The Day of the Lord includes a period of over 1007 years and starts with the rapture and doesn’t end until our present world is destroyed and a new heaven and earth is created. As the Day of the Lord progresses, there will be a series of final judgments. There is no one place in the Bible where these are listed in chronological order or as a chart to review. Familiarity of the entire Bible with a theological interpretation is necessary to put such a list together. All Christians believe that God will judge mankind at the end of time, but how that specifically occurs is a matter of interpretation. It’s safe to say we don’t all agree on much about the things that have not yet occurred. However, the Bible does not leave us on our own. We have clues and explanations that can be put together into a logical sequence that help us to have an understanding of God’s grace and justice. Grace to those who believe in the gospel. Condemnation for those who reject the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and perfect justice for all involved, whether the judgment leads to eternal life or the second death.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
The first of the end times judgments will be the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Believers from the church age dispensation, that is from the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts two until the day of the rapture, will be taken alive or resurrected from the dead and raptured to heaven to be with the Lord. This event is imminent and only involves true believers with all unbelievers left behind on the earth. Therefore the question won’t be whether they will go to heaven or hell, but rather will be related to their good deeds done on earth after they were saved.
Let’s be clear, they are not saved because of their works. Believers are saved because of God’s gracious offer of salvation which is based on the sacrifice of his only Son, Jesus Christ. Believers exercise faith that their sin debt was settled by that righteous act of God and are justified through faith. However, every believer will be judged by their works, that is, what they did after they were saved. Ultimately, believers are instructed to love God and others (Mark 12:29-31). That can manifest itself in many ways and none of these ways will be overlooked by the Lord. On the other hand, many things we do after we are saved are sinful, selfish and self-seeking. Anything done with impure methods or motivation will be eliminated. It basically comes down to a matter of stewardship. What we do with what we have available. This includes time, talent, money and any other tangible or intangible resources. Of particular interest will be the use of our spiritual gift(s) which are given to us after we are saved. These may incorporate natural talents or abilities but spiritual gifts are an additional asset which we maintain stewardship over during the course of our lives.
The Apostles have alluded to this judgment in various ways. The essence of their message is that we must live holy and godly lives, loving God and others knowing that God has left us here to complete the ministry he gave us, to testify to his love and grace and righteousness and justice. This will put us at odds with the world and even with our natural instincts but we must overcome all that and live a life worthy of the calling we have received.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3:10 -15
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:2-11
The Judgment of Israel
The living who compose the nation of Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham through Issac and Jacob, are also to be judged prior to the admittance to the kingdom of Christ. First of all, at the time of the Second Coming of Christ, God will gather the entire nation out of whatever countries that may have migrated to and will bring them back to Israel (Ezekiel 39:28). There he will judge them individually. Only the truly saved of the nation Israel will be allowed to enter the Kingdom of Christ (Romans 9:6).
I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 20:34-38
The Judgment of the Gentiles
During the tribulation period of seven years, many Israelites will be saved. Some will be martyred for their faith and others will survive until the end and be judged worthy to enter Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. These believing Jews are referred to as brothers in the parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46). There are actually three types of people named in that parable, the brothers, the sheep and the goats. It is the gentile population that is in view to be judged and they will be judged as to how they treated the Israelites. The sheep are the ones who were kind to the brothers, the goats are the ones who were not. The brothers are not judged at this time. The only judgment will be of how the others treated Israelis during the reign of the Antichrist in the tribulation period.
Examples are given and the conclusion can be made that during the extensive conditions of the tribulation period, that only true believers would be kind to the believing remnant of Israelites. Those who failed to assist and care and show kindness are revealed to be unbelievers and will be taken in judgment. The only Gentiles who will be allowed to become citizens of Christ’s kingdom on earth will be true believers who exercised kindness to the brothers during the tribulation period. All others will be taken in death.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory [at the conclusion of the tribulation period], and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne [in Jerusalem]. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-46
The Judgment of Satan and his Fallen Angels
At the mid-way point of the tribulation period, Satan and his angels battle against the Archangel Michael and are no longer allowed access to God’s presence in heaven and are confined to the earth.
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Revelation 12:7-9
During the next 42 months, the judgments against mankind are unleashed as described in the Seal, Trumpet and Bowl judgments as recorded in Revelation chapters 6-19. During this time, Satan does many things through the false prophet and the Antichrist. The mark of the beast is instituted and all who fail to worship the beast and take his mark will be persecuted economically and socially and many will be executed. Eventually the armies of the world gather to fight against the rider on the horse (Christ) and his armies. Christ wipes out this revolt immediately and Satan is captured and confined to the abyss for the duration of Christ’s reign on earth, 1000 years.
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Revelation 19:11-20:3
At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be released from the abyss and he will muster a rebellion of unbelievers on earth. These unbelievers must be children and descendants of the original members of the kingdom because all the original ones were true believers. However, just like all people of all time, children are born with sinful natures and need to come to a personal and individual decision to trust in Christ as their God and Savior. Apparently, many of these descendants do not make this decision. So when Satan is released, he will be able to rally these unbelievers to attempt to overthrow Christ as king. That effort will be ended by Christ quickly and all unbelievers will be eliminated in death.
At that time, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. The Lake of Fire will be the eternal destiny of all unbelievers but it was originally created for Satan and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41). The fallen angels will either accompany him or follow shortly after.
The Great White Throne Judgment
After this incredible defeat, God will complete judgment on all creation that was provided for Adam and his descendants. The planet earth, the sun, moon, stars and entire universe will be wiped out and be no more. In the vacuum that remains, or in space, there will be a great white throne with Christ reigning as Judge. All unbelievers of all time will be present and will be judged based on their rejection of Christ. Note that this will not be a judgment where some will pass and some will fail. Every person at the Great White Throne Judgment is an unbeliever and all will perish. The entire creation will be destroyed and a new heaven and a new earth will be created.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:10- 13
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11- 15
The Judgment of the Old Testament and the Tribulation Saints
The saints who are not part of the church age dispensation are the Old Testament saints and even ones from the gospel era who believed but died prior to the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. They would also include people who became believers after the rapture and during the tribulation period. We know these saints will be resurrected at some point (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:4) but there is no definitive scripture reference that explains when or if they will be judged based on their works like the church age saints. However, since we know that the church age saints are judged based on their works and we know that unbelievers are judged by their works (Revelation 20:13), it is safe to conclude that the others who are raised from the dead will also be judged by their works.
Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27-28
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Daniel 12:2
The most logical time to anticipate this resurrection is as Christ comes to establish his millennial kingdom on earth. Job prophesied that his redeemer (Christ) would stand on the earth and Job himself would see him in his flesh. The millennial kingdom is a time of celebration, joy, victory and worship so it is likely that all saints of all time will be present in either their resurrection body or in their earthly body to participate.
I know that my redeemer lives,
Job 19:25-27
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
But your dead will live, Lord;
Isaiah 26:19
their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
