Gospel
CHRIST THE JUDGE OF ALL
Bro. Michael Brown, Bath
“For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, Whether good or evil” (Eccles 12: 14).
The Fact of Judgment
Solomon closes his book emphasising that God will hold every human life accountable in the sum of all its actions, hidden as well as open, evil as well as good, vv. 13-14. It is a theme which persists throughout Ecclesiastes; see 3.17; 8.12-13; 11.9. Death is not the end. All of life will be reviewed by our righteous Lord.
At the moment of physical death, there is a separation of body and spirit, v.7. The dust returns to the earth, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. We shall have dealings with God after death. God is the great Disposer of the spirits of all men. This verse does not teach universal salvation as some erroneously believe! It tells us that at death God puts every spirit where it properly belongs - those who have faith in Christ will go to heaven, and those who have no faith will go to hell, 2 Cor 5.8; Luke 16. 22 - 23.
The God of Judgment
This same teaching is common to both OT and NT. The apostle Paul wrote, “For it is written: "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO GOD" (Rom 14.11). The Lord Jesus revealed the identity of the divine Person within the Godhead and assigned the awesome task of universal judgeship. He said, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5.22). Whether it is the Bema judgement for believers, 2 Cor 5.10, or the Great White Throne judgement for the unregenerate lost, Rev 20. 11, the Judge is our Lord Jesus Christ. God is determined, through the instrument of divine judgement, there shall be universal honour rendered to His obedient and co-equal Son, John 5.23; Phil 2. 9 - 11.
The Subjects of Judgment
The whole of mankind, saved and unsaved, will one day stand before the Judge. The ‘end of the matter’ v. 13, is that all men have a ‘duty’ to ‘fear God, and keep his commandments’, v. 13. The fear of God means due reverence for His Person, His will, His requirements, and His authority in the life. The certainty of divine judgment demands we live in this wholesome ‘fear of God’ with eternity’s value in view. Lord…Let me live every day of my life, Lord, with eternity’s values in view! G&P
