Category: End Times

What Demons Know

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There is an appointed time and place of God’s unbelievable judgment. Demons know this. Though they continue to wage war against God, they are fully aware of their own coming demise. Demons also know of the current power of Jesus Christ to command their comings and goings, for they acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. Demonic powers recognize the God-Man and His dominion. They react to His kingship now to the degree God ordains in this age, and they will finally be demolished to the absolute degree at God’s appointed time.

If only we human beings knew of God’s power and judgment! And, of course, I mean “knew” in the sense of acting upon the information. I fear the people of God live far too timidly in this dark world and experience far too little victory and hope. Jesus is Lord over the domain of darkness and self-destruction. Let’s recognize Him as such and take Him at His Word.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all explain the account of Jesus casting a legion of demons out of a man in the first century A.D. While Matthew tells us of two demon-possessed men, Mark and Luke focus on only one of the demoniacs at the scene. The demons had such horrid effects on this human life that no other people could come near the man. He was violent, self-destructive, out of his right mind, and living among the tombs of the dead due to the influence of Satan’s minions. Matthew tells us of both the demon-possessed men that they were “so fierce that no one could pass that way” (Matthew 8:28, ESV). Mark explains the horror: “He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones” (Mark 5:3-6, ESV). The physician, Luke, informs us that the demoniac wore no clothes while living among tombs instead of in a house. We have, therefore, a terrible and comprehensive description of Satan’s influence on this person. The demons wrought devastation in this life – and the effects were obvious to all.

And yet, despite all the damage the demons could do, they yielded to the awesome power of Jesus. Even though no human could get near these demons inhabiting a man, when Jesus came close, they met Him and cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29b, ESV) Notice three things about the demons’ knowledge:

    1) They recognize and name Jesus as the Son of God, and
    2) They realize there is a specific, future time of their punishment; and
    3) They admit that Jesus has the power to torment them.

Though Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), even His demons must acknowledge the Truth of God in Jesus Christ. Satan makes it his business to slander and lie by twisting the truth and withholding it from us, but Jesus stands as the Truth of God in Person. Lies cannot stand up to Jesus, who is the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Though they rebel against His way, the demons realize their rebellion is, in fact, against the very real God of the universe.

The demons function in futility. They work hard to torment and enslave, knowing all the while the final doom they face. As Matthew recorded, they know the time is coming. Luke says, “And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss” (Luke 8:31, ESV). Satan and his disgusting servants are aware of the material of the book of Revelation, as well they should be; for hell itself was originally prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)

    Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while … And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10, ESV)

The demons’ awareness does not stop them. Jesus made clear that “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10, ESV). The devil will battle to the bitter end. Knowing his fate is sealed, it appears his goal is to take as many people with him as he can.

We notice that although the demonic forces torment willing humans, demons recognize that Jesus has the power to torment them eternally. For every bit of destruction Satan has brought upon mankind, he will be repaid. His cohorts know this. Justice will be served by the holy God who sees everything and rights all wrongs.

My prayer is that we would act on the knowledge we have. Demons know much, but they have no saving faith. In a discussion about faith and works, James tells us that true faith will result in action. He brings to our attention demons – who believe in the sense of knowing – but are not saved from damnation. He says to the church, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder!” Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (James 2:19-20, ESV)

James here expresses a vital truth. At the very least, we need to know what demons know about God’s power and judgment. However, we must also ACT on our knowledge, for that is true belief. Angels and demons are who they are from now into eternity; humans alone are the objects of God’s wonderful salvation. In fact, when Peter tells us of this good news of salvation through Jesus, he adds that they are “things into which angels long to look” (I Peter 1:12b, ESV). In other words, angels do not know of the glorious experience of being loved despite sin — to the point of Jesus paying the price for their lives. Only a redeemed human can know the depth of that love. Angles and demons remain who they are – with their end already determined, glorious and damnable, respectively. People, on the other hand, must decide to act on the truth we have been given. We must believe to the point of a changed life.

If we as Christians acted out our belief in 1) Jesus as the Son of God, and 2) His power to bring about His specific, future time of punishment; the world would be different. I would worship Him more intensely and prayerfully witness to unsaved people with increased fervency.

Knowing the fear demons had of Jesus’ power, I should act more boldly in the spiritual realm. Putting on the full armor of God, I should stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13) Waging war against demonic strongholds on a regular basis, I should actively access divine power and begin destroying the work of the enemy in my life. (II Corinthians 10:3-4) After all, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8b, ESV). Obviously, even the demons know that!

Your Christmas Is Too Small

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Your Christmas is too small. And by that, I do not mean your tree is too short, you don’t have enough lights outside, or your gifts are not expensive. Your Christmas is too small if it leaves Jesus in the manger, or on the Cross, – or even rising from the tomb and ascending to Heaven.

If your “Silent Night” does not give way to “Resounding Day,” then your Christmas is too small. No amount of presents, perfectly placed wreaths, wonderfully decorated cookies, delightful parties, or time-tested traditions can erase the ultimate letdown you will feel when your Christmas is too small and your “Silent Night” does not point you to the greater “Resounding Day.”

See Christmas through to its infinitely, far-reaching end. Let the star of Bethlehem over the tiny manger remind you of how stars, moon, and sun will be eclipsed one day by the light of Christ’s all-consuming glory. He who lay under a star in the prickly hay of a feeding trough will soon outshine every heavenly body He has made! (Revelation 21:23)

Let the fact that He could find no place in the inn at birth (Luke 2:7), and that He had no place to lay his head in life (Luke 9:38), remind you that He is returning to this universe to take over all places. . . . And prepare them perfectly for you! (Romans 8:21, Revelation 21:1-4, John 14:2-3)

Precisely because Jesus walked this broken earth, we can walk the restored earth soon. He came to the real world in order to bring real hope for a new, real world. Though the best of Christmas seasons come and go in this life, we will enter an eternal season of unending joy and activity – never to be bothered again by the stinging pain of sin as it currently invades every facet of living.

Your Christmas is too small unless you connect the message of the angel Gabriel two millennia ago to the future message of the nameless, seventh angel and many loud voices:

    FIRST CHRISTMAS: “And [Gabriel] said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus'” (Luke 1:30-31, ESV).
    FINAL, ETERNAL ADVENT: “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever'” (Revelation 11:15, ESV).

When Christmas seems too small, remember a line from the third stanza of “Silent Night”: “Radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace . . .” Christmas is only the beginning – the dawn of the new Day.

Silent night of long ago will give way to the resounding day of yet-to-come when the humble Jesus of the manger re-enters the world as the mighty Christ of the universe. The story goes from obscure birth without fanfare to angelic trumpets and loud voices proclaiming the inversion of a godless world into the glorious kingdom of God. He who served us with His birth and death will finally rule us with His life!

Don’t Shrink Back

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“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” – Hebrews 10:35-39 (NIV, 1984)

“Do not throw away your confidence,” “You have need of endurance,” and “We are not of those who shrink back.” These three phrases packed into a small passage of five verses remind us of a need to persevere. God here brings to our immediate attention the fact that utter discouragement is a very real possibility. Our defense against this weariness is to look forward to the coming future that is completely ensured by our God. Rather than a magical formula or a work of sheer human effort, God’s Word provides the Truth on which to stand. Though currently unknown and presently not experienced by us, we will receive the ultimate promise if we hold on.

“Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay.” Though we wait for the Lord’s return and the justice He will bring, He is actually coming without delay. His timing is impeccable, and He does all things right. Though it feels long to us humans, the time until His return is short – just a little while. With that in mind, be warned by the next phrase of God’s Word.

“But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” Shrinking back is an action of fear. I shrink back from big spiders and powerful thunderstorms and scary noises in the night when my husband is travelling. However, shrinking back from my faith in Jesus Christ is unacceptable. He is one hundred percent reliable. Furthermore, my shrinking back from faith in Jesus causes God Almighty to have no pleasure in me. Now, none of us likes for any particular person to avoid us because he or she finds no joy in relating to us. But multiply that feeling by infinity to apprehend what it would be like to know that God finds no pleasure in you. The one Person I want to rejoice in my existence is my Maker, Provider, and King. If He does not rejoice over me, I am doomed.

This is precisely why the distinct and direct connection is made between shrinking back and being destroyed. “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed.” If I walk away from my confidence in Jesus, I walk directly to my doom. True faith is equated with my preservation. Therefore, despite hardship, I will endure. Come what may, I desire to do God’s will now in order to receive what He has promised. In just a short while, I will see Him . . . If I don’t shrink back.

Do All Good Things Really Come to an End?

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I recently attended a picnic that included a fun “bouncy house” with a slide for kids to enjoy. Squeals of delight accompanied the antics of the children as they jumped and played. The picnic also included cookie decorating for kids and the time-tested water balloon battle.

As I was leaving the picnic and walking to my car in the evening, I heard a young voice about one hundred feet behind me begin to complain and then cry. This little girl wanted her mom to know that she was not at all ready to leave the bouncy house and all her friends. As the girl entered into a tantrum; I heard her mother say, “All good things must eventually come to an end.” At those words, I stopped in my tracks. I literally paused in the parking lot and thanked God that the mother’s statement was not true. Though countless people throughout the years have uttered the same sentence as this caring mother, it is simply false.

Oh, to be sure, we have all felt the pangs of good things seeming to come to an end: the last day of a great vacation arrives, darkness settles in after a glorious sunset, bad news follows a time of laughter with friends, sickness hits after a long stint of health, discontent invades after a great success, a beautiful flower fades, a loved one moves away, a friend dies, a season of life passes and only memories are left. Yes, in this life we experience loss and grief. The glimmers of goodness are invaded by a pervasive tendency toward disappointment, sadness, and loss. However, the good we experience is not a temporary blip on the computer screen of life, but rather a deep and meaningful reminder of original intentions that will be gloriously restored. Good is not flimsy and of a temporary nature; good is ultimately enduring and victorious.

Recall God’s original pronouncement of His work on the sixth day of creation, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NASB). Before our human nature turned against God and His plan for the cosmos, the world was very good. Of course! For, it came from a good God. This God is eternal; His goodness goes endlessly back before the start of the world. In the same way, His good will go endlessly forward at the re-creating of this world. When God finally makes His dwelling place with us (Revelation 21:3), we will experience the reality of Psalm 16:11 (NASB), “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

Did you catch the all-important words? “Fullness of joy” and “pleasures forever.” This is not the stuff of fairytales. This is truth from the Word of God. As true as John 3:16 is Psalm 16:11. God will once-and-for-all vanquish evil and allow good to prevail unhindered. Imagine! No end to righteous enjoyment! No watching the clock to see when the end of a good thing comes. No incomplete moments. No “having to leave the bouncy house.” No separating of right relationships. No goodbye. No regret. No end to good.

I urge you, then, to consider the way to be a part of God’s plan. In the first century A.D., the Apostle Paul identified the heart of the problem when it comes to goodness and our own, individual hearts. He knew the pain of goodness interrupted – of the seemingly triumphant evil. He said in Romans 7:18-20 (NIV), “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

So we see that good has its limits and end in people, too. But this is not the final chapter of the story. Even in the case of our own, human heart, “All good things do not have to come to an end.” Paul found the answer to our dilemma. When he recognized the sin himself (and, by the way, sin is the absence of good), he cried out, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24, NIV, 1984). Paul saw that sin brings the death of all hope and goodness. He recognized his desperate need to be delivered from sin and death. The answer reverberates through the annals of time, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25, NIV, 1984). Unequivocally, Jesus is the One who rescues us from sin and the death of good. Because of Jesus Christ, I will one day experience “fullness of joy” in God’s presence and His divine “pleasures forever.” (Psalm 16:11)

Hold on, my friend! Allow the glimpses of good you experience now to remind you of the ultimate and enduring reality, “All good things do not come to an end.” In fact, all truly good things will go on forever when our God comes back to vanquish evil and make all things good again. No more tears of sadness then. No more tantrums or frustration. Thank you, Jesus!

Two Bloody Robes Tell the Story

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And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. – Matthew 27:28 (ESV)

He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. – Revelation 19:13 (ESV)

The scene immediately preceding the crucifixion of Jesus is heartbreaking and gruesome. It ought to be deeply pondered by every person to let its reality sink in. And then, one incident in particular needs to be tied to its victorious outcome. The scene at the end of God’s Word – in the book of Revelation – is both a fitting, glorious conclusion and a sobering, devastating reality. To those who truly apprehend and order their lives according to real faith in Jesus Christ, the theme traced from the first century to the end of earthly history is one of mystery and majesty. To those opposed to the Christian Gospel, the theme – while perhaps scoffed at – is, in truth, the greatest reality with which one must deal.

Let’s travel from the first century to the end of time using one, simple thread. We shall see things quite easily as we stick to one part of both accounts – a robe. Though countless details exist, let us focus on this one component in order to cut to the heart of what is both similar and different about two historical events, one of which is yet to take place.

In the first scene, Jesus has been arrested, Judas has committed suicide, and Pilate has delivered Christ to be crucified. After Jesus was beaten, the governor’s soldiers began a mockery of Jesus. Matthew 27:27-31 (ESV) records the grievous details:

    Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

Note with me, please, the first action of scorn the soldiers pursued: the placement of a scarlet robe on the beaten, bleeding body of Jesus. This robe was part of a greater scheme to belittle both the Person and the claim of Christ. The main point of contention here is the perception by some that Jesus was the King of the Jews. The soldiers would taunt Jesus concerning His real identity. Apparently believing Him to be a fool instead of royalty, they gave him a robe, a crown of thorns, and a reed for a staff. Then they knelt before Him in disdain, mockingly calling out, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Can you imagine Jesus Christ, bleeding on his back and sides beneath that robe and bleeding on His head from under the crown made of thorns? Can you envision Him holding a reed for a scepter as the soldiers spit on Him and rail at Him in hatred? Poor Jesus! How our human hearts ache at the thought of the misery and shame He endured. And yet, what makes this event most amazing is its display of the unimaginable patience of God. How could the Son of God – who is equipped with the power to calm the seas and able to raise men and women from the dead – how could He now restrain Himself to bear the unjust cruelty of these moments? He could – and He did – because of the power of His mercy. Jesus knew what He had to experience on our behalf so we would not have to bear the punishment of our own sin. He withstood the wrath of God and the weight of our sin for us. All of the suffering and scorn He went through was in order to take our place. We deserve to be taunted by Satan for our sin, but Jesus endured the ridicule of Satan, even though He had never done a thing wrong.

Amazing love is what restrained the arms of Jesus so that He did not tear off the scarlet robe and destroy the soldiers in one flash of justified wrath. In boundless compassion, Jesus restrained the full revelation of who He is and chose not to cast off the crown of thorns to show the world His real power. Jesus wore the robe, soaked as it was with His own blood, from the beating He took. Christ wore the robe, though it was placed on Him by those who refused to believe he deserves a real, most regal robe.

Fast forward to the end of time. Plough ahead to the return of Jesus to this earth a second time. We have the privilege of looking to an historical event before it happens, because our timeless God recorded it for us in His word. Hear the words of the apostle John in Revelation 19:11-21 (ESV):

    Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Perhaps all that can be said after a careful reading of this account is, “Wow!” Understand, friend, that the One on the white horse, with eyes as fire, with a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, and wearing a robe dipped in blood is none other than Jesus Christ. He does not sound like the Jesus who bore the ridicule of Roman soldiers. No longer are people kneeling before Him to make light of His claim to kingship. No! All the forces of evil and followers of Satan are being slain by the sword Jesus now wields from His mouth. His robe now rightly declares His true nature – as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

And before anyone should think this scene is too gory, recall what our perfectly Holy God endured on and around the cross. The Righteous One restrained Himself and carried the due punishment of unrestrained, unrighteous humans. In those moments, God displayed His mercy. All the while, though, God remained just. For all His attributes exist in perfect balance at all times. He was able to display mercy in the most real way because His divine justice is also real. At the end of history, we shall witness the fullest revelation of His justice in much the same way we witness the fullest revelation of His mercy at the Cross.

Jesus will then rightly wear a robe that John tells us is “dipped in blood.” What a fitting reminder! Jesus once wore a robe soaked in the blood from his undeserved punishment. Now He wears a robe dipped in blood as He judges and makes war. No more restraint. Evil must be banished. All those choosing not to submit to the plan of righteousness must be judged so that goodness may prevail forever. And as our Jesus rides His white horse to the final battlefield with the armies of Heaven following behind, He is adorned with a robe to remind us of the reason we get to be part of the victory – the first, dismal robe He once wore! His loving restraint during the season of His suffering results in our sharing in the victory of the final dismissal of evil from the universe. None will mock Him then! The full revelation of His kingship is here!

Whether the blood of this second robe is representative of Jesus’ own blood shed for us long ago, or it is representative of the blood of His enemies who are now being judged, one fact remains: the Jesus of mercy is also the Jesus of justice. He makes all things right.

What must He have thought that day the soldiers put that pitiful robe on His bleeding back? Was He envisioning the robe He would one day wear as He rides the white horse to the final war against evil? Was He looking at the soldier and the crowds thinking, “I will wear this robe so you have the chance to be saved from the wrath my second robe will bring?” We don’t know exactly. We only know He loves us and promises to bring justice in the end. Either I put my sin at the Cross with Him at the time of the first robe, or I endure the punishment of my own sin starting with His wielding of the sword as He dons the second robe. He is the same Jesus; I must make a choice. Which robe?

The End of the World as We Know It

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“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” – II Peter 3:11 (NIV)

A definite, predetermined, cataclysmic event awaits us. It is not far off, as understood in the context of God’s plan. The world knows it will happen; though people may refer to vague and remote catastrophes such as the earth falling into the expanding sun after a few billion years, or a massive asteroid impact, or dreaded and deadly nuclear war, or a black hole disaster, or any other number of proposed life-ending episodes.

No matter what people propose as the method, something in human nature points to a general feeling of the temporary nature of this world as we currently know it. In their suspicion of final destruction, humans are right. However, the circumstances and the ultimate result are critical.

The infallible Word of God reports to us the glaring and glorious reality: everything of this earth as we know it will be destroyed. Peter is specific, “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (II Peter 3:10, NIV). As straightforward as this message is and as threatening as it sounds, God tells us to look forward to this earth’s end (II Peter 3:12). Why? Because the dissolution of what is imperfect and painful means a rebuilding into what is perfect and delightful. Jesus must clear the old to make room for the perpetually new!

Getting back to the heartbeat of Peter’s theme of introspection here, we listen to him say once again, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” Wow. This is one serious, life-altering question. Everything of this earth and heavens is going to be consumed by fire – absolutely everything. What, then, should be my focus? What should my life look like? What should constitute the moments of my days, the thoughts of my mind, and the affections of my heart?

My life would be quite radical in comparison to the average life if I honestly lived by the proposition that this current world system is headed for a colossal undoing. Does the constant redecorating of my house just to keep up with current trends really matter? Does a scratch on my new car bother me more than the sin in my own heart? Is my investment in another vacation or summer home important compared to my investment in the seeking of lost souls in this life? Are hours of television viewing a worthy endeavor compared to the saturation of my mind with the living Word of God? To put it another way, what am I doing? What kind of person am I?

A temptation of the enemy is to get us to live moments in light of the here and now, rather than in light of the immense change just on the horizon. Hebrews 10:37 (NIV) describes it this way, “For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay.'” He will come in just a very little while. Though the end of this current world seems so far away, it comes upon us quickly. Our timeless God does not view events as we do. He knows Jesus will be coming back soon. We need to listen to God’s truth and prepare ourselves in light of what He knows – not what our opinion or feeling is. We may not sense the return of the Lord while we brush our teeth in the morning, but the truth remains. Though I do not always feel the reality of the impending eradication of the world, I need to operate according to that truth.

The entire Bible is God’s Word. Everything will be destroyed. Then righteousness will reign in the Person of Jesus Christ. So, what kind of person should I be?

Will Christians Have Knowledge of the Great White Throne Judgment?

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First, we must understand that God’s judgment of people is right. Unlike human judicial systems which can make mistakes or include corruption, God’s judgment is pure and altogether fitting. We humans know amazingly little compared to God whose understanding is without limit (Isaiah 40:28). And when God takes any action of wrath, that action is centered on His holiness. His anger is right anger, unlike ours. As the Definer of all terms and Creator of all workings, God has the authority to proceed based on truth. Because He offered Himself – in Jesus – as the object of His own wrath, He is altogether right in judging those people who do not accept His sacrifice and choose to carry their guilt on their own (I Corinthians 5:21).

When God carried out the unimaginable deed of having His Son bear our sin on the Cross, the act was public. Both the unbelievers and the believers could witness the divine judgment of God that day, as Jesus took our rightful place. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave – victorious over sin and death – and walked the earth for forty days in the presence of many. God did His work of judgment and salvation publicly on this earth. Similarly, God tells us to confess our own salvation as we believe (Romans 10:9-10).

God never has reason to be ashamed. In fact, God’s final act of judgment against Satan and those who follow him is a day of victory for righteousness. While God loves all people, He must once-and-for-all rid the heavens and earth of sinfulness. If He did not, we would forever suffer in this broken world. Our hope is a place of rightness, where God is truly and fully worshipped. Honoring His creation with dignity, God will give to unbelievers their choice – to be separated from God’s reign and plan.

With all this in mind, I am prone to think that believers will be aware of the Great White Throne Judgment as outlined in Revelation 20:11-15. Justice will be served as all of death and hell – and those whose names are not recorded in the book of life – are thrown into the lake of fire. No more will those opposed to the perfect plan of God be allowed to bring sin to the scene. Satan will have already been deposited in the lake of fire by the time of the final judgment of humans (Revelation 20:10). This ultimate judgment is what allows God to fully usher in the new heaven and new earth; wherein is no sadness, pain, or death (Revelation 21:1-4). Why? Because the source of sadness, pain, and death – sin against God – is consummately removed. For this day, we are thankful. Our true grief over this day ought to be grappled with now. We should be proclaiming the grand, overarching plan of God to every person we can. We need to make known redemption through Jesus Christ.

When we are tempted to believe God’s end plan is unfair, let us fix our perspective. Guilty humans being held accountable for the sin they commit and refuse to place by faith on Jesus is not unfair. Mind-boggling is Jesus, the God-Man, bearing the sin of others even though He had no sin! Jesus faced the wrath of God though He deserved no wrath. His punishment for us sinful people is the experience we should meet with amazement, not the punishment of humans for their own guilt.

Every person has the choice to place his sin on Jesus, rather than to be punished eternally for what we deserve. Our infinite God was able to absorb the payment for all sin in one, finite moment; while finite humans would have to go on forever in punishment for sin against a boundless God. We have the beautiful choice to bear our sin or place our sin on Jesus Christ.

All choices will be honored as God keeps His Word to provide a perfect place for His people one day. That glorious existence requires both the separation of sin and all its adherents from Heaven and justice to be served. Our witness of this will be eclipsed by what comes next, as God wipes our tears away and commences an existence for us so grand we simply cannot imagine.

Embarrassed?

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Have you ever been embarrassed to talk about Jesus? Have you ever felt funny about including Bible verses in regular conversation? Let’s now take this up a notch . . . Have you ever felt weird about including Jesus or His words in a get-together with another Christian? I have been in all three situations.

The world in general is largely opposed to Jesus Christ but comfortable with religion. The culture may even accept the idea of the Bible’s existence, but the world certainly deems it odd to ponder the Bible’s contents over coffee. And what about the church in general? Even among Christians, conversation and activity often swells around topics of little eternal significance. A person can find himself frowned upon for making Jesus or the Word of God a central part of thought and interaction. This should not be, my friends. But so it is.

Our own sin in this area should sicken us. Here is the straightforward deal spoken by Jesus Himself, “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in an adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38, ESV). This truth is both hard-hitting and not difficult to comprehend. If we are ashamed of Him and His Bible, He will be ashamed of us. But, take notice of the details. Jesus makes no excuses for our embarrassment just because the world is “so wicked.” He tells us we are not to be ashamed even in the midst of sinfulness and adultery. The adultery He seems to speak of here is people’s spiritual unfaithfulness to their Creator. The unsaved world is very sinful, and the church is often unfaithful. Still, the lover of Jesus is to proudly speak of Him and His Word. We are to allow no hostile situation or the lukewarm attitudes of friends or family stop us from centering our thoughts, words, and actions on the Person of Jesus Christ and the Bible.

If we choose to continue in the sin of being ashamed as we walk this difficult path in a sinful world, then Jesus will be ashamed of us in the light of His glory – surrounded by angels. Yes, I am called to stand firm and love Him and promote Him as my very life – no matter what. If some Christians think I am crazy for obsessing over Jesus and His Word, so be it. If unbelievers become malicious in word or deed, so be it. One day – if we remain faithful – our Jesus will be proud to call us His own when everything is finally made right. Stand up for Him and His words in a harsh and evil world, and He will stand up for you in a new and glorious world! The other option . . . well, I don’t even want to think about that.

When the Walls Come Crumbling Down

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Speaking about the enemies of God, Isaiah writes, “The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust” (25:12, ESV). These words strike me as I read them, for how can “unassailable” fortifications be assailed? By God! His strength supersedes the combined forces of evil. No enemy of His stands a chance when God decides to bring vengeance and deliver HIs own people from tyranny and affliction.

Isaiah is writing prophetically during a time when godless Assyria is threatening Israel and Judah. Isaiah lived long enough to see the northern kingdom of Israel conquered by Assyria and taken captive. Isaiah continued to plead with Judah concerning their sin, knowing they, too, would suffer the same consequence if no change took place. Nonetheless, God prompted Isaiah to speak forth the ultimate victory of the Lord and His remnant of followers. Assured God would one day destroy Assyria and Babylon – and bring His people back to their land – Isaiah proclaims that God’s enemies who have carefully built high strongholds would eventually come to ruin. Though they invested strength and wealth in their own protection, it would not prove to be enough when God Almighty steps into the action of His wrath.

Typical of Isaiah’s style, he projects past the immediate future to the glorious hope we shall all witness at the close of history. Our God will utterly destroy every enemy. That which we struggled against so long – all the heinous work of the devil and his minions – will crumble before our eyes. As a very high wall tumbles and breaks into particles of dust, so will everyone and everything that held its veritable fist to the face of God and His children. No longer will sin’s cruel outcomes be unassailable. Not high enough to avoid God’s “bringing down” are the walls of injustice and evil. Back to the granules from which the strong walls were fashioned, they will return. Though evil men and hideous Satan work assiduously to build their bastions of sinister deeds, none shall stand a chance when the Maker of earth turns all this disgusting work back to dust. God will bring down evil and pulverize its effects to powder, so that His New Heaven and Earth stand rightly – springing forth at the end of time. And we, His people, shall tread this new land, trampling the bits and pieces of the evil that used to be.

What once loomed high and threatened our undoing will effectively be undone. We get glimpses of that ultimate victory each time the gracious Lord defeats sin’s destructive power in our lives. In every single instance of God’s divine protection from harm or demise, we peer into the mysterious realm of the grand future yet to be revealed. He is with us now, though many of the “unassailable” citadels yet stand. Just remember, “unassailable” is a relative term to God when it comes to the evil we battle. He turns things inside out. The high fortifications will be brought low – even to the dust. Our God wins.

So, when you look up and see that incredible wall that threatens your well-being and your future, say with Isaiah to the enemy, “The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust”!

Plunging Up Through a Mound of Dirt

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The kingdom of God is both unstoppable and mysterious. Jesus likened it to seeds scattered on the ground that slowly, methodically, and automatically grow.

Have you ever actually watched a plant grow (without the benefit of time lapse photography)? We could sit with eyes fixed steadily upon the seed for hours, days, and weeks to observe any progress – and still our human eyes could not catch the “movement.” Rather, we plant a seed and go about our days. We do what we can to water and fertilize, but the earth itself does the work. God has programmed this planet to make plants grow; and the Lord consistently sustains all the energy, processes, and products necessary for the curious work of cultivation and harvest.

We humans plant a seed and do exactly as Jesus said, “[We] sleep and rise night and day.” (Mark 4:27, ESV) In other words, we persevere through the stuff of life. We lay our heads down on the pillow at night and arise to a new day. We live out that day, and the next, and the next . . . all the while “the seed sprouts and grows,” though we “know not how.” (Mark 4:27, ESV)

This parable of the growing seed is a comforting one to us. God is at work behind the scenes, even as we continue on through the regularity of life! His kingdom is growing, even if the naked eye cannot grasp its movement. The seed we faithfully planted is sprouting and getting larger, even if we go on sleeping and rising.

Be faithful to spread the Word of God. Be faithful to plant the news of Jesus wherever God has asked. Though your days may seem ordinary, God is growing the seed. How He actually works in a human heart is as incomprehensible as the earth’s toiling with a little seed. Against the force of gravity and plunging up through a mound of dirt comes the sprout. So comes the beginning of God’s kingdom in a human heart once the seed of Truth is planted. Through seasons of sun, rain, cold, and heat grows the plant until the fruit appears. Likewise, the fruit of our investment in the proclamation of the Gospel arises despite obstacles and discouragement. Count on God to grow the kingdom as you plant the seed. Sleep at night knowing He is on the move. Wake in the morning assured growth is taking place. Scatter seed and let God work.

As Jesus promised, one day “when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:29, ESV) The final gathering of all that’s been planted and grown will take place and bring to light that which developed in such an unfathomable way. Suddenly, we shall realize just how majestic and impenetrable is this kingdom of God. The mysterious working of God in souls we touched with his Word will shine forth.

Keep scattering seed. Continue letting God work – faithfully and in an often unseen manner – as we go about our days in obedience.

The Paradox of Life

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Even if you appear to be “losing” according to the standards of culture, you may – in fact – be gaining everything. If you sacrifice your time, your passion, your money, and your reputation for the sake of Jesus; you will be given back more than you can ever imagine.

It is the paradox of all paradoxes. This life inversion is one the world cannot wrap its collective mind around. Working contrary to everything this world system understands, the biblical principle of “losing to save” truly turns things upside down for the faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Although the general world philosophy under an antichrist mindset instructs us to do all we can for ourselves – looking out for the health and well-being of number one – God makes clear it is only in sacrificing me to His will that I gain anything at all. No wonder Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest and pantheistic “inner divinity” take root so easily. All of Hell stands against the truth of God, and Jesus Himself proclaimed how narrow and difficult is the way of truth and life (Matthew 7:13-14).

But Hell shall not triumph! God’s truth – of which the ultimate end has not yet been seen – will prevail. This is what God has spoken in two contexts in one Gospel. First, Luke 9:24 (NASB): “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” The Greek root for “save” has a rich meaning, including: keep safe and sound, rescue from danger, restore to health, and preserve from destruction. The root for “lose” is shamelessly direct: destroy, abolish, kill, render useless, perish, and be lost. Okay, so whoever seeks to preserve his own life for any reason at all will ultimately lose his life. Work, scrape, continue on in your futile attempt to preserve your life from destruction; but your end is determined. Building up a large reserve of cash, visiting the gym five days a week, stockpiling for nuclear disaster, accumulating a list of good deeds done, and sheer self-will cannot preserve your life. In the end, all will be lost.

Paradoxically, if we lose our life for one particular reason – for the sake of Jesus – we will save it! Right! If I abolish my own life for the cause of Christ, I save my life. Remember that “save” here is a wonderful and all-encompassing word. My life will be rescued from danger, I will be restored to wholeness and health, I will see no destruction come upon me, and I will be safe and sound! Amen! The fullness of the promise is not realized in a world awaiting full redemption, but this salvation will be completely released on me one glorious day!

The woman who loses her life for Christ is the one who yields her time and affection to her Savior. Perhaps she is the one willing to choose investment in proclamation of the Gospel over investment in things that glitter. Maybe she is the one taking time to love the forgotten instead of seeking ways to be admired. She chooses to pray instead of indulge, for Jesus bids her come. The man who allows his life to be lost for Jesus’ sake is the one who dedicates His strength to things eternal. He does not grasp what he has with a tight fist, but He gives of himself that others might really know God’s love through him. He values the Word of God more than the musings of man or the entertainment of the world.

We see Jesus’ second declaration of the greatest paradox in Luke 17:33 (NASB). The context here is the end of this age; Jesus is clearly speaking of the future and His return. He now says in a most straightforward manner, “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” Here the selfish word is “keep,” and it can mean “make to remain for oneself” or “get for one’s self; purchase.” In other words, the person who is clutching to all he can for selfish gain will find himself with nothing in the end – not even peace at death. However, the one who loses her life for Jesus will preserve it! The Greek for “preserve” is glorious . . . “to bring forth alive, to give life.” Not even death can stop the power of God in the life of a person who has yielded his being, his possessions, his time – his everything – to Jesus. God will bring that person forth in vibrant, perfected life one day!

In mathematics, we call a function that “undoes” a given function an inverse function. The inverse literally produces the opposite effect of the original. The graphs of inverse functions are mirror images of one another about an axis. Picture this: giving your life away to Jesus will literally be “undone” by God. What you gave will be gained! What you lost will be found! If you are discouraged because all you now see is the loss you suffer for the cause of Christ, picture on the other side of the “axis” a point exactly opposite of where you are. Pain becomes joy. Loss of time becomes gain of eternity. Ridicule becomes honor. Poverty becomes riches. Weariness becomes strength. Clearly – oh, so clearly – he who loses will find!

The Cup and this Pitiful Creature

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After sharing the Passover meal, Jesus instituted with His disciples the Lord’s Supper. Toward the end of that event – after sharing the cup – Jesus proclaimed, “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29, ESV). The following poem is based on that profound and comforting statement of Jesus Christ.

Your promise to them
Is Your promise to me;
We will dine together
When my sorrow does flee.

Though burdened so greatly
With the task just ahead,
You demonstrated by simple cup
I have nothing to dread.

The fruit of the vine
You drank on that day
Is a weighty reminder –
God gets His way.

For though you would leave
Soon after the cup,
You said you’d come back
As I keep looking up.

And Your loving heart realized
What I needed to know:
This special communion
Would not end, but grow.

So as you started down
Your dark road to Calvary,
You spoke words I treasure
In the deepest part of me:

“I won’t drink again
Of this fruit of the vine
Until the day we sup together
And your hand is in mine.”

Jesus, how I love you
For saving the purest wine
For the day without suffering
When together we dine.

In the Father’s kingdom
So exceeding mortal comprehension,
We will talk and share together
When of sin there is no mention.

Surely we will have joy and life
And eating and friendship beyond the veil,
For your promises are true
And your plan can never fail.

The banquet of the Messiah;
How I long for that day!
When I will get to hug you
For the life you gave away.

Why are you waiting
To drink again the cup with me?
Oh, how special to you, Jesus,
This pitiful creature must be!