Chapter 1: The First To Be Judged
“Paul, your faith was steadfast, your works abundant,” God said to Paul, as his judgment was nearing the end. “You lived in humility and bore much fruit. Yet what is written in the Book of Life remains sealed until this moment. Whether or not you are worthy to enter into New Heaven and New Earth depends entirely upon your name being written in this book. Do you have any final words before the record is revealed?”
At the center of the courtroom stood the White Throne Judgement, shimmering in exaltation of impossible scale. Magnificent light woven into the pillars with galaxies suspended like chandeliers. The floor was like a sea of glass. Thrones surround the center occupied by angels of every order. Below were the billions of souls, both witnessing and waiting their turn to face judgment.
Satan was next up to take the stand. Even though he was the accuser, he was left with no further accusations. He knew his fate had long been sealed. Still, he watched with piercing intent, not out of hope, but from the ache of eternal loss. Seeing the faith of the saints stung his pride like a burning fire.
God the Father’s face was shown before all of creation. For some, it was a joyous occasion. Others worried, for good reason. Everyone knew this day was coming, just not when. It was written that this moment could happen at any time, like a thief in the night.
Today, we all opened our eyes and were together waiting for our turn to receive the final judgment. If your name was found in the Book of Life, you were welcomed into the New Kingdom. If not, you were sentenced to eternity in the Lake of Fire.
Paul took a deep breath, eyes closed for a brief moment, searching his heart for the right words. He was the first to take the stand.
“What could I possibly say?” Paul thought to himself. “I am grateful beyond measure. For the life I was given and the beauty of His creation that I got to experience for the time I had is unfathomable. How could I possibly express the depth of my gratitude? Every breath is a blessing. Every beat of my heart is a gift. The mystery, the wonder, the true living infinite endlessness of His goodness.”
In deep prayer, Paul’s eyes began to tear up, “Lord, please give me the right words to say in this moment. I could spend eternity singing every song about You and Your endless love. And still, that wouldn’t be enough. How could I ever be worthy to express in any capacity my overflowing joy and love I feel for you, and with you, in every single moment I am with You. Lord, please forgive me. I spent most of my life in repentance, and yet, I don’t even feel like I have even begun to repent, as I feel called to do. Lord, save me, I am eternally yours.”
No talking was allowed. No one even thought about trying to speak. The terrific, unimaginable awe of standing before the Father was paralyzing. Some wondered, was God infinitely merciful, or was he just a tyrant, hell bent on destruction and eternal damnation? We didn’t ask to be created, and now we all face the potential of cruel and unusual punishment of burning in the lake of fire for all of eternity.
All we could do was watch and wait.
After several moments, Paul slowly rose to his feet to deliver his final statement.
All of creation stood as witnesses. Every human and angel ever created was present at this sentencing trial. Angels who served the light and those who fell into the shadows. Kings, prophets, unseen servants, forgotten children. From the first breath in Eden to the final sunset on Earth, every soul was present.
All eyes were on Paul, waiting to see if his name appeared in the Book of Life.
As Paul stood up, he trembled slightly. As much as he could throughout his life, he knelt in prayer, humbly submitting himself to the Lord. He always wondered about this very moment. What would he do that day when he presented himself before the Lord? Big parts of him wanted to fall flat on his face in total surrender and worship. At the same time, the quieter parts of his soul whispered that it would be okay to look his Father in His eyes.
Quietly, the soft voice of the Lord inside encouraged, “I, too, want to see your face, Paul. My son. My dear boy.”
The courtroom itself appeared to inhale as Paul rose. A hush like a wave throughout creation. The walls of radiant light bent slightly, as if leaning in. The Book of Life hovered beside the Throne, closed but humming with divine memory.
Even though Paul couldn’t help but feel his body fill up with petrifying fear, his lifetime of faith gave him the strength he needed to have just enough courage to look his Father directly in the eye.
Looking up, Paul’s insides felt like they had been gutted. His throat swelled. Vision blurry. Cheeks dripping. He blinked hard.
Paul was face to face with God the Father, eyes locked.
“Father,” Paul, quietly sobbing, began. “I love you so very much. With everything I have, with all that you gave me, I love you with all of my heart, all of my mind, and all of my soul. Every fiber of my being, I am yours. Forever and ever. If you will have me in your New Kingdom, I will continue to do your will for all of eternity. I will continue to see and bring out the very best parts of my brothers and sisters. As much as I desire for everyone to come home to you, I trust your final judgment.”
All of creation held its breath.
“What will be is what is meant to be. I am forever yours, my Lord, my life… my heart, my soul. All that I am is because of you. I know I could have done better. My only regret is that I didn’t find you sooner. Lord God Almighty, please forgive me. Forgive my brothers and sisters. We don’t deserve your mercy. I don’t deserve your mercy. With every cell of my soul, I confess and repent. By the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, I ask Your forgiveness.”
Paul swallowed.
“I don’t deserve to have my sins forgiven.”
His words lingered.
“Lord God and Jesus Christ, if you will have me, I am ready and willing to do anything and everything you need of me. I am forever your humble servant. I choose Your will. Thy will is the center of my soul. I am your warrior, and you are my dear friend. My father, my Lord, my light, my life. The only way. My single eye on you, for you, and with you. Before you I stand, I am who I am because you are who you are. The one and only God. Creator of the cosmos. You gave your one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. You raised him from the dead on the third day. He returned and reigned for a millennium, enforcing peace.”
The silence was absolute.
“Satan’s final deception was almost more than I could bear. Lord, please forgive me for denying you in my weakest moments. I can’t repent enough for how I got so lost, alone, and afraid. I doubted you and lost my faith. Lord, I don’t deserve your eternal grace. Even though it’s easy to blame Satan for how I behaved, Lord, I repent with my whole heart. Satan’s cosmic final deception is no excuse for how I cursed your name.”
The court remained still.
“Lord, I am weak. I confess, at first, I didn’t think Job quite prepared me for the trials I would endure. As much as I prepared my heart and my mind. The cosmic deception of Satan’s fallen army clawed at my soul, as if Hell were right here and right now, splitting me in two. Lord, I was not in my right mind when I said and did what I did. The pain, the torment, and the unending screaming. Every generation’s cross got heavier and heavier. Or we became weaker and weaker. The cosmic deception was unlike anything a healthy, normal imagination could conceive. When it caught me off guard, in the most swift and vicious manner, like an eagle snatching a fish from the water, the darkest parts of my heart zapped straight towards the center of my soul. As if I had no free will, even though I freely chose my every action, I couldn’t control the evil from within.”
No defense followed.
“A lifetime of repentance, gone in a single moment. I couldn’t predict the magnitude of evil, the darkness so thick and dry. Satan’s moment of attack is no excuse for my actions against you, Lord. How slowly it crept up on me. And how fast it all changed. Lord God, I have no words for how sorry I am. How sorry I am for us all. Please, Lord, have mercy. I don’t blame Satan. I blame myself, and I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Paul bowed his head. Nothing more could be said.
Satan sat back and scratched his chin. He was no exception by any means and knew this day was coming, too. He was not quite ready to take the stand for eternal judgment for the life he chose to live.
God’s infinite patience allowed for as much time as you needed to bring forth all that dwells deep within the pit of your soul. In a place and time that is beyond all time, this was the time and place to take as much time as you needed. This was, after all, the final moments of the existence of time in this dimension. What was to come next, in His New Kingdom, only He knew. All His faithful followers trusted that what was to come would be even more spectacular than what had been before.
“Paul,” God began, taking a long breath, “The deeds you have done through your unwavering faith have elevated you, by the people of your time, to the status of a saint. The entirety of your life was far from perfect. In your darkest moments, you cursed my name and turned your back on me and my people.”
Paul began to tremble more noticeably. More afraid than he’s ever felt, he listened closely.
“In moments of desperation, your faith vanished without a trace, and your mouth spewed poison, more venomous than your thoughts. At times, your deeds destroyed almost more than you created. I made you in my image. I expected much more from you than you delivered. The fruit you bore is a result of what you gave. And the totality of what you gave, weighed against what you took, now tips the eternal scales of justice of what you will eternally receive.”
In that moment, losing hope, Paul stood firmly rooted in his faith in God’s perfect justice. He knew he had lived most of his life in a sinful state. Feeling as if he had sinned much more than most of those who are to be judged before him. He didn’t know what to think or feel. What more could he have said? Could this be the end?
Is this the moment where God turns his back on me? Did I do something to lose God’s favor? He said I was his faithful servant who yielded much fruit. So, why is He detailing every moment where I fell off the path and wasn’t so faithful?
“Paul,” God continued, “your free will is strong. Perfectly utilized to its fullest, as I had designed. Yet, despite all of this, using your free will to do evil, while falling off and returning to the right path many times, you have repented. With all of your might, you have chosen to ask for forgiveness when you fell short. You cast your pride to the side and embrace reconciliation with those who have wronged you and those whom you have wronged. Your faith in my Son, your giving your life to Him and Me, your asking for things in My name, have brought me much pleasure. The beauty of your creations from faith in what is to come cannot be questioned. What you have brought forth from within your heart, to serve your brothers and sisters, allowed the goodness of Me to shine through you.”
Suddenly, the Book of Life slowly opened while God delivered his closing remarks to Paul.
“Your name will appear in the Book of Life only if you are proven worthy, when the fullness of your faith is made manifest in both fruit and repentance. What is worthy is what not only follows eternal life in heart and mind, but also in speech and action. Your deeds, the fruit you bore, are indicators of the faith that lies hidden within. You will not be judged solely on the works you’ve done, but against the works you could have done.”
Paul’s mind was racing, his heart was pounding out of his chest, he stayed firmly focused on his belief, trust, and faith he’d given his life to understanding with wisdom and doing with persistent patience the will of God. Whatever His final judgement, it is what is eternally just and right. There could be no other way.
Standing on His right side, Jesus carefully examined what was written in the Book of Life. His finger followed the gaze of His eye as He found what He was looking for. After whispering to God, the verdict was in.
“Paul,” God began to deliver the final judgement, “the examination of the weight of the evidence is concluded. The scales of justice have made a determination on whether or not your name is written in the Book of Life. Under no uncertain circumstances and beyond any reasonable doubt, we have concluded that your name is written in the Book of Life.”
Right as God revealed his name was written in the Book of Life, the unbearable weight storming throughout the pit of Paul’s soul instantly gave way. Before he could sigh in relief, he fell flat on his face, crying uncontrollably, in total surrender in pure worship.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord God. I have no words. Your love and justice are perfect. Thank you, thank you, Lord God almighty!”
Jesus approached Paul, gently placing his hand on his shoulder.
“Faithful servant Paul,” Jesus softly spoke, “rise and stand before the Lord your God. It is time.”
Weak and still trembling, Paul slowly came to his feet and hugged Jesus tightly, whispering in his ear, “I am yours to serve, forever.”
Jesus responds, “I know. I chose you just as much as you chose me. I am blessed to know you. It is truly my honor.”
As Jesus escorted Paul to the doorway that led to His New Kingdom, God the Father called Satan’s name.
“Satan,” God said in an even-tempered tone of voice, “please come forward and take the stand.”
Without much time to emotionally recover between judgments, an attentive sobering shockwave echoed through the court. Many thought, how can Satan even stand trial when his fate was already sealed? Why have a trial for Satan when we all know the final outcome? Who could even bear the thought that Satan had any chance of escaping eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire?
Although we all knew the verdict to come, none could look away. For this was not only a trial of Satan’s guilt, but a final, cosmic testimony of why justice must be done.
Chapter 2: The Final Waiting Room
Earlier that day, all of creation gathered in the outer courtyard, a space so vast.
A magnificent room where the light was strange and crystal clear, pure with a subtle sensation like soft, smooth silk. I could see clearly from one end of the room to the other, as if the horizon had no edge or end. I could see to the outer circle of the crowd and infinitely beyond.
A murmur began to ripple through the crowd, like static before a storm.
“This doesn’t make any sense!” cried a Calvinist Saint, clutching a weathered Bible close to his chest. “We were told believers didn’t go to the White Throne.”
Others nodded anxiously, echoing familiar doctrines now crumbling under the weight of truth.
“That’s exactly what I was told,” a protestant added, scanning the crowd, as if searching for a familiar face or a missing explanation.
To his left, a former Mormon missionary looked up at the endless gallery of faces and gasped. “I can’t believe how many people are here. Must be everyone on Earth.”
And it was. Every single soul. Every witness of history. The ones who shaped it. The ones who were forgotten by it.
“Where’s the Judgment Seat of Christ?” a Lutheran interjected.
“There is only one judgment, my dear brothers,” a nearby Orthodox elder replied, folding his hands calmly. “The Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne are one and the same.”
A Catholic Bishop standing near echoed the Orthodox, “One throne. One final judgment. Now is a good time to pray and repent.”
Everyone who had ever lived was here. Those who believed, those who rejected, those who had never heard. Every living being who had ever walked on Earth and participated in creation was worthy of final judgment before the Father. No one was worthy of bypassing this moment. Not even the holiest among us.
This was the first place we woke up. The first place our eyes opened after the end of everything. And yet, I remember everything from moments just before, when Satan launched his final deception.
Satan had his final moment of deception after being let out of the abyss. What a clever deception. His final act of war was to spite our Father one last time. Even some of the saints who returned to serve under Christ’s Millennial Reign made a mistake, and they might get punished for it. A mistake that could have cost them their eternal life in the New Kingdom. What a shame. That crazy, unimaginable deception. How could anyone have prepared for that moment? However, decisions were made. And now we, who made a mistake, have to account for our actions.
Right after Satan made his final move against God. Even after God gave Satan that final moment to confess and repent. Only God and Satan know what happened in that final chance to atone. Then it all ended suddenly, and here we are. In this room, waiting for the final judgment to see who gets to enter His New Kingdom.
Looking around at all the faces. At least 500 billion humans and angels in one large waiting room. Angels? Why are they here? Also, Saints? All were here. Murderers and martyrs. Prophets and politicians. Saints and skeptics. Some stood proud. Some wept. Some still didn’t believe what was happening, even though it was literally occurring in real time, right before their eyes.
Looking around, I saw Hitler, flanked by Bonhoeffer. Stalin stood behind Solzhenitsyn. Judas stared into the silence beside Mary Magdalene. Cain and Abel, reunited, silent, unreadable.
Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, and Martin Luther stood in quiet thought. Pope John Paul II and Saint Francis stood not far from Gandhi, Malcolm X, and Mother Teresa. The founders of movements, both peaceful and violent, each stood in the same light, their legacy finally subject to the weight of truth.
Zeus, Brahma, and Thor, not gods here, just echoes of what men believed. Even the gods of myth had to answer for how they shaped the hearts of men. The line between divine fiction and spiritual influence blurred, yet even fiction carried weight in the end.
Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Nero, King David, Charlemagne, Queen Elizabeth, all stripped of crowns, waiting like the rest of us. Some wore robes. Others wore chains.
Adam and Eve stood quietly near the front. Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Enoch, Noah, their lives long closed, their stories complete.
All were present, not a single soul unaccounted for. A very peculiar organization of who takes the stand first and who goes last.