Judgment Day. In modern society, the very words conjure up pictures of
darkness, terror, bloodshed, war, revenge, the final end.
But the Bible presents a very different reality. In fact, scripture tells us that the judgment is cause for celebration. Not so sure? Here are five good reasons to celebrate the judgment.
#1. The first angel of Revelation tells us to do so. Remember the first half of the first angel’s message? “Fear God and give Him glory for the hour of His judgment has come.” Fear God. The angel is not telling us to be afraid of Him. To fear God means to give Him our ultimate respect. He is the Creator of the whole universe. He is worthy of our praise. He made everything.
And then comes the next part of the text. And give Him glory for the hour of His judgment has come. The angel is telling us to give God glory because judgment day is here. When you give someone glory, you celebrate their accomplishments. Our first reason to celebrate judgment day is simply because it’s biblical to do so. It’s right there in Revelation 14.
#2. The judgment points us to Jesus. For God’s people, the judgment is a reminder that we are loved unconditionally and covered by the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What better reason can we find to celebrate?
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
Throughout scripture we find reasons to give God glory. We give God glory because His grace is sufficient for us. (2 Corinthians 12:9) We give God glory because when we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1) We give God glory because He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him. (Hebrews 9:24) We give God glory because He declares, “I, even I, am He that blots out your transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
To Christ’s followers, the judgment is not a time to focus on our own faults, but an opportunity to give God glory for His supreme sacrifice on our behalf. What better reason can you find to celebrate judgment day? We’re not celebrating a day. We’re celebrating Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is reason enough. We could stop right here. But let’s go on.
#3. We celebrate the judgment because our lawyer and our judge is one and the same. Can you imagine committing a crime, walking into the court room, and discovering that your lawyer is your judge? Imagine for a moment that you really blew it. Working with a good attorney who is committed to pleading your case, you prepare for your trial. On the appointed day, you walk into the court room sweating bullets. And who do you see sitting on the judge’s bench but your lawyer!
Would you find that a cause for celebration? I certainly would! In the plan of salvation, your lawyer and your judge are one and the same!
“When we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1) What is an advocate? Someone who is in your corner, pleads your case, gets you out of a tight spot. Your lawyer.
And it gets better. “For as the Father has lifein Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. And He has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.” (John 5:26-27)
Lawyer and judge invested in the same case! That’s a definite reason to celebrate the judgment. And two more points remain.
#4. We celebrate the judgment because the God of justice is going to put an end to injustice. Have you ever experienced injustice? Maybe you were accused of a crime you didn’t commit. Maybe you have been treated unfairly simply because you didn’t look how you were “supposed to look.” Your skin color didn’t match what somebody expected. Your weight didn’t fall in the range of the “ideal” body type. You were too old. Too young. From the wrong part of the country. The wrong side of the tracks.
Injustice is a terrible thing. And if you haven’t experienced injustice, or you are not experiencing it right now, be aware that it is a current reality for far too many people.
The National Registry of Exonerations provides detailed information on every person in the United States who was wrongfully accused of a crime, spent years (often decades) in jail, and was later proved innocent. To date, they have recorded 2,858 exonerations with 25,600 years lost.
Every day, people on planet earth suffer intensely due to injustice and unfair treatment. That alone is reason enough to long for the only fair judge to arrive and make things right. But there is one last reason to celebrate Judgment Day.
#5. We celebrate judgment day because it is the kick-off of a life that is going to be infinitely better than the one we have here. Are you ready to live in a place where there are no pandemics? Are you anxious to escape the terrifying paths of hurricanes, raging fires, floods, earthquakes? Are you ready to stop worrying about the threat of war, nuclear explosions, terrorist groups, financial collapse? Do you want to go home?
Then there’s your fifth reason to celebrate judgment day. The judgment ushers in the second coming of Christ, the re-uniting of loved ones, and eternal life with Jesus in a place of peace, joy, and vibrant life.
If you have ever felt fear over the judgment, it’s time to let it go. The first angel tells us to give glory to God, for the hour of his judgment has come. Hallelujah! That’s a cause for celebration.