As the days turn into weeks and the weeks into years, the man loses all hope. Yet, the rhythm of hell comes to an abrupt halt when a loud booming voice summons his presence. At once he leaves the torments of hell and is fused with his old body.[1] The unbeliever marvels at the new features of his body, as it seems different than the one he possessed while living on earth.

Assembled with him is a tremendous mass of people before a beautiful man sitting upon a brilliant white throne.[2] As he approaches the throne, he anticipates who this person might be. A marginal Catholic, he speculates that this might be St. Peter, the guardian of the gates of heaven asking why he should allow these people into heaven. Perhaps, his time in purgatory is over, and now he has been called to enter the gates of heaven.

Thus, he brainstorms all of his righteous works. He thinks about the money he gave to the church every Easter, how he used to coach his son’s baseball team, how he treated most people well, how he remained faithful to his wife, and never killed anyone. As he thinks about his own works his hope escalates, until the man on the throne summons him by name.

At first glance, the unbeliever drops to his knees in fear, as he seeks to shield himself from the glorious light emanating from the throne. He then begins to make his case for his entrance into heaven, exclaiming all of the virtuous deeds he has done in the name of his religion.[3] Such boasts are greeted with silence.

Then it begins, the glorious man recounts every deed of his life, the time he picked on Gary in kindergarten, every time he disobeyed his parents, every lustful thought he ever had as a teenager and beyond, every covetous desire, the man on the throne even exposed the works he once thought noble as a sham, done only to magnify himself and not his Creator.[4] After what seems like days of humiliation, the judge pauses to pronounce judgment. With a voice which sounded like thunder, the Judge finds him guilty, and declares “Away from me, you worker of iniquity, you shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” [5]

Dave Hintz

[1] John 5:28-29 The spirit emerges from the temporary resting place to be reunited with the body. At this point, God issues final judgment, in which both the body and the soul suffer.

[2] Rev. 20:11-15

[3] Mat. 7:22

[4] Rev. 20:12

[5] Mat. 7:23; Mat. 25:41; Rev. 20:15