As little introduction to this post I would just like to give its origins. I am currently attending an evangelist meeting near the University I attend. It is an intense 9 night program to hit on the main points of having a relationship with God. The name of the meetings is IPerceive and the 2nd night of the meeting I was inspired to write the following analogy/ short story. Let me also state that in no way do I believe in an instantaneous judgment in the way of the moment of Death you are taken to heaven but I do believe that your books are closed and when Christ returns to take us all home you will have to stand in the Court Rooms of heaven and I do believe that the proceedings will happen similarly to this. Every one will have to face this judge and stand in account of every thing that they have done in their lives...
Looking around what do you see? I see two tables behind each are seated two chairs . These two tables, they face a high pedestal, a desk set upon foundations of wood and stone. Your neck would strain to look into the eyes of one sitting behind its wooden pulpit. From what you can gather you are in a court room. But as you gaze to the right you see no jury box, and the view from behind is what seems to be set up for the world to see. You look back hoping that your mind deceived you but 7 billion pairs of eyes stare right back. You feel nervous, your face flushed velvet pink. Hoping to relieve the dryness that has attached itself to the back of your throat you reach for the glass of water sitting within an arms reach. As your hand slips slowly above the table to partake of the refreshing coolness of such life giving liquid you realize instantaneously that the hand you have extended is drenched in another life giving substance. As you stare in disbelief at your hands you realize that both are covered in a blood that is not you own. As you lift your hand to get a closer look,to affirm your initial conclusion the blood begins to trickle down your hand until the previously unknown sensation encompasses your entire arm. With the realization that you are not sure of this vile substances origin you quickly slip your hands under the table again, hoping no one happened to see such blatant evidence of whatever crime you can not recall. You cant remember where and when you partook of such an atrocity but you know that the evidence upon your extremities is there by no accident. As you search your inner most heart you can only come to one conclusion that even without knowing your crime your rightful plea is guilty.
When you look to see who your defender will be you verify your nervous thoughts with a empty chair. This scene is starting to become familiar. Its a place you have heard about from someone, somewhere but you cant recall what happens. Looking for some point of recognition you gaze across the room to the place where your accuser should be. Unlike your previous glance there is an all to eager soul in this place. For a brief moment eye contact is made. In this moment you seem to recall every thought, every action, every hushed murmur that has ever crossed your lips.You sense an anger so great that your soul begins to cry. He seems to be lusting after a part of you that extends beyond your flesh, and by all recognition it seems that your soul belongs to him. He registers your hopeless look with a smirk of satisfaction. He knows you have received the message he intend to send. You come back to yourself, back to the realm of your own mind. The pieces have fallen together, you realize where you are and what is about to take place. With one look into this creature of evil’s eyes you see that you in fact are standing in the Court House of Heaven. Your heart skips a beat, you are unable to breathe properly, you struggle to remain standing. You legs buckle and you fall back into your chair. Recalling the reputation of your opponent the only thing that comes to mind is his cruel and unrelenting, ever pressing evil. He has never stopped arguing any case even after the gavel has been thrown. An even more terrifying realization pops into your head, you become aware of the fact that you have absolutely nothing to counter his attacks you have no worthy argument to battle his brutal barrage. You are sinful and in your state of sin you have absolutely no solid ground to stand on.
You hear a door open. You turn your head in time to see a man clothed in a garb of pure light. The announcement is made “All Rise. For the most Honorable,Worthy and Holy Judge has come.” This message means more to me then a simple announcement of a coming judge. Rather this is a message of my salvation. I now recall the stories of old, the foretelling of this courtroom, the foretelling of my case. As the Judge enters I cannot help but smile for I know my Lord has come. His glory is over powering his awesomeness encompasses the entirety of the world. I bow my head unable to stand in His holy presence in my state of filth. I hear my name called. I stand. Every inkling of fear has been replaced with a peace the surpasses my understanding. I know that I am a sin filled retch and yet I know that I have nothing to fear. I look up into the eyes of my King. He asks me what I plea. I say it with the loudest voice I can muster, although in comparison to His mine comes out but a whisper. “My plea is guilty by birth, and made blameless through death.” My opposition was stunned to silence, the leer wiped from his smug face. The Judge continued “And who do you choose to represent you in your case” my answer well rehearsed, this is what my life of set apartness has culminated to, this is what all those hard choices have given me the choice to do. “I wish that you most Honorable and Supreme, represent me as my Father and my Friend.” With no hesitation my Father’s face begins to beam with pride.
And so the trial begins but no longer is this me against my past but rather it is now God against my prosecutor. It is a battle that has absolutely no chance of turning out in my accusers favor. Satan begins to pull out all the stops. He drags out a large book filled with my transgressions, in front of the multitude of people he reads over every blunder I have ever made. Every image and every idea I have ever constructed in the confines of my mind has been exposed for the world to see. I can no longer hide behind the mask of my actions, every time I chose deceit over truth or lust over a purity of mind is on the big screen for all to see. The movie of my life is playing and its rated X. But for some reason each piece of evidence brought before my Prince is dismissed as irrelevant. My enemy then points at the blood on my hands. I have completely forgotten about the evidence now caked on my flesh but with the verbal reminder I am quickly filled with shame once again. My Father notices the doubt that I am so quickly enshrouded in. He gently takes my hands and brings them close to himself. My adversary returns with his sly smile, knowing that this is irrefutable proof of guilt. But then my Intercessor begins to examine the evidence placed before Him, and without a second thought he announces “this is my blood.” I am just as shocked as the Devil is enthused. I am stunned with silence, a fall to my knees weeping at this cognizance of unexpected truth. I have not only harmed my Friend and Father but my King. My sense of iniquity is great, there is in no way I can stand rightfully before the Majesty of the Universe and dare ask Him for such an undue pardon. There is something about this trial and every trial that ever has been or will be brought to this court that is secure. There are only two paths you can travel after the pronouncement of guilt or innocence has been made. It is either that of Life or that of Death. A fear grips me, if I am found to be guilty then Death is not what I fear but rather the eternal separation of me and my God. My body trembles. I fall to my face unwilling to let go of my Masters robe I cling to the fringes of his garment. I am unable to bind the words of my heart, the ache that it feels at even the idea of such infinite divorce engulfs my every cell. It is a cry of old, a cry that the heart of God Himself resonates with, it is a cry that when He hears His children call He, the Lord of the Universe is unable to withstand. “Father Save Me!”
The next few moments are to me the most powerful testament to the love God has for us. As he turns to face my advisory, that serpent of old, Satan himself begins to quiver in fear. His once haughty look is exchanged for a look of terror and strife. For the same blood that rest on my hands as a proof of guilt is also the same blood that is my seal to life. The same blood that came from the nails I pierced in my Lords hands is the blood that covers my head in the atonement for my sins. This is the proof of His covenant with me. With one swift move of His mighty arm he slams the gavel with all his might announcing to the universe that no fault can be found in me, for the blood of the Lamb has paid for me to have life abundantly free. In glorious surrender I feel a weight slip off. No longer do I see the multitude standing in awe of my judgment nor do I see the searing gaze of that evil Fiend. But rather I am now standing alone, just my Lord and I. This is the moment I have waited for my entire life. The moment when I will receive my heavenly reward. My King, my Father, and my Friend places a crown of jewels on my head its brightness outshines all but the glory of Himself. But this,this is not what I have waited for,no this crown I throw back at His feet knowing only He is worthy of this honor. No, what comes next is the ultimate of ultimate rewards. My Father beckons me to draw near, He leans close to me and says “Well done my good and Faithful servant”. My heart is silent, all heaven seems hushed, for in this one moment in time my Lord and I become one. Every action I commit, every thought I think reflects His glorious might. Never again will the threat of division come because for now and forever more my Lord and I are one. For God has given us two chances of life once when He made us, and twice when He saved us. This is the promise given to all “…If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1,2). May you too accept the redeeming sacrifice of the Son so that when one day you stand to be judged by the Almighty you may stand covered by the Glory of the Lamb.
May God bless your day abundantly
