Judgement Day

Evil deeds demand justice. God will judge all humankind, but it’s not something you need fear, says Roland Hegstad.

When the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk referred to the ancient and arrogant empire of Babylon, saying, “The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it” (2:11), he was making the metaphorical point that its sin was so enormous that, if left unredressed and uncondemned by humankind, then someone—something—else would.

And in the even grander context of earth’s history, as viewed by the wider universe, it is necessary to judge humankind too, collectively and individually, for it too demands judgment. And judgment comes.

John the apostle, transported ahead in vision, is taken into God’s courtroom, where just such an activity was taking place: “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge” (Revelation 20:4), he said. Those thrones might be likened to the seats occupied by High Court justices before whom “we must all appear . . . that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

In the room, John sees the redeemed—the “souls of those who had been beheaded [among others] because of their testimony for Jesus. . . . They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4). “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection,” he goes on, for “the second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years” (verse 6).

The “rest of the dead” (verse 5)—that is, the wicked—come to life in the resurrection of the “condemned” (John 5:29) at the conclusion of the thousand years (Revelation 20:5). Thus it is those saved at the Second Coming who find themselves sitting in judgment with Christ, examining the records of those they’ve left behind on earth (verses 11, 12).

heavenly review
Part one of judging the earth’s occupants obviously had to begin prior to the Second Coming in order that their status—in Christ or otherwise—be determined (Revelation 22:11, 12). The judgment by the saved of those left behind—those who rejected God’s grace and accepted Christ as Saviour—is part two of the judgment process. This is how God has chosen to deal with the problem of sin and the allegations of unfairness by Satan.

It’s a task that God could accomplish in a moment, but He gives the righteous the opportunity to review His decisions by examining the records of every person who ever lived.

By the end of this thousand-year period, or millennium, everyone in the universe can and will be satisfied that justice has been done. The righteous will give their approval then embark with Christ for the glorious return to reclaim Planet Earth, where they will re-establish paradise lost.

earthly wasteland
But since the great earthquake “like has never occurred since man has been on earth” (Revelation 16:18) and the saints being taken to heaven, the earth has been a wasteland and silent.

The wicked, who cried to the mountains and rocks to “fall on us and hide us” (Revelation 6:16) are dead, so Satan and his angels alone occupy the devastated earth—the Abyss (Revelation 20:3)—sent “to hell . . . into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment” (2 Peter 2:4), unable to tempt or deceive anyone. He is bound by chains of circumstance, having no-one to tempt. It’s a thousand years of hell!

For thousands of years Satan has metaphorically imprisoned God’s people in sin, literally sending some into dungeons and having them burned at the stake. And he would have held them captive forever, if Christ hadn’t broken his power in dying on the cross, which set them free. Now Satan is his own prisoner, with a thousand years to ponder his fate. He knows that when the saints return with Christ to the earth, his time of judgment is come!

a glorious sight
As if the work of a science fiction writer, John describes a huge city that traverses the stars like a spaceship—the “new Jerusalem”—“the Holy City . . . coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:2; 10 ff), occupied by Christ and the returning righteous. The hilltop where Christ cried, “It is finished!” is rent in two (see Zechariah 14:4 ff), and there it settles awaiting the climactic scene of the conflict that tore the universe.

First, the wicked who’ve laid in graves for the past thousand years are resurrected (Revelation 20:5, 13). Among them are feared rulers and brilliant generals, whose destructive current of thought resumes where it was stopped dead a thousand years before.

Satan then steps in (verses 7, 8) for his last shot at universal supremacy through the defeat of Christ and occupation of the Holy City. With his miraculous powers, he prepares his army for battle and advances on the city (verse 9).

the end of tears
As the redeemed view Satan and his vast army, they realise anew that nothing but the power of God could have delivered them, and they break into song: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10). They know that it was only through Christ’s power and grace they were kept safe from and delivered out of the devil’s power.

Next, Christ pronounces His final sentence on Satan, his angels and human followers: “I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. . . . And I saw the dead . . . standing before the throne, and books were opened. . . . [And] the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Revelation 20:11, 12).

Found guilty of treason, rebellion and the murder of the innocent Son of God, they reflect on their rejection of God’s messengers, His offer of pardon and mercy. As they see the saved, clothed in the garments of Christ’s righteousness, the freshness and vigour of eternal youth on their faces, safe inside the glorious city, remorsefully they say, “All this might I have had!” No longer do they follow Satan, instead turning their wrath on him.

Christ pronounces their final and everlasting destruction and, along with the devil and his retinue, He casts death itself, all into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14; 21:4). Its presence and ugliness are consumed by this fire, never to return and God’s kingdom on earth is established in its place.

The saved, safe inside the city, acknowledge the justice of God, saying, “Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages” (Revelation 15:3).

It may sound like fiction, but that’s the picture that the Bible presents, and so far, the Bible has only ever proved it can be trusted.

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