In the last lesson we discovered that the judgment has already begun, in heaven. The word JUDGMENT fills the mind with questions: Who will be judged? How is evidence gathered? Must I defend myself with my stammering mouth or does heaven provide legal help? Who decides Satan’s sentence? Why does God need a judgment anyway? Doesn’t He already know everything about everyone? Do I have even the slightest chance of being pronounced innocent in the judgment – in light of my conduct?
The judgment is such a crucial part of God’s great plan that some claim the Scriptures mention it 1000 times. Revelation says it most loudly, however. May the Spirit impress as we study this vital topic.
YOUR TRIAL BEFORE GOD
1. According to Scripture, who will face heavenly judgment? 2 Corinthians 5:10
Ans: ______________________________________________________________
2. According to our last lesson, when did the judgment begin in heaven? Daniel 8:14
Ans: _______________________________________________________
NOTE: The judgment began in 1944. Jesus then entered the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary to begin the heavenly Day of Atonement. Revelation 11:19 fits the same time period. It also speaks of the judgment beginning in heaven.
3. Who are the judges? Psalm 50:6, John 5:22
Ans: “____________ is judge, Himself”. “The Father … hath committed all _______________ unto the Son”.
NOTE: Though God presides at the judgment, He has turned over the leading role to His Son. How exciting to have our best and truest friends as our judges.
4. What attitude do the Father and Son have toward us? 1 Timothy 2:3-4
Ans: “Our Saviour … who will have ________________ men to be _________________”.
“The ________________ himself _________________ you”.
THERE ARE THREE PHASES OF THE JUDGMENT. LET’s REVIEW THEM CAREFULLY.
PHASE 1 – PRE-ADVENT JUDGMENT
5. Who will face God in the FIRST PHASE of the judgment that is now taking place in heaven? 1 Peter 4:17
Ans: “Judgment must _____________ at the ____________ of _____________”.
NOTE: The house of God is His church, 1 Timothy 3:15. The judgment, now in progress, centers on those who CLAIM to be Jesus’ servants. The wicked are not judged in the first phase. This phase of the judgment will clearly reveal which believers are false and which are true.
6. Who is the advocate or attorney for the righteous? 1 John 2:1, Hebrews 9:24, 7:25
Ans: ”We have an advocate … Jesus __________, the ___________”.
NOTE: It seems incredible, but our judge is also our attorney! Praise God! And the Bible is clear, Hebrews 2:17-18, that He is merciful and faithful. What superb traits for our attorney! He who gave His life for us now serves as attorney to represent us in Heaven.
7. What will be considered in the judgment? Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Ans: “God shall bring ___________ work into judgment with every __________thing whether it be ___________ or whether it be _______________”.
8. What will God use as His standard of measurement in the judgment? James 2:10-12
Ans: “They … shall be __________________ by the ______ of liberty”.
NOTE: The ten commandments are God’s standard in the judgment. Exhibit 11.1 points out that the law is God’s character described in words.
“Angels keep records of our lives”
GOD’s GREAT RECORD BOOKS
9. Where does God keep the record of my life? Revelation 20:12
Ans: “The dead were _______________ out of those _____________ which were ________________ in the ______________”.
NOTE: Though Revelation 20:12 refers to the third phase of the judgment, the books will be testimony also for the first phase of the judgment, Daniel 7:10. The records are accurate and complete. They include even thoughts and motives. The court is fair. I need not be there. The books will speak for me. See Exhibit 15.1 for a description of the books.
10. Who presents the case against us? Zechariah 3:1-2
Ans: _____________________________________________________
NOTE: Satan, the old accuser of the brethren, Revelation 12:10, who disputed with Michael regarding the body of Moses, Jude 9, and who made wild accusations against Job, is the enemy who accuses us. (Job chapters 1 and 2.)
11. While the present judgment is going on in heaven, what does Revelation predict will be happening on earth? Revelation 11:18-19
Ans: “And the ___________ were ____________ … and shouldst __________ them that destroy the ________________”.
NOTE: True, indeed. The nations are angry. And with pollution, trash and devastating weapons people are destroying the earth.
12. Does God need books and a judgment, or court trial, to find out about me and my conduct, or does He know everything about me already? 1 Kings 8:39, John 3:18, 2 Timothy 2:19
Ans: “Thou … knowest the ____________ of all the _____________ of men”.
13. Since the present judgment, which is now in session, Daniel 7:9-10, is not needed by God, personally, for whose benefit is it? Revelation 3:5
Ans: “I will confess his name before …. His ________________________”.
NOTE: God is omniscient, but the angels are not. The present judgment will permit them to completely examine all evidence and be fully satisfied regarding God’s justice. God does not announce the decision until the angels are clear that all people have made up their minds about God and Satan. There will be no more changing sides, Revelation 22:11-12. It is not a decree but an announcement. All have made final choices. More probationary time would change nothing.
PHASE 2 – JUDGMENT DURING THE 1000 YEARS
14. When will the wicked be judged? Revelation 20:4
Ans: “And ____________ was given unto them … and they lived and ___________ with Christ a ___________ years”.
NOTE: The wicked will be judged in heaven during the 1000 years of Revelation 20. This is the second phase of the judgment.
15. Who helps judge the wicked, including Satan and his angels? 1 Corinthians 6:2-3
Ans: “The ___________ shall judge the world …. ______________ shall judge angels”.
16. In your opinion, for whose benefit is the judgment of the WICKED conducted? After all, people who are not in heaven during the 1000 years are lost anyway, so, why conduct this judgment for the wicked?
Ans: _________________________________________________
NOTE: THIS judgment is for the benefit of the righteous. Many will be lost whom the righteous thought Christians. Looking at the records and asking questions will remove all doubt as to God’s fairness. It will be seen that those who are lost chose to ignore God in spite of myriads of loving appeals from His throne.
PHASE 3 – JUDGMENT AT CLOSE OF 1000 YEARS
Matthew 25:31-46 pictures a third phase of the judgment when both the RIGHTEOUS and the WICKED stand before God, alive, for receiving reward or punishment. God reveals why people are saved or lost.
17. In your opinion: A. Does this judgment occur at Jesus’ second coming or at the end of the 1000 years? B. For whose benefit is this phase of judgment conducted?
Ans: ____________________ B. ________________________
NOTE: It takes place at the close of the 1000 years because that is the only time in earth’s history when all who have ever lived will be alive for a short time – either inside or outside the Holy City, Revelation 20:11-15. This judgment convinces the wicked, including Satan and his angels (who will at this time have questions answered and will finally see), that God is loving, kind, just and fair. God never pulls rank on his enemies or orders them to be silent. He simply presents clear cut evidence which is too plain to question. Those who think that God will never punish or destroy people would do well to consider the fact that God did, indeed, do so at the time of the flood, and at the destruction of Sodom.
REVIEW CAREFULLY THE THREE PHASES OF THE JUDGMENT (See exhibit 15.2).
18. When God announces rewards and punishments in the judgment, is He making the decision at that moment, or simply permitting angels and the righteous to confirm what He already knew? Revelation 15:3-4, Romans 2:5, 1 Corinthians 4:5
Ans: “Thy ________________ are made _______________________”.
NOTE: The redeemed in heaven clearly give the reason why all consider God just and true: His judgments are made manifest, or as the New English Bible says, “Thy just dealings stand revealed”. God knew all along where every person stood. He already, in fact, has the names of the saved in the book of life, Revelation 13:8, 17:8. But in order to solve the problem of rebellion and sin He patiently waits till men and angels, both good and evil, see what He has long seen. The truth about every being will be revealed in the judgment. It will be too plain for any to debate, Isaiah 3:10-11.
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION NOW
19. Since I MUST yet face God in JUDGMENT, can I have ASSURANCE of salvation NOW? Daniel 7:22, Isaiah 3:10
Ans: “Pronounced judgment in favor of the saints”. (NIV)
“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be _____________ with __________ “.
NOTE: God has promised to pronounce favorable sentence on all people who love and truly follow Him. He calls them saints. SEE EXHIBIT 15.3 for 20 BIBLE PROMISES OF ASSURANCE.
20. Sins are forgiven when we confess them. When are they blotted out of God’s records? Acts 3:19-20.
Ans: “Repent … that your _________ may be ______________ out when … He shall send _____________ Christ”.
NOTE: God will not accept a cover-up. All records of sins remain on the books till the very end so all will have access to the records at all times. Nothing will be swept under the rug. God promised to restore His image in His people through the ministry of His Son in the heavenly sanctuary. The records will only demonstrate to all observers that God has worked the miracles to make it so. His people have become like Him.
GOD’s PEOPLE TEACH PROPHECY
In the early 1840’s people all over the world began to study the prophecies of the books of Daniel and Revelation, and especially the 2300-year prophecy of Daniel 8 and 9. They figured the date correctly, but the event wrong. They thought 1844 referred to the second coming of Jesus instead of the commencement of the judgment.
When Jesus did not return, the disappointment was bitter. In Revelation 10 God pictures the disappointment by asking the prophet, John, to eat the book of Daniel which had been closed but was now open (verse 8). It was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach, as was the disappointment when Jesus did not return.
When we compare Revelation 10:1-3 and Revelation 1:13-15 with Daniel 10:5-6 we discover that these passages refer to the same heavenly being. This being told Daniel to seal his BOOK OF DANIEL until the TIME OF THE END. The same being came to John with a prophecy showing that the book would be open in the early 1840’s. God’s people were correct in their mathematical calculations but misunderstood the event of the prophecy.
God’s judgment began in Heaven, not on earth.
21. What did the heavenly being say the church must do after the bitter disappointment? Revelation 10:11
Ans: “Thou must prophesy ____________ before __________________, and nations, and _________, and kings”.
NOTE: God told His people they must take the truth about this prophecy to the entire world. Lesson 23, on the seven trumpets, will clearly point out that the date for Revelation, chapter 10, is the early 1840’s because it comes between the sixth and seventh trumpets. The “time of the end”, Daniel 12:4-9 specifically refers to the 1260 years (time/times and a half) of Papal persecution (538 A.D. – 1798 A.D.). So the book of Daniel was not to be opened until after 1798, WHICH BEGINS THE TIME OF THE END.
22. In harmony with what the angels told John in Revelation 10, what must God’s church be preaching today as part of the “everlasting gospel”? Revelation 14:6-7
Ans: “Fear God … for the hour of His ________________ is ____________”.
NOTE: The church does not have a right to preach anything it wishes and call it the everlasting gospel. God mandates that the church must include in the gospel the wonderful truth that the judgment is now in session in heaven.
Note also, that the angel calls it the hour of HIS judgment. Men must decide how they will relate to Satan’s accusations against God, so the judgment actually, in a sense, includes a decision about God. He has put Himself and His character on trial. The churches’ work today is to let the world know the truth about the beautiful character of a loving God.
GOD’s JUDGMENT IS FAIR AND FINAL
23. Revelation repeatedly points out that both men and angels will excitedly and loudly praise and thank God for the justice and satisfaction of the judgment. What specifically are they saying? Revelation 16:7, Revelation 19:2, Revelation 15:3
Ans: “______________ and _______________ are thy judgments”.
24. What finally does everyone in the universe do to express their feelings about God’s fairness and love? Philippians 2:10-11
Ans: “____________ knee should ___________ … and that every ________________ that _________ Christ is ______________”.
NOTE: All who have ever lived face God at the close of the 1000 years. No one is putting on. No one is forced. It is finally so clear that all in heaven and earth, including Satan and his angels, bow to confess that Jesus is fully just and that every person has received what he, himself, chose. The lost are shown to be lost because they preferred the lifestyle of the evil one. Heaven would be torture to them. It would be unfair to include them.
And the righteous are shown to be like Jesus. Not even Satan doubted Jesus’ forgiveness, but the evil one doubted that God could indeed restore men to His image. The redeemed stand before him as proof it has happened. No question will ever be raised again about the handling of the sin problem and the character of God. They have all been answered.
25. Jesus is saying, “My son, my daughter, give me thine heart”. Proverbs 23:26. He wants to enter your name in His book of life and keep it there. Will you let Him have that great joy?
Ans: __________________________________________________________