Spiritual Warfare -What are the different Judgment Days in the Bible? Part 3
Further thoughts on the Bema. Character of the Judge?
Yes He is the Lord of Glory, awesome in power, majestic in might, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe but He is also the Good Shepherd Who gave His life for the sheep (that’s us, folks!), the Author and Finisher of Faith, the One Who promised to be with us for ever. The testimony of the saints down the ages has ever been:
Jesus! My Shepherd, Saviour, Friend;
My Prophet, Priest and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End.
The Lover of my soul, of Whom we can say:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff give me strength. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Is this One going to treat you any differently when we stand before Him? Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and for ever (Heb. 13:8) He knows that we will be overwhelmed by His presence – as were Daniel in Dan. 10 and John in Rev. 1. But what did He do then? He reached out His hand and touched Daniel and with words of reassurance, and He reassured John with “Do not be afraid!”
So with us:
When to Canaan’s long-loved dwelling
Love divine your feet will bring;
There no Stranger-God shall greet you,
Stranger then in courts above-
He Who to His rest shall greet you,
Greets you with a well-known love!
One of the purposes of the Bema is to qualify the saints to be judges in at least 2, if not 3, of the remaining judgements and to appoint us places in the coming Kingdom. God’s purpose in saving us is not just to get us to heaven, nor only to be the eternal Bride for His Son (as wonderful as both those things are!), but to create a people who can worthily reign and rule with Messiah and partner in His great work of “restoring all things” – creation released from its bondage to decay, justice and peace throughout the earth amongst men (and women ;-), everything restored to the original creation order. (Rom. 8:17-23; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21)
The Judgement of Israel (Matt. 19:28)
| Who is being judged | By Whom | On what basis? | When | With the result | |
| The judgment of Israel | The nation of Israel | The Lord Jesus Rom. 11:26 Isa. 59:20 | The New Covenant | Fullness of the Gentiles has come in | Israel is saved Rom. 11:25 |
| The Disciples Matt. 19:28 Luke 19:17-19 | During, the Messianic Kingdom Luke 22:30 | Justice is administered in the Kingdom |
In the time of the regeneration – the Messianic Kingdom (Millennium) See also Luke 22:30
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matt. 24:45-47 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master put in charge of his household to give them food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whose master finds him so doing when he comes. Amen, I tell you, his master will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Luke 19:17-19 The master said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you were faithful with so little, take charge over ten cities.’ Also, the second slave came, saying, ‘Your mina, Master, made five.’ Then he also said to this one, ‘You are likewise over five cities.’
The judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31–46).
| Who is being judged | By Whom | When | For what | With the result |
| The nations of the earth left at the Second Coming of Christ Matt. 25:31 | The Lord Jesus Matt. 25:31 | At the establishment of the earthly Kingdom Matt. 25:31 Joel 3:2 | How they have treated ‘these brothers of mine’ (Israel – Joel 3:2) | Entry in to the Kingdom (Matt. 25:34), or eternal punishment (Matt. 25:41) |
| The nations during the Kingdom | Faithful servants Luke 19:17-19 Inc. Israel Deut. 28:13 Isa. 61:6 | During the Kingdom Luke 19:12,15 | Administration of justice Isa. 2:1-4 | The nations worship the Lord Zech. 8:23 |
After the tribulation, the Lord Jesus will sit in judgment over the Gentile nations. They will be judged according to their treatment of Israel during the tribulation. This judgment is also called the judgment of the sheep and the goats because of the imagery Jesus uses in the Olivet Discourse. Those who showed faith in God by treating Israel favourably (giving them aid and comfort during the tribulation) are the “sheep” who will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. Those who followed the Antichrist’s lead and persecuted Israel are the “goats” who will be consigned to hell. Joel 3:1-4 and Isa. 34:1-2, 8 relevant here
This takes place at Jesus’ glorious return and the saints will be part of the tribunal 1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 20:4; Dan. 7:26-27
Israel will also administer justice and lead worship during the Messianic age.
The judgment of angels (1 Corinthians 6:3).
| Who is being judged | By Whom | For what | When | With the result | |
| The judgment of angels | (Fallen) angels | Believers (In Christ) I Cor. 6:3 Rom. 16:20 Eph. 1:20-23 | At the end of time 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6 | Eternal punishment |
Paul says that Christians will judge angels. We aren’t exactly sure what this means, but the angels facing judgment would have to be the fallen angels. Scripture teaches that the fallen angels will be judged by God (Isaiah 24:21-22; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 21:10). But what does Paul mean when he says the saints will also judge angels?
What we can surmise from this 1 Corinthians passage is that we, as God’s children, will be given a higher position than the angels. We’re not only created in God’s image but redeemed by Christ (Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:9; Luke 1:68; Ephesians 1:7). Angels are not created in God’s image and are not redeemed by Christ (Hebrews 1:14; 2:16). Also, God sends His angels to serve His saints, i.e., those who are to inherit eternal life (Hebrews 1:14; see also Psalm 34:7; Psalm 91:11).
Additionally, we know that the Greek word for “judge,” krino, also means “to rule or govern.” This strongly implies that we will have authority over the holy angels, for they have no sin for which to be “judged” in the sense of “condemned.” Most likely, the meaning of this passage is that believers in heaven will take part in the judgment of the fallen angels and exercise some authority over the holy angels. Christ has been exalted above all the angels (see Ephesians 1:20-23), and it seems reasonable that those who are in Him and made in His likeness (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:49; Ephesians 4:24; 1 John 3:2) will share in His authority, including His authority over the angels (Matthew 19:28; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:4).
The Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–15).
| Who is being judged | By Whom | For what | When | With the result |
| Everybody who has ever lived, Acts 17:31 Rom. 14:11 (Isa. 45:23) | God the Judge of all Gen, 18:25 Rom. 2:16 | According to their works Rev. 20:12 Psa. 62:12 Rom. 2:6 | At the end of time Rev. 20:11 | Eternal punishment Rev. 20:15 |
The great white throne judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15 and is the final judgment prior to the lost being cast into the lake of fire. We know from Revelation 20:7-15 that this judgment will take place after the millennium and after Satan is thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are (Revelation 19:19-20; 20:7-10). The books that are opened (Revelation 20:12) contain records of everyone’s deeds, whether they are good or evil, because God knows everything that has ever been said, done, or even thought, and He will reward or punish each one accordingly (Psalm 28:4; 62:12; Romans 2:6; Revelation 2:23; 18:6; 22:12).
Also at this time, another book is opened, called the “book of life” (Revelation 20:12). It is this book that determines whether a person will inherit eternal life with God or receive everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. Although Christians are held accountable for their actions, they are forgiven in Christ and their names were written in the “book of life from the creation of the world” (Revelation 17:8). We also know from Scripture that it is at this judgment when the dead will be “judged according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:12) and that “anyone’s name” that is not “found written in the book of life” will be “thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15 – Note Death and Hades are also thrown into the lake of fire, which must be pictorial as death and hades are not physical things, fulfilling Paul’s prophecy in 1 Cor. 15:26 that ‘the last enemy that will be destroyed is death’.
The fact that there is going to be a final judgment for all men, both believers and unbelievers, is clearly confirmed in many passages of Scripture. Every person will one day stand before Christ and be judged for his or her deeds. While it is very clear that the great white throne judgment is the final judgment, Christians disagree as to whether all the judgements we’ve studied today happen as the same time, and also as to the final outcome.
How will judgement be carried out?
Who are the Judge and the Prosecution?
- God
Eccl. 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- The Son
John 5:22 Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son,
What’s the basis of Judgement?
- Moses (God’s Law)
John 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.
- Jesus’ Words
John 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
Who or what are the prosecutors? Especially for those who haven’t heard God’s Law or Jesus’ words?
- Your conscience
Rom 2:15 The law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
- Your own words
Mat 12:36-37 But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (careless word (Strong’s): a word that produces no good effect, and is not calculated to produce any.)
What about defence attorneys?
- Jesus
1 Tim. 2:5-6 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.
Who does He represent?
- Those who believe in Him
Rom 8:33-34 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
How to escape that final condemnation?
Put your faith and trust in Jesus today! See https://www.gotquestions.org/how-can-I-be-saved.html
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
Heb. 7:24-25 But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
1 John 2:1 But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.