Who will be considered in the investigative judgment?
(Daniel 7:9-14; Malachi 4:1-3; Matthew 12:36-37; 1 Cor. 6:2-3) Blog 18-24 Dec. 2022
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: While in Adan all die, in Christ shall all be made alive. We were all born in Adam, but by faith we may move into Christ. And if we remain in him, we will receive immortality when he comes again. Since immortality is only given to the righteous, the wicked will not burn in hell forever, but rather be consumed, both root and branch.
Its Nature
1. When will God judge the world? Both the Old & New Testament place God’s final judgment in the future & Paul makes clear that it will be at the time of Christ’s second coming (Rom. 2:17; 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Tim. 4:1).
2. Who will God judge in final judgment? God will judge both the living & the dead, the righteous & the wicked, his people & those who are not his people (2 Chron. 6:23; Eccl. 3:17; 1 Peter 4:5).
3. What will God’s final judgment include? Judgment will include an examination of a person’s life record to determine whether they are in Christ by faith or still in Adam (Eccl. 12:14; Dan. 7:10; Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10).
4. What verdict will those found in Christ receive in final judgment? In final judgment God will justify (declare righteous) those found in Christ (in the book of life of the Lamb) (Deut. 25:1; Matt. 12:36-37; John 5:24; Gal. 3:8; Phil. 3:9).
5. What verdict will those in Adam receive in final judgment? In final judgment God will condemn all who are not found in the book of life (Deut. 25:1; Matt. 12:37; John 3:18-19; Rom. 5:18).
6. How is it that an examination of a person’s life record can reveal whether they are in Christ by faith or not? Faith is only revealed by a person’s work, so examining a person’s works will reveal if their faith is in Christ or not (Matt. 7:12; James 2:14-28).
God’s Way
7. What picture of the way God deals with humanity is given in Daniel 5? God’s hand wrote three phrases on Belshazzar’s banquet wall: “Number, number; Weigh; Divide. These three phrases describe God’s dealing with humanity for he keeps record of our lives (numbers); he weighs the record in final judgment; & he gives (divides) the reward in accordance with the evidence (Dan. 5:24-28).
8. How does the book of Daniel refer to the first phase written on the banquet wall? Daniel refers to the agents in the first phase of God’s dealings with people as “watchers” & “holy ones” (Dan. 4:13).
9. Where does Daniel expand on the second phase written on the banquet wall? In Daniel 7 God shows Daniel a judgment scene where books were opened (Dan. 7:9-10).
10. What event does Daniel 7 portray that corresponds to the third phase written on the banquet wall? In the final phase the judgment removes the little horn from power & gives all dominion to “one like the son of man” who shares it with his redeemed people (Dan. 7:13-14, 26-27; Rev. 11:15).
11. When does the judgment that examines books begin in history? Since the book of Daniel has four parallel prophetic prophecies in which the great judgment turning point of history takes place after the fall of the Roman Empire & that of the religious empire that follows it, yet before Messiah takes the throne, then the judgment that examines books must begin near the end of human history but before the second coming of Jesus (Dan. 2:44; 7:18; 8:25; 12:1).
12. Where in time does the book of Revelation place God’s final judgment? Revelation says that when Jesus comes again, he brings the reward for his people with him, therefore they must have been judged prior to that. And Revelation announces that the door to God’s Most Holy Place judgment is opened during the sixth church which corresponds with the 1800s and judgment is announced prior to earth’s harvest at the end of the world (Rev. 3:8; 14:7, 15; 22:12).
Phases of judgment
13. Whose names will be considered in the pre-advent, investigative judgment? The cases of all who have ever professed to serve God will be examined in the pre-advent judgment for they are the only ones who accepted the king’s invitation to the marriage of his Son (Matt. 22:1-14).
14. When will the names of those who have never accepted God’s invitation be examined? The cases of the wicked (both men & angels) will be examined after Christ’s return, during the millennium (Matt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 4:5; 6:2-3; Rev. 20:4, 6, 11-13).
15. What follows after the cases of all the wicked are decided? At the end of the millennium the execution phase of judgment takes place when the wicked receive the results that were determined for each case during the millennium (Psa. 149:9; Rev. 20:14-15).
16. What are the results of the executive phase of judgment for the wicked? All who are not found written in the book of life acknowledge God’s justice & are cast into the lake of fire (which is the second death) & mercifully consumed (Mal. 4:1-3; Matt. 10:28; Rev. 20:14-15; 21:8).
17. What are the results of the executive judgment for the universe? When Satan & all his followers are finally destroyed, rebellion will have been eradicated from the universe, never more to rise again. God will create a new heaven & a new earth & dwell forever with his people (Nah. 1:9; Rev. 21:1-4; 22:3).