Judgment Day, also known as the Final Judgment, refers to the day of God’s final judgment of all humanity as described in the Bible. It is the day when Jesus Christ will return to earth and judge everyone who has ever lived. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about Judgment Day:
It Will Happen at the End of the Age
The Bible indicates that Judgment Day will take place after certain end time events occur. Jesus said “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:29-30). So after a period of tribulation and cosmic disturbances, the Son of Man (Jesus) will return and Judgment Day will follow.
Jesus Christ Will Be the Judge
The Bible clearly states that God has given Jesus the authority and responsibility to judge all people. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). On Judgment Day, Jesus will be seated on His throne acting as judge: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-32).
All People Will Be Judged
Judgment Day is not just for a select few – it is for everyone. “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God … And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Luke 12:8-9, Matthew 10:28). No one is exempt – we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have to give an account for our lives.
The Basis of Judgment Will Be Our Works
On Judgment Day, we will be judged based on what we did in life, whether good or evil. “…the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:12). “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13). God has kept perfect records of everyone’s deeds.
Some key criteria God will use to judge include:
– How we treated others – with love, compassion, mercy, kindness or not (Matthew 25:31-46)
– How we used our God-given gifts and talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
– How we responded to those in need (Matthew 25:31-46)
– Whether we walked in obedience to God (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
– The words we spoke (Matthew 12:36-37)
– The thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7)
– What we did with Jesus and His gospel (Mark 8:38)
So everything we do matters to God and will be evaluated on Judgment Day.
There Will Be Different Outcomes
Based on God’s judgment, there will be different eternal destinies for people after Judgment Day:
Heaven – Those whom God deems righteous will enter heaven and receive their eternal reward (Matthew 25:34, John 14:2-3). They will enter into the joy of the Lord.
Hell – Those whom God deems wicked and unbelieving will be condemned to hell, which is a place of eternal punishment and separation from God (Revelation 20:15). It is a place of darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13).
The New Earth – Some interpret that after the final judgment, there will be a new heaven and a new earth where the righteous will dwell (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1).
So our eternal future rests on the judgment Christ will make about our lives and which group He places us into – heaven, hell or perhaps the new earth.
No One Knows the Exact Day or Hour
The Bible makes it clear that no one knows the exact time of Judgment Day – only God the Father knows. Jesus said “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36). He said it will be at an unexpected hour (Luke 12:40). The Judgment Day will come suddenly when people least expect it, “like a thief in the night” (2 Peter 3:10). So we need to be ready.
Judgment Day Is Certain & Inescapable
Whether we believe in Judgment Day or not makes no difference – we will all face it when it arrives. “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). There are no second chances and no opportunity to argue our case. Nothing will stop Judgment Day from occurring.
We cannot escape God’s judgment. “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.” (Revelation 20:12). All our actions are recorded and we will have to account for them.
Judgment Day Should Motivate Us to Repent and Serve God
Thinking about standing before Christ on Judgment Day should motivate us to get right with God and stay faithful to Him. Knowing we will face a reckoning for how we lived should inspire us to turn from sin and walk in holiness, obedience, and sincere love for God and others. “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:11).
Peter exhorted “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…” (2 Peter 3:11). Jesus also gave this warning: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21).
So Judgment Day is good reason for all of us to repent of our sins and serve God diligently during our time on earth. Then we can look forward to hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant” on the Day of Judgment.
We Should Not Judge or Condemn Others
Although God will judge each person’s heart and deeds in His perfect wisdom and justice on Judgment Day, the Bible warns us not to judge or condemn others. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2). Only God sees perfectly the intentions of the heart and has perfect understanding to evaluate each life.
So we should focus on examining our own lives, not condemning others. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). We are all sinners saved by God’s grace. On Judgment Day, we will each answer to God for our own lives.
Jesus Offers Salvation from Judgment
The good news is that Jesus already paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross. He took the judgment and punishment we deserve upon Himself. As a result, those who believe in Him as Savior do not have to face condemnation but can have eternal life: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24). If we repent and accept God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus, we do not have to fear Judgment Day. Instead, it will be a day of rejoicing as we receive our inheritance in God’s eternal kingdom by His grace.
So in summary, Judgment Day is the day when Jesus Christ returns to finally judge all people based on their deeds and to assign them to their eternal destination of either heaven or hell. No one knows the exact day or hour when it will occur, but we can be sure it is coming unexpectedly. Judgment Day is certain, unavoidable and should motivate us all to repent and serve God faithfully. But those who trust in Christ’s salvation have no need to fear Judgment Day, for He bore God’s judgment on our behalf. Instead we can look forward to spending eternity with Him in heaven. This is the biblical overview of what the Bible says about Judgment Day.