By: CHRIS MCCANN, August 26, 2022
Those that God saved are making an appearance before His judgment throne. They will make it through the prolonged period of judgment and come out the other side to be exalted into heaven where they will live forevermore. The rest of mankind will be destroyed at the conclusion of this judgment period. Here are some verses that speak of our present time of judgment, Isaiah 24:6:
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Notice: "few men left" while all others are burned. The few are the elect.
Ecclesiastes 3:16-17:
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Notice: God will judge the righteous and the wicked-both together, Zechariah 13:8-9:
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried:
The word "land" is often translated as earth. The two thirds (.666) represent the unsaved. While the one third the elect (the few). They endure and are brought through the fire of God's wrath, 2 Timothy 4:1:
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
The quick (living/saved) are the elect. The dead (dead in sin) are those not saved. Both alike experience the final judgment, Revelation 14:10-12:
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Notice: Context clearly shows it is Judgment Day. Yet, in that very context we are told, "Here is the patience of the saints". You see there is a need of patience for God's elect (saints) as they go through the flames of God's wrath and endure to the end, Hebrews 10:36:
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.