“Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.”

Revelation 14:7 KJV

In reading the Book of Revelation, one would notice that one of the final messages that Christ gave to John was regarding the urgency of His Second Coming and connected with His Coming was the giving of a reward; both to the righteous and to the wicked.

Notice the words of Christ: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work“, Revelation 22:12.

According to Christ, everyone of us will be rewarded based on the deeds done in the body, whether good or evil. The Holy Spirit speaking through Solomon attested to this when he wrote:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 KJV

Therefore, in order for Christ to give His reward to the inhabitants of the earth, from Adam down until those of us living in these last days, some sort of judgment must have taken place in the Heavenly councils, for as it is in the natural so it is in the Spiritual. The judgment of investigation always precedes the sentence, or the reward as it were. Hence why Solomon says, God shall bring every work into judgement.

If we, being mere fallen mortals, go through a period of investigation and judgment before a sentence is given in an earthly court room, how much more the Great God of Heaven will investigate and judge our deeds done in this mortal body, before the great reward is given; either for eternal life or eternal damnation.

Paul himself tells us this as he referenced the words of Solomon:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV

Paul tells us that the God which Solomon says will judge us, is no other than the Son of God, who Himself is God, Jesus Christ, the Righteous.

Did not God, come down into the Garden of Eden to see or investigate the deeds of Adam & Eve before the judgment was given unto them that they should be cast out of Paradise? See: Genesis 3:8-24 KJV

Did He not also come down to see or investigate the deeds that had been done by the inhabitants of the post flood world, in their defiance of His will, in building the Tower of Babel? Was not a judgment done and a sentence poured out in the confounding or confusion of the languages of the people? See Genesis 11:1-9 KJV

In the Parable of Christ to His disciples, did not the King come in to see and investigate the attendees of the Marriage to see if they were wearing the right garments, investigating their characters as it were? And was he who was found not clothed in the right attire not cast out, having rightly received his reward? Matthew 22:1-14 KJV

Furthermore, did not God investigate and judge the deeds done by those wicked inhabitants of Sodom & Gomorrah and the surrounding cities before He gave them the reward of utter destruction? See Genesis 18: 16-22 KJV

Friends, this concept of God judging individuals before He gives them their due reward for their deeds is not a new concept, but in fact it is very Biblical indeed, after all He is the Righteous Judge.

Notice the below vision of Daniel:

“I watched till thrones were put in place and the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow and the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire;
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated and the books were opened.”

Daniel 7:9-10 KJV

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands…

Revelation 5:11 KJV

What else is being described here but a court case? The books are opened, and every deed, whether good or bad, is being reviewed in the Heavenly Throne Room. The Apostle John tells us that these ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, are none other than the angels in Heaven. Therefore, we see an image of an ongoing Heavenly Judgment with all the Angels as a jury as it were. God has shown us before hand what shall take place in these last days.

Therefore, if we know that there is a work of judgement taking place now before Christ comes, then this should stir our hearts to put away sin, to confess our wrongs and to plead the Righteous Blood of Jesus Christ upon our lives that we may be cleansed form all sin. For as Paul tells us, Christ is returning for a spotless Bride, without any blemishes and wrinkles, that is, without a trace of sin, Ephesians 5:25-26 KJV.

This Judgment, first starts with the House of God, that is, it starts with all who have ever have professed belief in Christ. For Christ is coming back the Second time, not for sinners, but for the righteous. As we are told, “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Hebrews 9:28 KJV

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

1 Peter 4:17 NKJV

What will be the end of those who believe not the Gospel of God? Destruction, for the wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God. Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NKJV

“…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe…”

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NKJV

Therefore, may these words, cause us to examine ourselves and seek more of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that we may be cleansed and sanctified and prepared to stand in the Day of Christ’s glorious Second Coming. For the great Day of His wrath is come and who will be able to stand? Revelation 6:17

As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God’s remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses: “Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book.” Exodus 32:33. And says the prophet Ezekiel: “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, … all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned.” Ezekiel 18:24. 

Christ in His Sanctuary pg.177

Friends, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, 1 John 2:1 KJV, a representative who will stand for us in the midst of this ongoing Heavenly tribunal. Not only is He the Judge, but He is also our Lawyer.

Woe unto them who reject Christ and therefore they have no one to plead mercy on their behalf in this Heavenly court room.

Upon which side do you stand Reader?

Loud Cry Compendium