There is a great Day of Judgment coming at the end of the world, but of course, there is an intermediate time of judgment for every one of us when we die, if we die before that great Day of Judgment comes. We are called before God to give an account of our lives and particularly what we have done with that awareness that he has given us that he is there: what we have done with any information we have been privileged to have about God and his holiness and the way of salvation and about Jesus Christ in particular.
How could these servants fail to understand that this day would come? Did any of them think that the nobleman would never come back? Did they think that he would not be given authority to rule, when he was the king’s son, and there was no one else fit to rule? Did some start to say, ‘He left a long time ago, and if he was coming, he would be back by now’? Did they start to look upon the pound as their own? When we speak of the return of Christ, the world scoffs. ‘Jesus Christ lived 2000 years ago. Why are you still waiting for him? Get on and enjoy life, and stop worrying about him. All that we have in this life is our own, to do with as we like. Stop living as if you owe anything to anyone else.’ For such people, that day will come as a terrible shock, and they will be completely unprepared. When a person has long got used to looking at things in a certain way, the thought that anything could really be different brings a mental earthquake. The ground, as it were, moves under their feet, and brings total confusion. So will it be for those who have built everything on the foundation of unbelief. The return of Christ will be the worst imaginable event.
But for those who love the Lord, it will be that moment they have long expected and looked forward to. All they have suffered in his absence will be compensated in that hour. Their Lord will be aware of their faithfulness throughout that waiting period.