Conclusion of JUDGMENT DAY-WHAT IS IT?

During that thousand-year period, Jesus Christ will "judge the living and the dead." (2 Timothy 4:1)  "The living" will be "the great crowd" that survives Armageddon.  (Revelation 7:9-17)  The apostle John also saw "the dead . . . standing before the throne" of judgment.  As Jesus promised, "those in the memorial tombs will hear [Christ's] voice and come out" by means of a resurrection.  (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) But on what basis will all be judged?

According to the apostle John's vision, "scrolls were opened," and "the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls  according to their deeds."  (Revelation 20:12) Are these scrolls the record of people's past deeds?  No, the judgment will not focus on what people did before they died.  How do we know that? The Bible says:  "The one who has died has been acquitted  from his sin."  (Romans 6:7)  Those resurrected ones thus come to life with a clean slate, so to speak.  The scrolls must therefore represent God's further requirements.  To live forever, both Armageddon survivors and resurrected ones will have to obey God's commandments, including whatever new requirements Jehovah might reveal during the thousand years.  Thus, individuals will be judged on the basis of what they do during Judgment Day. 

Judgment day will give billions of people their first opportunity to learn about God's will and to conform to it.  This means that a large-scale educational work will take place.  Indeed,  'the inhabitants of the land will learn about righteousness.' (Isaiah 26:9)  However, not all will be willing to conform to God's will.  Isaiah 26:10 says: "Even if the wicked is shown favor, he will not learn righteousness. Even in the land of uprightness he will act wickedly, and he will not see the majesty of Jehovah."  These wicked ones will be put to death permanently during Judgment Day. -Isaiah 65:20. 

By the end of Judgment day, surviving humans will have "come to life" fully as perfect humans.  (Revelation 20:5) Judgment Day will thus see the restoration of mankind to its original state.  (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) Then a final test will take place.  Satan will be released from his imprisonment and allowed to try to mislead mankind one last time. (Revelation 20:3, 7-10) Those who resist him will enjoy the complete fulfillment of the Bible's promise:  "The righteous will possess  the earth, and they will live forever on it.  (Psalm 37:29) Yes, Judgment Day will be a blessing to all faithful mankind! 

Next time:SEVEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PRAYER/ PRAYER-Why?

From the Jehovah's Witness publications