The judgment - 6000 años

1. THE JUDGMENT.
The doctrine of the judgment is clearly set forthin the Scripturesof Truth. Inthe divine plan, man was made a free
moral agent. Uponhim was bestowedthe right of choice. He could choosethe evil or the good, buthe must
sometimeanswer for his conductbefore the high tribunal of heaven. This is clearly statedby Solomoninhis
instructionto the Young:
" Rejoice, 0 youngman, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the daysof thy youth, andwalk in the ways of
thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes : butknow thou, thatfor all these thingsGod will bring thee into judgment."
Eccles. xi. 9.
In view of this accountwhich manmustrender, he is admonished:- " Therefore remove sorrowfrom thy heart, and
putaway evil from thy flesh : for childhoodandyouthare vanity. Remember nowthy Creator in the daysof thy youth,
while the evil dayscome not, northe years draw nigh, when thoushalt say, I haveno pleasure in them." ' Verse• 10
andxii. 1.
Speakingof this day, the Apostle Pauldeclares :-
" For we mu6tall appear before the judgmentseat of Christ: that every one may receive the thingsdone in his body,
according to thathe hath done, whether it be goodor bad." 2 Cor. v. 10.
Solomon, inpointingout the relation which manshouldsustainto his Maker, draws thisconclusion:- " Let us hear the
conclusionof the whole matter : Fear God, and keep His commandments:for this is the whole duty of man. For God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be• good, orwhether it be evil." * Eccles.
'xii. 1,3, 14.
GOD HATH APPOINTED A DAY.
The judgmentof the world is set for a specific time. " God . . . hath appointeda day, in the which He will judge the
world." Acts xviii. 30, 31. Thatday is sometimescalled " the day of the Lord," " the day of the judgmentandperdition
of ungodly men," " thatday," etc. See 2 Peter iii. 7, 10 ; 1 Thess. v. 2, 4 ; Zeph. i. 1-4.
The judgmentis threefold in its character, or perhapswe might say it is divided into three judgmentperiods;namely,
(1) the investigativejudgment, (2) the judgmentof the wicked, and (3) the executive judgment.
These we will consider in their order.
"Fear God and give glory to Him : for the hour of His judgment is come." Rev. xiv. 6

2. THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT.
The investigative judgment takes place in heaven prior to the second,coming of Christ. Its purpose is to determine who is entitled
to a part in the first resurrection, and who of the living inhabitants of earth are worthy to be translated without seeing death at
the coming of the Lord. That such an accounting takes place Is clearly taught by Christ. Replying to the question raised by the
Sadducees with reference to the manner of life after the resurrection, He declares :— " They which shall be accounted worthy to
obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage : neither can they die any more :
for they are equal unto the angels ; and are the children of God, being _4he children of the resurrection." Luke xx. 35, 36.
The consistency of this proposition must appeal to every mind. In the last great day earth's inhabitants are divided into two
classes, the righteous and the wicked. This is pointedly represented by the parable in the twenty-fifth chapter of
Matthew!showhag the division between the sheep and the goats. This division, is not an arbitrary one. It is based upon attributes
of character. This qualification can be determined only by a review of the life of each individual.
He that is accounted worthy finds His place at the right hand of the Master ; the unworthy ones are reckoned in the parable as the
goats, and are consigned to destruction. Matt. xxv. 31, 33.
THE JUDGMENT IN) SESSION. /
The scene of the investigative judgment is brought to view in the seventh chapter of Daniel. The prophet de Glares :— " I beheld
till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garMent was white as snow, and the hair of His head like
the pure wool: His thron: was like the . fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him : thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him : the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great
words which the horn spake : I beheld even till the beast was slain, and His body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As
concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away : yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw
in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve Him : His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed." Dan. vii. 9-14.
Not elsewhere in the Sacred 'Record, nor in all the literature of the ages, is there presented a picture so solemn _ in its aspect, so
glorious in its splendour; and so comprehensive in its far-reaching consequence, as the one so dramatically drawn by the inspired
artist. The scene is laid in heaven; the dwelling place of God. The Eternal Father, amid the glories and grandeur of the celestial
realities, sits upon a throne like unto fiery flame, and its wheels as burning fire. The myriad hosts of angelic beings bow before
Him in lowly obeisance. The judgment is set, and the books of record are opened.
THE BOOKS OF RECORD.
In these books is kept the life record of all who have lived upon this earth, and from this record every man is judged. The Apostle
John bears witness to this in the twentieth chapter of Revelation, declaring :— " And 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:" The dead are in. thair graves. They
stand before God in the record of their lives contained in the books. One of these books is called the " book of remembrance."
The thoughts which men think of God, their motives and their purposes, are here revealed, Declares the prophet Malachi :— "
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another : and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance
was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name." Mal. iii. 16. We cannot Conceive that it is
ne ces• sary for the great Judge, with ,Whom a knowledge or the past, present, and future is always present, to require for His
own enlightenment a record of men's lives. But we must remember that He performs all His acts not alone with reference to His
own infini:e knowledge, but with respect to all created intelligences. The ways of God and His dealings with the human family
have been upon trial for six thousand years, and by the unerring account which has been chronicled in His books will He
demonstrate that His judgments are just and His decisions so wise as to be beyond review. Even the impenitent at the last great
day will bow before Him and acknowledge the unbiassed fairness of His decisions. Phil. ii. 9-11 ; Rev. xv. 3, 4.

3. THE JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED
FOLLOWING the completion of the work of the investigative judgment occurs the outpouring of the wrath of God, as brought to
view in the seven last plagues of Revelation 16. Christ then comes to take His children borne to the mansions which He has
prepared for them. John xiv. 1-3. With a voice of authority and power He calls the sleeping saints.
They are raised incorruptible, and, with the saints who are living on the earth, are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
THE FIRST RESURRECTION.
" 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thess. iv. 16-18.
This resurrection of the just is known as the first resurrection. Of the character of those who have a part in it. and of their
freedom from the thraldom of sin, it is said :— " Blessed and holy is he that bath part in the first resurrection : on such the second
death bath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Rev. xx. 6.
TERROR OF THE WICKED.
The glory attending the advent of the Lord becomes an agency of transforming power to the saints of God, but an agency of
destruction to the wicked.
They are unable to stand before the Son of man. As the sign of His corning draws near the earth, they are filled with fear and
consternation. They seek to flee from His presence, and in abject terror call to the mountains and rocks,
" Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : for the great day of His
wrath is come ; and who shall be able to stand ? " Rev. vi. 16, 17. Rejecting the Gospel of Christ, the only refuge provided, they are
left without shelter in the day of God's wrath. The Apostle Paul speaks of their destruction :— " When the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire takirg vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ : who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the
glory of His power ; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our
testimony among you was believed) in that day." 2 Thess. i. 7-10.
Those who are thus destroyed 'by the brightness of Christ's coming together with the wicked of all ages, remain in their graves for
one thousand years. Says the revelator, after speaking of those who come up in the first resurrection, " The rest of the dead lived
not again until the thousand years were finished." Rev. xx. 5.
THE DESOLATION OF THE EARTH.
The coming of the Lord is attended by earthquakes and convulsions in the physical world. The cities are broken down : the
monuments of human pride and earthly glory are overthrown.
The fruitful places are turned into barren wastes. With inspired pen Jeremiah describes the condition of the earth at this time :—
" I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the
birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness,- and all the cities thereof were broken down
at the presence of the Lord, and by His tierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate ; yet will I not
make a full end." Jer. iv. 23-27.
THE PRISON HOUSE OF SATAN.
For one thousand years the earth remains in this desolate condition. During this time it constitutes the prison house of Satan and
his angels. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings
of the earth upon the earth. And 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 he visited." Isa. exiv. 21,12.
The revelator likens the earth during its desolate state to the bottomless pit. In this pit he declares Satan shall be confined:— " I
saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and
shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled : and

4. after that he must be loosed a little season." Rev. xx. 1-3. , No longer can Satan annoy the inhabitants of other worlds. The wicked
of earth are in their graves.
The righter is are in heaven, delivered eternally from his power. Hence, surf rounded by these conditions, he is bound as with a
literal chain. No exercise is found for that master intellect, which, for six thousand years, has deceived the nations of men. For one
thou: and years he is left to wander over the broken, uneven surface of the earth, and view the scenes of desolation which his
hands have wrought. He is left to contemplate the fate which awaits him, and the merited reward which his evil course has
earned.
THE ANTITYPICAL SCAPEGOAT.
In the solemn service attending the cleansing of the sanctuary on the day of atonement was foreshadowed this exile of the great
deceiver. Wnen the priest had finished his ministry in the most holy apartment, he came forth bearing in his own body the sins of
Israel. He laid his hands upon the head of the scapegoat, and confessed over him " all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all
their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat." The goat was then sent away into the wilderness
waste.
In the same manner, when the work of the investigative judgment ha- been completed, the sins of God's people will be finally laid
at the door of Satan, and ai the scapegoat was sent into the land not inhabited, so Satan will be ccnfined to this earth in its
desolate condition.
" THE SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD."
Why should the punishment of Satan and his angels and the wicked nations of men be deferred for one thousandyears ? Evidently
that their cases may come in review and their just punishment be determined. Each one will be judged according to the light
which he has received, and judgment will be meted out to each according to his deeds and according to the fruit of his doings.
Matt. xvi. 27 ; Jer. xvii. 10.In this work of the judgment of the wicked Christ and the redeemed saints will take part. John v. 22-27.
This was predicted by the prophet Daniel. Looking down through the ages, and witnessing the temporary triumph of the powers
arrayed against God and His people, the prophet writes :— " 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." Dan. vii. 21,22.
Similar testimony is borne by the Apostle Paul. Writing to the Corinthian church, and admonishing the believers to bring before
their brethren the adjudication of their differences instead of carrying them to courts of the world, he inquires :— " 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 Cor. vi. 1-3. See also 2 Peter ii. 4: -Jude 6.
ON THRONES OF JUDGMENT.
This judgment scene is presented to John in hole vision. The righteous have been raised in the first resurrection, and with the
righteous living they have been taken home to the New Jerusalem. There for a period of one thousand years they sit upon thrones
of judgment, reviewing with Christ the record of the lives of the evil angels and of the wicked dead, and determining the measure
of 'punishment for each :— " I saw throne's, 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 worshipped the beast, neither his
image, neither had received his mark in their foreheads, or in their hands ; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years." Rev. xx. 4.
It is particularly fitting that the saints gathered from every age of earth's history should take part in this judgment work. With
vision clarified by association with the Master, with eyes anointed by divine enlightenment, and with minds poised and guided to
unerring accuracy by their heavenly environment, it seems proper that they should take part in the judgment to be visited upon
those with whom they have been associated. They will understand the characterisass of the peculiar age in which they lived : they
will know its opportunities and it; privileges; they have demonstrated through God's grace, that, however forbidding the
circumstances surrounding them, however subtle the influence of sin, they were enabled to perfect characters which have stood
the test of the judgment. And if they were able to do it, then it was possible for every man and woman living in their times to gain
the overcomer's reward.
As Noah by his life of righteousness condemned the world in which he lived, so these righteous ones will condemn those in their
times who failed to avail themselves of the gracious provision of the Gospel of Christ. See Heb. xi. 7.
As the measure of punishment for Satan and all his followers is meted out, the entire universe of God looks on and give s its
approval of the justice of the decisions of this heavenly tribunal. Psa. lxix. 28, 34, 35.

5. THE EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT.
THE time will come in the eternal purposeof God for His universeto be for ever cleansed of the terrible blot of sin
which has marred it for six thousandyears. Thecase of every one hasbeen decided, andthe measure of punishment
each is toreceive has been determined. Christ now takes uponHimself the execution of this divine judgment. The Son
of man again descendsto the earth, not as when He came the first time, a helpless babe in Bethlehem's mangerto
suffer anddie uponthecross, butas a triumphantconqueror, asKing of kingsand Lordof lords, to enter upon the
dominionbestoweduponHim by His Father. The spot uponwhich His feet rest is purified andmade holy by His sacred
presence. Saysthe prophetZechariah :— ' " His feet shall standin that day uponthe mountof Olives, which is
before Jerusalemon the east, and the mountof Olivesshall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east andtoward
the west, andthere shall be a very great valley ; andhalf of the mountain shall be removedtoward the north, and half
of it towardthe south.'Zech. xiv.4. Uponthisgreat plain, which hasbeen created to receive it, the city of God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, containingthe saints, rests. Johnin propheticvision, witnessed its descent:— " And I saw a new
heavenand a new earth : for the first heavenand the first earth were passedaway ; and there was no more sea. And I
Johnsaw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from Godout of heaven, prepared as a bride adornedfor her
husband." Rev. md. 1, 2. ment. Andif they were able to do it, thenit was possiblefor every man and woman living in
their times to gain the overcomer'sreward.
As Noahby hislife of righteousness condemnedtheworld in which he lived, so theserighteous oneswill condemn
thosein their times who failed toavail themselves of the gracious provision ofthe Gospel of Christ. See Heb. xi. 7. As
the measure of punishment forSatan andall his followers is meted out, the entire universe of God looksonand give s
its approvalof the justice of the decisions of this heavenly tribunal. Psa. lxix. 28, 34, 35.
THE SECOND RESURRECTION.
With a voice et terrible majesty the Lord now calls from their gravesthe wicked dead. They respondtothe divine
summons;buthowunlike thosewho were raised one thousandyears before in the first resurrection ! The righteous
come up incorruptible, shoutingvictory overdeath andthe grave. 1 Cor. xv. 51-55. Thewicked arise as they have gone
down, for death has wroughtnochange in their characters.
Sickly anddiseased, with the marksof sin uponbody anduponsoul, they come forth to meet the great Judge. In their
breastssurge the same human passions, thesamelove of sin, the same hatred of God andof His holy govern. ment.
Even now, if they could, they would tear Him from His throneand usurpHis dominion.
SATAN LOOSED.
The second resurrection is the signal for Satan to resume his deceptive work. His long period of incarceration, the
thousandyearswhich he has spentviewing the ruin andhavoc which his apostasy fromGod wrought, hasserved only
to increase his bitterness againstheaven and its divine Ruler. Inthe frenzy bornof despairhe determines to make one
final effort todethrone the government of God. He castsonce more his hypnoticspell over the nationsof men.
He leads themtp believe thatit is by his power that they have been brought forth from their graves, anddeludes
them into the fatal belief that by their superiority of numbersthey can overwhelm the city of God and its inhabitants.
The pen of inspirationwrites :—
" When the thousandyearsare expired, Satanshall be loosed outof his prison, and shall goout to deceive the nations
which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog andMagog, to gather themtogether to battle : the numberof whom is
aS the sandof the sea. And they w6it upon the breadth of the earth, andcompassedthe camp of the saintsabout,
andthe beloved city: andfire came downfrom God out of heaven, anddevouredthem." Rev. xx. 7-9.
THE END OF SIN.
How vain are all the designingsof Satan andhis hostsagainstdivine Omnipotence! He Whoby the word of His mouth
could-create the worlds andthe myriadhostsof heaven, can by thatsame word bring the machinations of evil to
naught.

6. At the commandof God fire comes down outof heaven anddevoursSatan and hishosts:—
" And the devil thatdeceived them was cast into the lake of fire andbrimstone, where the beastand the false prophet
are, and shall be tormented day and nightfcr ever and ever." Verse 10.
The accuser of the brethren is cast down, nevermoreto rise. The terror of the nationshas come tobe asthough he
badnot been. Of him the Lord declares :—
" All they that knowthee among the peopleshall be astonished, at thee . thoushaltbe a terror, and never shalt thou
be any more." Ezek. xxviii. 19. See also Isaxiv. 12-20;xxx. 33. Andthe wicked nationsof men in thatday " shall be
stubble: and that day thatcometh shall burnthem up, saiththe Lord of hosts, thatit shall leave them neither rootnor
branch." Mal. iv. 1. See also Obadiah15, 16.
Thoughlong delayed, the judgment of God has at last been executed. Patiently hasHe borne with the rebellion of the
ages. Fromthe beginning, He knewthe baleful fruit which it would bear, butas an object lessonto
His universe for all eternity He permitted sin to runits course that all might see and knowits true character, and
recognize the infinite wisdomand justice of the great Creator.
A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.
The fire which destroysSatanand his followers purifies the earth from the curse which sinhas wrought. " But the
heavensand the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved untofire against the day of
judgmentand perditionof ungodly men.. . . Butthe day of the
Lord will come as a thief in the night ; Inthe which the heavensshall pass away with a great noise, andthe elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also andthe works thatare therein ahall be burned up. Seeing then thatall
these thingsshall be dissolved, what mannerof personsought we to be in all . holy conversationand godliness." 2
Peter iii. 7, 10, 11.
Fromthe ashes of the old earth, God brings forth a purified earth to constitutethe eternal homeof His people.
The apostle addsin verse 13 :— " Neverthelesswe, according to His promise, look for new heavensand - a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness." And it is of thattime that Daniel speaks: " The kingdomanddominion, andthe
greatnessof the kingdomunderthe whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saintsof the MostHigh, whose
kingdomis aneverlasting king dom, and all dominionsshallserve and obey Him " Dan. vii 27. See Isa. lxv. 17.25 ;xxxv.
1.10.
THE FIRST DOMINION RESTORED.
Adam, throughyielding to the power of Satan, lost hisglorious dominion. Hisposterity, togetherwith his paradise
home, passedunder the power of sin. This dominionGodpurposestorestore. Notalone will man be red?emed from
the curse of sin, butthe material creation as well. See Rom. viii. 14-23.
To Christ, the second Adam, the Tower of the flock, shall the dominionbe restored:— " And thou, 0 Tower of the
flock, the strongholdofthe daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdomshall
come to the daughterof Jerusalem." Micah iv. 8. At that time " the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord."
Num. xiv. 21. And " the meek shall inherit the earth ; andshall delight themselves in the abundanceof peace." Psa.
xxxvii. 11. Notone discordantnotewill be heard throughoutGod'suniverse, butoneuniversal anthemof praise shall
arise from every creature :— " Every creature which is in heaven, and onthe earth, andunder the earth, and suchas
are in the sea, and all thatare in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, andglory, and power, be unto Him that
sitteth uponthethrone, and untothe Lamb, forever and ever. And the four beastssaid, Amen.
And the four andtwenty elders fell down and worshippedHim thatliveth for ever and ever." Rev. v. 13, 14.
To a part in this blessed statethe Spirit of Godinvites us, in the closing chapter of God'sWord : " And the Spirit and
the bride say, Come. And let him thatheareth say, Come. And let himthat is athirst, come. And whosoeverwill, let
him take the water of life freely." Rev. xxii. 17.