The Bible tells us that at the Second Coming 1. both the living saints and the resurrected saints will “meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17); 2. all the saints will be taken to heaven to abide in the heavenly “dwelling places” that He Himself has prepared for them (John 14:1-3, NRSV); and 3. only at the end of the millennium will the New Jerusalem come down to this earth and become the everlasting home of the saints (Revelation 21:1-3, Revelation 21:9-11). So, during the millennium, while this earth remains desolated, the saints will reign with Christ in heaven (Jeremiah 4:23, Revelation 20:4).

Read 1 Corinthians 6:2-3,  and Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 20:11-13. Why should the saints participate in the millennial judgment?

Image © Steve Creitz at Goodsalt.com

The whole judgment process is intended 1. to vindicate God’s character against the accusations of Satan that God is unfair in the way He treats His creatures; 2. to confirm the impartiality of the rewards of the righteous; 3. to demonstrate the justice of the punishments of the wicked; and 4. to dissipate all doubts that could lead toward another rebellion in the universe. In the pre-advent investigative judgment of the righteous, only the heavenly hosts are involved (Daniel 7:9-10). But during the millennial judgment of the wicked and the fallen angels, the saints themselves will also participate (1 Corinthians 6:3, Jude 6, Revelation 20:4-6).

The pre-advent investigative judgment began in 1844 when “thrones were put in place. … The court was seated, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:9-10, , NKJV). The millennial judgment, however, will start after the saints are taken to heaven and sit on thrones, and the judgment is committed to them. Then, once more, the heavenly books are opened, and the dead are “judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:4, Revelation 20:12, NKJV). This process provides an opportunity for the saints to evaluate the heavenly records and to see God’s fair treatment in all cases. He not only rewards all human beings according to what they deserve based on their own decisions, but also explains to them why He does so.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-millennial-judgment/

The concept of judgment before the return of Christ, or what we call a “pre-Advent” judgment, is found in many places in Scripture.

Read Daniel 7:9-14; Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 11:1, Revelation 11:18-19; and Revelation 14:6-7. How do these passages shed light on the notion of a pre-advent investigative judgment in the heavenly courtroom? What is the significance of such a judgment?

Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com

The concept of a pre-advent investigative judgment of God’s people is grounded on three basic biblical teachings.

One is the notion that all the dead — righteous or unrighteous — remain unconscious in their graves until the final resurrections (John 5:25-29).

The second is the existence of a universal judgment of all human beings (2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:11-13).

The third is the fact that the first resurrection will be the blessed reward for the righteous, and the second resurrection will be eternal death for the wicked (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 20:12-15).

What this means is that if all human beings will be judged, they should be judged prior to their respective resurrections, because at those resurrections they will receive their final rewards.

The book of Daniel helps us to understand both the time and the nature of that pre-advent judgment. At the end of the 2,300 symbolic days — in 1844 — the heavenly sanctuary would be cleansed (Daniel 8:14, compare with Hebrews 9:23) and the pre-advent investigative judgment would begin (Daniel 7:9-14), two different ways of expressing the same event. And the judgment is “in favor of the saints of the Most High” (Daniel 7:22, NKJV). That is, it’s good news for God’s people.

In Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus spoke of an investigation of the wedding guests before the wedding feast actually started.

And in the book of Revelation, the pre-advent investigative judgment is referred to by the task of measuring “those who worship” in the temple of God (Revelation 11:1, NKJV) and in the announcement that “the hour of His judgment has come” (Revelation 14:6-7 NKJV; compare with Revelation 14:14-16).

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Amen!(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/monday-pre-advent-judgment/