The close of Probation, or when Christ finishes His work as Intermediary

[hobie]

The concept of the "intermediary" for man is clearly in the Bible, and we also see who He is.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

There will come a point when He will finish His work as intercessor and come down at the Second Coming.
Romans 9:28
For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

At this point probation will clearly close for those on earth, the opportunity to repent and accept salvation is no longer available, and one's eternal fate is sealed. We can see it in the Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1-12
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

In this parable of the ten virgins we see the foolish virgins closed their probation by neglecting or refusing to make the choice to have the oil of the Holy Spirit during the time there was an opportunity to get more, and when the bridegroom showed up and they tried to enter the wedding banquet they were denied entrance because their probation had closed.

Now probation will close a short time before Christ comes as the judgement of the house of God ends when Christ finishes His work as intermediary and stands up to go to earth in the Second Coming. At this point probations is closed and we see who made the choice whether living or waiting for Christ in the grave who are sealed and Gods people in Ephesians 4:30.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

And in we see also what it says in Revelation 7:3
Revelation 7:3
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

God's people receive the seal of God or have it if they are in the grave, while those who reject God receive the Mark of the Beast. We see the events of Revelation 16, where the seven last plagues are poured out on those who receive the Mark of the Beast. We clearly see it in the second verse.
Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

This says that the first plague was poured out "on the people who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image." Then we see where Revelation 16:5-9 inform us that these people have been judged worthy of receiving these plagues because they refused to repent. This suggests that their probation has closed and they have chosen the adversary rather than Christ.

Then the events right before His coming in the final verses.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

 

[hobie]

Now we all know that Christ will come to a time when He prepares to come at the Second Coming, He will have to cut off His work of intercession for us that He is doing which Bible clearly teaches.
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

We are shown that all must have their case come to the judgement seat of Christ, and this is happening now.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

It happens first on the house of God ..
1 Peter 4:17
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

And Jesus Christ is our Advocate and our Intercessor before God the Father.
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Christ's intercession is rooted in the blood He shed on the cross, where He paid the penalty for sin, and where the only mediator between God and He takes each and every case beginning with the saints or house of God. Now when Christ finishes His work as intermediary and stands up to go to earth in the Second Coming, probations is closed and we see who made the choice whether living or in the grave waiting to be raised at resurrection at the end time.

John 11:24
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

When Christ comes to resurrected the faithful, with the cloud of angels at the Second Coming, probation has closed and all the saints have been counted as having made their choice and now Christ comes to redeem them and has the power to resurrect.
John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Now Jesus Christ taught two resurrections, one at the Second Coming and the other for the wicked to meet their fate after the Millennium.
John 5:29
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The apostle Paul did too.
Acts 24:15
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

So we clearly see both Jesus Christ and Paul taught two resurrections, the first being 'the resurrection of life' for the saints, the second being 'the resurrection of damnation' for the wicked.

When Jesus comes at the end of the world to collect His Saints, He gathers them together from all the parts of the earth. We see this in what Jesus told His disciples about His Second Coming:
Matthew 24:30-31
30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:26-27.
26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

When Jesus comes in the clouds at the Second Coming, He will send the angels to gather the saints to take them to heaven. And we see where Paul tells us in Thessalonians that God will not forget those who have died. It is clear that Jesus will not only take all the living saints to heaven, but He will also raise from the dead all of His chosen ones who died at His Second Coming,
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
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.
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:
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.

Jesus Himself comes down from heaven and raises the saints in the first resurrection and takes them to the heavenly kingdom. And the first resurrection is of the saints not the wicked as the verses make clear. The wicked will have any part in the first resurrection but have to wait for after the Millennium to come up and are then going to suffer the second death which is damnation in the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

During the Millennium, the earth will be in a state of desolation, devoid of human inhabitants as the wicked have been taken down by Christ at His appearing, and Satan will therefore be "bound" by a chain of circumstances for one thousand years with no one to tempt. And this does not change till the wicked are brought back up at 'the resurrection of damnation' for the wicked, where they meet their final end, and cease to exist in the Lake of Fire.

 

[Lamb]

What is "probations" as you keep bringing up? It's not a term that is in my bibles.

 

[hobie]

What is "probations" as you keep bringing up? It's not a term that is in my bibles.

Neither is the 'Trinity' and yet all Christians know the term. But here is a good explanation...

"There is a moment described in Scripture that is both solemn and final—a moment when mercy ceases, decisions are sealed, and every soul stands fixed in the condition they have chosen.

Revelation 22:11 – “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

These words reveal a truth that is often overlooked: there comes a point when the opportunity to change is no longer extended. The door of mercy, long held open through patience and grace, will one day close. At that moment, there will be no further movement between states—no shifting from unrighteousness to righteousness, nor from righteousness to sin. Scripture teaches that now is the time of decision, the time when character is formed and choices are made. But when probation closes, those choices become permanent.

2 Corinthians 6:2 – “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

God’s mercy is extended today. The invitation to repent, to turn, and to follow Him is open now—but it will not remain open forever. The Bible consistently calls for urgency, reminding us that delay can lead to spiritual hardness. This moment—the close of probation—is not widely spoken of, yet it stands as one of the most important truths in all of Scripture. It is the point at which every case is decided, every path is fixed, and every destiny is sealed.

The question is not if this moment will come—but whether we are prepared when it does.

What Is Probation in the Bible?​

Hebrews 9:27 – “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

The Bible teaches that every person lives within a limited period of time in which decisions are made that carry eternal consequences. This period is often referred to as probation—a time of opportunity where God extends mercy, truth, and the call to repentance.

Probation is not a word always directly used in Scripture, but the concept is clearly present throughout the Bible. It is the time given to humanity to:

Hear the truth
Respond to God’s call
Develop character
Choose whom we will serve

Genesis 6:3 – “My spirit shall not always strive with man…”

Even in the days before the flood, God revealed that His Spirit would not strive with humanity forever. There was a limit to the time given for repentance. When that time ended, judgment followed. This shows that probation has always existed—it is the period during which God works upon the heart, but it is not endless.

Luke 13:24–25 – “Strive to enter in at the strait gate… when once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door…”

Jesus Himself warned that there would come a moment when the door is shut. Those who delayed or neglected the call would find that the opportunity had passed. This imagery clearly reflects the close of probation—a time when access is no longer available.

There is a door that is open now.
There is a striving that must take place now.
There is a closing that will happen at a fixed moment.

Isaiah 55:6 – “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”

This verse carries urgency. It implies that there will come a time when the Lord is no longer “near” in the same way—when the opportunity to seek and respond has passed.

Probation is the window of mercy given by God—but it is not forever. When it closes, every decision made during this time becomes final.

“He That Is Unjust… Filthy… Righteous… Holy” – Understanding the Four Conditions​

Revelation 22:11 – “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

This verse is one of the most solemn declarations in all of Scripture. It reveals a moment when heaven itself announces that every person’s condition is fixed forever. No further change, no more repentance, no more turning back—only the continuation of what has already been chosen. These four conditions are not labels given at the last moment—they are the result of a life lived, a path walked, and choices repeated until they form unchangeable character.

Character is not built in a moment—it is formed daily, quietly, through decisions that seem small but shape eternity.

Galatians 6:7–8 – “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap…”

Every thought entertained, every action repeated, every truth accepted or rejected contributes to the final condition of the soul. Over time, these choices become habits, habits become character, and character becomes destiny.

The Unjust – Living Outside of God’s Order​

Isaiah 59:8 – “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings…”

The unjust are those who live outside of God’s order—not necessarily in open rebellion, but in quiet separation. This condition often appears subtle. It is a life where God is not fully rejected, but neither is He fully followed.

The unjust may:

Know truth but delay obedience
Hear conviction but ignore it
Live comfortably without full surrender

This is the danger of the unjust condition—it is not always obvious. It is often a life of partial obedience, where truth is known but not fully embraced.

James 4:17 – “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

The unjust are not only those who do wrong—but those who refuse to do what is right when they know it. The unjust condition is not formed by ignorance, but by resisted truth.....

Why Character Becomes Fixed – No More Intercession​

Revelation 22:11 – “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still… and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

This declaration does not happen randomly—it follows a specific moment in heaven. The close of probation occurs when Christ’s work of intercession for humanity comes to an end. At that point, there is no longer mediation, no more forgiveness being applied, and no further opportunity for repentance. The reason character becomes fixed is because the source of mercy’s application has ceased.

Christ’s Ministry in Heaven Comes to an End​

Hebrews 7:25 – “Wherefore he is able also to save them… seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Right now, Jesus serves as our intercessor—pleading on behalf of humanity, applying His righteousness to those who repent and turn to Him. This is the foundation of salvation during probation. But Scripture reveals that this work will not continue forever.

Revelation 15:8 – “And the temple was filled with smoke… and no man was able to enter into the temple…”

This powerful imagery shows a moment when access to the heavenly temple is closed. Intercession has ended. No one can enter—meaning the work of mediation is finished. When Christ’s intercession ends, there is no longer a covering for sin—what remains is the character that has been formed.

The Sealing of God’s People​

Revelation 7:2–3 – “Hurt not the earth… till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

Before probation closes, God’s people are sealed. This seal represents a settled condition—a mind and heart fully established in truth. The sealing is not forced—it is the result of a life fully surrendered to God.

The truth is accepted and lived out
The mind is fixed in obedience
The character reflects God’s law

Ephesians 4:30 – “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

The sealing is the final confirmation of a life aligned with God. It marks those who will remain faithful, even when the world moves in another direction. The sealed are those who have chosen God so completely that their decision is unchangeable.

The Withdrawal of God’s Spirit​

Genesis 6:3 – “My spirit shall not always strive with man…”

God’s Spirit is what convicts, draws, and leads people to repentance. During probation, the Spirit continually works on the heart. But there comes a time when that striving ends.

Hosea 4:17 – “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”

This is one of the most sobering statements in Scripture. It shows a point where God allows a person to remain in the path they have chosen. Not because He desires it—but because they have fully rejected Him.

No more conviction
No more drawing
No more inner struggle

When the Spirit is withdrawn, the ability to change is gone—not because God refuses, but because the heart no longer responds...."