Q. I have two questions for you: Can you detail the five separate judgments and tell us the time, place and purpose? Secondly, can you tell where Hade

Q. I have two questions for you: Can you detail the five separate judgments and tell us the time, place and purpose? Secondly, can you tell where Hades is and explain what happens there?

A. I don’t know that I would classify the judgments into five categories because several overlap so let’s deal with the judgment and the resurrection as a topic to simplify things. Hebrews 6.2 says that understanding these issues is an elementary principle of the Faith so it is an important issue. We know that all mankind has sinned and therefore deserve death according to the L-rd’s absolute holiness (Gen. 2.17, Rom. 3.23) and sin is the transgression of the Torah (1Jn 3.4). We choose to sin and we fall. The problem with those that teach that the Torah (law) has been done away with is that you don’t know what sin is anymore, and therefore how can one repent? If you think eating pork is allowed, you don’t know that it is sin. Most of humanity doesn’t even know what sin is, including those that supposedly represent the L-rd. Until there is that realization, there can be no repentance because we must turn away from sin, but we need to know what it is. So, an individual must judge himself according to the written standard, the Torah/Scriptures. Now, Yeshua knew that G-d’s word was true and we deserved death and if something wasn’t done, man would be lost. So He offered to G-d what we didn’t, a perfect life and just as we chose to sin, we can choose to believe in Him. As a result of G-d’s acceptance of Yeshua’s perfect life, evidenced by the fact He was resurrected, we can have the assurance that by placing our faith in Him we will also be accepted. All of this can be considered a “judgment” that has been ongoing. A believer has now passed from condemnation and now obeys the Torah as a way of life and instruction, with the assurance that he has forgiveness. Believers will appear before the L-rd in heaven, at what is called the judgment seat of Messiah and his works will be judged. What he did in obedience to G-d will be rewarded, what was done in the flesh will not. This does not have anything to do with salvation and righteousness that has already been accepted by the believer by faith/action as a free gift from G-d based on Yeshua’s perfect life having been “accounted” to us. This judgment seat will happen on Rosh Ha Shanah, year 6001 from creation, in Heaven at the time of the “catching away” or Natzal, commonly know as the “rapture”. That takes care of the believers.

Unbelievers will die in their sin because they “don’t believe” and it is as simple as that. At the end of the Tribulation/birthpains Yeshua returns to Jerusalem on Yom Kippur. For five days (Tishri 10-15) all those that survived the Tribulation/birthpains will be brought before Him. Unbelievers will be brought first, judged and slain and their spirits consigned to Sheol/Hades to await their resurrection at the end of the 1000 Messianic Kingdom. They will appear before G-d for final sentencing and be consigned to Gehenna (hell) for eternity, along with all those who have died in unbelief going back to Adam. This judgment is called the Great white Throne judgment (Rev. 20. 11-15). The believers of the Tribulation/birthpains will go on into the Messianic Kingdom to live out the rest of their lives, pass away and their spirits go to heaven to await the end of the 1000 years and be resurrected, given glorified bodies that will go into eternity with all the other believers. At that time everything has been restored. Next week we will deal with your question about Sheol/Hades and discuss where it is, what it is, who goes there and what happens to it in the future.