Bittersweet! We come to the end of another year long journey. We have gained many valuable insights as we have read, reread, studied, pondered, and meditated on God’s Holy Word. We pray that you will continue on the journey. Allow God to direct your steps! Thank you for making this journey with us. 

In Revelation 20:11-15 and in Daniel 7:9-14 there is a description of the judgment that takes place when all the dead will stand before the throne and will be judged according to what is in the books. There are at least three books that are opened; one of good deeds, one of bad deeds, and the book of life.  From this judgment all are sent to their eternal destination either with God or in the lake of fire. (see also John 5: 21-29, John 6:39-40, John 6:44, John 6:54, John 11:24, John 12:48)

Imagine this final judgment.

Within the glow of perfect celestial light, myriads and myriads of heavenly beings stand in worshipful anticipation of what is to come as they encompass the radiant and glorious throne. Around the throne will be twenty-four thrones on which sit twenty-four elders, clothed in white, wearing golden crowns on their heads. All holy ones will be in their proper places as they await the approach of the Ancient of Days.  

With eager expectation thousands upon thousands of holy angels will encircle the throne as they anticipate His entrance, calling to one another, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

With loud voices they will sing, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

All creatures will respond with voices singing, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

Surely a hush will fall over the entire assembly as the Ancient of Days enters.  His glory will fill the place of His throne. Robed in majesty and splendor dressed in pure white clothing He will enter and take His seat on a throne blazing with fire. A fiery stream will issue from His throne.

The twenty-four elders will fall down before the One sitting on the throne, laying their golden crowns before Him, relinquishing all authority, rank, and position deferring everything to the Ancient of Days. They declare that He is worthy to receive all authority and glory and honor and power and praise.

Thousands upon thousands will anticipate this final judgment at the Great White Throne. The court will be seated.  The books will be opened.

A trumpet call from the throne will resonate throughout the place.  A glowing cloud will appear from the distant vacant expanse and travel ever closer to the holy throng. This glowing cloud, a multitude of angels who are His holy army, will escort Jesus as He makes His exalted entrance before the mighty throne.  He will approach the Ancient of Days and will be ushered into His presence. Jesus, accompanied by the heavenly throng will announce that He is victorious over all dominion, power, and authority.  He will proclaim that all enemies are defeated, including death.

In response to this declaration, the Ancient of Days, God the Father, will hand over to God the Son, all authority, glory, and sovereign power as judge of all.

The archangel will give the loud command and all people who have ever lived on earth both alive and dead good and bad will be changed into spirit, in the twinkling of an eye, and brought into His presence to be held to account for all their works.  Only judgment and eternity awaits for all.

The Lord Jesus will take His place in court.  He will rise to judge the people.

Books will be opened; the books of deeds both good and bad.  And the Book of Life will be opened.  The dead will be judged out of those things which are written in the books of deeds, according to their works.

Jude 1:14b-15 "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

Matthew 12:37b by your words you will be condemned."

Psalm 28:4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve.

When Jesus rises to judge the people, all will be judged “guilty as charged”. Since all sins require payment for punishment, unbelievers will pay for their own sins because their names are not written in the Book of Life.  Their judgment is to suffer eternal condemnation, the second death in the lake of fire. They will be given their just punishment based on what is written in the books of deeds both good and bad. (Matthew 25:41)  

Scripture does not say the people will burn forever and ever in the lake of fire says only that the fire burns for eternity.  The amount of time unbelievers will spend in the fire depends on what is written in the books of deeds.

When Jesus opens the Book of Life, the names of all the believers will be there.

John 3:36a Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,

Even though believers will be found guilty at the judgment, their sins will be washed as white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) The price will be paid for all sins, big and little, even careless words.

Matthew 12:36-37 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Jesus takes the punishment for all those careless words each of us has spoken.  Jesus paid the price for all the sins committed in the past and all the sins that will be committed in the future. He paid in advance. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be judged and rewarded based on the deeds that are written in the books of deeds.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

It is through belief in Jesus as personal Lord and Savior that gets us through the gate and into the eternal heavenly Kingdom.  Then the book of good deeds determines our position in the Kingdom.

Imagine with us the wedding banquet in the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 19:7
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Jesus compares our relationship with Him as a marriage. We can compare the betrothal agreement in the Jewish and Hebrew wedding ceremonies to the wedding in the New Jerusalem.

In the Jewish and Hebrew betrothal ceremony the groom would give the bride a ring. He would confirm his love for her and his desire to be united to her in the bond of marriage. The ring would be given as a token, a promise of the wedding to come.

Jesus offers us the engagement agreement. He offers us salvation. We accept and the promise of our later wedding is confirmed and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Just as the betrothal agreement in a Jewish wedding is sealed with the giving of a ring, our agreement is sealed by the indwellment of the Holy Spirit. As the ring guarantees the marriage, the beginning of a forever relationship, so the Holy Spirit guarantees our marriage in an eternal relationship to the Lamb.

Our betrothal period, our waiting time, is our life here on this earth until the day arrives of our marriage to the Lamb. During this time of betrothal, just as any bridegroom would do, Jesus is preparing a particular, exceptional sectioned off room just for us in His Father’s house. (John 14:2-3)

We will be clothed with garments of righteousness as we are changed into spirit. Just as any groom views his bride as beautiful and perfect, so Jesus sees us as perfect. (Jude 24)

Jesus is the bridegroom who comes for us. He will come to take us to be with Him. All along the route to His  Father’s house the cry rings out from the great heavenly multitude. The wedding has come. The bride is ready. The Holy Spirit has guaranteed this marriage will take place. The vows have been made, we have accepted Jesus’ offer and are secured salvation with Him. The marriage celebration supper follows as we take up residence in His Father’s house, the new heaven, the New Jerusalem. In eternity we will know God fully with an intimacy that we could never have on earth in our physical bodies. (I Corinthians 13:12) This will be the banquet in the mansion.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jude 1:24 To him (Jesus) who is able to keep you (put your name here) from falling and to present you (put your name here) before his glorious presence (God the Father) without fault and with great joy—“

Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

The Bible ends the way it begins…….perfect……and in paradise.

For us as believers it ends with an urgent note, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
In a dark and evil world with problems, persecution and suffering,
we can have hope.

God is in control.

His will WILL be done!

 

Revelation 22:21

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people.

AMEN!