HopeLives365

Mark Finley: Notice what scripture says. Jesus ever lives. He ever lives to do what? To make intercession for you. You and I need not fear the judgment.

Guest (Male): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: Revelation's Judgment, Our Most Solemn. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay updated with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: On one occasion, the famed American statesman Daniel Webster was asked the question: What is the most solemn thought that's ever crossed your mind? In that moment, Webster said this: The most solemn thought that ever crossed my mind is my personal accountability to God. In other words, that one day I will appear in judgment before God.

As you look at the Book of Revelation, judgment is a major theme in the Book of Revelation. In fact, we've been studying the last message to be given to mankind, pictured as being carried by three angels in mid-heaven. It's a message in the Book of Revelation to prepare men and women and boys and girls for the second coming of Christ.

In Revelation 14, verse 6, it says: And I saw another angel flying in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, the good news of God's grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness. Having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Here is an eternal message that is urgent and universal to go to the ends of the earth.

But then it says that the angel says with a loud voice. What kind of voice? A loud voice. Fear God. What does that mean? We've studied, it's the fear—that Greek word phobos—that means respect, take God seriously, obey God. So this idea of fearing God is linked with obedience to God and the commandments of God. So there's a message in the last days of earth's history to obey God.

Then it says give glory to Him. How do we do that? Whatever you eat or drink, 1 Corinthians 10, verse 31: whatever you eat, drink, whatever you do, give glory to God. So here's a message in the last days of earth's history to live in harmony with the laws of God because we're saved by grace through the majesty of the gospel, to live obedient lives as Jesus said, If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Then the text says that we are to glorify God, that is to glorify God in our bodies, to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. The thief comes but to steal, kill, and destroy, John 10, verse 10, but Jesus comes that we can have that more abundant life. And so as part of God's last-day message to preserve us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, there's a message to give glory to God in our bodies.

But then it says, for the hour of God's judgment is come. Verse 7 of Revelation 14, a message to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus says: What does it say? Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, give glory to Him. Why? For the hour of God's judgment is come. Some translations say has come.

Now, notice it doesn't say the hour of God's judgment will come. It doesn't say that the judgment is in the future. It says it's present tense. Throughout the Bible, the judgment is always pictured as being something in the future. But here in Revelation, it's pictured as being a present-tense judgment. Let's look at that.

You remember what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 12? Matthew chapter 12, verse 36, Jesus spoke about the judgment and He said: But I say to you that every idle word that men may speak, they will give account of in the day of judgment. For by your words you'll be justified and by your words you'll be condemned. In other words, the judgment in Jesus' day was in the future.

Now Christ, of course, talked about the importance of every idle word that we speak: lying words, falsified words, dishonest words, angry words, bitter words, resentful words, impure words, curse words. All of these will give account in the day of judgment. Kind words, loving words, gentle words, forgiving words, compassionate words—all these will be brought into the judgment. But the point is that in Matthew chapter 12, verse 36, the judgment is in the future.

When you come to the Apostle's day—you remember Paul was reasoning here and making a strong, strong appeal? And in Acts chapter 24, Paul is brought before the magistrate. And as he does, he appeals for the magistrate's salvation. In Acts chapter 24, verse 25, Paul is before Felix and his wife Drusilla. Felix and Drusilla send for Paul and Paul reasons with them about righteousness, about self-control, and judgment to come.

Felix was afraid and answered, Go your way now for I have a convenient season, I'll call for you. Paul reasons of judgment in the future. You know, isn't it very unfortunate when you think about Felix's response? Felix is moved by the spirit, he's almost convicted, and he says: Paul, go away now. When I have a convenient season, I will call for you. It's never more convenient than it is today.

This is the day of salvation. This is the day to make eternal decisions for Jesus Christ. This is our hour to lay all upon the altar for Christ and surrender our lives fully to Him. But again, Jesus says the judgment is in what? The future. Paul says the judgment is in the future.

But you come to the Book of Revelation and as you come to the Book of Revelation, the Bible says that the hour of God's judgment has come. Now, why would there have to be a judgment before the coming of Christ? A pre-advent judgment? A judgment preliminary to Christ's coming?

You look at Revelation chapter 22, verse 11 and 12, and you get an answer to that. Revelation 22, it says in verse 11: He who is unjust, let him be unjust still. And he who is filthy, let him be filthy still. And he who is righteous, let him be righteous still. And he who is holy, let him be holy still. In other words, two classes are developed.

And then Jesus says: And behold, I'm coming quickly and my reward is with me to give everyone according to his works. So if Christ is coming to give out the rewards, there must be a judgment preliminary to His coming to determine who receives what reward when He comes.

Well, then the question is asked: Doesn't God already know who's saved and who's lost? Why would He even need a judgment? The judgment is not primarily for God. God is all-knowing, He is all-wise, He knows the lives of every human being. He knows who is saved, He knows who is lost.

But in the great controversy between good and evil, this cosmic conflict, Satan has declared that God is unjust, that God is indeed not fair, that God is a vindictive judge, that God is an unrighteous tyrant. And so the judgment reveals that God has done everything He can to save every human being; that He sent His Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin; He sent His Holy Spirit to reveal right and truth.

He opened providential doors of opportunity. Jesus came and died the death we should have died so we could live the life that He should have lived. Jesus came and bore the guilt and shame and condemnation of our sins on the cross of Calvary. So the judgment reveals that Christ has done everything He possibly could have done to save us. There's nothing more that heaven could have done.

This judgment takes place in the courtroom of heaven, and thousands and thousands of beings—unfallen beings, pure righteous beings, angelic beings, cherubim and seraphim and beings of the unfallen worlds—all these beings gather around the throne of God. You say, Pastor Mark, is that in the Bible? It is. Let me read it to you in Daniel chapter 7.

So the judgment reveals the fact that God has done everything possible to save every human being possible. In Daniel chapter 7, we have the picture of this judgment. We start in Daniel 7, verse 9. Now here, Daniel has seen four beasts come up out of the sea, one different than the other. Each beast represents a king or a kingdom.

The first is like a lion, representing Babylon. Then a bear, representing Medo-Persia. Then a leopard, representing Greece, and the fourth beast, dreadful and strong like iron, terrible, representing Rome. Daniel's prophecies represent Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Then a little horn power rises, a false religious power.

So you have all these empires of earth wanting control, wanting to rule, wanting to dominate. But then the Bible takes us away from what's going on on earth to a vision in heaven where Christ, the rightful ruler, is declared worthy of receiving His kingdom in the light of the judgment.

So Daniel 7, verse 9: 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 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 unto Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court, the judgment was seated and the books were opened.

Now notice that the books were opened. What's in these books? These are heavenly records that are records of every single life. Now, somebody says, Pastor Mark, you think God has books with parchment on them? Not necessarily, but God has records of our lives. The indication here, the symbol of books, is a revelation of every detail, every thought, every word, every action of our lives. So this revelation of our life is open. It's opened before the whole universe.

Guest (Male): You're listening to HopeLives365. We'll be right back. And if you like what you're hearing, we invite you to check out our website HopeLives365.com. There you can find many ministry resources, encouraging messages, and even a link to our HopeLives365 YouTube ministry. And of course, an opportunity to sow into this valuable ministry. Find out more by going to HopeLives365.com. That's HopeLives365.com. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Jesus, the Son of Man, comes to the Ancient of Days. He comes to the Father. And notice what the issue is all about in verse 14: Then to Him was given dominion and glory. This is Christ. He comes to the Ancient of Days. He's like the Son of Man in verse 13, and to Him, the Son of Man was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all nations and peoples and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom, which shall not be destroyed.

So here in the judgment, Jesus is seen worthy. As names come up in judgment, Jesus says: Could I have done anything more to save Mark Finley? Could I have done anything more to save John, or Mary, or Harry, or Alice, or Joanna, or Peter? Could I have done anything more?

And as the record of their lives are open, the whole universe says: Lord, You've done everything You possibly could have done. You could not have done one more thing to save that individual. You are worthy, Jesus, of taking the kingdom.

All false professors are destroyed. There are those who have an outward semblance of the Christian life, but inside they're angry, bitter, lustful. Inside they are unforgiving and unkind. They may have the outer appearance. All that falseness is stripped aside in the judgment.

And in the judgment, Jesus is seen to be worthy. And what does He do? Notice verse 21 and 22: I was watching and the same horn made war with the saints—that's the false power, the hypocritical religious power, that religious power that bases its religion on the teachings of man and tradition rather than the Word of God—until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was given in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

Jesus receives the kingdom, but then He says: Father, it's time for My people to possess the kingdom. Verse 27: Then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. The whole universe sees that Christ is worthy.

And Jesus says: Through My blood, through My grace, through the cross of Calvary, My people now can enter the kingdom of heaven. The door is open and the kingdom is given to Christ who gives it to His people to reign with Him in praise forever and ever.

So what is the purpose of the judgment? To reveal the goodness of God, to reveal the mercy of God, to reveal the grace of God, to reveal that Christ Himself has done everything He could to save every human being. So if I am lost, if you're lost, it's not because God wills us to be lost. It's because our choices caused us to be lost in the face of everything that Christ has done for us.

To be lost means to turn your back on love. To be lost means to turn your back on the promptings of the Holy Spirit. To be lost means that you have walked away from the convicting power of the Spirit that God has had working in your life.

The Bible says that we are judged by the things written in the books, by our works. Now, we are not saved by our works; we are saved by grace. There's nothing that you and I can do to save ourselves. There's nothing that we can do to atone for our sins or to redeem us from the guilt and shame of sin. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In Ephesians 2, verse 8, it says: By grace are you saved through faith. It is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. But then you go down to verse 10, it says that we are His workmanship created unto good works. So in the judgment, what do these books reveal? The Bible tells us in Revelation chapter 20.

In Revelation chapter 20, the Bible says this: And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. This is in the final analysis at the end of the thousand years. Books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works and the things which were in the books.

So in the final judgment, when the books are opened, we are judged according to our works. Now when you think about it, what else could we be judged on? What other aspect could we be judged on besides our works? You can't be judged on your attitude if your attitude doesn't reflect in good works. But the works reveal the inner faith.

The works reveal whether we have truly believed or we haven't believed. The works reveal what our commitment to Jesus really is. Let's suppose you have a little child that says: Oh, Daddy, I love you, oh, Daddy, I love you. And you say: Oh son, Bobby, would you take out the trash? Oh, Daddy, I don't love you that much. How much love does Bobby have for his daddy?

Oh, Sally says: Mommy, I love you, Mommy, I love you. Oh yes, Sally, help me with the dishes, please. Oh, Mommy, I don't love you that much. See, Bobby's decision not to take out the trash reveals his inner commitment to the father. Sally's decision not to help Mom with the dishes when Mom asks her to help, and she rebels against that and says: No, I'm going to my room, I'm going to play video games. See, her attitude is reflected in her works.

We are not saved by our works; we are saved by grace. But we are saved by grace through faith that works. Our faith is so good that it works. Faith is a dynamic principle of trust in God that leads us to life transformation through the grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now somebody says: Well, Pastor Mark, when I think of the judgment and I think of my name coming up in judgment, and I think of every thought written in heaven's record books, every word that I've ever spoken in heaven's record books, when I think of every deed in heaven's record books—Pastor Mark, it really makes me nervous because I don't see how I could ever pass the judgment. I don't see how I ever could stand in the light of a holy God. I would stand there trembling, condemned.

Pastor Mark, I just—when I think of the judgment, and if I think of the fact that John says the hour of God's judgment has come, could it be that there is a judgment that's going on in heaven right now? That this is no more business as usual, no more pleasures as usual, but there is a judgment of those who died in past ages, and could it be that those who died in past ages, they are being judged and we're living in a very solemn time in earth's history?

Pastor Mark, I don't see how I can pass the judgment. I've got good news for you. You and I don't need to stand in the judgment alone. In the Book of Hebrews chapter 7, we read about the fact that somebody will stand in the judgment for us. Somebody will stand in our place. Somebody will present His perfect righteousness in the place of our imperfect performance.

And here, the Bible says starting with Hebrews 7, verse 22: By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. There's a better covenant. It's a better covenant than my simply saying: God, whatever You've said I'm going to do. It's a better covenant than a covenant where I present my good works, as defiled as they are. It is a much better covenant.

And it says: There were many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing. So there were earthly priests in the earthly sanctuary, but they didn't continue, they died. So God has a better covenant; these priests couldn't represent anybody when they died. Verse 24: But He, Jesus, because He continued forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Jesus is eternal.

Therefore, because Christ has this unchangeable priesthood, because Christ continues forever, therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.

Notice what scripture says. Jesus ever lives. He ever lives to do what? To make intercession for you. You and I need not fear the judgment. You and I need not fear that our works will come up before God and that those works that come up before God will condemn us to eternal death. We need not fear if we've come to Jesus, if we've asked Us to cover our—if we've asked Him to cover our sins with His blood, if we've asked Him to forgive us.

You know, it says in the Book of Psalms: Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven, whose iniquities are covered. Your sins can be forgiven, your iniquities can be covered. Christ will represent you before the kingdom of God.

In one of the most amazing legal cases in American history, there was a man who committed murder. And after committing that murder, as a young man, he was placed in penitentiary, sentenced to be hung. But he committed that murder in a fit of rage. He was deeply sorry for the murder that he committed, but yet he felt that he must suffer this penalty of being hung.

Many of his friends signed a petition. And in that petition, they sent the petition to the governor. There were hundreds and hundreds of signatures on the petition. They said: Look, this boy is essentially a good boy. He's a good boy. Governor, pardon him. The governor read the boy's history, looked at the petition, and he signed a pardon and brought it to the young man.

And the young man said: I don't want to live any longer, I refuse the pardon. The case went to the Supreme Court of the United States. They made a judgment on this case, and this is what the Supreme Court said. They said a pardon is only a pardon on paper until it's accepted by the one who has been pardoned. If indeed this young man has refused the pardon, he must be hung. And he was. He was.

Isn't it a foolish thing to refuse the pardon? Isn't it a foolish thing to refuse the forgiveness that Christ gives? Isn't it a foolish thing to refuse the grace of God? If you think you can stand before the judgment bar of God on your own, my friend, you are fooling yourself. Because you're not righteous and I'm not righteous enough to stand before the judgment bar of God.

But we can stand there covered by the blood of Christ, surrounded by the robe of righteousness in Jesus. We can stand there with our great intercessor, the lawyer who's never lost a case, and pardon will be written by our names and we can have eternal life and live with Him forever.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Reach out to Him right now. Tell Him that you accept the pardon. Tell Him you want to wear the robe of His righteousness. We live in the judgment hour. It's now time to make that eternal decision as we pray.

Father in heaven, we thank You with all of our hearts that we can make an eternal decision for Christ right now. So my Father, grant to us the urgency of the moment. May everyone with the hearing of my voice make an eternal decision for You to receive Your pardon, Your grace, and Your goodness. In Christ's name, Amen.