The Order of Events in the Judgment.
By John Nevins Andrews
THE fact that the resurrection of the righteous is declarative of their acceptance in the sight of God, and, therefore, proof that the investigation and decision of their cases precede that event, has been very distinctly stated by some of the clearest minds in the Advent ranks. The late Sylvester Bliss, for many years editor of the Advent Herald, thus states the case:— "We are inclined to the opinion that the judgment is after death and before the resurrection; and that before that event the acts of all men will be adjudicated; so that the resurrection of the righteous is their full acquittal and redemption—their sins being blotted out when the time of refreshing shall have come (Acts 3:19); while the fact that the wicked are not raised [for 1000 years], proves that they were previously condemned." Advent Shield, p. 366, published in 1845. He saw the fact perfectly distinct that there can be no trial of the righteous after they have been made immortal. But it is very evident that he did not well understand when and how the examination of their cases should take place. Elder Josiah Litch, one of the ablest writers in the early history of the Advent movement, states this subject even more distinctly than Mr. Bliss. In his Prophetic Expositions, written in 1842, on pp. 49-54, he uses the following language:— "THE MEANING OF THE TERM 'JUDGE.'" "1. It is used in the Bible in the sense of a trial according to law and evidence; the idea being drawn from a civil or criminal court . . . "2. It signifies a penal judgment; or the execution of judgment. "The terms are both used in reference to the judgment of the human race. All men will be brought to trial, or into judgment, and all their deeds and their moral characters will be examined, and their everlasting states will be determined by the evidence produced from God's books, including the book of life, which will decide the moral character and everlasting destiny of each individual of Adam's race. If their names are found in 'the book of life,' they will be saved; and if not found there, they will be cast into the lake of fire, the second death. But the degree of reward or punishment will be graduated by what each one has done . . . "THE TRIAL MUST PRECEDE THE EXECUTION." "This is so clear a proposition that it is sufficient to state it. No human tribunal would think of executing judgment on a prisoner until after his trial; much less will God. He will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil. "But the resurrection is the retribution or execution of judgment; for they that have done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life. We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.' 'In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' Here is clearly a retribution in the resurrection. It will be administered when the saints are raised. But no more certainly than they that have done evil will come forth damned, or 'to the resurrection of damnation.' They will come forth to shame and everlasting contempt. The saints will be raised and be caught up at once to meet the Lord in the air, to be forever with the Lord. There can be no general judgment or trial after the resurrection. The resurrection is the separating process, and they will never be mingled again, after the saints are raised, no matter how long or short the period to elapse between the two resurrections; it is all the same so far as the separation which the resurrection produces is concerned. If there is no more than a second which elapses between the two resurrections, the separation it makes is final. "These two senses of the judgment are recognized in Rev. 20:12. '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.' This is the trial of the dead in the invisible and spiritual world, before Jesus Christ comes in the clouds of heaven. The only evidence on which the trial proceeds is, the books and the book of life. "They tell the whole story, and we must abide the issue of the trial on that testimony. The dead, as dead, were judged. Then follows, in the next verse, the penal judgment, in connection with the resurrection: '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 [judgment was executed on them] every man according to their works.' There is no reference here to a trial or to the opening of the books; but simply a penal judgment. Judgment will be executed, finally, on each party; the righteous and the wicked, each one at the time of their resurrection; the righteous at the first resurrection, and the wicked at the final resurrection. "GOD, THE 'ANCIENT OF DAYS,' WILL PRESIDE IN THE TRIAL." "1. Daniel 7:9, 10, presents the Ancient of days coming on his throne of fiery flame; the judgment is set and the books opened. He is distinct from the Son of man, spoken of in verse 13, when he comes to the Ancient of days. "2. Revelation 20:12, tells us it is God, before whom the dead stand and are judged. "THE SON OF MAN WILL EXECUTE THE JUDGMENT." "Thus the Saviour declares, John 5:27: 'And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.' Also 2 Cor. 5:10: 'For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.' "Also Paul's testimony in the Acts of the Apostles: God 'hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.' What we are assured of by the resurrection of Christ, is the execution, in the resurrection, of a righteous judgment on all men. "THE TIME OF THE TRIAL OF THE DEAD." "Is it under the opening of the sixth seal of Revelation sixth chapter, where the servants of God are sealed. . . . And under the seventh seal (chap. 8:1) when there is silence in heaven about the space of half an hour; when the great Mediator ceases to plead for sinners, the day of grace ends; then the judgment or trial will proceed on the living inhabitants of the earth. That done, Christ will appear in the clouds of heaven, and come to the Ancient of days and the scene of trial, to announce the verdict with a shout, and deliver all his saints as soon as they are declared innocent, or justified, and raise them to eternal life in the twinkling of an eye. We are now justified by faith; we must, however, be declared justified at the day of judgment, before the effects of the fall will be taken away, and the saints be restored to God's perfect image and glory. "THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW." "This chapter does not, as has been supposed, describe the great trial, but the separation between the righteous and wicked, which will be accomplished by the resurrection of the just. And when the separation is accomplished, Christ will address each party, and show why he has made this separation. But through the whole scene, he acts the part of the executor of judgment . . . [Query. Did the judgment, or trial of the dead, begin to sit when they took away the Papal dominion in 1798? See Dan. 7:26, compared with Dan. 7:9, 10.]" The reader cannot fail to be deeply interested in these extracts from Bliss and Litch. We do not indorse every idea. Indeed, there is a degree of confusion in the language which shows that the subject was not wholly clear. Thus while Elder L. teaches that the session of the judgment must be before Christ comes, and even though it might have commenced at the end of the 1260 days, he seems also to teach that Christ comes to this tribunal when he descends to earth. This cannot be as has been fully shown in a former article. But this reasoning of Elder Litch, relative to the investigation and decision of the cases of the righteous before the resurrection is weighty and conclusive. It is worthy of notice that he places this judgment of the righteous at the tribunal of the Father, as presented in Dan. 7. He believed that this part of the judgment work was to be fulfilled while the living were yet in probation; for he suggested that it commenced in 1798 with the ending of the 1260 years. These able writers saw the fact that this work must take place before the resurrection of the just, but they did not see the time and place for the work. They did not see the heavenly sanctuary, and therefore had no clear idea of the concluding work of human probation, as presented to us in the Saviour's ministration before the ark of God's testament. The temple of God in heaven reveals the very nature of this work, and the prophetic periods mark its time. The proclamation of the angel that the hour of his judgment is come, and his solemn oath to the time, gives to mankind the knowledge of this great work, and the certainty that the present is the time of the dead that they should be judged. This doctrine is of the highest practical importance. It shows that we are now in the antitype of the great day of atonement. Our business should be the affliction of our souls and the confession of our sins. J. N. A.