We have arrived at the last part of Matthew 25, which runs from verses 31-46 and in which the judgment of the Son of Man (>the Ben Adam) over the nations is described. The nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them one from another, ‘as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats’.
32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
final fate?
Usually it is read that this is the moment of the final judgment and that after this ’the endless eternity’ begins. The sheep go to heaven, the goats to hell, is the idea.
But Scripture does not know something like an ‘endless eternity’, but aeons, which are periods. And the concept of ‘hell’ is also unknown to the Bible.
Furthermore, we know from the context that the judgment takes place before the future aeon and is not about a definitive destination, after all, there is still an era to follow. And after the aeon of the thousand years even a final aeon. In addition, it is not about individuals here, but about peoples.
peoples
What is described here is that at the end of this aeon, the nations will be judged. The sheep and goats are a representation of the peoples. They will be judged on their attitude towards Israel. More about that later.
Joel 2 and 3
Here too, in describing the judgment over the nations, the Lord bases His speech on the Hebrew scriptures, for example Joel 3.
The section preceding Joel 3 is very well known. In Joel 2, the restoration of Israel is discussed. Just like in the previous one in Matthew 24. God will pour out His spirit on all the flesh of His people (Joel 2:28-29).
This passage also speaks of the signs in the sun, moon and stars (Joel 2:30-31), which mark the moment of the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-3) and which we know from Matthew is: immediately after the great tribulation (Matt. 24:29).
At the end of the great tribulation the people will call on the name of YAHWEH, the Lord will appear and set His feet on the Mount of Olives, whereupon the Mount of Olives will be rent (Zech. 14:4). Then the people will be able to flee (Joel 2:32).
final judgment of the nations
After the great tribulation over Israel, the judgments will come over the nations, represented in Revelation by seven trumpets. At the end of this period the final judgment of the nations will come and that is what is described in Joel 3, which the Lord refers to in Matthew 25:31-32.
Joel 3
1 For behold, in those days and at that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 Then will I gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will enter into judgment with them there for my people and for my inheritance Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and for my land which they have divided.
(…)
11 Mobilize and come, all the nations around! And let them be gathered there. Set down, YAHWEH, your mighty men!
12 The nations will be stirred up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations around.Other prophets also speak of this event, such as the prophet Zephaniah:
Zephaniah 3
8 Therefore wait for Me, declares YAHWEH, until the day that I rise up to take the spoil.
For My judgment is to gather the nations, to assemble the kingdoms,
to pour out on them My indignation, even the fierceness of My anger.
For this whole land will be devoured by the fire of My jealousy.
goats
The judgment described in Matthew 25 is a judgment that takes place here on earth. It takes place after the restoration of Israel, at the end of the day of wrath (Rev.6:17).
It is a judgment over the nations living at that time. They will be judged on their attitude towards the people of Israel. The disobedient nations (>goats) will be brought into the valley of Jehoshaphat (=YAHWEH judges) and will be judged there. They will perish in the aeonian fire and will not inherit the coming aeon (:41).
sheep
The righteous (:37) nations (>sheep) will enter the Kingdom of the Messiah. They will receive the life of the coming aeon, the aeonian (>eternal) life (:46). That is the thousand years in which Satan is bound, so that he would no longer deceive the nations (Rev.20:2-3).