YOU HAVE JUST DIED!
Your thoughts begin racing back and forth over your life, over the circumstances surrounding your death, and over all the things you thought you would do–everything you left unfinished. You think of the possessions you had, the plans you had made, and the people you left behind. One haunting thought, however, one terrible, frightening thought invades your mind, overshadowing everything else. You try not to think about it, but it hangs over you almost with a presence–like a thick dark cloud. You try to forget it, but it keeps coming back again, and again, and again. “YOU NEVER ACCEPTED JESUS!” You rejected every call, every offer of a personal relationship with Almighty God, and now you are about to face Him. You rejected His love, His sacrifice, His offer of forgiveness, and His rightful authority as Lord of your life. You will not reject His judgment!
As you continue struggling to control your thoughts, you suddenly find yourself in the presence of God’s holy angels, standing before an incredible throne. It is a throne that could have been magnificent to behold, but for you, it creates sheer terror. Then, as He who is sitting upon the throne rises, you instantly find yourself in a kneeling position, as all of those around you joyfully confess that, “He Is Lord!”
Now, in addition to the turmoil in your head and the terror in your heart, you also feel incredibly filthy–incredibly sinful–standing in the presence of Perfect Holiness. You know that He sees right through you, knowing every godless act you have ever committed, every vile, profane, and derogatory word you have ever spoken, and every evil thought you have ever harbored.
The Lord then turns to face a group of angels who are gathered around an enormous book. After a moment of searching, one of the angels turns, and upon bowing very low before the throne, declares that your name is not there: “Your name is not recorded in the Book of Life!” Your thoughts begin racing faster. You want to say something to defend yourself, but what? What could you possibly say that He doesn’t know? You know that He knows everything. He knows you rejected Him and His call on your life, that you despised His wanting to be your God.
The Lord then turns to you, and with a voice as powerful as the raging seas, speaks the words, “Depart from me, I never knew you!” The words echo in your mind, each reverberation getting louder, and louder, and louder. You feel as if you are going to explode. You want to run, you want to hide, you want to scream, but all you can do is watch.
The angel who has been standing to your left now reaches over and lifts you to your feet. He then begins to lead you out from the presence of the Lord. Resistance is not an option, as you have absolutely no ability to do anything except follow. As you reach the door and are about to exit, you turn one last time for a final look at the “One” who was to have been your God. To your surprise, and even more disheartening, you see the face of a Father with a broken heart. There are tears in His eyes! Finally, now that it is too late, you realize the immense and eternal love which you have rejected.
As you pass through the door, you are somehow aware of having just traveled an immeasurable distance, being farther from God than you have ever been. Even in your rebellion, in the darkest moments of your life, you never felt such a distance, such a separation from His goodness and grace. You begin to feel the loneliness, the emptiness, the hopelessness of being without God. The angel who brought you here now informs you that judgment (the reviewing of your sins and the determination of the degree of your eternal punishment), will not take place until after the millennium (the thousand years in which Jesus is going to physically rule the earth). The beginning of punishment, however, will not be delayed.
As the angel disappears, you are engulfed by a darkness you have never known–a darkness so thick you can feel it. Suddenly, you are assaulted by the stench of burning sulfur and by an intense heat all around you. It’s like being in a fire, but there is no light–the fire gives no light! In shock, you gasp for air, but the breath just seems to draw it deep inside. You try to run, but you can’t. You try to hide, but there’s no place to go. You cover yourself with your arms, you shield your face, but nothing stops the heat! In desperation, you begin to cry and to grind your teeth. In anguish, you finally scream; but nobody hears you, nobody sees you, nobody can help you; and it will be like this forever.
Forever!
Forever!
Forever!
Forever!