This article is written to let you know, the judgement of God is as sure as death. No one can escape the judgment of God. It is only a matter of time. The wise must prepare for the inevitable.
The Judgment of God may be sooner than you think! Who has thought the arrival of CORONAVIRUS?!
This article is written to let you know that God will judge the world when Jesus Christ comes again to be the King of kings and Lord of lords. No one can escape, not even the leaders and politicians of the sole super power; not Western leaders; not Islamic terrorists. No one can escape.
Rom 2:5, “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
Note: Judgement in Greek is dikaiokrisia which means a just sentence; righteous judgment; the final judging of humankind by God; – which occurs 2 times in the New Testament. You are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart. An unrepentant heart is the evil heart of unbelief.
In order to understand the Judgement of God, it is necessary to understand first the concept of law, the nature of divine law, the meaning of judgment, the wrath of God, why judgment is necessary, how God executes judgment, God institutes death penalty, when does God execute judgment, who is to judge the living and the dead, and the last judgment. In the judgment of God the Lord of hosts is exalted, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness. The judgment of God is not a court of judgment. The voluminous Scriptures on the Judgement of God may be dogmatic, but never apologetic in character. The truth of God is not a theological development over time. For God is both the Ruler and Judge. One should never treat any Biblical subject from the point of view of Judaism or any ideology or influence of any religion. We must take God at His Word. Judgment is the path of justice. The universality of the judgment of God applies to all humankind, the living and the dead, from the beginning of the world to the end of the world. It is absolutely wrong to compare the judgment of God with ancient or Oriental monarchs and cruel tyrants who delighted in tormenting their subjects.
Eze 7:27, “The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with horror, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the LORD.’”
Note: The judgment of God will let the peoples of the world know that God Almighty is the LORD. LORD in Hebrew is Yĕhovah which means LORD GOD; JEHOVAH; the Existing One; the proper name of the one true God; the SELF-EXISTENT or Eternal; the Supreme God; the God of the Heavenly hosts; the most holy name of God; – which occurs 6,825 times in the Old Testament. The judgment of God reveals who God is.
Just as the creation of the Heavens and earth declares the glory of God and that God Almighty is the Creator; the sovereignty of God declares that God rules the universe; the redemption of God’s own possession declares God is our Redeemer; so the judgment of God declares God is the Judge of Heavens and earth, the Judge of nations and peoples, and the Judge of the living and dead, the righteous and upright Judge.
The Day of Judgment is not a concept inherited by Jesus. The idea that Jesus was influenced by tradition of men, the cosmic myths of Babylon, fables, cultural or historical development of surrounding nations, Persian dualism or pagan thinking is absolutely false and facetious. Secular academics and unbelieving theologians are ignorant both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. The Day of Judgment is Scriptural from the beginning. Jesus Christ only explains it more clearly. Jhn 5:22-24, “Furthermore, the Father does not judge anyone, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears My message and believes the ONE who sent ME has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.”
Note: To be saved is to have crossed over from death to life and to have eternal LIFE and will not be condemned. The saved will be exempt from the judgment to come, for their sins have been forgiven atoned by the precious blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Exo 32:34, “But go now, lead the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
Amo 3:2, “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
Note: The basic idea of judgment is for God to punish iniquities, to punish sin. Only God is the Judge, there is no other.
It is incorrect to say with the Jews, the judgment of the living was a far more prominent idea than the judgment of the dead. The following Scriptures prove otherwise:
Job 21:13, “They spend their days in prosperity,
And suddenly they go down to Sheol.”
Psa 28:1, “A Psalm of David.
To You, O LORD, I call;
My Rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You are silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the Pit.”
Psa 30:3, “O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the Pit.”
Psa 55:15, “Let death come deceitfully upon them;
Let them go down alive to Sheol,
For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.”
Psa 143:7, “Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the Pit.”
Note: Hell is the Bottomless Pit.
Pro 1:12, “Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,
Even whole, as those who go down to the Pit.”
Isa 38:18, “For Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.”
Eze 32:18,“Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and bring it down, her and the daughters of the powerful nations, to the nether world, with those who go down to the Pit.”
The great day of the Lord as the Day of Judgment is prominent and prevalent even in the Old Testament:
Joe 2:31, “The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood
Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
Zep 1:14, “Near is the great day of the LORD,
Near and coming very quickly;
Listen, the day of the LORD!
In it the warrior cries out bitterly.”
Isa 13:6, “Wail, for the day of the LORD is near!
It will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
Isa 13:9, “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,
Cruel, with fury and burning anger,
To make the land a desolation;
And He will exterminate its sinners from it.”
Eze 30:3,“For the day is near,
Even the day of the LORD is near;
It will be a day of clouds,
A time ofdoom for the nations.”
Joe 1:15, “Alas for the day!
For the day of the LORD is near,
And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
Joe 2:1, “Blow a trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
For the day of the LORD is coming;
Surely it is near.”
Joe 2:11, “The LORD utters His voice before His army;
Surely His camp is very great, for strong is He who carries out His Word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it?”
Joe 2:31,“The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
Oba 1:15,“For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you.
Your dealings will return on your own head.”
2Pe 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the Heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
Note: What kind of “intense heat” can melt elements? They are intense heat produced by atomic and hydrogen bombs.
Isa 13:13, “Therefore I will make the Heavens tremble,
And the earth will be shaken from its place
At the fury of the LORD of hosts
In the day of His burning anger.”
Eze 7:19, “They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetite nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling.”
Zep 2:3, “Seek the LORD,
All you humble of the earth
Who have carried out His ordinances;
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Perhaps you will be hidden
In the day of the LORD’S anger.”
1Co 1:8, “who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Note: Christians seek to be blameless in the Day of the Lord.
I. THE CONCEPT OF LAW
There are two types of law: human and divine. In human law, law is usually a system of enforceable rules governing social relations and legislated by a political system connected to ideology and value.
Human law is any law made by man, be it by one man who is usually the king; or by a group of men (legislators). Divine law was made by God through His servants such as Moses and prophets, and the last by Jesus Christ. Divine Law is long completed as it is written in the Bible (The Old and New Testaments). As Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended to the Heaven; He sent the Holy Spirit to inspire the Apostles and disciples to complete the New Testament. If anyone claims to have a new revelation other than what is written in the New Testament, he must be an impostor and a liar.
Law is necessary if groups of people are to live together in a place or territory. No law is needed if one man lives alone by himself in the universe. He is law to himself with all consequences. His behavior only affects himself and no one else. In a one man universe, law is not necessary because the man does what he pleases, good or bad, he himself will reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of his conduct. Law by itself implies that man is bad, he requires law to rule his behavior.
Human Laws are based on and greatly influenced by ideology. Concepts of ideology may be liberal, conservative, dogmatic, progressive, capitalistic, democratic, autocratic, communistic, imperial, socialistic, authoritarian, equalitarian or totalitarian. Human ideologies are like humans, full of faults and flaws and failures. Especially in Western nations, their governments and justice systems are held hostage by military-industrial-security complex, special interests of lawyers, health care, banking, labor, Wall Street and Hollywood. The 99 per cent of the population is ruled by one per cent of the population. The so-called Rule of Law is often practiced as the Rule of Money and Might.
Law is not necessary for a good man, for a good man is law to himself. For two persons to live together, law of a complex nature may not be necessary. However, rules are necessary even for two persons if they are going to get along or live in harmony.
In this article we are not concerned about human laws, for human laws do not apply or govern God. The law of a nation only governs its land. There are Western imperial nations that impose their laws on other nations which are unlawful and illegal. God punishes men not according to human laws. God judges men according to His laws.
Est 1:15, “According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?”
Note: Now the king faces a crisis when his queen does not obey his command. It is interesting to know that even a king has to act according to law. A lawless king will not be respected by his servants and people. And so King Ahasuerus consulted his wise men who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom—. Somehow I feel the ancient system of government works better and more effective than all Western powers today that claim to be democratic and constitutional. I find Memucan to be a wise and interesting fellow. Memucan in Persian is Mĕmuwkan which means “dignified”, one of the 7 princes of Persia in the reign of Ahasuerus. The meaning of his name fits the person properly. There are so many undignified leaders nowadays not to say corrupt politicians.
Est 1:16-22, “In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small. This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed.”
You see how important are wise men and women of a country to make good national proposals. Unlike the legislators today of many Western powers who are servants of big corporations and special interests and so no one serves the national interest. Some so-called think tanks made proposals to engage in unjust wars. The U. S. government has a “RAND PLAN” to win nuclear war against China. America is held hostage by military-industrial-security complex that rules the nation. A certain Western power has the most violent and unsafe society because the nation has no gun control law. The gun lobby buys up all congressmen so that there is no gun control law and guns are readily available to any one. The nation also has the most costly, fraudulent and predatory health care system in the world because government officials have the best health care paid by the tax payers, and they don’t care how crooked doctors, dentists, hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, medical suppliers, labs, etc. defraud, overcharge and bankrupt the families. The vast bureaucracies of many nations are self-serving and virtual ruling government bodies. It is significant that that the laws of Persia ruled more effectively and efficiently than Western democracies with so-called constitutions.
“So he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.”
Note: There are so many dim-witted leaders and politicians who do not realize the importance to have one national language. Years ago I proposed the American English to be the sole national language, the official language of government, business, school and public. In private everyone is free to speak in any language you choose. Some years ago I was pissed off by an American airport in the east to use the public speaking system to make announcements in Spanish!
Dan 6:12, “Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”
Note: According to the law of the Medes and Persians, a signed injunction by the king may not be revoked.
Dan 6:15, “Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Note: The king was forced to agree and recognize, that it is a law of Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king established may be changed.
Jhn 7:51,“Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?”
Note: It is universally recognized legal practice that Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing.
Rom 2:12, “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.”
Rom 3:19, “ Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God.”
Note: It is clear we all have sinned. The Gentiles have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law. The Jews have sinned under the Law will be judged by the law and also perish. The Law cannot and does not save anyone. God will judge sinners. The super powers cannot escape.
The Western leaders are the most lawless, they can attack and sanction any country or people they don’t like. They are above the international law and they make laws to force on other nations and peoples. The judgment of God will be more severe with those who claim and pretend to be Christians, in fact they are children of the devil who rules the world.
II. THE NATURE OF DIVINE LAW
Human law by nature is very different from the divine law. Human law may be biased, unfair, arbitrary, unjust, unrighteous, etc. If violation of human law is so serious, how much more is transgression of divine law. The divine law is not local, but universal. In the Law of God, right or wrong depends solely on the sight of God, everything must subject to Hill will. The Law of God is not based human moral premises or ideologies. God does not seek consensus of men. Psa 115:3, “But our God is in the Heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” 1Co 4:20, “For the Kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.” God does not pervert justice. God does not pay attention to folly. God does not care about the social norms, legal opinions or theories of men. Human supervenience does not determine the Law of God. To God, induction or deduction are elementary.
Deu 10:17, “For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.” Psa 119:142, “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.” The Law of God is truth.
A. THE LAW IS HOLY.
Rom 7:12, “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
Note: Law in Greek is nomos which means a rule; command; custom; precept; injunction; controlling principle; anything established; Mosaic Law; the sacred books of the Old Testament; the moral instruction given by Christ; – which occurs 196 times in the New Testament.
Holy in Greek is hagios which means pure; blameless; consecrated; worthy of veneration; incomparable majestic; divine; – which occurs 248 times in the New Testament. Righteous in Greek is dikaios which means just; morally right; meet; upright; virtuous; innocent; faultless; guiltless; wholly conformed to the will of God; approved or acceptable to God; equitable; – which occurs 96 times in the New Testament. Good in Greek is agathos which means that which is good; of good nature; useful; pleasant; agreeable; upright; honorable; excellent; distinguished; beneficial; admirable; suitable; advantageous; morally sound; wholesome;- which occurs 128 times in the New Testament.
The problem is: the Law is holy but man is sinful. A sinful man is unable to keep the holy Law.
B. THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL.
Rom 7:14, “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.”
Note: Spiritual in Greek is pneumatikos which means non-carnal; supernatural; pertaining to spirit, higher than man; belonging to the Divine Spirit; regenerate; incorporeal; relating to the inner character of a person; religious; – which occurs 29 times in the New Testament. The problem is: the Law is spiritual but man is carnal. Man is of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. Flesh is the enemy of the Spirit. The flesh is weak and unable to fulfill the Spiritual law.
C. THE LAW IS GOOD.
Rom 7:16, “But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.”
1Ti 1:8-10, “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.”
Note: Good in Greek is kalos which means beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable; excellent in its nature and characteristics; valuable or virtuous; praiseworthy and noble; wholesome; right and proper; – which occurs 105 times in the New Testament.
Mat 7:11,“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Note: You here means every man and woman. By the authority of Jesus Christ man is evil, no matter what scientists and philosophers may say otherwise. Evil in Greek is ponēros which means wicked; of a bad nature of condition; bad in essential character; degenerate; calamitous; vicious; facinorous; malicious; grievous; – which occurs 90 times in the New Testament. The question of whether man by nature is being good or evil is forever settled by the truth of Christ. Here lies the problem: the Law is good, but man is evil. The mismatch makes it impossible to realize the goal. That is the reason the evil man cannot save himself from his sins. No man can offer salvation to himself or to others. Western leaders who pretend the rule of law are the most wicked people on earth.
D. THE LAW IS PERFECT.
Psa 19:7, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
Note: Perfect in Hebrew is tamiym which means without blemish; upright; without spot; complete; full; without spot; sound; healthful; having integrity; sincere; whole; upright in conduct; blameless; flawless; pure; – 140 times in the Old Testament. Needless to say, man is imperfect.
Psa 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.”
Note: Wonderful in Hebrew is pala’ which means wondrous; marvelous; surpassing; extraordinary; distinguished; great; admirable; astonishing; – which occurs 102 times in the Old Testament. We need the Lord to open our eyes to reveal wonderful things from His law.
Psa 119:72, “The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.”
Heb 7:19, “(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”
Note: Make perfect in Greek is teleioō which means to finish; to fulfill; to accomplish; to consummate; to consecrate; to carry through completely; to bring to an end; – which occurs 33 times in the New Testament. Here is the problem: the Law of the Lord is perfect, but man is flawed, fallible and full of faults and shortcomings unable to obey the Perfect Law. Grace brings in a better hope to trust in the Lord our God and Savior.
E. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CRIME AND SIN.
Rom 5:13, “for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
Note: Impute in Greek is ellogeō which means to put on one’s account; to reckon in; set to one’s account; lay to one’s charge;
Violation of human law is usually called or considered a crime; violation of divine law is a sin. A sin may not be a crime, a crime is usually a sin. For example, adultery is not a crime in many countries, but adultery is a sin. Polygamy is not a crime in Islamic states, it is a sin by the Law of God. Greed is not a crime in many nations, actually I do not know any country treat greed as a crime; but creed is a great sin in the sight of God. Violation of the Sabbath in not a crime in the whole world, I am not sure it is a crime or not in Israel. Violation of the Sabbath is a sin according to Mosaic Law. Refusal to serve as jury is a crime in America, I believe it is not a sin. Especially I have served as a juror, and I do not believe the American jury system serves justice. A black man in Los Angeles killed his wife and a white man was declared not guilty by his black jurors. Blasphemy is not a crime in secular countries, but a crime in Islamic nations; and a great sin against God.
Do not confuse the Law of Moses with the law of any nation. The Law of Moses was established for the Jews according to theocracy, not democracy as many Western nations claim to be. The Law of Moses is divine law. God rules the Jewish state according to His statutes, commands and oracles. But the Jewish fathers could not fulfill the Law, and they could not obtain the righteousness derived from the Law.
When Jesus came a new dispensation began. Whatever man could not observe under the law, Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and obtained the righteousness of God. Therefore the Scripture says, Rom 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Gal 2:16, “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
Gal 5:3, “And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.”
Note: The problem of man is unable to keep the whole Law.
Phl 3:9, “and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.”
Note: On the basis of Law, every man dies in sin. On the basis of faith, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is saved by grace through faith.
Mat 5:18, “For truly I say to you, until Heaven and Earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Mat 7:12,“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Note: If all human beings treat people the same way you want them to treat you, law would not be required.
Mat 22:36,“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
Mat 22:37-38, “And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”
Psa 119:142, “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.”
Psa 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”
Psa 119:77, “May Your compassion come to me that I may live,
For Your law is my delight.”
Deu 4:8, “Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”
Deu 27:26, “Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”
Note: Under the law, all peoples are cursed.
Deu 31:12, “Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law.”
Note: People who hear and learn and fear the Lord, observe His words.
Jos 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”
Note: If one is careful to do according to all that is written in the Bible, he will make his way prosperous, and then he will have success.
Rom 13:10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Note: Love is the highest moral principle: Love does no wrong to anyone. Wars, conflicts, discrimination, oppression, aggression, sanction, greed, exploitation, injustice, and terrorism are all born of hatred. Jesus teaches love your neighbor as yourself. Watch out the religion of hatred. Watch out the ideology of hatred.
Jos 8:34, “Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.”
Note: To obey the words of the law is the blessing, to violate the law is the curse.
Jos 23:6, “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left.”
Note: The way of truth is plain and straight, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left.
1Ki 2:3, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”
Note: To obey God and to walk in His ways so that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.
2Ki 14:6, “But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Mosaic Law is so complex and comprehensive, roughly composed of moral law which deals with God and human relationships; and ceremonial law (I feel the term is not adequate) which deals various offerings and sacrifices and purification and cleaning, etc. The following Scriptures are an example of Ceremonial Law:
Lev 7:1, “Now this is the law of the guilt offering; it is most holy.”
Lev 7:7, “The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them; the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it.”
Lev 7:11, “Now this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be presented to the LORD.”
Lev 7:37, “This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering and the ordination offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings.”
Lev 11:46, “This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth.”
Lev 12:7, “Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female.”
Lev 13:59, “This is the law for the mark of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.”
Lev 14:32, “This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose means are limited for his cleansing.”
Lev 14:54, “This is the law for any mark of leprosy—even for a scale.”
Lev 14:57, “to teach when they are unclean and when they are clean. This is the law of leprosy.”
Lev 15:32, “This is the law for the one with a discharge, and for the man who has a seminal emission so that he is unclean by it.”
Our focus is on Moral Law because that is whereby God judges the people. The Ten Commandments is a case in point.
III. THE MEANING OF JUDGMENT
Isa 5:16, “But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment,
And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.”
Note: Injustice insulted God, justice exalted God. The Lord of hosts is exalted in His judgment. God shows Himself holy in righteousness. God is exalted in His power, in His power of executing judgment on the wicked and the unrighteous. Righteousness and justice belong to God. The throne of God is not made of ivory and gold, royal it may be. The throne of God is the throne of righteousness and justice. The judgment of God is not a doctrine of supererogation.
Psa 67:4, “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will judge the peoples with uprightness
And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.”
Isa 33:22, “For the LORD is our judge,
The LORD is our lawgiver,
The LORD is our king;
He will save us—The coast lands will wait for Me,
And for My arm they will wait expectantly.”
Psa 97:2, “Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”
Psa 103:19, “The LORD has established His throne in the Heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.”
Note: The throne of God symbolizes His power, glory, and sovereignty.
Psa 9:8, “And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”
Note: Equity in Hebrew is meyshar which means uprightness; straightness; evenness; equality; smoothness; rectitude; sincerity; probity; justice; equal treatment; fairness; – which occurs 23 times in the Old Testament.
Ezr 7:26, “Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”
Note: Law is made to observe whether it is divine law or human law. There are two types of law: human law and divine law. Human law was made by king or ruler. In modern time, in countries where there are no kings, they have legislative body. As a case in point, the government of United States of America is made of three branches: the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. The Executive Branch of government is represented by the President. The Legislative Branch of government is represented by the Congress. The Judiciary Branch of government is represented by the Supreme Court. On theory there is balance of power in the U.S. government. In reality democracy does not function properly, the government is held captive by vested interest and special interest. You must be blind to believe the American government is democratic and serves the American people. The American so-called democracy is ruled by one percent of the population over the ninety nine percent of the population. The one percent rulers consist of rich and powerful groups such as the Wall Street, the military-industrial-security complex, the health-care industry, the legal association, the labor, etc. America was built great by Protestant Ethics and American dream was real. I am a product of American dream. Since the end of World War II American government has gone astray turning into an evil empire, and the American dream is dead. I am not going to dwell on political theories and systems of government. I am not going to dwell here on why the American democracy and system of government have failed. I am pessimistic about the future of America for serious and solid reasons. All the facts and evidence force me not to have confidence that the American government will do as well as when President Richard Nixon was the president.
Divine law was represented by the Ten Commandments, which is the basis of almost all human laws: Here is a list of the abbreviated Ten Commandments based on Exodus 20:2-17.
The following is an abbreviated Ten Commands for easy memory. I fully support the presentation which reflects the full original Ten Commandments Moses received from the Lord God Almighty. The Mosaic Law is much more detailed and represented by the Pentateuch (the first Five Books of the Old Testament).
Deu 4:12-20, “Then the LORD spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form—only a voice. So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them in the land where you are going over to possess it. So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth. And beware not to lift up your eyes to Heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of Heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole Heaven. But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.”
Deu 29:29, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this Law.”
Although originally the Ten Commandments were given to the Jewish people, the children of Abraham. Christians are under grace, and not under law. However, except the Fourth Commandment of keeping the Sabbath which Christians do not need to observe, the rest of nine Commandments still apply to Christians. Christians are not told to observe circumcision or any day. Sunday is the day the Lord rose from the dead. Since early days Christians worship the Lord on Sunday, and keep every day holy for the Lord.
Gal 4:9-11, “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”
Note: Christians do not turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, do not want to be enslaved by tradition and human teachings. Observance of days and months and seasons and years cannot save you. Catholic Church invented many useless observances before and during the Crucifixion.
Col 2:16-17, “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
Note: Food or drink or festival or new moon or Sabbath are things which are a mere shadow of what is to come. What was to come was Christ. When Christ came, grace and truth came. When Christ was born, hope was born. Jesus Christ came to reveal God to mankind. The substance belongs to Christ because Rom 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Act 3:18-21, “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom Heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”
1Jo 3:23-34, “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
Note: Even if you keep the Ten Commandments, and you do not obey God’s commandment to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, you will perish and die in your sins. For God says, Mat 17:5, “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” God wants to whole human race to listen to His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. To listen is not only to hear, but to follow and obey.
Psa 7:11, “God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.”
Psa 50:6, “And the Heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge. Selah.”
1Th 4:1-4 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.”
There are vast differences between crime and sin.
Dan 6:9-12, “Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”
Note: Injunction in Hebrew is ‘ecar (Aramaic) which means an interdict; decree; prohibition; order; edict; command; – which occurs 7 times in the Old Testament. The importance about a statement is whether it is true or false, right or wrong, it does not matter who says it.
Dan 6:15, “Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Note: Statute in Hebrew is qĕyam (Aramaic) which means an edict; decree; law; – which occurs 2 times in the Old Testament. It is interesting that it is a law of Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed. An unfair and unjust law should be abolished, not only changed. Only the Word of God does not change.
The law of man (usually made by king) in the form of an injunction or statute may not be changed and must be carried out. So the enemies of Daniel used law to trap the king and so the king must cast Daniel into the lions’ den. The king was bound by the law he made. The history was that the Living God shut the mouth of the lion and saved Daniel. The point here is the seriousness of the law, even the king is bound by law to carry out the punishment. Violation of human law has consequences. There is penalty for violation of law. How much more violation of God’s law.
Dan 9:11,“Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.”
Note: Miserable man does not know or realize how terrible to sin against God. Fear God who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 5:17-18,“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Note: Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law and our Savior accomplished the righteousness of God. So on the cross Jesus declared, “It is finished!” The redemptive work of Christ was finished and completed.
Mat 23:23,“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”
Note: Pharisees and hypocrites did not know and neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. The justice system that enriches the legal professions and lawyers, but does not serve justice and mercy and faithfulness is injustice. Faithfulness in Greek is in Greek is pistis which means fidelity; integrity; conviction of the truth of anything; belief with the predominate idea of trust; credence; credibility; – which occurs 243 times in the New Testament. Do you believe the justice system of your country has fidelity and integrity? Do you trust your leader or leaders? Sad is the answer.
2Ch 19:8, “In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD and to judge disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
Note: The king is not possible to personally handle so may legal cases, so he appoints able and honorable people to judge disputes among his subjects.
Jhn 1:17, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
Note: There are at least two dispensations in the administration of God, law in the Old Testament, grace and truth in the New Testament. Law was under Moses, grace and truth is under Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
Rom 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Note: Law becomes an instructor to give us the knowledge of sin. Law does not save, but it leads people to the Savior Jesus Christ. No one can observe the whole Law, so all have sinned and need to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Rom 8:3-4, “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Note: God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, the Righteous for the unrighteous, so that what Jesus Christ has fulfilled the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in believers who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
Rom 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Note: Since Christ had fulfilled all the requirements of the Law, so Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes in Him. End in Greek is telos which means finality; ending; termination; the limit at which a thing ceases to be; the end to which all things relate; the conclusion of an act or state; ultimate purpose; Christ has brought the law to all end; – which occurs 41 times in the New Testament. Since Christ had fulfilled all the requirements of the Law, so Christ has brought the law for righteousness to the end. There is no possibility of earning the righteousness of God through the Law. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Rom 13:10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Note: Love is the highest Christian ideal. Jesus Christ teaches, Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, so love is the fulfillment of the law.
Gal 3:24, “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
Note: Law has become our tutor to point to us we have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and leads us to Jesus Christ the Savior of the world so that we may be justified by faith. No one can be justified by work. No one is good enough to go to Heaven.
1Ti 1:8, “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully.”
Note: The Law is good, but men are sinful.
Heb 10:1, “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.”
Note: The Law is a shadow of the good things to come. The good things to come are grace and truth in Jesus Christ. The sacrifices offered under the law do not make any man perfect. The sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ offered once and for all makes those perfect who draw near in the sight of God.
1Jo 3:4, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”
Note: Sin is defined as lawlessness; and everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness.
Rom 14:23, “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”
Note: A higher definition of sin: whatever is not from faith is sin. The greatest sin for a man is not to believe in God, and His Son the Savior.
1Jo 3:4, “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
Note: Another definition of sin: sin is the transgression (violation) of the law.
Rom 4:15, “because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.”
Note: If there is no law, there is no transgression. Transgression of the law brings about wrath — punishment.
Eze 34:17,“As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord GOD,‘Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats.”
Eze 34:20, “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them,“Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.”
Note: God will judge between one sheep and another; between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Deu 29:23, “All its land is brimstone and salt, a burning waste, unsown and unproductive, and no grass grows in it, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and in His wrath.”
Note: The wicked and evildoers, watch out God’s anger and wrath.
Jde 1:15, “to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
The Divine Law is unlike the human law such as the American laws the opinions of the judges expressed in a review of the facts and law applicable to the controversy leading up to the adjudication expressed in the formal document. There is no distinction of civil and criminal case. Every case is criminal. Everything God does is formal and final. The all-knowing God knows instantly from the beginning all at once all the facts of the sinner’s conduct (deed, word, and thought) past and present, God does not need to consult other judges or legal precedent to determine the meaning and relevancy of His law. In the Books of God, no fake evidence has any chance to be presented, no dream team to make phony and theatrical presentation, and no jury consensus is sought or required. The sinner has no place to hide from the Omnipresent God. The trial will be swift and speedy. In an instant the sinner will be made to recall and remember all his deeds, words and thoughts through Divine illumination. As I understand the Bible, there will be no individual or case by case trial. Beforehand angels will separate billions and billions of mankind into two groups, one on the right and one on the left of the Judge of the living and dead. Mat 13:49, “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just.” Mat 25:33, “and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.” The Omniscient eye of God sees the defendant totally naked as he/she really is. What appears complex to men is so simple to God. God does not have doctrinal paradox or discursive dilemma. The sinner is unable to gainsay. There will never be a retrial, new trial or reversal of judgment. There will be no court fee, or fee of any kind. God’s execution of judgment is always just and fair, correct and righteous irrespective of person and it is final and eternal.
IV. THE WRATH OF GOD
THE LAW BRINGS ABOUT WRATH.
Rom 4:15, “for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.”
Note: Wrath in Greek is orgē which means anger; vengeance; indignation; violent patience; justifiable abhorrence; anger exhibited in punishment; God’s response to man’s obduracy and disobedience; divine retribution; – which occurs 36 times in the New Testament. The wrath of God is a natural divine response to man’s disobedience and violation of the Law. A Holy, Righteous, and True God cannot tolerate sin and transgression of the Law.
Job 19:29, “Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves,
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
So that you may know there is judgment.”
Note: God wants the people to be afraid of His judgment for God is angry with the wicked sinners, God will punish the unrighteous.
Heb 10:30, “For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.”
Note: Vengeance is Greek is ekdikēsis which means revenge; punishment; meting out justice; vindication; retribution; retaliation; – which occurs 10 times in the New Testament. Repay in Greek is antapodidōmi which means to recompense; to render penalty and vengeance; to requite; to make retaliation for; – which occurs 9 times in the New Testament. It is God who executes revenge or retaliation.
When God judges means God repays the wicked.
Psa 1:5, “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.”
Note: The wicked will not stand in the judgment means the wicked is unable to put up with with the final decision and bear the wrath of God.
Psa 7:6, “Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries,
And arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment.”
Eze 7:3, “Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you.”
Note: God’s judgment is the end of everyone.
Eze 7:8, “Now I will shortly pour out My wrath on you and spend My anger against you; judge you according to your ways and bring on you all your abominations.”
Note: Abomination in Hebrew is tow`ebah which means a disgusting thing; wickedness; abhorrence; something abominable; something impure and illicit; something loathing; – which occurs 126 times in the Old Testament. God will bring on the wicked all their loathing things.
2Ch 36:16, “but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His Words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy.”
Note: Western leaders who claim to be Christians continue to lie, lie and lie; kill, kill and kill; rob, rob, and rob. When the wrath of God arises against them, there will be no remedy. Remedy in Hebrew is marpe’ which means healing; treatment; cure; deliverance; tranquility of mind; relief; – which occurs 17 times in the Old Testament,
Eze 25:14,“I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath; thus they will know My vengeance,” declares the Lord GOD.”
Isa 13:13, “Therefore I will make the Heavens tremble,
And the Earth will be shaken from its place
At the fury of the LORD of hosts
In the day of His burning anger.”
Note: The burning anger of God is so awesome that the Heavens tremble and the Earth shaken.
Rom 4:15, “for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.”
Rom 1:18-32, “For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
Note: Suppress in Greek is katechō which means to hold back; to detain or retain; to hinder; to restrain; to hold down; – which occurs 25 times in the New Testament. You watch some Western leaders who suppress the truth in unrighteousness by word and deed again and again, they do not seem to be afraid of the judgment of God to fall upon them suddenly.
Rom 2:1-16, “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,on the day when, according to my Gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”
Jhn 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Note: Abide in Greek is menō which means to dwell; to remain; to continue; to stay; to tarry; to endure; to last; – which occurs 118 times in the New Testament. The wrath of God continues and remains on unbelievers.
Rom 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”
When American and European leaders and politicians make false charges against China and Russia, they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. They do not seem to fear God.
The Bible provides an example of the fierce wrath of God:
Rev 16:19, “The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.”
Rom 2:5, “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
Note: The stubbornness and unrepentant heart of sinners are storing up wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Western leaders have committed so much evil in the world, who knows how much the wrath of God are storing up!
Eze 22:31, “Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads,” declares the Lord GOD.”
Note: Indignation in Hebrew is za`am which means anger; rage; fury; wrath; insolence; outrage; – which occurs 22 times in the Old Testament.
Eph 5:3-7, “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”
Ezr 5:12, ”But because our fathers had provoked the God of Heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.”
Note: Provoke is rĕgaz(Aramaic) which means to enrage; to irritate; to stir up purposely; to make one angry; to evoke; to arouse; – which occurs 2 times in the Old Testament. Sons of disobedience and evildoers provoke God to wrath.
Ezr 7:23,“Whatever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of Heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.”
Psa 59:13, “Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more;
That men may know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah.”
Isa 51:20, “Your sons have fainted,
They lie helpless at the head of every street,
Like an antelope in a net,
Full of the wrath of the LORD,
The rebuke of your God.”
Jer 7:20, “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.”
Psa 76:7-8, “ You, even You, are to be feared;
And who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from Heaven;
The earth feared and was still.”
Note: The arrogant warmongers, dictators, oppressors, supremacists, militarists, imperialists, capitalists, monopolists, secular academics, unbelieving theologians, fraudulent and corrupt doctors and hospital owners, scientists and philosophers, crooks and criminals, tycoons and terrorist cannot stand in God’s presence once God is angry.
Rev 19:15, “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”
Col 3:6, “For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.”
Note: The wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience. Sinners, unbelievers, evildoers, idolaters, the wicked, the unrighteous, the greedy, the corrupt, etc. are the sons of disobedience.
Jas 5:9, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”
Note: The Judge is standing right at the door means the judgment is near.
Rom 5:9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
Note: The only way to be saved from the wrath of God is to repent of your sins now, to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Having now been justified by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, receiving the forgiveness of sins, we shall be saved the judgment of God.
The Jews Are Condemned by the Law, Moses could not save them. Only the Messiah can save them.
It may be possible to avoid the destruction of nuclear war, it is absolutely impossible to avoid the wrath of God.
V. WHY JUDGMENT IS NECESSARY.
Psa 9:7, “But the LORD abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment.”
Note: The God we worship is the Lord who abides (lives) forever; the sovereignty of God requires that He established His throne for judgment.
Lev 19:15, “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.”
Judgment is necessary to administer justice. To administer justice one must observe the principle of justice. The principle of justice includes:
(A). You shall do no injustice in judgment.
(B). You shall not be partial.
(C). You are to judge fairly.
(D). The judgment is God’s.
Deu 1:17, “You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”
Note: To achieve the goal that the judgment is God’s:
(A). You shall not show partiality in judgment.
(B). You shall hear the small and the great alike.
(C). You shall not fear man.
God’s judgment is righteous judgment.
Deu 16:18, “You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.”
Law cannot exist without judgment. Law without judgment is not law. Law without judgment is like a parent without discipline.
Gen 31:42, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”
Note: God knows and sees everything. God renders judgement fairly.
Lev 19:35, “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity.”
Note: Many nations have wrong measurement and wrong standard in judgement and wrong values and wrong systems of government.
1Ki 3:28, “When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”
Note: King or head of a nation needs the wisdom of God in him to administer justice. The world is in a mess because many world leaders do not have the wisdom of God. The king who handed down right judgment will be respected. The leader of a nation who walks in the light and take the right path will be respected. Many wrong leaders are leading their nations astray and leading their people to decline and destruction. A warmongering leader is the curse of any nation.
Ch 19:6, “He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD who is with you when you render judgment.”
Note: Israel was under theocracy, the judges do not judge for man but for the Lord. Some nations today practice their evil religious laws and inflict great injustice to their peoples. Some countries who claim to be practicing democracy are held hostage by their rich and powerful groups and their peoples suffer injustice and inequality.
2Ch 19:8, “In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD and to judge disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
Note: Where the ruling elite makes the laws, administers the law, and prosecutes the law, justice is often perverted. Litigation becomes big business, the legal profession is greatly enriched by rules and regulations, the establishment serves the interest of the rich and powerful at the expense of the great majority.
1Ch 16:33, “Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD;
For He is coming to judge the earth.”
Note: Because the LORD is coming to judge the earth, then even the trees of the forest will sing for joy.
1Ki 8:32, “then hear in Heaven and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.”
2Ch 6:23, “then hear from Heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.”
Psa 110:6, “He will judge among the nations,
He will fill them with corpses,
He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.”
Isa 3:13, “The LORD arises to contend,
And stands to judge the people.”
Note: Contend in Hebrew is riyb which means to strive; to chide; to plead a cause; to debate; to grapple; to wrangle; to hold a controversy; to defend; to rebuke; to argue; – which occurs 72 times in the Old Testament. God is not a pacifist or reservist, God arises to contend for justice.
Isa 11:4, “But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.”
Note: Slay in Hebrew is muwth which means to kill outright; to have one executed; to put to death; to strike down; to destroy; – which occurs 984 times in the Old Testament. With the breath of God’s lips He will kill the wicked.
Psa 82:8, “Arise, O God, judge the earth!
For it is You who possesses all the nations.”
Note: Many do not know it is God who possesses all the nations.
Psa 94:2, “Rise up, O Judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.”
Psa 96:10, “Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Psa 96:13, “Before the LORD, for He is coming,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
And the peoples in His faithfulness.”
Psa 68:5, “A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.”
1Sa 2:10, “Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered.
He thunders against them from Heaven;
the LORD judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to His king;
He increases the strength of His anointed one.”
Note: To be shattered in Hebrew is chathath which means to be broken in pieces; to be dismayed; to be afraid; to be confounded; to be abolished; to be beaten down; to ruin, to be scared; to be terrified; to be broken down in fear; to be frightened; to be put to shame; – which occurs 57 times in the Old Testament. Those who fight against the LORD will be demolished or shattered or to be broken in pieces.
1Co 4:5, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
Note: Part of the judgment of God is to bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts.
Jde 1:6, “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”
Note: Only the eternal God can make eternal bonds to keep fallen angels under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
Rev 14:7, “and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the Heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
Note: On the Day of Judgment the hour of God’s judgment will come, and that coincides with the second coming of Jesus Christ.
VI. HOW DOES GOD EXECUTE JUDGMENT
Some scholar thinks himself clever: judgment is a function of the intellect; that act by which we predicate one thing of another. Judgment is defined as the act by which the mind combines or separates two terms by affirmation or denial. A judgment always implies the presence of two ideas in the mind, a comparison of these two ideas, and the affirmation of their agreement or disagreement. This scholar only recognizes two ideas in his mind.
Isa 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Note: God declares His thoughts are not human thoughts, nor are His ways human ways. Thought in Hebrew is machashabah which means imagination; purpose; means; device; plan; invention; contrivance; intention; that which one meditates; act or product of thinking; something in the mind; cogitation; – which occurs 56 times in the Old Testament. Way in Hebrew is derek which means manner; method; road; path; direction; habit; mode of action; course of action; route; means; – which occurs 679 times in the Old Testament. I do not have problem with God’s thoughts and His ways. I regularly find fault and flaw with any human criminal justice system and I often disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision. Do you know how high are the Heavens higher than the earth? Do you see how stupid the ways many nations are managing their countries? That explains why the whole world is in such a mess and deplorable condition. Consequently, the longer I live, the less confidence I have in humanity. The more I see the less I trust in the government of men. Open up your eyes and look far and wide, where can you find a decent country in the whole wide world today?
(A). Punishment must fit the sin or crime.
Ezr 7:26, “Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”
Note: First the people cannot be ignorant of the law. There are some Western nations who take pride with their so-called democratic system of government, and yet their legal system is so complicated, and their laws not only are voluminous but required legal opinion or interpretation of a judge or a certified lawyer. The proof is the language of law or rule or regulation that even a Ph.D. may not understand. I had a classmate in law school who told me she could not understand the whole life insurance policy. They use difficult legal language and clouded verbiage, not plain English language, so that common people by force need to hire legal services in all sorts of matters and procedures. Just like the income tax form is so complicated coupled with awesome rules and regulations and cryptic instructions that ordinary citizen are forced to hire an accountant or lawyer to file their income tax returns. How can people observe the law that they do not understand?
Execute is `abad (Aramaic) which means to do; to work; to make; to prepare; to administer; – which occurs 27 times in the Old Testament. Strictly is ‘ocparna’ (Aramaic) which means speedily; swiftly; fast; forthwith; carefully; diligently; studiously; wisely; entirely; perfectly; – which occurs 10 times in the Old Testament. The American jury system is useless and waste of time. In the first place the jury themselves do not understand the law, it is a travesty of justice to require full agreement. How many wicked and vicious criminals escape judgment that they deserve because the jury could not agree completely. Let judgment be executed upon the criminal strictly or speedily. The American justice is the slowest to benefit the criminals and enrich defense lawyers and prosecution and the court.
There are various kinds of punishment for various types of sin or crime. Some sins according to Mosaic Law must be executed strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.
Psa 9:8, “And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”
Note: Righteousness in Hebrew is tsedeq which means justice; natural, moral and legal right; righteous cause; what is right, just or normal; equity; straightness; rightness; what is right and just; what ought to be so; integrity; – which occurs 123 times in the Old Testament. Equity in Hebrew is meyshar which means uprightness; upright things; evenness; straightness; levelness; smoothness; rectitude; that are equal; sincerity; probity; justice; that which is just; – which occurs 23 times in the Old Testament. The righteous God will judge the world in righteousness, and He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
(B). Each shall be put to death for his own sin.
2Ki 14:6, “But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”
2Ch 25:4, “However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers, but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Note: Sin or crime is personally liable. According to the commandment of the Lord, The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin, whether small or great, man or woman. So the practice of Chinese emperors to put to death the nine clans of one offender or culprit is un-Scriptural and unfair and unjust.
Jer 38:4, “Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.”
Note: It is possible and rational to put to death a traitor for his treasonous words against his own country, not seeking the well-being of his people but rather their harm. This is the legal opinion of the officials. A man can betray his own country by aiding the enemies and seeking their well-being and harming his own people. In fact, there are many Chinese traitors in Taiwan and Hong Kong, etc. according to the legal opinion expressed, they may be put to death. The Chinese leaders must see the real situation in Taiwan and Hong Kong clearly without delusion. Those Chinese traitors do the bidding of their Western masters intending to destroy and overthrow the Chinese government. The Chinese leaders cannot be soft and make wrong judgment. As regards Taiwan, it is high time to liberate Taiwan by force and execute all Chinese traitors and foreign agents there. With respect to Hong Kong the evidence is amply clear, those rioters and criminals and terrorists are hired and recruited foreign agents with intent to overthrow the Hong Kong government. Talking with traitors is like bargaining with terrorists. The Hong Kong leaders are too soft, the police force is too weak to maintain law order, the legal system is held hostage and unable to administer justice. It is a deadly mistake to consider or treat those traitors in Taiwan and Hong Kong as Chinese people. They are not, in fact they are foreign agents hired to overthrow Chinese government. It is high time for Beijing to send in the liberation army to restore law and order and execute the Chinese traitors, foreign agents, crooks and criminals. The government which hesitates will be lost. Force can only be brought down by stronger and legal force. Fire can only be put out by the wrath of judgment. Mercy to the enemies is suicide to yourself. The time to act is now (08/26/2019). China must act before it is too late!
Jdg 20:13, “Now then, deliver up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.”
Note: To put to death the worthless fellows who are worthy of death is to remove the wickedness from the land. So those nations that abolish death penalty and let murderers and killers live is to add wickedness to their land. Many Western nations have abolished capital punishment and thus they violated the death penalty instituted by God and pollute their lands with innocent blood and injustice.
1Sa 2:25, “If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death.”
Note: Those who are put to death according to the Law of God because the Lord desired to put them to death. The Holy and Righteous God desires to put to death those evil criminals who are worthy of death.
1Sa 22:17, “And the king said to the guards who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the LORD to death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hands to attack the priests of the LORD.”
Note: When a wicked king gives order to put the righteous to death, the servants of the king are justified to disobey. When a government engages in a war of aggression and destruction or does wickedly and unjustly, the citizens may refuse to go to war on legal principle and refuse to cooperate on ground of injustice.
Rom 2:16, “on the day when, according to my Gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”
Note: This is the core of justice, not only God will judge according to deeds, God will judge the secrets of men. Secret in Greek is kryptos which means hidden matter; concealed matter; private matter; the hidden things of darkness and shame; undercover; things covered; – which occurs 19 times in the New Testament. Do you know many most powerful and rich people in the world have most shameful and disgraceful secrets? When a nation commits most atrocious and outrageous acts, the evil leaders call and classify them as top secret. God knows all the top secrets of Washington, Tokyo, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, NATO, G-7, EU, Islamic State, etc. God knows the dark secrets of every nation, all leaders of nations, all business executives of corporations, all Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood executives. God knows the secrets of all fraudulent, excessive and overcharges manufactured by corrupt and crooked doctors, hospital owners, drugs and insurance companies, labs and medical suppliers. God knows your secrets, my secrets, and secrets of everyone. God will judge the secrets of all men and women.
Heb 13:4, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”
Note: The U.S. Supreme Court and many Western nations recognize same-sex marriage. God only recognizes the marriage between a man and a woman. Marriage in Greek is gamos which means the intimate union of man and woman; the binding of man and woman; wedding; nuptial; wedlock; matrimony; – which occurs 22 times in the New Testament. Marriage is to be held in honor among and by all. The marriage bed is not to be defiled or soiled. Infidelity, unfaithfulness, and extramarital affairs defile the marriage bed. God will judge fornicators and adulterers.
Jhn 12:48,“He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the Word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”
Note: Reject in Greek is atheteō which means to despise; to cast off; to disannul; to bring to nothing; to do away with; to set aside; to disregard; to nullify; to frustrate; to make void; to refuse; to slight; to bring to naught; to oppose; to rebuff; to repel; to spew out; – which occurs 21 times in the New Testament. There is no sin greater than to reject Jesus Christ the Son of God and do not receive His sayings. The Word of God will judge him without mercy at the last day.
GOD WILL JUDGE PEOPLE IN THREE AREAS, NAMELY, ACT, WORD AND THOUGHT.
(C). God will bring every act to judgment.
Ecc 12:14, “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”
Note: Act in Hebrew is ma`aseh which means work; labor; deed; doing; thing done; undertaking; enterprise; pursuit; product; achievement; action; activity; conduct; – which occurs 231 times in the Old Testament. God judges every man according to what he has done, covert or overt. God may ask what is this deed that you have done? Whatever you do in deed, lawless deed, evil deed, detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed, shall be judged.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God. When God called Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Adam said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.” When anyone sins, he becomes afraid, naked, and tries to hide himself. God will judge every hidden deed, so that no one can hide before God or lie to God.
Cain was angry when Abel offered to God better than his. When Cain rose up against Abel in the field and killed him, then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And Cain said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” When one commits sin or crime, he always pretends his ignorance or innocence. Every criminal wants to cover up his crime. Every sinner wants to cover his sin. Whether it is a sin or a crime, God knows the secrets of everyone, no exception. God does not exempt every transgression and disobedience.
Isa 47:10, “You were complacent in your evil deeds; you thought, ‘No one sees me.’ Your self-professed wisdom and knowledge lead you astray, when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!”
Note: Some Western leaders are so warped and wicked that they state and think and act as if America is unique and exceptional, appointed by God to rule the world. It is part and parcel and continuity of the historical infamous atrocity and abomination known as the “White Man’s Burden.” For that reason they work desperately covertly and overtly to undermine, destabilize and sanction countries they consider their rivals or competitors such as Russia and China in many ways, including trade, technology, finance, banking and monetary system, diplomacy, currency, import and export control, and establishment of strongholds of hundreds of military bases. They campaign regime change to those countries that do not wish to join the Axis of Evil. They finance and conduct violent and destructive revolution to export their so-called democracy, civil rights, human rights and freedom. They continuously conduct massive and intrusive military exercises and have their warships and warplanes encroaching the defense lines of Russia and China. They set up military alliances with Japan, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, EU, NATO, G-7, QUAD, etc. to encircle and target Russia and China. They plan first strikes to demolish their so-called enemies. They make war plans, for example the U.S. has “RAND PLAN” to make war against China and thinking they will win. So they have military bases all over the world with nuclear weapons. Their self-professed wisdom and knowledge lead America astray since the end of World War II. They want “America First” to dominate and dictate the world, which underlines and generates the chaos and problems and troubles in the world today and may cause the coming nuclear war to destroy the whole world. They think they are unique. No one can compare to them. They may be complacent but God sees them. They spend the night plotting and scheming, and get up early to continue in their evil deeds.
Eze 24:14, “I, the LORD, have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not pity and I will not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you,” declares the Lord GOD.’”
Note: Relent in Hebrew is para` which means to go back; to let go; to let loose; to let alone; to ignore; to loosen; to dismiss; to absolve; to remit a penalty; to overlook; to slacken; to soften; – which occurs 22 times in the Old Testament. God will not remit or soften His penalty.
(D). God will judge every word.
Mat 12:36, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”
Note: Careless in Greek is argos which means idle; at leisure; barren; useless; inactive; slow; without premeditation; unprofitable; pernicious; indifferent; negligent; spontaneous;- which occurs 8 times in the New Testament. God will judge every act or deed, and every idle word. God hears and records every lie American and European leaders and politicians have declared, repeated, published.
Mat 12:32, “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Note: This Scripture does not mean it is o.k. to speak a word against the Son of God. If in your ignorance you spoke against Jesus Christ and repented and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your sin shall be forgiven you. But to speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. I believe a certain Harvard teacher who fabricated that she discovered Jesus Christ had a wife had committed the sin against the Holy Spirit.
Dan 11:36, “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.”
Note: If every careless or nonsense word will be judged, how much more severely will those who speak monstrous things against the God of gods. I believe careless or nonsense word include hasty word.
Isa 32:6, “For a fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart inclines toward wickedness:
To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry person unsatisfied
And to withhold drink from the thirsty.”
Note: I am inclined to believe what Jesus says “careless word” and what Isaiah says about “nonsense” would also be judged.
Jas 4:11, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.”
Note: To speak against a brother will also be judged.
Mat 5:37, “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.”
Note: When you say as it is to make a statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’. That is how to speak. When you say ‘yes’ which is ‘no’; or when you say ‘no’ which is ‘yes’; you speak evil. To speak evil will be judged. There are Western leaders who publicly and openly distort facts with fake news.
Jas 5:12, “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by Heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.”
Note: There are many Americans who still think and believe if you say yes to negative statements about America, you are not patriotic. No matter how patriotic you are and pledge allegiance to any country, according to Jesus Christ, yes must be yes, no must be no. We must obey God rather men. We must obey Jesus Christ rather than any country.
Jde 1:15, “to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Note: Harsh in Greek is sklēros which means hard; fierce; rough; stern; violent; offensive; intolerable; severe; stiff; hard and bitter; irritating; insulting; negative; crude; unpleasant; – which occurs 6 times in the New Testament. Secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers and rascals have spoken all the harsh things which they have spoken against God and Jesus Christ; God will execute judgment upon them.
Luk 19:22, “He said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?”
Note: The Judge of the living and dead will judge you by your own words. I was young and now I am old, I have never heard and seen anyone who is so evil, corrupt, crooked, distorted, perverted, wicked, malicious, vicious, self-conceited, and so shameless to tell lies, falsehoods, false accusations, fake charges, calling black white and white black; calling lie truth and truth lie as a Western leader so deliberately and psychopathically mispresent and misinform and mislead people amid COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Remember, God will judge you by your words, not only your thoughts and deeds.
(E). God will judge every thought.
Gen 6:5, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Note: Every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart is only evil continually. God will judge every intent of the evil thoughts of man’s heart. Every base thought, inner thought, inward thought, impulsive thought, accursed thought, wrong thought, evil thought, wicked thought, etc. will be judged.
Mat 5:28, “but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Note: Jesus Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead, declares that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Almost all people know they they will be judged for sins they committed in the act. All governments on earth put people on trial for their crimes committed in deed. Some people may have the idea that they are responsible for their words. If you say you are going to kill the president of the United States, you will be arrested even if you have not done it. God will judge every man according to his word also. Very few people know they will be judged for their thought. Jesus Christ validates a man can commit sin in his heart.
Sins committed in one’s heart is almost infinite. Whoever thought that only thinking about sin is sin itself? You can commit sin in your heart, say wrong and terrible things in your heart (nonverbal).
Mat 24:48, “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’
Pro 26:24, “He who hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up deceit in his heart.”
Pro 26:25, “When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.”
Eze 14:4,“Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols.”
Note: You may not be aware that some Taiwanese politicians who claim to be Christians and yet they worship idols in public. Do you set up idols in your heart?
Dan 8:25, “And through his shrewdness
He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence;
And he will magnify himself in his heart,
And he will destroy many while they are at ease.
He will even oppose the Prince of princes,
But he will be broken without human agency.”
Note: If you watch world news on TV, if the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, you can see some world leaders and politicians magnify themselves in their hearts. Pro 6:14, “Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, who spreads strife.” If you have spiritual eyes you can see some warmongers with perversity in their hearts continuously devise evil, who spread strife everywhere in the world.
Psa 44:21, “Would not God find this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.”
Note: God knows the secrets of the heart; the secrets of many famous people have been found out or uncovered.
Act 5:4, “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Note: Beware, evil deed can be conceived in your heart to lie to God. God knows what is in your heart, in my heart, in everybody’s heart. God knows all the secrets of our hearts. God knows all the wickedness in our hearts. After you have learned the Scriptures how people sins in his heart, do you think anyone can stand before God just in one area of judgment of the heart? How can man stand before God, for he is sinful.
Nah 1:6, “Who can stand before His indignation?
Who can endure the burning of His anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire
And the rocks are broken up by Him.”
Note: Indignation in Hebrew is za`am which means anger; wrath; rage; fury; fierceness; outrage; – which occurs 22 times in the Old Testament. No one, not even a dictator or terrorist, a general or warrior, can stand before God’s indignation and burning anger.
Heb 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Note: Intention in Greek is ennoia which means intent; mind; the act of thinking; consideration; meditation; deliberation; notion; conception; thoughtfulness; will; manner of feeling; – which occurs 2 times in the New Testament. God not only can read and judge your thoughts and also intentions of your heart. Western leaders sly and falsely said that they are extremely concerned about Hong Kong. In fact, they are not concerned about the well-being of Hong Kong people at all. They planned, financed and supported rioters and terrorists to cause death, destruction and desolation in order to overthrow the legitimate Hong Kong government. Their real intention is to lie, kill, and rob Hong Kong resources and make Hong Kong a Western colony like Taiwan.
Rev 6:17, “for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Psa 1:5, “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.”
Psa 5:5, “The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;
You hate all who do iniquity.”
Psa 76:7, “You, even You, are to be feared;
And who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry?”
Note: Secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers, how can you stand in the presence of God when once God is angry with you?
Psa 130:3, “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?”
2Ch 20:6, “and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.”
VII. GOD INSTITUTES DEATH PENALTY
Deu 21:22, “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree.”
Some sins or crimes are worthy of death in the sight of God. There are some sins which are so great, so grievous, so vicious, and so abominable that God wants to put the offender to death right away. Death penalty is appropriately applicable to a sin or crime worthy of death. Not all sins, and for that matter, not all crimes are worthy of death. Death penalty was not invented by man. God Himself instituted death penalty. Whoever opposes death penalty opposes God. Western nations pretending to be advanced in civilization abolish death penalty. They consider the life of a murderer more precious than the lives of 89 innocent persons. Countries that abolish death penalty commit injustice. 2Ch 19:6, “He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD who is with you when you render judgment.”
We are here to focus on the moral law of God only. Death penalty or capital punishment applies to the following sins or crimes. God decides what sin or crime deserves death penalty according to the Law of God, also called Mosaic Law to the Jewish people. The Law punishes people according to what they have done, and not what they have thought. A criminal is not the same as an ordinary citizen. Therefore I object to the privilege of covering the face of criminals. I believe all criminals should be exposed for the public to see and recognize who they are. They should be televised nationwide. For terrorists the whole world should recognize their faces before they are executed. That practice will shame them and shame their families and friends and relatives. Consequently, the religious cover-up clothing should be outlawed lest criminals commit crimes and people could not see and identify them.
1. Killer shall be put to death.
Exo 21:12, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.”
Lev 24:17, “If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death.”
Lev 24:21, “Thus the one who kills an animal shall make it good, but the one who kills a man shall be put to death.”
Note: Killing an animal is not the same as killing a man. The life of an animal is not worth the life of a man. However, the killing of whales by Japanese hunters and profiteers is most cruel, unnecessary, and wicked. Whales are among the most magnificent creatures of God. God knows 35 million Chinese were killed by Japanese soldiers and uncounted brutalities and cruelties Japanese militarists did in 14 years in the war of aggression to the Chinese. God knows exactly how many innocent peoples American leaders and politicians have killed since the end of World War II in hundreds of unjust wars and bloody military interventions. God also knows the secrets and top secrets of Washington.
Num 35:16, “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.”
Num 35:17, “If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.”
Note: If a wicked man struck down a man, the man did not die instantly. But as a result he died later, the act is still considered a murder.
Num 35:18, “Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.”
Num 35:21, “or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.”
Note: Killer or murder deserves death penalty. God differentiates the killing of an animal from the killing of a man.
Num 35:31, “Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.”
Note: There is no ransom for a murderer, death is the penalty.
2. Killer of father or mother shall be put to death.
Exo 21:15, “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”
Killer of either parent, patricide or matricide deserves death penalty.
3. Kidnapper shall be put to death.
Exo 21:16, “He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.”
Kidnapping deserves death penalty whether the victim is a man, a woman or a child for whatever motive.
4. Cursing of father or mother shall be put to death.
Exo 21:17, “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”
Lev 20:9, “If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him.”
Note: I do not know any nation enforces this law and practices this penalty, but God considers cursing of parents deserves death penalty. Beware, those who curses their parents may escape penalty in this world, but God considers them dead already.
5. Owner of animal in the habit of killing people shall be put to death.
Exo 21:29, “If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.”
Note: Notice the phrase “previously in the habit” and “its owner has been warned”. The principle applies to owner of any animal, be it tiger or a vicious dog or a deadly snake; if it kills people, the owner and the animal both shall be put to death. Those who keep deadly animals cannot escape death penalty if their animals kill a man, a woman, or a child.
6. Whoever has sex with an animal shall be put to death.
Exo 22:19, “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.”
Lev 20:15, “If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.”
Lev 20:16, “If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
Note: Bestiality is awarded with death penalty. But you hardly heard the report of such crime and penalty anywhere.
7. Everyone who profanes the Sabbath shall be put to death.
Exo 31:14, “Therefore you are to observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.”
Note: This is a specific law applicable to the Jews. Christians do not observe the Sabbath or Sunday. Christians keep every day holy for the Lord.
8. Whoever works on the Sabbath shall be put to death.
Exo 31:15, “For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.”
Exo 35:2, “For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.”
Note: This law is applicable to the Jewish people under the Mosaic Law.
9. If any man sacrifices his offspring to false god shall be put to death.
Lev 20:2, “You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.”
Note: There may be rarely primitive and superstitious and uncivilized people in the jungles who commit such sin and practice such crime. All my life I have not heard one case of it.
10. Adulterer and adulteress shall be put to death.
Lev 20:10, “If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
Note: If this penalty is administered and practiced in Western and Arabic nations, they will be depopulated. The Bible considers more than one wife at a time is adultery. Polygamy is adultery. In the Old Testament, some people had several wives. In the New Testament, only monogamy is allowed and recognized.
11. If a man has sex with his father’s wife, both shall be put to death.
Lev 20:11, “If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
12. If a man has sex with his daughter-in-law, both shall be put to death.
Lev 20:12, “If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
Note: Incest is awarded death penalty according to the Mosaic Law.
13. If a man has sex with a man, both shall be put to death.
Lev 20:13, “If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
Note: In the sight of God, homosexuality deserves death penalty. President Obama had same-sex marriage and homosexuality legalized in America. The United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage.
14. A medium or spiritist shall be put to death.
Lev 20:27, “Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
Note: Medium in Hebrew is ‘owb which means necromancer; one who has a familiar spirit; one who evokes the dead; spirit of a dead one; a soothsayer; a man or woman when a python is in them; a person who claims to receive messages from the dead; – which occurs 16 times in the New Testament. Spiritist in Hebrew is yidd@`oniy which means one who has a familiar spirit; soothsayer; necromancer; a spirit of divination; – which occurs 11 times in the Old Testament. Medium or spiritist shall surely be put to death.
16. Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death.
Lev 24:16, “Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.”
Note: Blaspheme in Hebrew is naqab which means to curse; to take the name of the Lord in vain; to express contempt; to smear; to offend; to show no respect for God; to speak ill of; to libel; – which occurs 18 times in the Old Testament. The one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. Those who curse God even no nation put them to death, in the sight of God they are condemned to death already.
16. False prophet or dreamer who counseled rebellion shall be put to death.
Deu 13:5,“But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.”
Note: The false prophets and those who counsel rebellion against God or to seduce people from the right path shall be put to death by God sooner or later.
17. The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest, nor to the judge, shall die.
Deu 17:12, “The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.”
Note: Presumptuously in Hebrew is zadown which means proudly; arrogantly; insultingly; contemptuously; swelling with pride; impudently; insolently; haughtily; – which occurs 12 times in the Old Testament. The priest who stands there to serve the Lord is a representative of God. The man who insults the priest insults God. The man who is contemptuous of the priest is contemptuous of God – so the man shall die.
All who commit the sins or crimes mentioned above shall be put to death, not because men or authorities put them to death. It is God who puts to death and give life. There is no one who can deliver from the hand of God. Death penalty is the judgment of God.
Deu 32:39, “See now that I, I am He,
And there is no god besides Me;
It is I who put to death and give life.
I have wounded and it is I who heal,
And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”
VIII. WHEN DOES GOD EXECUTE JUDGMENT
God executes judgment on sinners or criminals on a case by case basis at the time He appointed. Judgement may be executed in this life, as well as in the life to come throughout eternity. Examples of divine judgment on the wicked in secular history however interesting cannot be trusted due to interpretation problem. We only use Biblical history.
A. At the present in this life.
The following are historical examples how God executed judgment on some individuals at the present in this life:
(1). Sodom an Gomorrah
Gen 13:13, “Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD.”
Note: Wicked in Hebrew is ra` which means evil; bad; disagreeable; malignant; unpleasant; displeasing; unkind; vicious; wrong; wretched; noxious; hurtful; sad; – which occurs 690 times in the Old Testament. Exceedingly in Hebrew is m@`od which means very greatly; too much; in the highest degree; – which occurs 289 times in the Old Testament. The men of Sodom were wicked in the highest degree and they sinned against God. Sin is against God.
Gen 18:20-21, “And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
Note: Outcry in Hebrew is za`aq which means cry of distress; a shriek; the cry for aid; clamor; a strong expression of anger and disapproval; – which occurs 18 times in the Old Testament. Grave in Hebrew is kabad which means heavy; sore; grievous; weighty; insensible; abundant; numerous; vehement; plentiful; troublesome; burdensome; – which occurs 132 times in the Old Testament. God said, the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah was indeed great, and their sin was exceedingly grave. God knows the exact fact about everything and every situation.
Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
Gen 19:1-29, “That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground. “My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.” “Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square. ”But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate. But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.” “Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he’s acting like our judge! We’ll treat you far worse than those other men!” And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door. But the two angels reached out, pulled Lot into the house, and bolted the door. Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside. Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot. “Do you have any other relatives here in the city?” they asked. “Get them out of this place—your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the LORD, and he has sent us to destroy it.” So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The LORD is about to destroy it.” But the young men thought he was only joking. At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot. “Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city!” When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful. When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” “Oh no, my lord!” Lot begged. “You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die. See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don’t you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved.” “All right,” the angel said, “I will grant your request. I will not destroy the little village. But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.” (This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means “little place.”) Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt. Abraham got up early that morning and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the LORD’s presence. He looked out across the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and watched as columns of smoke rose from the cities like smoke from a furnace. But God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.”
(2). Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
The King Acknowledges God
Dan 4:1-3, “Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound!“ It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
“How great are His signs
And how mighty are His wonders!
His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom
And His dominion is from generation to generation.”
The Vision of a Great Tree
Dan 4:4-18, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation. Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great.
‘The tree grew large and became strong
And its height reached to the sky,
And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.
‘Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under it,
And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches,
And all living creatures fed themselves from it.
‘I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from Heaven.
‘He shouted out and spoke as follows:
“Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;
Let the beasts flee from under it
And the birds from its branches.
“Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
But with a band of iron and bronze around it
In the new grass of the field;
And let him be drenched with the dew of Heaven,
And let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
“Let his mind be changed from that of a man
And let a beast’s mind be given to him,
And let seven periods of time pass over him.
“This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers
And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
And bestows it on whom He wishes
And sets over it the lowliest of men.”
‘This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets the Vision
Dan 4:19-27, “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! ‘The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged—it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth.‘In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,” this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.‘ And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. ‘Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’
The Vision Fulfilled
Dan 4:28-37, “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.“ The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from Heaven, saying, “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.” Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward Heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His Kingdom endures from generation to generation.
“All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But He does according to His will in the host of Heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’
“At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
Note: How Nebuchadnezzar was punished, repented, and restored was a very interesting history.
(3). King David
Nathan Rebukes David, 2Sa 12:1-23, “Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. “Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.” Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! Why have you despised the Word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’ Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” So Nathan went to his house. Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. Loss of a Child
2Sa 12:16-23, “David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!” But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live. But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
Evil things raised up against David:
Son of David Amnon raped his sister Tamar. Son of David Absalom avenged Tamar by killing his brother Amnon. Absalom’s strong conspiracy against David and so David fled Jerusalem. Shimei cursed David. Absalom entered Jerusalem and declared king. Absalom was slain by Joab, David mourned for Absalom.
A worthless fellow Sheba lifted up his hand against David.
NOTE: David was a man after God’s own heart, but when David sinned God’s judgment was upon him in his lifetime.
(4). Korah’s Rebellion
Num 16:1-40, “ Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”When Moses heard this, he fell on his face; and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. “Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the LORD tomorrow; and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!” Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? “ Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him?”
Num 16:12-40, “Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!” Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the LORD tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.” So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?” Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’ Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. Moses said, “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD.” As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad. As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the LORD and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.” So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and his company—just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses.”
Note: In the case of Korah and his company (250 men), God consumed them instantly. Spurn in Hebrew is na’ats which means to despise; provoke; blaspheme; abhor; contemn; deride; reject with contempt and derision; speak evil; – which occurs 24 times in the Old Testament. Korah and his company have demonstrated the awful consequences of those who spurn the Lord. Eggs must not hit the rock. Fear the Lord.
(5). Pride Is Uzziah’s Undoing
2Ch 26:16-21, “But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the LORD, valiant men. They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the LORD God.” But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the LORD had smitten him. King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.”
Note: Uzziah in Hebrew is `Uzziyah which means “my strength is Jehovah”, son of king Amaziah of Judah and king of Judah himself for 52 years;– which occurs 27 times in the Old Testament. The name Uzziah is having a good meaning, but his character betrays the meaning of his name. Uzziah is an example how God executed judgment on a man right away. Uzziah was so proud that he acted corruptly. To be proud in Hebrew is gabahh which means to exalt; to be haughty; to make high; be lofty; to be arrogant; to soar; to mount up; to be elevated; to lift up in pride or arrogance; – which occurs 39 times in the Old Testament. To act corruptly in Hebrew is shachath which means to mar; to destroy; to waste; to spoil; to go to ruin; to decay; to pervert; to act wickedly; – which occurs 164 times in the Old Testament. This is a big moral lesson. Pride leads one to act corruptly. Pride corrupts and ruins a person. Pro 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” It is true in the case of Uzziah, and it is applicable to all people. Unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers their hearts are so proud that they speak corruptly against the Lord as if their foreheads are leprous. To be unfaithful in Hebrew is ma`al which means to trespass; to act against; to act treacherously; to violate; to commit a trespass; to transgress; to act covertly; to cover up; to sin against Jehovah; to turn aside from God; – which occurs 45 times in the Old Testament.
What is wrong with Uzziah? He wants to violate the order set up by God. For a man uninformed of the Word of God would misunderstand the situation. What is wrong for Uzziah to enter the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense? All idolaters burn incense on the altar of false gods. But our God is holy and mighty. Azariah the priest with eighty priests of the LORD opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the LORD God.” Well, that is the matter. Not even a king is not authorized to do the sacred duty of a priest. A priest is consecrated by God to burn incense in the temple of the Lord. Consecrate in Hebrew is qadash which means to sanctify; to dedicate; to hallow; to purify; to appoint; to prepare; to set apart as sacred; to observe as holy; to honor as sacred; – which occurs 203 times in the Old Testament. Unless one is appointed, prepared and sanctified, even a king is not qualified to perform sacred rites before God.
The temple of the Lord is the sanctuary, not a palace of the king. To act against God is to be unfaithful. An unfaithful man be it a king will have no honor from the Lord God. Honor in Hebrew is kabowd which means glory; splendor; dignity; reputation; respect; copiousness; majesty; – which occurs 202 times in the Old Testament. To be enraged in Hebrew is za`aph which means wroth; wrathful; intensely angry; to be peevish; to boil up; – which occurs 6 times in the Old Testament. Why is the sinful man always gets angry?
B. After the death
After death, comes judgment.
Heb 9:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”
Note: I believe all men whether have been judged during life or not, after death comes judgement. There are two deaths: the first is the physical death which will fall on all men, for all have sinned and so all will die. The second death is the sentence of the last judgement for all unrepentant sinners and unbelievers, which is the eternal death in Hell with body and soul. The judgment after death is to determine whether one is to go to Paradise or Hell (temporary) after death. It is unlike the American criminal justice system which takes years in the trial, God who knows everything will order the angel to send this man or that man to Paradise or Hell.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
The Rich Man and Lazarus were real story, not a parable.
Luk 16:19-26, “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’“ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.”
Note: We believe Abraham’s bosom was another name for Paradise. We also believe Hades had been moved so that not only a great chasm fixed, there is no way anyone in Hades could see anything in the Paradise. Evidently, Luk 23:40-43, “But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your Kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
C. Eternal judgment
For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Eternal judgment is the last judgement, and Jesus Christ is the Judge of the living and the dead, sitting on the white and glorious throne.
Rom 14:10, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
Heb 6:2, “of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.”
Note: The eternal judgment is the last judgment.
2Pe 2:4, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment.”
Note: You might not think about this. The Hell fire is an unquenchable fire. Usually fire gives light, but Hell fire does not brighten or shine; Hell is pits of darkness. The wicked suffer in Hell under darkness.
2Pe 2:9, “then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the Day of Judgment.”
Note: The Lord keeps the unrighteous under punishment for the Day of Judgment.
2Pe 3:7, “But by His Word the present Heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
Jde 1:6, “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”
Note: Only the eternal God can keep the fallen angels in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
The eternal judgment serves as a WARNING to all who are alive, there are things which we should do, and things which we should not do. Not only we should consider what we should do, we must do it. Not only we should consider what we should not do, we must not do it. We should do whatever the Lord wants us to do as it is written in the Bible. We should not do whatever the Lord does not want us to do as it is written in the Word of God.
Zec 8:16, “These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.”
Note: There are things which we should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace. You see many Western leaders just do the opposite: they speak lies to fool the world with fake news. Under the banner of democracy, civil rights, human rights and freedom they do evil deeds and injustice. They make false judgment and they like war to oppress and destroy other nations that do not follow them.
Rom 2:2-3, “And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Note: Those who practices sins and unrighteousness described in Romans Chapter 1-2 will not escape the judgment of God.
IX. WHO IS TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD
Jhn 5:20-24, “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Note: The Judge of the living and the dead is not apparently Jesus Christ, it is certainly and expressly Jesus Christ. For God does not judge anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, Jesus Christ, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. Let it be known, the Judgment Seat of God is the Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ.
Jhn 3:18-19, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”
Note: Listen! This is the greatest good news. The Judge of living and the dead says: He who believes in Him (Jesus Christ) is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of only begotten Son of God. If you believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God now, you will not be judged. Is there anything better? You do not need to donate or work or burn incense, you need only to just believe in Jesus Christ so that you may receive forgiveness of sins. If you do not believe in the name of the Son of God, you have been judged already. Judgement in Greek is krisis which means damnation; condemnation; sentence of condemnation; legal decision; accusation; formal court decision; the final judging; – which occurs 47 times in the New Testament. Men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. Evil men who commit evil deeds deserve judgment.
Act 10:42,“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.”
Note: The abilities and qualifications of the Judge of the living and the dead do not depend on human system of jurisprudence in determining what is right or wrong, to approve or disapprove an action, or to consider an object as true or false, good or evil. Is it necessary to call your attention that, the Judge of the living and the dead is the Lord God Omnipotent, also the Omnipresent, and the Omniscient.
Rev 19:6, “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”
Note: Omnipotent in Greek is pantokratōr which means the Almighty; He who holds sway over all things; the Ruler of all; the universal Sovereign; – which occurs 10 times in the New Testament. Right now the Devil rules the world, and so you see many of his agents are busy doing evil, including warmongers and terrorists. The day is coming when the Lord God Omnipotent reigns.
Jhn 2:24-25, “But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”
Note: Jesus Christ knew all men, and He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. The longer I live, the more people I know, the more I know there is no nothing good in man. That is why you must be born again. You must receive a new life and new nature. You need the Spirit of Christ to live in you and guide you.
Jhn 13:3, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.”
Jhn 6:64, “But some of you do not believe Me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)”
Note: Divine knowledge is complete, the Lord Jesus knows the end from the beginning, from everlasting past to everlasting future.
Jhn 21:17, “He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
Note: The Lord knows all things. We all know Islamic terrorists do not know Jesus Christ, do not love Jesus Christ for they kill Christians. But Western leaders who claim to be Christians do not know Jesus Christ either, for they do what the Devil desires to lie, kill and rob.
Act 17:31, “because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
Note: God has fixed a day of judgment, it is not influenced by event, man, circumstance, time or space.
Rom 5:16, “The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.”
Note: The Lord Jesus Christ has two roles: the role to judge the living and the dead, and the role to save all who come to Him for forgiveness of sins. As the Judge of the living and the dead, Jesus Christ condemns all sinners and those who do not believe in Him. As the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ justifies all sinners who repent and believe in Him and gives them eternal life a free gift of God.
Rom 14:10, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
2Co 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Note: The judgment seat of God is the judgment seat of Christ.
Jhn 5:27-30, “and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Note: Authority is Greek is exousia which means power to command; right; jurisdiction; liberty of doing as one pleases; strength; influence and privilege; the power of judicial decisions; the power to decide; convincing force; competency; token of control; – which occurs 102 times in the New Testament. Mat 28:18, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth.” All authority, absolute and unlimited, includes the authority to judge, to reward, to punish, to control, to appoint, to forgive, to command, to govern, to rule, to reign — authority over all and everything.
We believe God gave Jesus Christ the authority to execute judgment because Jesus Christ was willing to empty Himself to become Man in humble form and even obedient to the death on the cross.
Act 10:42, “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.”
Note: The poor Roman Catholics who worship Mary as the Mother of God or Holy Mother might ask Mary for help or mercy. They are completely misled and mistaken. Mary was the maid of God who has no power to help or forgive. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the only Judge of the living and the dead. The Chinese have a common belief, death ends everything. Death does not end everything; it only ends your life on earth. After death every sinner or unbeliever faces judgment to be sent to Hades, waiting for resurrection, to face the last judgment, and finally to be sent to Hell, the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, to be tortured forever and ever.
Act 17:30-31, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
Note: The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the proof to all men that God has appointed Him to judge the world in righteousness.
Rom 14:9, “For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”
Note: Jesus Christ is not only the Judge of the living and the dead, He is also the Lord both of the dead and of the living.
2Ti 4:1, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom.”
1Co 6:2, “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?
1Co 6:3, “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?”
Note: One thing that may surprise the world is the fact that the saints will judge the world. Another thing that surprises me is that the saints will judge angels. Once I wrote an article that I wished I were an angel. The Bible does not explain in detail how do the saints will judge angels. My position is never to speculate on anything or subject the Bible is silent. We believe the Word and obey God.
Jhn 5:24,“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My Word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Note: Sinners, this is good news, this is the greatest news. This may be your last chance. He who hears the Word of Jesus Christ, and believes God who sent Him, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. A saved believer has passed out of death into life. The saved sinners are free from the judgment to come. The saved will be judged according to their works to determine whether they will receive rewards or not, not to judge their sins to send them to Hell for everlasting punishment.
Jhn 5:28-29, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
Note: According to Jesus Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead; there are two resurrections. Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life because they have passed out of death into life. Their sins are forgiven and washed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment because they did not believe in the name of the Son of God.
1Pe 4:5, “but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
Note: To give account means to give answer or explanation in reference to judgment to the Judge of the living and the dead.
X. THE LAST JUDGMENT
Jesus never regarded the last judgment as a matter of dispute. Jesus never spoke with hesitancy or uncertainty on any subject. The last judgment is eschatological which will take place in connection with the second coming of Jesus Christ. Do not trust in deceptive words of secular academics or unbelieving theologians. Jesus often emphatically and typically says, Truly, truly, I say to you! When Jesus speaks, God speaks. Jesus is the Word of God. It would be a serious and fatal mistake to think there is a second chance after the last judgment. The punishment inflicted upon sinners, unbelievers, evildoers, sons of disobedience, the wicked and the unrighteous is everlasting in Hell.
Purgatory invented by the Roman Catholicism does not exist, while Hell, the Lake of Fire, is Scriptural and eternal.
Evil men and impostors try craftily to drive a wedge between Jesus and the apostles by saying the teachings of Jesus concerning the Messianic Judgment-day may not be a reflection of the Apostolic hope. These are diabolical and deceptive words. All apostolic teachings confirm and conform to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Apostolic teachings are not the teachings of apostles, they received revelation directly from Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. To subject to the teachings of Jesus is to subject to the will of God. All apostles (excluded Judas, included Paul) subject all things to Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd. Jesus was superior to, and independent of, all Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles. The teaching of Jesus is central and supreme. The truth of Christianity in this: Jesus Christ, the Word of God, precedes and supersedes anyone in Heavens or on earth at any time and for all eternity.
Jesus makes the following strong statements with authority, NO ONE, unmistakably.
Mat 11:27, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Note: God has handed all things to Jesus Christ. Hand over in Greek is paradidōmi which means to give over; commit; deliver up; give into the hands of; give over into one’s power; entrust; present; pass authority or responsibility to; to yield control of; – which occurs 134 times in the New Testament. God has passed the authority and responsibility of all things to His Son Jesus Christ. No one knows Jesus Christ except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son. Without Jesus Christ no one knows the Father. No prophet, no founder of religion, no theologian, no scientist, no philosopher, no Mary, no Apostle, no saint, etc. can know God on his own without Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to reveal God. Reveal in Greek is apokalyptō which means to uncover; to lay open what has been veiled or covered up; to disclose what before was unknown; to make known what before was unknown; to make manifest; to take off the cover; to make bare; – which occurs 27 times in the New Testament. There is only one revelation which is the revelation of Jesus Christ. All other so-called revelations about God by man-made religions are false and fake. The interpretation of the Word of God by Jesus Christ is final and conclusive.
Mar 10:18, “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”
Note: This statement implies no one is good except God alone. You call Jesus good, do you know that Jesus is God and therefore He is good?
Luk 10:22, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Note: All things mean everything, in Heavens and on earth, in the universe.
Luk 18:19, “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”
Jhn 1:18, “ No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
Note: No one has seen God at any time; not even Abraham or Moses. Explain in Greek is exēgeomai which means to declare; to tell; to lead out; to draw out in a narrative; to unfold a teaching; to interpret; to clarify; – which occurs 6 times in the New Testament. Jesus Christ is the ultimate authority to clarify God.
Jhn 3:13, “No one has ascended into Heaven, but He who descended from Heaven: the Son of Man.”
Jhn 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jhn 6:65, “And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
Jhn 10:18, “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
Note: Jesus Christ was never a victim of anyone under any circumstances. No authority can take Jesus’ life. No one has taken the life of Jesus, but Jesus on His own initiative and willingly died for sinners on the cross according to the will of God.
Jhn 10:28, “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”
Note: How precious and how dear, the Lord Jesus gives eternal life to His believers and followers. Christians will never perish; and no one will snatch believers out of Jesus’ hand. No one is more powerful than Jesus Christ.
Jhn 10:29, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
Note: In the whole universe, no one is greater that God the Father. No one is able to snatch His children out of the Father’s hand. This is the eternal security of Christians in Christ Jesus.
Jhn 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I AM the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Note: Jesus Christ is the only WAY to God. This is the TRUTH. To believe in the TRUTH of Christ is to receive LIFE.
The following Scriptures agreed by all Apostles and disciples of all ages:
Act 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under Heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
Jhn 5:19-24, “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Note: The Judgment Seat of God is the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Father judges no one, but He has given all judgment to the Son. He who honors the Son honors the Father. He who hears the Word of Jesus and believes God who sent Jesus, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Christians or believers in Christ will not come into judgment at the Last Judgment. Christians will be judged for their works whether they receive reward or not, not their sins.
1Co 3:11-15, “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Note: If a Christian builds on the foundation which is Jesus Christ, after the test by fire, and if the work remains, he will receive a reward.
Mat 5:12, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Mat 6:4, “so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Mar 9:41,“For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.”
1Co 3:8, “Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”
Rev 22:12, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”
The Judgment Seat of Christ
2Co 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Rev 20:11, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.”
Note: The glory, power, majesty and honor of the Lord who sits on the great white throne is so great and awesome, even earth and heaven fled away from His presence!
1Pe 4:17, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of God?”
Note: We believe the Great White Throne is the same His glorious throne. The last judgement will begin with the household of God, those who are children of God. The works of Christians will be judged to determine if they receive a reward or not.
Jhn 7:24,“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Note: There are deluded people who may think God may treat them differently because they look beautiful. Delilah may think she is beautiful. Many Hollywood actresses may think they are beautiful, but God does not judge according to appearance. No one can charm the Holy God. There is no VIP treatment in judgment or in Hell. Unrepentant beautiful people (actors and actresses) will be also judged and to be sent to Hell as all ugly sinners. Some may be deluded to think God may make exception because they were former presidents of nations, prime ministers, chairmen, kings, queens, princesses, princes, moguls, tycoons, generals, scientists, academics, theologians, philosophers, etc. In fact, the Lord especially despises all the corrupt honored of the earth.
Jesus will in the last judgment separate all the peoples in the world into two groups only: the saved, believers and followers, Apostles and Prophets, the righteous on the Right; the unsaved, lost, evildoers, unbelievers, the wicked and the unrighteous on the Left.
The Judgment
Mat 25:31-46, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 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; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to 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? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been 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; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Note: There will be only two destinies: eternal punishment and eternal life. There is no purgatory. There is no second chance.
2Co 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
2Pe 2:3, “and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Note: In the last days you witness most corrupt and greedy leaders and politicians, to exploit with false words without shame. They lie, lie, and lie. They kill, kill and kill. They rob, rob and rob. They lift up high the banners of Democracy, Civil Rights, Human Rights, Freedom and Humanitarian Aid whenever they want to do evil deeds and invade and occupy and destroy other nations. They are not only warmongers and evildoers, they are shameless hypocrites. They are well-trained in greed and expert in lies and false words and they walk craftily. The Bible warns them, their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Rom 2:17-29, “But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written. For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”
Rev 14:7, “and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the Heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
Rev 18:20, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”
Rom 2:2-3, “And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Gen 31:42, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”
1Ki 3:28, “When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”
2Ch 24:24, “Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the LORD delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.”
Ezr 7:26, “Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”
Psa 76:9, “When God arose to judgment,
To save all the humble of the earth. Selah.”
Ecc 11:9, “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.”
Note: When you are young, remember old age will come. When you are alive, remember after death is judgment.
Isa 5:16, “But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment,
And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.”
Eze 20:36, “As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares the Lord GOD.”
Rom 2:5, “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
Note: Warmongers and terrorists, thieves and robbers, crooks and criminals, are storing up wrath day by day.
Rom 12:3, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
Rom 14:10, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
1Co 4:5, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
Note: Believers of all ages could not and do not speculate or surmise on what Jesus could or could not have said. We stand firm only on exactly what Jesus has said. It does not matter to Christians what the apostles or anyone else could or could not have said about anything. Our faith is purely and solely based on the Word of God.
2Th 1:5, “This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.”
1Pe 4:17, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of God?”
Rev 14:7, “and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the Heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
Rev 20:4, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Gen 31:42, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”
Exo 28:15, “You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it.”
Exo 28:29-30, “Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.”
Lev 19:15, “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.”
Lev 19:35, “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity.”
Num 27:21, “Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”
Deu 1:17, “You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”
Deu 16:18, “You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.”
Jos 20:6, “He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.”
Jdg 4:5, “She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.”
2Sa 15:2, “Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
2Sa 15:6, “In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.”
1Ki 3:28, “When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God.”
1Ki 7:7, “He made the hall of the throne where he was to judge, the hall of judgment, and it was paneled with cedar from floor to floor.”
1Ki 20:40, “While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”
Judgment at the Throne of God
Rev 20:11-15, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and Heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.”
Note: It is clear from the Scriptures quoted above, the unbelievers and the wicked went to Hades after death. They will rise again for the last judgment (eternal judgment) when Jesus Christ returns to judge the living and the dead by the books recording all their sins. The second death is not annihilation. Those who are in Hell will continuously feel pain and death, but not dead. They will be tortured day and night, body and soul, forever and ever. They will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Hell) with death and Hades – this is the eternal punishment of body and soul. The saved whose names are written in the Book of Life will enter into eternal life.
2Pe 2:9, “then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.”
Eze 39:21, “And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them.”
Psa 143:2, “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous.”
Note: In the sight of God no man living is righteous. In the sight of God, right or wrong, good or evil, is decided. Judgement is not based on the view of any man or any legal system. Judgment is based on the decree of God. The only way to avoid the eternal judgment is while you are alive on earth, repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Through the redemptive work of Christ who died on the cross for our sins, and by grace through faith, you may obtain the righteousness of God in Christ and the forgiveness of sins. And thus all believers are justified and received the right to become the children of God, there is no more condemnation for the saved.
Dan 7:22, “until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the Kingdom.”
Ecc 11:9, “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.”
Isa 66:16, “For the LORD will execute judgment by fire
And by His sword on all flesh,
And those slain by the LORD will be many.”
Heb 10:27, “but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.”
Note: Terrifying in Greek is phoberos which means fearful; terrible; awful; formidable; frightful; affected with fear; inspiring fear; causing terror; – which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. Expectation in Greek is ekdochē which means looking for; waiting; awaiting; – which occurs 1 time in the New Testament. A terrifying expectation of the world is the judgment of God. The second coming of Jesus Christ is the greatest expectation of believers and followers of Jesus Christ, but it is the most terrifying expectation for the world because the Judge of the living and the dead is going to judge the world and consume the adversaries with fire.
Jer 25:31, “A clamor has come to the end of the earth,
Because the LORD has a controversy with the nations.
He is entering into judgment with all flesh;
As for the wicked, He has given them to the sword,’ declares the LORD.”
Mal 3:5,“Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.”
The judgment for the ungodly, unrighteous, and the wicked is clear and firm and final. They will all go down to eternal Hell. The righteous Judge will also reward the godly, the righteous believers and servants of the Lord. For example, the Lord will award the crown of righteousness to the Apostle Paul, etc.
Rom 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Note: What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus? If you are in Christ, all your sins are forgiven, there is now no condemnation.
Rom 8:10-11, “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
Note: To be in Christ means to have the Spirit of Christ dwell in you and give you a new life.
2Ti 4:8, “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Rev 20:4, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
The Last Judgment will be the sequel of the reign of Jesus Christ.
Mic 4:3, “And He will judge between many peoples
And render decisions for mighty, distant nations.
Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
And never again will they train for war.”
Note: In the Millennium when Jesus Christ and saints will rule the world for a thousand years on earth, there will be peace, safety and tranquility:
Isa 11:6-9, “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.”
On the whole, the judgment of God is the most serious matter. The last judgment is the final judgment for sure, there is no wishy-washiness about it. Eternal punishment is eternal. Eternal life is eternal. Eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven is the highest and noblest summum bonum, things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.
God is going to judge the mankind, great and small, male and female. No one can escape the judgment of God, be it president, prime minister, pimp or prostitute, supremacist, racist, militarist, capitalists, imperialist and terrorist.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE JUDGMENT OF GOD?
You have learned a great deal about the judgment of God.
Rev 21:3-5, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men,
and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.”
And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Will you be there?
You can be there by believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Judge of the living and dead, as your Lord and Savior.
Will you do it before it is too late!
Willie Wong Thought
Willie Wong
August 10, 2025
https://williewong.cw.center/wp-admin
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