God’s Judgment in the 2,000 Year Window of Mercy
I. BEHOLD THE LAMB WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD
A. It is a clear and a commonly accepted fact that God will release eschatological (end-time) judgments on the earth
right before His Son returns to the earth. However, one of the points of confusion is whether or not God judges in the
2000 year “window of mercy” between the cross of Christ and the beginning of the great tribulation. The question is, is
there judgment in church history? Is judgment prophesied?
B. On the Cross, Jesus received the judgment of God on our behalf that whosoever would repent in the presence of
God would receive the benefits of the Cross. This ‘whosoever’ can be an individual or a corporate people, i.e., a village,
community, city or nation, which, when there is a substantial amount in these corporate settings can have judgment
substantially lifted or even removed all together.
12 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to
anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. 14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave
a blessing behind Him— a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? Joel 2:12-14
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son. 1 John 4:9-10
C. A people who continue to resist the witness of the Cross, however can incur the judgment of God upon them. This
judgment, however, is redemptive and punitive, in that it is designed to bring and awaken a people to the truth of God that
they might turn, i.e., a nation that insists on resisting Christ is opening up a door for God’s zealous dealings.
D. The blood of the Cross of Christ answers for the judgment of those who “apply the blood of the Lamb” over their
lives.
13 “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the
plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Ex. 12:13
II. ASSUMPTION #1— THE CROSS APPEASED THE WRATH OF GOD AS THOUGH GOD WAS IN A “BAD MOOD”
A. The Cross of Christ, however, did satisfy the justice of God for those who would turn to Him by faith (1 Jn. 4:10-11,
Eph. 2:1-4), but stirred up His zeal against those who treat the Cross lightly (Heb. 10:29).
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God
underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of
grace? Heb. 10:29
III. ASSUMPTIONS #2—A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE IN THE GOD TOWARDS HUMANITY AFTER THE CROSS
A. The attitude of God towards humanity was always for mercy, redemption and blessing.
B. The incarnation, death, burial and resurrection were an established reality in the heart of God before the
foundations of the earth.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. Rev. 13:8
C. There was a secret plan of redemption in the heart of God before the foundations of the earth.
D. God’s election of Abraham was for the blessing of the nations of the earth –
1 Now the LORD had said to Abram:“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that
I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be
blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3
E. God declared His personality as merciful and gracious to Moses –
5 Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD
passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in
goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing
the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth
generation. Exodus 34:7
F. God’s ultimate requirement of the people of God was humility, mercy and justice –
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to
walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
G. The prophet Jonah knew of God’s personality and mercy towards a penitent people –
1 “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was
not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a
gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” Jonah 4:1-2
H. The Psalms of David are filled with passages regarding God’s mercy and tenderness. God’s mercy in the Psalms -
Ps 4:1; 5:7; 6:2; 6:4; 9:13; 13:5; 18:25; 18:50; 21:7; 23:6; 25:6; 25:7; 25:10; 25:16; 27:7; 30:10; 31:7; 31:9; 31:16; 32:10;
33:18; 33:22; 36:5; 37:21; 37:26; 40:11; 41:4; 41:10; 44:26; 51:1; 52:8; 56:1; 57:1; 57:3; 57:10; 59:5; 59:10; 59:16-17;
61:7; 62:12; 66:20; 67:1; 69:13; 69:16; 77:8; 77:8; 77:9; 79:8; 85:7; 85:10; 86:3; 86:5; 85:10; 86:3; 86:5; 86:16; 89:1;
89:2; 89:14; 89:24; 89:28; 90:14
I. God’s mercy in the Law - Gen 19:16; 19:19; 24:27; 32:10; 39:21; 43:14; Ex 15:13; 20:6; 25:17-22; Ex 26:34; 30:6;
31:7; 34:6-7; 35:12; 37:6-9; 39:35; 40:20; Lev 16:2; 16:13-15; Num 7:89; 14:18-19; Dt 4:31; 5:10; Dt 7:2; 7:9; 7:12;
13:17 God’s mercy in the Major Prophets - Isa 16:5; 30:18; 49:10; 49:13; 54:7-8; 54:10; 55:3; 55:7; 57:1; 60:10; 63:7;
63:15; Jer 3:12; 31:20; 33:11; 33:26; 42:12; Lam 3:22; 3:32; Ez 39:25; Dan 2:18; 4:27
31 (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your
fathers which He swore to them. Deut 4:31
IV. ASSUMPTION #3—THERE IS NO CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE OT AND NT
A. Some see a discontinuity with a wrong emphasis on the NT, while others place a wrong emphasis on the OT.
There is continuity between the OT and the NT that is seen in recognizing that Christ crucified fulfilled, and is fulfilling the
truths and promises declared in the OT.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to
you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves,
but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the
gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. 1 Peter 1:10-12
B. The NT supports and affirms the authority of the OT – Jesus affirmed and appealed to the authority of the OT—
Matt. 21:42; Matt. 22:29; Mk. 12:10, 24; Lk. 24:27; Jn. 5:39; Jesus expounds on Himself through the OT – Lk. 24:32, 45;
Christ fulfills OT scripture—Matt. 26:54; 26:56; Mk. 14:49; 15:28; Jesus calls us to believe the OT testimony of Himself—
Jn. 7:38; Jesus called the OT the Word of God— Jn. 10:35; OT testifies of the death and Resurrection—Jn. 20:9;
1 Cor 15:3-4; Phillip preached and evangelized from the OT—Acts 8:35; Paul taught and reasoned from the OT—
Ac 17:2; The Bereans searched the OT daily—Ac 17:11; Apollos was might in OT scriptures— Ac 18:24; Paul’s authority
in public rebuttal was the OT—Ac 18:28; OT is called the Holy Scriptures—Rom. 1:2; 2 Tim 3:15; OT was given for
learning patience and comfort unto hope—Rom. 15:4; OT referred to as prophetic—Rom. 16:26; OT is given by the
inspiration of God—2 Tim 3:16
V. JESUS THE TENDER JUDGE: JUDGMENT CONSISTENT WITH FULLNESS OF LOVE
A. What God discloses or reveals about Himself is an attribute. A divine attribute makes known to us that which is
true and lies within the character and nature of the Uncreated God. It shows us what God looks like and feels like.
B. In just judgment, the Judge Christ Jesus removes everything that distorts the revelation of love and hinders the
process of love. Jesus judges because He is love. Jesus does not suspend His face as a Bridegroom to reveal the
face of the Judge.
C. The principle of judgment is that God uses the least severe means to reach the greatest number of people at the
deepest level of love without violating anyone’s free will in training the future rulers of the earth.
D. Often, when the Lord commissioned His prophets to be messengers of judgment, He would give them a revelation
of His tender mercy.
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there
was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like
an emerald. Rev. 4:2-4
8 “ How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you
like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. Hosea 11:8
VI. SEMI-MARCIANISM –
A. The Church in the western world is mostly unfamiliar with the revelation of the Judge. This is partly due to human
sentiment where truth is defined by the way we feel about it. I call it emotional existentialism. The revelation of the Judge
is also lacking because most in the western world don’t think they are in need of a judge because of not being under the
oppression of a tyrant. A tyrannical government causes a people to cry out for a liberator.
B. The notion of the God of the NT not being the God of judgment is a subtle form of Marcianism.
C. Marcian (A.D. 85-160) was in church history a theologian who was considered a heretic by the 2nd century
Church. He sought to distinguish between the god of the OT who was angry and the god of the NT who was good.
Marcian believed that the God the Father was not YHWH of the OT. He saw the Father distinct and superior to the YHWH.
VII. GOD’S JUDGMENT IN THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR
A. Premise #1—The God of the NT is the same as the God of the OT (Heb 13:8, Heb 1:3, Col 1:15, Jn 14:7). Jesus
and Apostles spoke of the God of our Fathers.
B. Premise #2—God’s judgments are preparatory in nature and in keeping with His eternal plan. Part of understanding
His judgments requires the Eph. 1:9-10 vision and perspective, without which we will misunderstand regarding God’s
personality and plan. God’s premier vision is for the earth to be filled with the knowledge of His glory. The centerpiece of
God’s eternal purpose is for Jesus to come back to fully establish His Kingdom-rule over all the earth, as He joins the
heavenly and earthly realms together. Both heavenly and earthly dimensions must come together to fully express God’s
personality and purposes. Understanding this secret plan is essential to understanding God’s administration of His
redemptive plan.
C. Premise #3—Jesus pronounced judgment that came to pass decades into the New Covenant era.
1. Fall of Jerusalem 70 AD – prophesied in Mt. 24:2; Lk. 21:5
2. Fall of Chorazin, Bethsaida in the 1st century – prophesied in Mt. 11:20-22
D. Premise #4—Not everything negative, i.e., earthquake or storms, etc. are the "direct judgment" of the Lord, except
it has been indicated as such by the word of the Lord by an established prophet. All judgment has a message associated
with it. God will tell a prophet if it is a direct work.
6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?
7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Am 3:6-7
1. There are calamities that happen as a result of living in a fallen world where God allows humans to operate as free
will agents and creation is subject to futility due to humanity’s rebellion against the Lord.
E. Premise #5—Judgment is in the House of the Lord first, and much of the pre-tribulation shakings are for the
purifying and awakening of the Church. The apostles interpreted persecution and social pressure as God’s purifying
judgment for the Church.
4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer…” 2 Thes. 1:4-5
F. Premise #6—There have been subjective prophetic experiences pointing to the judgment of the Lord.
G. Premise #7— Judgment prophesied and or released in the 1st generation.
27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and
showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days
of Claudius Caesar. Acts 11:27-28
21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people
kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he
did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. Acts 12:21-23
H. Premise #8—God’s judgment released in the context of evangelism to those who oppose the Gospel.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the
faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “O full of all deceit
and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the
Lord? 11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And
immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Acts 13:8-11
I. Premise #9—Judgment was part of the preaching of the Apostles.
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him
concerning the faith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come,
Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” Acts 24:24-25
J. Premise #10—Four components: God’s zeal for love, Satan’s rage, man’s sin and creation’s groan.
K. Premise #11—The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.
L. Premise #12—Jesus brought judgment in the early church. – 1 Cor. 5:5; Ac 5:1-10; Rev. 2:22-23; 1 Thes. 4:61
Cor. 10:11-12
VIII. RELEASING THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION
A. Before the Tribulation starts the saints should ONLY pray for mercy on the lost. After it starts, billions will become
reprobate, taking the mark of the Beast. The saints will continue to pray for mercy for the lost, but will add the unique
dimension of praying for judgment on the reprobate who will not repent but will oppress the nations and kill the saints.
Moses prayed for judgment to be released on Pharaoh and Egypt after they hardened their heart.
B. There have been ministries, churches and individuals who have been wounded by “cranky” or irresponsible
judgment preaching that either comes from a wrong spirit or un-tempered zeal which is corrected by tenderness in
the bridal paradigm while resisting human sentiment.
…the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hear him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore
this joy of mine is fulfilled. John 3:29