Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
There are many judgments of God that are found in the Bible. Some of these judgments are the flood of Noah, the Tower of Babel and Sodom and Gomorrah, but in this article we will cover seven major universal judgments.
1. The Judgment at Calvary
This is where Jesus Christ took God's wrath and died for the sins of the world at the Cross of Calvary in 33 A.D.
John 1:29 "..Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"
Jesus Christ was sinless, yet chose to die for our sins, so that we may be justified if we believe on Him. All our sins are paid for on the Cross that includes past, present and future sins. If you want to go to Heaven then trust Christ alone. If you want to go to Hell then trust something else.
1 Timothy 4:10 "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe."
2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
2. The Daily Self-Judgment of the Christian
As believers, we are to judge ourselves constantly and make sure we are right with God. This judgment does not deal with salvation, but fellowship with God as a Christian.
1 Corinthians 11:28 "..let a man examine himself.."
Psalms 26:1 "Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart."
1 Corinthians 11:31 "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."
God will chastise his children when they disobey Him. Too many people misinterpret his chastisement for hate, but God corrects us out of love like an earthly father would with his son.
Hebrews 12:6 "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?"
The self-judgment of the Christian does not save or keep him saved, but it gives him forgiveness and cleansing, which is vital in a close relationship with God.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
3. The Judgment Seat of Christ
This is where saints are judged according to their works. This takes place after the Rapture in Heaven, while the Tribulation is going on in the earth. Faithful saints will receive crowns and rewards.
1 Corinthians 3:14 "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
We are not saved by works or kept by works, but the believer will have his works judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The works will be judged to see if they were done for good or bad motives.
2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
4. The Judgment on Israel in the Tribulation
This judgment is on Israel during the Tribulation (Jacob's Trouble) because of their rejection of the Messiah Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 20:34-38).
1 Samuel 8:7 "And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."
Luke 23:18 "And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:"
After this judgment though, Israel will accept their Messiah and Israel will be converted. This is the new covenant talked about between God and the house of Israel and Judah in Hebrews 8.
Isaiah 66:8 "Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children."
Jeremiah 30:7 "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it."
5. The Judgment of the Gentile Nations
This is where the Lord will judge the Gentile nations during the Second Coming of Christ at the valley of Jehoshaphat. This judgment will be on how the nations treated the Jews. Nations that cursed the Jews will be punished and nations that blessed the Jews will be blessed.
Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"
Joel 3:2 "I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land."
The basis of the judgment will be on how the nations treated Israel during the Tribulation. The people who mistreated the Jews and the salvation of the people who blessed the Jews will receive damnation (Matt. 25:41).
Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
6. The Judgment of the Fallen Angels
This is where the fallen angels will be judged at the White Throne Judgment. The Bible says they will be judged by the Lord and those who are saved will help judge them. The fallen angels being judged are the ones that followed Satan (Ezek. 28:12-19, Isa. 14:12-17, Rev. 12:4).
1 Corinthians 6:3 "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?"
Jude 1:6 "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."
2 Peter 2:4 "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;"
7. The Great White Throne Judgment
This is the judgment for the unsaved that rejected Jesus Christ. This final resurrection is not for the saved because the saved are on the earth reigning in glorified bodies with Jesus in the Millennium before this judgment (Rev. 20:1-12). As said before, the fallen angels are judged here also, along with the saved people from the Tribulation and Millennium who have not been rewarded yet (Rev. 11:17-18).
Those who are not recorded in the Book of Life will be casted into the Lake of Fire to burn for eternity. This judgment is not to find out who is guilty, rather a pronouncement of judgment on the unsaved who have been in Hell. At this judgment there will be witnesses, a prosecuting attorney (Devil) and a judge (God).
Revelation 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
