judgment

Bible Study Guides – The Work of Redemption, Part 111

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July 15, 2007 – July 21, 2007

Key Text

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Romans 8:16.

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 5, 215, 216; My Life Today, 354.

Introduction

“As your soul yearns after God, you will find more and still more of the unsearchable riches of His grace. As you contemplate these riches you will come into possession of them and will reveal the merits of the Saviour’s sacrifice, the protection of His righteousness, the fullness of His wisdom, and His power to present you before the Father ‘without spot, and blameless.’ 11 Peter 3:14.” The Acts of the Apostles, 567.

1 Of what does the Spirit bear witness? Romans 8:16.

note: “If the Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, what is the result? The believing soul comes into perfect submission to the will of God. The Majesty of heaven condescends to a holy, familiar intercourse with him who seeks God with the whole heart, and the child of God, through the abundant manifestation of His grace, is softened into a childlike dependence. You must commit your soul and body unto God with perfect trust in His power and willingness to bless you, helpless and unworthy as you are.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 276.

2 If we are children, what rights have we? With whom are we joint heirs? Romans 8:17.

note: “Through faith in Christ we become members of the royal family, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. In Christ we are one. As we come in sight of Calvary, and view the royal Sufferer who in man’s nature bore the curse of the law in his behalf, all national distinctions, all sectarian differences are obliterated; all honor of rank, all pride of caste is lost.

“The light shining from the throne of God upon the cross of Calvary forever puts an end to man-made separations between class and race. Men of every class become members of one family, children of the heavenly King, not through earthly power, but through the love of God who gave Jesus to a life of poverty, affliction, and humiliation, to a death of shame and agony, that He might bring many sons and daughters unto glory.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 258.

3 With whom are we connected, if we are heirs? Galatians 3:7, 9, 29. Of what was Abraham the heir? Romans 4:13.

note: “Though the people of Israel . . . had failed of the high destiny to which God had called them, in their unbelief had failed to become the light of the world, though they had despised God’s mercy and forfeited their blessings as His chosen people—yet God had not cast off the seed of Abraham; the glorious purposes which He had undertaken to accomplish through Israel were to be fulfilled. All who through Christ should become the children of faith were to be counted as Abraham’s seed; they were inheritors of the covenant promises; like Abraham, they were called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 476.

4 To what time are the saints sealed? Ephesians 1:13, 14.

note: “God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.’ [Psalm 37:29.] The time has come to which holy men have looked with longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from Eden—the time for ‘the redemption of the purchased possession.’ [Ephesians 1:14.] The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. . . .

“God created the earth to be the abode of holy, happy beings. That purpose will be fulfilled when, renewed by the power of God and freed from sin and sorrow, it shall become the eternal home of the redeemed.” The Adventist Home, 540.

5 To whom is the first dominion promised to be restored? Micah 4:8. What is meant by the “tower of the flock”? Psalm 61:1−3; Proverbs 18:10.

note: “He [God] is the strength of His people today. We are not to trust in princes, or to set men in the place of God. We are to remember that human beings are fallible and erring, and that He who has all power is our strong tower of defense. In every emergency we are to feel that the battle is His. His resources are limitless, and apparent impossibilities will make the victory all the greater.” Prophets and Kings, 202.

“God is our tower of strength.” Steps to Christ, 98.

6 To whom is the kingdom to be given? Daniel 7:27.

note: “God calls for separation from the world. Will you obey? Will you come out from among them, and remain separate and distinct from them? . . . You cannot mingle with worldlings, and partake of their spirit, and follow their example, and be at the same time a child of God. The Creator of the universe addresses you as an affectionate Father. If you separate from the world in your affections, and remain free from its contamination, escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust, God will be your Father, He will adopt you into His family, and you will be His heir. In place of the world, He will give you, for a life of obedience, the kingdom under the whole heavens. He will give you an eternal weight of glory and a life that is as enduring as eternity.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 44.

7 How will the first dominion be restored to its original beauty? 11 Peter 3:10, 12, 13.

note: “The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored. . . . God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed.” The Great Controversy, 674.

8 With what important event is the renovation of the earth connected? 11 Peter 3:7.

note: “While Satan was rallying his army, the saints were in the city, beholding the beauty and glory of the Paradise of God. . . . We gathered about Jesus, and just as He closed the gates of the city, the curse was pronounced upon the wicked. The gates were shut. Then the saints used their wings and mounted to the top of the wall of the city. Jesus was also with them; His crown looked brilliant and glorious. It was a crown within a crown, seven in number. The crowns of the saints were of the most pure gold, decked with stars. Their faces shone with glory, for they were in the express image of Jesus. . . .

“Then the wicked saw what they had lost; and fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. This was the execution of the judgment. The wicked then received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them during the one thousand years. The same fire from God that consumed the wicked purified the whole earth. The broken, ragged mountains melted with fervent heat, the atmosphere also, and all the stubble was consumed.” Early Writings, 53, 54. [Emphasis in original.]

9 With what is the day of judgment connected? 11 Timothy 4:1.

note: “The judgment scene will take place in the presence of all the worlds; for in this judgment the government of God will be vindicated, and His law will stand forth as ‘holy, and just, and good.’ [Romans 7:12.] . . .

“No human language can portray the scenes of the second coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. He is to come with His own glory, and with the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. . . .

“The very One who died for man is to judge him in the last day: for the Father ‘hath committed all judgment unto the Son: . . . and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.’ [John 5:22, 27.] What a day that will be, when those who rejected Christ will look upon Him whom their sins have pierced.

“At His second coming, conviction will be brought to every heart. Those who have turned from Him to the trivial things of this earth, seeking selfish interests and worldly honor, will in the day of His coming acknowledge their mistake.” Maranatha, 292.

10 When the dominion is restored, what will be its condition? 11 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 11:5−9; 35:3−10; 55:12, 13.

note: “Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.

“In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called ‘a country.’ Hebrews 11:14−16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God’s people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home. . . .

“Pain cannot exist in the atmosphere of heaven. There will be no more tears, no funeral trains, no badges of mourning.” The Great Controversy, 675, 676.

“I [Ellen White] saw another field full of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked them I cried out, They will never fade. Next I saw a field of tall grass most glorious to behold; it was living green, and had a reflection of silver and gold, as it waved to the glory of King Jesus. Then we entered a field full of all kinds of beasts—the lion, the lamb, the leopard and the wolf, all together in perfect union. We passed through the midst of them, and they followed on peaceably after.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, 53.

11 What should those who are heirs with Christ be doing? 11 Peter 3:12, first part.

note: “Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ, are becoming conformed to this world, and seek more earnestly for the applause of those around them, than the approbation of God. . . .

“Many of these professed Christians dress, talk and act like the world, and the only thing by which they may be known, is their profession. Though they profess to be looking for Christ, their conversation is not in heaven, but on worldly things. . . .

“Let us strive to be Christians (Christ-like) in every sense of the word, and let our dress, conversation and actions preach that Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, and that we are looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus.” Sons and Daughters of God, 352.

“It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.

12 What effect will this have on their lives? 11 Peter 3:11, 14.

note: “[11 Peter 3:14, 18 quoted.] Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, or a day. It is a continual growth in grace. We know not one day how strong will be our conflict the next. Satan lives, and is active, and every day we need to cry earnestly to God for help and strength to resist him. As long as Satan reigns we shall have self to subdue, besetments to overcome, and there is no stopping place, there is no point to which we can come and say we have fully attained. . . .

“The Christian life is constantly an onward march. Jesus sits as a refiner and purifier of His people; and when His image is perfectly reflected in them, they are perfect and holy, and prepared for translation. A great work is required of the Christian. We are exhorted to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Here we see where the great labor rests. There is a constant work for the Christian. Every branch in the parent vine must derive life and strength from that vine, in order to yield fruit.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 340.

Knowing the Shepherd’s Voice, Part I

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Although there are many, many winds of doctrine by which God’s people are being attacked, if you look at the attacks of our theological opponents, the major attacks tend to focus on two points: (1) the doctrine of the investigative judgment, which, of course, involves a knowledge of the heavenly sanctuary and its services, and (2) the Law of God and, more specifically, the Sabbath.

These attacks have been quite severe, and several books have even been written. In my office, I have a book concerning the doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists that is written by a former Seventh-day Adventist. He accuses Seventh-day Adventists of being a cult. If you look through his book, you will see that the main thrust of his argument is an attack against the doctrine of the investigative judgment. This attack has been so severe that so-called Seventh-day Adventist theologians say that they cannot find this doctrine in the Bible.

I will show you the doctrine of the investigative judgment shortly. It is not difficult to find; it is very plain. Look at Daniel 7. This is one of the few chapters in the Bible that is written in the Aramaic language. That in itself is significant, since this is found in that passage, but that is another subject.

“I was looking until thrones were set up [the translation ‘cast down’ is incorrect; it should be ‘set up’ or ‘placed’], and the Ancient of Days did sit; whose robe was as white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was like flames of fire, its wheels were like burning fire; A river of fire issued and ran down from before Him. Thousand thousands before Him served, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was set, and the books were opened.” Verses 9, 10.

If you did not have any other text in the whole Bible about the investigative judgment, this would be enough to make it crystal clear in your mind that there is a judgment. This is a judgment in heaven. The description is at the throne of God. He is there, and hundreds and hundreds of millions of angels are present. It says, “The court was set, and the books were opened.” How much plainer can you say it? I do not know any clearer way than this that a prophet could write about the fact that there is a judgment in which the cases of men will be investigated.

Incidentally, from a study of Daniel 7:25 and 26, where the court is spoken of again in verse 26, you can figure out about when the judgment would begin. You can figure out that it was to begin shortly after 1798.

Another passage that refers to a judgment is Revelation 14:6, 7: “And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to proclaim to those who dwell upon the earth—every nation, and tribe, and language, and people—saying with a great voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the fountains of waters.” The last part of verse 7 is a direct quotation from the fourth commandment, which is significant. It is an invitation to worship the Creator.

Notice a few things about the context in these verses. This is not after Jesus comes; this is during the time when the gospel is still being preached. Probation has not yet closed; men and women still have an opportunity to change sides in the great controversy and choose on whose side they want to be, but the judgment is already here. This chapter shows very clearly that the judgment of God occurs while the gospel is still being preached on the earth. We know from Daniel 7 that that would be some little time after 1798.

The apostle Paul taught that the judgment would be in the future. In the Book of Acts 17:31, he said to the Athenians, “God has appointed a day in which He will [that is future] judge the world.” When he talked to Felix about the judgment, he made it very clear that the judgment was to come. (Acts 24:25.) It was in the future.

But the message in Revelation 14 says, “The hour of God’s judgment has come.” Let us think that through for a moment. Can you preach that the “hour of God’s judgment has come” if you do not know when it began? Can you really? If you do not know when it began, how can you know it is not going to be until next week? So, then, you could not say it is here, because it is still future. See, you cannot preach this unless you know when it began. But, Daniel 8 points out to us exactly when the hour of God’s judgment would begin.

In Hebrews 8:5, the apostle Paul makes very clear that what happened in Old Testament times with the Jewish sanctuary and all their services were types, examples of the reality in the heavens. He does this in Hebrews 8:5 and in a number of other verses in Hebrews 8 and 9.

In the old covenant, there were types of everything of importance. The judgment is so important that the message about the judgment is going to be preached to every single person in the world, according to Revelation 14:6, 7. For something that important, do you suppose there was any type of it in the old covenant? Well, of course there was.

In the old covenant, is there a type of the crucifixion of Christ? Oh, yes. There are many types of the crucifixion of Christ. In the old covenant, is there a type of the Second Coming of Christ? Absolutely! Have you ever read in the Old Testament about the year of jubilee, when everybody was set free? (See Leviticus 25:10–13.)

There were types of everything of importance in the plan of salvation in the old covenant, so we would expect to find a type of the judgment in the old covenant. Indeed they did have a type of judgment, and they even called it a judgment. The apostle Paul refers to it as the day of judgment in Hebrews 9. The type of the judgment in the old covenant was called the Day of Atonement or the cleansing of the sanctuary. You can review that in Leviticus 16 or Leviticus 23. Incidentally, failure to observe the Day of Atonement was such a serious offense that an individual would be cut off from being part of the children of Israel. (Leviticus 23:29.)

When we talk today about the day of judgment, we are talking about the time of the day of final atonement. The apostle Paul speaks of the day of final atonement: “Therefore it was necessary that the examples of the things in the heavens should be cleansed by these [that is, by these animal sacrifices], but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

Notice that he is talking about the heavenly sanctuary. Look at the context. He says that the heavenly sanctuary has to be cleansed by better sacrifices: “For not into the holy places made with hands [that is, the earthly sanctuary] Christ has gone, which are figures of the true ones [that is, the sanctuary in heaven] but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God in our behalf. Neither that often times He should offer Himself, just as the high priest entered into every year [that was in the Day of Atonement] with the blood of others. Because then He would often times have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now, once in the end of the ages, unto the putting away of sin, through the sacrifice of Himself, He has appeared.” Hebrews 9:24–26. If you look at the context exactly, Paul is talking about the Day of Atonement in the heavenly sanctuary, and he says that it will occur at the end of the ages.

We know from studying Daniel 8 and 9 that Daniel 9 explains how to compute Daniel 8. It shows us when the 2300 days begin. It shows that 490 days of the 2300 days were cut off on the Jews, leaving 1810 days. The 70 weeks, or the 490 days, concluded in a.d. 34. So, if you add 1810 to that, you come to 1844, and in 1844, this world entered the most serious, solemn period of earth’s history—that time when the final eternal destiny of every person who has ever lived on this planet is being decided.

You will not be saved when Jesus comes again, friend. You will either be saved already, or you will be lost, because it says in Revelation 22:11, 12 that His reward will be with Him, “to give to every man according as his works shall be.” The rewards will already have been determined when Jesus comes again.

The judgment began in 1844, and we have no hesitancy, no embarrassment, no shyness about telling the world that. The most important thing the world needs to know is that we are in the day of judgment now, and when this day of judgment is finished, we will not have any other opportunity to be saved; it will be over. That is not cultic doctrine; that is right out of the Scriptures. It is right out of God’s book, word for word.

Three Phases

The judgment has three phases. Many of our Protestant friends get confused, because they do not understand that the judgment has three phases. Peter says that the judgment begins with the house of God. (I Peter 4:17.) That is where it begins, but that is not where it ends. We are in the beginning phase now.

Judgment begins with the house of God, but when it finishes with the house of God, then it proceeds for another thousand years. Revelation 20:4 talks about the second phase of the judgment. There we learn that the judgment is committed to the saints.

Paul said the same thing to the Corinthians. “Do you not know?” he asked them. He was telling them that they should not be going to worldly courts to sue each other; then he said, “Do you not know that the saints are going to judge the world?” I Corinthians 6:2. The saints will even judge the devil’s angels! (Verse 3.) In his instruction, Paul continued: “If you are going to judge the world and the devil’s angels, do you think you could pass judgment and figure things out down here among yourselves, without having to go to the Gentiles to find out? You are supposed to be judging them during the millennium; they are not going to be judging you.” (Verses 4–9.)

The judgment committed to the saints for a thousand years is going to be a lot of work. God wants the saved to know that He has made no mistake, and if there is any question about any person known in this world but who is not in heaven, the books of record will be completely opened. The saved will be able to review everything about the life of anyone not in heaven. There will be no question about the judgment that God has passed. But that is just the second phase of the judgment.

Execution of Judgment

The third phase of the judgment is described in Revelation 20:11–15. It is called a judgment, and it says that everyone is “judged according to their works.” It is like a judgment here in this world. In the judgment in this world, you go to a court and there is an investigation. The lawyers argue, trying to put the weight of evidence on one side or the other. That is an investigation, and after the investigation, the judge passes sentence. That is the second phase of the judgment that takes place during the millennium. The righteous will see the sentences that are passed out to the wicked, and they will give their approval before the end of the millennium.

After the sentencing, what happens? After the sentencing there is an execution of the judgment. Whatever the sentence is, it is carried out, and the sentence given in this judgment is going to be carried out in the third phase of the judgment.

If you are not saved, you will bear the price of your own sins, which is eternal death. Not only that, any suffering that you have brought upon other people in this world will come right back upon you twofold. That is what the Bible says in both the Old and New Testaments. Double! [Isaiah 61:7; Jeremiah 16:18; 17:18; Revelation 18:6.] There are people who will burn for a long time, but after they and Satan’s angels are all burnt up, the devil will burn for a much longer time.

The judgment is a witness to the whole universe of the love of God, because God is looking down on this world with all the suffering, the pain, and the death, and He says, “Do you see this terrible situation? I cannot allow this to continue.”

This is what the judgment is about. We do not have to be ashamed or timid or shy about announcing to the world that we are in the day of judgment, that we are approaching the end of the judgment, and if they want to be saved, they had better get ready. They had better surrender their hearts and lives to the Lord now, because we are in the most solemn period of earth’s history.

Judgment in the Bible

There are many texts about the judgment in the Bible. Let us look at another that is so clear, you cannot miss the judgment in it if you think it through. “The one who overcomes [or conquers] shall be clothed in white garment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5.

This is a really solemn text. It has a positive message, and it has a negative message. The positive message is, if you overcome. A Christian has to overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil. If you overcome, then the message for you is positive. Jesus says, “Your name will be retained in the book of life.” Revelation 20:15 tells how important that is: “Anyone whose name is not in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire.” How very important, then, to have your name in the book of life.

Jesus says, “If you overcome, I will not blot out your name from the book of life.” Think this through; flip it around, and tell me what that text means. If you do not overcome, what does Revelation 3:5 tell you? Your name is going to be blotted out of the book of life. That is what the judgment is all about. Is your name going to be retained, or is your name going to be blotted out?

Standard is Law of God

James 2 shows us that the standard in the judgment is the Law of God. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, but stumble in one, has become guilty [or liable] for all. For the One who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ said also, ‘Do not murder.’ And if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. Like this speak and like this do, as through the law of liberty about to be judged.” James 2:10–12.

This is a hard-hitting text. Think this text through for just a moment. What is the standard of the judgment, according to James 2:10–12? It is the law that says, “You shall not commit adultery, and you should not murder.” This law is the Ten Commandments. This passage tells us that if you keep all the law, but you stumble in one, you are guilty as though you kept none of the law.

Incidentally, this was written many decades after Jesus died on the cross. Many decades after Jesus died on the cross, James says that this law is still the standard of the judgment.

Two Distinct Laws

The theological opponents who are attacking God’s people with many spurious winds of doctrine put the ceremonial law and the moral law together as one law. They recognize no difference between the ceremonial law and the moral law. The first thing that happens if this is done is that people think, “Maybe we need to keep the feast days, and maybe we need to do this, and this, and this.” There are some people so deluded that they are even looking for a red heifer to offer sacrifice.

After convincing someone that there is no difference between the ceremonial law and the moral law, that there is just one combined law, these theological opponents go to Ephesians 2 and to Colossians 2. There they read about the law being nailed to the cross and the law being done away with, and they draw the conclusion that the law no longer applies.

People are deceived, because they do not understand that there is a difference, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, between the ceremonial law and the moral law. It is distinctly pointed out in both the Old and New Testaments that they are completely different from one another. It is pointed out in the New Testament that one is unchangeable and that the other was temporary. You need to know the difference.

Old Testament Distinctions

A very sharp distinction is given in the Old Testament between the two different laws. The Ten Commandments were spoken to the people by God’s own voice. There is nothing more clear than that in the Old Testament. (Read Deuteronomy 5 or Exodus 20.) But God spoke the ceremonial law to Moses, and he then spoke it to the people. That is a very sharp distinction. One was so important that God Himself spoke it, and the other He said to Moses to tell the people.

Other distinctions are given in Exodus 40 and Deuteronomy 4, 5, 9, 10, and 31.

The Ten Commandments were written by God’s own finger. This is very important to understand, because never, at any place in the Bible, are the Ten Commandments referred to as the handwriting of anybody or any thing. They were not written by any human hand, but by the finger of God. The Bible never says by the hand of God; it says by the finger of God. That is very important.

Another distinction is that the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God in stone. Even today, what do we intend to do when we write something in stone?

A walk through a cemetery provides the opportunity to see much writing in stone. There are some things that do not change—a person’s name, the date of a person’s birth, and the date of his or her death does not change, so those are written in stone. Even when human beings write something in stone, it indicates that they do not intend for anybody to change it. God wrote the Ten Commandments in stone. Is that significant?

On the other hand, Moses hand wrote the ceremonial law, probably on parchment or leather. Clay tablets were also used during that time. None of these—parchment, leather, or clay—tablets are durable.

Storage of the laws is very clearly pointed out in the Book of Deuteronomy, especially in chapters 5, 9, 10, and 31. The Ten Commandments were placed inside the Ark. Deuteronomy 31 states very clearly in the Hebrew text that the law of Moses was placed in the side of the Ark; it was not placed inside with the Ten Commandments.

Now, these are four very clear and very sharp distinctions between the ceremonial law and the moral law as given in the Old Testament, if that is all you have. But in the New Testament, the distinction is made even more clearly.

Two Moral Principles

When asked what was the great commandment, Jesus said, “The first commandment is, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and the second is like to it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37–39.

These are the two moral principles. The first one is the moral principle upon which the first four commandments are based; the second one is the moral principle upon which the last six commandments are based.

Just think it through; it is easy. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will not run away with his wife; you will not steal from him; you will not lie to him; you will not kill him. You would not covet something that he has, if you love him like you do yourself. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you surely would not do anything to dishonor your parents. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will fulfill the last six commandments. Paul says, “Love does not do any ill to his neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10.

Cannot Change Moral Law

In Mark 12:28–34, the conversation between a lawyer and Jesus is recorded where Jesus pointed out the same principles to him. The lawyer realized that they were infinitely more important than all the ceremonies and sacrifices, and he replied to the Lord, “You spoke well, Teacher. Those two principles are worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices, than the whole ceremonial system.” When Jesus heard that he answered with understanding, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

See, the New Testament, if studied carefully, points out the distinction between the moral law and the ceremonial law even more clearly than the Old Testament does. The apostle Paul was talking about that very thing in 1 Corinthians 7:19 when he said, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing . …” Circumcision was the symbol of the old covenant and the whole sanctuary system; it was part of the ceremonial law. Paul continued with a very big “but”—“but the keeping of the commandments of God, that is everything.”

Paul points out the distinction between these two laws over and over again in the books of Galatians, Colossians, Ephesians, and Hebrews. Repeatedly he very clearly points out in the New Testament the distinction between the ceremonial law and the moral law. It emphasizes that the moral law cannot be changed.

Jesus said, in Luke 16:17, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one keraia of the law to fail.” Now, do you know what a keraia is? A keraia is not a whole letter. It is just a little hook in a Hebrew letter; it is just a small part of a letter. Think through what Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is telling us. God can destroy the universe He has made, but Jesus said, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one part of a letter of the law to fail.” In other words, the God of heaven is saying to us, “I would destroy heaven and earth before I would destroy one part of one letter of My law.” It cannot be stated any more strongly than that.

To be continued …

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Weighed in the Balances

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Someday every one of us is going to be in this world for the last day of our life. Every day that we live should be a day that we live in reference to that fact, because whether we live until Jesus returns, or die first, there will come a day when our destiny is fixed for eternity and there will be nothing that we can do to change it.

There is a story of a man facing judgment. It was Belshazzar’s last day on this earth, and we are told that he was giving a party. “They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, and iron, wood and stone.” Daniel 5:4. Have you ever read the text in the Bible that says, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth”? Ecclesiastes 7:4. “In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.” Daniel 5:5, 6. Commenting on this verse, Ellen White tells us that, “When God makes men fear, they cannot hide the intensity of their terror.” The Youth’s Instructor, May 19, 1898.

So Belshazzar called in all of the wise men, those who understood science and philosophy, that they might tell him the meaning of the writing; but they could not do so. “The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.’ ” Daniel 5:7. Philosophy and science have their proper place, but learning and education will not save you on your last day on earth unless you know the God of heaven.

The queen mother then came to Belshazzar and said, “There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.” Verses 11, 12.

So Daniel came in and gave the interpretation of the handwriting that was on the wall. He began by reviewing with him the providence of God in the life of Nebuchadnezzar.

“But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this, And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven.” Verses 20–23. By his actions, Belshazzar had despised the God of heaven.

“The fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of each word. MENE; God has numbered your kingdom and finished it.” Verses 24–26.

The time is going to come when we will be in this world for our last day, and our character is going to be put into that balance. Though there are stories in the Bible about people who were going in a certain direction who came to a point late in their life when they decided to reverse their direction, those cases are few in number.

“Many are quieting a troubled conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose; that they can trifle with the invitations of mercy, and yet be again and again impressed. They think that after doing despite to the Spirit of grace, after casting their influence on the side of Satan, in a moment of terrible extremity they can change their course. But this is not so easily done. The experience, the education of a lifetime, has so thoroughly molded the character that few then desire to receive the image of Jesus.” Steps to Christ, 33.

The judgment is the heart of the message that God has given to Seventh-day Adventists. Our whole message has to do with judgment, because we are living in the end times when the judgment is taking place.

When, in the judgment, we are weighed in God’s balances, every detail of our character will be examined.

“God weighs every man in the balances of the sanctuary. In one scale is placed His perfect, unchangeable law, demanding perfect obedience. If in the other there are years of forgetfulness, of rebellion, of self-pleasing, with no repentance, no confession, no effort to do right, God says, “ ‘Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting [Daniel 5:27].’ ” Youth’s Instructor, July 31, 1902.

None of us can weigh out unless someone takes away our guilt and in its place supplies us with the righteous fulfillment of the Law. That is what the gospel is all about.

We are living in a time when people have become unconcerned about this judgment. They believe that they can live in any way that they please and that it is sufficient to just say, “Lord, I am confessing my sins,” and their sins will be forgiven. But as we just read, if there has been no repentance and no effort to do right, God will say, “No, you are not going to weigh out.”

“A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. Then all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God. The 144,000 triumphed. Their faces were lighted up with the glory of God. Then I was shown a company who were howling in agony.” Early Writings, 36.

What were they howling in agony about? “On their garments [that is, their garments of character] was written in large characters, ‘Thou art weighed in the balance, and found wanting.’ I asked who this company were. The angel said, ‘These are they who have once kept the Sabbath and have given it up.’ ” Ibid., 37.

Now when the national Sunday law is passed, there is going to be a multitude who are going to give up the Sabbath in order to obtain food and clothing. When that temptation comes to you, I hope that you will remember this reference in this story.

“I heard them cry with a loud voice, ‘We have believed in Thy coming, and taught it with energy.’ And while they were speaking, their eyes would fall upon their garments and see the writing, and then they would wail aloud. I saw that they had drunk of the deep waters, and fouled the residue with their feet—trodden the Sabbath underfoot—and that was why they were weighed in the balance and found wanting.” Ibid.

Sin is the transgression of the Law. When your time comes to be weighed, the Law is going to be on the other side of the balances. The Law demands perfect obedience, and therefore, if you are going to weigh out, you must be diligent and say, “Lord, help me by Your grace to get all sin out of my life now.” That is one of the great problems for a lot of people in our generation. You think this over, relative to some people that you know, and you will realize that many of them plan to get sin out of their lives at some future time; but not now. It has been estimated that there are three million Seventh-day Adventists in the United States. There are not, however, three million Seventh-day Adventists in church every Sabbath. Where are these people? They know our message, and they profess their belief in it; but they are not living it.

Let me share some statements with you. “Since Jesus has made such an infinite sacrifice for us, how cruel it is that we should remain indifferent. Individually, we have cost the life of the Son of God, and He desires us to walk out by living faith, believing in Him with all the heart. He would have you bring the truth of God into the inner sanctuary [that is, your mind], to soften and subdue the soul; for when Christ is dwelling in your heart by faith, you will love those for whom He died. Suppose that the trump of God should sound tonight, who is ready to respond with gladness? How many of you would cry, ‘Oh, stay the chariot wheels; I am not ready’? Of how many would it be written, as it was written of Belshazzar, ‘Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting’? To be wanting in that day is to be wanting forever; for when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, we must be all ready to be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Your only safety is in coming to Christ, and ceasing from sin this very moment.” Signs of the Times, August 29, 1892. Do you see what it means to come up to the last day and be wanting? Our only safety is in coming to Christ and ceasing from sin this moment.

If you decide that you are going to quit some sin in your life tomorrow, you have, at the same time, decided that you are still going to do it today. Now, if you decide that you are going to sin today, can Jesus be your Lord and Savior today? No, He cannot. You have placed yourself outside of the vale of mercy; and if you should die today, you are lost.

“It is possible to be a partial, formal believer, and yet be found wanting and lose eternal life. It is possible to practice some of the Bible injunctions and be regarded as a Christian, and yet perish because you lack qualifications essential to Christian character. If you neglect or treat with indifference the warnings that God has given, if you cherish or excuse sin, you are sealing your soul’s destiny. You will be weighed in the balance and found wanting. Grace, peace, and pardon will be forever withdrawn; Jesus will have passed by, never again to come within reach of your prayers and entreaties.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 405.

Friends, this is serious business. Are you praying every day and saying, “Lord, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Give me any rebuke I need, just do not take Your Holy Spirit from me?”

I find that there are many people who have a lot of questions about counsel and believe that in whatever we do, we should follow counsel. The Bible does say that in a multitude of counsel there is safety. We do need to move in harmony with counsel, but we also need to remember that from whomever we are receiving counsel, it does not matter who it is, unless that person is giving evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in their life, we cannot depend on their counsel.

“You are already confused by men whose counsel is erratic. If you will come out from these men and be separate, you will be in a much better position to advance the work. There is no safety in following the counsel of men who are not vivified by the Holy Spirit, but must be reformed, else they will be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and found wanting.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 50.

Someday, though we do not know when, we are going to be placed in the balances. The weight of our character, when put in the balance, will be determined by the motives that caused us to act. If we do not have the love of Jesus in our heart, we may be doing the right things, but we will not weigh out.

“God is weighing our characters, our conduct, and our motives in the balances of the sanctuary. It will be a fearful thing to be pronounced wanting in love and obedience by our Redeemer, who died upon the cross to draw our hearts unto Him. God has bestowed upon us great and precious gifts. He has given us light and a knowledge of His will, so that we need not err or walk in darkness. To be weighed in the balance and found wanting in the day of final settlement and rewards will be a fearful thing, a terrible mistake which can never be corrected.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 370.

“When this church is weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, it is found wanting, having left its first love. The True Witness declares, ‘I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and has found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake has laboured, and hast not fainted.’ [Revelation 2:2, 3.] Notwithstanding all this, the church is found wanting. What is the fatal deficiency?—‘Thou hast left thy first love.’ Is not this our case? Our doctrines may be correct; we may hate false doctrine, and may not receive those who are not true to principle; we may labor with untiring energy; but even this is not sufficient. What is our motive? Why are we called upon to repent?—‘Thou hast left thy first love.’ ” Selected Messages, Book 1, 370.

You see, if you do not have the love of Jesus in your heart, you can be doing the right thing, but fail to weigh out. The people in the Ephesus church were not heretics. In fact, those who professed to be apostles, but whom they found were not, they cast out. Their doctrines were right and they hated error, but that is not enough. There will come a time when you will be weighed, and doctrines alone are not enough. If you do not have the love of Jesus inside, you will be wanting; you will be lacking.

“You may manifest great zeal in missionary effort, and yet because it is corrupted with selfishness, and it is nought in the sight of God; for it is a tainted, corrupted offering. Unless the door of the heart is open to Jesus, unless He occupies the soul temple, unless the heart is imbued with His divine attributes, human actions when weighed in the heavenly balances, will be pronounced ‘Wanting.’ ” “Ellen G. White Comments” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 961.

Oh friends, each one of us is coming to our last day in this world, and each one of us is going to be weighed in the balances. Are you getting ready? Do you have the love of Jesus inside; His meekness, His lowliness? Are you obedient to Him; do your thoughts, words, and the tone of your voice reveal that fact? If you want to make a covenant with the Lord and say, “Lord, I am choosing to lay aside everything that would not be in harmony with Your will; I pray that You will fill my heart and mind with Your Holy Spirit and change them,” I invite you to kneel, right where you are, and ask the Lord to give you this experience right now.

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Prerequisites of Unity

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Surrounded by the eleven men who were going to be responsible for taking the gospel of His grace to the whole world, Jesus offered the prayer for them that we find recorded in John 17. This prayer, however, is not for those eleven men alone, because verse 20 says; “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” All who believe in Jesus are included, because we only know of Him through the testimony of these men.

Jesus continues in verse 21: “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” All the way to the end of His prayer in verse 26, the primary point for which Jesus expressed great concern was that there might be unity among His people.

Unity is not just something that is important; it is something that must take place before Jesus comes again. It is so important that Ellen White has told us that if we do not press together in unity, we will be destroyed.

From time to time, I have been asked to meet with various individuals in administration in the Seventh-day Adventist Church organization. While I would be glad to meet with these men, I cannot do it unless some conditions are met. We can have no unity with the various branches of the organization until there is repentance and confession.

For what do we need to repent? We need to repent for having wandered into doctrinal error, or heresy. There was a time when the head of our medical work, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, wandered into some theological positions that were not sound. Not only were they not sound, they would have destroyed Adventism had they been accepted, as was pointed out by Ellen White.

“I leave this matter as it now stands; for I am pained beyond measure because our brother’s spiritual views are not founded on a solid basis. The man can never be relied upon in the future, unless heart and soul, mind and strength, are entirely changed, revamped. As matters now stand, I can not see how there can be Christian unity between the medical missionary work as led by those in error, and the gospel ministry. There can be no unity without a decided change in the one who has stood as leader of our medical work.” Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, 54. [Emphasis supplied.]

Notice that she said that he could never be trusted in the future. It is no different today. When a minister or leader wanders into doctrinal heresy, he cannot be trusted unless his error is fully repented of and that fact has been demonstrated by a full confession. Our problem is that we have grown up in an era of public relations where people believe that you can smooth everything over with a veneer, and after a time, everyone will forget and life can go on, but this is not the gospel.

Because of their desire for harmony, many people are tempted to seek a type of unity with those whom they know to be in error. The devil wants us to harmonize with error, but there is a grave danger in doing so, and we must not do it.

“Oh, how deceptive is the human heart! How easy it is to harmonize with that which is evil! There is nothing more detrimental to the soul’s interest, its purity, its true and holy conceptions of God, and of sacred and eternal things, than constantly giving heed to and exalting that which is not from God. It poisons the heart, and degrades the understanding.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 78.

What does it mean to repent? In the Greek language, the word for repentance comes from a word that means “a change of mind.” In other words, you change your mind about sin, and when repentance is genuine, you will change your life. That is why we are told that genuine repentance is followed by reformation. (See The Desire of Ages, 555.) If there is no reformation in the life, then there has not been true repentance.

If, however, we are too proud to confess and repent, we can never come into unity.

It is so easy for people who have been Christians for a long time, and have not been living openly immoral lives, to think that somehow they no longer need to confess. This is especially true of those in positions of trust. Ministers, however, need to study the subject of repentance and confession just as much as anyone else, and maybe more, because their position makes repentance and confession so much more difficult to do.

“If when the Lord reveals your errors you do not repent or make confession, His providence will bring you over the ground again and again. You will be left to make mistakes of a similar character; you will continue to lack wisdom, and will call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. The multitude of deceptions that will prevail in these last days will encircle you, [she is talking to ministers here] and you will change leaders, and not know that you have done so.

“I ask you who are handling sacred things, I ask the individual members of the church, Have you confessed your sins?” The Review and Herald, December 16, 1890.

It is a dangerous thing, when God reveals to a person something in his life that is wrong, for that person not to accept it with repentance and confession. When this takes place, the thinking becomes distorted so that sin appears as righteousness and righteousness as sin. It is even possible for a minister to continue preaching and call himself a Seventh-day Adventist, but to have changed leaders without realizing it. Instead of following Christ, he has become a part of Satan’s organization.

Confession is absolutely vital and of all people, ministers should be the most diligent to be sure that their sins are repented of and confessed.

“Confess your faults to one another, that you may be healed. How many there are who are carrying a load of unconfessed wrongdoing. They try to shape matters so that their dignity will not be hurt. To make wrongs right from the very first departure, looks to them like extinguishing themselves.” The Signs of the Times, October 30, 1901.

To where am I to go back, to get things made right? To the very first departure from the right. This is a critical point to understand when you want to have unity. Some people ask, “Why can’t we all just get together?”

Before we can get together in unity, we are going to have to go back to where the departure was and make it right.

Let me just give an illustration that has to do with this. Have you ever had somebody ask you, “Why can’t you just associate and fellowship with the Seventh-day Baptists? What is the difference?” Oh, there is a big difference between Seventh-day Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists. The difference is that in the 1840s, the Seventh-day Baptists did not accept the first angel’s message. When you do not accept the first angel’s message, you are not in a position to accept the second angel’s message. If you do not accept the second angel’s message, you are not in a position to accept the third angel’s message, which is present truth for today.

I worked with an evangelist once who told me that when you are explaining something sensitive, always put it on the other foot. Do not ever make the person you are talking with appear in a bad light. If you are talking with Methodists, do not talk about the Methodists; talk about the Baptists or some other group, or the person to whom you are speaking is very apt to take it personally and you will have a barrier of prejudice to overcome before you can reach them. I just followed that principle. I have not talked to you about Seventh-day Adventists, but if you follow this principle through, it applies in Adventism.

“Men have in their minds justified the course that was then taken. They have viewed things, from beginning to end, in an altogether false light; and from the present showing, the same course will be followed in the future.” Spalding-Magan Collection, 178.

These words were part of an appeal to our leading ministers to confess and repent of what we had done wrong. Some people urge charity and express a concern that it is hurtful to those involved to discuss these things, but notice what we are told about true charity: “True charity never covers up unrepented and unconfessed sins.” The Signs of the Times, May 11, 1876.

“While we should manifest Christian courtesy, we are authorized to call sin and sinners by their right names—that this is consistent with true charity. While we are to love the souls for whom Christ died, and labor for their salvation, we should not make a compromise with sin. We are not to unite with the rebellious, and call this charity. God requires His people in this age of the world to stand, as did John in his time, unflinchingly for the right, in opposition to soul destroying errors.” The Sanctified Life, 65.

Some people believe that it is wrong to name names, but that is not what we are told by inspiration. It is necessary that they be named so that other people will not be led astray. We are to call sin and sinners by their right name and appeal to them to repent. We are to denounce what they are doing so that the Holy Spirit can convict their minds to repent and confess their sins, because we are very close to the time when there will no longer be an opportunity to confess our sin, to repent.

Friend, in Adventism today, there is a lot to repent of and much to confess, but there can never be unity unless these steps are first followed.

“When Brother C once takes a position on the wrong side, it is not easy for him to confess that he has error; but if he can let his wrong course pass out of his mind and pass from the memory of others, and he can make some changes for the better without an open acknowledgement of his wrong, he will do so. But all these errors and unconfessed sins stand registered in heaven and will not be blotted out until he complies with the directions given in the word of God: ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.’ ” [James 5:16.] Testimonies, vol. 4, 241.

Do you see what it is that is blocking us from having unity? Can we deny that there has been scheming and prevarication in Adventism in the last few years? These things make unity impossible.

“He would teach His people that disobedience and sin are exceedingly offensive to Him and are not to be lightly regarded. He shows us that when His people are found in sin they should at once take decided measures to put that sin from them, that His frown may not rest upon them all. But if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions, His frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for those sins.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 265.

“The plain, straight testimony must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds his people, as a body, responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them. If the leaders of the church neglect to diligently search out the sins which bring the displeasure of God upon the body, they become responsible for these sins.” Ibid. 269.

Now, friends, if you understand very much at all about church history, that statement should put a great load on you. Do you have any idea of some of the things that have happened in Adventism that, as far as I can find out, have never been repented of or confessed? What was happening in the 50s, 60s, and 70s? Remember when the book Questions on Doctrine came out in the 1950s, introducing heresy? Remember what took place in the Mary Kay Silver case in the 1970s? Was it right? We have been defending it ever since. I have a whole booklet in my library defending what we did. I read the booklet and then read the accounts of what had happened, and when I finished, I said, “It was not right.”

Somebody may say, “Well, she did this, that and the other.” It does not matter what the other person has done. You do not have to answer for what she did, but if we were a member of the organization at that time, we are going to have to answer for what we have done, or allowed others to do in our church, without protest. We have more repenting and confessing to do than many of us have ever imagined. If we want to be ready for the Lord to come, we need to be attentive to what is going on and act accordingly.

In the 1980s there was John Marik who was put in prison for religious reasons. This action was initiated by the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and I have paperwork confirming this. That was a sin, friends, and what we did is registered in the books of heaven.

The first thing that is essential to unity is repentance.

Someone may ask, “Pastor John, are you speaking only about the organization?” No, I am not denying that there may be things for which I need to repent. If there are blind spots in my character that I do not see, for which I need to repent, then someone among God’s people who loves me needs to point them out to me, so that I can repent. Unity will never be obtained without repentance, and true repentance will always be followed by confession.

“All sin unrepented of and unconfessed will remain upon the books of record. It will not be blotted out, it will not go beforehand to judgement, to be canceled by the atoning blood of Jesus. The accumulated sins of every individual will be written with absolute accuracy.” The Review and Herald, March 27, 1888.

We are living in the Day of Atonement. Are you reviewing your life? Are you asking, “Lord, did I have a thought, speak a word or do anything today that was not pleasing in Your sight?”

If you will begin the process of repenting and confessing your faults and mistakes, you will find that it becomes progressively easier. It is certainly humbling, but as with many difficult things, it is always hardest at first.

Some of you may feel overwhelmed as you consider the formidable task before you and be tempted to say, “If I follow your advice on repenting and confessing of sin, I would not even get all my sins repented of and confessed before the Lord comes; there are too many!” But, God is the One who said this, and if you do not know how to get it all done, you had better talk to Him about it. All I can do is share with you what the Lord said. Ask the Lord to help you to get it done. The sooner you get started, the sooner you will finish.

About this time, one of the questions that makes people very nervous is, “What if I cannot remember? Am I then shut out of the kingdom of heaven?”

The Bible says: “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.” 11 Corinthians 8:12. If you have willingness and will make a commitment with the Lord, the Holy Spirit will point out to you what you need to do to be right with God. The problem is not with our memories because God can supply our deficiencies. The real problem is whether we have a mind that is willing to make things right.

“There are those who are supposed to be excellent men, but they have some flaw in their character which, under special temptation, becomes as a dead fly in the ointment. The whole character will be perverted by one unconfessed sin.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 13, 190.

If we allow one sin in our life that is not confessed and repented of, that one sin will flaw the entire character. In Testimonies, vol. 5, 53, we are told that one sin will neutralize all the power of the gospel.

Ellen White once wrote to an elderly person who was living in sin, but who had not long to live. She said, “The sands of your life are nearly run out, and now if you will come to God just as you are, without one plea but that He has died to save the chiefest of sinners you will find pardon even in this the eleventh hour.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 133.

Oh, friend, whatever your situation, whatever the sin in your life, even if it is the eleventh hour of your life, you can come to Jesus and repent and confess and find forgiveness for your sin. The gospel is a wonderful thing. Not only can you find forgiveness for your sins, but you can find power to live a new life, to no longer live in sin.

“Christ did not die to have power to cover transgression unrepented of and unconfessed. Not all sins are to be confessed publicly, but some are to be confessed alone to God and the parties that have been injured.” Ibid.

We need to pray: “Lord whatever You have to do with me to prepare me for heaven, whatever experience I have to go through, whatever trial, whatever happens, please, Lord, do not let me die in sin.” If you die with your sins concealed and unconfessed, you are lost.

“The mansions that Jesus has gone to prepare for all who love him, will be peopled by those who are free from sin. But sins that are not confessed will never be forgiven; the name of him who thus rejects the grace of God will be blotted out of the book of life.” The Review and Herald, December 16, 1890.

Friend, I am willing for you to correct me on anything that you can find from inspired writings, but if I am correct, we have a lot more repenting and confessing to do than most of us have ever had any idea of, and we had better pray and ask the Lord to help us to get it done. We are either going to confess it now, or after the millennium. By the grace of God, let us begin now. [All Emphasis supplied.]

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

The Judgment

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In the Bible we find that God has, at different times, given life and death warnings. Moses came to Egypt and had a message from God—“Let My people go.” They rejected the message, and Pharaoh replied, “Who is God that He should tell us that?” As a result, they first lost their cattle, then their crops, and eventually their first-born. Finally, they lost their army and Pharaoh himself.

Jeremiah came to Israel with a life and death message, calling them to repent and to return to the true worship of God. They wanted to hear love spoken and thought that his message was too straight; they cast him into a miry pit. Because they rejected Him, God could not protect them; and although they claimed to be worshiping Him, going through the motions of religion, their city was completely destroyed.

Then there was John the Baptist who came with a message of repentance to Israel. They rejected the message, and what happened? Again, Jerusalem was destroyed and lay in ruins for many years. The Jewish people were scattered all over the world.

So at various times, God has had life and death messages that have been given to various groups, individuals, and nations. But twice in this world’s history, He has had a life and death message for the whole world. The first one came through Noah. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things, and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” Genesis 6:5–7. Conditions then must have been something like today. The Bible says that every imagination of man’s heart was evil continually.

God said that it had become unbearable to allow this to go on in the universe, and he decided that He was going to put a check on sin. But God is merciful; He did not do it overnight. “And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” Verse 3. In I Peter 3, we find that this power that pled with men was the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and that was manifested at Pentecost. It was not just human power; it was the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that when God sends a warning message the second time, it will again be as in Noah’s time. There will be many scoffers. “Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of Creation. For this they willfully forget that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by the same Word, reserved for fire until the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” II Peter 3:3–7. Notice it says that they willfully forget. In other words, they choose to ignore the evidence by which they might have a knowledge of the flood. The world today is being kept in store by this same power; but this time it is not to be destroyed by water but by fire.

Now there were scoffers in Noah’s day, and there are scoffers today. But scoffers did not change the facts then, nor will they today. God has given evidence by which, if people are interested, they can find that the Bible is true. Even if the whole world disbelieves God’s Word, His Word is still going to come true!

Now, if the judgment has come, and if it is going to be preached, someone must know that it has begun. Somewhere in the Bible there must be a time pointed out as to when the judgment is going to begin. Paul tells us in Acts 17:31, “He has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness.” God has had to put the date for the judgment some place in the Bible, and we want to find it.

Daniel 7 gives us an approximate date for the beginning of the judgment, though it does not give us an exact time.

“I watched until thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:9, 10.

Now if you will continue on to verses 11–13, you will see that this is not yet the end of the world. “I watched then [after the court had been seated] because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking.” We find in Revelation that while the horn reigned for 1,260 years, at which time it received a deadly wound, yet it would be healed and all of the world would wonder after the beast. So Daniel hears the horn speaking after the judgment has set.

There is a principle that every prophecy builds on the one before it. The prophecy of Daniel 8 covers much of the same history as Daniel 7. It begins with the rule of Medo-Persia and relates the fall of that kingdom before Alexander the Great. After giving more details about the rule of Greece, it goes over the reign of the little horn power. When it comes to the end of the little horn power, it also goes into the judgment; but this prophecy gives us something a little more specific. “And he said unto me, For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14. The Jews knew what that terminology meant. The cleansing of the sanctuary was a term that had reference to the Day of Atonement, which was a period of judgment for the Jews. Because we are dealing with prophetic time, we know this to be a time period of two thousand three hundred literal years. This places the judgment a great distance into the future.

“Now it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, Gabriel, make this man understand the vision. So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.” Verses 15–17.

We know that the time period stretches to the time of the end; but without a starting point, this still is not very specific.

Gabriel was told to explain the vision to Daniel, but he was not able to finish because Daniel fainted. Upon his recovery, however, Daniel kept praying and the angel came back.

“Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.” Daniel 9:20–23.

To what vision is Gabriel referring? The vision in chapter 8! This is the vision which Gabriel started to explain, but Daniel became sick before he finished explaining about the 2,300 days. “Go finish your explanation,” God said. “You did not finish.”

The only part of that vision which had not been explained was the part dealing with time. Naturally, Gabriel does not go back and talk about the powers of Greece and Medo-Persia; he starts right in where he left off, explaining the 2,300 days. “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; … Then He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” Verses 24, 25, 27.

Now there is an unfortunate mistranslation here. The word determined is from the word “chathak”. In Hebrew it literally means “cut off.” The reason the translators did not translate it that way is because, failing to go back to the previous vision, they could not determine from what it was cut off. Seventy weeks must be cut off from some larger period of time. There is only one time period in the vision of the beginning and that is the 2,300 days, or years. Now he said 70 weeks are cut off from this 2,300-day period. Seventy weeks is 490 literal years. If you cut 490 from 2,300, there are 1,810 years left. In other words, of the 2,300 years, 490 were given especially to the Jewish people.

The 490-day period began with the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This took place in 457 B.C. It then extended until A.D. 34. At that time, Stephen was stoned and persecution broke out in Jerusalem, scattering the followers of Jesus everywhere. It was then that the gospel began to go to the Gentiles. By the way, as 1844 follows 1798, it also fits the prophecy of Daniel 7.

Other than the prophecy in Daniel 8 and 9, there is no prophecy in all of the Bible that reveals a date for the judgment to begin. Daniel 7 gives the approximate date for the judgment to begin, but Daniel 8 is the only one that gives the time.

“As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” Luke 17:26. In Noah’s day, those who heeded God’s warning, though very few in number, were saved, while those who scoffed at the message were lost. The Bible says that there is coming a judgment. It also tells us that the judgment message will be preached with a loud voice. I believe, according to Bible prophecy, that the judgment has already begun. When it is ended, the destiny of all mankind will have been decided. When the judgment is over, the pronouncement will be made, ‘He who is unjust let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.’ And behold, I am coming quickly.” Revelation 22:11, 12.

This has not yet taken place, but the time is rapidly approaching when all decisions relative to salvation will have been irrevocably made. Remember, the flood did not come immediately after Noah entered the ark and the door was closed. There were still seven days, but probation was closed. Everyone had made his final decision.

“As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away.” Matthew 24:37, 39.

When probation closes, no one is going to know, but their destiny will be fixed. People did not know that their destiny had been fixed when Noah entered the ark, but it had been fixed. In Noah’s day, God gave them 120 years. The final judgment message has already been proclaimed for a longer period than that, but God is still waiting. Do you know why He is waiting? He is waiting for us, because He loves us so much. Not everyone has made a decision yet, and God wants to give us a little more time. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9.

Today, God’s message is going to all the world. Where you and I will be a million years from now depends on what we do with God’s message today. In Noah’s day, every person who was saved had to make a choice to be in the ark. They did not have to make a choice to be outside, as that is where they already were. There is not a man or woman who has to make a decision to be lost; we are already lost. If you would be saved, however, you have to make a decision to follow God. It is not something that just comes naturally. You have to say, “Lord, I am going to follow You all the way.”

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

Editorial – Is There a Judgment Before the Second Coming?

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There are few areas of theology where Adventists have been attacked more than on the teaching of the investigative judgment that occurs before the second coming of Christ. It has been my belief for many years that the investigative judgment is a doctrine that Satan both fears and hates. It has been claimed by theologians that the Bible does not teach this doctrine. However, in looking at just a few texts in the Bible concerning this issue, the teaching is clear on the subject.

“He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5.

“The judgment was set, and the books were opened … And the ten horns out of the kingdom [are] ten kings [that] shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and a dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.” Daniel 7:10, last part, 24–26.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away: and every [branch] that bears fruit, he purges it, so that it might bear more fruit.” John 15:1, 2.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12.

“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of the heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, kindred, language, and people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7.

Notice in Daniel 7 that the judgment begins sometime after the 1260 years of persecution against the saints and lasts “unto the end.” In Revelation 14, the judgment occurs while the gospel is still being preached. In addition to these clear statements there are the many prophetic stories which clearly portray a judgment while the saints are still living on the earth before they are removed from the earth and Satan’s power, and taken to heaven. Prophetic stories like Joshua and the angel in Zechariah 3; the story of the inspection of the wedding guests by the king before they were allowed to go to the wedding supper (Matthew 22:1–14); the story of the 10 virgins which certainly must occur before the bridegroom comes (Matthew 25:1–13); the judgment before the Lord’s coming is a clear Biblical teaching. The real question is, when the end comes, in which of the only two groups available in the judgment, will you be found?

Commitment to the Law of God

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Week of Prayer for Tuesday

The Law of God is a very unique law that deserves our fullest attention. It reads as follows: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the Lord thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour’s.” Exodus 20:3–17.

And God Said

These commandments are the very words of God Himself. The Bible says, “And God spake all these words, saying . . .” Exodus 20:1. This law is so sacred, so holy, so elevated that God chose not to give it through inspiration but spoke it directly to the fallen race Himself.

In addition to speaking the words, He also wrote them with His own finger. (Exodus 32:15, 16; Deuteronomy 4:13.) They stand separate and above the rest of Scripture. They did not come to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for men to put into defective human language. They came to us direct from our Father in heaven.

They were etched in stone, representing their enduring eternal quality. These two tables of stone were placed in the Ark of the Covenant that was kept in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary.

The Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in heaven was opened in October of 1844, and there was seen the Ark of the Covenant that contains the great original principles of that law. (See Revelation 11:19; The Great Controversy, 433.)

Law of the Universe

The Ten Commandments will stand as the law of the universe throughout eternity.

“The precepts of the Decalogue are adapted to all mankind, and they were given for the instruction and government of all. Ten precepts, brief, comprehensive, and authoritative, cover the duty of man to God and to his fellow man . . . .” Patriarchs and Prophets, 305. This quotation continues by saying that these ten precepts are based upon the great fundamental principle of love.

Principle of Love

Paul defines this love, charity, in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, which says, “Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

The Scriptures separate this love into two areas of man’s experience—his relationship to his Creator and his relationship to his fellowman.

“ ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.’ Luke 10:27. See also Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Leviticus 19:18. In the Ten Commandments these principles are carried out in detail, and made applicable to the condition and circumstances of man.” Ibid.

Transcript of God’s Character

“The law of God is as sacred as Himself. It is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom. Through the ages that law has been preserved as the highest standard of morality. Not all the inventions of science or the imaginations of fruitful minds have been able to discover one essential duty not covered by this code.” The Signs of the Times, February 1, 1910.

“The law of God is the standard of character; it is the expression of the character of God Himself.” The Bible Echo, July 29, 1895.

For men to do away with the law is to do away with the very character of the God of heaven. That would be utterly impossible. The law of God is as enduring as the Ancient of Days who sits on the great white throne of the universe.

“It [God’s Law] was given to Adam and Eve in Eden. God planted for them this beautiful garden, and supplied their every want. Was it too much to ask them to respond to all His love and care by obedience to His righteous law, which, if kept, would have secured to them happiness, peace, and joy forever?” Ibid.

Is it too much for God to ask His people today to respond to all His love and care by obedience to His commandments when it will secure for them eternal life in heaven?

“God’s law is the security of life and property, of peace and happiness. It was given to secure our present and eternal good. A thoughtful kindness runs through every enactment. Each commandment is an enactment of mercy, love, and saving power.” The Signs of the Times, February 1, 1910.

Opposition to the Law

God’s Law is for our present and eternal good. Why would anyone want to do away with a law that provides so much good to those who are under its authority? Why would anyone be in opposition to a law that is so wonderful a blessing to them?

To answer these questions, we will go back in time and see what brought in this antagonistic spirit against the Law of God. Here is the record of how sin, which is the transgression of the law, came into the universe.

“The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy. The influence of the holy angels seemed for a time to carry him with them. As songs of praise ascended in melodious strains, swelled by thousands of glad voices, the spirit of evil seemed vanquished; unutterable love thrilled his entire being; his soul went out, in harmony with the sinless worshippers, in love to the Father and the Son. But again he was filled with pride in his own glory. His desire for supremacy returned, and envy of Christ was once more indulged. The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated as God’s special gift, and therefore, called forth no gratitude to his Creator. He glorified in his brightness and exaltation and aspired to be equal with God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 36, 37.

This statement reveals that Satan permitted three violations of the law of God to germinate in his mind: pride, envy, and jealousy. There was no reason or excuse for these characteristics to be cherished, except that Satan permitted them to grow and develop deeper and deeper roots until they controlled his thinking and actions.

Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5, that God’s Law of love does not envy; God’s love is not proud, and His Law of love is not self-seeking. Therefore, Satan was in violation of God’s holy and sacred law on three points by his own choice.

Fatal Sins

That God sees these same sins among His professed people today is very evident from Scripture. Notice what Jesus says: “Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4, 5.

These sins are fatal to those who indulge in them, for they will not enter the kingdom of glory. The lack of unity among God’s professed people is clear evidence that these sins exist among them today, but they seem unable to recognize them and put them away.

In the following statement, God explains how He identifies these sins among His people today: “Now God requires that you who have thus done the least injustice to another shall confess your fault, not only to the one you have injured, but to those who through your influence have been led to regard their brother in a false light, and to make of none effect the work God has given him to do. If pride and stubbornness close your lips, your sin will stand against you on the heavenly record. By repentance and confession you can have pardon registered against your name; or you can resist the conviction of the Spirit of God, and, during the rest of your life, work to make it appear that your wrong feelings and unjust conclusions could not be helped. But there stands the action, there stands the evil committed, there stands the ruin of those in whose hearts you planted the root of bitterness; there are the feelings and words of envy, of evil-surmising, that grew into jealousy and prejudice. All these testify against you.” Review and Herald, December 16, 1890. [Emphasis supplied.]

Scenes of Judgment

On the morning of October 23, 1879, Ellen White had a vision in which she was shown scenes of the judgment. Here is a portion of what she wrote concerning what she saw in that vision: “On the morning of October 23, 1879, about two o’clock, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I beheld scenes in the coming judgment. Language fails me in which to give an adequate description of the things which passed before me and of the effect they had upon my mind.

“The great day of the execution of God’s judgment seemed to have come. Ten thousand times ten thousand were assembled before a large throne, upon which was seated a person of majestic appearance. Several books were before Him, and upon the covers of each was written in letters of gold, which seemed like a burning flame of fire: ‘Ledger of Heaven.’ One of these books, containing the names of those who claim to believe the truth, was then opened. Immediately I lost sight of the countless millions about the throne, and only those who were professedly children of the light and of the truth engaged my attention. As these persons were named, one by one, and their good deeds mentioned, their countenances would light up with a holy joy that was reflected in every direction. But this did not seem to rest upon my mind with the greatest force.

“Another book was opened, wherein were recorded the sins of those who profess the truth. Under the general heading of selfishness came every other sin. There were also headings over every column, and underneath these, opposite each name, were recorded, in their respective columns, the lesser sins.

“Under covetousness came falsehood, theft, robbery, fraud, and avarice; under ambition came pride and extravagance; jealousy stood at the head of malice, envy, and hatred; and intemperance headed a long list of fearful crimes, such as lasciviousness, adultery, indulgence of animal passions, etc.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 384, 385.

This vision gives a description of a portion of the “Ledger of Heaven” that is being used in the courts above during the Investigative Judgment. I have listed the sins that God sees in column form as Ellen White may have seen them in vision. She says that this is the record that appeared beside the names of many who made a profession of the truth.

The quotation continues: “As I beheld I was filled with inexpressible anguish and exclaimed: ‘Who can be saved? who will stand justified before God? whose robes are spotless? who are faultless in the sight of a pure and holy God?’

“As the Holy One upon the throne slowly turned the leaves of the ledger, and His eyes rested for a moment upon individuals, His glance seemed to burn into their very souls, and at the same moment every word and action of their lives passed before their minds as clearly as though traced before their vision in letters of fire. Trembling seized them, and their faces turned pale. Their first appearance when around the throne was that of careless indifference. But how changed their appearance now! The feeling of security is gone, and in its place is a nameless terror. A dread is upon every soul, lest he shall be found among those who are wanting. Every eye is riveted upon the face of the One upon the throne; and as His solemn, searching eye sweeps over that company, there is a quaking of heart; for they are self-condemned without one word being uttered. In anguish of soul each declares his own guilt and with terrible vividness sees that by sinning he has thrown away the precious boon of eternal life.” Ibid., 385.

Covetousness Ambition Jealousy Intemperance
Falsehood Pride Malice Lasciviousness
Theft Extravagance Envy Adultery
Robbery Hatred Indulgence of animal passions
Fraud etc.
Avarice

The Lord’s Appeal

Today, the Lord is appealing to His people in earnest, loving tones, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:22.

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. . . . Be zealous therefore, and repent. . . . Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Revelation 3:18–21.

“We must know more of Jesus and his love than of the fashions of the world. In the name of my Master, I call upon the youth to study the example of Christ. When you wish to make an article, you carefully study the pattern, that you may reproduce it as nearly as possible. Now set to work to copy the Divine Exemplar. Your eternal interest demands that you possess the Spirit of Christ. You cannot be like Jesus, and cherish pride in your heart. You cannot give any place to envy or jealousy. You must consider it beneath the character of a Christian to harbor resentful thoughts or indulge in recrimination. Let the law of kindness be sacredly observed. Never comment upon the character or the acts of others in a manner to injure them. In no case make their failures or defects the subject of ridicule or unkind criticism. You lessen your own influence by so doing, and lead others to doubt your sincerity as a Christian. Let peace and love dwell in your soul, and ever cherish a forgiving spirit.” Review and Herald, December 6, 1881.

“How many there are as weak as water who might have a never-failing source of strength. Heaven is ready to impart to us, that we may be mighty in God, and attain to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. What increase of spiritual power have you gained during the last year? Who among us have gained one precious attainment after another, until envy, pride, malice, jealousy, and selfishness have been swept away, and only the graces of the Spirit remain,—meekness, forbearance, gentleness, charity? God will help us if we take hold of the help he has provided.” Ibid., January 9, 1900.

“Contention among God’s people is offensive in his sight. In union and harmony alone is there strength. Pride, selfishness, envy, and jealousy originated with Satan, and lost for him his Eden home. He now urges his temptations upon the followers of Christ, and the most frivolous pretense excites a prejudice and jealousy which is as cruel as the grave.” The Signs of the Times, August 19, 1880.

Law of Liberty

“ ‘There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance.’ [Luke 15:7.] If the sinner repents because of your kind and loving admonition, work has been done for eternity. There is great need of carrying out the instruction of Christ in a definite manner, acting up to the word of our Master. This is living the law of God. In thus dealing with our brethren, we may make an impression on others that will never fade from their minds. We may not remember some act of kindness which we do, it may fade from our memory; but eternity will bring out in all its brightness, every act done for the salvation of souls, every word spoken for the comfort of God’s children; and these deeds done for Christ’s sake will be a part of our joy through all eternity. When we pursue toward our brethren any course save that of kindness and courtesy, we pursue an unchristian course. We should manifest courtesy at home, in the church, and in our intercourse with all men. . . .Where Jesus reigns in the heart, there will be sweet love, and we shall be tender and true to one another. It takes special watchfulness to keep the affections alive, and our hearts in a condition where we shall be sensible of the good that exists in the hearts of others. If we do not watch on this point, Satan will put his jealousy into our souls; he will put his glasses before our eyes, that we may see the actions of our brethren in a distorted light. Instead of looking critically upon our brethren, we should turn our eyes within, and be ready to discover the objectionable traits of our own character. As we have a proper realization of our own mistakes and failures, the mistakes of others will sink into insignificance.” Review and Herald, February 24, 1891. [Emphasis supplied.]

“The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God: ‘Affliction shall not rise up the second time.’ Nahum 1:9. The law of God, which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will be honored as the law of liberty. A tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom.” The Great Controversy, 504.

Dear friends, let us keep the affections alive, that we may see the good in the hearts of others. Let us turn our eyes within to discover the objectionable traits of our own characters. Then, as we cooperate with Jesus to remove these objectionable traits, He will clothe us with the white robe of His righteousness and grant us entrance into that Holy City.

Maurice Hoppe lives in Wichita, Kansas, and donates many hours to Steps to Life.

Bible Study Guides – The Millennium and the Executive Judgment

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September 11, 2005 – September 17, 2005

Memory Verse

“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Revelation 5:12, 13.

Suggested Reading: The Great Controversy, 659–671; Early Writings, 292–294.

1 What is the condition of the earth during the 1,000 years? Who is living on earth during this time? Jeremiah 4:23–26; Revelation 20:1–3.

note: “The revelator foretells the banishment of Satan and the condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to be reduced, and he declares that this condition will exist for a thousand years. . . .

“That the expression ‘bottomless pit’ represents the earth in a state of confusion and darkness is evident from other scriptures. Concerning the condition of the earth ‘in the beginning,’ the Bible record says that it ‘was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.’ [The Hebrew word here translated ‘deep’ is rendered in the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Hebrew Old Testament by the same word rendered ‘bottomless pit’ in Revelation 20:1–3.] Genesis 1:2. Prophecy teaches that it will be brought back, partially at least, to this condition. . . .

“Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years. Limited to the earth, he will not have access to other worlds to tempt and annoy those who have never fallen. It is in this sense that he is bound: there are none remaining, upon whom he can exercise his power. He is wholly cut off from the work of deception and ruin which for so many centuries has been his sole delight.” The Great Controversy, 658, 659.

2 What event takes place in heaven during the 1,000 years? Revelation 20:4–6; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Daniel 7:22; 1 Corinthians 6:2.

note: “During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place. . . . Daniel declares that when the Ancient of Days came, ‘judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.’ Daniel 7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: ‘I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.’ ‘They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.’ Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that, as foretold by Paul, ‘the saints shall judge the world.’ 1 Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is recorded against their names in the book of death.” The Great Controversy, 660, 661.

3 What is the first thing Jesus does as He returns to earth after the millennium? Revelation 20:5.

note: “At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea.” The Great Controversy, 662.

4 What is the purpose of the “second resurrection”? Psalm 149:6–9; Isaiah 24:22; Revelation 20:12.

note: “At the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from the dead and appear before God for the execution of ‘the judgment written.’ Thus the revelator, after describing the resurrection of the righteous, says: ‘The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.’ Revelation 20:5. And Isaiah declares, concerning the wicked: ‘They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.’ Isaiah 24:22.” The Great Controversy, 661.

5 Who will inhabit the Holy City after it comes to rest on the Mount of Olives? Revelation 21:1–3.

note: “As the New Jerusalem, in its dazzling splendor, comes down out of heaven, it rests upon the place purified and made ready to receive it, and Christ, with His people and the angels, enters the Holy City.” The Great Controversy, 663.

“Upon this throne sits the Son of God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom. The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding His Son.” Ibid., 665.

6 When Satan sees all the hosts of the wicked raised from the dead, what plan does he develop for his last struggle for supremacy? Revelation 20:7–9, first part.

note: “Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy. . . . He proposes to lead them [the wicked] against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom.” The Great Controversy, 663.

“Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth’s broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for the onset.” Ibid., 664.

7 Before Satan and his armies are able to launch an attack on the Holy City, what happens? Revelation 20:9–15.

comment: John is using, in these verses, a common literary technique in which the conclusion is stated first and then an explanation of things that lead up to the conclusion is presented. In order to get an orderly flow of events, read Revelation 20:9–15 in the following order: (1) verse 9, first part; (2) verses 11–13; (3) verse 9, last part; (4) verses 14, 15; (5) verse 10.

The Great Controversy, 665–673, is a description in greater detail of the same events as recorded by John in Revelation 20:9–15.

8 Describe the final judgment scene. Revelation 20:11, 12.

note: “Now Christ again appears to the view of His enemies. Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is a throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son of God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom. The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding His Son. The brightness of His presence fills the City of God, and flows out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance.

“Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the ‘great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, . . . before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.’ Revelation 7:9.” The Great Controversy, 665.

9 What is the first event to take place in the final judgment? What are the first two things Jesus does? Revelation 20:11, 12. See the reference below for a closer view of this scene.

note: “In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place. And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His government and executes justice upon those who have transgressed His law and oppressed His people. Says the prophet of God: ‘I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.’ Revelation 20:11, 12.” The Great Controversy, 666.

comment: It is of interest to note that this is the only time in the long history of the controversy between Christ and Satan that everyone who has ever lived is present at the same time and at the same gathering.

10 List the events of the great controversy which are displayed in panoramic view before all the inhabitants of the universe. See The Great Controversy, 666–668, and see the Old Testament prophet’s vision of this very scene, given thousands of years ago, in Isaiah 28:20, 21; 52:15.

note: “Above the throne is revealed the cross; and like a panoramic view appear the scenes of Adam’s temptation and fall, and the successive steps in the great plan of redemption. The Saviour’s lowly birth; His early life of simplicity and obedience; His baptism in Jordan; the fast and temptation in the wilderness; His public ministry, unfolding to men heaven’s most precious blessings . . . .” The Great Controversy, 666.

“And now before the swaying multitude are revealed the final scenes—the patient Sufferer treading the path to Calvary; the Prince of heaven hanging upon the cross; the haughty priests and the jeering rabble deriding His expiring agony; the supernatural darkness; the heaving earth, the rent rocks, the open graves, marking the moment when the world’s Redeemer yielded up His life.” Ibid., 667.

“There are papist priests and prelates, who claimed to be Christ’s ambassadors, yet employed the rack, the dungeon, and the stake to control the consciences of His people. There are the proud pontiffs who exalted themselves above God and presumed to change the law of the Most High. Those pretended fathers of the church have an account to render to God from which they would fain be excused.” Ibid., 668.

exercise: Write, “Panorama of the Whole Great Controversy,” on your Closing Events Time Line, followed by an arrow pointing just past “Satan and His Armies Surround the Holy City.”

11 What is the final charge laid down by the court? Jude 14, 15; Revelation 20:11–15.

note: “The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them.” The Great Controversy, 668.

12 What will the wicked confess? Romans 14:11; Isaiah 45:23.

note: “As if entranced, the wicked have looked upon the coronation of the Son of God. They see in His hands the tables of the divine law, the statutes which they have despised and transgressed. They witness the outburst of wonder, rapture, and adoration from the saved; and as the wave of melody sweeps over the multitudes without the city, all with one voice exclaim, ‘Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints’ (Revelation 15:3); and, falling prostrate, they worship the Prince of life.” The Great Controversy, 668, 669.

13 Who will at last be fully exposed and destroyed? Ezekiel 28:18, 19; Isaiah 14:15–17.

note: “But the time has now come when the rebellion is to be finally defeated and the history and character of Satan disclosed. In his last great effort to dethrone Christ, destroy His people, and take possession of the City of God, the archdeceiver has been fully unmasked. Those who have united with him see the total failure of his cause. Christ’s followers and the loyal angels behold the full extent of his machinations against the government of God. He is the object of universal abhorrence.” The Great Controversy, 670.

The Executive Judgment

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The Saviour closes His priesthood with the acquittal of His people at His Father’s bar. For the act of God, the Father, in sitting as judge, enables the Son to appear as the advocate of His people, and to obtain decision in their favor. That acquittal involves the virtual condemnation of all others. The last act of the Father in the work of the judgment in Daniel 7 is to crown His Son king, that He may execute its decision. It is at the close of this session, therefore, that our Lord terminates His office of priest-king upon His Father’s throne, and takes His own throne to execute the decision of the Father. For it is the part of the Son to show from the record of the books who have overcome, and to confess the names of such before His Father (Revelation 3:5). It pertains to the Father to give decision that such persons shall have immortality. And the execution of the judgment will consist in making these persons immortal, and in destroying all the rest. The decision of the judgment does therefore rest wholly with the Father. But the execution of the judgment pertains alone to the Son, who is crowned king at His Father’s tribunal for this very purpose.

The distinction between these two relations sustained by the Father and the Son to the work of the judgment is made very plain by our Lord’s words in John 5:22–30. This chapter takes up the judgment work just where the prophecy of Daniel leaves it. The Father having rendered decision, and having anointed His Son king, it pertains to the Son to execute the judgment—a work which He distinctly acknowledges in John 5. In this chapter our Lord uses these remarkable words: “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.” (Verses 22, 23.)

Now it is certain that God the Father must sit in judgment to fulfill Daniel 7:9, 10. But if we read forward in these words of our Lord to verses 26, 27, we shall see what He means in verse 22.

“For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.” Verses 26, 27.

It is therefore not the decision of the judgment, but its execution, that the Father had by promise even then given to His Son. And this execution will be effected, by the accomplishment of the words which follow: “Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, 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.” Verses 28, 29.

That our Lord is simply carrying out the judgment of His Father in the work which He thus performs, is distinctly taught in the next verse: “I can of Mine own self do nothing; as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.” Verse 30.

Christ’s part of the judgment work is its execution. His work is just, because He first hears the Father’s decision, and then carries it out, doing only the Father’s will in all this work. We conclude this chapter with the following direct proof that the decision of the judgment, which is the Father’s part of the work, is past when our Lord comes again in the clouds of heaven. The execution of the judgment must be preceded by the investigation and decision of the cases which are judged. Now it is distinctly stated that the coming of Christ is to execute the judgment; whence it follows that the decision of the judgment is made by the Father before He sends His Son in the clouds of heaven. Thus we read of His Second Advent: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Jude 14, 15.

The term saints, or holy ones, is applied to angels as well as to men (Daniel 8:13). These ten thousands of His saints are the host of heavenly angels that will escort our Lord on His return to our earth (Matthew 25:31). Enoch does, therefore, distinctly state the object of the Second Advent. It is to execute the judgment. And this fact constitutes a convincing proof that the decision of the judgment precedes our Lord’s return. That event is therefore “the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” Romans 2:5. And the very act of giving immortality is one part of the work of rendering to every man according to his deeds (Romans 2:6, 7). The judgment of God does, therefore, precede the advent of His Son from heaven.

When the events of Christ’s advent are mentioned in the Scriptures, it is not merely those which happen at the very point when He descends from heaven, but also those which happen in consequence of that event. The execution of the judgment covers more than one thousand years (Revelation 20). But the advent of Christ lies at the foundation of this whole work. And when men find just retribution meted out to them for all their sins, they will surely be convinced of their ungodly deeds and of their hard speeches.

 

The Gathering of the Nations

 

The coming of the Son of man in His glory, attended by all His holy angels (Matthew 25:31), and the riding forth of the King of kings upon the white horse, followed by the armies of heaven, when heaven itself is opened (Revelation 19:11–16), must be one and the same event. When Jude describes the Second Advent, or rather when he quotes Enoch’s description of that event, He says, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment upon all.” Verses 14, 15. Our Lord’s description of this grand event in Matthew 25:31–46, and of the things consequent upon it, relates wholly to the execution of the judgment, and the convincing of the ungodly of all their evil deeds and hard speeches. And it is certain that the revelation of the King of kings, followed by the armies of heaven, is for this very purpose; for it is said (Revelation 19:11), “In righteousness He doth judge and make war.”

It being true that these representations of Christ’s advent are each statements of one and the same event, it is worthy of notice that the chain of events in Matthew 25:31–46, and the chain of events in Revelation 19:11–21, has each, as its second link, the gathering of the nations before Christ. In Matthew 25:32, we have simply the statement of the fact, “And before Him shall be gathered all nations.” But in Revelation 19:19, we have the occasion of this gathering stated: “I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.”

The gathering of the nations mentioned in these two texts must be identical, as each gathering is at the same time as the other, and both are connected with the same event, viz., the advent of Christ. The nature of this gathering is presented in the following passages: “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:13, 14.

“And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.” Revelation 19:19.

“Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.” Zephaniah 3:8, 9.

These texts clearly indicate that the gathering of the nations is effected not by the good angels of God, but by the evil angels of Satan. The mighty working of the devil, even after men have passed the day of grace, is plainly his final desperate struggle before he is bound. This great gathering of the nations is, in the providence of God, for the purpose of pouring on them the fierceness of His wrath in their terrible destruction. The battle of the great day of God Almighty is the very scene of treading the winepress of the wrath of God (Revelation 19:11–15). The central point of this great slaughter is the valley of Jehoshaphat near Jerusalem (Joel 3:2, 9–12). The city (Revelation 14:19, 20) near which this winepress is trodden must, therefore, be old Jerusalem. But the slain of the Lord in the great battle shall be from one end of the earth to the other (Jeremiah 25:30–33).

The separation of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:32) must be at the same time as the separation of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:30, 40, 41); and of the good and bad fishes (Matthew 13:48, 49); and of the wheat and the chaff (Matthew 3:12). This separation of the righteous and the wicked is effected in the manner stated in the following texts: “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.” Matthew 24:31. (See also Mark 13:27.)

“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; 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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17.

But the angels who perform this work, do it under the express order of Christ. Thus we read: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Psalm 50:3–5.

And the Saviour, who gives this order, is simply executing the judgment already determined by the Father (John 5:22, 27; Daniel 7:9–14). Indeed, the saints are made immortal before the angels bear them away from our earth; for the sounding of the trumpet is the signal for the angels to descend from Christ to gather His saints (Matthew 24:31). But the saints are changed to immortality in an instant at the sounding of the last trump (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52).

The decision of the judgment has, therefore, been rendered before even the separation of the two classes described in (Matthew 25:32); for the gift of immortality is a part of the righteous judgment of God in rendering to every man according to His deeds. (Romans 1:5–8). And in particular, the resurrection which makes a part of mankind equal to the angels (Luke 20:35, 36), which makes them immortal (1 Corinthians 15:51–54), which shows them to be blessed and holy, and incapable of the second death (Revelation 20:6), and which shows that they were that part of the dead which belonged to Christ (1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16), this resurrection which our Lord terms the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14), is, in the expressive language of Paul, declared to be the “justification of life.” Romans 5:18. This free gift of God, which is open to all men, like the gift of grace and righteousness in the previous verse, will be shared by those only who accept the grace and righteousness offered in the gospel, and will only be conferred on them after they have been pronounced just in the judgment; for the change to immortality, which precedes the act of the angels who are sent by Christ to separate the two classes, is demonstrative of the fact that those changed in this manner have already been pronounced just in the decision of the judgment. The resurrection to immortality is, therefore, the “justification of life.” Our Lord does not pronounce the decision of that judgment which He thus begins to execute, until He has conferred upon His saints the gift of immortality. And when He does it, it is in words which imply that the Father has already rendered decision in favor of the saints (Matthew 25:34).

The separation of the sheep and goats is effected by the angels (Matthew 13:49). It must, therefore, be accomplished when the saints are caught up to meet Christ in the air (2 Thessalonians 4:17). The placing of the righteous upon the right hand, and the wicked upon the left, cannot, therefore, have reference to the right and left sides of the Saviour. It must signify the exaltation of the one class in His presence, and the rejection of the other class to shame and final ruin. Even if we place the separation of the two classes at the end of the one thousand years, when all the righteous are within the city, and when all the wicked surround it on every hand, we shall still be compelled to interpret these words as above (Revelation 20:7–9).

Thus we find this term used in many places. At the right hand of the Lord “are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11. God saves by His right hand those that put their trust in Him (Psalm 17:7). The right hand of the Lord holds up His servants. (Psalm 18:35.) His right hand is used for His saving strength. (Psalm 20:6). The right hand of the Lord gave Canaan to Israel. (Psalm 44:3). Christ is the man of the Father’s right hand. (Psalm 80:17).

And as Christ, at the Father’s right hand, was a joint ruler with His Father upon His throne (Psalm 110:1, 4; Zechariah 6, 12, 13), so the saints, when they are placed at Christ’s right hand, sit down with Him upon His throne, as once He thus sat down upon the throne of His Father, that they may be joint rulers with Him, and may co-operate with Him in the judgment. To sit at the right hand is the highest place of honor in the presence of one greater. Gesenius says: “To sit on the right hand of a king, as the highest place of honor, e.g., spoken of the queen (1 Kings 2:19; Psalm 45:9); of one beloved of the king and vicegerent of the kingdom (Psalm 110:1).”

When the saints enter Christ’s presence they are immortal. They will be like Him, for they “shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2. They will behold His face in righteousness when they awake with His likeness (Psalm 17:15). One of the first events that follows the entrance of the saints into Christ’s presence is thus stated: “For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in His body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.

Though our Lord comes to execute the judgment (John 5:22, 27; Jude 14:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Matthew 25:31–46; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Psalm 50:3–5), and though He makes His people immortal before He gathers them into His presence (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17), yet it is certain that everyone, even of the righteous, shall stand at the judgment-seat of Christ (Romans 14:10). It is not, however, that their cases may be decided for salvation or for perdition, but “that everyone may receive the things done in his body.” Even all the wicked shall stand thus in His presence, that they may receive for their deeds of evil, which have not been repented of, and so neither pardoned nor blotted out. But the wicked will not stand thus before Christ till the resurrection of the ungodly, at the end of the one thousand years. The righteous will appear at Christ’s judgment-seat, that they may receive the reward of well doing; and at a later time all the wicked shall stand in His presence, that they may hear their sentence and receive this just reward. In executing the judgment, our Lord is to reward every man according to his works (Revelation 22:12; Matthew 16:27). Then the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to Paul a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). To all His saints He will in like manner give crowns, but of very different brightness (1 Corinthians 15:41, 42), and assign to each a reward proportionate to his labors and responsibilities (Luke 19:15–19).

When the Saviour, in the work of executing the judgment, which has been already determined by the Father, pronounces the heavenly benediction upon His people; He does it in His Father’s name. Thus we read: “Then shall the king say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison and ye came unto Me.” Matthew 25:34–36.

This plainly indicates: (1) That the record of their good deeds has been already examined; (2) that this examination has been made in the Father’s presence, by Whom they have been pronounced innocent, and upon whom His blessing has been conferred. The saints will have boldness in the day of judgment (1 John 4:17), for their sins are all blotted out before the Saviour ceases to act as priest, and they are made immortal before they stand at Christ’s judgment-seat; and when they thus stand before Him, it is not to have decision rendered whether they shall be saved or lost, but it is to hear the Saviour enumerate their good deeds, and to receive from Him their great reward.

When invited to inherit the kingdom, it is said to be prepared for them from the foundation of the world. This cannot signify that they are at once to inherit the new earth, for the new earth cannot exist till the sentence has been passed upon the wicked, and executed upon them, as the lake of fire, where the wicked are punished, is our earth in its final conflagration (2 Peter 3:7–13;Malachi 4:1–3; Proverbs 11:31; Revelation 20:21). Indeed, the new earth can hardly be said to have been prepared from the foundation of the world. But Paradise, which contains the tree of life, and is now in the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2–4), was prepared for mankind in their innocency, when the earth itself was founded (Genesis 2:8–15; 3:1–24) and is to be given as a part of the overcomer’s reward, and will be reached by their entrance within the walls of the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14). The giving of the kingdom to the saints begins with the capital of that kingdom, but will not be finished till they take the kingdom under the whole heaven, to possess it forever, even forever and ever (Daniel 7:18; Revelation 21). The Saviour’s act of giving the kingdom to His saints is a part of the work of executing the decision of the Father respecting His people; for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give them the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

When our Lord was about to leave His disciples to go to His Father, He told them that He would go to prepare a place for them, and would then return and receive them into himself; that where He was they might be also (John 14:2, 3). And on this very occasion He told Peter that he could not follow Him then, but should follow Him afterward; that is, when He should have completed the preparation of the place, He would return for Peter and for all the saints, and they should follow Him thither (John 13:36). Thus it is that our Lord is the forerunner, and His entrance is, therefore, the pledge that His people shall afterward follow Him (Hebrews 6:20). In this connection let us notice I Thessalonians 4:14. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.”

Many read this text as teaching that at the Second Advent Christ will bring the souls of His sleeping saints from heaven. But let it be observed: (1). That heaven is not a place of soul sleeping. (2). That the sleep of the saints is in the dust of the earth (Daniel 12:2. 3). (3). That the sleeping ones cannot be brought from heaven, for they are not there when Christ descends for His people. (4). That they cannot be brought to our earth at that time, for they are at that moment asleep in its dust. (5). The one who brings the saints is God the Father. (6). To bring them, He must do one of two things, either He must come with His Son at the second advent, and take along with Him, as He thus comes, His sleeping saints, or else He brings His saints to Himself by sending His Son to awaken them, and then to take them into His presence. (7). Two reasons forbid the idea that the Father brings the sleeping saints to the earth. One is, that the Father does not come to our earth, but sends His Son (Acts 3:20); and the other is, that the sleepers are not in heaven, but already within the bosom of the earth (Isaiah 26:19). (8). We cannot, therefore, avoid the conclusion that the act of bringing the saints is into His own presence. (9). The saints are to be brought according to a certain example, which is the resurrection of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14; Hebrews 13:20). (10). The very act of bringing the saints by God the Father is wrought by sending His Son after them, as described in this chapter, and by this means taking them into His presence. So that this chapter brings to view the great fact taught in our Lord’s promise that He would go into the Father’s presence to prepare a place for His people and then return after them,to take them to this prepared place. So Christ will present His saints unblamable in holiness before His Father as He bears them up with Him to the heavenly Jerusalem (Compare John 14:2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:14).

That the Saviour takes His people to the house of the Father, the New Jerusalem, immediately after He has made them immortal, and invited them in the Father’s name to share Paradise with him, is further proved by what is said respecting the marriage supper. This is eaten directly after the saints are received into Christ’s presence (Luke 12:36, 37). But the marriage supper must be eaten where the bride is. The saints are the invited guests. But the bride, the Lamb’s wife, is that holy city, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 19:9; 21:2, 9, 10; Galatians 4:26–28; Isaiah 54).

The saints are in the Father’s presence, near the throne of God, when they eat the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 191–9; Luke 12:36, 37; 22:16–18). Our Lord does, therefore, introduce His saints to the holy city, and to the presence of His Father, where they eat the marriage supper, in the kingdom of God. This is the grand celebration of our Lord’s assumption of His own throne and of His royal city, the metropolis of His everlasting kingdom. When this is past, the great work of the judgment upon the wicked remains to be entered upon by Christ and His saints.

 

The Saints Sitting in Judgment

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The coronation of Christ is for the execution of the judgment. Daniel 7:9–14; Psalm 110; 45:1–7; 2:6–9. Our Lord makes His people sharers with Him in the judgment work. That they may be such, He exalts them to participate with Him in His kingly dignity. Revelation 3:21; 2:26, 27. This exaltation is given them in the morning of the great day. Compare Psalm 49:14, 15; 110:3; 30:5; Isaiah 21:11, 12; Romans 13:11, 12.

They are to sit with Christ in the judgment, but not to determine who shall be saved or who lost. God the Father has already pronounced the decision of who shall have immortality, and the Son has executed that decision by immortalizing His saints. And thus all others are counted unworthy of eternal life, and must receive the second death as their portion. But there are degrees of punishment. Some shall receive greater damnation than others. Luke 20:47; Romans 2:6, 8, 9; Luke 12:47, 48.

Bear in mind, therefore, that the saints have not in their hands the determination of the salvation or damnation of anyone. The Father has decided this when He made them immortal and left all the others as unworthy. Also bear in mind that God keeps books of record (Isaiah 65:6, 7; Jeremiah 2:22; Daniel 7:9, 10; Revelation 20:12), and that He weighs men’s actions, so that they are set down for their true worth. (1 Samuel 2:3.) If the reader will do this, it will not seem strange to him to learn that the immortal saints, with Christ at their head, should be commissioned by the Father to determine the measure of punishment which each wicked man shall receive.

As we have already shown that the final perdition of the wicked is determined by the Father before He makes His saints immortal, if we now clearly prove that the glorified saints are to sit with Christ and determine the measure of guilt of each sinful man, it will be a most convincing proof that there is to be a resurrection of the unjust, that God may inflict the just penalty upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Romans 2:5–9.

When our Lord says to those at His right hand, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” He takes His saints into the presence of His Father (compare John 13:36; 14:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14–17; Revelation 19:1–9), to the Paradise of God, once here upon earth (Genesis 2:8, 9; 3:22–24), now in the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2–4), within the heavenly Jerusalem itself (compare Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14). Here they sit down with Him at His table and eat the marriage supper. Revelation 19:1–9. These things being accomplished, the work of judgment is committed to the saints, a work so vast that we may well conceive the long period which lies between the two resurrections to be requisite for its accomplishment. Revelation 20:4–6. The sitting of the saints in judgment upon the wicked must begin after they have heard the words of Christ approving them in His Father’s name, and before the sentence, “Depart ye cursed,” is pronounced by the Saviour upon those who shall be thus judged. This judgment by the saints is thus presented in the Scriptures: “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” Daniel 7:21, 22.

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:5.

“Dare any of you having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?” 1 Corinthians 6:1–3.

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again unto the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.”Revelation 20:4–6.

According to the first of these texts, the saints of the Most High are to have the judgment work committed to them. But before this is placed in their hands, they are themselves to be judged by God the Father. And this very act of determining who are worthy to be saved, really determines that all the others are unworthy of eternal life. The judgment work of the saints cannot, therefore, relate to the salvation or damnation of those who are judged by them, but solely to the determination of the measure of their guilt. The second of these texts, in forbidding the work of judgment “before the time,” plainly implies that when that time does come, then this work is to be done by those who are at present forbidden to do it. And the time is fixed when this prohibition expires, for it is thus limited, “Until the Lord come.” That they will not err in the judgment which they will then perform is guaranteed in the further statement that the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart. And this will no doubt be accomplished by placing in their hands the books of record, which contain an accurate statement of the deeds of those to be judged by them. Barnes, in his notes on this text, makes this remark: ” ‘And then shall every man have praise of God.’ The word here rendered praise, epainos, denotes in this place reward, or that which is due to him; the just sentence which ought to be pronounced on his character. It does not mean, as our translation would imply, that every man will then receive the divine approbation—which will not be true; but that every man shall receive what is due to his character, whether good or evil.” So Bloomfield and Bretschneider explain it.

The third text states, in the most explicit manner, “that the saints shall judge the world.” As it occurs in the same epistle which forbids this judgment “before the time until the Lord come,” it is manifest that this is a work which the saints enter upon immediately after they have been exalted to reign with Christ. The nature of the judgment which the saints are to decide is clearly determined by two facts: 1. It is rendered by the saints after the Lord has brought to light the hidden works of darkness, and made manifest the counsels of the hearts. 2. It is said in this same passage, and in the same manner, that the saints “shall judge angels,” meaning, of course, those angels that have sinned whose cases are thus stated: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” 2 Peter 2:4.

“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Jude 6.

These two facts are decisive as to the nature of the judgment which the saints are to engage in when exalted at Christ’s right hand. They are not to be judges over men in a state of probation, something as the ancient judges of Israel were raised up to rule over God’s ancient people, but their judgment is to be rendered in the case of wicked men, when the Lord brings “to light the hidden things of darkness,” and it is to be exercised alike in the case of sinful men and fallen angels. It is not a judgment to determine the guilt or innocence of the parties to be judged; for the guilt of the angels was virtually pronounced to be unpardonable when they were cast out of heaven, and delivered to chains of darkness, i.e. to utter despair, and to the hopeless bondage of their own sins. And the last condition of wicked men has, before their judgment by the saints, already been determined by the resurrection and translation of the just, leaving all others as unworthy of eternal life. This judgment of the saints is, therefore, simply designed to determine the measure of the guilt of wicked men and fallen angels. As their rejection from the kingdom of God is determined by God the Father before they are thus judged by the saints, this judgment by them for the determination of the measure of each man’s guilt, is a most convincing proof that God designs, in rendering to every man according to his deeds, to inflict tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. (Romans 2:5–9.)

Doctor Bloomfield says of 1 Corinthians 6:2: “Upon the whole, there is, after all, no interpretation that involves less difficulty than the common one, supported by some Latin Fathers, and, of modern divines, by Luther, Calvin, Erasmus, Beza, Cassaubon, Crellius, Wolf, Jeremy Taylor, Doddridge, Pearce, Newcome, Scott, and others, by which it is supposed that the faithful servants of God, after being accepted in Christ, shall be in a certain sense, assessores judicii, by concurrence, with Christ, and being partakers of the judgment to be held by Him over wicked men and apostate angels, who are, as we learn from 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6, reserved unto the judgement of the last day.”

And Doctor Barnes speaks thus: “Grotius supposes that it means that they shall be first judged by Christ, and then act as assessors to Him in the judgment, or join with Him in condemning the wicked.”

But the fourth text relative to this judgment by the saints is very remarkable. It shows that the resurrection by the just precedes the work of judgment by them. It elevates them to thrones of judgment, where they live and reign with Christ, during the period between their own resurrection and that of “the rest of the dead.” It assigns the space of time occupied in this vast work, viz., a thousand years, a period none too long for this examination of the books containing the deeds of all wicked men and fallen angels, even though all the saints engage in it, as we have learned that they do.

There is this statement respecting the thrones, an evident allusion to Daniel 7:9, which speaks of thrones being “cast down,” or, more correctly rendered, “were placed,” as many able critics inform us. These thrones were placed for the judgment work, when entered upon, as we have seen, in the second apartment of the heavenly temple of God the Father. And when the judgment is given to the immortal saints, and they are able to enter the temple after the outpouring of the plagues (Revelation 15:8), it appears that they sit upon the thrones thus placed for them, and with the Saviour at their head finish the work of the judgment as indicated in the text examined. They are, in this exalted state, priests to God and Christ, not as mediators with Them in behalf of wicked men, but as worshipers of God and the Lamb, even as Christians in their mortal state are a royal priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5, 9.

The reason why so vast a period as one thousand years intervenes between the resurrection of the righteous and the resurrection of the wicked, is now made very apparent. The work committed to the saints demands no less a period than that assigned it by the Holy Scriptures. It is that they examine the books of God’s records to determine the measure of guilt of each wicked man, and of every fallen angel. To this great exaltation the psalmist refers in these words: “For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people; He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written; this honor have all His saints. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 149:4–9.

The saints have no participation in the work of the judgment until the coming of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:5. The decision of every case is made by God the Father before He sends His Son to execute the judgment. Daniel 7:9–14, compared with Jude 14, 15. It is the execution of the judgment, therefore, that pertains to the Son. John 5:22, 27. And that work which is given to the Son, He shares with His saints. For when He sits in His throne, all His saints shall sit down with Him in it, as He once thus sat down with the Father. And that power which the Father gives Him over the nations when He receives His own throne, He shares with His saints when He exalts them to His right hand to unite with Him in the execution of the judgment. Compare Psalm 2:6–9; Revelation 2:26, 27. The most important part of this work is the determination of that measure of guilt which pertains to each individual of the lost. God the Father having pronounced them unworthy of eternal life, it is then the business of the saints to determine the measure of punishment which their respective lives of sin demand. This Psalm is worthy of careful study.

  1. When the meek are beautified with salvation, it will be by the change to immortality. They will bear the image of the second Adam, as in this life they bear that of the first. 1 Corinthians 15:47–49. Compare also Isaiah 33:17 with 1 John 3:2.
  2. This beautifying of the saints, and exalting them to glory, precede their participation in the judgment, mentioned in verses 7–9 of Psalm 149.
  3. The two-edged sword in their hand is doubtless the same as that which proceeded out of the mouth of Him whose name is called the Word of God. Revelation 19:11–15.
  4. And if we consider this Psalm from verse 6 to verse 9, we shall see that the work of the immortal saints in the judgment of the wicked is effected by the examination of the book of God, the sharp sword which they hold in their hands (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12), and the written record of their evil deeds; so that the record of their lives will be compared with the rule given them to govern their conduct, and the measure of their guilt thus determined.

A brief survey of Revelation 20 may now be in place. We understand the events of this chapter, as stated in verses 1–11, are given very nearly in strict chronological order, and that verses 12–15 cover some of the same ground, namely, that of the final judgment.

It has already been shown that God the Father sits in judgment before the advent of Christ, and that at this tribunal our Lord acts as advocate for His people, and closes His priesthood with securing their acquittal and the blotting out of their sins. He determines every case, deciding who shall have eternal life, and thus counting all others unworthy of it. Then He commits the execution of the judgment to the Son, who, in fulfillment of this work, makes His saints immortal, and associates them with Himself in the judgment of the wicked. When God thus commits the judgment to His Son, and the Son ceases forever His work of intercession, the words of Psalm 76:7–9 will be found true: “Thou, even Thou, art to be feared; and who may stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry? Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.”

When the Son of God shall thus save all the meek of the earth, He will raise them up from the dust to inherit the throne of His own glory. 1 Samuel 2:8; Matthew 25:31–33; Revelation 3:21. But the adversaries of the Lord will be broken to pieces; out of heaven will He thunder upon them (Revelation 16:18); He will render decision in strict justice in the case of all men, and then clothe His anointed king with strength to execute that decision (1 Samuel 2:10). Indeed, it is because the Son loves righteousness, and hates iniquity, that He is anointed to do this work. Psalm 45:7; 2:6–9. His arrows will be sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies (Psalm 45:4,5), and none will escape His just infliction of wrath (Romans 2:6–9).

The session of the judgment by God the Father is to determine who shall have part in the resurrection of the just. The session of the Father’s judgment being an event that precedes the advent of His Son, the dead have their cases brought into the judgment in the books which are brought forth, and in particular the righteous dead appear in the person of their Advocate. They do not personally stand as dead men at the Father’s judgment seat, for that is in the heavenly temple; but they are judged by the Father while dead, as if they were personally present at His bar; and all who have secured the services of the only Advocate in the court of heaven, by obeying the gospel while they lived, will have decision rendered, that the Spirit of God shall quicken them to immortality. 1 Peter 4:6. This judgment work begins with the saints who render account through their High Priest; and if they are scarcely accounted worthy of eternal life when weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, what will be the end of those who have no Advocate in the judgment, but who come up to it with all their sins standing against them in the book of God? 1 Peter 4:17, 18. Verily the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. Psalm 1:5.

When the Ancient of Days was shown to Daniel in vision, sitting in judgment, preparatory to the advent of His Son to execute that judgment, the words of the little horn, spoken at that very time, attracted the prophet’s attention: “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake.” Daniel 7:11. The Hebrew word rendered “then” is very emphatic in the signification of “at that time.” Gesenius renders it, “at that time, thereupon, then.” And it is specially worthy of notice that at this very time the head of the Romish apostasy had assembled at Rome the entire body of popish bishops, almost equal in number to Belshazzar’s lords (Daniel 5), and expected and required of them to pronounce him infallible! It is evident, indeed, that for this very purpose he assembled them, and they obeyed his behest. We have, therefore, heard the great words of the little horn, which even arrested the attention of the prophet while in vision he beheld the tribunal of the Father.

The binding of Satan precedes the resurrection of the just. This seems plain enough from Revelation 20, but it is very plainly taught in our Lord’s parable of binding the strong man and spoiling his house. Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21, 22. He is evidently bound before the complete slaughter of the wicked in the battle of the great day.

Every mention of the bottomless pit, or deep, or abyss, both in the Old Testament and in the New, seems plainly to refer to our earth, or some part of it, in some form, or at some time. And in the most emphatic sense, after our earth has been turned upside down by the awful convulsions of the great day, and made utterly desolate, we understand it to be fully fitted to constitute the place of Satan’s confinement, termed in this prophecy the bottomless pit. A strong confirmation of this view is found in the fact that this expression is used in the Septuagint in Genesis 1:2, where the earth, while yet without form and voice, is spoken of as the deep; Greek, the bottomless pit. And the Hebrew original signifies the same. And it is predicted that our earth shall be reduced to this condition again. Jeremiah 4:23.

This binding of the devil is to be at the very time when, as the scapegoat, he receives the sins of the righteous. Leviticus 16. And our earth in its utter desolation is the land not inhabited, where he shall remain with this terrible load of guilt upon him, while the saints sit in judgment upon the fallen angels, and upon all the members of the human family who would go on still in their sins.

The judgment of wicked men, and of evil angels, by the saints, during the thousand years, will solve to their minds, by means of the examination of the books of God’s remembrance, the providence of God, which has seemed dark and mysterious; for God will then lay open the hidden springs of human conduct, and bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart. 1 Corinthians 4:5.

The course of those who have diligently used the comparatively small measure of light which has been granted them, will come up to condemn those who have been favored with great light and have neglected it. Matthew 12:41, 42; Luke 11:31, 32.

And in like manner those who have been cut off in their sins, as a warning to others, and who would have repented had as great light been granted them as those who have lived at a later time have enjoyed, will come up in this examination to condemn most fearfully those who have had the example of their fate, and had seen greater light then they, and yet have not repented. Matthew 11:21–23; Luke 10:13.

But even those wicked men who have been thus cut off by God’s judgments as an example to those that after should live ungodly, shall come up in the judgment for the complete punishment of their sins. But their case shall be more tolerable in the judgment than that of those who have had the example of their punishment, and have had far greater light than they were favored with, and yet have refused to repent. Matthew 10:15; 11:22, 24; Luke 10:12, 14. Thus, even the mitigating circumstances are taken into the account in the judgment of the wicked as certainly as are those of an aggravating character. Surely God is, in the highest sense, just and righteous.

The record of the righteous, as we have seen, is passed upon by the Father when He counts them worthy to have part in the resurrection to immortality, and by the Son when they stand before Him to receive according to their labors and sacrifices in the cause of God. And that record will show, in the case of everyone who is able to stand in the judgment, so perfect a work of repentance, and confession, and reparation of wrongs done toward others, that not one sinful man can rise up in the judgment against them. Isaiah 54:17.

The judgment, by the saints of Satan and his angels and of wicked men being accomplished, it appears that, just before the thousand years expire, the holy city, with its immortal inhabitants, descends upon our earth, upon a place prepared for it. See Zechariah 14:4, 5.

At the termination of the one thousand years all the wicked dead hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth (John 5:28, 29); the unjust have their resurrection (Acts 24:15); “The rest of the dead” live again (Revelation 20:5). They come forth from the depths of the ocean and from the caverns of earth; for the sea gives up the dead, and Hades gives them up also. And they come forth alive, for death itself gives them up. Revelation 20:13.

And now Satan is loosed for his final work. He begins it just where he left off. He had gathered the nations to the great battle, when he was bound and they were cut off. Revelation 19. Now, after they have been “many days” in the “prison,” the time comes for Satan to visit them as they are loosed from it for their execution. Isaiah 24:21, 22; Ezekiel 38:8, 9.

He resumes his work by inciting them to capture the city of God. Revelation 20:7–10. And thus, by the direct action of Satan, all the wicked, with himself and his angels at their head, stand in the presence of Christ, for the execution of the judgment.

As the righteous stand in Christ’s presence immediately after they are made immortal, that they may each receive according to their labor (2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 16:27), so do the wicked thus stand in His presence after the second resurrection. As the righteous cannot receive punishment for their sins after they have been blotted out, it follows that those who stand before him to receive for their evil deeds are the wicked, who stand thus in His presence, after the examination of their cases by His saints, during the one thousand years.

We may safely conclude that many who go down to their graves self-deceived, will come up in the second resurrection really expecting to be saved, and quite unaware that it is the resurrection of the unjust. We think this is the very time when our Lord’s words shall have their fulfillment: “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22, 23.

And now, for the first time, all the members of the human family are congregated in one vast assembly. The wicked see the righteous in the kingdom of God, and realize that they themselves are thrust out. And when the wicked realize the mercy which they have slighted, and the infinite sacrifice made for their salvation in the death of God’s only Son, and remember their persistent continuance in sin till God could bear no longer, every knee will bow in deepest abasement, acknowledging that God is just, and that their ruin was caused by themselves alone, while the throne of God is forever clear.

And as both classes behold the final result of faithful obedience, and of persistent sins, they will, with one mind and voice, declare, “Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth.” Psalm 58:11. And now the Son of God pronounces the awful sentence, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41.

And now, after the example of Sodom and Gomorrah, fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. Revelation 20:9; 2 Peter 2:6; Genesis 19:24–28. It is the burning earth that constitutes the great lake of fire in which the wicked shall experience the second death. 2 Peter 3:7–12; Malachi 4:1–3; Proverbs 11:31. Satan and his angels shall share this furnace of fire with wicked men; for, indeed, it was originally prepared for them. Matthew 25:41; Isaiah 30:33.

Finally, the earth shall be not only melted, but also dissolved. 2 Peter 3:10, 11. Such shall be the intense action of the devouring fire, that the earth itself shall be reduced to a molten mass and changed by the power of Him that sitteth upon the great white throne. Hebrews 1:12. Then He that sitteth upon the throne shall say, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5. And all the elements that were dissolved in the devouring fire shall unite again to form the earth. The New Jerusalem shall have place upon the new earth, and the glory of God shall fill the earth as the waters fill the sea. The saints shall bear the image of the second Adam, as now they bear that of the first, and shall live for endless ages. Sin, being thus struck out of existence, in the utter destruction of all evildoers, shall never rise up again to mar the handiwork of God. The universe shall be as clean as it was before the rebellion of Satan, and God shall be all in all.