3. In accordance with the spiritual nature of the kingdom of (!od, and with the fact that it is even now begun on earth, we find, esi>ecially in the Joliannire writings, that the judgment in om-a-spcrt or stage af it is a present act. l''or judgment
Christ is come into this world (Jn D"). There is au actual separation of men in progress here and now, and to a great extent they tliem.sulves may see that there is nothing arbi''-ary in the awards which are made ; the spiritual b.e.ssings bestowed on the one hand and the mental sull'erings or want endured on the other, commend themselves to the enlightened conscience as just and inevitable. Christ is as a present light in the world, discerning between the souls of men, attracting and gladdening some, thost who do truth, and rcnelling others who do evil multiplying for them tlie pains of darkness, hatred, and sill (Jn S""- 12''). Tlie former are called even now to everlasting life (3*" G", 1 Jn 3"), and should know that they have it (1 Jn 5'') ; the latter know not life, but abide in death, and have an immediate experience of the wrath of God (Jn 3^, 1 Jn 3'^
4. This judgment, which is in progress now, is de.stined to be perfected, though there is necessarily obscurity as to the future existence. In the last assize Christ will be the Judge as before (Mt 2o'"'-, Ac 10^- 17", 2 Co 5'", 2Ti4i). Mankind will all apjiear before His judgment-seat. The righteous will thus have in His jire-sence a perfect vision and ]iossession of the goodness they have chosen in Him (2 Ti 4", I Jn 3*) ; the wicked will see with dismay into what an abyss of sin and woe they have fallen (Rev 1'). It may be said men will hereafter judge themselves. Those who are unlike Christ wdl find themselves as such to be separate from Him. The two classes of peojile are parted because they have acquired distinct natures like the sheep and the goats (Mt 25""). The future judgment will thus be 'just,' determined by what people made of themselves when they were in the body (2 Co 5'°). Or the books will be opened, and men will be judged out of those things which are written in the books, according to their works (Rev 20'"). The character of each person is a ' book ' or record, preserving, in moral and spiritual etiects, all that lie has been and done and loved ; and in the judg- ment these books will be 'opened,' or each man's character will be manifested as the light of Christ falls upon it. The people of Christ themselves receive dillerent awards at the last, according to what their life has been (Lk IB""-, 1 Co 3'«"). A test like fire will try every believer's work. Some have acquired a close likeness to Christ by their lives of true holiness and love ; and the greater the likeness, the more He will be known, loved, and enjoyed, or the richer they themselves will be.
G. Ferries.
JUDGMENT HALL is the AV translation in Jn IS-"- ^ and Ac 2.3" of the Greek vpcuTwptoy, though this word contains no reference to judging. In the RV it is rendered ' palace ' or ' pru;torium.' See Prstoriuii.
JUDGMENT SEAT.— The u.sual word employed for this in the NT is /3i;Mo (Mt'27'»,Jn 19", Ac l"8"- HI. o5«. 10. i7_ Ko 14'", 2 Co 5'"), jiroperlv a ' tribune.' Two of these were provided in the law-courta of Greece, one for the accuser and one for the defend- ant (cf. l.iddell and Scott's Greek Lexiron under fSTiua), but in the NT the word is used of the otiicial scat (tribunal) of the Roman judge. The word Kpniipior used in Ja 2* occurs also in 1 (^o G*- ', where it is translated in RViii by ' tribunals.' See, further, art. Gabbatua.
G. W. Thatcher.
JUDITH (n-^vr "loi.*;,, 'louJifl, 'Uvifl$).—\. A wife of E.sau, daughter of Beeri the Hittito (Gn 20") (cf. tin 3G^ and see OholiuaMaii).
2. Heroine of the HoOK OF Jl'DITll ; daughter of .Merari, of the tribe of Simeon (8' (cf. Nu 1'] 9"); widow of Maiiasses of the same triliv. See follow- ing article. K. C. PORTKR.
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JUDITH, BOOK OF
JUDITH, BOOK OF
JDDITH, BOOK OF.— 1. Contents.— The story of the Hiiok of Judith in tlie LXX is as follows :— Nebuchadnezzar, kin" of tlie Assyrians in Nineveh, in his I2th year made war against Arphaxad king of tlie Modes, summoning all nations to his aid ; and in his 17th year was victorious and destroyed the Median capital, Ecbatana. The next year he sent Holofemes with 13'2,000 men to take vengeance on the western lands which had refused to come to his help. Holof. laid waste the lands of those who resisted, and reriuired the destruction of their sanc- tuaries and gods, and the sole worship of Nebuchad- nezzar. The Jews feared for Jerusalem and the temple, just reconsecrated after their recent return from exile. Joakim, the high priest, and the San- hedrin resolved upon resistance, and ordered the fortifying of certain mountain towns of Samaria which commanded the entrance into Judsea from the north. The people gave themselves to fasting and prayer. An Ammonite general, Achior, warned Holofemes, with an appeal to history, that the God of heaven protected this people unless they sinned against him, and for his counsel was delivered to the enemy. Bethulia was the point of attack, and upon the issue of its siege depended the fate of the Jewish land and religion. Tlie three elders of the city, Ozias, Chabris, and Charmis, yielded to the demand of the famished people and promised surrender after five days. Judith, a rit'h young widow of the tribe of Simeon, confident of the righteousness of her people, believed that God would deliver them by her hand. Prepared by prayer, and protected by strict observance of legal rites, she made her way to Holofemes, predicted the speedy destruction of her people because she fore- saw that in their hunger they would eat unclean and consecrated food, captivated him by her deceits and by her beauty, and beheaded him as he lay in a drunken stupor after a banquet in her honour. ' Her beauty took his soul prisoner ; the scimitar passed through his neck.' She returned with the head to Bethulia. Achior recognized it, and at sight of it was converted to Judaism. Confusion and fear fell upon the leaderless army of the Assyrians, and the Jews slaughtered them in their flight and gained great spoUs. Judith was richly rewarded and honoured, and in a song celebrated the deliverance. Peace reigned during her long life of 105 years, and for a long time after.