The judgment is one of the certainties of Bible doctrine. Time and again Jesus sets before us the awful scenes and the all-important decisions of the judgment. “I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36. “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them; for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” Luke 11:31, 32. In the parable of the wheat and tares, in the parable of the marriage of the marriage of the king’s son (Matthew 22:1-14), in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), in fact, in all his teaching, the judgment was made prominent. In Matthew 25:41-46, he sets before us a view of the very judgment itself.BEST August 17, 1903, page 395.1

The Old Testament as well as the New tells of the judgment. Solomon says: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. Daniel says: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool; His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him; thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:9, 10. Isaiah, David, Job, and other prophets speak of this as well as Solomon and Daniel. Even “Enoch, the seventh from Adam,” prophesied of this, saying, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.” Jude 14, 15.BEST August 17, 1903, page 395.2

JUDGMENT FUTURE

This is not a judgment that is constantly going on during men’s lives and completed at their death, so that then their reward is given whether for good or ill. “It is appointed unto me once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. Paul “reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come” (Acts 24:25), not judgment already come, nor constantly going on. There is a time appointed for the judgment. “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 as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” “in that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to My gospel.” Romans 2:12, 16. And again: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10. It is not that alone that he has done in his direct personal acts for which he must account; he must answer for the fruit of his doings. “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.1

TIME OF JUDGMENT

The time when men shall receive for that which they have done, whether it be good or bad, is at the coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the end of the world. “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” “And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” Revelation 11:15, 18.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.2

Again we quote the words of Jude: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Jude 14, 15.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.3

With this agree exactly the words of Christ: “Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12. And Paul in his charge to Timothy, and to all ministers of Christ, says: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick [living] and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word.” 2 Timothy 4:1, 2. Peter also says: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” 2 Peter 2:9.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.4

More texts might be given on these points, but these are sufficient. From these it is plain,BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.5

1. That there is a time “appointed” for the judgment.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.6

2. That this is after death.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.7

3. That it is the time of reward to all, for good or evil.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.8

4. That this is called the “day of judgment.”BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.9

5. That it is at the appearing and kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.10

6. That then, and not till then, it is that the righteous receive their reward.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.11

7. That the “unjust” are “reserved” until that time to be punished, that they are not punished before that great day of judgment.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.12

Yet however plain all this may be, it is equally plain that there is not a single principle of it that the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul does not tend to subvert. For if, at death, righteous men enter immediately into their reward, and the unrighteous go immediately to the place of punishment, then where is there any possible room for the judgment? (unless perhaps the absurd idea be adopted, that men should spend hundreds of thousands of years in happiness or misery, and then be brought to the judgment to see whether they be worthy of that which they have enjoyed or suffered!!)?BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.13

This phase of the subject will be considered further next week.BEST August 17, 1903, page 396.14

August 10, 1903

August 24, 1903