Everything as we know it now will come to an end one day. Everything in this world upon which people pin their hopes will eventually cease to be. According to the Bible, even the earth and heavens will “wear out like a garment” and pass away. (Psalm 102:25-26, Isaiah 51:6, Hebrews 1:10-12) In their place will be something new and amazing. But until that day arrives, the only thing we can count on is that eventually, when our physical lives are complete, we will die, and, after that, what? The Bible provides some very specific answers, which will determine whether you look forward to that day with hope or dread.

What Is in the Books?

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.10  A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9-10 (ESV)

Daniel the prophet was given this vision of the coming Day of the Lord, when God will judge all people who ever lived. This heavenly courtroom scene is both majestic and terrible. The Judge is Someone called the Ancient of Days, whose presence creates awe and dread. Is there anything here on earth can prepare us for what that day will be like?

“And the books were opened.” If you are like me, I would like to know what are those books? Is there something in them about you and me? God gave John the apostle a similar vision, when he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos for his bold testimony and faith in Jesus the Messiah. Here is his written record of that experience.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

According to this and other Bible passages, the books that will be opened before the Ancient of Days contain a written record of how each of us lived here on earth during the time allotted to us.

This will include, according to Jesus, not only what we did, but also what we said. (Matthew 12:36) Our utterances are what we might consider to be verbal deeds. And according to the Bible, even our thoughts and intentions will be made known, which makes this an even more horrifying spectacle. (Hebrews 4:12, Ecclesiastes 12:14) None of us desires our worst thoughts to be made public, but that is what is going to happen. Imagine a book that contains all the thoughts, words, and deeds we ever had or did!

By what Standard Will We Be Judged?

Another question we might ask ourselves is by what standard our thoughts, words, and deeds will be measured? Will we be compared to other people from our socio-economic group who lived about the same time as we, or will we be graded against all people who ever lived? Will we only be scored against others from our own religious grouping, or against all other world religions? Will we be graded “on a curve,” which would allow most of us to pass, despite our poor showing? But what if some, as is often the case, did so well that the normal curve no longer applies? What if someone made a perfect score? And what if we did not even believe that there was such a person as the Ancient of Days? Will we get a do over?

The Bible makes it clear that God has given us his standard for judging people. It is called the Law, which revealed to people God’s holiness and what he expects of us.

The Ten Commandments are the bare essence of this standard. When we consider our lives in light of these commands, some of us might think we will come away pretty well at the Last Judgment. Most of us have never murdered anyone, right? That is, unless abortion is murder, or, as Jesus taught, being angry with someone is tantamount to committing murder. (Matthew 5:22) What if hatred or harboring a grudge and wishing ill on another is in the same category as murder? Jesus taught that God looks at the thoughts and intents of the heart, not just what we had the nerve to perform.

What about adultery? Can we say that most people have never committed adultery? Once upon a time perhaps, but probably not today. Adultery, like murder, under the Law was punishable by death. It is an extremely serious offense in God’s eyes, which are the only eyes that will matter at the Last Judgment. Jesus raised the bar even higher when he told his followers that, if we lust after another person in our hearts, we are guilty of adultery. (Matthew 5:28) Does this mean that lustful thoughts are worthy of death? I guess we will find out soon enough.

What Is this Thing Called “Sin?”

Paul wrote that “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) God created us to live in harmony and dependence upon him. We sin when we choose go our own way in disobedience to his clear commands and when we live without consideration or reference to God. It’s not just when we do “bad things” like murder. It is when we do the most evil thing of all – forsake God.

Sin began in the Garden of Eden and has been passed down genetically and spiritually to each of their descendants. As a result we have all taken up the torch and run with it, spreading sin and rebellion against God to the far corners of the earth.

Every single human being who has ever lived a self-directed life apart from God deserves death. We have all fallen short of God’s glorious standard of right living.

We may not like this standard, but it is the one by which we will be judged by the Ancient of Days on that Day.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 (ESV)

Who Is the Ancient of Days?

The Bible teaches that he is none other than the One Jesus called his Father, the Creator God. Jesus is the “only begotten” Son of the Father, the eternal Logos, through whom the Father created all things. Jesus, the Logos, became a human being, lived a perfect life of union and submission to his Father, died sacrificially for our sins, and rose again as Lord of Lords. Jesus prophesied that in the future he will return as the glorious Son of Man, Ancient of Days’ representative, to carry out judgment.

…And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:63-64 (ESV) 

The future Judge of all people was sentenced to death when he affirmed his true identity. That will make for an interesting scene someday when his accusers stand before him and these words are brought up as testimony against them!

Jesus, the Perfect Man, the Son of God, the Lamb who was slain to take away our sins, the Risen Lord of glory, is the only person worthy to judge the rest of us.

He lived, breathed, walked, talked, and thought as a man, but without sin. He blew the curve right out of the water. He ruined our chances for being compared to other miserable sinners at that last tribunal.

We will be judged against Christ’s perfection and obedience. We have absolutely no chance of being found righteous.

Before his ascension, Jesus told us that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him by this Father. (Matthew 28:18) He also spoke these words:

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20  For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21  For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22  For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, John 5:19-22 (NKJV)

Jesus is the standard by which every person will be judged. He is the one who scored 100% on the course of life. He ruined the curve for everyone else, but he also made a way for us to skip the test.

Is There Any Way Out?

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:22-29 (ESV)

As you already know, or probably surmised, we do have hope. Otherwise, I would not waste my time writing this article. Jesus made a way for us to get exempted from the final exam! Jesus, the Righteous Judge, died in our place so that can be spared from having the sword of God’s judgment fall upon us. Jesus, the Perfect One, took our sin and punishment upon himself, so that we might walk free from the condemnation and fear of judgment which we so richly deserve.

Those who place their faith in this Savior King will stand before the Judgment Seat, too, but our names will be found written in another book called the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The Lamb’s Book of Life

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25  and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26  They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27  But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27 (ESV) 

The Lamb’s Book of Life is a most intriguing book! The names of those who have put their trust in Christ and who loyally follow him are written there. If our names are in that book, we do not have to worry about being condemned for our sins and failings.

That is really good news, since all of his fall short of God’s standard! How do we get our names enrolled there? Sign me up! What is intensely interesting is that the Bible says that our names were written there before the earth was founded.

"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Revelation 17:8 (NASB) 

This amazing statement agrees with Paul’s teaching in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Our God is so loving, merciful, and great that he set in motion his plan to redeem a people to himself before he even created the world! Jesus did not come as a makeshift plan or a mid-course correction. God’s amazing mind saw and planned it all beforehand. What a great God we serve!

In the course of time, you and I were born and received our chance to play our parts on the grand stage called life. During our time on planet earth, God’s Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, reviving our spiritually dead condition, drawing our hearts toward God, and opening us to want to know more about Jesus. If you have any pull at all toward God and his Son, Jesus, it is because the Holy Spirit is at work in you. Otherwise, you still would be hostile to the gospel message and would not waste your time with it. If you are still reading, you are still interested, which makes me confident that the Holy Spirit is at work in you.

Jesus said:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:37-40 (ESV)  

If we come to Christ, it means we were drawn. If the Spirit draws us, it is because the Father has already known, loved, and chosen us to be the undeserving recipients of his love. If we come, Jesus will receive us. Our part is to respond to God’s drawing by choosing to come to Christ, to open our hearts to him, and to believe in Him. The Holy Spirit guides the process from start to finish, but we must cooperate. No matter where you are in this process of being drawn, you can turn to God right now and tell him you want to keep going. God expects us to be active participants, not passive onlookers.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I understand now that you have been drawing me to Christ. Please keep working in me. I surrender my life into your hands. Jesus, I want to know you and believe it you. I open my heart to you. Come into my life. Forgive my sins. I receive the eternal life you promise. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to know you and your truth. Amen.

Your Eternal Destiny Hangs in the Balance

The final outcome for those who trust in Christ is completely the reverse of what it will be like for those who refuse his generous offer. Those who refuse to believe and do not have their names written in the book of life will suffer what the Bible calls the second death.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15 (ESV) 

But those who do choose to trust and serve the Messiah King will be ushered into a glorious eternity in God’s loving presence.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)

Embracing Hope

Jesus is the Hope of all people. The Bible says that the hope of those who trust in him is his coming again in glory to raise the dead and judge the nations.

Again, Isaiah says, “There will be a root from Jesse. He will rise to rule the nations, and he will give the nations hope.” Romans 15:12 (GW) 

Hopeless people do desperate things, but people who have hope live in the light of that hope. Those who have put their trust in Jesus will live as people of hope.

In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13  But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:12-13 (NLT) 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5  who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7  so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8  Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9  obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)  

Today you have the opportunity to make sure you are on the right side of things on the Last Day. Make the most of it! If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting for? If you are already a follower of Christ, rededicate yourself to his service. See you on that day!