Of the last and general judgment
John Gill
With respect to the last and
general judgment, the things to be considered are,
1. The proof of a general
judgment: and it may be observed, that there will be a judgment
of men in a future state; which is twofold.
1a. A particular one; and
which passes upon particular persons immediately after death; and to which it
is generally thought the apostle has respect in #Heb 9:27. "But after
this", that is, death, "the judgment"; though if the words are
to be connected with what follows, they may respect the
judgment that will be at the second coming of Christ. However, it seems
probable enough, if not certain, that whereas at death the body returns to the
earth, and the spirit, or soul, to God who gave it, #Ec 12:7 that then it
passes under a judgment, and is condemned either to happiness or woe.
1b. A general one, after the
resurrection of the dead at the last day; and this is the judgment that proof
is to be given of; and which may be given,
1b1. First, from reason: and
it may be observed,
1b1a. That
the heathens, destitute of divine revelation, and who
have had only
the light of nature to guide them, have
entertained
notions of a future judgment; or, however, when
suggested to
them, have readily assented to it, and embraced
it.
When the apostle Paul preached to the wise philosophers
at Athens,
upon his discoursing about the resurrection, some
mocked, and
others more serious, said, they would hear him
again of that
matter, not being satisfied with what he had
said
concerning it: but though he had most plainly and fully
expressed
the doctrine of God's judging the world in
righteousness,
they did not in the least contradict that,
nor make any
objection to it. The heathen writers sometimes
speak of
righteous judges in the infernal regions; as
Aeacus,
Rhadamanthus, and Minos who judge the souls of the
departed
brought before them {1}. Sometimes they represent
them as
sitting in a meadow, where more ways than one meet,
two of which
lead, the one to tartarus, or hell, and the
other to the
island of the blessed {2}, or the Elysian
fields;
which, though but fables, have some truth couched in
them.
So it is storied of Er. Pamphilius, what he related
after he was
restored to life, having been twelve days dead;
that he saw
two chasms above, and two below, answering one
another,
between which the judges sat and judged men; and
when they had
judged them, the righteous on the right hand
they
ordered to go upwards to heaven, and the wicked on the
left hand to
go downward {3}: which is somewhat similar to
the account
in #Mt 25:1-46 and it may be, that some of
those things
said by them, are only some broken remains of a
tradition
received from their ancestors; or what some got by
travelling
into the eastern countries, from the Jews, and
their
writings: and pretty remarkable is that expression of
Plato {4};
``We ought always to believe
the ancient and sacred words which declare unto us, that the
soul is immortal, and has its judges, and will undergo very great judgments, or
punishments, when anyone is separated from the body.''
1b1b. That
there is a judgment to come, appears from the
accusations
of a natural conscience for sin, and from the
fears
and terrors men are possessed of, and cannot free
themselves
from; as witness the consternation and dread
Belshazzar
was thrown into on sight of the handwriting upon
the wall;
which could not arise from the fear of any
temporal evil
coming upon him from men, but from a guilty
conscience,
and the apprehension he had of being called to
an account by
the divine being, for his impiety and
wickedness;
so Felix trembled when he heard the apostle Paul
discourse of
judgment to come: for the doctrine met with the
light and
conviction of his own conscience, which caused
1b1c. The
truth of a future judgment, may be argued from the
justice of
God, which requires it; for it is easy to
observe, that
the justice of God is not clearly displayed in
the
dispensation of things in the present state. Good men
are
afflicted, and evil men prosper; which has been a
stumbling of
saints, and an hardening of sinners: it seems
reasonable to
believe, that there will be a future state,
when justice
will take place, and the tables will be turned;
and
such who have had their evil things now, will have their
good things;
and such who have had their good things here,
will have
their evil ones hereafter; for it is a "righteous
thing",
with God, to render tribulation to them that trouble
his people,
and to reward his saints according to his
1b1d. This
may be concluded from the relation men stand in to
God, as creatures
to a Creator. As God is their Creator, he
has a right
to give them a law; which he has, either written
or
unwritten; for the breach of which they are accountable
to him: so
that whether they have sinned without the written
law, or in
it, they will be judged accordingly; for everyone
must give an
account of himself to God.
1b1e.
This may be reasoned from the judgments of God in this
present life;
and especially from the chastisements of good
men,
sometimes called a judging them, #1Co 11:32 from whence
an argument
may be framed in the words of the apostle; "If
judgment
begin at the house of God", &c. #1Pe 4:17 if the
one
are judged, most certainly the other will be.
1b1f. The
desires of the saints after it, implanted in their
hearts by the
Spirit of God, furnish out an argument in
favour of it;
for however dreadful the thought of it is to
Christless
sinners, saints can look upon it, and for it,
with
pleasure; it is now their privilege, that they can
"come to
God the judge of all", in the righteousness of
Christ; as he
is, through that, the justifier of him that
believes in
Jesus; and they know that the Lord, the
righteous
Judge, when he comes, will be their advocate and
friend, and
give them the crown of righteousness laid up for
them; and
therefore, in the view of this, most earnestly
desire his
coming to judgment; and importunately pray,
saying,
"Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!" Now such desires
1b2. Secondly,
the truth of this doctrine will more fully appear
from divine
revelation. In #Ge 4:8 in the Hebrew text, after
these words,
"And Cain talketh with Abel his brother"; there
is
a mark for a pause, as if something was wanting, and to be
supplied; and
which some ancient versions have supplied thus,
"Let us
go into the field"; but the Chaldee paraphrases add
more, and
give us an account of the conversation that passed
between them
in the field; how that Cain said to his brother,
``There is no
judgment, and there is no Judge, nor another world, &c.''
but Abel
said,
``There
is a judgment, and there is a Judge, and another world, &c.''
upon which,
Cain rose up and slew him. Now though this is
not to be
depended on, nor do I lay any stress upon it; and
only observe
it, to show the sense of the ancient synagogue
concerning
this article; we have a more sure word of
prophecy to
take heed unto, for our direction in this
matter; and
where this doctrine clearly appears; as,
1b2a. In the
prophecy of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, recorded
in
#Jude 1:14,15 which, as it is to be understood of the
second coming
of Christ, since it will be with all his
saints; so of
his coming to judgment, which will be general;
for he will
then "execute judgment upon all"; and will judge
men, both for
their ungodly deeds, and for their hard
1b2b. The
character Abraham gives of Jehovah, as the "Judge of
all the
earth, who will do right", #Ge 18:25 shows that
there is a
Judge, and that there will be a righteous
judgment;
and which is committed to the Son of God, who at
this time
appeared to Abraham in an human form, and was
known by him.
1b2c. It may
be concluded from the faith of Job, in his living
Redeemer,
who believed he would stand on the earth in the
latter day,
and raise the dead, and himself among the rest; and
would have
his friends know, that there was a judgment,
which would
then take place, #Job 19:25,26,29.
1b2d.
Also from the declaration of Moses, in his song, "The Lord
shall judge
his people", #De 32:36 vindicate their cause,
render
tribulation to them who have troubled them, judge
their
persons, and introduce them into his glory.
1b2e.
Likewise from the song of Hannah; "The Lord shall judge the
ends of the
earth", #1Sa 2:10 even all the inhabitants of
it, who have
lived in the uttermost parts of it; and that by
the Messiah,
as is suggested; since it is added, "He shall
give strength
to his king, and exalt the horn of his
1b2f. From some
passages in the Psalms; in which God calls to the
heavens and
earth to be witnesses of his judging his people;
which will
be, when he comes with a fire devouring before
him,
and he himself will be judge; when he will come to
judge the
world with righteousness, and the people with
equity, #Ps
50:3,4,6 96:13 98:9.
1b2g. From
others in the book of Ecclesiastes, where it is said,
God
will "judge the righteous and the wicked"; and that
though young
men may indulge themselves in youthful follies
and vanities,
yet for those things they should be "brought
to
judgment"; and into which "every work" shall be brought,
whether
"good or evil", #Ec 3:17 9:11 12:14.
1b2h. From
various sayings of Christ, recorded by the evangelist;
as that
whosoever should kill, would be "in danger of
judgment";
and he also that was angry with his brother
without a
cause; and when he exhorts men "not to judge",
lest
they "be judged"; and upbraids some cities where his
mighty works
were done, and they repented not; telling them,
it would be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and
Gomorrah,
"in the day of judgment", than for them; and when
he declares
that every idle word must be given an account of
in
"the day of judgment"; and affirms, that the men of
Nineveh, and
the queen of the South, will rise up "in
judgment"
against the wicked generation of the Jews,
#Mt 5:21,22
7:1 11:22,24 12:36,41,42.
1b2i.
From the sermons and epistles of the apostles, particularly
the apostles Peter
and Paul; the apostle Peter in #Ac 10:42
#1Pe 4:9 2Pe
2:9 the apostle Paul in #Ac 17:31 24:25
#Ro
2:3,5,12,16 14:10 2Co 5:10 2Ti 4:1,8.
1b2j.
From #Heb 6:2 where eternal "judgment" is mentioned as an
article of a
creed; either of a Christian creed, as is
commonly
thought; or of a Jewish creed, to which I most
incline {5};
but understood either way, it is a proof of its
being an
article of faith to be embraced and professed.
To all which
may be added, the partial descriptions of
the judgment,
which are separately given, and which, when
laid
together, give a complete view of the whole, and show
the judgment
to be general. Thus for instance, the calling
to
account, the examination, trial, and judgment of persons
in public
work; ministers of the word are apart made mention
of in the
parable of the talents; who, when reckoned with by
the Lord at
his coming, he that had received five talents,
and had
gained five more, and he that had received two, and
bad
gained other two, are commended as good and faithful
servants, and
rewarded with a rule over many things; in a
similar
parable it is, with a rule over cities, in proportion
to their
gain: but he that received one talent, and made no
use of it, is
condemned as an unprofitable servant,
#Mt
25:14-30 Lu 19:15-26. The description of the judgment in
#Mt 25:31-46.
I take it, that it only refers to members of
churches,
professors of religion, good and bad; for this
account is
only an explanation of the two preceding parables;
what is there
delivered by way of parable, is here declared
without
one; which, in other places, is sometimes done by
Christ: the
first of the parables only concerns the wise and
foolish
virgins, professors of both characters, in the
kingdom of
heaven, or gospel church state; and the other only
respects
persons in a public character, in the same church
state,
whether good or bad; and this account is of such who
have belonged
to the same flock, and have been folded together
in the same
church state; only one were goats and the other
sheep, but
not known what they were; but now at the judgment
it will be
known, when the Lord shall judge between cattle
and
cattle, the sheep and the goats, and divide them from one
another.
Besides, what the wicked are upbraided with, show
that they
were such who had dwelt among Christians, and had
been
associates with them, and saw them in distress, and did
not relieve
them; but this cannot be said of multitudes who
never
heard of Christ, nor ever saw any of his people in
distressed
circumstances, and showed them no pity; and
moreover, the
sentence pronounced upon them, is the same
which
elsewhere it is said will be pronounced on such that
have bore the
Christian name, yet bad men, either preachers
of
the word, or members of churches, #Mt 7:22,23 Lu 13:26,27.
I am aware
what will be objected to all this, that it is
said, that
"all nations" shall be gathered before the Judge:
but then it
should be observed, that the word "all" is
frequently to
be restrained, and taken in a limited sense,
according
to the subject treated of; as it must be here: for
if what has
been said is sufficient to prove, that only
professors of
religion are spoken of, then the sense must be,
that
professors in all nations of the world shall be summoned,
and brought
before the Judge. Likewise the text in #Re 20:12
seems
only to respect the wicked; the dead said to stand
before God,
are the wicked dead, the rest of the dead, who
lived not
till the thousand years were ended, #Re 12:5 and
are the same,
who, being raised, shall encompass the camp of
the saints,
the beloved city; but being defeated in their
enterprise,
shall be brought, and stated as criminals before
God, the
Judge of all, and be judged out of the books opened,
according to
their works: and what may further strengthen
this sense,
no other use, as appears, is made of the book of
life; only
that those whose names were not found in it, were
cast
into the lake of fire, which must be the wicked. However,
putting all
these descriptions together, they are a full
proof of the
general judgment, both of good and had men, of
men under
every character and class, and of every age.
2. The
next enquiry is, who the person is that shall be the Judge, preside in judgment,
and carry on the judicial process to the end? God is, and will be Judge, and he
only; hence we read of God the Judge of all, #Heb 12:23 and of the judgment of
God; and of the righteous judgment of God, #Ro 2:3,5 and John saw in a vision,
the dead, small and great, stand before God, #Re 20:12 but not God the Father;
"for the Father judgeth no man", #Joh 5:22 that
is, no man separate and apart from his Son; nor in a visible form, for he never
assumed any: but then he will judge the world by his Son, as he is expressly
said to do, #Ac 17:31 Ro 2:16 so that he is not excluded from a concern in the
judgment; nor the Holy Spirit. The triune God will be the Judge, as to original
authority, power, and right of judgment; but according to
the economy settled between the three divine Persons among themselves, the work
is assigned unto the Son, and is appropriate to him: hence we read of appearing
and standing before the judgment seat of Christ, and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and kingdom, #Ro 14:1
2Co 5:10 2Ti 4:1 this work belongs to him as Mediator, and is a part of his office as such; it is what is "committed" to him by
the Father, and which he has an "authority" from him to
"execute", #Joh 5:22,27 it is what he was "appointed" to in
the council and covenant of God, #Ac 10:42 it is a branch of his kingly office,
and therefore in the administration of it he is spoken of as a King; "then
shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed", &c.
and when they shall say, Lord, when saw we thee so and so;
"the King shall answer and say", &c. #Mt 25:34,40. Yea, Christ, by his death and resurrection, has
obtained a right of dominion over all, as to be the Judge of them; "for to
this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be the Lord
both of the dead and living", #Ro 14:9 that is, so as to judge both quick
and dead, as the following verses show. And accordingly, upon
his resurrection from the dead, all power in heaven and earth were given to him
as Mediator; and upon his ascension to heaven, he was made, or declared, Lord
and Christ; and at his second coming, he will come as the Lord, the righteous
Judge, with an acquired, as well as an allowed right to judge the world; and
this office he will execute as God man, in both his natures, human and divine;
which are both necessary to the execution of it.
2a. It is highly proper that
the Judge of all the earth should be God. The work requires divine omniscience,
infinite wisdom, almighty power, and strict justice and faithfulness; all which
are to be found in Christ the Son of God. "Omniscience" is necessary to this work, which is proper to God; for all the
works, words, and thoughts of men, must be known by him, in order to judge
them; to know all the works, words, and thoughts, of only one man, for the
space of sixty, seventy, or eighty years, is more than any mere creature can
know; but what is even this knowledge to that of all the individuals throughout
a kingdom and nation? and what is that to the knowledge of
all the works, words, and thoughts, of the millions of individuals in all
kingdoms and nations? and of those in every age of the world, from the
beginning of the world to the end of it? Such knowledge is too wonderful for us
to conceive of; yet this is in Christ, as God; who knows all persons and
things, before whom every creature, and all things, are manifest, naked, and
open; even before him with whom we have to do; or to whom
we must give an account, as the words may be rendered. He is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart and needs not to be told any thing of man,
for he knows all that is in him and done by him. Wisdom and sagacity are
necessary to a judge. Solomon, by his judgment between the two harlots, became very
famous and respectable among his people; but a greater than
Solomon is here: one who is the all wise God, the wisdom of God, in whom are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and on whom the Spirit of
knowledge and wisdom rests; a Judge whose head, and whose hairs, are white as
wool, as white as snow, his great gravity and wisdom; who is able, as it is
necessary he should be, to distinguish between man and man; between that which
has only the appearance of a good action, and that which is
really such. "Almighty power" is likewise requisite in the Judge of
the world, to do what must and will be done by him; as to raise the dead,
summon all before him, and not only pronounce the decisive sentences on them,
but carry them into execution; for which purpose he is said to come "with
power", as well as with great glory: and such an one is Christ, who is the mighty God, styled most mighty, yea, the Almighty.
Strict "justice" and "faithfulness" are qualifications in a
temporal judge, who is to execute true judgment; is not to be bribed, nor to
respect persons; nor to pass sentence in a cause through favour and affection;
and such a Judge, and one infinitely more so, is necessary to judge the world
in righteousness and the people with equity; and such an
one is Jesus Christ the righteous; and who will appear to be the Lord the
righteous Judge, and his judgment to be just and true; for he will not judge
according to the sight of his eyes, and the hearing of his ears; but with
righteousness shall he judge, and reprove with equity; righteousness will be
the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins, #Isa 11:3-5.
2b. That Christ should appear
in human nature, when he comes to judge the world, is highly necessary; for God
has appointed to judge the world by "that Man" whom he has ordained;
so that Christ, as man, mast be concerned in the judgment of the world; yea,
the Father has given him authority to execute it, "because he is the Son of man", #Ac 17:31 Joh 5:27 because he has assumed human
nature, and so can appear visibly in it, as it is proper a judge should be
visible. The sight of a judge is very striking; it commands awe and reverence
in all; it fills the criminal with terror, and the just man with pleasure: so
Christ, the Judge, will come in such a visible manner, that every eye shall see
him; he will appear to the joy of some, and to the shame
and confusion of others. A judge usually appears, and it is proper he should,
in some external pomp and splendour, in his habit, in his retinue, and
attendants; and as placed on a seat, or throne, a bench of justice, with a
court set around him: Christ, the Judge of all, will come in great splendour
and glory, in the glory of his human nature visible, the rays of his divine
nature beaming through it; attended by his mighty angels,
and with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; a glorious
great white throne will be prepared for him, on which he will be visibly
placed, and thousands, and ten thousands standing about him, and ministering
unto him; it is proper he should appear in human nature, to deliver out, with
an articulate voice to be heard, the sentences, both the one and the other; "Come ye blessed", and "Go ye cursed!"
Moreover, since he, as man, was arraigned at the bar of man, and stood before a
judge, and was unjustly condemned by him, and dealt with injuriously by men; it
seems highly proper, that when he comes as a Judge he should come as man, and
the tables be turned; and he that was his judge stand before him, and see the
very man he used so ill, and receive his sentence from him;
as well as all such who have spoken against him, his person, doctrines, and
ordinances, and maltreated his people; and who will be obliged to confess,
"that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father", #Php 2:11.
As for the concern of others
in the judgment, angels or men, nothing is to be admitted,
that derogates from the glory of the office of Christ, as Judge of the world. Angels
will be no otherwise concerned, than as they will be attendants on him at his
coming; be employed by him in gathering and bringing to him the elect, raised
from the dead, in the several parts of the world, at the first resurrection;
and in the binding up of the tares, the wicked, and casting them into hell,
after the second resurrection, and final judgment:
approvers of the righteous judgment no doubt they will be; but as assisting and
advising in it, as there will be no need of it, there is no reason to believe
it: how far they may be evidences and witnesses in some cases, I will not say;
since they are frequently in religious assemblies, and have been employed in
many things in this lower world, and must be privy to many things done in it. As for the saints, there seems to be more that is
said of them; as that thrones will be set for them, and judgment be given to
them; the apostles are said to sit on twelve thrones, in the kingdom of Christ,
and to judge men; and the apostle Paul says, that the saints shall judge the
world; yea, judge angels, #Re 20:4 Lu 22:36 1Co 6:2,3 not that the saints will
be co-judges with Christ, and assistants to him in judgment;
whatever may be said for them, as sitters, by, and approvers of it, as no doubt
they will be; and besides this, it is generally allowed, that they, as members
of Christ, and as considered in him, their head, will judge the world; and also
that their holy lives and conversation will rise up in judgment against their
wicked neighbours and condemn them; as that of righteous Lot will rise up
against the inhabitants of Sodom.
3. The persons that will be
judged; angels and men: as to good angels, nothing is said of the judgment of
them in scripture; nor does it seem probable, since they never sinned; were confirmed
in their original state by the grace of Christ, and have always
been in a fixed state of happiness, always beholding the face of God in heaven:
how far their perfect obedience to God, and the faithful services they have
performed to men, at his command, may be brought into judgment, to receive
their just praise and commendation, I will not say. But as to the case of the
evil angels, it is notorious that they will be judged; for if the saints shall
judge angels, that is, evil ones, much more will Christ:
these, indeed, as soon as they sinned, were cast down to hell, as into a
prison; and as criminals are committed to prison, and laid in chains, until the
assize, or session comes; so these are laid in chains of darkness, and reserved
to the judgment of the great day, when they will receive their final sentence
and enter into full punishment; in which it seems they are not as yet, #2Pe 1:4
Jude 1:6 Mt 8:29. But the judgment spoken of in scripture
chiefly concerns men, good and bad; for as the wise man says, "God shall
judge the righteous and the wicked", #Ec 3:17.
3a. The righteous: and these
shall be judged first alone; for "the ungodly shall not stand
in the judgment" with them, "nor sinners in the congregation of the
righteous", and they will be first judged; not only according to the order
of the words in Ecclesiastes, before mentioned, on which no stress is to be
laid; but their judgment will be dispatched first, as represented in #Mt
25:1-46. Besides, they will be raised first; "The dead in Christ will rise
first"; even a thousand years before the rest; and it
is not reasonable to suppose, that their judgment will not proceed; but be
deferred until the rest are raised. Besides, Christ will "judge the quick
and the dead", the living saints changed, and the dead ones raised,
"at his appearing and kingdom"; their judgment will be at the
beginning of his kingdom, and be continued in it; and it will be proper that
they should be judged first, that they may receive the distribution
of rewards, made in the kingdom state; though indeed, they may at once be put
into the possession of distinguished favours, and have marks of respect,
immediately, as soon as that state begins, and their judgment be brought on, to
show the justness of the distribution made to them. Moreover, since they are to
judge the world, and to judge angels, it is necessary they should be first
judged themselves.
Here would have been the
proper place to consider the question, whether the sins of the righteous will
be brought into judgment? but that I have given my thoughts of this in another
place {6}. Thus much for the judgment of the righteous. Some have thought that
Enoch and Elijah, and so those who rose after the resurrection of Christ, and of whom it may be supposed, that they went with
him at his ascension to heaven; that those will not come into judgment, since
they have been so long in a state of perfection, both in soul and body, which
will not be the case of the other righteous at the coming of Christ; but this I
will not take upon me to determine.
3b. The
wicked will be judged; such who have indulged themselves in the gratification
of sinful pleasures, and may have been so hardened in sin as to imagine they
shall escape the judgment of God; yet they shall not, #Ec 3:17 11:9 Ro 2:3-5
even all the wicked shall be judged. These are the "dead" John saw
stand before God, "small and great"; all the wicked dead from the
beginning of the world to the end of it; who will not live
again, or be raised from the dead, till after the thousand years are ended, #Re
20:5,12 so that the judgment of those will not be till after the thousand years
reign of Christ and his saints, and after the second resurrection; after which,
all the wicked being raised, shall be brought to judgment, "small and great";
that is, such as were so when they died, being either children or grown persons; though now as they will rise as persons in manhood,
will so stand before God: or as high and low, rich and poor, kings and
peasants; for now shall the rich and poor meet together, though not now
distinguished as such; but having been such in their mortal state, shall not be
exempted from the judgment of God: or as greater and lesser sinners, and
accordingly shall receive their just punishment; for however
it may be a question, whether there will be degrees in the ultimate glory;
there is none concerning degrees of punishment; since it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for some
cities where Christ preached and wrought his miracles, yet repented not nor
believed in him.
I am aware, that there are
some objections to be made to what has been said concerning the judgment of the
righteous before the wicked; as,
3b1. That it
seems to contradict the account given of the
judgment
of both, #Mt 25:1-46 as appearing together, then
separated and
placed, the one at the right, and the other at
the left hand
of Christ. To which it will be sufficient to
answer, that
in descriptions taken from men, and delivered
after the
manner of men, and in allusion to what is done
among
men, it is not to be expected that there should be an
exact
correspondence in every circumstance of them; the
general
design of them is what is to be attended to: and if
that is
answered it is enough. Now the general design of
this
description is, to show that both good and bad men will
be
judged; that they will be distinguished in judgment, and
one will not
be taken for the other; the nominal professor
will be
unmasked: and as for the position of them, at the
right and
left hand of Christ, it cannot be understood of a
natural
position to the right and left; any more than in the
petition
of the two sons of Zebedee, to sit, the one at the
right hand,
the other at the left hand of Christ, in his
kingdom. The
allusion is to a sanhedrim, or court of
judicature
with the Jews; when, whom the judge absolved, he
placed at his
right hand; and whom he condemned, he placed
at
his left. So that the whole of what is intended by this
description
is, that both sorts of persons shall be judged;
that they
shall be distinguished, and appear to be what they
really are;
that the one will be acquitted, and the other
condemned.
All which may as well be done by supposing the
judgment
of the one to precede the judgment of the other, as
if together;
and according to the description itself, the
judgment of
the righteous will be first dispatched.
3b2. It is
objected, that this account of the judgment seems to
make
two days of judgment. Not at all: there will be but one
day of
judgment, though it will be a long one. We are not to
imagine, that
the day of judgment will be only a natural
day,
consisting of twenty four hours: surely it cannot be
thought, that
all the affairs of kingdoms, states, and
churches,
and particular persons, from the beginning of the
world to the
end of it, which will be brought into judgment,
and laid open
there, will be huddled over in so short a
space of
time; when this judgment may well be supposed to be
with the
utmost precision and exactness. No, this day of the
Lord
will be a thousand years; and for which reason it may
be called a
"great day", because of its great and long
duration; as
well as because of the great things done in it,
and by a great
Person; and may be also one reason why it is
called
"eternal judgment", the word eternal, or everlasting,
being
sometimes used for a long time only, as this will be:
the judgment
of the righteous will proceed at the beginning
of the
thousand years, and continue in them; and during this
time things
will be preparing for the judgment of the
wicked, at
the close of them; and so things will go on
successively
till the whole is finished: as the resurrection
of the just
will be on the morning of this day, so will
their
judgment begin then; and as the resurrection of the
wicked will
be at the evening of this day, so likewise their
judgment: and
as the evening and the morning make but one
day,
so it will be in this case; there will be but one day
of judgment.
3b3. Should
it be further objected, that there seems no necessity
for such a
length of time to judge the world in, seeing
Christ,
the Judge, is omniscient, and knows all men and
their works;
and therefore can pass judgment upon them at
once. I
answer, if there is anything in this objection, it
lies as
strongly against any formal judgment at all, whether
of a shorter
or longer space. Besides, the length of time is
not
taken, and the strict and accurate examination of things
entered into,
for the sake of the information of the Judge,
but that all
things might be made clear and plain to every
man's
conscience; and that it might be evidently seen, that
the
distribution of favours by the Judge, in the kingdom
state,
is made to everyone according to his works. God could
have made the
world at once, in a moment, but he thought fit
to take six
days in doing it, to show the greatness of the
work, his
wisdom, anti the counsel of his will in it; so when
the affairs of
the world, for six thousand years, and how
much
longer we know not, shall be called over, the Lord is
pleased to
take a thousand years for it, to show his exactness
and accuracy,
strict justice and equity, with which all
things shall
be managed; and the rather, since the determination
is for an
eternity to come, in the final issue of things.
3b4. It may
seem inconsistent to some, that the time of the
saints
reigning with Christ, and their being judged by him,
should be
together. That so it will be, seems most certain,
since Christ
will judge "the quick and the dead", the living
saints
changed, and the dead saints raised, "at his
appearing and
kingdom"; when he shall appear and enter on
his visible
and glorious kingdom, and take his saints to
reign with
him: nor can I see any inconsistency in this;
since the
saints, while they are judging, will be in a
sinless,
perfect state, be like to Christ, both in soul and
body, and
shall enjoy his personal presence; so that their
judgment will
not in the least break in upon their felicity in
reigning.
Besides, they will not stand before the Judge as
criminals,
but as the favourites of heaven; and this
judgment
will not be of their persons, on which their final
state
depends; but of their works; and that it might appear,
that the
distribution of favours to them, in this kingdom
state, is
just and equitable.
Before
this point is dismissed, it may be proper briefly
to observe,
what of men will be brought into judgment.
3b4a. All their
works and actions, whether good or evil,
#Ec 12:14 1Ti
5:24.
3b4b. All the
words of men, every hard speech against Christ and
his people;
yea, every idle word, and much more every
profane and
blasphemous expression, #Jude 1:15 Mt 12:35-37. --Nay,
3b4c.
Every thought, good or bad; for there is "a book of
remembrance"
written, for those that "thought" on the name
of the Lord,
which are registered there, in order to be
observed and
taken notice of hereafter, #Mal 3:16. "God will
judge the
secrets of men"; not only their secret works, but
their
secret thoughts, "by Jesus Christ, according to the
gospel";
and the Lord the Judge will "bring to light the
hidden things
of darkness, and will make manifest the
counsels of
the heart", #Ro 2:16 1Co 4:5.
4. The
rule of judgment, according to which it will proceed, and from whence the
evidence will be taken, are certain "books opened", #Re 20:12 the
same is observed #Da 7:10 where the judgment of antichrist, the emblem of this
judgment, is described; only there is no mention made of the other book, the
book of life; because that only respected what will be done in this present
life; but this respects the life to come, and the state of
men in it.
4a. The book of divine
omniscience will be opened; Christ, the Judge, who is God over all, knows all
persons; the "eyes" of his omniscience are "everywhere",
throughout the whole world, "beholding the evil and the good"; evil
men and good men; evil actions and good actions; "his
eyes are upon all the ways of men", and he observes every step they take,
and none can hide himself from him, who fills heaven and earth with his
presence; and when he comes to judge the world, this book of his omniscience
will be opened; he will let all the churches, and all the world know, that he
it is who searches the hearts, and tries the reins of the children of men. What
is unusual in human courts of judicature, for the judge
upon the bench to become an evidence, and be a witness against the prisoner at
the bar, will be the case now; "I will come near to you to judgment, saith
the Lord, and will be a swift witness against the sorcerers", &c. #Mal
3:5.
4b. This
book seems to be the same with the "book of remembrance", in #Mal
3:16 not that God needs anything to assist and refresh his memory; he has a
strong memory, to remember the sins which are written by him in his book,
"with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond"; and what is
written with an iron pen, or cut with a diamond, is not easily erased; great
Babylon will come up in remembrance before God, with all
her sins; and so will the sins of wicked men be remembered, be brought into
judgment, and meet with their deserved punishment. Though the above book seems
to be written for them only that fear the Lord, whose sins he remembers no
more; but then he is not forgetful of their good works, which flow from his own
grace; and even when they have been forgotten by them, they will be remembered by him, as appears from #Mt 25:37.
4c. The book of the creatures,
or creation, will be opened. Every creature of God is good and useful to men;
but those which are given for use are often abused to gratify one carnal
sensual lust or another; and which will be produced as witnesses against the sinner.
4d. The book of providence will
be opened: the providential goodness of God extends to all his creatures; and
such who have despised the riches of his goodness bestowed upon them, which
should have led them to repentance, and have abused the
forbearance and longsuffering of God towards them, in his providence, will find
that by the hardness and impenitence of their hearts, they have treasured up
wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of
God; when the providential dealings of God with them shall be brought as an
evidence against them, #Ro 2:4,5.
4e. The book of the scriptures
will be opened, both of law and gospel: the law of Moses will accuse those who
have lived under the law, and been violators of it, and pronounce them guilty
before God; they that have "sinned in the law shall be judged by the
law"; nay, the Gentiles will "judge" them "who by the
letter and circumcision transgress the law"; that is,
will rise up in judgment against them, and condemn them, #Ro 2:12,27. Such who
have lived under the gospel dispensation, and have neglected, despised, and
rejected the gospel of Christ, will be judged according to it and by it;
"The word", says Christ, "that I have spoken, the same shall
judge him" that rejects it "in the last day", #Joh 12:48.
"God", says the apostle, "shall judge the
secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel", #Ro 2:16 and the
grand rule in it, according to which judgment will proceed, is that in #Mr
16:16 nay, even the law and light of nature will be a rule of judgment respecting
those who have only had the benefit of that; "for as many as have sinned
without law shall also perish without law", #Ro 2:12.
4f. The book of conscience: in
this are recorded the actions of men; and from thence are they to be brought
forth upon occasion; and which either accuses or excuses for them, when it does
its office; unless cauterized and seared, as it were, with a red hot iron; and
even such, in the day of judgment, will have their consciences awaked, and which will be as a thousand witnesses against them.
4g. There is another book that
will be opened; and that is "the book of life"; in which the names of
some are written, which is the same as to be "written in heaven"; and
means no other, than the ordination and appointment of them to eternal
life in heaven: this is the Lamb's book of life, the book of eternal election,
in which all the names of all the elect are written; and the use of this book
in the day of judgment will be, that such whose names are found written in it,
will be admitted into the new Jerusalem, the holy city, and partake of the
privileges thereof, #Re 21:27 and that such whose names are not found written
in it; or, as it is expressed in #Jude 1:4 who are
"forewritten to this condemnation", those shall be cast into the lake
of fire, #Re 20:15.
Now the "dead" will
be "judged out of those things which are written in the books, according
to their works", #Re 20:12 which must be understood of the wicked "dead", when raised and brought to stand before God
who will have sentence pronounced upon them according to their wicked works;
between which, and the punishment condemned to, will be a just proportion;
"the wages of sin is death"; eternal death is the just demerit of it:
but as there is a difference in the sins of the wicked; some more, others
fewer; some greater, others less; some more, and others less
aggravated; their punishment will be proportioned to them, as will be seen in
the next chapter: and so everyone will be judged according to his works, in the
most just and equitable manner. Indeed, good men also will be judged according
to their works; but not adjudged to eternal life according to them; for there
is no proportion between the best works of men and eternal life; "eternal
life is the free gift of God through Christ": but upon
the judgment of them, the distribution of rewards, or of peculiar and
distinguished favours, more or less, in the kingdom state, will be according to
every man's works. This judgment out of the books, and according to works, is
designed to show with what accuracy and exactness, with what justice and
equity, it will be executed, in allusion to statute books in courts of
judicature, to be referred unto in any case of difficulty.
5. The circumstances of the
judgment, as to time and place.
5a. First, the time of it; the
particular judgment of men, or of particular persons in their
souls, will be immediately after death; according to #Heb 9:27 the general
judgment, or the judgment of all men, in soul and body, will be after the
resurrection; the judgment of the righteous, after the first resurrection; and
the judgment of the wicked, after the second resurrection. It is often spoken
of in scripture as though it would be quickly, particularly in #Re 22:7,12,20
to alarm men, and keep up a constant expectation of it.
There is a "day appointed" for it, as may be reasonably thought; for
if there is a "time to every purpose", a time appointed to everything
done under the heavens, then certainly for a business of such moment, and of so
great importance, as the general judgment is; and, indeed, this is expressly
affirmed; "he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness", #Ac 17:31 the time of it is unknown to
men, #Mt 24:36 Ac 1:6,7 hence the Judge is represented as coming "at an
unawares", as a thief in the night, at an hour unthought of; and therefore
men should watch and pray, and be ready to meet him.
5b.
Secondly, the place. This is also uncertain. Some, because of some passages in
#Joe 3:2,12 have thought of the valley of Jehoshaphat; but no valley can be
supposed large enough to hold all that will be judged at the day of judgment;
nor does it appear from scripture that there ever was such a valley of such a
name; nor does this seem to be the proper name of the valley, whatever valley
is intended; in #Joe 3:14 it is called, "the valley of
decision"; it properly signifies, the judgment of the Lord, and so is
applicable to any place where the Lord should judge the enemies of his people,
and bring destruction upon them: and to me it seems to refer to the battle, at
Armageddon, where will be a great slaughter of the kings of the earth; which
will make way for the latter day glory. The two more probable opinions are, that the judgment will be either in the air or on the earth.
Some think it will be in the air, because the Judge will come in the clouds of
heaven, and the living saints will then be changed, and the dead saints raised;
and both will be caught up together unto the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air. But I rather think it will be on earth; the judgment of the saints will be
on the new earth, on which they will descend from the air
with Christ; and which will be the seat of his reign with the saints, and of
theirs with him; and which will be the time of their judging: and as for the
wicked dead, who will live again after the thousand years are ended, they will
come upon the breadth of the earth, where will be the camp of the saints, the
beloved city, and encompass that; and being defeated in their design, they will
be at once brought to judgment, and stand before God, the
Judge of all, and receive their sentence.
6. The properties of this
judgment, as may be gathered from what has been said about it, and from express
passages of scripture.
6a. It is "future",
yet to come: the apostle Paul reasoned before Felix, among other things,
"of judgment to come", #Ac 24:25. But because it seems to be
deferred, and does not immediately take place, some have their hearts set in
them to do evil, and put away this evil day far from them, as they reckon it,
and put it very far away indeed, and fancy it will never
be. But,
6b. It is "certain";
purpose and prophecy make it so: God has, in his purposes, appointed a day for
it, and he will keep it; and fit purpose is never disannulled; Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied of it, as well as others; and the word of prophecy is a sure one, and will certainly be fulfilled:
therefore let young and old know, that for the things they have committed God
will bring them into judgment, #Ec 11:9.
6c. It will be
"universal", both as to persons and things. All men will be judged, sooner or later; in the morning, or in the evening of that
day; none shall escape it: and all works will be brought into it, good or bad.
6d. It will be a
"righteous judgment"; so it is called, #Ro 2:5. The world will be
judged in righteousness; the Judge of all the earth will do right; Christ the
Lord will be a righteous Judge, and his judgment just.
6e. It will be the last
judgment: it will be when the last trumpet shall sound, that the dead shall
rise in order to be judged; and it will be at the last day, when the word of
Christ, and Christ according to it shall judge men. #1Co 15:52 Joh 12:48.
6f. It is called "eternal
judgment", #Heb 6:2 not only because it will be a long time about, as has
been observed; but because it will issue in the final state of men; either in
their everlasting destruction, or in their everlasting happiness, #Mt 25:46
which are next to be considered.
{1} Homer. Odyss. 4. v. 563,
564. & 11. v. 567, 568. Apollodorus de Deor, Orig. l. 3. p. 130, 184. Plato
in Axiocho, p. 1308.
{2} Plato in Gorgias, p. 357.
{3} Plato de Republica, l. 10.
p. 761.
{4} Epist.
7. p. 1283. Ed. Ficin.
{5} See my Exposition of Heb.
vi. 1, 2. See Gill on "Heb 6:1". See Gill on "Heb 6:2".
{6} Book 6. c. 7. p. 359. See
point 7c. in topic 1017.