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The Hour of Judgment
The Hour of Judgment
The Hour of Judgment
Him
Lift
Lift
UpLift Him Up The Hour of Judgment
GOD’S LAST MESSAGE TO THE WORLD
part 1
Lift Him Up
Him Up Lift
Up Lift Him
Lift Him Up
A
As we move through the everlasting
gospel message given in Revelation 14,
we arrive at another Biblical theme: the
judgment. John declares to the end-
the judgment at one point or another,
for the judgment in its simplest form is
our response to the gospel (see John
3:16-21). In other words, the judgment
time inhabitants of earth, “Fear God is not so much what God decides as it is
and give glory to Him; for the hour of what we decide. The judgment is
His judgment is come” (Revelation basically a revelation of our decision to
14:7). At first glance the hour of God’s accept or reject the Lamb slain for our
judgment may seem to be out of place sins. This is one reason why Jesus says:
in a gospel setting. Not so, as we are “That every idle word that men
about to find out. The truth of the shall speak, they shall give account
judgment is a most wonderful message. thereof in the day of judgment. For by
It is good news of the highest order thy words thou shalt be justified, and
and an essential report for all to hear. by thy words thou shalt be con-
Any misapprehensions we may have demned” (Matthew 12:36, 37).
about the idea of a judgment can be
categorically wiped away by under- Three Biblical Reasons
standing the everlasting gospel. This is for the Judgment
because the judgment is a crucial Why will we have to give an
Lift Him Up
Him Up Lift
Up Lift Him
Lift Him Up
component of the gospel. Notice these account of every word? Why, according
words recorded by the apostle Peter: to wise King Solomon, will God “bring
“For the time has come for judg- every work into judgment, with every
ment to begin at the house of God; and secret thing, whether it be good, or
if it begins with us first, what will be the whether it be evil”? (Ecclesiastes
end of those who do not obey the 12:14). Our words and our works
gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17, NKJV). testify to the decision we have made
Yes, the judgment is a solemn concerning the Savior of the world.
event; yet we can see from this verse What have we done with the Lamb
that the issue in the judgment is the slain for our sins from earth’s founda-
gospel. And the gospel is a message of tion? How have we handled the gift of
glad tidings. It is the good news of life that has been given to us in God’s
salvation given by God in the gift of Son? If we have accepted Him, or even
Jesus Christ to the entire world. Jesus is responded to His beckoning voice, it
the Savior of all (see 1 Timothy 4:10). will show in our lives in love to God
He has ransomed the human race (see and to our fellow man.
1 Timothy 2:6). The gospel calls every The Bible gives a number of
individual to respond to that gift, since reasons for the judgment. One of the
all have been impacted by it, experi- most important is that we would
encing temporal life as a result of God’s refrain from passing judgment on our
grace. All are, therefore, included in fellow human beings. We cannot judge
one another because we cannot read name, calling themselves Christians, and Yet, unworthy and unrighteous as we are,
the heart—only God can. This is why even do wonderful works. Yet they are we have One who speaks in our defense:
judgment is His alone. workers of iniquity, violators of God’s “My dear children, I write this to
“But why do you judge your law of love. Now remember, we are not you so that you will not sin. But if
brother? Or why do you show contempt to judge. God has a day of accounts. No anybody does sin, we have One who
for your brother? For we shall all stand one who may seem to be getting away speaks to the Father in our defense—
before the judgment seat of Christ. For with falsehood now, will then (see Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1
it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Galatians 6:7). Yet these people offer John 2:1, NIV).
Every knee shall bow to Me, And every their works rather than the righteousness Note this point with care. Christ
tongue shall confess to God.’ So then of Jesus as a reason they should be saved. speaks to the Father in our defense not
each of us shall give account of himself The bottom line: We are not saved by because the Father is against us and
to God. Therefore let us not judge one our works in the judgment. Christ is for us. Satan is the accuser of
another anymore, but rather resolve A third reason for the judgment, the brethren, not God. The devil is
this, not to put a stumbling block or a and one that is even more important bent on our destruction; God is solely
cause to fall in our brother’s way” than the first two, is found in the book focused on our salvation. “For,” said
(Romans 14:10-13, NKJV). of Revelation: Jesus, “the Father Himself loveth you”
Stop judging one another! That’s “And I heard a loud voice saying in (John 16:27).
the message of these verses. God has a heaven, ‘Now is come salvation, and
record of all good and evil. He is strength, and the kingdom of our God, Satan the Accuser,
infinite in mercy and, at the same time, and the power of His Christ: for the Not God
He will by no means clear those who accuser of our brethren is cast down, Now back to the reason for the
have not availed themselves of His which accused them before our God judgment. What do the accusations of
mercy (see Exodus 33:5-7). Leave every day and night’” (Revelation 12:10). Satan have to do with the judgment?
soul in the hands of Jesus. He died for The Bible teaches that we have an Everything! Rebellion and sin began in
us. He is our Savior. He has borne our accuser. He opposes the work of Christ heaven (see Revelation 12:7-9). It
sins, paying that terrible price in our and the salvation of the lost. His name began with Lucifer (Satan), once an
place. Instead of judging others, try not is Satan and he is accusing all sinners of anointed, covering cherub (see Ezekiel
to be a stumbling block to your being unworthy of the favor of God. 28:12-19; Isaiah 14:12-14). From the
neighbor. Don’t allow a judgmental The devil is opposing our salvation. very beginning of this war against God,
attitude to spring up in your heart He is defiantly opposing the salvation of Lucifer claimed that God was unfair.
causing others to reject God’s love and every soul for whom Christ died. This is He claimed that obedience to God’s
the gospel. This leads us to a second his full-time occupation. Day and night commandments was a standard that
reason for the judgment: he hurls railing accusations against God’s could not be kept. When Adam and
“Not every one that saith unto ransomed people, twenty-four hours a Eve disobeyed God in the garden of
Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the day, seven days a week. Eden, Satan exulted. His insinuations
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth Here is another look at the work of were seconded by their failure. God
the will of My Father which is in our adversary: must now make one of two choices:
heaven. Many will say to Me in that “And he shewed me Joshua the (1) allow justice to be visited upon man
day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not proph- high priest standing before the angel of for breaking His commandments; or,
esied in Thy name? and in Thy name the Lord, and Satan standing at his (2) forget about His commandments
have cast out devils? and in Thy name right hand to resist him” (Zechariah and His justice and let sin and sinners
done many wonderful works?’ And 3:1). He points to our failures, our sins, live as they please.
then will I profess unto them, ‘I never and defects, to the plain fact that we God chose the first, but immediately
knew you: depart from Me, ye that are sinners. He makes his case that implemented the eternal plan of redemp-
work iniquity’” (Matthew 7:21-23). none deserve to be saved or even tion, pledging to send His only Son, as a
In other words, many who profess protected from the consequences of sin. man, to be the receiver of that justice.
faith in Christ are only professors. And he has a point: “God presented Him as a sacrifice
They do not know the Lamb. He does “As it is written, There is none of atonement, through faith in His
not know them. They may take His righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). blood. He did this to demonstrate His
justice, because in His forbearance He the issues involved in this controversy sins because Jesus has paid the price for
had left the sins committed beforehand over sin. The accusations of the accuser our sins, the price of justice (see 1 John
unpunished—He did it to demonstrate have been cast out of the minds and 1:9). Justice has been served on Jesus
His justice at the present time, so as to hearts of all the heavenly beings by the and the wonderful tidings of pardon
be just and the One who justifies those revelation of Calvary (see John 12:31, have come to the world.
who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25, 32; Revelation 12:10). Yet all do not know this. That is
26, NIV). God is fair. God is just and Yet Satan still has a foothold in the why Satan continues to accuse (see
merciful. In mercy “He had left the sins minds of mankind. This is why He has Revelation 12:10-12). It is neither
committed beforehand unpunished.” come down to earth with great power. He God nor heaven, but every nation,
In justice He gave Christ as a sacrifice is trying to overwhelm us with the idea kindred, tongue and people, who
for our sins. Amazing grace, how sweet that God is vindictive, that He is unwill- need to understand this wonderful
the sound, that saved a wretch like me! ing to save, that we must be punished or truth. Even though they know it not,
In giving His Son to pay the price at least do major penance for our sins. Jesus is defending the entire world
for all sin, God has clearly demon- This is why the hour of judgment from Satan; for if left without a
strated that He is just as well as merci- involves God’s vindication as well as ours. mediator, Satan would take the lives
ful. Sin could not go unpunished; (More on that in our next study.) But of all in a moment (see John 10:10; 1