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Revelation 11
18 The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth." 19 God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
the time for the dead to be judged
He said with a loud voice, "Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!" (Revelation 14:7)
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don't obey the Good News of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
For I know their works and their thoughts: the time comes, that I will gather all nations and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. (John 3:19)
We must keep in mind the true meaning of judgment lest we slip back into old habits of thinking about God as one who arbitrarily imposes sentences and punishment on others. This judgment is not merely about the dead but involves everyone, including fallen spirits, Satan and God himself. This is the only way the universe can be secured from any recurrence of sin without the fear factor involved. Love alone will be the motive compelling anyone left in God's universe, and love can have no fear at all within it, for love requires complete freedom to choose without any fear involved. This is by design of creation, not an imposed rule. The judgment then, is not a threat as we have too long supposed. Rather it is the only means by which love can be fully restored to its highest position in the minds and hearts of all who choose to live in that way. God's kingdom is based on truth, love, freedom and trust, and judgment simply brings truth back into the light and leaves everyone free to choose.
Behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:29)
Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the dead for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. They all will answer and ask you, "Have you also become as weak as we are? Have you become like us?" Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low! (Isaiah 14:9-12)
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you. They will ponder you, saying, "Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms; who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities; who didn't release his prisoners to their home?" All the kings of the nations, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house. But you are cast away from your tomb like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, who are thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trodden under foot. You will not join them in burial, because you have destroyed your land. You have killed your people. The seed of evil-doers will not be named forever. Prepare for slaughter of his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, that they not rise up and possess the earth, and fill the surface of the world with cities. "I will rise up against them," says Yahweh of Armies, "and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and son and son's son," says Yahweh. (Isaiah 14:15-22)
Babylon is the symbol of all the lies, confusion and misrepresentation about God used by Satan to maintain his power of deception and coercion. Until Satan has been fully exposed, it will be impossible for all questions to be resolved and God's reputation to be fully exonerated. This last verse is God's promise that all residual traces of the spirit of Babylon and its character (name) will disappear. Yet the method God uses to achieve this is crucial to its effectiveness to neutralize the toxic poison of lies that fuels our distrust of God.
The main point I want to emphasize here is that judgment in no way involves God forcing or compelling anyone like we do judgment in our world. The judgments of God parallel the nature of the wrath of God (a tragic mistranslation), which is to release everyone to the natural outcome and consequences of their own determined will, released to the immutable principles undergirding all creation itself. This is the Law of God that cannot be violated without resulting in death, but the resulting death is not imposed as a punishment from God but rather is the natural result of beings choosing to disconnect from the only Source of life that exists resulting in their ceasing to live. Judgment brings truth into the open; the reaction to truth and love reveals the condition of the heart and leaves that person exposed and naked before everyone. Yet all remain free to choose what they want to do about their situation, for without this freedom love does not exist.
The root cause of the extinction of the wicked in the final day of judgment is not God's determination to destroy them but rather their own fixed character developed by their own choices that blocks them from accepting the offer of repentance. The lost have destroyed their ability to enjoy God's love and have permanently distorted God's image within them, so they can no longer reflect His glory to others. They hate the light and experience love as torment and torture for them because of the dissonance it produces in their soul. This is why demons were so terrified when Jesus came close, because His presence of love is torment to those who hate it and they are eager to run as far from it as possible to avoid the searing pain of the fire of God's passionate love.
Before a person passes the point of no return in their character development, the fire of passionate love can still function as a purifier to consume away the filth, sin and resistance embedded in the heart. But this requires willing consent of the heart of the person, for anything else violates their core design of freedom and violates God's reflection in His creation. Freedom means God always leaves the option open to choose differently than His will for us, and this remains true throughout all eternity. But the virus of sin attacks this central nervous system of our design, corrosively destroying the delicate tissues of our conscience and hardening the heart until our capacity for freedom is stolen from us, destroyed permanently by the effects of sin molding us into its image of hatred and rebellion against God. Once a being passes this point of no return because of the permanent hardening of the heart by continually resisting love, the condition is reached where there is no freedom left internally to embrace healing, so the fire of God's passionate love only produces more of the same – increased resistance with no possibility left of cleansing. This was demonstrated in the story of Pharaoh and the nature of his demise foreshadows the final end that will be chosen by all who follow his path of resisting God's kindness, compassion and mercy beyond the point of no return.
Love can only cleanse and purify the heart with our consent. Once sin destroys all desire and capacity to consent, there is nothing more God can do but respect our final choice to prefer death rather than continued life that is only torment in His presence. This principle can be seen throughout Scripture and throughout history and is central to the function of the kingdom of heaven.
This declaration that the time has come for the dead to be judged is highly significant in this regard. The dead is not merely those who are physically dead, but more so all who have passed the point of no return and are spiritually dead with no capacity to be restored to life in harmony with love. Again, this is not some arbitrary point established by God beyond which He refuses to grant repentance or forgiveness. This is a point where everyone in the universe has passed the Rubicon (to use an old metaphor) so to speak, and it is now time to allow the chips to fall where they will which finalizes the outcome of everyone's free choices. In other words, the 7th trumpet occurs when there is no one left in the valley of decision, for all have passed over either into full commitment to following the path of life or full abandonment to the control of selfishness, distrust and rejection of love. No longer will further information affect their thinking, for salvation does not come through information alone but is a matter related to the condition of the heart and the spirit.
Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn't profit them, because it wasn't mixed with faith by those who heard. (Hebrews 4:1-2)
Eternal salvation is not a product of making good choices because we are convinced by sufficient knowledge of facts to make a right choice. Our will is not convinced by overwhelming facts as many assume. This is evident in the lives of people who knew Jesus personally while He lived here on earth. The evidence and the miracles testified to the fact that He was the Son of God on earth. Yet many continued to resist and resist and fight against the voice of conscience until no amount of evidence could convince them to surrender to His love for them.
The same was true for Lucifer, for he lived closer to the Source of all love and power than anyone ever could, yet in the full light of the glory of God's passionate fire of love in which he thrived, he chose a life of rebellion against it despite all the evidence that the claims he was making against God were false. Once Lucifer deliberately chose to embrace his own lies as the version of reality he would live by permanently, he sealed his own fate by destroying his very capacity to respond to the drawing of the gentle Spirit of God and lost all hope of recovery. He was no longer a light bearer but a tale bearer and the consequences could never be reversed. This is his goal for everyone who follows his example and is the frightful and lethal outcome of using our will to resist love rather than surrendering to its influence.
By his rebellion against God's law, Satan brought sin into existence; for “sin is the transgression of the law.” God in His wisdom did not use measures of force to suppress Satan's rebellion. Such measures would have aroused sympathy for Satan, strengthening his rebellion rather than lessening his power. If God had at the outset punished his rebellion, many more would have looked upon him as one who had been dealt with unjustly, and would have followed his example. It was necessary for him to have time and opportunity to develop his false principles. There was war in heaven, and the Prince of life overcame the apostate. Satan was cast out of heaven, with the angels who had united with him. [ST July 23, 1902]
What we are studying here is at the other end of this time period begun long ago by God in heaven. God saw that to remain in perfect harmony with His principles of love, truth and freedom, that time had to be granted for Satan to work out his false principles that contradicted the principles of love. What we are studying is at the other end of that timeline when those principles will have been fully exposed as false and there is no longer any doubt left as to which system is credible and who is worthy of our trust. The time has come for God to allow the natural outcomes of His principles to be released, both in the lives of those who have chosen to follow the great apostate and have worshiped him and become like him in spirit and falsehood, as well as the fulfillment of all the promises of hope and joy and peace for all those who have put their trust in God.
God brings full closure to this experiment launched by Satan so long ago, yet not through any arbitrary means but rather by guiding events and circumstances to come to full fruition in such a way that His kingdom of love can be firmly established forever on the sure foundations of truth, love and freedom. All are exposed as to which kingdom has been allowed to shape their character, what principles they have embraced with their will and whose image defines their reflection. The time for full disclosure has arrived, and only then is it safe to release fully the principle of cause and effect with no danger of misunderstanding on the part of anyone. This alone secures the safety of the universe without any hint of fear left in the hearts of all involved.
Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God; (Romans 2:4-5)
Does this offer a clue about the location of the 7's in Revelation? The relevant passage to the time of the dead being judged is chapter 20 which is after the millennium. Is this talking about that time, or is it simply announcing the opening of some 'door' allowing events to move toward that time?
I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)
to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints
Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. (Revelation 22:12)
What is the nature of rewards in God's system? Are rewards something God hands out that are earned and deserved, or are they along the line of natural outcomes of choices made?
Rewards are used to motivate people to make decisions in a certain direction and to avoid other directions and choices. In this sense, God does offer rewards because He has a vested interest in seeing us move in the right direction for our best good and ultimate happiness. Jesus was motivated by the attraction of a desirable outcome at the other end of the path laid out for Him to follow that meant suffering the extreme humiliation, shame and torture caused by taking our sin onto Himself. What was the reward that had such power to sustain Him through such intense agony and torment of mind?
Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
The physical sense of joy comes from the experience of being glad to be together with someone who cares about us. Jesus believed that everything He was going through would be effective to alter our thinking about God to the point of being reconciled and coming into harmony with His passionate love for us.
His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' (Matthew 25:21 repeated in 23)
I would like to propose looking at this phrase from the perspective of God's kind of reward. When Jesus says 'My reward is with me,” the key word here is the with. That is at the very heart of the true definition of joy, for joy is impossible to experience solitarily, for joy is all about connecting at a deep heart level with another heart. So when Jesus relied on the goal of joy to carry Him through all the feelings of abandonment, shame and the cruelty of feeling despised, hated and rejected by everyone around Him including feelings that God might have done the same to Him, His only hope was that somehow all this would turn into joy in the end and the power of that hope propelled Him to endure.
destroy those who destroy the earth
Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, who struck the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, who ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet. They break out song. (Isaiah 14:5-7)
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you. They will ponder you, saying, "Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms; who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities; who didn't release his prisoners to their home?" (Isaiah 14:15-17)
By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your traffic, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of you; it has devoured you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all those who see you. (Ezekiel 28:18)
But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end. The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:26-27)
Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25)
Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)
Which system of justice and judgment will you subscribe to? Beware, for the system you choose will be the system used to judge and measure you. The choice is ours, for we choose the filter through which we conceive the explanations of why things happen the way they do.
God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple
After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. (Revelation 15:5)
I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)
Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:50-53)
Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God's temple is holy, which you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you. There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the testimony, all that I command you for the children of Israel. (Exodus 25:21-22)
It shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says Yahweh, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Yahweh; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Yahweh; and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. (Jeremiah 3:16-17)
being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh. (2 Corinthians 3:3)
But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God. (John 3:21 NRSV)
Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed
This is a recurrence of the 'tab' that shows up several times throughout this book. It functions like an alert to a significant transition point we need to pay attention to in the flow of the story. Each time something is usually added to the list. Here it is hail that is added to the previous accumulation.
The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. (Revelation 8:6-7)
Interestingly, the first time hail shows up is at the beginning of the trumpets, while here it marks the end of the trumpet sequence. The next time hail is mentioned is after the 7th bowl that causes violent plagues on the earth. A question is whether the hail is part of the description of the 7's or does it happen immediately after the conclusion of the 7 sequence.
Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe. (Revelation 16:21)
Keep in mind that Revelation is rooted in symbols, not literal descriptions of events. While there may be corresponding literal corollaries, they are reflections of more vivid spiritual realities transpiring.
Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? (Job 38:22-23)
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire. (Psalms 18:12-13)
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand. (Isaiah 28:1-2)
I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. (Isaiah 28:17)
This may be the best definition for the symbol of hail in prophecy. The entire war is between The Truth and The Lie. Hail is hardened water that has more effectiveness to penetrate and arouse awareness than just rain. Truth at times becomes unavoidably obvious to the point of sweeping away the matrix of lies people rely on to hide from the light of truth.
Yahweh will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the descent of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, storm, and hailstones. (Isaiah 30:30)
The work of righteousness will be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places. Though hail flattens the forest, and the city is leveled completely. (Isaiah 32:17-19)
Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they daub it with whitewash: tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it. Behold, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said to you, Where is the daubing with which you have daubed it?
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath; and there shall be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it. So will I break down the wall that you have daubed with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation of it shall be uncovered; and it shall fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it: and you shall know that I am Yahweh. Thus will I accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have daubed it with whitewash; and I will tell you, The wall is no more, neither those who daubed it; (Ezekiel 13:10-15)
With pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur. (Ezekiel 38:22)
I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn't turn to me,' says Yahweh. (Haggai 2:17)
