The first will be Last

[Bolts]

The gentiles & mesianic Jews of course yes we are one body. The others are judged by God only.

By others - does that referr to the line of Esau?

[Bolts]

The Rich Young Man

16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[d] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[e]"

20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[f] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

I didn't think that there was going to be a separation between rich and poor. I thought the difference was between those who follow the Lord and those that don't?

[Bolts]

again, Matthew is written by a jew to the jews for the Messiah's Kingdom, and what to expect.

as you will see---GENTILES ARE NOT EXCLUDED--so hold onto your breath...

Mt 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mt 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Mt 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Matthew 20:1-16 (Spiritual Parallels in Red, and Clarifications in blue)

"For The Kingdom of Heaven (on Earth) is like a man (God) who was the Master of a household(your "Church"), who went out early in the morning (In The Beginning) to hire (Call) laborers for his vineyard.

2 When He (GOD) had agreed (made a Covenant) with the laborers (The Called) for a denarius a day (lifetime), He (GOD) sent them into His vineyard.

3 He (GOD) went out about the third hour (generations later), and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

4 To them He (GOD) said, 'You, also, go into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will give it to you.' So they went their way.

5 Again He (GOD) went out about the sixth (generations later) and the ninth hour,(generations later) and did likewise.

6 About the eleventh hour (generations later, and in the End Times) He (GOD) went out, and found others (Gentiles) standing idle. He (GOD) said (Called) to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?' (Why don't you perform Righteous Works of Faith too?).

7 They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He (GOD) said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.'

8 When evening (The Sabbath Millennium, MK) had come, the lord (GOD) of the vineyard said to his steward (JESUS the Messiah), 'Call (First Resurrection occurs with the Call of Last Trumpet) the laborers (The Chosen Few) and pay (reward) them their hire , beginning from The Last to The First.'

9 When they The Last who were hired (answered their calling) at about the eleventh hour (End Times & Latter Days) came (become Chosen), they each received a denarius (Their Reward in the Kingdom of GOD on Earth).

10 When The First came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius (Their Reward in the Kingdom of GOD on Earth).

11 When they received it, they questioned the reasoning of the master of the household,

12 saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and You have made them equal to us, (same reward) who have borne the burden (been enslaved, and murdered) of the day and the scorching heat (wandered in the desert for 40 years, etc...)!'

13 But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree (enter into a Covenant) with Me (GOD) for a denarius (Reward)?

14 Take that (Reward) which is yours, and go your way. It is My Good Will (The Righteous Will of GOD) to give to These Last just the same (Reward) as The First.

15 Isn't it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?'

16 So the "Last will be First, and the First Last". For many are called, but few are chosen."

What Jesus Is Telling Us here is this: We, who are among The Chosen Few, will receive the

same reward as those Saints who came before us(Tanakh(ot) saints) Or will come after us;

that GOD sees us as EQUALS; that our tasks (Works of Faith through Love) are just as

important to G-d as the tasks of those that came before us Or will come after us; and that

those without an Evil Eye (Self seeking Attitude) should Not be upset that the Reward is the

same... Why? Simply because a "Labor of Love" does not seek a Reward ! For Love is a

reward in and of itself, and Eternal Love is an Eternal Reward !

From the NIV...

1 Corinthians 13:2-8 (In All cases the word Love is Agape)

2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all Faith, so as to remove mountains, But don't have Love, I am Nothing.

3 If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but Don't Have Love, It Profits Me Nothing.

4 Love Is Patient And Is Kind; Love Doesn't Envy. Love Doesn't Brag, Is Not Proud,

5 Doesn't Behave Itself Inappropriately, . . . . (Love) is Not Self seeking . . . . Is Not Provoked, Takes No Account Of Evil;

6 Doesn't Rejoice In Unrighteousness, But Rejoices With The Truth

7 Bears All Things, Believes All Things, Hopes All Things, Endures All Things.

8 Love Never Fails

Thanks Mark - Lots of clarity in here.

[Bolts]

my expositors's bible explains this verse as:Israel,although first,will be last,because of the rejection of Christ:the church,although last,will be first because of acceptance of Christ.

Yeah!! thats what I thought. Could you go into a bit more detail please?

[Bolts]

The gentiles & mesianic Jews of course yes we are one body. The others are judged by God only.

I'd say the same.

Thanks Yomo, your comments are much appreciated!!

[Bolts]

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Thank you Avidan. I am slowly starting to see how having these attitudes will enter the Kingdom first.

[Avidan]

yes Bolts, Messiah, displayed these characteristics, as they are of Messiahas heart. YHSHWH-GOD put all over HIM, and submitted in love.

These are the same characteristics we should have, Mandate, in our heart.

For they are Messiah.

[cag7800]

my expositors's bible explains this verse as:Israel,although first,will be last,because of the rejection of Christ:the church,although last,will be first because of acceptance of Christ.

Yeah!! thats what I thought. Could you go into a bit more detail please?

isreal has always been first with God,he delievered them from bondage ect. when he sent Jesus they rejected him,there fore rejected God,they saw and didn't believe so there fore

the church who as not seen Jesus but believes will be first in God's eyes

hope this helps.i'm not a expert on the bible but i do try to study.

[Bolts]

[Smalcald]

The Rich Young Man

16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[d] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[e]"

20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[f] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

I didn't think that there was going to be a separation between rich and poor. I thought the difference was between those who follow the Lord and those that don't?

Salvation is by faith alone you are totally correct.

However I think we see in scripture, from the above passage that the more we are wrapped up in this world, by wealth, by power, and importantly by the pride and prestige that can come with those, the harder it will be to hear Christ and His message. Now the Jews who were higher up in religious society of that time would be seen as part of that.

Christ did say it was very hard for a rich man to enter heaven, not because He didn't like rich people, it was more just a statement of fact.

Paul says, look around you, who are called? Not the powerful, not the intellectuals, but the lowest parts of society, obviously the early Christians were not the big wheels and powerful of the society that they lived in.

I also see the first will be last passage as a warning to those who think they are something great, particularly religious leaders who have pride, who see religion and Christianity as a means to power and wealth and control, they seem to be first here, but they could very well be last. It ties in with Christ