Devout Christians: The Final Judgment of God – A Biblical Reflection on Justice and Eternity.

Devout Christians: The Final Judgment of God – A Biblical Reflection on Justice and Eternity.

(ThyBlackMan.com) The world in which we live is not known for its consistency and this is particularly true as far as justice is concerned. Many times the way justice is applied depends on your status, or your ethnicity, or the area in which you live or your political affiliation or any number of extraneous matters. This, sadly, is the state of affairs in virtually all countries and we know this to be so and we perforce just have to live with it.

But there is something worse with the earthly system of justice, something far more galling and that is when people, often in high places, commit crimes and the evidence is clear, overwhelming and compelling and the system prevents them from being called to account. And often the excuses given are puerile and distasteful like he has diplomatic immunity or he is the president/prime minister/leader and can’t be touched or there is no documentary evidence etc. allowing the culprit in most cases to avoid justice. In many cases high-level corruption of one sort or another is the deciding factor, although this is fiercely denied by the participants.

This fraudulent system of justice finds no sympathy with Almighty God and it does not escape his notice for the Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3) As a consequence God gives this powerful and trustworthy promise, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). The rich, the poor, the educated, the unlearned, royalty, vagrants, the well connected, the desolate, the old, the young and those who think the law can’t touch them will all be called to judgment.

In this reflection we shall base our thoughts on this scripture. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

First let us observe the place of judgment

Nearly all countries have a distinguished and dedicated place for criminal justice of the highest level and this is referred to as the Supreme Court of Justice or such like. Even at the lower levels where justice is dispensed there are still dedicated courts to look after these matters. Likewise of this one thing we can be assured that God has designated a place and the Bible describes this awesome place of judgment.

The place of judgment will be a terrible reality

It will disclose a terrible fact. The place of judgment will be for many a terrible awakening since they would have departed this world without a single concern for their future only to wake up before God in judgment. Christians too will be judged, but they will appear happy at the judgment seat of Christ to be given awards and commendation for good service. The unconverted appearing before God is quite a different matter, for though many may deny it the place of judgment is real and John the Divine noted, “And I saw a great white throne…” (Revelation 20:11a) and this is where the unconverted meets God.

It will declare a terrible figure. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he was accurately characterized as being kind, gentle and compassionate and he taught his disciples to be likewise. Children flocked to Jesus precisely because of these qualities. Now in heaven and presiding over the judgment our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the very one denied by the world and abused during his earthly ministry, now sits as a stern judge before them, “…and him that sat on it…” (Revelation 20:11b) This brings to fulfillment what the Scriptures said regarding Jesus’ judicial role, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.” (Acts 17:30-31). Yes, this same earthly Jesus will be the stern and terrible figure presiding over the Great White Throne Judgment, “…and testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead.” (Ac 10:42b).

It will define a terrible fear. The fear experienced by all before the Great White Throne will be palpable as the doomed sinner looks at Jesus. Will they collapsed in a deep faint or will they be composed. Can they stand it? This is an important question bearing in mind these words of the Psalmist, “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalm 1:5). Knowing what’s ahead of them their fear will be terrible for even the heavens and earth withered away, “…from whose face the earth and heaven fled away…” (Revelation 20:11c)

It will describe a terrible fellowship. If ever there will be a motley collection of sinners this is it, all lumped together in this fellowship of hell-bound losers described by John thus, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God…” (Revelation 20:12a). Those who committed small sins as well as those who committed huge sins will all be there and no one will be excused. We often hear the dumb notion that hell will be so full of people it would not matter much if you end up there. Does fire burn less hot because you are being incinerated with others? I don’t think so.

The place of judgment will have some terrible books

We see the terrible books on the lost. Just as they think things could not get any more terrible, it just did for not only are they in a terrible place on a terrible occasion before a terrible figure they are now confronted with some terrible books documenting their misbegotten life. These books are so many because they contain all the deeds of the wicked committed on earth during their entire lives from the cradle to the grave, “…and the books were opened…and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books…” (Revelation 20:12b) The books will record the wrong deeds done in all sincerity as well as those deeds done in willful defiance of God; sins of omission as well as sins of commission as Solomon declares, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil (Ecclesiastes 12: 14)

They will show all the secret sins you thought nobody knew and perhaps even you have forgotten and here is the rub for not a single entry can be refuted!!

The place of judgment will have a terrific book

We notice that a terrific book of life is opened. This book of life, containing as it does the names of all of God’s children, is singular for against each name is probably one entry only, “REDEEMED” but the sinners names are not included, “…and another book was opened, which is the book of life…” (Revelation 20:12b) All believers once had their names in the terrible books of the lost but upon being saved their names were expunged from the record.

The love of God is so great and his desire so set on bringing many souls to glory that he gives us every chance to use our free will to choose life and not death. No matter how perverse our life is we can still say yes to God and escape damnation. We should think long and hard about this since we can have our name added to this terrific book of life.

Then let us notice the people to be judged

Revelation 20:11-15 leaves us in no doubt as to the totality of earth’s population who died without God being the ones to be judged, but it goes even further and list all the possible categories that will be summoned before God.

Judgment will include all the wicked buried in water

About two thirds of the world’s surface is covered by water and the sea has an infinite number of human skeletons in it, many unknown to man, but God will bring them all up as this scripture affirms, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it…” (Revelation 20:13a) We have a new phenomenon in the world that has been going on for a while and that is to have dead people incinerated and the ashes scattered over the sea. Some do this in an effort to prevent God raising them from the dead. Those misguided sinners who think they can thwart God’s plans by having their ashes scattered over the sea are in for a severe shock since they fail to understand that there is no hiding place from God, none whatsoever. The Bible tells us, “For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9) and just as Jesus called forth Lazarus from the grave in like manner the sea will be commanded to give up its dead and it will instantly comply.

Judgment will take in all the wicked buried in the earth

Although huge numbers of bodies are buried at sea the earth is still the place of the greater number. Most bodies are still buried in graves, which is nothing more than the hole about six feet in the ground (or the ancestral tomb) where their remains reside until they are resurrected. It matters not what state the remains are in or if the body was eaten by carnivores and in tern their body was eaten by other carnivores for they will be resurrected just the same. The time will come when every soul in the grave will rise at the command of God, some will rise at the first resurrection and all the others will rise at the second resurrection and the Bible puts it like this, “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” (Acts 24:15)

Those bodies never interned, e.g. left in the bush or desert somewhere, will rise in exactly the same manner with those in the earth and in the sea.

Finish story here; Devout Christians: The Final Judgment of God – A Biblical Reflection on Justice and Eternity.