There was a lady who had to do a lot of traveling for her business which meant a lot of flying. But flying made her nervous, so she always took her Bible to read which helped relax her.

One time she was sitting next to a man and when he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and went back to what he was doing. After a while he turned to her and asked, “You don’t really believe all that stuff in there do you?” The lady replied, “Of course I do, it is the Bible.” He said, “Well what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?” She replied, “Oh, Jonah? Yes, I believe that. It is in the Bible.” He asked, “Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?” The lady said, “I don’t really know. I guess when I get to heaven I will ask him.” “What if he isn’t in heaven?” the man asked sarcastically. “Then you can ask him,” replied the lady.

There is only one of two places you can be in eternity: heaven or hell. Jesus emphasized this during His personal ministry on earth and by the Holy Spirit, through His apostles, following His ascension. Nothing could be plainer, but people continue to ignore His warnings. Jesus pictured the judgment scene like this: “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt. 25:46). The inspired apostle Paul wrote, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12). And in another place he said, “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 be hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). John pictured a “great white throne” where “the dead were judged according to their works” by what was written in the “Book of Life” (Rev. 20:11-12).

Attend our assemblies and learn from God’s word what it takes to go to heaven when life is over on earth. You have time now to make changes in your life, but there will be no occasion to change after death and when you appear at the moment of judgment. Death and the judgment will be no laughing matter.