The term JUDGMENT is used often in the Scriptures [Generally, Hebrew: “mishpat”- Strong’s #4941; and Greek: “krisis” – Strong’s #2920. It means verdict, sentence, condemnation, justice, and decision – for or against].
God told the Israelites that they shall observe His JUDGMENTS and keep His ordinances, to walk in them; I am the Lord your God (Lev. 18:4-5). Christians know that their praises, thanksgiving, prayers, and worship of God are words that confirm their status as born-again, redeemed sinners. Christ told the Jewish scribes and Pharisees:
“36But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of JUDGMENT. 37For by your words you will be JUSTIFIED, and by your words you will be CONDEMNED.”(Matt. 12:36-37).
It was not only the Jewish leaders who would receive the JUDGMENT, but all men are unrighteous and are subject to judgment (Rom. 1:22-32). All of God’s JUDGMENTS are true and righteous (John 5:30; John 8:16; Rev. 16:7; 19:2).
“33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His JUDGMENTS and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33).
Christ told His disciples that He would go away and the Holy Spirit would come to convict the world of SIN, and of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of JUDGMENT. All of His faithful believers would receive atonement for their sins and be declared RIGHTEOUS by God. All unbelievers would be JUDGED FOR THEIR SIN. Satan also was already JUDGED in AD 70.
“7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the HELPER (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8And when He has come, He will convict the WORLD OF SIN, and of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of JUDGMENT: 9OF SIN, because they DO NOT BELIEVE in Me; 10OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11of JUDGMENT, because the ruler of this world is JUDGED.” (John 16:7-10).
Paul said that some men’s sins were clearly evident, preceding them to JUDGMENT. But the sins of others would not be revealed until the JUDGMENT. The good works of the faithful believers are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden (1 Tim. 5:24-25).
The final JUDGMENTS occurred at the second coming Parousia of Christ in AD 66-70. The JUDGMENT began first with the church/Christians (the house of God) in AD 66 (1 Pet. 4:17). All genuine believers were JUDGED and found to be RIGHTEOUS because Christ had atoned for their sins. They were awarded fully consummated salvation in AD 66, where the living believers were rescued out of that present danger and coming wrath of God upon Jerusalem and the Hebrew people, changed in the twinkling of an eye to the unseen realm where all the faithful believing souls had been resurrected out of Hades/Sheol, and they were caught together with them where they all received their perfect immortal heavenly bodies to meet Christ in the aer of the unseen realm to forever be with Him and to later enter the visible presence of God in the New heavenly Jerusalem forever (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 2 Cor. 5:1-4).
Then it involved the JUDGMENT on Babylon (“That great city” Old Covenant Jerusalem “where our Lord was crucified.” Rev. 11:8) and the remaining nation of Israel which culminated with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The JUDGMENTS were also completed for all of the dead unbelievers (Rev. 20:12-13). All of their souls were raised out of Hades/Sheol and were found guilty of being unrighteous, rebellious, and unredeemed sinners, and were sentenced to the Lake of Fire for eternity according to their wages of sin (Rev. 20:13, 15; Rom. 6:23a).
Human history continues forever. Death (The Death Angel) and Hades (the pre-resurrection waiting place) were cast into the Lake of Fire in AD 70 (Rev. 20:14). Since AD 70, upon their deaths, every faithful believer receives their new immortal, perfect, individual heavenly body and goes to heaven, and every unbeliever is judged for their wages of sin and goes directly to the Lake of Fire forever.
For a more in-depth study see the related full “Study Series”:
“Study Series 15 Lesson 2 Revelation Last Days and The Judgment”