The time of the Tribulation, the seven years described in many prophecies in the Old Testament and in the book of Revelation, is a time of God’s judgment for the earth. Now, as this study is being written, before the Rapture, we see God’s forgiveness through His grace for mankind. We may even begin to believe God will always be loving and gracious and merciful and restraining His judgment, but this is not true. God could not be the God of truth and justice if He forever held His righteous judgment in check. While there are many other Scriptures which talk about this, we will study two in this lesson.
Psalm 103:6-9 “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever.” Here we clearly see the warning that God’s mercy is not always the way He will deal with our sin.
Romans 2:6-11 “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” This passage says everyone will be judged according to their works with complete justice – justice based on God’s standards rather than ours.
The Bible also says that judgment begins with the household of God, so we who are His children will be the first to be judged for our works – and this takes place during the Tribulation, but not here on earth. This is described in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, which clearly states this judgment does not include a sentence of death. Every believer’s judgment of life and death has been forever completed in Jesus’ death on the cross. The judgment in these verses only determines whether we enter Heaven with treasure or without treasure.
The judgment of God during the Tribulation is mostly for nations of the earth. Of course, a nation cannot be judged without its people feeling the effects. From earth’s current population of about seven billion, so many will die in God’s judgments that perhaps only about five hundred million or so will survive till the end.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You today for the opportunity to believe in You so the judgment of death for our sin is completed and we do not need to face Your wrath in that day of terrible Tribulation. Help us always to remember that You are a God of love and justice. May we share this truth with others so that as many as possible might be saved. In Jesus name, Amen.
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