Recently I had the privilege of traveling to the Holy
Land and visiting many of the wonderful sights in Israel. In my opinion, the region
known as upper and lower Galilee with its rocky hills and pristine valleys
boasts some of the most beautiful scenery in all the land.
I was especially fond of the ancient city of Capernaum
which lies on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. It was there that Jesus spent
much of His public ministry. So much so, that even though Christ was raised in
Nazareth, Matthew (in his gospel) calls Capernaum Jesus’s hometown. This
intimate little village lies nestled between several rolling hillsides and
directly on the banks of the sea. Like all coastal cities, it’s economy was
highly dependent on the goods that could be harvested from the nearby waters.
It is from this area that Jesus called many of the 12
disciples, and as you are probably aware, several of them fishermen by trade. Fishing
was more than a hobby to these men. It was a way of life. It was a craft, a
trade. So, one can easily understand just how relatable the parable of the
dragnet was to these men. We might say, that the Apostles may not have
understood every parable that Jesus taught, but they clearly understood this
one.
Many, many times these men had fished with a dragnet.
Many, many times these men had fished with a dragnet.
Today, we may call it a trawl net, or a seine. It is a
long-netted webbing used to catch a multitude of fish at one time. The way they
are used and designed really hasn’t changed that much over the years.
The top of the net had corks or floats affixed to it,
while the bottom of the net had lead weights or small stones tied on, so the
net would sink quickly to the bottom. One end of the net would be tied to either
another boat or a secure place on the shoreline. While one boat rowed slowly
into the sea, the men would carefully let down the net from the boat as they
would make a large loop, enclosing the fish.
Once they had circled back around to where the first part
of the net was tied, they would jump out of the boat and cautiously drag the
net back onto the land. The net was indiscriminate. It caught everything in its
path. From seaweed, to trash, to sticks, to every kind of sea creature. But if
everything went according to plan, the net would also be full of all kinds of
profitable fish. If it was a large catch, many men (perhaps even the whole
village) would help draw the net in, and separate the fish. As they pulled
their catch onto the beach, they would sort through it. Some would be kept to
sell at market, others taken home to feed the family. Some would not meet the
dietary requirements of the Jewish civil law, and would be turned back. And
there were still other fish that were completely worthless. They were not
edible, could not be sold, nor used for any good purpose. These were simply
discarded or thrown away.
In Matthew 13:47-52 Christ uses this everyday way of life
to describe His kingdom and what it will be like when the time of final judgment
comes. Jesus makes reference to this prophetic day in verse 49 where He says:
“so shall it be at the end of the world.”
This parable forces us to think about things we don’t
like to consider. It directs our minds to a dreadful time that is yet to come.
A time when the Lord will send his angels and gather together the souls of men
and the wicked will be separated from the good. Those who are not saved, who
have not been born-again, will be cast into hell itself.
John MacArthur summarizes this parable in these words:
“The Dragnet of God’s judgment moves silently though the sea of mankind and
draws all men to the shores of eternity for final separation to their ultimate
destiny – believers to eternal life and unbelievers to eternal damnation.”
Dear reader, have you trusted in Christ? For this is the
only way to escape the righteous judgment of a Holy God. Are you safe from that
coming judgment, because your sins were paid for at Calvary? Have you
personally trusted in the saving work of the risen Lord Jesus Christ?
None of us like to contemplate such hard truths, but yet
they are truths none-the-less. May those of us who have been redeemed be
diligent to warn sinners to flee from the wrath that is to come.
What an amazingly straightforward parable this is! Only
the Master Teacher could teach such a sobering truth, with such simple
language. May God use it to reach your heart.
Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
svdbygrace2@roadrunner.com
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