Introduction

As we studied last week, the rapture is chronologically the first event in the end times. The events that directly follow that are different in Heaven than they are on the earth. On earth, there will be a 7-year tribulation period. We’ll take a look at that in Lesson 3. This lesson, however, will focus on the 2 events taking place in Heaven while the Tribulation is happening on the earth: the Judgment Seat Of Christ and The Marriage Feast Of The Lamb.

I. Judgment Seat Of Christ (II Cor. 5:10- “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”)

A. You will sometimes hear this referred to as the bema seat.

1. In Greek and Roman days, the bema was where a judge sat to have an unobstructed view of runners in a race. He could see any rules infractions from this seat and could fairly judge the race.

B. Only believers will be judged at this time. They will be judged on what they have done with their lives since becoming a Christian.

C. Believers will not be judged for their sins, but for their service. (I Corinthians 3:9-15 – “⁹For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. ¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹³Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”)

1. This is where the type of service done for the Lord is judged.

a. “gold, silver, precious stones” = works done in the power of God for the glory of God (these materials are not consumed by fire)

b. “wood, hay, stubble” = works done in man’s own power or for man’s own glory (these materials are consumed by fire) (Galatians 2:19-3:3 – “¹⁹For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. ¹O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? ²This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”)

2. The result of this judgment will be the receiving of or the loss of rewards by the believer.

a. Take special note that it is not the believer who will be lost- just his reward for works that don’t pass the test of fire.

b. The rewards could be crowns. Several of these are mentioned throughout the New Testament:

i. Incorruptible crown (I Corinthians 9:25- “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”)

ii. Crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8- “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”)

iii. Crown of life (James 1:12- “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”)

iv. Crown of glory (I Peter 5:4- “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”)

c. The rewards are important because:

i. They are for God’s glory, not our own. Scripture describes the elders casting their crowns at Jesus’ feet in worship and glory. (Revelation 4:10-11 - “¹⁰The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”)

ii. They will determine the type of service and rule that each believer will hold during the Millennium. (Luke 19:11-19 – “¹¹And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. ¹²He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. " ¹³"And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. " ¹⁴"But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. " ¹⁵"And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. " ¹⁶"Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. " ¹⁷"And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. " ¹⁸"And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. " ¹⁹"And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.”)

II. Marriage Feast Of The Lamb (Rev. 19:7-10 - “⁷Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. ⁸And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. ⁹And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. ¹⁰And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”)

A. The relationship of marriage is used to describe the union of Christ and the church forever. (Ephesians 5:25-29- “²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. ²⁹For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”)

1. Remember: the church = believers

2. In this passage, the husband is compared to Christ and the wife is compared to the church. Thus, the church is the bride of Christ.

B. How Biblical marriage customs picture what Christ has done for the church:

1. Just as the groom would pay a dowry to the bride’s father for her hand in marriage, so Christ paid for us on the cross of Calvary. (I Corinthians 6:20- “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”)

2. Just as the groom would go and prepare a home for his bride before coming to get her, so Christ will come back to get his church when He has finished preparing our home in Heaven. (John 14:1-3 – “¹Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ²In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”)

Conclusion

Looks like there’s a lot for believers to get ready for! In the next lesson, we will be taking a look at the 7 years of tribulation.