THE
JUDGMENT DAY
“The term judgment signifies more than simply the
rendering of a verdict. It includes the idea of a trial,
as well as a decision based upon that trial. And this is
true not only of the English word judgment, but also of
the Greek word which it translates.
The term day, both in the Scriptures and in common usage,
though most frequently used to represent a period of twelve
or twenty-four hours, really signifies any definite or special
period of time. Thus, for instance, we speak of Luther’s
Day, Washington’s Day, and in Scripture read of the
‘day of salvation,’ the ‘day of trouble,’
etc.
While the Scriptures speak of a great judgment or trial
day yet future, and show that the masses of mankind are
to have their complete trial and final sentence in that
day, they also teach that there have been other judgment
days, during which certain elect classes have been on trial.
The
first great judgment [trial and sentence] was at the beginning,
in Eden, when the whole human race, as represented in its
head, Adam, stood on trial before God. The result of that
trial was the verdict — Guilty, disobedient, unworthy
of life; and the penalty inflicted was death.
The
Jewish Age was another Judgment Day, in which a class, spoken
of in the Bible as the ‘House of Servants,’
was tried and judged.”
“The Gospel Age again is a Judgment Day, and in it
the Church is being tried and its members one by one judged
and sentenced as either worthy or unworthy of being joint
heirs with Christ.”
After the resurrection, the whole race of mankind will be
again tried. Not collectively in Adam this time, but each
one individually, and each will be judged either worthy
or unworthy of life, but it will be life as human beings,
life upon the earth.
To
those judged worthy the sentence will be, “Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world:” (Matt. 25:34)
To those judged unworthy it will be, “Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting [destruction]” (Matt.
25:41; cf., Acts 3:23; Rev. 20:14, the second death.
SCRIPTURES SHOWING THAT THE COMING JUDGMENT DAY IS A DAY
OF BLESSING RATHER THAN OF TERROR
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of
Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen
round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:
come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow;
for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in
the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near
in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:12-14)
But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his
throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness,
he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge
in times of trouble. (Ps. 9:7-9)
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let
the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be
joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees
of the wood rejoice. Before the LORD: for he cometh, for
he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with
righteousness, and the people with his truth. (Ps. 96:11-13)
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and
they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands:
let the hills be joyful together Before the LORD; for he
cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge
the world, and the people with equity. (Ps. 98:7-9)
SCRIPTURES
SHOWING THAT THE CHURCH IS BEING JUDGED NOW
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world,
that they which see not might see; and that they which see
might be made blind. (John 9:39)
Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before
to judgment; and some men they follow after. (1 Tim. 5:24)
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house
of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end
be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Pet. 4:17)
SHOWING
THAT THE CHURCH, WITH CHRIST, IS TO JUDGE THE WORLD
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge
the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he
hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and
if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to
judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge
angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
(1 Cor. 6:2,3)
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these,
saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all
that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which
they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches
which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14,15)
OTHER SCRIPTURES, SHOWING HOW MINUTE THE WORK OF THE JUDGMENT
DAY WILL BE
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
(2 Cor. 5:10)
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set
at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of Christ. (Rom. 14:10)
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus
Christ according to my gospel. (Rom. 2:16)
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
(Eccle. 12:14)
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment
unto the Son: (John 5:22)
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of
waters. (Rev. 14:7)