Another title which the Scriptures assign to Jesus is “Judge.” As a judge he also will be a blesser of the people. The psalmist wrote concerning Jesus, “He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.” (Ps. 72:4) The great oppressor of the people throughout the ages has been Satan, the Devil. He has enslaved the minds of men through deceit, and thereby prevented them from knowing and serving the true God, whom to know and serve in the right way will mean life eternal.

Traditional misconceptions of the judgment day have hindered many from appreciating Jesus as the great judge of mankind. Instead of looking forward to the judgment day as a time of blessing, they have dreaded its approach, supposing it to be a time of doom for nearly everybody. Actually, the thousand years during which Jesus will “judge the world in righteousness” will be a time of blessing for the people.—Acts 17:31

When our first parents transgressed the divine law, they brought themselves and their offspring under condemnation to death. But Jesus’ death as man’s Redeemer provided a way of escape from that condemnation. The benefits to be derived from the death of Jesus are available only through belief in him, and obedience to the divine will. Paul raises the question, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14) Few, as yet, have heard of Jesus in the comprehensive manner necessary for them to believe in him. The Scriptures reveal that they will have this opportunity during the coming judgment day.

The judgment day will therefore be a time of enlightenment for the people. Paul implies this in his sermon on Mars’ hill, in which he contrasts the “times of this ignorance” with the day which God has appointed in which “he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained,” Jesus Christ the Righteous. (Acts 17:31) That will be the “due time” when the great fact that Jesus died for the sins of the world will be “testified,” or made known, to all mankind.—I Tim. 2:4-6

That the work of judgment will include enlightening the people is indicated in Revelation 20:12, where we are told that the “books” will be opened and every man will be judged according to the things “written in the books.” These books are by some erroneously supposed to contain the records of the past lives of the human race, and the opening of the books signifies to them that all will have their virtues and their sins reviewed during the judgment day, and thus be judged worthy or unworthy of everlasting life.

There is nothing in the Scriptures to warrant this conclusion. The account declares that the people are to be judged by the things written in the books, and Jesus said that his “word” will judge the people at that time. (John 12:48) The opening of these symbolic books must therefore signify a revelation of the Truth as the standard of judgment.

In Isaiah 29:11,12 a similar thought is brought to our attention. Here a “book” is discussed. It is a “sealed” book, which cannot be opened either by the learned or the unlearned. The prophecy shows that finally this book is opened, enabling the deaf and the blind to hear and see what is written in it. This prophecy reminds us of the spiritual darkness that enshrouds the people by the reign of sin and death, and assures us that the time will come when this darkness will be dispelled. Then the people will see and know the divine will.

It is this future day of enlightenment that the Bible designates the judgment day, during which Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. It will not be a time merely for giving awards and pronouncing sentence. The work of judgment includes a test based on the enlightenment which will come to all people at that time.

This will be the first real, full opportunity the world will have had for believing on Christ and receiving everlasting life. All came under condemnation through Adam, and the vast majority go into the tomb without even knowing that Christ died for them. During the judgment day, they will be awakened from death, enlightened concerning Jesus and, upon the basis of that enlightenment, given an opportunity to accept God’s gift, obey the laws of the kingdom, and live forever.