Walking In Eternal Judgment

As Believers in Yahushua Messiah, we are called to understand, and to walk in, the basics of The Faith.

The current condition of the Body of Messiah, however, is that most Believers, even those having walked with Yahushua for many years, still do not understand these basics, also called the 'first principles' of the Oracles of Yahuweh, as we see in the Book of Hebrews:

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)

Therefore leaving the (first) principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. (Hebrews 6:1-3)

Here we see that all Believers are called to go beyond the basics, beyond the foundational principles of The Faith. According to Hebrews 6:3 above, we will not be allowed to go on unto perfection, proceed to completion, unless Yahuweh permits. That is, unless we grasp these basic, foundational teachings, and walk in them, we will not be allowed to build beyond this foundation.

With such an important issue as our spiritual progress at stake, we will look at each of these basics of The Faith, each in a separate writing. In this writing we will examine the last of the foundation-stones of The Faith seen in the first two verses of Hebrews chapter 6—the issue of eternal judgment.

Eternal Judgment

What is judgment? What is eternal judgment?

A few of the faithful teachers today are teaching the Scriptures that promise judgment as punishment for wrongdoing. Many others tell us that the day of judgment is some time in the distant future. Still others teach that we should not judge. Each of these concepts has its rightful place in the Believer's understanding, but these familiar teachings are only a small part of eternal judgment as seen in the Scriptures.

In our modern language we do not attribute correct meaning to some of the Bible words, but instead use 'popular' meanings borne out of tradition. One example of this misuse of definitions is the Bible word judgment.

As we study the Scriptures, we discover that the word translated judgment in the vast majority of uses in the Bible does not mean 'punishment' from Elohim. Although violation of Elohim's judgments will bring punishment to Messiah's disobedient children (See Ps 89:27,30-32), they are not in themselves the punishment.

Instead, the word translated in most cases as judgment is the Hebrew word mishpatim, denoting the 'Rules of the House' by which His people are to live. In order to understand these judgments we must look to the Scriptures.
 
Let's begin by looking at some familiar passages, as a few pieces of a great puzzle. We will then proceed to examine some rarely-noticed puzzle pieces in Scripture, in order to see the bigger picture.

Many Believers have seen these passages:

Judge <2919> not, that ye be not judged <2919>. 2 For with what judgment <2917> ye judge <2919>, ye shall be judged <2919>: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. (Matthew 7:1-2)

Judge <2919> not, and ye shall not be judged <2919>: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6:37)

Here, we see perhaps the most familiar of truths: we are not to judge others. Now let's look at the next level of judgment, and notice something Yahushua tells us:

Judge <2919> not according to the appearance, but judge <2919> righteous judgment <2920>. (John 7:24)

Here, Yahushua tells us we are to judge, but with 'righteous judgment.' The apostle Paul then brings us some details:

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge <2919> the world? and if the world shall be judged <2919> by you, are ye unworthy to judge <2922> the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2)

In the above passage, we see that in the future, the Believers will be involved in judging others. We are thus called to become worthy to judge others in the future, by learning to judge now, in the small matters.

Let's see how we are to learn to judge in these small matters:

For if we would judge <1252> ourselves, we should not be judged <2919>. 32 But when we are judged <2919>, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31-32)

In this passage above, the apostle Paul reveals that we are to judge ourselves now, in every regard, so that we would not be judged later. But what is the standard by which we are to judge ourselves? We must search the Scriptures to find this standard.

Before we discover what Scripture reveals about this standard, we must digress momentarily, to see a vitally important, fundamental Truth of the New Covenant revealed in Scripture!

A Fundamental Truth of the New Covenant

Perhaps the most important fundamental truth about the Bible, is that everything we see in the New Testament writings have their foundation and basis in the Old Testament writings. This is why we see throughout the Old and New Testaments, the phrase, "it is written." This phrase is seen 63 times in the New Testament alone, and refers the reader back to the original basis for the thought or teaching at hand, as the authority for that teaching.

We can not go into the detail in this writing, but can only state as a basic, 'rule-of-thumb' truth, we must understand that all of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament writings, are to be seen as one cohesive unit. Together they represent the New Covenant, also having the Scriptural name of the Everlasting Covenant.

For an overview of how the Old and New Testaments relate to each other according to Scripture, see The New Covenant: An Overview of the Everlasting Covenant. 

We rightly conclude, that in order to correctly understand ('rightly divide') any New Testament truth, we must simply find the original basis for that truth in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings — also called the Old Testament, or Torah ('instruction') for short.

We have stated that the original basis for understanding all of the New Covenant is found in Torah. However, in order for us to properly understand, or rightly divide the Torah, we must first have the key of the New Covenant with which to unlock the understanding and 'food value' of the Torah!

This concept is given to us explicitly in Leviticus 26:10, is seen implicitly in Song of Solomon, and is confirmed to us plainly by Yahushua in Matthew 13:52:

For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. 10 And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. (Leviticus 26:9-10)

The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits [precious things], new and old, which I have laid up [hidden] for thee, O my beloved. (Song of Songs 7:13)

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52)

Here we see that the establishing of Yahuweh's Covenant with each individual will result in feeding on the Old, which is brought forth because of the New.

We see also that these precious things, the writings on the doorpost, both new and old, have been laid up and hidden for the Bride to find.

We see also that the treasures of the Scribe consists of Scripture writings, both New and Old.

With this in mind, we will now look in the Torah, to find the meaning of 'eternal judgment' mentioned in the Book of Hebrews.

Judging with Righteous Judgment

We recall that our goal is to discover the Scripture standard by which we are to learn to judge in small matters, by learning to judge ourselves. In order to rightly judge ourselves, we must become a "DO-er" of that standard of judgment.

Let's notice what that standard of judgment is called. Let's look again at John 7:24, to see what Yahushua calls this standard:

Judge <2919> not according to the appearance, but judge <2919> righteous judgment <2920>.   John 7:24

We are to begin learning how to judge ourselves, according to a standard Yahushua calls 'righteous judgment.' Most of the details of this standard are found in Torah:

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment <04941> : thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge <08199>  thy neighbour. (Leviticus 19:15)

And I charged your judges <08199>  at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge <08199>  righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. (Deuteronomy 1:16)

Open thy mouth, judge <08199> righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:9)

In the above Scriptures we have our first clue as to the details of the standard by which we are to judge ourselves. Notice we are to judge (Heb 'shaphat,' Strong's number <08199>, a verb), in a righteous manner of judgment (Heb 'mishpat,' Strong's number <04941>, a noun).

When we look at these two Hebrew words for judgment seen in Scripture, we discover another treasure-trove of truth. We find that Yahuweh has given a special name to His standard of Righteous judgment: He calls them "My Judgments."

Let's now look at Yahuweh's Judgments, as seen throughout Scripture.

Yahuweh's Judgments Are His Family Guidelines

The word for judgment used the most throughout Scripture turns out to be the Hebrew word 'mishpat,' Strongs number <04941>, that we saw as a clue in the above passage. This word is used 421 times, and derives from the Hebrew root 'shaphat,' Strongs number <08199>, seen as the other clue above.

The word 'mishpat' is especially revealing, for it includes among its many meanings the judging or ruling of ones family. We see this meaning in the very first mention in the Scriptures of doing judgment, Gen 18:19, in which we are told that Abraham will "command his house" to keep the Way of Yahuweh, to do righteousness and judgment, with the result that the blessing already spoken might come upon Abraham.

So we see that in a general sense, the mishpatim, or judgments of Yahuweh, are the guidelines set down by the Father, for the expected manner of family life the Father wants to see in His Family. Our heavenly Father therefore has given to us His judgments, that all His people might live according to His manner of life as one unified Family.

When we have the mishpatim, or judgments of Yahuweh as our standard, we are then able to learn to judge ourselves with righteous judgment, simply by walking in, and becoming a "DO-er" of Yahuweh's judgments.

Let's look now at a few of these judgments in Scripture, to see what Father expects of all those who are grafted-in to His Family. We will list some of the Scripture references, along with the Scripture text, and add summary comments off to the side.

Home | Top of Page | Site Contents | Links