Temporal Nature of Heaven and Final Judgment
The concept of the temporal nature of heaven and final judgment is rooted in biblical teachings and has been interpreted by various Christian traditions. The Bible speaks of a future judgment where the wicked will be punished and the righteous will be rewarded [4]. According to Charles Hodge, this judgment is associated with the end of the world, where the material universe, including the earth, will be transformed [3].
The timing of this final judgment is unknown, as stated by Jesus himself: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" [1]. The uncertainty of the timing is a recurring theme in Christian eschatology, with the Apostle Peter warning that "scoffers will come in the last days" questioning the promise of Christ's return [2].
The nature of the final judgment is described in various biblical passages. According to Augustine, the Apostle Peter predicted that the world would be judged, and the righteous would dwell in a new heaven and a new earth [2]. The judgment is seen as a time of reckoning, where individuals will be held accountable for their actions. The Catholic tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, understands the judgment to be a universal event, where all individuals will be judged according to their deeds [6].
The Jewish tradition, as represented in the Babylonian Talmud, also emphasizes the importance of judgment, highlighting the contrast between human judgment and divine judgment. Human judgment is temporal and limited, whereas divine judgment is eternal and absolute [7, 8].
The renewal of the world is a theme present in both Christian and Jewish traditions. According to Aquinas, the world will be renewed, and the elements will be transformed, with the lower spirits being conformed to the higher spirits [9]. This renewal is associated with the final judgment, where the righteous will dwell in a new heaven and a new earth.
The patristic tradition, as represented by Augustine, also emphasizes the importance of the final judgment, seeing it as a time of reckoning and transformation. The righteous will be rewarded, and the wicked will be punished, with the ultimate goal being the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth [2, 5].
The Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, understands the final judgment to be a time of separation, where the righteous will be distinguished from the wicked. The judgment is seen as a necessary consequence of God's justice and righteousness [4].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Second Coming of Christ, The — Time of, unknown -- Mt 24:36; Mr 13:32. Called the Times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. -- Ac 3:19. Times of restitution of all things. -- Ac 3:21; Ro 8:21. Last time. -- 1Pe 1:5. Appearing of Jesus Christ. -- 1Pe 1:7. Revelation of Jesus Christ. -- 1Pe 1:13. Glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour. -- Tit 2:13. Coming of the day of God. -- 2Pe 3:12. Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. -- 1Co 1:8. Foretold by Prophets. -- Da 7:13; Jude 1:14. Himself. -- Mt 25:31; Joh 14:3. Apostles. -- Ac 3:20; 1Ti 6:14. Angels. -- A”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 18.--WHAT THE APOSTLE PETER PREDICTED REGARDING THE LAST JUDGMENT. (part 1): Let us now see what the Apostle Peter predicted concerning this judgment. "There shall come," he says, "in the last days scoffers. ...Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."(1) There is nothing said here about the resurrection of the dead, but enough certainly regarding the destruction of this world. And by his reference to the deluge he seems as it were to suggest to us how far we”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 93: whole material universe, but our earth and what pertains to it. ( a .) It is true the Bible says: “Heaven and earth are to pass away,” and by heaven and earth the Scriptures often mean the universe; and it would therefore be consistent with the language of Scripture to hold that the whole universe is to be changed at the last day. It was natural that this interpretation should be put upon the language of the Bible so long as our earth was regarded as the central body of the universe and sun, moon, and stars as subordinate luminaries, inte”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 96: § 6. Future Punishment. Our Lord in his account of the final judgment says, that the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal. The sufferings of the finally impenitent, according to the Scriptures, arise: (1.) From the loss of all earthly good. (2.) From exclusion from the presence and favour of God. (3.) From utter reprobation, or the final withdrawal from them of the Holy Spirit. (4.) From the consequent unrestrained dominion of sin and sinful passions. (5.) From the operations of conscience.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 24.--PASSAGES FROM THE PSALMS OF DAVID WHICH PREDICT THE END OF THE WORLD AND THE LAST JUDGMENT. (part 3): lowest part of it, and the corresponding heavens were destroyed, so in the psalm the whole is used for a part, and it is said "They shall perish," though only the lowest heavens are to perish. But since, as I said, they will not condescend to reason thus, lest they should seem to approve of Peter's meaning, or ascribe as much importance to the final conflagration as we ascribe to the deluge, whereas they contend that no wate”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the General Judgment, As to the Time and Place at Which It Will Be, Art. 3: Article: Whether the time of the future judgment is unknown? I answer that, God is the cause of things by His knowledge [*Cf. FP, Question [14], Article [8]]. Now He communicates both these things to His creatures, since He both endows some with the power of action on others whereof they are the cause, and bestows on some the knowledge of things. But in both cases He reserves something to Himself, for He operates certain things wherein no creature co-operates wit”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128b.56:9: He said to them: I cry in fear of heavenly judgment, as the judgment of the heavenly court is unlike the judgment of man. If they were leading me before a flesh and blood king whose life is temporal, who is here today and dead in the grave tomorrow; if he is angry with me, his anger is not eternal and, consequently, his punishment is not eternal; if he incarcerates me, his incarceration is not an eternal incarceration, as I might maintain my hope that I would ultimately be freed. If he kills me, his killing is not for eternity, as there is life after any ”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128a.56:9: He said to them: I cry in fear of heavenly judgment, as the judgment of the heavenly court is unlike the judgment of man. If they were leading me before a flesh and blood king whose life is temporal, who is here today and dead in the grave tomorrow; if he is angry with me, his anger is not eternal and, consequently, his punishment is not eternal; if he incarcerates me, his incarceration is not an eternal incarceration, as I might maintain my hope that I would ultimately be freed. If he kills me, his killing is not for eternity, as there is life after any ”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Quality of the World after the Judgment, Art. 4: Article: Whether the elements will be renewed by an addition of brightness? I answer that, Just as there is a certain order between the heavenly spirits and the earthly or human spirits, so is there an order between heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. Since then the corporeal creature was made for the sake of the spiritual and is ruled thereby, it follows that corporeal things are dealt with similarly to spiritual things. Now in this final consummation of things the lower spirits will ”