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"I will be happy to tell you," he replied. "Judgment Day is final and sets the final seal on truth for all to see. You know that in this age a father cannot send his son to be sick for him or sleep or eat or be healed for him. An owner cannot send his slave to do these things for him, nor can a person send his best friend.
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In the same way, on that day, no one will be able to pray for another person. Each person will receive the punishment or reward for his own sinfulness or righteousness."
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"If that is so," I answered, "how can we explain what we find in the Scriptures? Abraham prayed for the people of Sodom, and Moses for our ancestors who sinned in the desert.
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Later, Joshua prayed for the people of Israel in the time of Achan,
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and Samuel prayed for them in the days of Saul. David prayed at the time of the epidemic, and Solomon prayed for those who were going to worship in the Temple.
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Elijah prayed that the people might have rain and for a dead person to come back to life.
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Hezekiah prayed for the people during the time of Sennacherib. And there are many other examples.
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If righteous people prayed for the unrighteous during such times when corruption increased and injustice multiplied, why won't the same thing happen at the Judgment Day?"
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"The present age is not the end of everything," the angel answered. "Even in this age, the glorious presence of God is not always seen. That is why the strong have prayed for the weak during this age.
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But the Judgment Day will be the end of the present age and the beginning of the future age. Then all corruption will end,
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self-indulgence and disloyalty will be eliminated. Righteousness and truth will reach their full maturity.