Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: Even though Jesus Christ has given warning, and even though he himself came into the world and died for the world and rose again and went back to the Father and is coming back again, people still have hardened hearts. In their own stubbornness they will perish. Why? Because there is a day of judgment coming.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. Thank you for joining us today as we continue our Liberty series, looking at the freedom and eternal hope found through faith in Jesus Christ.

In today's study, Raul will open God's word to examine what scripture reveals about life beyond this world and the significance of every person's response to Christ. The Bible makes it clear that our eternal future is determined by what we do with God's offer of salvation. Here's Raul Ries with today's message, The Judgment of the Nations.

Raul Ries: Turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter 25. Interesting lesson tonight. If you're a real Christian, you will never ever stand in this judgment that we're going to see tonight. This is the judgment of the nations when God is going to judge before he sets up his 45-day judgment and he sets up the thousand-year reign of Christ.

This is right after the second coming of Jesus Christ. I can just see the disciples as he begins to share with them, not only in this chapter 24 and 25, because they had been asking on the way to Jerusalem. They were talking about true greatness, and they were saying, "Hey, you know what? When we get to Jerusalem, we're going to sit on 12 thrones, and Jesus will reign and rule, and we're going to defeat Rome." That was their mentality.

And then Jesus stopped them. In John's Gospel in chapter 13 through 17, he gives to them the last week before he dies. He begins to share with them about the Holy Spirit that is going to come, and he's going to live in them. He's going to lead and guide and provide. He's going to convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Then he is going to do what? He lets them know that he is going to leave because they're going to kill him, and they're going to be scattered. They were very discouraged when they found out that the kingdom age was not going to be set up, but that they were actually going to live and die in that present time.

Now in chapter 25, beginning with verse 31, we have the Son of Man that will judge the nations of the world. Now, what is amazing to me tonight is that Hitler, Stalin, and every leader that has ever lived from the past, from the time of the first coming of Jesus Christ all the way through the end of the age, every leader that is wicked will stand in judgment one day.

Now people will ask, "Well, what happens to leaders and what happens to people that die? Where do they go until this time of judgment?" The Bible tells us in the Gospel of Luke chapter 16, verse 19 to the end of the chapter. It talks about where people go when they die, and that which used to be called Abraham's bosom. It was a place in the center of the earth where there were two compartments, one for the righteous and one for the wicked. One side was called Abraham's bosom, and everyone in the Old Testament that died that actually believed in God by faith, they went into Abraham's bosom.

But every wicked person in the Old Testament that died as a sinner and in wickedness, they went to the other side of Abraham's bosom. Between the one side and the other side, the Bible tells us there was a great gulf separating one place from the other, but they could see across. They could see across.

The Bible tells us in the Gospel of Luke chapter 16, verse 19, that there was a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had everything in life, but the rich man came to a place in his life where he threw parties every weekend. Every weekend and all his friends came, they ate, they drank, they danced, they talked. One evening as they were having this great party, they didn't have chairs, they didn't have forks, knives, or spoons. They didn't have napkins.

They would set up the bowls with all the sauces and all the meats, and they would have pita bread. They would eat, and when they were cleaning their hands with pita bread, they cleaned their mouth and their hand, and then they'd throw it to the dogs. You see, total different culture. Well, that very evening there was a rich man that came and sat right in front of the gate of the mansion and was watching these people eating and drinking, talking with one another, and yet at the same time, ignoring this poor beggar. He was covered with sores from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, nothing to eat, nothing to drink.

As the crumbs fell from the man's table, there were these wild dogs in Jerusalem. They were scavengers. As the dogs were sitting there, and he had also these pet dogs in his house, as the crumbs were falling from the table, these dogs were literally picking up the crumbs. The rich man was actually ignoring it, but the poor man was reaching his hand through the gate and picking up the crumbs and eating them as the dogs would lick his sores.

What's amazing is throughout the whole night, nobody paid attention to the poor man. You know what happened that night? The poor beggar died outside. The angels came and took his spirit to heaven, where? To Abraham's bosom in the middle of the earth. The Bible tells us that that very evening nobody even knew he was dead. He lay outside the gate.

As people began to excuse themselves, "Excuse me, thank you for the party. We'll see you again next week. God bless you," and moving on, probably stumbling over or stepping over this young man that was dead, not even noticing that he was dead, they just stepped right over him. They all went home.

The rich man went up to his room, got cleaned up, got ready for bed, thought what a good time he had that very evening, and probably thinking in his mind, "Oh, next week I'll have a greater party for all of my friends." Not knowing that that very night as he would lay his head on his pillow, that he even would die. That very evening, death came knocking on his door and he died.

The Bible says that the angels came to get him and took him to hell, took him to the other side of Abraham's bosom. Now, remember when he was alive, he didn't even pay attention to this young man. The moment he got to hell, he looked across to the other side and he said, "Father Abraham!" He didn't even know Abraham, but when he got to hell, he knew Abraham by name.

Wait a minute. I thought you said he died. Yeah, he died. When people die and they go to hell, they have a full mind. They have eyes. They can smell and taste and touch and think and speak. All five senses are fully active in hell.

He said, "Father Abraham, do you think it would be possible if, listen, Lazarus," how did he know his name where before he didn't even know him, "if Lazarus can come from that side to this side and dip his finger in cool water and come and just place it on my tongue? Because I am burning in this place. I'm being tormented."

Abraham said, "Son, I want you to go back and think of everything you ever had. This poor beggar had nothing in life, and now he is being comforted and you are being tormented. The switch came." Can you imagine being in hell and being able to remember all of your life? Fifty, sixty, however long you lived, years as far back as you can remember. Not for one hour, not for two, not for five, not for ten years—forever. That's what the unbeliever doesn't realize. Forever and ever and ever.

You know what happened? This rich man cried out and said one more thing. He says, "Father Abraham, do you think that if..." He says, "I have five brothers at home." He was aware of his family. "I have five brothers at home. Do you think it would be possible if somebody would go back from the dead and tell them about this place of torment lest they come here too? Can somebody go warn them?"

Abraham said, "Son, they have the prophets, and they still will not believe even though one rises from the dead." Who rose from the dead? Jesus Christ.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. We're committed to sharing biblical teaching that helps you know God and walk closely with him. Visit somebodylovesyou.com for a wide variety of Bible-based resources, including books, audio messages, and ministry updates. You can also send your Bible questions and prayer requests directly to Raul at pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com. Let's return now to more of today's study.

Raul Ries: Did you know that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, three days later when he rose again from the dead, right before he rose from the dead, you know what he did during those three days and three nights? He went to hell. He went to hell, to Hades, and he went to Abraham's bosom and he showed up. What did Jesus go do? He went to hell to clean out Abraham's bosom and took every Old Testament saint out of there and took them to heaven, and then hell became one major place.

To me, it is incredible how people still do not believe. Here in the judgment of the nations, even though Jesus Christ has given warning, even though he sent the prophets, even though he sent disciples, and even though he himself came into the world and died for the world and rose again and went back to the Father and is coming back again, people still have hardened hearts. They're stubborn in their ways, and they will go to hell stubborn. In their own stubbornness, they will perish.

Why? Because there is a day of judgment coming. This is a day of judgment of the nations. Why do I say that? Because there's another great judgment coming. Where's that? In the book of Revelation chapter 20, 11 through 15, called the White Throne Judgment. What is that? Well, that's the judgment at the end of the thousand-year reign when Satan already has been led in captivity for a thousand years in the bottomless pit, and then he is let out one more time. Then he's cast into the lake of fire and the Antichrist and the false prophet and every demon into the lake of fire.

Then the Bible says everybody that's died in the sea, everybody wherever they've died, everybody that has gone to hell are going to be what? Hell is going to be emptied out, and hell itself will be thrown into the lake of fire. There will be a line of people, and the Bible says the judge will come up with two set of books, and the books will be open. Whoever's name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire forever and ever and ever and ever after being in hell.

You say, "Well, how do you get your name in the Book of Life?" Repent. Receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. That's why he died on the cross so that we could be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Look what he says beginning with verse 31.

"And when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all of the angels with him, there he will sit on the throne of his glory." Now, when he comes with all of the angels, guess who else is coming? The Church of Jesus Christ. That's you and that's me. We're coming with Jesus. Then what? Verse 32. "And all the nations notice will be gathered together before him, and he will separate them from notice, he's going to separate them from one another as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats."

Now, who are the sheep and who are the goats? The sheep are people that believe. The goats are people that don't believe. Look what he says. "And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. And then the King will say to those on his right hand, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'"

You know who that is? That's going to be the people after the rapture comes and takes us home, and people are left behind and they believe in Jesus Christ, but they're not beheaded by the Antichrist and they live all the way through. The Jews will be able to go after the second coming into the kingdom age, and they will be the ones to repopulate the earth in a thousand years. If you take the mark of the beast, you can't go in. You see, that's what he's talking about.

Watch what else happens. Verse 35. "For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was 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 Jesus and say, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger or take you in, or naked or clothe you, or when did we ever see you sick or in prison or come to you?"

What is he talking about? He's talking about the people treating the Jewish people right. Watch what he says. Listen, I would not want to be any person that has come against the Jew. That's why back in the book of Genesis, he told Abraham, "I will bless thee that bless thee. I will curse them that curses thee." I am so glad the United States of America is on Israel's side. Why? Because God said they're my people. They're my people. They will always be my people. Even though they're atheists today, they're going to believe one day.

But God's going to judge. Watch what he says. He goes on, verse 39. "Or when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?" And then the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Who's my brethren? The Jews. The Jews are his brethren. He's talking about the Jewish nation of Israel. You helped them. You looked after them.

Remember when Nazi Germany was killing all of the Jews? Some of the German people, like Corrie ten Boom, her whole family took in the Jews and took care of them. They ended up going to prison too. Her sister died in prison among the Nazis. Pretty incredible when you think about it. The Nazis killed my grandpa too. My grandpa used to make artificial arms and legs. He was full German. When the war broke out, they came to Mexico and got him and took him and killed him. Pretty amazing when you think of the history of the nations what God has said in his word, that one day they're going to be judged.

Watch this. Verse 41. "And then he will say to those on his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'" What is he saying? He's saying that hell was never made for man. We say, "Wait a minute, but people are going to hell." Yeah, that's right. And who sends them there? Themselves. Themselves. They make the choice. You make the choice. Why? Because God didn't create robots on a string or winding us up. He gave us a will to choose.

That's why God will never stop you. You want to destroy yourself? Destroy yourself. He gives you a choice. A choice to receive him or to reject him, to love him or to hate him. That's why he came. And God is going to judge tremendously. Watch this. He goes on, verse 42 now. "For I was hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you never visited me."

And then they will say, and they'll answer him and say, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or strange or naked or sick or in prison and we did not minister unto you?" And then he will answer them saying, "Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it unto one of the least of these, you did not do it unto me." Wow. "And these will go away into the everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

He makes a distinction. He makes a separation. That's why Jesus spent so much time in that last week teaching his disciples. You've got to read John chapter 13 through 17 this week. It's incredible. So much that he gave to them. The reason is because God is not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance. That's the heart of God. God loves you. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. You see, no one will be able to stand before God and say, "God, why did you send me to hell?" He didn't. You sent yourself to hell. You made the choice. That's why it's so important to know him personally and to love him as he loves us.

Guest (Male): If you've never received the forgiveness and new life that's available through Jesus Christ, we invite you to consider that gracious offer that he makes to you today. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. If you'd like to hear this message again, call us at 800-634-9165 and ask for an unedited version of Raul's teaching, The Judgment of the Nations. We'll send it to you for a donation of five dollars or more.

We'd also like to make available Raul's four-part Liberty series, which is available on CD and USB. Through these messages, you'll discover more about God's saving grace, the freedom that comes through faith in Christ, and the assurance believers can have in his finished work on the cross. As you reflect on the work Jesus accomplished, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for his mercy and a greater desire to share his love with others.

To order Raul's four-lesson series celebrating the eternal liberty found in Christ, visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165. We'll send you the CD set for eighteen dollars or the flash drive for just ten dollars. Again, that's 800-634-9165. Or write to Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

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This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.