…which they must face at Jesus’ return
Frequently the Bible mentions “the day of judgement”, ie, a time when those who have been given the knowledge of God will receive their reward.
When Jesus Christ returns from heaven to establish his kingdom on earth, he will, first of all, summon before him for judgement, those who are responsible to his judgement. Those that are dead he will cause to come forth from the dust, and assemble them with the living to his presence. Faithful and unfaithful will be mustered together before his judgement seat, for the purpose of giving an account of their lives and having it declared, who is worthy of being invested with immortality and promoted to the kingdom, and who is deserving of rejection, and re-consignment to corruption after punishment.
The following list covers some of the Bible quotes regarding the judgement day.
Please note that this series covers only the subject of “judgement”. The following series (12 and 13) cover the topics of rewards from the judgement, ie, eternal life or eternal death.
Bible Quotations regarding the Judgement
- “…for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.” Psalm 98:9
- “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2
- “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:12
- “Every idle (evil) word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement…” Matthew 12:36
- “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27
- “He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting punishment, but the righteous unto life eternal.” Matthew 25:31-46
- “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son.” John 5:22
- “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40
- “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Acts 17:31
- “…for we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ…so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:10
- “…but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Cor 4:4-5
- “For we must all appear before the judgement 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 Cor 5:10
- “I charge thee therefore before God, and the lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.” 2 Timothy 4:1
- “For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17
- “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:12
- “And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12
It should be noted that it is a repeated Bible principle that only whenChrist returns and judges those who are responsible, then the reward will be given – and not before as the following verses indicate:
- “When the chief Shepherd (Jesus) shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory.” 1 Peter 5:4
- “Jesus Christ…shall judge the quick (living) and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom…a crown of righteousness, which the lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.” 2 Timothy 4:1,8
- “I (Jesus) come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12
Jesus brings our reward with him which implies that it has been prepared for us in heaven, but will be brought to us on the earth at the second coming:
…To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:4-5
Once we appreciate this point, it enables us to correctly interpret a much misunderstood passage in John 14:2,3:
“I (Jesus) go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Jesus’ promise to “receive you unto myself” can therefore be read as a description of our being accepted by him at the judgement. We are clearly told where Jesus will be when he returns, ie, sitting in his throne at Jerusalem (Luke 1:32) – this topic is covered fully in Series 16.