The Day of Judgment

Realized Eschatology The Day of Judgment and the End of the World

Introduction • Realized Eschatology teaches that ALL Bible prophecy has been fulfilled: • The second coming of Christ • The resurrection of the dead • The day of judgment • The end of the world • All these things were fulfilled in 70 A.D. at the destruction of Jerusalem

Day of Judgment • The Bible teaches that the judgment of Christ will occur when Jesus comes back again • Matthew 25:31-32 • John 5:28-29 • The 70 A.D. doctrine makes the judgment refer to the Lord’s judgment on the nation of Israel when He destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Bible Teaches… “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” Jesus said: Matthew 25:31

Bible Teaches… “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” Jesus said: Matthew 25:32

Day of Judgment Max King (1971) “A future judgment day…is no more needed than a future cross.” (SOP P. 180) • That false statement expresses the conviction of the Realized Eschatologist

Day of Judgment • “Judgment” appears many times in scripture • A judgment upon a nation (Jeremiah 48:47) • May refer to a judgment passed by a man or group of men (1 Kings 3:28) • Also verses which reveal a judgment where all appear before God • Matthew 12:41 • Both the men of Nineveh and those of Jesus’ day would be at the same judgment

Day of Judgment • “Judgment” appears many times in scripture • Isaiah wrote on nation of Judah (Isaiah 1-39) • Jeremiah spoke of judgment on Babylon (Jeremiah 51:47,52) • Yes, the “coming of the Lord” was a judgment against Jerusalem & Jews • Matthew 10:23; 24:1-35 • A coming judgment spoken by wise man Solomon (Ecclesiastes 11:9)

Day of Judgment “But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.” (Luke 10:14) • Queen of Sheba would be “with” the men of that generation in the Judgment “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.” Luke 11:31

The Day of Judgment • Paul’s preaching • Preached of “righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come…” • Acts 24:25 • Paul’s preaching made Felix “afraid” • Was Felix troubled to learn of a coming judgment upon Jews that the Romans would be the victors? NO – he never heard of such!

Bible Teaches… “Because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Paul said: Acts 17:31

The Day of Judgment • Paul’s preaching • Preached an earlier sermon in Athens that included information about this appointed day of judgment • Acts 17:30-31 • There is NO WAY that word of a future Jewish calamity hundreds of miles away, would spur these Athenians to repent

The Day of Judgment • EVERYONE will stand before God at the Day of Judgment “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36

The Day of Judgment “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”Romans 14:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done,whether good or bad.”2 Corinthians 5:10

The Day of Judgment “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”Hebrews 9:27-28

The Day of Judgment “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”John 5:28,29

The Day of Judgment “You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.‘ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.”Matthew 5:21,22

The Day of Judgment “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”Matthew 11:23,24

The Day of Judgment “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.”2 Peter 2:4 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”Jude 6

The Day of Judgment • ALLthe righteous as well as those who have rejected the Lord’s Word will be present at the judgment Day of Christ • DID THIS HAPPEN IN 70 A.D.? • Did ALL that were in the graves hear his voice and come forth? • Did they go to the resurrection of life or the resurrection of damnation?

The Day of Judgment • ALLnations shall be present at the judgment seat of Christ • IF the final judgment already took place back in 70 A.D., statements such as these would make no sense • Because ONLY the Jews were involved in God’s judgment – when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem • Jesus said ALL would be present!

The End of the World • Realized Eschatologists claim that the end of the world occurred in 70 A.D. at the destruction of Jerusalem • The end of the world to them, was the complete destruction of the old system of Judaism • They have all references in the New Testament to “world” as meaning Judaism

The End of the World • Realized Eschatologists believe2 Peter 3 means the end of the world of Judaism and not the end of the literal world as we know it • Making someobservations on2 Peter 3:1-18

2 Peter 3 • The letter was written around 64—65 A.D. • If the prophecy of the Bible was nearing an end, Peter certainly would have known it. • Reading the letter we get no hint that Peter is alarmed that Jesus has not come back yet—nor does he present the notion His return is about to occur!

2 Peter 3 • The Radical Preterist position is he wrote this letter to warn Christians of the imminent coming of Jesus in the destruction of Jerusalem. • Yet, reading his letter Peter was assuring his readers that His return is apparently not in view—He will come again! • Discusses God’s patience, God’s timing and long periods of time • Alludes to Psalm 90 in 3:8. • Though almost 40 years passed since His ascension, His return is not discredited.

The End of the World • Scoffers will come in the last days… saying “where is the promise of His coming?....all these things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” • They understood that the earth has not changed – it is still in tact • They forgot that the “world”that existed during the daysof Noah was flooded by water

End of the World “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.”2 Peter 3:5,6

End of the World “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”2 Peter 3:7,8

End of the World “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”2 Peter 3:9

End of the World “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”2 Peter 3:10

End of the World “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?”2 Peter 3:11,12

The End of the World • Same heavens and earth which are now in existence are reserved for fire • God is not willing for ANY to perish but that ALL should come to repentance • How the end of the world will come: • As a thief in the night • With a great noise • All the elements will melt • The earth and works burned

The End of the World • Peter is talking about the SAME literal world that we livein today – as thesame literal worldthat Noah lived inyears ago • Literal World • Literal Water • Literal Fire

End of the World “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.”1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

At The End of the World,The Saints Will Forever Be With The Lord • Faithful Christians have great comfortin the words of the apostle Paul • Those who believe in the 70 A.D. theory make this passage of scripture apply to the destruction of Jerusalem 1 Thessalonians4:13-18 • Although Realized Eschatologists believe in a future life, what passage teaches it?

Words of Comfort “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”1 Thessalonians 4:13,14

Words of Comfort “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”1 Thessalonians 4:15,16

Words of Comfort “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”1 Thessalonians 4:17,18

Conclusion • Destruction of Jerusalem occurred in 70 A.D. – as predicted by Jesus in Matthew 24 • Can we conclude that this is the end of the world as this doctrine teaches – certainly NOT! • Realized Eschatologists try to force every passage of scripture into a mold that doesn’t fit To be forewarned is to be forearmed

The Day of Judgment