Should Christians Be Thankful for God’s Judgment?
Because God is the grand judge, this does two things for you. First, it releases you from the need to judge others. Second, it gives you total confidence when those you love enter eternity without any evidence of accepting Christ.
A Few Thoughts to Consider
How can Christians possibly think judgment is a good thing?
This is a topic many Christians have steered away from in recent days, sometimes as an overcorrection to unhealthy forms of judgementalism. They think that because the essence of God is love, this is incompatible with ideas of judgment. But Revelation 14-18 portrays a vivid series of visions emphasizing God's judgment, the fall of Babylon, and the triumph of righteousness.
Chapter 14 introduces three angels delivering warnings about worshiping the beast and proclaiming the gospel, followed by the harvest of the earth, symbolizing divine judgment. Chapters 15 and 16 describe the seven bowls of God's wrath poured out on the earth, resulting in catastrophic plagues. Chapter 17 unveils the symbolic imagery of the great prostitute, representing Babylon, riding a beast, signifying corrupt systems aligned against God.
Chapter 18 celebrates Babylon's downfall, depicting it as a hub of materialism and immorality, whose destruction is mourned by its allies but celebrated by heaven. “Just as Babylon was the Jews’ worst enemy, the Roman Empire was the worst enemy of the early Christians. John, who probably did not dare speak against Rome openly, applied the name Babylon to this enemy of God’s people (Rome)—and, by extension, to all God’s enemies of all times.”[1] “For churches in Asia Minor, Rome embodied the spirit of Babylon.”[2] In Revelation 14:6-7, John says,
6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, with the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
“In the Prophets, the gospel, meaning ‘good news,’ is not just the announcement that God is restoring his people (Isa 40:9; 41:27; 52:7; 61:1) but also the announcement of judgment on their enemies (Na 1:15).”[3] Christians who have a proper understanding of God are thankful for the day of judgment, where every person will give an account of their lives.
