“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)
Fear has a smell. I had never noticed that before. Like the stench of rummy alcoholic in the summer, as he sweats out the malt liquor he drank an hour ago, and travels another carefree mile down the road to cirrhosis. This state of panic had an odor so powerful that turned the fear into something material, fear you could almost touch, but would be scared to. This was the fear above all fears; this was a primal fear, terror that was hard wired into man. The cause of this trepidation: I had died and this was Judgment Day!
I was led toward God’s Throne Room. Even with the strong angst that seemed to rise from the deepest pit of my heart, the splendor was breathtaking. Gold covered the walls and floor. A precious metal I had never seen before shined even brighter than the walls. The throne itself shined so brightly that I had to look away. Suddenly, reality rudely jerked me back to the reason I was here. Abruptly, like the first bright flash of pain at the beginning of a migraine, my mind went into spasms, as all the sinful, hateful, dishonest, adulterous, blasphemous, covetous, dishonorable, and idolatrous things I had ever done flashed before my mind’s eye in an instant. It was as if my mind was trying to vomit out the traces of wretched things I had done in my life.
Suddenly, an unearthly, alien, terror- filled scream split the air. A shriek that no one on Earth has ever heard, and probably won’t, until the Great Tribulation. I heard begging, negotiations, excuses, and explanations, even blasphemous curses. Some tortured soul, even now, was still in rebellion to the Lord of Hosts. But the payment due date for his defiance was at hand. Then I heard a voice, speaking with so much pain and hurt in it that it cracked, like a tree falling in an ice storm. Whoever was speaking was trying not to cry. Then I heard the words that pierced my soul and stopped my heart. Depart from me, you worker of iniquity. I never knew you.
As I was being led to the Judgment seat of Almighty God, every idle word, every insult, every cruel thing I had ever said or done to anyone flashed through my mind at the speed of light. I felt defiled, far too impure to be standing before a Holy God. I dropped to my knees crying and trembling with fear. I had been a wicked person. I had lived a sinful life. How could Jehovah ever clean me up enough to live in His presence eternally? Then the man with the pained and sad voice walked in. My grief crushed me when I saw that it was Him, the one who died for me. He took out a very ancient looking book. Complete and total silence filled the room, and all that could be heard was my racing heart, and the pages of the book being turned. Then the man with the book began to cry. A very bad sign… wait…they were tears of joy, not tears of sorrow! Rising up from His throne, just to the right of the Father’s, He came over to me, put his arms around me, and kissed my tears away. A choir, made up of more angels than I could count, burst into song. Their music was the purest and most beautiful I had ever heard. As they praised the King, the words I had longed for, hoped for, and lived for my entire life, came forth, clear and strong, from a voice filled with love. Well done my good and faithful servant! Welcome Home!
Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis