The Judgment
Scripture: Daniel 7:9–11
Opening Song: Hymn 416 - "The Judgment Has Set"
Closing Song: Hymn 4 - "Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven"
Disclaimer
The message of the judgment can often evoke a sense of fear or anxiety. People usually get timid or scared when they hear the judgment being spoken of. However, I am hoping that today, I will put your mind at ease about the judgment.
Introduction
Today, I'm excited to share some insights under the theme of judgment. While some of this text is common knowledge, what I'll be doing is connecting the dots just a little bit better for us and clarifying what we already know.
I'll say it again: I'm asking that you write the text down, that you will study, or at least read the text that I quote to see that my assertion matches up with the text.
A Note on Questions
In this presentation, I'll be asking some questions; however, these questions are all rhetorical. That is, they are for emphasis and not necessarily for you to answer.
Let’s take a moment to gather materials for note-taking, and with this in mind, let us begin.
God Alone Is All-Knowing
Key Point: God alone possesses complete knowledge.
Rhetorical Question: How many beings in all of creation is all-knowing?
Answer: Despite what some of us may think, the only being in all of creation that knows everything is God.
He alone can declare the end from the beginning. It's crucial to understand that God does not know about the end and the beginning in a detached way; rather, He is intimately associated with it because He is the very thing—He is the end and the beginning (Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 21:6, 22:13).
God Stands Outside of Time
God stands outside of time and observes it. As a result, He can see all of time—meaning He can see the present, He can see the future, and even the past are all present before Him at the same time. If you didn't know this before, I'm hopeful that you know it now.
Rhetorical Question: Are angels all-knowing?
Answer: Believe it or not, angels are not all-knowing. If God does not give them knowledge similar to us, they do not know. Angels too are constantly learning at God's feet.
We're told about the angels that stand in the presence declaring, "Holy, holy, holy" (Revelation 4:8). through out the ceaseless ages of eternity they declare by choice, "Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty". It is said that when they fall to be clear holy on their way up from kneeling, they get a new revelation about the holiness of God and again, by choice, fall to the feet of God declaring Him holy—something they will do throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, all by choice.
The Nature of Omniscience
The attribute of omniscience is something we have long maintained. It is one of three attributes we often ascribe to God, alongside His omnipresent nature (present everywhere) and omnipotence (all-powerful, meaning there's nothing God cannot do). For the most part, we understand God's omnipresence and omnipotence, but it is often His omniscience that is the subject of debate.
Consider what is often said about the perfect couple in the Garden of Eden: that God put a plan in place in the event—perchance—Adam and Eve sinned. But the truth is, there is no place for probability with God; the end and the beginning are certain for Him. While other creatures did not know what would happen in the garden, He knew.
Since God is all-knowing, He does not need anyone to tell Him about the beginning or the end. Consequently, He does not need any other being to inform Him about any event, because He is always aware and always knows. Whenever He makes a declaration about the future, He doesn't need to make an estimate or investigation—He declares it and sees it because He is looking at it when He speaks.
Whether a time prophecy is 2,300 years, 490 years, or 1,260 years, God will never say "about" or "around"—He declares the exact number because all of time is before Him simultaneously.
Isaiah 41:23
Isaiah44:7
Isaiah 46:10
Jeremiah28:9
Ezekiel2:25
Ezeki2el 4:14
God’s Foreknowledge vs. Predestination
Once we understand that God can see into the future and make declarations about it, we start to grapple with the thought of predestination. Let me address that now: God does not predestine any event. He simply states what He sees and knows.
To make this point clearer, let us consider the discourse between Jesus and Peter in Luke 22:31–34. Jesus told Peter that Satan desired to sift him as wheat, but that He had prayed for Peter's faith so that when he turned back, he could strengthen his brethren. Peter replied that he was ready to go to prison and to death, but Jesus declared that before the rooster crowed today, Peter would deny Him three times.
Jesus was simply declaring what Peter would do before he did it. Peter was totally powerless to stop it, although it was declared unto him, and his mindset at the time felt it could not happen.
The idea behind this is that God's foreknowledge of an event does not change the event in any way—neither for the good nor for the bad.
God is not reactionary; He is always proactive, and no event can surprise Him because He is already aware of it before it occurs.
The Investigative Judgment
This brings us to a crucial question: If God knows everything, then what is the judgment about?
If God can see the future and make decisions about events and people that haven't even been born yet, why investigate? Let's look at Daniel 7:9–11. Daniel beheld thrones cast down, books opened, and watched the little horn speak blasphemous words until it was slain and given to the burning flame.
Daniel was living in the Babylonian/Medo-Persian era, so he could not have physically seen the little horn of the Roman era centuries later; rather, Daniel sees both the beginning and the end of the little horn in the book that was opened.
God Is on Trial
So why have an investigative judgment? God is on trial.
Let us read Romans 3:4: "Let God be true, but every man a liar..." God is not investigating anything; rather, God's decisions are being investigated.
Looking at Revelation 14:7, the first line of the three angels' messages says "the hour of His judgment has come"—meaning it is God's judgment that has come. God does not need to investigate what He already knows; instead, He allowed His decisions to be judged so that all creation can declare with one voice: "Just and true are your ways, O Lord!"
The investigative judgment currently taking place in the heavenly sanctuary is for the benefit of the unlooking beings (the angels and creation) to confirm God's decisions and show that His ways are just.
The Closing of Probation and Hope
As we look at Revelation 12:10–12, we see the accuser cast down and a call to rejoice in heaven, contrasted with the woe to the earth because the devil knows he has a short time.
There is an urgency for the books of those declared righteous to be reviewed right now, because probation will close once and for all for everyone. For those who have not called on the Lord, their books will be reviewed later during the 1,000 years in heaven (examining the fallen angels and those who didn't make it, per 1 Corinthians 6:3).
While many sermons on the investigative judgment make people fearful, when we understand God's grace and mercy, we realize it is not a fearful event, but an event full of hope for the child of God. Romans 8:1 tells us there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
It is God's desire to save you, to give you eternal life, to pardon your sins, and to write your name in the book of life.
The only question is: Will you let Him?
If you hear His voice, harden not your heart.
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