Trawling

"the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away".

Matt 13:47-48

In this parable, Jesus describes the Kingdom at the end of the age, when He will return to claim his Bride, the Church, and judge the living and the dead. He describes it as a huge dragnet that catches all of the fish in the lake, both good and bad.

As we know this world consists of true believers, false believers, and people of no belief, people with no faith. With that description, the Cowboy movie, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", comes to mind, anyhow, saddle up!

Eschatology

At the end of the age, when Messiah returns, which with every passing day gets ever closer, the final battle between good and evil will take place at the battle of Armageddon. On that day, Jesus will return with his angel armies and cast the net to gather all the people of this world for judgment. And just like fish in a net. the true believers and non-believers will be separated. In other parables, Jesus describes the good and the bad like "Wheat and tares, sheep and goats, good fish and bad". On that day, the good fish will be safely gathered into baskets that are bound for the storehouse that is heaven; while the bad fish will be thrown away, into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

All of the parables in Matthew 13 are interlinked and prophetic as they tell us about the development of God's Kingdom here on earth, which until Messiah's return, exists in the hearts and minds of true believers. True believers are those of us who have accepted Jesus as their King and obey God's rules.

In all of these parables, the Sower, the Weeds, the Mustard Seed, the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl of Great Value, and the Net, Jesus creates mental pictures using poetic imagery that serves to conceal his message from those who will never come to know him, yet at the same time reveals it to those of us who truly seek Him.

As true believers, we are called to spread the good news of the Gospel so that others come to recognise Jesus for who he was, The Son of God, the light of the world, and in this recognition accept him as their personal Lord and Saviour. In this world of darkness, we must hold fast to God’s Word, and we must never distort its truths.

We must also not judge, Messiah Jesus is the only one with authority to judge. Our task as his followers is simply to share the good news of the gospel, with the same love and compassion that He did. When we do this, then we point others to the Kingdom of Heaven and away from the fire of destruction.

After he taught these parables Jesus asked his disciples inverse 50,

"Have you understood all these things?"

Yes they replied

I hope you have also, and in closing, I'm just going to quote Jesus,

Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!

May you have a great day, and God bless,

Trev.