All covenants in Bible days had promised blessings and warned of the curse. Matthew 25:31-46 describes our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, coming again to bring judgment. Those who are not blessed are cursed. Everyone is either blessed or cursed. There is no other covenant option. There is a sharp contrast between those who are blessed and those who are cursed.
Those who are blessed are like sheep. Our Lord Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. They hear his voice and follow him. Those who reject Jesus as Lord are described as the goats. They neither hear his voice nor follow. The sheep are blessed, whereas the goats are cursed.
Those at the King's right hand are blessed. Remember, covenants were made with an uplifted right hand. That was an oath of promise. Those at the King's right hand are his covenant people. They have believed and received his covenant promises. Those at his left hand have neither believed nor received his promises. They are cursed at his left hand.
The sheep at the King's right hand are blessed to receive life everlasting. They are believers in the Son of God (John 3:16). The goats at the King's left hand are cursed with everlasting punishment. The word cursed means to be cut off and marked for destruction. The everlasting covenant of our Lord Jesus Christ is a blessing for all at his right hand (Hebrews 13:20-21). Yet, the curse is for all at his left hand.
