Tag: Judgment Day

God’s Declaration In Isaiah 66

The content discusses the prophetic insights of Isaiah, emphasizing accurate predictions concerning Jesus and His significance beyond Israel. It highlights themes of eternal life and the New Earth, expressing God’s promise to reach all nations. The conclusion warns of the consequences for those rejecting Jesus, presenting a stark contrast to the hope provided in faith.

Looks into the future within the Old Testament are common. That is what prophecy is. We are living far enough in the future from the time of Isaiah that almost everything in it we can examine through hindsight. Almost.

Isaiah had warnings for the people of Israel and for the surrounding nations. It has all come true to my knowledge. It is so accurate that skeptics conclude that Isaiah had to be written after the fact, but there is no proof of this. Isaiah also spoke a lot about the coming of Jesus: virgin birth, living in Galilee, heir of David, widely rejected by the Jews, put through a judgment process where He did not defend himself, crucified for the salvation of others, and buried with the rich. They would be impossible or undesirable events to stage.

Toward the end of Isaiah there is a large and confusing section about the New Earth which is still future even to us. Check out my take on this section here: https://afterdeathsite.com/2022/05/24/wrestling-with-isaiah-65/

Then there are the final verses of the last chapter. It speaks about some stuff that is in our rear-view mirror and some that is not. It starts like this:

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.

Isaiah 66:18-19 (ESV)

It is intriguing (to me) to ponder what constituted the right time to send Jesus to fulfill the Law and create an opening for people to have eternal life with God starting with Heaven and then later adding the New Earth. With this event comes a spreading out of knowledge about the God who encountered Israel for millennia, the events around Jesus’ life, and the promise of eternal life. God didn’t keep His promise within the borders of a chosen people. He opened the doors to everyone starting most likely 33AD. His description of “the nations” is strange to us, but must have been well known to the contemporaries of Isaiah. “They” in verse 19 must be the early disciples. The communication of God’s actions and the promise of eternal life continues with the disciples of Jesus today all around the world.

20 And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

Isaiah 66:20-21 (ESV)

Not only was it surprise to hear that God would reach out to other nations, but an even bigger surprise that some of them would be used like the priests and Levites. This chosen group served in the temple as their sole occupation. They were chosen because of the faithfulness of one clan during the Exodus. In the future this would be opened up. I am such a person.

Another surprise is that these saved foreigners would be “your brothers”. This is not a promise to gather the dispersed Jewish people but rather to gather the elect from every nation. These are people whom God can foresee that He will be able to reach. Not everyone will embrace the promise of Jesus. This is sadly observable. Why? I’m not sure the cause or causes. But some will.

The weird modes of transportation are interesting too. I have never brought somebody to church on a dromedary. But this isn’t transportation to a place exactly. This is being involved in diverse ways in people’s lives so that they are connected to Jesus and when we all move past Judgment Day and to the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22), we will be like a grain offering that makes God very happy. The New Jerusalem is a place. We just help bring people to Jesus.

“For as the new heavens and the new earth
    that I make
shall remain before me, says the Lord,
    so shall your offspring and your name remain.
23 From new moon to new moon,
    and from Sabbath to Sabbath,
all flesh shall come to worship before me,
declares the Lord.

Isaiah 66:22-23 (ESV)

Eternal life with God is just that–eternal. That is the consistent message of the rest of Scripture. This passage speaks of the permanence of the New Heavens and New Earth, the offspring of the people of faith within Israel, and their name. Part of our experience in Heaven and the New Earth will be worship. Don’t relate that to times you were bored in church. It is also notable that it is “all flesh”. Humans aren’t complete as a disembodied spirit. Paul calls that being “naked” (2 Corinthians 5). We will have a Heavenly Body and a resurrected Earthly body. Worship will be an immersive and positive experience. Everyone will do it. Everyone who is saved that is.

24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

I don’t think that we will make it a part of our eternal routine to observe “dead bodies”. The Bible says that everybody (saved and not) will be a part of the resurrection of our earthly bodies. While this may seem like an amazing and hopeful moment, those who stand judgment bearing their own sin rather than the righteousness we receive from Jesus will find their resurrected bodies are not indestructible. Malachi 4 speaks about them being turned to ash. That will be observable on Judgment Day, probably not after it.

The spirit of a damned person then experiences the ultimate consequence for sin that was completely avoidable. By rejecting Jesus they allowed themselves to bear the full consequence of the Law. They will experience an unending decay (the worm does not die), a fire that is never quenched, be abhorrent to themselves and others, and forsaken by God.

For my part, I wish this ended at verse 23. I can’t deny verse 24 and others like it. Jesus says many will enter destruct and few into life. I hope those relative terms do not mean like they sound. It sure sounds like the majority will experience verse 24.

What Is Hell Fire?

The post contemplates the concept of Hell, defining it as a place of eternal suffering for those without Jesus’ atonement. It explores metaphors used in scripture, such as fire and Hades, to convey the nature of divine judgment. Ultimately, it emphasizes the profound severity of separation from God’s presence in Hell.

It’s a name of a missile, right? It is, but I want to contemplate something else. First, let’s establish a meaning for the word, “Hell”. When I speak of Hell, I am talking about the final place of eternal judgment. It is a post-Judgment Day actual place. It is a place of suffering that includes all who have rebelled against God and have an eternal nature (they don’t just cease to exist) and do not have Jesus’ atonement for their sins. It includes people, Satan, and demons. Jesus uses the word “Gehenna” to refer to it. Revelation calls it the “Lake of Fire”.

Fire, as we have experienced it, is a rapid oxidation resulting in an exothermic reaction. Light a match, that is what is happening. Is that what is happening in Hell, or on Judgment Day (1 Corinthians 3:10f, 2 Peter 3), or even in Sheol? Just a lot of combustion? I doubt it.

When the Bible needs to introduce a concept to us for which we have no frame of reference, it has to use something we know as a metaphor. Fire, as we have experienced it, is similar to the things mentioned above in some way, but it is not necessarily oxidation. I could do this with something in our physical world to help someone with no knowledge of it. I could call nuclear fission a fire. They are both hot.

Let’s start with Sheol/Hades. If you are not familiar with these terms, type them in the search box in the top right of this page. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Both are in Hades but one on the “good” side of the chasm and one on the bad side. The Rich Man describes the bad side this way:

24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

Luke 16:24 (ESV)

Maybe it’s combustion, does it matter? It helps to understand that while all of these use “fire” or “flames”, they are not the same thing and this adds to our understanding of what will happen. Hopefully, we never experience what the Rich Man is experiencing. Jesus is the way to not experience it. For me, it raises the questions of where Sheol is and what is a person’s nature within it. I think it is obvious that Sheol/Hades is not in the center of the Earth as the ancients imagined it. Volcanic activity was just an available metaphor. If it is other dimensional, then do we have a body for Sheol that experiences heat. If this is just their spirit. What can a spirit experience? It suffers to the intensity of being in the scorching heat of a volcanic chamber.

How about the destruction of the universe in 2 Peter 3?

7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

2 Peter 3:7,10 (ESV)

The destruction of the universe does sound like a nuclear-type reaction. If fact, during the Cold War, people read this as a nuclear destruction of our own doing. Even nuclear reactions leave molecular remains of slightly less mass. If this verse is being that technical, then this “fire” may go further than even a nuclear fission process.

How about this fire?

13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

1 Corinthians 3:13 (ESV)

This fire doesn’t consume anything. It tests and reveals the historical actions of one’s life. More like the Goblet of Fire in Harry Potter. Here the point of comparison may be appearance, just like “tongues of fire” resting the disciples heads on the day of Pentecost. There is some discomfort with this. This is the judgment of our deeds. While not the determining factor in our salvation, it is a probing evaluation of life which will be less than perfect and somewhat embarrassing.

Finally, we get to Hell:

14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14-15 (ESV)

This is the fire most to be feared. Yet, it is a fire that doesn’t seem to consume anything. Neither combustion nor fission, it deals out eternal suffering. The same questions I applied above to Sheol/Hades apply here. Where is it? Most likely some other dimensional plane that is not connected to the New Universe nor Heaven. Is it just the same as Hades? Here I would refer to what Jesus experienced on the cross to spare us from this fate. He is forsaken by the Father.

The presence of God is a very complicated thing. There is the full blown presence of Heaven at present, but even in Sheol/Hades there is some element of His presence (see Psalm 139). Now Hades is dumped into Hell. Is this somehow completely forsaken and removed entirely from the presence of God? What happens to any part of reality in that situation? Do even spirits burn? The point of contact is clearly the suffering connected with a burn. Is that just the best one can do to describe what happens in a relatable way? The resurrected body, which all receive if briefly (Daniel 12) and is referred to as indestructible (1 Corinthians 13) does prove to be destructible for the damned (Malachi 4). In Hell as person does not have this body. Stripped down in their nature to probably just the spirit, Satan, rebellious angels, and the damned among mankind experience what it is like to be forever out of the presence of God. I don’t care to have a fully relatable experience to this.

Will We Judge Angels?

Paul addresses issues within the Corinthian congregation, particularly their practice of suing one another in pagan courts. He argues that Christians are more qualified to adjudicate disputes, referencing scriptural support for their future role as judges. This indicates a vindication for believers who suffer for Christ, emphasizing their authority in the coming Judgment Day.

The congregation that Paul writes to in Corinth had a bunch of problems. Some of their doctrinal understanding was bad. Some of their practices were worse. One practice that Paul took issue with was their bringing lawsuits against each other in pagan civil court. He insists that Christians are more equipped to be just in their judgments than the pagan judicial system. He then says this:

2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

1 Corinthians 6:2-3 (ESV)

When we think of Judgment Day, we rightly think of ourselves being judged. For someone saved by Christ there is no concern of being damned at this point. Yet, there is still a judgment of the works of our lives. Read more about that here:https://afterdeathsite.com/2025/01/07/will-judgment-day-recount-all-our-deeds/. We don’t think of ourselves being on the other side of the bench. Yet Paul speaks of our judging the world as if it is a well-known and obvious fact.

There are other places that speak of humans being placed in a position of being a judge. In Revelation 20:4 it says:

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.

Revelation 20:4 (ESV)

This verse sounds much more restrictive in who will be judging than Paul’s quote above. I would add to it the following:

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 19:28 (ESV)

In a world without sin, there is very little need for government and possibly nothing for judgment. If you look at the Greek words translated as “judge”, they are all a form of the Greek “krinos”. This is normally the function of a judge in a court. In Matthew it may have a broader sense of ruling like the Judges did before Saul became king. In either of Revelation 20:4 or Matthew 19:28, it doesn’t seem to apply to everyone. Paul may be saying that humans will have a role in oversight in the New Earth that will cover both Jews who are saved and even angels.

Perhaps what is in view is a Judgment Day activity. Satan and the fallen angels would be judged on that Day. The Twelve Tribes of Israel would be judged. There isn’t a great degree of discernment necessary, because those unconnected to Christ are still in their sin. The judgment is clear. Being put in the position of judge is a sort of vindication for those who suffered with Christ–specifically the Twelve, and the Martyrs, and maybe even you and me.

Will Judgment Day Recount All Our Deeds?

The content discusses the concept of forgiveness from God and the impact of sin. While God’s forgiveness frees individuals from eternal judgment, temporal consequences of sin remain. Judgment Day will assess believers’ deeds, not for salvation but for reward. Actions matter, motivating individuals to live humbly and purposefully in faith.

It feels very good to know that you are forgiven by God. Many of our common, day-to-day type sins don’t bother us nearly as much as they should. Big mistakes that alter our lives and the lives of others can remain a millstone around our necks for the rest of our lives. Feeling forgiven is nice. Not having an eternal judgment on us is much better.

We receive forgiveness from eternal judgement in one way only. Jesus experienced our eternal judgment (being forsaken by God) for us on the cross. As long as we are connected to Jesus by the mystical union that God creates at our baptism, then that part is done. Is there any consequence of sin that is not done?

Certain sins definitely create problems in this world that are not undone by God’s forgiveness. Crimes still have their penalties. Damage to relationships may persist. This is what we call the “temporal” consequences of sin. They don’t impact eternal judgment once forgiven through Jesus.

What I want to write about is the Judgment Day impact for even forgiven and saved individuals like myself. For those saved by Jesus, Judgment Day is not about whether we are going to Hell or not. The Bible still does refer to Judgment Day as a judgment of our deeds (Psa. 62:12, Jer. 17:10, Mat. 16:27, 1 Cor. 3:10-15, 2 Cor. 5:10, Rev. 20:12,22:12) The question is whether this is a “filtered” list of deeds for those covered by the blood of Jesus or an embarrassingly unfiltered list?

The passages above use words like “reward” and “deserve”. As sinners saved by grace, we can rightly say that just being saved is more that we “deserve”. Still, to say that the conduct of our lives is inconsequential either positively or negatively doesn’t seem to fit the whole of Scripture. The “reward” isn’t entry into Heaven and the New Earth. That is a gift. I have written about Judgment Day for the redeemed here: https://afterdeathsite.com/2023/10/03/judgment-day-for-the-redeemed/ I now want to explore just one aspect. Are the sinful aspects of our lives just burned up and forgotten or do we have to face them in some way?

Our motivations for doing good with a humble servant’s heart are many. I love God. I love others. I believe in and desire to do good. It is my God-given purpose. God commands it. I may be rewarded. The one motive not on this list is to merit my salvation or God’s love. Is there the motive to not have to face my sinful action or inaction on Judgment Day?

There are the Old Testament promises,

as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:12 (ESV)

I do have to note that on a sphere East and West do meet again. Then there is this:

17 then he adds,

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Hebrews 10:17 (ESV)

The context is about the need for further sacrifice, however. Jesus has made the sacrifice and that is done. Remembering the deeds seems applied to the Law and eternal judgment.

The theory that all of our deeds now disappear, and we are just seen as an extension of Christ doesn’t seem to reconcile with 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. The context of this passage is about the fruit of specifically called workers. Their life’s work can be wood, hay or straw. In other words, false teaching, no teaching, worthless actions, minimal or no impact for the Kingdom. Or it can be gold, silver and costly stones (truthful teaching, active use of time, good stewardship, loving actions, humble service of Christ). Their actions matter on Judgment Day. They are not merely judged in light of Christ when it comes to their reward.

In light of more general passages about the judgment of deeds like those listed above or the stewardship of life like the Parable of the Talents, I think 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 fits us all. This is not just a process for called preachers. We are all the product of teachers to an extent, but we are then able to teach others and put that teaching into practice.

If this is the experience is for all of those who are built on the foundation of Christ, what will the “revealed by fire” be like? Maybe it passes quickly leaving only the good. If the amount of good is small, we are ashamed of it. I expect that it will be more detailed, if only for our benefit. We will not know for sure until we experience this ourselves. The implication for our life remains. I am motivated to know the truth purely, put it into practice humbly but vigorously, not count anything as my entitlement, and leave as little as possible undone.

And I Will Raise Him Up on the Last Day

The blog discusses John 6, emphasizing Jesus’ teachings on eternal life and resurrection. It distinguishes between physical death and spiritual life through a relationship with God via Jesus. The author reflects on personal mortality and anticipated resurrection, contrasting the hopeful fate of the righteous with the dire prospect for the unrighteous, urging faith in Jesus as the path to salvation.

Recently, on my other blog (GivingChrist.com), I discussed a very controversial passage–John 6. You can see that discussion here:https://givingchrist.com/2024/09/17/the-mystical-union-lords-supper-and-john-6/. In John 6, Jesus uses a phrase twice. It the title of this article.

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:44 (ESV)

54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:54 (ESV)

At the time, Jesus wanted the crowd, the Jewish leaders, and even His disciples to look for something more substantial than miracles, healing and food. He finally spells it out for them: eternal life and the resurrection.

The topic of the resurrection is a complicated thing. Daniel reveals that everyone will be resurrected for Judgment Day. It is not like one could avoid it. From Jesus’ perspective, the Resurrection is not synonymous with eternal life. We blur these topics together because we simply think of “life” as conscious existence. “Life” says Jesus, is knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. Or, as stated above, being drawn in to a relationship with God and sustaining a God-created bond through Jesus’ body and blood. The only experience that deserves the positive title of “life” is existing in the full presence of God. With that definition in mind, eternal life can be something you already have. I have it through the connection that Jesus has made between Him and me.

I have eternal life while my physical body is noticeably wasting away. I don’t have the stamina I used to have. I must take some medicines. I’m forgetting a few words. I know the direction that this is going. While I might realize a few short-term improvements, the general trend is toward my physical death. I am not a fan of the process, but I understand it and have confidence in its ultimate goal. My current body, brain included, has always been diminished by sin and a sinful nature. It was damaged goods at my conception. The plan is to dump this body but eventually gain a superior one.

How will we experience the resurrection of body? There are three possible scenarios. The one I expect to experience goes like this. I’ll die someday, and my spirit will separate from this body. I will immediately go to Heaven because of what Jesus did for me. My spirit will join with a heavenly body and recreate a soul. (See https://afterdeathsite.com/2024/03/26/your-body-soul-and-spirit/). My conscious existence will joyfully be engaged with Heaven until the day that Jesus rounds us up to head back to this planet. As we arrive, I will acquire my resurrected body. A body meant for a recreated version of this universe without any sin and with major upgrades.

Another possibly that is acceptable to me is if Jesus comes before I die. If this is going to happen, I hope it does before I break down too much. We still have to experience a break between spirit and body, but it will happen fast.

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (ESV)

For those who come to Judgment Day without the prior forgiveness of their sins through Jesus. The resurrection of the body will be of little comfort.

Some will have spent a long conscious existence in Sheol. They will have suffered much. Who can speak of their state of mind. It is like a long incarceration before facing a judge. Without eternal life, the resurrection is more of a curse.

The status of the resurrected body of the damned is a bit unclear. The passage above makes it sound like a resurrected body is imperishable. Malachi makes it sound like the resurrected bodies of the damned are torched.

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi 4:1-3 (ESV)

Perhaps “indestructible” only applies to the righteous. Unfortunately for the unrighteous, this is not total destruction. Their spirits and possibly their resurrected bodies are cast into Gehenna, the lake of fire, along with Satan and his angels and forgotten.

There is a way to avoid such a fate. The way is Jesus. We all deserve the latter, but as a gift of God we can have the former. There is no greater gift to receive.

The Sheep and the Goats

If you are not familiar with the Bible, you might think this blog will be about the care of livestock. It is not. It is about a description of Judgment Day that Jesus gives His disciples a few days before He is crucified. Taken out of context, this story can really mess up your understanding of how we are saved. Therefore, it is critical that you understand it properly. Here is the first half of the story:

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:31-40 (ESV)

If you look at this section without the context of Jesus dying on the cross and the explanation that we are saved by that sacrifice as a gift to us, you would conclude that we are saved by doing the good things listed above. I like to ask people where is God’s grace in this story (it is not really a parable)? The answer is hidden in how people are separated.

Why are some people sheep and the other goats? The answer is that those who are sheep are people who are connected to Jesus through faith and baptism. Their sins are forgiven by grace. The goats are not.

As Jesus speaks to the “sheep” it seems like they never did anything wrong nor missed any opportunity to do good. Are real people like that? I would argue that no one is. Their failures have been covered by the blood of Jesus. All that remains to be seen at Judgment Day is their good deeds. The good deeds are not causing their salvation nor are they a portion of why they are saved. But evaluation of deeds is what Judgment Day is all about.

The list of what Jesus cares about is helpful. It gives us an idea of what God is looking for from His disciples. These things are a portion of what our lives are about. Notice that “making disciples” (Matthew 28:19) is not in this list. Clearly leading somebody to the eternal salvation of their souls is a much bigger deal that simply giving them a meal. The list is not comprehensive, nor does it offer a way to prioritize our actions. It does show us some useful actions and not just because they meet needs. It is because they reflect love. Love that is felt for us and nurtured in us. When we have the love of Jesus in us we help out the “least” of humanity. It is like doing it for Jesus.

The second part of the story goes:

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:41-46 (ESV)

Do you think that the people addressed here never did anything good? While that may be more imaginable, many people who will end up lost aren’t horrible people on a human standard. You can be very kind and a decent citizen but, like everyone else, you are a sinner. This portion of the story illustrates that good deeds cannot overcome our sinfulness. God’s standard for saving yourself is perfection. That includes even genetic perfection (no sinful nature), so it was out of your reach from the start. That is why we need Jesus and God’s promise of forgiveness.

The consequence of sin is stiff. Eternal punishment seems radically disproportionate to the damage one might do because of our sinfulness. If you look at sin as being like a contagion, you get a better idea of why it is this way.

Anything that has sin cannot survive in God’s presence. You must be made sinless. God went through radical, costly steps to make that possible. The Son of God became human (a radical step), He lived 35 years keeping the Law flawlessly, and then He was willingly sacrificed paying the price for the sins of everybody else. The most critical part was Jesus being forsaken by the Father, which divided the Trinity (a very radical step). When you blow this off there is no other recourse than being eternal forsaken yourself and that means suffering.

The final thing that I would like to note about this passage is that the story makes it look like Judgment Day is done as a group. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 tells us that it is individual. Perhaps it happens for us all at once. The judgment for those who have forgiveness through Christ is for the purpose of reward. People who are saved as a gift certainly don’t deserve a reward for doing what is right. It is just what we were supposed to do in the first place. But God is generous. God rewards in some way and I’m sure it is great.

The Immediate Judgment

When we sin, God knows.  You can’t slip things by Him.  Because we don’t see God, we sort of forget that He sees.  It is similar to what happens to us in a hotel.  We get into an empty hallway and we feel all alone even though possibly every room is full.  So we talk loudly as if no one is there to hear.  But everyone hears us.

God knows our sin, but for those who are connected to Jesus through faith and baptism God sees Jesus, and we live as forgiven for as long as faith remains.  In a way, we have been judged as righteous from the moment God connected us to Jesus

For as long as we live, forgiveness through Jesus is possible for anyone whom God can bring to faith.  Their fate has not been sealed.  You can’t plan on it, but even on a death bed it is possible for somebody to be saved and avoid the permanent judgment of God.

Is death the line in the sand, the point of no return?  Or is Judgment Day when eternal fates are sealed?

The Bible clearly indicates that some kind of judgment accompanies death.  With our death, we either enter Heaven because we are forgiven and therefore righteous or we enter Sheol (see my other blog entries about Sheol), because we are sinners without a Savior. Is that the final judgment?

Hebrews 9:27-28 is often evoked on this topic:

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

The understanding of most is that the judgment accompanying death is immediate and final, but what is the function of Judgment Day in that scenario?  Is it merely a technicality?  The passage is making the point that Jesus doesn’t die multiple times for sin.  To bolster the point, the writer appeals to the fact that we don’t reincarnate.  Hebrews 9 doesn’t technically answer our question.  1 Peter 4:6 may speak to our question better.  I’m quoting New King James here because NIV is a lousy translation of this passage.

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

The uncomfortable yet literal understanding of this passage is that the Gospel was preached to dead people with the end goal of having them live or, in other words, be saved.  The context of this passage is Jesus’ descent into Hell (Sheol) mentioned in 1 Peter 3:19.  If we are to understand this passage as the Gospel was preached to living people who have subsequently died, then the second half of the sentence doesn’t make much sense and you are not literally translating the original text.  You are adding (now) dead, which is what the NIV does.

Could it be that Judgment Day is the line in the sand, the point of no return?  We are given marching orders to spread the Gospel to the living.  It is of urgent importance that people hear about Jesus’ death and resurrection and the promise of salvation through that event while they live.  I cannot go to Sheol to preach to the dead.  But did Christ do that?   Does He still do that?  The ancient church, particularly in the East believed that He did.  I hope so, too.

Judgment Day for the Righteous

Imagine this scenario, because you very well might live it.  You belong to Jesus through the faith He formed in you and your baptism into His death.  You have died years ago and have been with Jesus in Heaven, and now the Day has finally arrived.  What day?  Judgment Day.  This should be largely irrelevant to you, right?  Clearly you have already been judged and since you have been covered in the blood of Jesus, you have been found sinless in the eyes of God.  All of this is true, except for the irrelevant part.

The Bible clearly states that Judgment Day is a day of judgment for all–saved or lost, living or dead.  It is not a formality.  It has a real bearing on our future.

Matthew 25:31f tells the “parable” of the sheep and goats.  It is not exactly a parable.  It uses one metaphor to explain that on Judgment Day, the righteous and the unrighteous will be spatially separated like a shepherd does with sheep and goats.  This separation is important to note in this story, because it is where grace is found in this description.  A reader who fails to recognize this will observe the judgment of our deeds which is described here and jump to a very false and dangerous conclusion–that we are saved based on our works.

In this description, the people on the right (those who are righteous) are commended for all the good things they did.  But ask yourself, do you really think they never did anything wrong or missed an opportunity to do good?  Why aren’t they being called out on the carpet for all their sins?  It is because they are on the right, and those on the right have been saved by what God has done for them through Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Jesus covers their sins and all that is left is their good.

Those on the left are sternly rebuked  for their sins.  Ask yourself again, do you really think that these people never did anything charitable or kind?  Why are they only condemned for their failures.  The answer–they don’t have Jesus’ forgiveness, and without that no charity, goodness or kindness can compensate for or cover your sins.  It is all for nothing.  They are damned.  Some of them are relatively nice people.

For those who are ultimately damned, Judgment Day is about their damnation.  Clearly this is not a hypothetical group.  It is a substantial group–a majority even.  Why would a God of love do this?  Because He is also a God of uncompromising justice and He had already provided a costly solution that was soundly rejected by this group.

The Sheep and the Goats discourse describes the Judgment Day experience as if it were a group experience.  Next time, I will take you to another Judgment Day passage that describes it as an individual experience.  I think it is very interesting and important.  I hope you read it.

When Will It Happen?

Since Judgment Day was first mentioned, people have been trying to predict when it will happen.  This is true even though Jesus makes it very clear that no one knows the day–not even Him.  There are no hidden codes or mathematical formulas for predicting a date.  If someone is selling you one, run.  Sell nothing.  Don’t quit your job.  Don’t get out a lawn chair and look up at the sky.  The Bible offers no clues only criteria of what must happen first.

The more well know criterion is mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24 as he tours the temple grounds with his disciples. He states:

And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

My main question is what defines a “nation”? The geo-political boundaries of the world are in constant flux. Some are not even recognized by the people who live within them. Revelation 5 offers insight :

You were worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Revelation 5:9)

Language groups, tribal identity, racial groups and political groups all play a part in not only who will hear the Gospel but who will be saved by it. God would love to save all, but that seems to be something that will not happen. Even so, he will save somebody from every group.

Using such a definition there is more people groups than one might realize. For instance, defining how many distinct languages exist on Earth is a hard thing to do for definitions of what makes a language distinct are not standardized. Still, you can get a feel for the scale of magnitude. In 2009, Ethnologue, enumerated 6909 languages of which 2508 had a translated version of the Bible. The number is changing rapidly. Mission India, an evangelistic outreach group, shows that unreached people groups have been reduced in half during a mere four year period from 2010 to 2014. Of course, God gets to decide who is a people group and when we are done. The point is that we could be getting close.

The other criterion is found in Revelation 6:11:

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

The context is Heaven where martyred Christians were eagerly awaiting Judgment Day. The Day has to wait until a pre-known number of martyr deaths was realized. This may cause you to wonder why God would want more martyrs. Martyrdom is a tragedy. Apparently, it is also a high honor to die because of your testimony for Christ. Future martyrs deserve the opportunity to fulfill this destiny.

This, of course, flies in the face of Islam’s definition of a martyr.  A Christian martyr commits no violence and has their life taken from them rather than deny Christ.  It is a witness (which is what “martyr” means) to the impact of Jesus on a person’s life in the form of bravery, gentleness and conviction.  The Islamic “martyr” makes a witness too–one that should be quickly understood as not from the God would created and loves mankind.

So what do we learn from these criteria? First, the reason the world continues to turn is so that more people can be saved through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Secondly, the path to the completion of God’s plan will include resistance, persecution and violence. Still, it is an eternal honor to be a part of bringing God’s plan to its completion.

Finally, we learn to be ready, because it could happen any day.

The Day of the Lord

In churches that use a pericope system (a system of bible readings that can cover one to three years), this time of year, near the end of the Church year, is often dedicated to passages about Judgment Day.  Judgment Day is definitely a part of the conversation if we want to be comprehensive in talking about life after death.  Everyone will be a participant in Judgment Day, says the Bible, like it or not.

Judgment Day is a very prominent theme in Scripture, all of the Abrahamic religions and even within our secular society. Prominent or not, Judgment Day is largely misunderstood, especially with respect to the role it plays in a Christian’s existence.

So what do you think of when Judgment Day is mentioned? Is it destruction and mayhem? Is it a mass extinction event caused by natural catastrophe, nuclear war, or even intelligent robots? Our fears get embodied in Judgment Day themes, and in general, Judgment Day is something we fear. There are fearful events connected with Judgment Day for sure, but there is also hope and promise.

In our study of Judgment Day and Judgment Day-like themes in the Bible, we start with a phrase, “The Day of the Lord”.

 The Day of the Lord

The first revelations about the coming of God’s judgment start in the Old Testament prophetic books. Here a phrase is coined, “The day of the Lord”. Immediately, we might conclude that “the day of the Lord” has to be Judgment Day. Without a doubt there is a connection, but it seems that there have been several such days with perhaps more to come. In each case, there is strong negative judgment carried out by God. Considering that God characterizes Himself as a God of love, why would the “day of the Lord” be a day of harsh judgment?

Several things are important to recognize about the character of God and His bringing judgments on the people of Earth. First, we must note that God is not quick to arrive at a day of Judgment, nor does He do so without a long time of warning. Bringing punishment is not God’s goal. Showing mercy, granting forgiveness and relenting from judgment are preferred by God. That said, God will bring judgment. We say that this is His “alien” character. It is contrary to His main character. But it is a part of His character and we would be wise to respect this.

Those who want to focus solely on God’s love for the purpose of dismissing judgment or denying hell, do no one a favor. Their logic about how God has and will operate is flawed. God does bring judgment, even permanent judgment on sin, but not without providing every opportunity for repentance and forgiveness.

Probably the first chronologically to speak of the “Day of the Lord” is Amos, though it seems to be a topic already understood by the people around him. He says in chapter 5:

18 

Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!

Why would you have the day of the Lord?

It is darkness, and not light,

19 

as if a man fled from a lion,

and a bear met him,

or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,

and a serpent bit him.

20 

Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,

and gloom with no brightness in it?

 

Apparently, people were looking forward to God’s judgment because they thought it would affect other nations and not them. But is this a reference to Judgment Day? Amos later explains, “I will send you into exile beyond Damascus”. In this case, “the day of the Lord”, is the Babylonian exile–a day when God will bring judgment on His disobedient people. So why talk about it here? The phrase is definitely used in a New Testament context to speak of Judgment Day. In other Old Testament references it could be so as well. Considering the use of “the day of the Lord”, it would appear that the Babylonian Exile was a type, or mini-version, of Judgment Day itself.

Isaiah also has language about the “Day of the Lord” that seems to be a double entendre. In chapter two he warns Israel about impending judgment on them because of their cultic practices, materialism and idolatry. Yet there are phrases here that are quoted in Revelation in regard to Judgment Day. In this case references to hiding from God in caves and underground. In chapter thirteen, the warning moves to Babylon. Their “day of the Lord” will come at the hands of the Medes, but Isaiah also speaks of the sun being darkened and the moon not giving its light, both used in the New Testament about Judgment Day.