7 Judgments
In The New Testament
Dr. John Hoole – May 18, 2014
Last week we began to investigate what the Bible has to say concerning “Judgment.” We learned that all who have ever lived will stand before God and give an account of their life.
Romans 14:12 NKJV
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Some day you and I will stand before God. Nothing in your entire life could be more important than to be ready for that day. It will determine whether you will spend eternity in heaven or hell.
We also learned that although all will stand before God, there is no general resurrection nor a general judgment where all stand together before Him. In fact, the two major end-time judgments of the godly and ungodly will occur more than one thousand years apart. Additionally, we learned there is more than one judgment mentioned in the New Testament
HOW MANY JUDGMENTS DO YOU THINK THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT?
I know that the Noahic Flood was a judgment, and God judged people like Cain, and places, like Sodom and Gomorrah. So I need to narrow my question.
BEGINNING WITH THE LIFE OF CHRIST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, HOW MANY JUDGMENTS ARE MENTIONED?
Actually, the Bible speaks in detail about seven separate judgments.
Each of these judgments have a different purpose. And some of these judgments have already taken place. And two of the seven have little, if anything, to do with End-time Prophecy.
1. The Judgment of a Believer’s Sin
The first and maybe the most important judgment concerns the believer’s sins.
The Bible assures us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Every person who becomes a believer and enters Heaven must have their personal sins judged and punished according to the holy law of God.
If you have appropriated the blood of Jesus Christ to your life by accepting Him as your Lord, then your sins have been judged and forgiven. They have also been forgotten in the sense that God will never remember them against you again (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12).
Let me put it another way. If you are truly born again, having asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, then you will never stand before the Lord and be judged for those sins.
This is why God, the second person, stepped down from Heaven in the person of Jesus Christ. This unique man was born of a human mother, but God Himself was the Father of this child. This is why the man, Jesus of Nazareth, is called the Son of God in a sense no one else can ever be, because God alone is His Father.
If Jesus had been born of a human father, He would have had the sin of Adam passed down to him, because the legal culpability for the first sin is passed down through the man, not the woman.
Romans 5:18 NKJV
18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
This is why the virgin birth was absolutely necessary. Jesus had to be without inherited sin, as well as without personal sin, in order to qualify to die in our place and purchase a pardon for all mankind.
WHERE DOES THIS JUDGMENT TAKE PLACE?
This took place at Calvary.
Isaiah 53:4-6 NKJV
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
In the course of time, this judgment took place almost 2000 years ago. Jesus Christ died on the cross to bear the eternal punishment for our evil rebellion. All of our sins were placed on Jesus as He hung upon the Cross, and the wrath we deserved was poured out upon Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The judgment of your and my sins took place at Calvary.
The first judgment is the judgment of our sins on the Cross of Christ.
2. The Judgment of the Believer’s Walk
Not only did Christ die for our sin as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), but He died to break the reign of sin in the lives of those who put their trust in Him. Though believers are saved by faith in Christ as the crucified Savior, the Scriptures indicate that Christians will battle with sin and will not always be victorious. So it is necessary for believers to judge their own sins in the light of Scripture.
This judgment is mentioned in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 11:31-32.
For if we would JUDGE ourselves, we would not be judged.
But when we are JUDGED, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
The fact is, we cannot even begin to understand God's end-time judgment program unless we first understand the following Biblical principle:
1 Peter 4:17 NKJV
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
This verse is saying that, when judgment comes, God looks first at the disobedience in His own household before looking at the world's. And, if we haven’t taken the time to judge ourselves and the walk we have before the Lord, He will do it.
Every time we observe the Lord’s Supper (Communion), we are reminded of our need to judge ourselves.
1 Corinthians 11:27-29 NKJV
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
Yes, we must examine, or judge, ourselves.
WHERE DOES THIS JUDGMENT TAKE PLACE?
This occurs here on earth, prior to our death. And it is a continuing judgment throughout our daily life where the Holy Spirit awakens our conscience to an active obedience to the will of God.
3. The Judgment of Israel
The next judgment to consider is God’s judgment of Israel. The Bible repeatedly says that the nation of Israel will face the judgments of God because of their centuries of rebellion.
Ezekiel 20:35-38 NIV
35 I will bring you into the desert of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you.
36 As I judged your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign LORD.
37 I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
38 I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
We noted in an earlier lesson, that Zechariah 13:8-9 tell us that only one-third of Israel will come through the fire of God’s judgment. The Word of God unmistakably describes a future time of intense judgment of Israel.
This judgment takes place here on earth in the middle east. Part of the judgments of God during the Tribulation is purposely focused on the Jewish people in the end times. On numerous occasions, we are told the times of Jacob’s Troubles, are given to Israel so they will know that He is God (Jeremiah 30:7).
4. The Judgment of the Gentile Nations
The fourth judgment to consider is that which God puts on Gentile nations. WHAT IS ANOTHER NAME FOR THIS JUDGMENT? The Sheep and Goat Judgment.
WHERE IN THE BIBLE DO WE FIND THE DETAILS OF THIS JUDGMENT?
Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 25:31-33 NKJV
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
This passage in Matthew is not describing the rapture of the church. Nor does it describe the Great White Throne Judgment. The very first phrase – When the Son of Man comes in His glory – speaks of the visible second coming of Jesus Christ to earth.
According to the previous chapter which is part of the same discourse by Christ, these events immediately follow the 7-year Tribulation. The judgment of the sheep and goats takes place shortly after Christ comes to earth.
The passage also says, He will sit on the throne of His glory. That again puts the timing to be shortly following Christ’s coming, when He establishes His kingdom on earth for 1,000 years.
This judgment is also mentioned in a number of Old Testament prophecies as well. Joel 3 tells us the location of this judgment.
Joel 3:1-2 NKJV
1 "For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.
Most believe this valley is right in Jerusalem. Today, it is known as the Kidron Valley, which is located between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives.
WHAT WILL BE THE BASIS OF THEIR JUDGMENT?
In the passage we read in Matthew 25, through the end of the chapter (Vss 31-46), we are given the criteria for this judgment. The sheep are described as those who take care of Jesus’ brethren, by providing them with food, drink, protection, clothing, friendship, and encouragement. The goats quite simply did nothing for the Christ’s brethren.
Who are the “brethren” Christ is mentioning? The church is in heaven during the tribulation and thus could not possibly be the “brethren” to which Christ refers. And the Church will accompany Christ to earth at His second coming, and they will witness these proceedings.
5. The Judgment of Fallen Angels
All the angels that joined Lucifer in his rebellion against God, will stand before God in judgment.
2 Peter 2:4 (NIV) says:
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
Not only do we have an appointment to keep, so do they. Judgment is coming to all fallen angels.
Matthew 25:41 describes how the Lake of Fire was, “prepared for the Devil and his angels.” Satan, along with all his demonic fallen angel, will be judged.
I am not positive when this judgment occurs. We are, however, told several things about the judgment of fallen angels.
1 Corinthians 6:3 (NIV) adds:
3 Do you not know that we (the Christians) will judge angels?
We know, according to Revelation 20:10, that Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and this happens shortly after the Millennium. In all likelihood, this is when the fallen angels will meet their judgment as well.
Every theologian or writer that expressed an opinion about when or where this judgment occur said it is at the Great White Throne, after the 1000 year reign of Christ.
We have briefly looked at five different judgments. There are two remaining. These two are those that most quickly comes to mind when speaking about the End-Times judgments.
WHAT TWO ARE REMAINING?
1. The Judgment Seat of Christ.
2. The Great White Throne Judgment.
We will spend more time on these two judgments in a later lesson. But, let’s briefly look at these two.
6. The Judgment Seat of Christ
WHAT IS ANOTHER NAME FOR THIS JUDGMENT
The BEMA judgment.
WHERE DOES THIS JUDGMENT OCCUR?
It will occur in Heaven.
WHEN DOES THIS JUDGMENT TAKE PLACE
Shortly after the Rapture of the Church.
1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV
5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
7. The Great White Throne Judgment
WHEN DOES THIS JUDGMENT OCCUR?
Following the Millennial reign of Christ – immediately following the judgment of Satan It is mentioned in Revelation 20:11-15.
WHERE IS THE LOCATION OF THIS JUDGMENT?
Revelation 20:11 says it occurs at a place from where the earth and heavens have fled away.
Again, each of us will one day stand before God, when things will be brought to light. The most terrible day since God created man will come when the unbeliever faces a holy God for their sins. Imagination cannot capture, nor words convey, the horror and anguish of soul that will grip every lost man, woman, boy and girl on that day.
Conclusion
The Bible is filled with many examples of the judgment of God. Sometimes it affects the whole earth such as the flood in the days of Noah. Sometimes it is a national judgment, as in the case of Babylon and the Midianites. At other times, the judgment of God came upon entire families or households, such as Achan and his family following Israel’s defeat at AI (Joshua 7).
Last of all, God judges single individuals. There were times when God’s judgment actually fell not only on the wicked unbeliever, but on his own people also. Regardless of whom or how severe the judgment is, it is always “according to truth” (Romans 2:2).
When it comes to the final two judgments – the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne – every individual who has ever lived will be personally judged by Christ.
Solomon says, in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NKJV),…..
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's whole duty.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
The apostle Paul also emphasized the urgency surrounding the judgment.
Rom 2:16 NKJV
16 …..God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ,…..
Thank God, the blood has been shed and the sin debt has been paid for all those who put their trust in Christ.
John 3:36 (NIV) says,
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Don’t be among those who experience the eternal wrath of God.
We often refer to people who have died and been buried, as “having gone to their resting place.” That statement is untrue on two accounts.
1. Firstly, the earthly grave is not a final resting place for either the saved or unsaved. It is a transient one. Like the “spiritual,” there is going to be a “great gettin’ up morning.”
2. Secondly, it is NOT a resting place for the unsaved, who will stand for judgment and then be case into the lake of fire for their sins.
There is no need for anyone to be eternally separated from God. He has made an avenue of escape from the flames of torment. I don’t want anyone here this morning going to the place where the fire is not quenched. Let the Lord Jesus Christ apply his blood to your life.