The Courtroom

Revelation 20:11-15 ESV

Life in a broken world can leave us asking hard questions: Where is God when evil seems to win? Will injustice ever be made right? Can we trust God with the final judgment? Revelation gives us a sobering yet hope-filled picture of a day when nothing will remain hidden and every wrong will be answered with perfect justice. And at the center of that picture is Jesus, the Judge who willingly took our judgment upon Himself and offers us mercy. Because of Him, evil and death will not have the final word. We can trust the Judge, and we can trust where He is leading the story.

1. Have you ever wondered or been asked, “How could a loving God send someone to hell forever?”

       a. Do you have any loved ones whose salvation you’re unsure of?

2. Read Psalm 7:8-17; Psalm 75; Ezekial 24:14 — Why can we trust God to judge righteously?

       a. Is it always easy to trust God?

3. Read Psalm 50 and Romans 2:2-11 — Why do the wicked deserve God’s judgement?

4. Read Isaiah 61:10; Romans 5:6-11; Romans 8:1-8 — Why do the saved not stand at the Great White Throne of judgement?

5. Many people believe this judgment will be like a scale weighing their good deeds against their bad. Read Isaiah 64:6 & Matthew 19:16-21— Why won’t mankind’s good deeds outweigh the bad?

       a. Read Romans 4:2-5, 23-25; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-8 — What is the key to eternal life if not good works?

       b. So where do good works come into play when it comes to the final judgement?

6. Why do these verses in Revelation give a follower of Christ hope?

7. Thinking on the fact that the Judge was judged in your place, what thoughts and feelings does that invoke?

       a. How does that affect the choices you make?