We’ve seen prior to Jesus’ return the events by which the world will be judged, and that we will take part in it. But it’s not just that earthly judgment we have to be concerned with. In Revelation 11, where we heard the 7th trumpet sound, those around God’s throne proclaim that the time has come for Him to rule and judge the saints. That’s us. And that’s a whole separate judgment. The tribulation events are an earthly phenomenon, occurring before His return; judging the saints is spiritual and comes after He gathers us. So how then will we be judged?
Jesus likened this judgment as to when a man going on a journey called his servants together and gave them each some money to look after. When he returned he found that two had wisely invested the monies to earn more. He was proud of them and put them in charge over parts of his estate. But a third servant had only hid his, returning no more than what he had been given. The man scolded this servant and cast him out, calling him unfaithful. "To whom much is given, much will be required” Jesus said[1].
This is pretty clear and logical. We will be called to account for how we use what He gives us. The productive servant will be rewarded, and the unproductive is ‘cast out’.
Jesus had earlier likened our entrance into His Kingdom as to when a king threw a feast and those he invited were too busy to respond[2]. So the king opened the doors and took in anyone who would come, filled the place and the feast began. Those who had been invited came at their leisure, only to find themselves tossed out and the door shut in their face.
Jesus later expanded on this by telling of 10 ‘virgins’ (using a term that references wedding attendants) with lamps who went out to wait for a bridegroom[3]. The groom was delayed and the attendants went to sleep. Late at night they were awakened by the bridegroom’s coming. Turning up their lamps to receive him, half of them were out of oil and had to go find some. While they were gone, the groom arrived and took the others into the wedding feast. When the five without oil returned later, they found themselves denied entrance and shut out.
There’s a recurring theme here. We are accountable for how we use what He gives us; The prudent enter into a feast, and the ‘tardy’ are shut out.
Paul described our judgment[4], where he says we will give an account of our lives to God and receive good or bad for our works. Paul explained to the Corinthians[5] that those who founded their faith in Jesus build upon that foundation by the works they do, whether good (represented by silver and gold) or bad (wood and straw). On the day of judgment these works will be tested by fire, and those whose work is not burnt up will be rewarded, while those whose work is burned away will suffer a loss. But they will be saved, as though "through the fire” Paul says.
As though thru the fire. What does that mean?
When Jesus returns and takes us up He will host a feast, a wedding feast to be exact and we’ll look at that in a bit. The point is when He returns, those He finds faithfully responsive will enter in with Him to this feast. But those who aren’t will find themselves shut out of it. Remember, these are all part of that group that He gathered to Him. None the less some are separated from Him for a time because of their faithlessness.
Hell in its Biblical form is a place set apart from the presence of God[6], and described as a lake of fire. With God inside at the wedding feast, those who are locked out are set apart from His presence, and therefore going through a very real form of hell. "As though through the fire,” Paul said. Jesus said that the unfaithful servant will be appointed a portion with the unbelievers[7], and repeatedly warned that those who fail His judgment will be cast out into darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth[8] - a close analogy to the wailing and gnashing described going on in the lake of fire[9].
There is debate on whether you get your heaven or hell pass by ‘being good’. Jesus says that for actually getting in, no that does not matter. The reason that doesn’t matter is because all you have to do is be bad once, and your ticket is punched. And Lord knows we’re all going to trip up at some point. That’s why Jesus says that He is not just the way to God, but the only way to Him. He paid our entry fee, and there’s nothing we can possibly do to earn it aside from accepting it. That is the unforgiveable sin – not accepting forgiveness. So no, being good does not get you into ‘heaven’.
BUT – being good or bad does get you into or out of Jesus’ wedding feast. If you’re cast out then you will go thru purification in something very similar to hell while the feast goes on.
Also note again that this not the end of the world, but the end of the age. There is another judgment which occurs at the end of the world[10], where God sits upon the Great White Throne and divides mankind up into two groups, namely His and not His people. Those who are not His People are cast into the lake of fire, while His people inherit a new creation. This is a separate and later final judgment, and we’ll come back to it too in a bit.
But if I may be allowed to digress again, let me share with you my picture of hell. God’s word tells us the world is made of things unseen, which describes the atom and it’s components. The interesting thing about the atom is that it’s nucleus is composed of like-charged particles, and orbiting that are like charged particles. The laws of science dictate that like charged particles repel each other, indicating the whole dang thing should just naturally come apart. But God says that all things are held together by Him[11]. The Lord spoke this creation into existence, putting it together by His very Word (note the similarity of word/world). We are told that at the end of its existence the elements will melt with fervent heat[12]. Consider what happens when an atom is split - it creates intense heat and fire as the element is ripped out of existence. Could it be possible that when God speaks it out of existence, the resulting nuclear meltdown of all created matter that now exists as our earth and heavens will create the lake of fire? Would it seem fitting that those who love this world more than Him would be given it, in its natural state apart from Him?
Ok, back to it. Jesus has gathered us together, celebrated with His faithful, and is returning with us to earth to begin exercising His authority. So what’s that going to be like?
[HR][/HR][1] Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27
[2] Matt. 22:1-4; Luke 14:15-24
[3] Matt. 25:1-13, and again referencing the receiving party going out to meet and escort an arriving guest
[4] 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10-12
[5] 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
[6] Matt. 25:41
[7] Luke 12:16
[8] Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30
[9] Matt. 13:42, 50
[10] Matt 25:31 - 46, Rev. 20:11-15
[11] Hebrews 11:3; Col. 1:16
[12] 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12
Jesus likened this judgment as to when a man going on a journey called his servants together and gave them each some money to look after. When he returned he found that two had wisely invested the monies to earn more. He was proud of them and put them in charge over parts of his estate. But a third servant had only hid his, returning no more than what he had been given. The man scolded this servant and cast him out, calling him unfaithful. "To whom much is given, much will be required” Jesus said[1].
This is pretty clear and logical. We will be called to account for how we use what He gives us. The productive servant will be rewarded, and the unproductive is ‘cast out’.
Jesus had earlier likened our entrance into His Kingdom as to when a king threw a feast and those he invited were too busy to respond[2]. So the king opened the doors and took in anyone who would come, filled the place and the feast began. Those who had been invited came at their leisure, only to find themselves tossed out and the door shut in their face.
Jesus later expanded on this by telling of 10 ‘virgins’ (using a term that references wedding attendants) with lamps who went out to wait for a bridegroom[3]. The groom was delayed and the attendants went to sleep. Late at night they were awakened by the bridegroom’s coming. Turning up their lamps to receive him, half of them were out of oil and had to go find some. While they were gone, the groom arrived and took the others into the wedding feast. When the five without oil returned later, they found themselves denied entrance and shut out.
There’s a recurring theme here. We are accountable for how we use what He gives us; The prudent enter into a feast, and the ‘tardy’ are shut out.
Paul described our judgment[4], where he says we will give an account of our lives to God and receive good or bad for our works. Paul explained to the Corinthians[5] that those who founded their faith in Jesus build upon that foundation by the works they do, whether good (represented by silver and gold) or bad (wood and straw). On the day of judgment these works will be tested by fire, and those whose work is not burnt up will be rewarded, while those whose work is burned away will suffer a loss. But they will be saved, as though "through the fire” Paul says.
As though thru the fire. What does that mean?
When Jesus returns and takes us up He will host a feast, a wedding feast to be exact and we’ll look at that in a bit. The point is when He returns, those He finds faithfully responsive will enter in with Him to this feast. But those who aren’t will find themselves shut out of it. Remember, these are all part of that group that He gathered to Him. None the less some are separated from Him for a time because of their faithlessness.
Hell in its Biblical form is a place set apart from the presence of God[6], and described as a lake of fire. With God inside at the wedding feast, those who are locked out are set apart from His presence, and therefore going through a very real form of hell. "As though through the fire,” Paul said. Jesus said that the unfaithful servant will be appointed a portion with the unbelievers[7], and repeatedly warned that those who fail His judgment will be cast out into darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth[8] - a close analogy to the wailing and gnashing described going on in the lake of fire[9].
There is debate on whether you get your heaven or hell pass by ‘being good’. Jesus says that for actually getting in, no that does not matter. The reason that doesn’t matter is because all you have to do is be bad once, and your ticket is punched. And Lord knows we’re all going to trip up at some point. That’s why Jesus says that He is not just the way to God, but the only way to Him. He paid our entry fee, and there’s nothing we can possibly do to earn it aside from accepting it. That is the unforgiveable sin – not accepting forgiveness. So no, being good does not get you into ‘heaven’.
BUT – being good or bad does get you into or out of Jesus’ wedding feast. If you’re cast out then you will go thru purification in something very similar to hell while the feast goes on.
Also note again that this not the end of the world, but the end of the age. There is another judgment which occurs at the end of the world[10], where God sits upon the Great White Throne and divides mankind up into two groups, namely His and not His people. Those who are not His People are cast into the lake of fire, while His people inherit a new creation. This is a separate and later final judgment, and we’ll come back to it too in a bit.
But if I may be allowed to digress again, let me share with you my picture of hell. God’s word tells us the world is made of things unseen, which describes the atom and it’s components. The interesting thing about the atom is that it’s nucleus is composed of like-charged particles, and orbiting that are like charged particles. The laws of science dictate that like charged particles repel each other, indicating the whole dang thing should just naturally come apart. But God says that all things are held together by Him[11]. The Lord spoke this creation into existence, putting it together by His very Word (note the similarity of word/world). We are told that at the end of its existence the elements will melt with fervent heat[12]. Consider what happens when an atom is split - it creates intense heat and fire as the element is ripped out of existence. Could it be possible that when God speaks it out of existence, the resulting nuclear meltdown of all created matter that now exists as our earth and heavens will create the lake of fire? Would it seem fitting that those who love this world more than Him would be given it, in its natural state apart from Him?
Ok, back to it. Jesus has gathered us together, celebrated with His faithful, and is returning with us to earth to begin exercising His authority. So what’s that going to be like?
[HR][/HR][1] Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27
[2] Matt. 22:1-4; Luke 14:15-24
[3] Matt. 25:1-13, and again referencing the receiving party going out to meet and escort an arriving guest
[4] 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10-12
[5] 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
[6] Matt. 25:41
[7] Luke 12:16
[8] Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30
[9] Matt. 13:42, 50
[10] Matt 25:31 - 46, Rev. 20:11-15
[11] Hebrews 11:3; Col. 1:16
[12] 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12