CW 485 – Day of Wrath
The courtroom is packed. This is the day that they have been looking forward to for three years. And one man has dreaded it for just as long. Three years earlier, the family learned their daughter had been murdered. They went for two years without knowing who had destroyed their lives like this. Then - finally - someone was arrested and charged with the murder. Now the family would learn the verdict.
The family looked at the man across the courtroom. He had been dreading this day. He knew he had done it, and for a long time he thought he had gotten away with it. Then the police tracked him down. Now here he was - charged with murder. In just a few minutes, he would find out if he had really gotten away with it, or if he would spend the rest of his life in prison. The jury foreman stood up to read the verdict, and for everyone in the courtroom, three years of waiting were about to come to an end.
For one, it would be a day of relief and satisfaction. For the other, it would be a day of sorrow and agony. But for both, the day they knew was coming was finally here.
Judgment Day is coming. It seems like it is taking a long time to get here. When it arrives, for one group of people – Christians – it will be a day of joy and excitement. For the other group of people – unbelievers – it will be a day of wrath and mourning.
Verse one: Day of wrath, O day of mourning! See fulfilled the prophets’ warning: heav’n and earth in ashes burning.
God’s Old Testament prophets warned God’s people many times that Judgment Day would be coming. The heavens – another name for the sky and space – and all the earth will be burned up on that last, great day. Malachi is one of those prophets who foretold that this would happen. “Look! The day is coming, burning like a blast furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble. The day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord of Armies, a day that will not leave behind a root or branch for them” (Malachi 4:1).
Verse two: Death is struck and nature quaking; all creation is awaking, to its judge an answer making.
When Jesus returns on that last day, nature will be quaking because there will be destruction and fire upon the earth. St. Peter teaches, “The heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly” (2 Peter 3:7). God destroyed the earth once with water to cleanse the world of wickedness. This time, God will destroy the earth with fire to destroy the world of its wickedness and sin. He will remake it so that it is new and perfect forever.
Verse three: See, the book, exactly worded, wherein all has been recorded; thus shall judgment be awarded.
It seems like there will be two books that will be opened on Judgment Day in God’s heavenly courtroom. One book will only have the sins of the unbelievers recorded. I imagine that it will be a thick book. Those who rejected Jesus will have each of their sins read off – one by one. They will be awarded the just judgment for their sin and unbelief. The Bible also mentions the wonderful Book of Life. Jesus promises, “He who overcomes will be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels” (Revelation 3:5). The Book of Life is God’s family register where all the names of those who have been loved and chosen from all eternity are recorded. This Book of Life proves that no one and nothing can take us out of our heavenly Father’s hands. We are among God’s elect. When your name is written in this book, your salvation is secure.
Verse four: What shall I in awe be pleading, who for me be interceding when your mercy I am needing?
God’s courtroom would be terrifying if we had to defend ourselves all on our own. But Jesus Christ is there as our defense lawyer. He is pleading our case. Interceding with the judge on our behalf. St. Paul promises: “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus, who died and, more than that, was raised to life, is the one who is at God’s right hand and who is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34)!
Verse five: King of majesty tremendous, who such grace have freely sent us, fount of pity, then befriend us.
Judgment Day will be a day of wild extremes. Some people will be going to heaven through their faith in Jesus as their Savior. Some people will be going to hell because of their refusal to believe in Jesus as their Savior. The prophet Daniel reminds us: “Many who are sleeping in the dusty ground will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame, to everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). By the grace of King Jesus, we are not afraid of Judgment Day. We know “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Verse six: Think, good Jesus, my salvation caused your wondrous incarnation, made you suffer my damnation!
Jesus will judge the believers and unbelievers on the Last Day. Every wicked deed done and every good deed left undone will be recorded in one book. It will be opened and read on the Last Day. The Bible teaches about what is waiting the unbelievers whose names and works of unbelief are recorded and read on Judgment Day: “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). But for those who trust in Jesus, God covers their sins with the blood of his holy Son. God erases our sins and writes only our names in his Book of Life. The Lord promises: “I will forgive their guilt, and I will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
Verse seven: On the cross your dying spared me; just and righteous you declared me; I await the joy prepared me.
Judgment Day will not mean disaster for everyone. It will be a great day for those with faith in Jesus. The Lord promises through his prophet: “For you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, and there will be healing in its wings. You will go out and jump around like calves from the stall” (Malachi 4:2). When we get to heaven, we won’t be sick with our sin anymore. Our spirit will feel good. We will want to kick and frolic like calves being released from their stalls for the first time in spring. We’ll be excited to be with Jesus in heaven!
Just like there are two groups of people who look at the judgment in a court case differently, so there are two groups of people who look at God’s Judgment Day differently. For those who refuse to believe in Jesus, it will be a day of wrath and mourning. For us who accept Jesus’ sacrifice and believe in him as our Savior from hell, the day of the Lord will bring life. That day will be the first day of our new life - our life free from sin, pain, trouble, sorrow, and death. Look forward to this Day.