Transcript
Martin Luther used to say that he had only TWO days on his calendar: TODAY and “THAT DAY”—the day when we will meet the Lord on judgment day. And we do need to live today in light of these two days, today and that day.
There is a day coming for believers when we will be judged by our Lord for our service and how faithful we were to Him and the truth of His Word.
As with many topics in God’s Word, the judgments to come is a topic that must be rightly divided, so we don’t confuse them and we clearly understand who is judged and when.
Ezekiel 20:34-38: “And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm.
“And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
“And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”
We learn here about Israel’s future judgment.
A great regathering of Israel will take place prior to the Millennial Kingdom on earth. At Christ’s Second Coming, angels sound trumpets summoning all Jews who have been scattered throughout the world, back to the Promised Land.
Matthew 24:31 says, “He [Christ] shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect [Israel] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
Ezekiel describes this future exodus of Israel from the nations of the world also, and a return to their own land which God promised to them, the promised land.
Reminiscent of Israel’s exodus from Egypt which was done in God’s power with His “mighty hand” and “stretched out arm,” so this exodus also from the nations to the promised land prior to the kingdom will be by God’s mighty hand and stretched out arm.
God will bring them out of the nations, and then to bring them “into the wilderness” where He will first judge them “face to face.”
Ezekiel teaches how the Lord will pass them under the “rod” of judgment. This is a metaphor from a shepherd who makes his sheep pass under his rod in counting them.
And so Israel will be judged and it will be determined whether or not they will be gathered into the flock, whether or not they believed and will be counted as sheep which belong to the Lord, the Great Shepherd of Israel.
Those who are judged and counted to be the Lord’s will be brought “into the bond of the covenant” and will experience the blessings of the New covenant, which includes entering the kingdom and dwelling in the Promised Land safely forever.
It also includes the blessing of cleansing from sin, a new heart being given to them, the Holy Spirit being put within them to cause them to walk in God’s statutes.
At this judgment of Israel, Christ numbers His own and passes them under the rod, bringing them into the bond of the new covenant and allowing them entrance into His Kingdom.
Also, at this judgment Christ will also “purge out” the “rebels,” those of Israel who don’t believe in Christ and “transgress” against Him in not believing, and they will not be permitted entrance into the land or Christ’s glorious kingdom.
Verse 36 says this judgment will be “Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness.” So this future judgment points back to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, that though God brought them out of Egypt, He afterwards destroyed those who did not believe in the wilderness.
Judges 1:5 “I will therefore put you in remembrance, how that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.”
And so similarly, as those in the days of Moses, those who do not believe will perish in the wilderness and will not be permitted entrance into the promised land and the kingdom of heaven on the earth.
This judgment also includes the organization of the government in the kingdom and the saints who will enter the land and rule with Christ. They will be rewarded and given their positions of authority within the kingdom. The Lord speaks of the reward and authority that’ll be granted in the kingdom within the Gospel records.
In Matthew 19:28 the Lord told the disciples of their exalted positions in the kingdom on earth: “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
In Luke 19 the Lord told a parable about a “certain nobleman,” which represented Himself, and how He went to a “far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.”
This speaks of how He would go to heaven at His ascension and then return at the Second Coming to Israel to establish His earthly kingdom.
Before leaving, the nobleman charged His servants with conducting His business while he was gone (v. 13). And He gave them each one pound and told them to “occupy till I come,” or do business with that money until He came back.
The Lord said about the citizens of that country, speaking of the unbelieving in Israel, “But His citizens hated Him, and sent a message after Him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.”
When the nobleman returned, it says “He commanded these servants to be called unto Him, to whom He had given the money, that He might know how much every man had gained by trading,” Luke 19:15 says. So they are called before Him to be judged.
The first servant had earned ten pounds with the one pound that had been entrusted to him. He knew the money was not his own and he used it to for the nobleman and to advance his master’s interest. And so the Lord said, “Thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”
This happens again for a servant that gained 5 pounds and was given authority over 5 cities. Another servant made excuses and accused the nobleman of being “austere” or hard and oppressive and he did not do anything with the money given to him.
So the Lord had his money taken from him and given to the first servant, and he was not rewarded. So there will be reward and loss of reward at this judgment of Israel.
And for those who were faithful to the Lord, and know their lives and talents are not their own but belong to the Lord, and they use their lives for Him to bring Him glory, they’ll be rewarded. And they’ll be given authority over actual cities in the millennial kingdom.
The Lord said of the citizens that hated Him, “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me.” That is also what will take place at the judgment of Israel.
What all this shows us is that when the Lord returns “having received the kingdom” he will gather Israel together to reward them according to their faithfulness and service for His glory and interests.
And Christ will award positions in the divine government of the kingdom to faithful Jews at that time, and He’ll destroy unbelieving Jews who will not have Him to reign over them.
Matthew 25:31-40 says, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.”
“And He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Also following the Lord’s Second Coming, it says He will “sit upon the throne of His glory” and another judgment takes place.
Following the Judgment of Israel, the Judgment of the nations will take place, where the Gentiles from the Tribulation stand before Christ.
At this judgment, the Gentile nations are divided by Christ. He classifies them as either sheep or goats. They are judged for their treatment of Israel during the Tribulation.
If they helped Israel by giving them food when they were hungry, drink when they thirsted, clothes when they were naked, visiting them when they were sick and in prison, doing all this by faith in Christ, they are judged to be His sheep and welcomed into His kingdom.
The Lord identifies Himself with His people, that when these nations help Israel to get through the Tribulation when they can’t buy or sell and are afflicted with severe persecution by the Anti-Christ, the Lord says “inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
The opposite is true as well. If the nations do not assist Israel or help her in the tribulation, the Lord will tell them “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, yet did it not to me” and they are judged to be goats and worthy of everlasting punishment and commanded to depart from His presence forever and are cast into everlasting fire.
These judgments show us that only the believing righteous and the saved are admitted to the kingdom. All unbelieving sinners are left out of it and will be cast into everlasting fire.
Rev. 20:11,12,15: “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 whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
In our next episode we are going to look into the Great White Throne in greater detail. This time we’ll make a few brief comments about this coming judgment.
One thousand years after Israel’s judgment and the Judgment of the nations, comes the Great White Throne judgment. It takes place after the millennial kingdom.
This is the final judgment at the end of human history, the last event that will take place before time is done away with and the eternal state is ushered in.
The Great White Throne is the judgment for ONLY unbelievers where they face their doom and are judged according to their works and cast into the lake of fire.
The throne is “great” because the throne exudes power, and it will be a huge, intimidating scene. And it is “great” because of the great, eternal issues involved.
It is a “white” throne, signifying glory, purity and holiness. White speaks of the infinite purity and holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Being confronted with the perfect holiness of God and standing there in their own righteousness, those present there for this judgment will be completely ashamed.
The impurity of humanity will stand in stark, utter contrast to God’s perfect holiness and purity leaving each person absolutely speechless.
“Him that sat on it” is the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 5:22, we are told “…the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”
Jesus Christ is God. So the infallible, all-knowing, sovereign God sits on this throne. The One who has been sinned against is the Judge.
The unsaved will be judged out of those things which were written in the books. The books of the Bible are the righteous standard by which all the lost will one day be judged.
The Word will show them how infinitely far short they fall of God’s holiness, perfection and glory. It will show the love of God in providing the payment for their sins by the Cross of Christ. The One with nail-scarred hands and feet will be the One judging them who made that payment so they could have forgiveness of their sins and eternal life.
The Word will show them God’s provision of salvation during the time they lived, the provision that they rejected, and they will be shown how they are rightfully under the condemnation of God because they never believed, because they are dead in their sins.
Christ will review and judge the works of the unbelieving before the Great White Throne, to show their unbelief, sinfulness, guilt and to show their just judgment, and also to determine the degree of punishment they will endure in the lake of fire.
The Book of Life will also be opened. At this point at the Great White Throne, all the unsaved will be dead, and only the names of believers will be left in it.
Christ will open the page to find where their name should be, and will show it to them, will show where their name was recorded but all they’ll see is a blank space, as they never were saved and do not have life and their name was blotted out, and they will be cast into the lake of fire, and forever separated from God in torment.
Romans 14:10-12: “…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
The Judgment Seat of Christ is a judgment only for the Body of Christ. When the Rapture happens before the Tribulation period, the whole Body of Christ will be in heaven, from Paul to the last member, and it’s at this time the Lord will judge the Body of Christ.
We are each individually accountable before God for what we believe and how we live the Christian life and we’ll have to answer for it before the Lord someday.
Scripture is clear that God has a system of rewards and crowns for the Church that will be decided at this judgment by Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:25 teaches, “Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”
2 Timothy 4:8 says, “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
The degree of glorification of our resurrected bodies will be decided by the Lord.
1 Cor. 15:41,42a says, “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.” This shows us that there will be varying degrees of glory within our resurrected bodies based upon our faithfulness and service for Christ.
Our reigning position with Christ will be decided at the Judgment Seat. 2 Tim. 2:12 says, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him, if we deny Him, He also will deny us.”
Paul tells Timothy that if we take a stand and suffer for standing for the truth, we will be given a higher reigning position in heaven with Christ for all eternity (v. 12a).
But if we “deny Him” or are ashamed of Christ and unwilling to stand for Him and His truth, He will deny us, deny us a higher reigning position with Him (v. 12b).
1 Corinthians 3:10-15: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Moses was the master-builder of the Old Testament tabernacle. God gave him the plans and specifications, saying, “See that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount” (Heb. 8:5). The Apostle Paul too was a master-builder.
As Moses represents and was given the Law, so Paul represents and was given grace.
To Paul God gave, by special revelation, the plans and specifications for the building of the Church of the mystery, “the body of Christ.” The plans and specifications for this Church were “kept secret since the world began” until it was revealed to and through Paul.
Paul does not say that he had been building on the foundation which another had laid. He was not building on the foundation of Christ as Messiah and King of Israel.
He says, “I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.” A new dispensation was ushered in with the raising up of Paul, in which the foundation of Christ was presented, not as King of Israel, but as the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ.
Paul says, “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon,” as he cautions those who serve and build on the foundation of Christ that we are to do so according to His heavenly ministry today. We are to build on the foundation of Christ according to the truths of grace for today that are revealed in the letters of Paul.
Each and every work will be tested and revealed by fire, 1 Cor. 3:13 says. Fire in the Scriptures speaks of the Word of God. Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my Word like as a fire? saith the Lord.”
Our works will be tested and tried by God’s Word and specifically by the grace truth revealed in Paul’s epistles which give us the commands of Christ for the Church today.
The question will be how much of our works, service and stand will survive the test of God’s Word to determine whether we receive a reward or whether we suffer loss of reward.
If we live, work and serve according to the law, making known a wrong or mixed gospel for today, and trying to live by instruction meant for a different time, people, dispensation, many of our works will be wood, hay, stubble and will be burnt up, and we’ll suffer loss.
But if we work and serve according to grace, making known the gospel of pure grace, and live by God’s instruction for today under grace, knowing and growing in Christ’s heavenly ministry and standing for all this, so that our Savior may be glorified in it all, this is in God’s eyes, “gold, silver, precious stones” and we’ll be rewarded for it.
As gold, silver, precious stones are passed through a fire they are refined, so these 3 signify the permanent nature of our works.
And they represent those things done and taught in accordance with grace and building on the foundation of Christ according to the Pauline revelation of grace for today.
May we like Martin Luther keep in mind the two important days on our calendars: TODAY and “THAT DAY.” May we take our stand for the message of grace and live by it and be ready for “that day.”