Sabbath: The Good News of the Judgment
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Revelation 14:7; Psalm 51:1-4; Revelation 20:12; Daniel 7:9, Daniel 7:14, Daniel 7:26; Revelation 4:2-4; Revelation 5:1-12.
Memory Text: “Saying with a loud voice, ’Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’ ” (Revelation 14:7, NKJV).
If the Bible was ever clear about anything, it’s clear that God is a God of judgment, and that sooner or later, in one way or another, judgment — the judgment so lacking here and now — is going to come and be administered by God Himself, “the Judge of all the earth” (Genesis 18:25; see also Psalm 58:11, Psalm 94:2, Psalm 98:9). Or, as Paul Himself had written: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
Scary thought, isn’t it? Having to give an account of ourselves before God, the God who knows the deepest things, the God who will “bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14, NKJV)?
Yet, ultimately the judgment reveals the goodness and the grace of God and that He is both just and merciful in how He deals with the saved, and even with the lost.
This week we will explore the deeper themes of the judgment in relation to the great controversy raging in the universe, and we will look especially about what happens when God’s faithful people themselves face the inevitable “judgment to come” (Acts 24:25).
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 29.
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I have sat more examinations than most people have had hot breakfasts. When I was an undergraduate, academic assessment was largely by examination and usually, that meant a 3-hour examination. London University used to have 3 three-hour theoretical papers and a 6-hour practical paper for their final assessment. And they used to have all the examinations within about a week. I used to prepare for those examinations with a purpose. I gathered up the last 5 years if examination papers and checked out the frequency that topics came up and the type of questions that were asked. Then I would write down my answers and solve the problems until the answers were coming out of my ears. The worst part about the London University exams it took about 3 months before we got the results. (The papers were sent to England by boat and the results were returned by boat. I don't think they trusted airplanes in those days.) Those examinations were our judgment. The questions were not a surprise to us; they may have been different, but they were true to type. We had studied hard all the topics in the syllabus, and practiced the questions we had enough times to know that we could perform well in the examination.
Now I am very much aware that we are not saved by works, but it is a relationship thing. But the analogy is that if you have accepted and developed that relationship, you know the outcome of the judgment. God is not capricious or vindictive. Those who have accepted his invitation will be saved. The man on the middle cross said so!
As I was growing up, when I was still a toddler, whenever I argued with someone or felt that my rights were infringed, I would tell that person that God is going to judge you...
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV)
When I became a Christian, particularly an Adventist Christian, my limited scope of judgement was challenged. I learnt that everyone passes through the judgement. Like what Paul says, we all pass through the judgement bar of God...
But what is the difference between a Christian (a child of God) and everybody else?
For a Christian, the judgement is our vindication!
I no longer view judgement as bad news or something that I should be afraid of. To me now, judgement is good news... Thank you Jesus for judgement...
The objective of the judgement is to make sure that at the end of the judgement:
1.God and the saints must be vindicated
2.Satan must be isolated and alienated
3.Every being is to acknowledge God's judgement.
Christ is carrying out two roles right now in the most holy place:
1. Daily ministration-He is interceding for us
2. Yearly ministration(Yom Kippur=Day of Atonement)-He is carrying out the judgement work.
The good news is that Christ is our intercessor and he is the judge. Christ is our absolute assurance of salvation. Our names are being confessed by Christ.
I take comfort in knowing that we are children of a just and merciful heavenly Father who gave us His divine Son to show us the way out of darkness into His Light, and look forward to learn more about this time when the Book of Life will be opened - "so then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Rom. 14:12.
”There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” – 1 John 4:18. Therefore, the only response we have after knowing that this time of judgement will come, is to do that which our Father in Jesus has admonished us to do: ” ‘You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:30-31; Matt. 22:36-39.
God has always existed as judge over his creation. By his wisdom, He created all things, and by the same wisdom He will bring all mankind into final judgment by his holy law which is a guide to eternal life or eternal death.
Although judgment usually has a negative connotation to it (the execution of the penalty for sin), it also has a positive side. Judgment has to do with the sowing and reaping process. This is defined in Galatians 6:7-9.
The Bible is explicitly clear that all humankind will face the judgment of God.
All will be judged before God. It's in the Bible, Revelation 20:12, NIV.
People will be judged by what they have done. It's in the Bible, Matthew 16:27, NIV.
The standard in the judgment will be God's law. It's in the Bible, James 2:10-12, NIV.
In the judgment court room Christ is our defense attorney. It's in the Bible, I John 2:1, NKJV
The judgment outcome will be influenced by what we do in this life, and it's extremely cheering to note that God has sent the Holy Spirit to influence us to live a righteous life.
Paul reminded the Philippians to be extremely careful with their salvation,
Likewise, let us be solemnly be reminded that the three angels' messages is a warning communicated in love, telling God's people to be ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is not a hoax, it is not a joke, it is not a trick and it is not a deception. This is a final appeal to God's people to make their calling and election sure.
This is a war-cry; it is a rallying call to become an overcomer.
Amen 🙏
I'm really blessed, brother, for your insight.
God bless you.
We are living in a world where justice is not guaranteed. As a result, it's difficult to talk about the good news of judgment; innocent people have unfairly been sentenced to serve punishment they don't deserve. The good news about this judgment of God is justice is guaranteed. As long as we live our lives for the glory of God, then the outcome of this judgment is something we should eagerly look forward for.
I am writing in response to the above comments from both Omwenga and Peter. Both have suggested that the judgment is good news because God will administer perfect justice. Omwenga communicated this by suggesting that the judgment will be about "the sowing and reaping process," and that "the judgment outcome will be influenced by what we do in this life." He finds it "cheering" that "God has sent the Holy Spirit to influence us to live a righteous life."
I'm sorry, but this alone could never make the judgment good news for me, nor cheer me up at all. You see, I'm one of those people described in Romans 3:23 (NKJV).
As if my past sins were not bad enough, I continue to fall short. I haven't the ghost of a chance of coming to God on my merits, no matter how well influenced by the Holy Spirit I may become, and no matter how well I may respond to the "war cry."
Thankfully, Romans 3 also has a verse 24.
Only the merits and righteousness of Jesus, imputed to this unworthy sinner, could possibly make the judgment good news for me!
This hour is not only the time of God judging this world, but it is also the hour that God reveals his love and grace before the Universe.
The judgment is for fixing the things that need to be fixed. This is why the judgment is good news. It is going to fix all these wrongs and disasters we see in this world. The judgment that is lacking down here requires God to administer his judgment.
Every secret thing will be revealed in the judgment. A full revelation is needed so God can deal with it all. He will be fair to both the saved and the lost. The only way God can get rid of sin and have an eternally saved universe is that everybody must see clearly that God handled everything right.
It does not take a scientist to see that Maurice is right, "God is not vindictive." And Gift is right; God and the those who turn to Christ as their Saviour need to be vindicated -- same root words with much different meaning. In the future, the whole universe will vindicate God. Satan will be vindictive until sin is destroyed totally at the same time.
Thank you, Gift, for the good news of the judgement.
Judgment is "the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions." Thus, we don't have to fear God's judgment, but bringing this to our consciousness is essential. We'll probably discover that God is always justice and love, as in everything He does!
Hello ... yes, we shall all stand at the judgement bar of the Eternal One ... in realty, we judge our sleeves. Our own action will judge us. Yet it is only by our plead in the spilled blood upon the cross of Jesus christ our lord that will save. We ask for forgiveness and if we expect God to forgive us, we must first forgive those who have wronged us. I was wronged by some friends and those that were close to me and suffered from the evil words that they said about me, but the Lord finally Spoke to me and told me that I have to forgive them and let it all go and that he will take care of it. So, I did as He told me. But the fallen foe is not one to let a matter go. He will keep bring up the past and throw it in our face. People do the same thing. They seem to delight in bringing up the past and creating more problems for you in doing that. Sometimes the only thing that thou canst do is to remain silence like christ did when he was on trial. The Holy Father has said, vengen is mine, and I will repay. What ever they do to you, they have done the same to My Son, Jesus Christ. So it, when we speak evil of one another, we have done the same to our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, there are far too many people who claim to be a Christian, but their a ton, they prove to be more like Satan himself. That is why our own action will judge us. Unless we repent of the wrong that we do and plead the blood of Jesus Christ, for mercy...
Speaking of judgement, Jesus Christ himself was arrested and falsely accused of many things, simply because there were those who hated him. Of this experience, Christ says, I was wounded in the house of my friends. Those that wounded Christ, without a just cause, they will stand in the judgment bar to answer for what they have done and said in their hatred towards Jesus Christ, unless they have accepted Him and ask Him to forgive them and plea his blood.
Christ Himself said, if you love me, love one another as I have loved you, and speak no evil of one another without a just cause. We are to love one another and when one falls in sin, we are to be a big brother and go to their aid and pray with them. We are commanded to lift the fallen brother and set them back up their feet. But too often, we don't do that. We peck on them and peck em to death and drive them out of the church. Thus we wound our brothers and sisters by our words. Our words that we speak will be our own judge. As it says in the legal system, what ever you say Will be used against you. So it is in the Heavenly spiritual releam. The earthly court system is in some ways a mirror image of what takes place in the Court of Heave's judgment bar. Christ is our attorney and the Holy Father is the judge. The books are laid open and we judged by what is written therein. But if it has been white washed out by the blood of chirst, then there is nothing there by which to judge us. That is why it is so important to ask for forgiveness of one another here on earth and forgive those who have wounded you. Failure to do that, will be fatal in heaven's court.
Once death closes your eyes, there is no more oppunty to ask for forgiveness and forgive those who have wounded thee.
A lot of us don't about what we do or say in life. We are like a river of water, boiling and raging around every bolder that stands in our way. We act like flood of angry waters, washing away every thing in our path. We need to rush to Christ, and calm our rage within the still calm waters of His Holy Peace, to walk with Him on top of the angry waters. To walk in the Sabbath peace with our hand in His hand and not let go of His hand. We need to walk in peace, to walk with Him like Enoch walked with God.
A day is coming when this world will be no more and time as we know it will come to an end, and we will all meet before the throne of light and see the Eternal Father, whose face is veiled by the stars of the universe. Our life here on earth is but a drop of time compared to the vastness of eternally... we are like a flower that blooms and a few days later, we dry up and disappear. Yet, we will be judged by what we say and do within the few days that has been alloted to us to live in this world of the here and now. Too many of us act like tumble weed, rolling across the fields of life. We don't put down any roots into our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who just roll and tumble a cross the field are gonna roll into barbwire fence, the judgment bar ! And get all tangled up in the barb wires of judgments. Those thorny bar wires ... they tamed the wild west so to speak ... LOL 😆 🤣 😂