31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
“Rise at the judgment” and “Stand up at the judgment” sounds like something we would want to be a participant of! I am reminded on Psalm one:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalms 1:1-6 (NIV)
The Queen of the South and the men of Nineveh had something in common says Jesus; they listened and heeded (repented). Likewise, we too should take heed of His words (go figure!). Just as the Pharisees that our Lord addresses here were privy to Jesus being the sign to their generation, so too, we have Jesus as a sign for our generation. Hebrews chapter twelve comes to mind: 25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Heb 12:25-27 (NIV)
This is a stern warning indeed for those “who can be shaken”. As believers in Christ, we cannot be shaken. It is through Him that we are able to stand – and stand we will. Praise Him! Many verses are coming to mind regarding the issue of standing in Christ but a few certainly seal this point: 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4 (NIV) 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:10-18 (NIV)
Considering the Queen of Sheba sought out Solomon – who was created by God and given his wisdom by God – to verify the truth she had heard regarding his fame and traveling approximately 1,200 miles to do it, does not reflect too highly of our generation of believers and inquirers. 1 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan--with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones--she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the Wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. 1 Kings 10:1-5 (NIV)
The people of Nineveh make us look pretty bad too! Listening to a half-hearted prophet dragging his feet delivering a message far from powerful, they repent: 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. Jonah 3:4-5 (NIV)
Ironically, as the prophet preached doom, the people changed. The Bible Knowledge Commentary states: "People in every social strata, from the greatest to the least, hoped that God might turn from His anger and spare them.”15 He who has ears, let him hear. Matt 11:15 (NIV)