The Day of Judgment by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 14, 1877

The Day of Judgment.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Whoever receives the Bible as the word of God must accept it as a settled fact that at some time in the history of this world there will come a final day of Judgment, the second advent of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the harvest of the world. That there should be a final day of reckoning at the close of human probation, is reasonable. The cases of men can then be impartially settled. Hence, as the Judge of all the earth is sure to do right, he has appointed a day of Judgment. Let us read a few plain scriptures upon this point. “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:14. “The Judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Dan. 7:10. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment.” Matt. 12:36. “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than for that city.” Matt. 10:14, 15. “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.

These scriptures are as plain as positive statements can be. The day of Judgment is not an indefinite event, but it is a day appointed, fixed, and settled by the great God. That this day comes near the close of this world’s history is evident from every reference to it. The language of Peter upon this point very plainly locates the day of Judgment at that period. “But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Pet. 3:7. Jude, speaking of that great day, says: “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 book of Revelation, which relates almost wholly to the last-day events, plainly tells us that the day of Judgment comes under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the last one. Thus it says: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.” “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth.” Rev.

11:15, 18. Then the time when the dead shall be judged does not come till the sounding of the seventh trumpet. One more text will suffice upon this point: “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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.” Rev. 20:12, 13.

This is a plain description of the Judgment. It is closely connected with the resurrection of the dead. All men will be judged at that time, small and great. For this day of Judgment, men are frequently exhorted to prepare. Exhortations to repentance are based upon the fact that we shall be brought into judgment. Promises of reward for obedience are to be fulfilled at the day of Judgment. The punishment of the wicked is to take place at the day of Judgment. God’s righteousness is to be vindicated at that time. Then his saints are to be delivered. This, therefore, is the great and important event for the human race.—D. M. Canright, in Bible Banner.