I slightly misspoke in my last post. The Confession has one more Article. I think I was confused 🤔 because I could not find a sermon on it in Pastor Ganger’s archive. Maybe I just wanted to be finished.
Anyway my last post on Article 36 spoke approximately about the Confession’s chief author, Guido de Brès (1522–1567) purpose in writing to the government. With so much political discontent in our current society I felt that was a good place to end.
But it’s probably better to end at the real end the Last Judgment.
As I write this I’m trying to find Pastor Ganger’s sermon.
I did find an early on on the topic but not referenced to the Belgic Confession, This is another WMA file so you need a player to listen to it.
Revelation 14:6-13 – Judgment of God – 6/15/2008 PM
Actually, I finally found the sermon in the 2014 series…
2 Peter 3:1-13; 1 Thess. 4:13-18 – The End of the World – 6/15/14 PM
The scripture references are:
e-Sword
The Day of the Lord Will Come
2Pe 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2Pe 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
And,
e-Sword
The Coming of the Lord
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Our church is currently having a Sunday School class studying Revelation, ironically we are just now in Chapter 14.
I will listen to his sermons.
I also remind the reader a posted a few weeks ago on Revelation.
Particularly this one.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones has an excellent sermon on The Final Judgment here. But again he is not teaching The Belgic Confession specifically.
The actual texts are here.
In our current use form.
Article XXXVII – The Last Judgment
Finally, we believe, according to the Word of God, when the time appointed by the Lord (which is unknown to all creatures) is come and the number of the elect complete, that our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, corporally and visibly, as He ascended, with great glory and majesty to declare Himself Judge of the living and the dead, burning this old world with fire and flame to cleanse it.
Then all men will personally appear before this great Judge, both men and women and children, that have been from the beginning of the world to the end thereof, being summoned by the voice of the archangel, and by the sound of the trump of God. For all the dead shall be raised out of the earth, and their souls joined and united with their proper bodies in which they formerly lived. As for those who shall then be living, they shall not die as the others, but be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and from corruptible become incorruptible. Then the books [(that is to say, the consciences)] shall be opened, and the dead judged according to what they shall have done in this world, whether it be good or evil. Nay, all men shall give account of every idle word they have spoken, which the world only counts amusement and jest; and then the secrets and hypocrisy of men shall be disclosed and laid open before all.
And therefore the consideration of this judgment is justly terrible and dreadful to the wicked and ungodly, but most desirable and comfortable to the righteous and elect; because then their full deliverance shall be perfected, and there they shall receive the fruits of their labor and trouble which they have borne. Their innocence shall be known to all, and they shall see the terrible vengeance which God shall execute on the wicked, who most cruelly persecuted, oppressed, and tormented them in this world, and who shall be convicted by the testimony of their own consciences, and shall become immortal, but only to be tormented in the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.
But on the contrary, the faithful and elect shall be crowned with glory and honor; and the Son of God will confess their names before God His Father and His elect angels; all tears shall be wiped from their eyes; and their cause which is now condemned by many judges and magistrates as heretical and impious will then be known to be the cause of the Son of God. And for a gracious reward, the Lord will cause them to possess such a glory as never entered into the heart of man to conceive.
Therefore we expect that great day with a most ardent desire, to the end that we may fully enjoy the promises of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN. Amen, come, Lord Jesus. Rev. 22:20.
AMEN
And the copy on RPTS site.
Click to access Belgic-Confession-of-Faith-with-Intro.pdf
And it’s extensive footnotes of scripture.
Article 37
The Last Judgment Finally, we believe according to the Word of God, when the time appointed by the Lord (which is unknown to all creatures)1 is come, and the number of the elect complete, that our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, corporally and visibly, as He ascended,2 with great glory and majesty to declare Himself Judge of the quick and the dead,3 burning this old world with fire and flame to cleanse it.4 And then all men will personally appear before this great Judge, both men and women, and children, that have been from the beginning of the world to the end thereof,5
being summoned by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the trumpet of God.6 For all the dead shall be raised out of the earth, and their souls joined and united with their proper bodies in which they formerly lived.7 As for those who shall then be living, they shall not die as the others, but be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and from corruptible become incorruptible.8
Then the books (that is to say, the consciences) shall be opened, and the dead judged according to what they shall have done in this world, whether it be good or evil.9 Nay, all men shall give an account of every idle word they have spoken, which the world only counts amusement and jest;10 and then the secrets and hypocrisy of men shall be disclosed and laid open before all.11
And, therefore, the consideration of this judgment is justly terrible and dreadful to the wicked and ungodly,12 but most desirable and comfortable to the righteous and the elect; because then their full deliverance shall be perfected, and there they shall receive the fruits of their labor and trouble which they have borne.13 Their innocence shall be known to all, and they shall see the terrible vengeance which God shall execute on the wicked,14 who most cruelly persecuted, oppressed, and tormented them in this world;15 and who shall be convicted by the testimony of their own consciences,16 and, being immortal, shall be tormented in that everlasting fire17 which is prepared for the devil and his angels.18
But on the contrary, the faithful and elect shall be crowned with glory and honor;19 and the Son of God will confess their names before God His Father and His elect angels;20 all tears shall be wiped from their eyes;21 and their cause, which is now condemned by many judges and magistrates as heretical and impious, will then be known to be the cause of the Son of God.22 And for a gracious reward, the Lord will cause them to possess such a glory as never entered into the heart of man to conceive.23
Therefore we expect that great day with a most ardent desire, to the end that we may fully enjoy the promises of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.24
Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20).
1 Matt. 24:36; 25:13; 1 Thess. 5:1–2; Rev. 6:11; Acts 1:7; 2 Peter 3:10
2 Acts 1:11
3 2 Thess. 1:7–8; Acts 17:31; Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Jude 15; 1 Peter 4:5; 2 Tim. 4:1
4 2 Peter 3:7, 10; 2 Thess. 1:8
5 Rev. 20:12–13; Acts 17:31; Heb. 6:2; 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10
6 1 Cor. 15:42; Rev. 20:12–13; 1 Thess. 4:16
7 John 5:28–29; 6:54; Dan. 12:2; Job 19:26–27
8 1 Cor. 15:51–53
9 Rev. 20:12–13; 1 Cor. 4:5; Rom. 14:11–12; Job 34:11; John 5:24; Dan. 12:2; Ps. 62:13; Matt. 11:22; 23:33; John 5:29; Rom. 2:5–6; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 6:2; 9:27 10 Rom. 2:5; Jude 15; Matt. 12:36
10 Rom. 2:5; Jude 15; Matt. 12:36
11 1 Cor. 4:5; Rom. 2:1–2, 16; Matt. 7:1–2
12 Rev. 6:15–16; Heb. 10:27
13 Luke 21:28; 1 John 3:2; 4:17; Rev. 14:7; 2 Thess. 1:5–7; Luke 14:14
14 Dan. 7:26
15 Matt. 25:46; 2 Thess. 1:6–8; Mal. 4:3
16 Rom. 2:15 17 Rev. 21:8; 2 Peter 2:9 18 Mal. 4:1; Matt. 25:41
19 Matt. 25:34; 13:43
20 Matt. 10:32
21 Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4
22 Isa. 66:5
23 Isa. 64:4; 1 Cor. 2:9
24 Heb. 10:36–38
Rainbow Trout 