The Day of judgment: Is it one specific day? Might it be put off by God for some period of time? Could our actions impact judgment day, or alter when it is accomplished?
The Bible teaches there was a day of judgment for the baby sacrificing residents [Canaanites] of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and a thousand years before that for the wicked people of Noah's day; and for some others as well. During those judgment days, God always made a way for the righteous to be preserved alive in the day of destruction. (2 Peter 2:5-9) These Bible recorded judgment days set a pattern for the present day of judgment by Christ Jesus. (Acts 17:31) Those ancient wicked people all faced a day of destruction that was often one literal day, but their judgment day preceded that day of destruction; and their judgment day took much longer than one literal day. In Noah's "day" for example, their judgment day lasted forty years or more, while Noah preached to them as he was building the ark. (2 Peter 2:5-9) Their day of judgment was then over, and their day of destruction came on the day Noah entered the ark. Their day of destruction then lasted some few days as the earth flooded.
By understanding the Bible record of what has happened in the past, and knowledge of what is happening now; we become witness to an eternal revealing of God's righteous judgment. (Romans 2:5-11 ; Romans 1:16-23) Every person, including YOU, must recognize and put faith in God's goodness. (Hebrews 11:6) Those who remain unrepentant at heart through this day of judgment are storing up wrath for themselves on the day of destruction soon to follow. (Please see Romans 2:5)
We must each define in our own mind and heart [and thus judge] who we are! It is what comes our of our mouth that indicates what we love and what we hate. (Matthew 15:10-11) You must not be divided in your love for God by any other thing. (Matthew 6:24) In other words: What we speak from our mouth proves what is in our heart. Therefore, it is what we are motivated to speak that will be judge of us during this judgment day. (Matthew 10:32-33 ; Matthew 12:36-37)
Clearly, we should understand the distinction between our judgment day, and the day of destruction. Occasionally, the Bible uses "judgment day" to include both, but not usually; and we should be aware of the difference. By the Jewish law, judgment was constantly rendered whether individuals were ignorant or not. Hence the ancient city of Nineveh was scheduled for destruction because of their wickedness, even though they were ignorant. Because they were ignorant however, the city was spared after it's inhabitants were preached to and then repented when they learned the truth. (See the short Bible book of Jonah.) God never destroys the ignorant. He always gives them the opportunity to hear the truth. That is what our judgment period [or judgment day] amounts to: As God gives each of us the opportunity to hear and respond to Bible truth. It is being done even now! In the final day of destruction, death by God only comes upon those who have heard the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus; and have rejected it. Any person rejecting the good news Jesus brought, cease being ignorant, and transform themselves into wicked persons. Start learning what the Bible teaches, for the preservation of your own life. (John 11:25-26)
Consider, for instance, the judgment day for the ancient city of Nineveh. (Book of Jonah) Jehovah God had judged the city based on their wickedness, and had appointed a day of destruction for them. First though, He sent Jonah to warn the city. At his warning, the city repented in sackcloth and ashes. God then canceled their day of destruction. They had their day of judgment, and then avoided their day of destruction based upon their response to that judgment. Their day of destruction changed based upon their actions. [Sadly, historians teach that about seventy years after their pardon, Nineveh returned to her wicked ways and had to be destroyed. (See the book of Jonah.)]
Conversely, God set a day of deliverance for the Jewish nation, so as to carry them into the promised land after He brought them up out of Egypt. Because of their wicked conduct, He put off their day of deliverance for forty years; and made them wander in the wilderness until the generation that sinned against him had died off. The descendants of those who had been disobedient entered the promised land, but the day of deliverance was taken away from those who were disobedient. (Numbers 14:26-34) God thus has shown a history of changing his plan of action based on the actions of those who love him; and sometimes, based on the actions of those who don't. God has a purpose for the earth and for mankind. That purpose can never be thwarted. His plan to get there however, is fluid and flexible. He allows for the angels, and even imperfect mankind, to have a part in the outworking of his plan. He has chosen to be flexible, so as to allow for our freedom and even our imperfections. He changes set days of destruction, and even days of deliverance, based on the changing need as defined by his creation. It may be that the day of our deliverance, following the seating of Jesus as King in 1914, has been put off because of the failure of some of those claiming to follow Christ Jesus. God spoke of having a prepared people at the first coming of Jesus. (Luke 1:17) He gave them information that let them know the Christ was coming. It is likely people would need to be prepared for the second coming of Jesus as well. The Bible students who individually have chosen to seek out the truth of God's Word, and thus to break free of the dark ages, seem the likely ones to prepare the earth for the second appearance of Christ. The Bible teaches "the man of lawlessness" must to be exposed in our day. (2 Thessalonians 2:3) About the only thing organized religion has been able to accomplished since 1914, is to encourage membership in their respective organizations. Jesus Christ established the true Christian organization, and mankind needs to be warned to become part of that group. They must also realize no man holds the membership rolls for it. No man can wave his hand and say you are righteous. You must know for yourself what the Bible says, and be able to make a defense of your faith (1 Peter 3:15) so as to have a conscience that justifies you based on the Truth. (Romans 2:15-16) True Christianity is formed of all such individuals who strive to be footstep followers of Christ Jesus. Such individuals are called by God (John 6:44) because He sees something in them, (Acts 16:14) and then approach God through faith in his son Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:28-30; 1 Corinthians 1:22-31) Being deceived to believe it is membership in some organization established by men that will grant salvation, is the downfall of many righteous ones. Jesus set us free of the Jewish Law Code. (Romans 8:2) People who place their hope in organizational memberships effectively step backward: As they build for themselves a replacement for the Jewish Law Code, by starting to put organizational restrictions on their members that are then required and enforced to maintain that membership. Such a course turns their members back to slavery to their organizational laws, and away from obedience to Christ through a personal knowledge of God's word. (2 Peter 2:19) Jesus on the other hand, said that when men speak well of us, we are likely in danger. (Luke 6:26) It is the height of ignobility for organizations to set themselves up as judges of who are God's friends. (Luke 21:1-4) The danger of being enslaved by others is a serious problem, but it is one easily solved: Learn for yourself what the Bible teaches, and thus avoid allowing imperfect men to gain authority over you. Never let imperfect men assert their teachings or publications as equal to the Bible.
If you remain a diligent student of the Bible, and thereby manifest the love of the Christ, you can be confident (Luke 21:28) of protection during the coming day of the destruction of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:5-7) That day of destruction is soon to follow our present day of judgment. We are all judging our own selves righteous by our faith in, and by our love for, [thus being marked in our forehead] the teachings of Christ. (John 12:48 ; Romans 2:15-16 ; Ezekiel 9:4-6) Or, we judge ourselves wicked as we give over the power of our right hand through faith in the teachings of men. (Revelation 13:16-18) Please learn what your Bible teaches!
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