The Promised Judgment of God

by Dr. Ken Matto

Prologue

One of the greatest preaching and teaching voids in the church today is the reality of the coming judgment of God on this entire world. With the idea that God is dead or that He is only a concept of man's imagination used by people to manipulate others comes the absence of any type of judgment. Do we think society is acting the way they do because they believe there is a coming judgment? With today's enlightened and intellectual society, there is no room for ancient superstition such as gods and goddesses.. Many churches have already dismissed the existence of angels and the existence of Satan. Many have believed the lies of higher criticism that we cannot know for sure if we really have the word of God today. Seminary theologians are continually attacking the Bible with their reasoning and philosophies, handing them down to students who when they graduate are deluged with requests from churches to come fill their pulpits. (Jer 23:1 KJV) Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

 

With the way God's word has been mishandled, attacked, and the verity of it questioned, we can be sure of an impending judgment by God. God's holiness will be vindicated and all His enemies will be silenced. What a person believes does not formulate truth. If we were standing in a corn field and I said to you, "there is a tornado heading our way" and you said "I don't believe it." Does the fact that you do not believe it represent the truth of the matter? No Way! That tornado will come through even if you forget to take grandma off the front porch! The avoidance of reality does not establish an alternate reality since there is no such thing as a parallel reality in contradistinction to the first reality. A single river cannot flow north and south simultaneously. A car cannot be driven east and west simultaneously. Therefore reality cannot be simultaneous nor alternate in opposition. In other words, either the judgment is coming with an existence of God or there is no judgment and no God, just a course of natural happenings. Let us see which is correct.

 

I. JUDGMENT IS MOCKED

 

1) The idea of accountability is rejected by modern man

 

A. Sin rejects the concept of sin

Sin has become the great blinder and the most obvious in our contemporary world. People lie, cheat, steal and do whatever they please and call it "justified" because everyone else is doing it. Nowhere do we find any conscience of sin anymore. Our society has so bludgeoned the reality that sin exists when we find a person with morals, we find they are also disdained by others they are associated with.

 

(2 Cor 4:4 KJV) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 

Many times we hear this verse used only in the context of Satan blinding unbelievers to the truth of the gospel. I believe there can be a widening of the meaning of this verse in that Satan has blinded the minds of the unbeliever to not only reject the truth of the gospel but to reject and diminish all of the fruits of the gospel. When I say fruits of the gospel in this case I am referring to the moral aspects of it, which include the principles of living found in the Ten Commandments. I don't think I really have to emphasize the pandemic explosion of amoral living in the world. Sinful living has become the normal pattern for existence and because the minds of millions are blinded to sin, it is rejected and relegated to medieval thought. While sin itself has aggravated, the idea of sin has mitigated.

 

B. Evolution is a convenient fallacy

When the teaching of evolution was introduced in 1859, it was opposed vehemently by not only Christians but by many other folks. I remember when I was a tot, I could never reconcile Adam and Eve with 300 million years of evolution. God did not allow those two opposite teachings to homogenize in my mind, maybe it was because I was predestined to be saved and God was already working on me at such a young age. Evolution is a convenient fallacy because if everything in this universe evolved, then there is no creator which means no one to be accountable to. If a problem in earth's constitution arises just add a few more million years and the problem is solved. Evolution requires more faith than the faith requirement to believe in God. Evolutionists base their theories on "what if," "perhaps," "might have," "may have," and many other open ended, non-scientific, theory based formulae. Evolution has no parameters as it is constantly being updated to fit the teachings of whoever is using it. Remember the tornado?

 

C. Psychology is a convenient denial

Have you ever heard or known people who have been going to Therapists for 5, 10, 15 years or longer? Take a look at the word Therapists - The Rapists. That is exactly what they do a person's wallet and mind. I also include Christian Psychology in that sordid group. Psychology deals with the science of blaming others for your action. If not, then why do the-rapists always seek the history of a person with the intent to blame someone else.

 

(Phil 3:13 KJV) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

 

God does not expect His children to cry in their soup for fifteen years over some menial events in their life. Psychologists tend to inflate a person's "problems" to the point that a person will never progress in their life until they completely abandon their therapist. These shamans are very good at keeping a person at a certain level without seeing them progress. It is like getting in an elevator and pressing the button for the tenth floor and never getting passed the second because someone hit the emergency stop and refuses to let the elevator go any further unless you give them $100, 100 times.

 

D. Atheism is a convenient rationale

Those who call themselves an "atheist" are really agnostic. There is no such thing as a true atheist. The word "atheist" means "no God." There is no human on earth that has ever exhausted every possible pathway to prove God does not exist. If people can convince themselves there is no God, then there is no accountability to God and the only justice is what man makes, and it can be manipulated to fit any situation. I am sure you have heard the statement, "If there is a God then why is there so much suffering?" Can you imagine how much suffering there would be without a God restraining sin so it does not reach its fullest potential which would result in the destruction of mankind as we know it?

 

2) Judgment Seems Delayed

 

A. Life Goes On

(Eccl 1:4-7 KJV) One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. {5} The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. {6} The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. {7} All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

 

One thing which we can be sure about is the promise of God to continue to be fulfilled. That promise being the one He made after Noah landed and He said that all the seasons would continue. (Gen 8:22 KJV) While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Many take this promise of God to mean that the earth will go on in its present sinful state for eternity. Just because the sun rises and sets on a regular basis does not mean it will go on forever.

 

B. Silence is not necessarily golden

There seems to be silence from Heaven in that when we see all the things going on in the world today, we expect apocalyptic events to kick in. Just because there is a seeming silence from Heaven does not mean that all the evil will go unjudged. God is now setting the stage for the final judgment of mankind and the timing of it is totally in His capable hands.

 

C. The Day is set

(Acts 17:31 KJV) 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.

 

Some day there is going to come the last day of man's existence and then all judgment will come. God has already set a day on which it will happen. It will not come one day sooner or one day later. This day is not going to be some 1,000 year period but is going to come on a single 24 hour day, when earth's time will be ended and eternity will resume. On that day all the wicked deeds of all the unredeemed will be brought to light and judged without prejudice.

 

D. God has set a specific time table

(Gen 15:16 KJV) But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

 

(Gal 4:4 KJV) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

 

In Genesis 15:16, we read where God would not judge the Amorites until their iniquity was full and in the Galatians passage we read that Christ came in the fulness of time. Both of these will work hand in hand when the Lord Jesus Christ will come on the last day when the last sin will be committed. God has set timetables for everything in this world and Judgment day is no exception.

 

3) Judgment serves no purpose

 

A. Once you are dead, you are dead

This is one of the most popular teachings today is that when a person dies, they cease to exist. The Jehovah's Witnesses teach this doctrine otherwise known as the doctrine of annihilation. Those who are unbelievers see a dead body and tend to conclude that this is the end. Nothing could be further from the truth. The book of James teaches that the body without the spirit is dead. Therefore, we must investigate where the spirit goes because we know that the body goes into the ground to continue the decay process until it is completely dust. The Bible is very clear as to what happens after death to both classes of people on earth, the saved and the unsaved.

The saved - (2 Cor 5:8 KJV) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

 

The unsaved - (Psa 115:17 KJV) The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

These verses teach us that the believer goes right into the presence of the Lord upon dismissal from the physical body but the unbeliever goes to a place of silence to be raised on the last day to face judgment for their sins and then they will be cast into eternal hell for their sins.

 

B. No one is better or worse than anyone else

I am sure we have all heard this one. People tend to set up other people as their standards, whether they be good or evil. We do this in Christianity as well as unbelievers. God through the Apostle Paul dealt with this problem in the Corinthian Church:

 

(2 Cor 10:12 KJV) For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

 

Those who measure themselves by other are setting up fallible standards which will lead to eternal destruction. Have you ever heard "I ain't as bad as him/her, at least I.______________(fill in the blank. This saying is tantamount to prideful boasting. I can easily say I am not as bad as John Dillinger but John Dillinger can say that he is not as bad as Al Capone, and so on. The truth of the matter is that our standard is the Bible and since we are unable to fulfill the law perfectly, we must have a substitute to pay for our sins and that substitute is the Lord Jesus Christ. Comparison must never be made with another human being, instead our standard is Christ Himself. It is very easy to place ourselves in a superior position to others. All we have to do is point out their sins and boast that we do not do those things but what if our closet was opened to others, what would they find that would make them superior to us? The bottom line, is that everyone is on equal footing in two ways, either we have need of a Savior or we have the Savior.

 

C. If man was born in sin, why blame him for sinning

Let me ask another question, if fish were born in water, why blame them for swimming? We don't blame fish for swimming because that is the environment they were born in and sin is the environment man was born in. Until a person becomes saved there is a state of perpetual hostility between them and God.

 

(Rom 9:17-23 KJV) For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. {18} Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. {19} Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? {20} Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? {21} Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? {22} What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: {23} And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

 

Man was born in sin and as a result that sin was perpetuated by birth right down to today. God must judge sin as all sin is rebellion against Him. God even judged the believer but we were found not guilty because Christ took the penalty for our sins but those who will not be saved must bear the entire penalty for their sins. (1 Pet 4:17 KJV) 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?

 

Judgment began with those chosen for salvation and it will end with the final judgment of the unsaved at the Great White Throne Judgment found in Revelation 20.

 

II. JUDGMENT IS A HISTORICAL FACT

We are going to explore the three types of Judgment which is portrayed for us in Scripture. They are political, personal, and religious. We will also look at a few Post-Biblical judgments, those which happened after the completion of the Scriptures.

 

1. Political

 

Sodom and Gomorrah

(Gen 19:24 KJV) Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

 

Jericho

(Josh 6:20-21 KJV) So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. {21} And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

 

Nineveh

(Nahum 1:1 KJV) The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

 

(Nahum 3:7 KJV) And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?

 

Babylon

(Isa 13:19 KJV) And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

Judah

(2 Ki 24:2 KJV) And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.

 

Israel (Northern Tribes)

(2 Chi 17:6 KJV) In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

 

Egypt

(Exo 14:27-28 KJV) And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. {28} And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

 

2. Personal

 

Adam & Eve

(Gen 3:16-19 KJV) Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. {17} And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; {18} Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; {19} In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

 

Agag

(1 Sam 15:33 KJV) And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

 

King Herod

(Acts 12:21-23 KJV) And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. {22} And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. {23} And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

 

Nebuchadnezzar

(Dan 4:33 KJV) The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

 

David

(2 Sam 12:19 KJV) But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

 

3. Religious

 

Dagon

(1 Sam 5:1-6 KJV) And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. {2} When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. {3} And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. {4} And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. {5} Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. {6} But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

 

Prophets of Baal

(1 Ki 18:40 KJV) And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

 

Gods of Egypt

The ten plagues on Egypt were a personal attack on ten of the Egyptian gods.

 

Plague 1 against Osiris - God of the Nile

(Exo 7:20 KJV) And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

 

Plague 2 against Hekt - Frog goddess

(Exo 8:6 KJV) And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

 

Plague 3 against Seb - Earth god

(Exo 8:17 KJV) And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

 

Plague 4 against Hatkok - Wife of Osiris

(Exo 8:24 KJV) And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

 

Plague 5 against Apis - Sacred bull god

(Exo 9:6 KJV) And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

 

Plague 6 against Typhon - God of health

(Exo 9:9-10 KJV) And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. {10} And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

 

Plague 7 against Shu - God of the atmosphere

(Exo 9:23 KJV) And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

 

Plague 8 against Serapia - The god who protects Egypt from locusts

(Exo 10:13 KJV) And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

 

Plague 9 against Ra - The sun god

(Exo 10:22 KJV) And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

 

Plague 10 against all gods including Pharaoh who was worshipped as a god

(Exo 12:29 KJV) And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

 

 

4. Some Post-Biblical Judgments

Rome - Conquered by the Visigoths in 5th Century AD (Persecuted Christians)

India - Extreme Poverty (False Religions)

Soviet Union - Internally disintegrated in 1990 (Persecuted Christians)

Romania - 1989 - Their leader hung (Physical Persecution of Christians)

Cuba - Depressed Economy since 1959 (religion outlawed)

United States - Weather catastrophes and unpayable phony national debt and an influx of false religions and much disease (idolatry of money, sports, sex, and compromised church)

 

The bottom line is that every group will face the judgment of God and no one will escape the final judgment. Just because the Bible is complete does not negate the fact that God is still judging nations according to their deeds and His will and the United States is not exempt.

 

III. WHY GOD MUST JUDGE US

 

1. His holiness demands it

Another teaching which is abundantly missing from the church is on the attribute of God's holiness. We somehow have the notion that in the New Testament period in which we live that God has relaxed His requirements for holiness. Nothing could be further from the truth. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. The reason this teaching is lacking is because many churches have adopted the erroneous notion of teaching the New Testament only while neglecting the meaty teachings of the Old Testament. Sure we touch on the 23rd Psalm and the Proverbs but how many get into the judgment teachings in Amos, Hosea, Nahum, or Zephaniah?

 

Throughout the entire Bible God continually reminds us that He is holy and that we are to be holy for He is holy. The word holy is used 611 times and holiness is used 43 times in the entire Bible. Combining the two gives us the mention of holiness 654 times and that is not even taking into consideration other words and phrases which command holiness and describe this attribute of God in different terms. God's holiness must be vindicated.

(Psa 30:4 KJV) Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

 

2. Our sin demands it

If there is one thing that everyone in the world can agree on is that everyone of us is a sinner because each of us have done things which are wrong and therefore in violation of God's holy word. Since Adam and Eve sinned, the human race was plunged into a continuum of practicing sin. Even God's redeemed sin every day.

 

(1 Pet 4:17 KJV) 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?

 

Here is a verse which tells us that God has begun to judge His own house which took place at Calvary but the outcome of those without salvation shall be eternal damnation. Sin and its severity must be judged as all sin, no matter how small it seems, is rebellion against a thrice holy God.

 

3. We are accountable to God's law

(John 5:45 KJV) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

 

When the Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, He encountered those who believed they were keeping the law of God so well that they did not need to worry about their eternal destiny. The above verse teaches us that the very Scriptures the religious leaders were confident would justify them, were the very ones that would be condemning them. The same method of judgment will be used on every human being which dies unsaved. The Scriptures will be the standard by which all will be judged.

 

IV. PENALTIES

 

1. No second chance after death

(Heb 9:27 KJV) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 

Once a person has died, their eternal fate is sealed. There is no place of second chances beyond the grave. Either a person goes to be with the Lord or they go to a place of silence and await the judgment of the last day. Notice the word "appointed." It may also be translated "reserved" which means each of us have a time reserved for our death, if the Lord does not return in our lifetime. When my mother died, she had no symptoms of any life threatening disease yet within a span of less than one hour she was gone.

 

2. Separation

(Mat 25:30 KJV) And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

While I do not really know the specific nature of hell, I can be dogmatic on one aspect of it and that it is an eternal separation from God and others in hell. There will no parties or great fun gatherings in hell. I remember when I made my first visit to a prison to visit a Christian brother, I had gone with a former police officer. On the way I was asking questions about what we can and cannot do while there. He looked at me and said "This is not a country club, this is prison." He was not kidding as we could not even take our own Bibles into the visiting room. There seemed to be a total separation between these prisoners and the outside world and that is what will happen in hell, total separation.

 

3. Eternal Damnation

(Rev 14:11 KJV) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

 

The word "smoke" in this verse is only translated "smoke" in the New Testament and that is what the word in Greek means. Eternal damnation will be the final penalty which will be laid upon all the unbelievers. There will be no escape, no plea bargaining, no second chances, no mistrials. God's judgment will be final and we are not speaking of the doctrine of annihilation, this punishment will be fully realized by the condemned for all eternity.

 

V. THE PROSECUTOR'S EVIDENCE

 

The Books

(Rev 20:12 KJV) 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.

 

Now this is figurative as God who knows all does not need any books yet He wrote this in terms we will understand. He is telling us here that all the evil acts we committed in our life will recorded and will be used at our trial:

 

(Rev 3:10 KJV) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

 

The word "temptation" is the word for "trial." The great trial which will come upon everyone in the world is judgment day. The only ones kept from that great trial are the believers but everyone else must and will appear before the Judgment seat of Christ where all the works we did will be made manifest.

 

WHAT WILL BE JUDGED?

 

1. Every Work

(Eccl 12:14 KJV) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

 

So you think you did something and nobody saw it? Every work that you ever did on earth will come under judgment, both secret and revealed.

 

2. Every Idle Word

(Mat 12:36 KJV) But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

 

That word "idle" may also be translated "unemployed." How many times in the last day did you take the name of God as a swear word? How about the name of Jesus Christ? How much evil speech did you partake in? Your speech is as important as your works and will be factored into the case against you.

 

3. Your Thoughts

(Gen 6:5 KJV) And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

Yes, your very thoughts, those little scenarios which are neatly tucked away in the safe deposit box on your shoulders where you are the only one who has the key. The truth is that God has a pass key to your thoughts and even those private little vignettes will come into judgment. The thoughts will be judged on par with both works and words. When was the last time you lusted after someone and no one knew but you AND GOD? When was the last time you had evil thoughts against someone in your mind and no one knew but you AND GOD? Your thoughts and imaginations are known by God and unless you become saved, you will face each one at your trial.

 

VI. THE FINAL NON-RESTING PLACE

How many times have we heard the saying "The final resting place" in reference to the burial place of someone. The earthly grave is not a final resting place but is a transient one. There is going to be a "great gittin' up morning" on the last day and all the unsaved will stand for judgment and then be cast into hell for their sins. God accepts one of two payment plans for sin:

 

1. The substitutionary sacrifice of His Son, or;

2. You pay for your own sins in Hell.

 

I wish at this time to include some of the characteristics of Hell, so people who read this can be assured that there will be no great party in Hell. The great celebration will be in Heaven.

 

Lake of Fire

(Rev 20:15 KJV) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

Worm dieth not

(Mark 9:44 KJV) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

 

Tormented day and night

(Rev 14:11 KJV) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

 

Outer darkness

(Mat 22:13 KJV) Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

Sorrow

(2 Sam 22:6 KJV) The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;

 

A place of many depths

(Prov 9:18 KJV) But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

 

Fire

(Mat 5:22 KJV) But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 

A place of destruction

(Mat 10:28 KJV) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

A place of thirst

(Luke 16:23-24 KJV) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. {24} And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

 

Epilogue

We have come a long way in our topic on the promised judgment of God. We saw that whenever God pronounced a judgment it happened in his timing. It may not have taken place exactly at that moment but God warned and then did it in the fullness of His timing. In the times we live in, the idea of judgment is scorned, but is that something we should be surprised at?

 

(Jude 1:18-19 KJV) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. {19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

God has promised that this world will be judged and just because it has not happened yet, is no indication it will not.

 

(Acts 17:31 KJV) 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.

 

If you live on this world, then you will be judged. However, the day of salvation is still at hand but with every sign in place right now for the return of the Lord, we do not know how long that door will remain open. If after reading this article, you believe God is calling you, then you must cry out to Him for salvation. Today is the day of salvation. Do not swallow the lies of the world that there will be no judgment. The world wishes to erase every vestige of biblical truth from this planet but Christ promised His word will remain until the last day. God has promised judgment and it is coming, you can make sure of that.

 

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