The Judgment

1

20. THE JUDGMENT God’s judgment will take place in 3 phases: the pre-advent (or investigative) judgment before the second coming, the judgment during the Millennium and the execution of the judgment at the end of the Millennium. This study focuses on the first phase of the judgment, which that takes place in heaven before Christ’s return.

21. HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT CHRIST ’ SRETURN WILL BE PRECEDED BY AJUDGMENT?

 Revelation 14:6-7,14-16 The New Testament authors spoke of the judgment always in the future tense (see Acts 17:31; Acts 24:25; Romans 2:16 and Hebrews 10:30). But the judgment has to begin at some point in history before the second coming. In Revelation 14:6-12 is contained the three angels’ message, a message that has to be proclaimed to all the world before the second coming.

Part of this message is the announcement of the hour of God’s judgment: “For the hour of His judgment has come” (v. 7). The verb come is in the past tense, to signify that the judgment has already begun when this message is preached.

In the following verses Jesus’ coming is illustrated by the harvest of the earth (see Matthew 13:39).

Therefore, the chronology of Revelation 14 places the beginning of God’s judgment before the second coming.

2. When did the Judgment Begin?

 Daniel 8:14 The prophecies in Daniel 2, 7 and 8 are parallel. The same powers are represented by different symbols (see table on page 6): Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, Papal Rome, judgment, kingdom of God.

In Daniel 7, the judgment scene in heaven comes after the little horn; this means that the judgment has to begin after the end of the 1260 years of papal rule, that is after 1798 (see Daniel 7:8-10,21- 22,24-26).

In Daniel 8, the little horn is followed by the cleansing of the sanctuary. Being Daniel 7 and 8 parallel, the cleansing of the sanctuary corresponds to the judgment in heaven. The cleansing of the sanctuary began at the end of the 2300 days prophecy. 2 20. The Judgment – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 From the previous study we concluded that the 70-week prophecy is a part of the 2300 days prophecy; therefore the starting point of the both prophecies is the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 457 AD.

490 years 2300 – 490 = 1810 years 457 BC 27 AD 31 AD 34 AD 1844 AD 2300 years The 70-week prophecy foretold the year of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and of His death. The 2300 days prophecy pointed to the beginning of the last phase of Jesus’ ministry as our High Priest: the judgment.

Why are these prophecies linked? In 1844 the beginning of the judgment took place in heaven and nobody could see it. God linked this prophecy with the 70-week prophecy, which foretold events that were historically verifiable, so that we could trust that the judgment actually began in 1844 as prophesied.

3. IN DANIEL 8:14 THE JUDGMENT IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE CLEANSING OF THE SANCTUARY : WHICH SANCTUARY DOES IT REFER TO?

 Hebrews 9:11-12,22-24 The prophecy points to the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. First of all the scene of the judgment in Daniel 7 clearly takes place in heaven.

Secondly, the book of Hebrews shows that when Jesus ascended to heaven He entered the heavenly sanctuary with His blood to minister on our behalf as our High Priest. It couldn’t be otherwise since the earthly sanctuary lost its significance at Jesus’ death (see Matthew 27:50-51).

All the rituals connected to the earthly sanctuary were shadows of heavenly realities. There was one feast in the Jewish calendar, in which the sanctuary was cleansed: the day of atonement. To understand the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary we must study what happened during the day of atonement.

4. What did the Priest do Every Morning and Evening?

 Exodus 29:38-39 This is called the daily service: these daily sacrifices were on behalf of all Israel. When an Israelite repented of his sin he brought a sacrifice to the sanctuary. The sin was transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of the sacrifice. All year long, sin was going into the sanctuary, defiling it. 20. The Judgment – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 3

5. What did the High Priest do Once Ayear?

 Hebrews 9:6-7 The high priest entered in the most holy place only once a year, on the day of atonement. This was called the yearly service: while during the year sin was transferred to the sanctuary, on the day of atonement sin was sent out of the sanctuary.

6. Which Rituals did the High Priest Perform on the Day of Atonement?

 Leviticus 16:5-10 The high priest, in this case Aaron, performed various rituals on the day of atonement. First of all, he had to sacrifice a bull for himself and his house. Then he took 2 goats: one was sacrificed and the other, the scapegoat, remained alive.

7. What was Cleansed by the Blood of the Goat? What did the Priest do with the Scapegoat?

 Leviticus 16:15-22 After killing the bull for himself and his house, he then killed the goat for the people. He then took its blood, as he had just done with the bull’s blood, into the most holy place.

He sprinkled some blood on the mercy seat and before it. Then he put some of the blood on the horns of both the altar of incense (see Exodus 30:10) and the altar of burnt offering; thus, he cleansed from the sins of one year the holy place and the courtyard.

The High Priest came out bearing the sins of one year of the Israelites and transferred them on the scapegoat who then was left in the wilderness. This represented Satan who will be left on the earth during the Millennium, waiting for his destruction.

8. How Were the Israelites to Live in the Day of Atonement?

 Leviticus 16:29-30,33 On that day, the sanctuary itself was cleansed of all the sins of the year. At the end of the day God had a clean sanctuary.

It was a day of deep humiliation and heart searching. Anyone who did not humble himself was cut off from the congregation (see Leviticus 23:27-29). The high priest performed atonement also for the people on that day; so not only the sanctuary was cleansed but the people as well.

The day of atonement illustrated the work of the judgment. The confessed sins of God’s people are transferred to the heavenly sanctuary through Jesus’ blood. From 1844 onward, Jesus has been cleansing the heavenly sanctuary from all these sins: this is the first phase of the judgment. 4 20. The Judgment – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019

9. Which Event does This Scene Describe?

 Daniel 7:9-10,13-14 In Daniel 7 we find the most detailed description of the judgment which began in 1844. The Ancient of Days is the Father. This scene clearly takes place in heaven because God’s throne is there (see Psalm 11:4).

God’s throne has wheels like a fire to signify that it can move; the prophet Ezekiel had a similar vision of God’s throne with fire and wheels (see Ezekiel 1:26-27; 10:1-7).

“One like the Son of Man” (v. 13), Jesus, came to the Father; this scene doesn’t describe the second coming, but Jesus going to the Father to begin the work of judgment. As the high priest entered into the most holy place in the day of atonement, so in 1844 Jesus entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. One of the thrones Daniel saw (v. 9) was for Jesus, to whom the Father entrusted the judgment (see John 5:22,26-27).

The vision projects us to the end of the judgment when every case will have been settled; Jesus will receive “dominion, glory and a kingdom” (v. 14) from the Father and then He will come back to take us home.

Angels participate in the judgment: “a thousand thousands” and “then thousand times ten thousand” (v. 10) are expressions used elsewhere in reference to angels (see Revelation 5:11). Why are the angels interested in the judgment?

They witnessed Lucifer’s rebellion and a third of them following him. They know that the great controversy is about to end and that Jesus will take to heaven the saved. The last thing they want to have is another rebellion in heaven; they do not want people infected by sin as their neighbors.

Through the judgment, Jesus will show them that the saved loved Him above everything.

In the judgment the books of heaven are open and men’s lives are thus examined (v. 10).

10. Which Books are in Heaven? What is Written in Them?

 Malachi 3:16; Revelation 20:12; Philippians 4:3 There are 3 books in heaven the Bible talks about:  The book of remembrance: this book is written for the people who fear the Lord. It contains their words, their good works (see Nehemiah 13:14) and all their trials and sufferings for the cause of God (see Psalm 56:8).

 The book of sin: this book is shown by God to the wicked to let them know why they could not enter into the New Jerusalem. The sins of men are recorded in this book (see Isaiah 65:5-6). 20. The Judgment – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 5  The book of life: this book contains the names of those who professed to believe in God (see Luke 10:20). Every name in the book of life is examined during this investigative judgment. A name can be removed from the book of life (see Psalm 69:28).

11. What Can Happen When Aname is Examined in the Investigative Judgment?

 Revelation 3:5 The text talks about 2 kinds of people. He who overcomes is clothed in white garments and his name remains in the book of life after his case is examined; he who is overcome by sin is has his name removed from the book of life.

When the life of an impenitent sinner is examined, the angels see that there are sins he has not confessed and forsaken in his heart. In this case, the sins remain on the books and the name is removed from the book of life (see Exodus 32:32-33).

When the life of an overcomer is examined, the angels see that he had confessed his sins and those sins were cleansed by Jesus’ blood. Those forgiven sins are removed from the book of sin and the heavenly sanctuary is cleansed of those sins. Jesus will confess before the Father and the angels that the person is His property (see Matthew 10:32-33 and Luke 12:8-9).

There are only 2 options in the investigative judgment: either the sins are blotted out from the books or the name is blotted out from the book of life. Only those whose names remain in the book of life will enter the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 21:27).

12. What Will Jesus Declare at the End of the Investigative Judgment?

 Revelation 22:11-12 When the heavenly sanctuary will be completely cleansed from confessed sins, the investigative judgment will close. At the same time, God will close probation and Jesus will stop interceding for men.

It will not be an arbitrary decision, for Jesus “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He will not leave out people who could be saved if He delayed to close the door of mercy. This means that there will be a time when the number of the saved will be completed and none of the lost would change his mind.

Appeal

Jesus wants to completely cleanse not only the sanctuary but your heart from sin; and He can’t have one without the other. Is it your decision to forsake, by His power, every sin in your heart? 6 20. The Judgment – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 Table: Daniel 2, 7 and 8

📖 Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Daniel 8 Babylon Head of gold Lion with eagle’s wings - Medo-Persia Chest and arms of silver Bear raised up on one side Ram with 2 horns, one higher than the other Greece Belly and thighs of bronze 4 winged and 4 headed leopard Goat with one horn that becomes 4 horns Pagan Rome Legs of iron Dreadful and terrible beast with iron teeth Little horn towards south and east Divided Rome / Papal Rome Feet of iron and clay (10 toes) 10 horns / Little horn Little horn grew up to the host of heaven Judgment - Judgment in heaven Cleansing of the sanctuary Kingdom of God Stone Little horn destroyed and kingdom given to the saints Little horn destroyed