Now I will abandon my foolishness and get serious.

We have listed thirteen judgments on the elect. The only judgment we can think of that falls on the secular realm is the judgment concerning the sheep and goat nations. This makes fourteen judgments to consider.

There is, of course, the business of the wheat and tares, the removal of offenses from the Kingdom of God, and then of those who offend, when that which has been planted in the earth comes to maturity. This probably will take place at the coming of the Lord Jesus, when the wicked of the world are trampled underfoot by the Lord's army.

Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things, says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 4:3—NIV)

Here is the big question. When do each of these fourteen judgments take place?

This question is not as easy to answer as one could wish. We'll take a shot at it realizing that our understanding may change in the future. It truly is a difficult question in several instances.

The ten virgins. Closing the door against the foolish believers could take place at any time. Even today the Lord is calling to His people, inviting us to enter a closer relationship to Him. Some are responding. Others are discovering they do not have what it takes to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow the Lord with a perfect heart.

If this parable is pointed toward the first resurrection, the resurrection that will occur when the Lord returns, then we are saying a multitude of the Christians alive at the time will be left when the trumpet sounds, for it is obvious the saving element is not our profession of belief in Christ but the amount of oil we have in reserve. How many believers are living foolishly, wasting their time, hoping for a "rapture" that will deliver them from all trouble and inconvenience? These are not carrying extra oil with their lamp.

The judgment of the talents. Again, this could happen at any time. The Lord could come, demand an accounting of us, and either entrust us with more Kingdom ability or remove what we do have. It is obvious the believer could not be raised from the dead (or transformed), glorified, ascend to meet the Lord in the air to be ever with the Lord, and then have his or her talent removed and be thrust into the outer darkness. Can you see the illogic of this?

On the other hand, the judgment of the talents may take place before the White Throne, at the end of the thousand-year Kingdom Age.

The judgment of the Vine. I think this could happen at any time. The Lord comes to us and perceives there is none of His Nature obvious in our behavior. He removes us from Himself, and we are so accustomed to living in the impulses of our adamic nature we do not notice the loss of His Presence.

To be continued.