Let's begin with a word of prayer. Father, again, we're here together by your grace, and we thank you for this community that you've made us part of, and this church, and Father, this nation here on earth. Most of all, what we've been talking about earlier, that our citizenship is in heaven. Father, may we learn things about that as we continue our study of your word, we ask in Jesus' name, amen. So, we're in the book of Jude. I'm gonna read from verse 11, where we have these words. Concerning the false prophets, concerning those who would lead the church astray, lead believers astray, lead anybody astray. Verse 11, woe to them. We're gonna see what some of that woe is. Woe to them, for they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay. They've rushed headlong into the error of Balaam and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These men are those who are the hidden reefs in your love feasts. When they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves, clouds without water, carried along by winds, Autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted. Wild waves of the sea casting up their own shame like foam. Wandering stars for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. And now we come to this 14th verse. Opens up a incredibly important truths in the word of God. So, let me read it. And about these, these people that he's been describing. Okay, now think about this. Let's go back to the early church, and he's writing, warning the early church about these false teachers. And he says, and about these also, Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, well before the flood, okay, prophesied, saying, behold, the Lord came with many thousands of his Holy ones, to execute judgment, notice his use of the word all, to execute judgment upon all and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Oh my. Let's take a couple minutes to look at Enoch. So let's go back to Genesis chapter five. He's in the direct line leading to Methuselah, and the oldest man recorded ever, and Noah. But Genesis chapter five and verse 19 says, Then Jared lived 800 years after he became the father of Enoch. So Jared was one of these really long-lived people. Then Jared lived 800 years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. And Enoch lived 65 years. and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God 300 years after he became the father of Methuselah. Seems to indicate that he wasn't walking with God for the first 65 years, okay, Then he had Methuselah, and after that, he walked with God, evidently in a wonderful, unique way, 300 years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. That's strange in a listing of people that live to be 900 plus years. And we have simply, verse 24, and Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Evidently nobody left, okay, gone. And it becomes a wonderful reminder of God's promise to come back for the church and take the church out to be with him. So then let's go to Hebrews chapter 11. And in Hebrews 11, we're gonna, Come to verse five, we recognize we're in the chapter of the heroes. By faith, so here we get what Enoch's secret was. By faith, trusting God, believing God, walking with God. By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death. So this is the passage that tells us he didn't just all of a sudden die. He didn't die. He never did die. Okay. And he was not found. I think about he had Methuselah and he walked with the Lord 300 years after that. And then one day, Methuselah couldn't find his son. And there was no evidence of where he was. He was just gone. We don't know if God gave any, we don't know. But the writers of scripture, through the Holy Spirit, know what happened. And so, It goes on and it says, and he was not found because God took him up. For he obtained the witness that before his being taken up, he was pleasing to God. So the people of the day certainly knew that he had quite a walk with the Lord and he was exceptional in that area. All right. Back to Jude one and verse 14. I wonder if the weight of what is here has permeated our thinking, sunk into our heads. As the Holy Spirit through Jude says, And about these also, the people he's just described, the false teachers who are now living hundreds and hundreds of years after that time. About these also, Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied saying, behold, The Lord came with many thousands of his holy ones. This is the second advent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign on earth and to judge the people. And when we add to that, verse 15, to execute judgment upon all, how many? All. and to convict all the ungodly, so this judgment is a judgment of the ungodly, not that believers aren't gonna be judged, but not at the great white throne judgment, of all the ungodly, of all their ungodly deeds, can you begin to do the math as far as, even as a believer, how many ungodly deeds have you had? You know, what about a person who's lived their whole life? What about the people back in Enoch's day who lived 900 years? There is a day coming when these verses say all unbelievers are going to be judged, okay? And they're gonna be judged for every ungodly thing. beyond our scope to comprehend it. But I want you to go to, and let me just say this at this point. Everybody will be there. As far as my understanding, all believers will be watching this judgment. and all unbelievers will be judged at the great white throne judgment. And there isn't anybody who's ever lived that won't be there. This is something to think of, it's just staggering. Okay, now Psalm 110. Psalm 110 and verses one and two. Just seemed like such a simple verse starting off the 110th Psalm. The Lord, David says, says to my Lord, so we would probably say God the Father says to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies the enemies of Jesus Christ, a footstool for thy feet. That's going on right now. Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, waiting until the Father makes the enemies of Jesus Christ a footstool for his feet. Okay, then the Lord will stretch forth thy strong scepter from Zion saying, rule in the midst of thine enemies. You know, it's pretty clear as you go through scripture that God has many enemies. He has demonic enemies, satanic enemies. He has many people enemies. And by grace, he has elect angels, and he has those who are his people, people for his own possession, like we looked at. But the thing I want to bring to your attention is This passage that speaks of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign on earth and certainly to judge, as we put together the pieces, that is presented seven different times in scripture. If God says something once, it's important. But why would God give us this verse? seven times. It's a tremendous warning that this whole world is hurtling toward this final day of judgment that will fall on all people. Okay, now, there's also a come alongside truth, so to speak, that we are now not in a time of judgment. That doesn't mean that God doesn't discipline and raise up one nation over another and so forth. But I want you to go to John, famous passage, John 3.16 and 17. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Now here's the verse. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world. His first advent was not for the purpose of judging, okay? But why did he send them? But that the world should be saved through him. Tremendous truth. We live in a time when we're anticipating that judgment, but it's a time of salvation. And that's kind of what Peter talked about, you know, the waiting of the Lord to come to be patient. You know, he's being patient that all that are going to come to him will come to him. Notice how the Lord Jesus Christ bore this out. Go to Luke chapter 12. And in Luke 12, come down to verse 13. And someone in the crowd said to him, teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me. Notice the Lord's response to that. But he said to him, man, Who appointed me a judge or arbiter over you? Isn't what he's saying. That's not what I'm here for. That's not why God sent me. And he said to them, beware and be on your guard against every form of greed for not even one has an abundance as his life consists of his. possessions, okay? Then go to John chapter 12. John chapter 12 and verse 46. I have come, Jesus Christ speaking, I have come as light into the world. that everyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. You know, it's interesting, when somebody had a conflict with the Lord Jesus Christ, He didn't say, you better be careful. You shouldn't be saying this. He could have judged him right on the spot, but he didn't because he knew that the father sent him to save and it's interesting. Okay. And if anyone hears my sayings, does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. First Advent, always keep that in mind. First Advent, came to save, came to go. But for this purpose, I came into the world, to go to the cross and bear our sins on the cross. Okay. Also Luke chapter nine. It's an interesting passage. Did you ever wonder what it was like to be in the midst of the disciples? What were they really like? And we get a glimpse of some of it here in Luke chapter nine and verse 51. And it came about when the days were approaching for his ascension, going up to Jerusalem, in other words, that he resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead of him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for him on his trip. And they did not receive him. because he was journeying with his face toward Jerusalem. You know, there was this tremendous animosity of the Samaritans and the Jews toward each other. Now notice, and when his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? In modern, should we nuke them? Okay, should we just wipe this whole village off the map? Interesting. They're your enemies, Lord. Okay. But he turned and rebuked them and went on to another village. And then also, Luke chapter four, You can see that the Lord held this distinction continually in his first advent. Luke chapter four and verse 16, and he came to Nazareth, his hometown, where he had been brought up, and as was his custom, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him, and he opened the book and found a place where it was written, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Holy Spirit. Because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. So here he is reading an Old Testament passage that is about him, a magnificent thing. In his hometown, okay, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to free those who are downtrodden to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. And he closed the book. I think it's so interesting that the Holy Spirit, that's a really important statement in here. And he closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon him. And he began to say to them, today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. Okay, all right. Then, let's go back to that passage in Isaiah 61. Okay, Isaiah 61 verse one and two. The spirit of the Lord, so this is what was handed to him, the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted, that'd be the gospel, and he sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. So right here in this verse, what we would have to, if we were reading in Luke, what would it say after that? And he closed the book and gave it back to the attendant. He didn't read the next line. And the next line is about his second advent, when he will come to judge. Because it says, and the day of vengeance of our God. Okay? It's such a great, great picture of he came to save. Okay. Let's go to John chapter five. So far, you might ask the question, well, is he gonna judge at all? John chapter five. And we'll start in verse 22. John 5, 22, where the Lord says this. For not even the Father judges anyone, but he, the Father, has given all judgment to the Son. in order that all may honor the son, even as they honor the father. He who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, keep that in mind when we look at the great white throne judgment, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. no longer dead, out of death, into life. Truly I say to you, an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live. For just as the Father has life in himself, this is resurrection life that Jesus Christ is gonna speak and bring everybody out of the graves, and it explains it. For just as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son to have life in himself, and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he's the Son of Man. You think about, what does it take to execute judgment? Why do we have police and detectives and, you know, you gotta get them first of all, and then they have to be charged and you have to bring them in. And at the end, what does it take? It takes the power to resurrect and bring everybody out of the grave to stand. And that's what the Lord says here. He says, verse 28, Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth. Those who did the good, and deeds is in parentheses, those who did the good to a resurrection of life, and you see how, People that think you can be saved by works might take this verse, but we know from all the scriptures that that's, by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. At any rate, to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil, to a resurrection of judgment. Now, let's go to that incredible passage in Revelation chapter 20. And in chapter 20, we're gonna come down to verse 11. John is seeing these things, recording them, and he says this. And I saw a great white throne, and him who sat upon it, notice I was captured by this, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away. who wants to be there. You know, you think of the people that, oh, I'm a good person. I'll stand before God, you know? And they maybe see themselves like the Pharisee, you know? I'm a good person. But in the end, what we find is, from whose presence earth and heaven flood away, nobody wants to be there. and no place was found for them. I think of, you know, every once in a while somebody says there's no place to hide. You know, this is the ultimate no place to hide, okay. And then it's this next few words, so important. John says, and I saw the dead. And you gotta link that up with Jesus Christ came to give eternal life. And if you have eternal life, you can't be called dead, okay? You're not dead, you have life eternal. Jesus Christ said, you won't come to me, to the Jews of His day, you won't come to me that you might have life. And so anyone who dies physically, having not come to Him for life, has entered into the second death, and they will be forever separated from God. And that's what this judgment, this judgment has every single person who's ever lived, who stands before God, dead, without eternal life. And I saw the dead, the great and the small. You think of, the famous people that'll be there, and the people that nobody ever knew anything about, you know? The great and the small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. There's a record. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. Those who have received life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books according to their deeds. You know, the thing that's so fascinating to me is that that's what they wanted. That's what they said. I'm a good person, I'll stand on my record. They're saying, this is what I want. But then they all flee, or try to flee, and no place is found for them, and they stand here before the Lord. And it says, and because Jesus Christ has the power of resurrection, verse 13, and the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades, the place where all the dead are, gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. and death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. But what it all comes down to, verse 15, and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, it was thrown into the lake of fire. And then we have an interesting thing to parallel this, and that's in Luke chapter 11. where this judgment is in view, Luke 11 and verse 29. And as the crowds were increasing, he, Jesus Christ, began to say, this generation is a wicked generation. It seeks for a sign, and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah. And then he says this, for just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so shall the Son of Man be to this generation. You think of the story of Jonah, Jonah hates the Ninevites, and he doesn't want to go there. He goes in the opposite direction. The storm's raised up, and he's thrown into the sea, and he spends three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. Some people think he was dead. That may be. I don't know. But he's a picture of Jesus Christ, and you think, The Lord said, you're gonna get a sign, and it's gonna be the sign of Jonah, and it's gonna be that when he comes out of the grave. How come the whole nation didn't say, whoa, he's been resurrected? We were wrong, but they didn't do that. Some did, but the majority of them evidently did not. Verse 31, notice what the Lord says. The Queen of the South, that's also called the Queen of Sheba, the Queen of the South shall rise up with the men of this generation. This is, notice, at the judgment. This is Revelation 20, okay? And it gives us a little bit of a window here of what kind of stuff's gonna go on. And it says, she's gonna rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them. So she's gonna say something at this. Because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. Okay. I can picture her saying. You had the son of God in your midst, raising people from the dead, healing people blind from birth, preaching the gospel, and you killed him. Whoa. And the people of Nineveh What did they do? Well, let's go on. And the men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. I think about Jonah's sermon preparation. You had 40 days and Nineveh will be destroyed. And he gets his notes out. It's such a simple message. And he doesn't press it and he doesn't go on and say, this is really gonna happen. And he just walks through there and gives the message and the men of Nineveh repent. And so they're gonna stand up at the great white throne judgment The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Now I don't know whether other people are gonna stand up, you know, but it ought to really strike us in our hearts when we now know that everyone we ever knew on this earth will be there. And probably a lot of them are gonna be among the dead. And then I've always thought of, will they look at me and say, why didn't you, why aren't you more serious about this? You know? It's something I need to think of and hate to think about. Father, we thank you for your word. These are solemn things, but we so easily are distracted by nothings. May we hold true to the course that you set before us, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.