Theme Text– ‘‘When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isaiah 26:9)
1) What is Judgment Day?
Paul says, ‘Christ Jesus will judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom.’ 2Tim4:1 NLT. So judgment is to begin when Jesus returns and sets up his Kingdom. ‘For God has set a Day when he will judge the inhabited world, and do it justly, by means of a man [Jesus] whom he has designated.’ Acts 17:31 CJB.
So what happens when the inhabited world is judged?
When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9.
- Yes, ‘Judgment’ is widely misunderstood. It implies not just a sentence, but also a trial/learning-period.
- And we know ‘With the Lord a thousand years are like a Day.’ 2Peter 3:8.
So the Thousand-year Reign where the resurrected mankind learns righteousness is the Judgment Day.
2) Who will teach them righteousness?
You have made them [the elect] to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Rev 5:10. Yes, the elect as joint heirs will rule with Christ and teach the resurrected mankind.
The saints will judge the world (1Cor 6:2), offering life to the repentant (Rev 22:17).
The Elect will even judge the angels who had sinned during Noah’s times (1Cor 6:3, 2Pet 2:4).
3) Mankind always has had difficulty in learning righteousness. What would be different then?
- Unlike today, mankind would be in perfect bodies (No inherited sin) in the Kingdom. So there would be no inner demons to fight.
- Satan would be bound these years and he can’t deceive anyone like he does today (Rev 20:2-3).
There will be a Highway of holiness on earth (Isa. 35:8), whereas today only a Narrow Way exists (Matt 7:14), with Satan roaming as a lion on the Highway looking for people to deceive (1Pet 5:8).
Mankind will learn righteousness and be judged by their response to Christ, subsequent progress and behavior (Matt 16:27, 25:31-46, Luke 12:48, Micah 4:1-3).
