The Judgment Day by W. L. Iles

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 16, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 28.

The Judgment Day

By W. L. Iles

PROPHECY OF DANIEL 8. NO. 5.

BY W. L. ILES.

The Judgment Day.

“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.” Acts 17:31. Webster’s definition of the word “appoint,” is “to fix; to establish; to constitute, prescribe, allot, assign.” God has therefore fixed upon a day or time; it is established; the day is prescribed, and according to Dan. 8:14 it is at the end of the 2,300 days, or years.

We now call for the inspired writers of the Bible to bear their testimony upon this important subject. Jude will be the first to speak: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Jude 6.

The Saviour bears the following testimony: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” The judgment is in the last day, and not after it.

We now inquire, Does the judgment day begin before the second advent of Christ? The testimony of John is, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection,” and, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Rev. 20:5, 6. There are two resurrections. The dead in Christ are raised at his coming, and the wicked, one thousand years later. It is evident that if the righteous and wicked are to be resurrected at different times, it must be determined, before the resurrection, who are holy and righteous; and to this agree the words of Christ: “But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead [literally, “out from among the dead”], neither marry, nor are given in marriage.” Luke 20:35. The accounting worthy of a resurrection, must take place before the resurrection, and, as the second advent of Christ and first resurrection take place at the same time, the accounting worthy is done prior to his coming.

Daniel speaks thus: “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 throne 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 [angels, Rev. 5:11] stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Dan. 7:9, 10. Christ also was brought before the Ancient of Days, or into the holy of holies of the heavenly sanctuary. “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven [angels], and came to the Ancient of Days.” Verse 13. After the judgment is set, and the books are opened, Daniel says, “I beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain [after the judgment was set], and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” See also 2 Thess. 1:7, 8. The judgment was set in 1844, the Son of man was brought before the Ancient of Days, and then there were some great words uttered by a power symbolized by the horn, and at last he saw the beast destroyed by the burning flame which will accompany Christ’s second advent.

We give one more text to prove that the judgment takes place before Christ’s second advent: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and in every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:6, 7. We learn from this text that the everlasting Gospel is preached to the inhabitants of the earth by this angel. Who are those who preach the Gospel on the earth?—They are God’s ministers. Therefore, the angel having the Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, must be a symbol of a religious movement given by God’s ministers. The message to be given is the everlasting Gospel. Part of the message is that “the hour of God’s judgment is come.”

As the judgment is in the last day, this message must be a last-day message. Or, if the judgment began in 1844, this message should go at that time. Ministers in all parts of the earth proclaimed the judgment day, in 1844. The theory then prevailed, as it now does, that the judgment day and the second advent were to take place at the same time. The judgment day did begin, but the second advent is still in the future.

John says, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen.” Rev. 14:8. This message announces the downfall of professed religionists. The world, since the fall announced, is almost void of genuine Christianity, such as was in the apostolic church.

There is still one more message to go to the world: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” Verses 9, 10. This warning message is the last that will go to the world. It is now being given. The next event is the coming of Christ, as announced in verse 14: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.”

Judgment is of two kinds,—investigative and executive. According to the word of God, there are two investigative and two executive judgments. The first investigative judgment and the first executive judgment both pertain to the household of God, or the church. The second investigative and the second executive judgments both pertain to the wicked.

The judgment which began in 1844 was the first investigative judgment, and pertained to the church only. Judgment “begins at the house of God,” and the sins of those who have accepted of the Gospel, and have proved faithful, and have overcome, will all be blotted out, and Christ says to such, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” John 14:1–4. When he comes, it will be to execute, or carry out, the decisions made in the first investigative judgment. Jude 14, 15.

The second investigative judgment is an investigation of the cases of the wicked, and is to take place in heaven during the thousand years, or the millennium. Rev. 20:5–7. The church of Christ will participate in this judgment. “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matt. 19:28. “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 [fallen] angels?” 1 Cor. 6:2, 3. This is the second investigative judgment, and lasts one thousand years. At its close the wicked are raised from the dead, and come forth to suffer the second death, or the penalty for their sins. The punishment of the wicked is the carrying out of the decisions of the second investigative judgment, and is the second executive judgment.

Sometimes as the great day of the Lord, comprised of many events, is spoken of as one, so the judgment of that day is spoken of as one, including all classes. Here is a description of the judgment which began in 1844: “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.” Rev. 20:12. A book is spoken of in the text, called the book of life. It is always spoken of in the singular number. The books which contain the record of our deeds, are spoken of in the plural number. The book of life contains names. Rev. 13:8; 21:27. When the judgment was set in 1844, the “books” were opened, and the sins of those who were found faithful, were all blotted out. Acts 3:19. Of those who are not found faithful, the names were blotted out of the book of life (Rev. 3:5), and their sins remain on record in the other books. The book of life contained the names of those who accepted Christ from Adam’s day to our own. In 1844, the first name called was Adam’s; and so they pass down the ages until they reach our day. How soon our names may be called we can not tell, but all is well if we only have Christ as our pleading Lawyer, to plead the merits of his blood before the supreme court of the universe.

“The judgment is set; the books have been opened. How shall we stand in that great day?”

New Carlisle, Ohio.