Day of judgment facts for kids

The Last Judgment painted by Stefan Lochner in the 15th century.

In the Christian religion, The Day of Judgment is the day in the future when all people who are living or who have ever lived will be judged by God. It is often known as the Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, or sometimes it is called The Day of the Lord.

Beliefs of the early Christians

In the Old Testament the prophets had said that one day God would send his son to forgive people for the wrong things they had done and to save their souls. In the early years of the Christian church people thought that, although Jesus Christ had now visited the world and died for us on the cross, salvation will only be completed when the world ends and all people alive or dead will face God who will judge them.

The Day of the Lord is mentioned several times in the Old Testament (e.g. Book of Ezekiel chapter 13 v.5 and Isaiah chapter 2 v.12). In the New Testament the coming of Christ as Judge of the world is mentioned very often. In Paul’s letters and in the Revelation to John, the Christians who are good will reign with Christ for some time in this world. When Christ comes his arrival will be announced by a trumpet call. He will come down from heaven. All the people who are alive will stay alive, and all the people who are dead will become alive again.

Christ’s Second Coming is talked about in the ancient creeds. In the Apostles' Creed it says: “He ascended into heaven...From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead”. In the Nicene Creed it says: “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead”.

The Day of Judgment in art

This belief about the Day of Judgment has inspired many painters throughout the ages to draw or paint the Second Coming of Christ. One of the most famous is Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Related pages

• Eschatology
• New Encyclopaedia Britannica vol 16 p. 369

Images for kids

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  Stefan Lochner, Last Judgement, c. 1435. Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne

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  Print of the Last Judgment, made by Johannes Wierix in the 16th century.

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  The Last Judgment by John Martin (1854)

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  The Last Judgment mosaic (14th-century), south facade of Saint Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic.

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  The Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo (1536-1541)

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  The Last Judgment, 17th-century icon from Lipie. Historic Museum in Sanok, Poland.

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  The Last Judgment, mural from Voroneț Monastery, Romania

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  Viktor Vasnetsov's The Last Judgment, 1904

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  Doom painting, St Mary's Church, North Leigh, Oxfordshire, 15th century

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  Armenian manuscript depicts the Last Judgment,1679

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  Last Judgment (Russia, 18th century)

See also

In Spanish: Juicio Final para niños