What the Three Judgments in Revelation Teach Us About God’s Justice

Judgments in Revelation

There are three series of judgments in the book of Revelation. First, seven seals are opened. Then seven trumpets are sounded by angels. Then seven bowls are poured out. At the conclusion of each series is a storm. After the seventh seal is opened, John writes, “there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake” (Rev. 8:5). After the seventh trumpet, he records, “And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm” (Rev. 11:19). The same thing is also said after the seventh bowl is poured out, only this time the earthquake is “severe” (Rev. 16:18). The seals come first, because the Lamb must open the seals of God’s decrees of judgment upon creation. The sounding trumpets then announce God’s decrees over creation. Finally, the seven bowls pour his judgment out upon creation. The climax of each is a storm.

The Nature of God’s Judgment

These chapters appear to record a progression of events, but it is not a simple progression. Many events seem to repeat, yet they also seem to intensify. So you cannot read the book of Revelation and assume that some event recorded in chapter 17 must occur later in time than some event in chapter 9. The book does not work that way. Instead, you should pay attention to this intensification from one series to the next. For instance, when the second trumpet sounds, one-third of the sea turns to blood, and one-third of the sea creatures die (Rev. 8:8–9). When the second bowl is poured out, however, all the sea turns to blood, and all the sea creatures die (Rev. 16:3). Also, when the sixth seal is opened, natural disasters occur (Rev. 6:12–17). When the seventh bowl is poured out, however, similar sounding natural disasters occur, yet they sound even more severe (Rev. 16:17–21). Again and again, the vision presents images that recall previous images, as if to underscore, or push a bit further, some kind of judgment previously mentioned. And like the opening of the seals in chapter 6, both of the subsequent series begin in the heavenly throne room (Rev. 8:1–6; Rev. 15:1–16:1). Ultimately, it is like watching the judgment of God on humanity in a spiral. John turns and turns the screws of tension, anticipation, and dreadful awe. God’s final judgment on his creation will be presented with a crescendoing, unerring procession.

As humans, we do have an instinctive sense of justice. When someone is able to evade responsibility for his actions, we say, “He could get away with murder.” Even if a few academics do not, most of us prefer stories where the bad guys get their comeuppance, and the good guys are rewarded. Criminals being brought to justice is an ever-popular political slogan.

Yet when people read about this swirling series of judgments, each culminating in a tremendous storm, they are troubled. And that makes sense. Our justice, as we experience it, is insufficient. The judgments handed down by judges do nothing for the victims. Our justice is uncertain. People go to jail and are made worse. Our justice is often a stopgap. We cannot catch those who are guilty, and when we do, they get out and repeat their crimes. And our justice can be mistaken. Innocent people are sentenced and suffer wrongly. In this world, there is no perfect justice. At the root of it all, though, our hesitancy about justice and the punishment of wrong must be related to an awareness of our own vulnerability to just accusation. Did not Jesus himself suggest that, at least sometimes, we are not competent to judge: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone” (John 8:7). And if what Jesus says is true, all of us know, deep in our hearts, that none of us would cast any stones.

But the one who spoke these words was the one without sin. And as the one who is just, he is the one who will mete out justice. He is the Lamb who opens the scrolls.

In the book of Revelation, the instinctive sense of justice shared by every human finally meets with the one judge who shares none of our judicial inadequacies, who knows all the facts right down to the motives of the heart, who knows right from wrong precisely, and who is able to execute his judgments perfectly. This is the judge against whom no appeal could ever be raised.

The Certainty of God’s Judgment

One of these great series of judgments culminates in chapter 11, and the certainty of God’s coming judgment is pronounced. The seventh trumpet sounds, voices in heaven proclaim the coming of Christ’s reign forever and ever, and the twenty-four elders fall on their faces and worship, saying,

The nations were angry;
     and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
     and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your saints and those who reverence your name,
     both small and great—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth. (11:18)

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It is made clear throughout these chapters that no power on earth can prevent, hinder, or delay God’s judgment. The natural and social forces of the world are at God’s disposal. Famine and plague do his bidding (Rev. 6:8; 11:6; 18:8). All creation, from untamed animals to earthquakes, serves God’s call for judgment (Rev. 6:8, 12; 8:5; 11:13, 19; 16:18). More than once, the fixed points of this world—the sky, the mountains, the islands—are “removed” or “flee” away (Rev. 6:14; 16:20; 20:11). So complete is God’s power that even his extraterrestrial creation acts in concert with his judgment on earth: the sun is blackened, the moon turns red, and the stars fall (Rev. 6:12–13; 8:12). Not even death itself can hide us from the searching judgment of God (Rev. 11:18).

God’s judgment is certain. Nothing will stop it. Perhaps you have read in the newspaper, or seen at work, or witnessed in a family, or even experienced yourself a situation in which injustice appears to go unanswered. It will not always be so. God draws a line under all such situations and will address them at just the right time. He will say, “Enough!” He will vindicate his people.

The Finality of God’s Judgment

God’s judgment is also final. His judgments continue “for ever and ever.” John writes, “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever’” (Rev. 11:15). Regarding those who worship the beast, John says, “And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever” (Rev. 14:11a). The beast and the false prophet are also tormented eternally (Rev. 20:10). There is no appeal from God’s judgment. When God judges, the only response is the silence of assent and songs of worship.

Surely that must give you some peace. Life is not simply a never-ending circle of struggling and suffering, of joys that end and sorrows that endure. Christianity is different from many of the world’s religions in just this way—history does not merely recycle us again and again on a treadmill. It focuses all of history on a particular point of time at the throne of God. And the judgment of that throne is final.

God’s judgment is certain. Nothing will stop it.

The Horror of God’s Judgment

Revelation also reveals the horror of God’s judgment. Every kind of human will be horrified on that day. John writes,

Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Rev. 6:15–17)

The torment of those who worship the beast will rise forever, as we have seen. From supernatural prisons to the Abyss, from plagues to earthquakes, and from Hades to the eternal lake of fire, this book is filled with unimaginably horrible images. Some have even called these images unbearable, and I can certainly understand why. But if the images are true, we do not help anyone by trying to make them seem less horrible.

Even in our age of overly-stimulated imaginations, this book produces awe. God’s judgment will be horrible. Surely our response should be like Job’s: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5–6).

The Rightness of God’s Judgment

God’s judgment is also right.

John writes,

And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
     the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
     and have begun to reign.
The nations were angry;
     and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
     and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your saints and those who reverence your name,
     both small and great
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. (Rev. 11:16–19)

There is no question of God’s judgments being uncertain or ineffective, inadequate or wrong. No, God’s judgments are complete, accurate, and appropriate.

Certainly neither you nor I know every wrong done in every place at every time by every one who has ever lived. Nor do we have the moral character to measure wrong perfectly or even well. But the God of the Bible does. He stands as an eternal, ever-present, and ever-truthful witness, as well as an ever-wise, ever-merciful, and ever-just judge.

Trust God for his perfect justice.

This article is adapted from The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept by Mark Dever.

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