Last Judgment

During the times when kings ruled Israel, judgment was not like a modern courtroom, with prosecutor and defence lawyers, where guilt and innocence are decided on the basis of evidence.

People stood before the king. He would make a decision on the basis of allegiance. He rewarded the people who had given him allegiance and fought with him. He punished those who been disloyal or slacked off. An example is given in 2 Samuel 19. Shimei had mocked David, so he lost everything except his life, and he was lucky to retain that. Mephibosheth and Barzilai had blessed David and supported him, so they received gifts of land.

The great white throne judgment described in John’s vision was not a guilty or innocent judgment before judges. It was a reward scene after a great victory in battle, based on allegiance and service in support of the king. The victorious king is giving out his rewards to the people who have supported him consistently.

Worse than What

When Jesus sent out his apostles he told them to go to town in Israel and stay there.

As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet (Matt 10:12-14).

Jesus wanted them to go to places where the Holy Spirit was working. If the response was hostile, they should leave.
Then Jesus said something that is hard to digest.

Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town (Matt 10:15).

Sodom and Gomorrah are considered to be the worst of the worst. These towns were a hotbed of sexual immorality. Most Christians believe that it will be terrible for those towns on the day of judgment. Yet Jesus is saying that it will be worse for the towns that reject the apostles than it will be for Sodom and Gomorrah. How can that be?

The “hell” people believe that the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah will be tormented in hell for all eternity, so Jesus’ comment is hard to fit. The torment of the towns rejecting the apostles cannot be longer than eternity. The only other possibility is that the fire could be hotter for them, but that does not make sense.

The real meaning of Jesus’ words is that the last judgment will be more complicated than we can handle. Those who have trusted in Jesus will receive a different reward, depending on what they have done on earth. The same applies to those who do not receive Jesus. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah sinned badly, but they did not have the Holy Spirit working in their midst. They had not heard the gospel. They were enslaved by the spiritual powers of evil, so it is not clear how responsible they were for their actions.

I don’t know what their fate will be, but it will better than that of the towns of Israel who heard the gospel and rejected it. The scriptures do not tell us how this will work, so we should not pretend that we do.

We would like the final judgment to be black and white, but Jesus is saying that it will be incredibly messy. Fortunately, we do not have to make decisions about the fate of people who have not given their lives to Jesus. God has given that responsibility to Jesus. And just as Jesus confused his listeners in the first century, many of his decisions will shock us, too.

Jesus Returns for the Final Judgement

Jesus will not return to establish a kingdom, but for the final judgment.

The Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone (Jude 14,15).

When Jesus returns, the last judgment will has arrived.
Various scriptures about the second coming speak of final judgment and Christians getting their reward.

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you (1 Thes 2:19)?

May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones (1 Thes 3:13).

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him (2 Thes 2:1).

These verses all speak about Jesus rewarding his people at the final judgement.

Paul gave one of the clearest descriptions of the last day and the final judgement in this letter to the Christians at Thessalonica.

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed (2 Thes 2:6-10).

Paul lists a number of things that will happen.

• Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his powerful angels.
• The last judgement will come.
• Those who have suffered will receive their reward.
• Those rejecting the gospel will be shut out from the presence of God.
• Jesus will be glorified.
• His people will marvel at his glory.

Jesus is appearing (parousia) to be honoured by those who are part of his kingdom. Jesus return on the last day brings in the final judgement. Christians hoping that Jesus will return to establish the kingdom he promised will be disappointed.

A corporate mental stronghold is a false idea that takes hold in a culture so that it is wisely accepted. The belief that Jesus will build the Kingdom of God when he returns is a corporate mental stronghold that has crippled the Church.