jesus returns with the hordes of heaven as recorded in Revelation 19:11-21. The wicked will be slain outright or judged and cast into eternal flames when he sits upon the throne of his glory.
