The Impending Judgment by Asa T. Robinson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 21, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 34.

The Impending Judgment

By Asa T. Robinson

By Asa T. Robinson

THAT there should be a day of judgment, a time of final reckoning, is the only view that is in keeping with the idea of free moral agency. When God created man, He left him free to choose between good and evil, between right and wrong, between sinning or not sinning. It is reasonable to conclude that what applies to man in this respect applies equally to the created intelligences in all the worlds. So far as we can learn from revelation, sin has never invaded more than two of the unnumbered provinces of God's universe. We read of the "angels that sinned" (2 Peter 2:4), and again we read, "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.

It is further in harmony with reason that the time of the judgment should be fixed beforehand. This is in harmony with the Scripture statements, which read as follows:

"I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work." Eccl. 3: 17.

"Because He 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." Acts 17: 31.

The Warning of the Impending Judgment.

Since the judgment is an event in which men and fallen angels are especially concerned, and since the time of the judgment has been definitely fixed, it is reasonable to conclude that the time of the judgment would be revealed, and that just prior to the judgment a warning message, to prepare those living in the world for that event, should be given. When Paul, a prisoner, was called before Felix to answer for his faith, "he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." Acts 24: 25. The apostle, then, looked forward to the judgment as an event to take place in the future from his day.

In Revelation 14, a message is brought to view, just following which the revelator says: "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. . . . And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."

The message to be given just prior to the second coming of Christ is given in these words: "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 to 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." Rev. 14: 6, 7.

This shows clearly that the message announcing the hour of His judgment is given as a message due to the world just before the second coming of Christ.

The Judgment a Threefold Work.

The judgment is brought to view in the Scriptures as a threefold work; first, there will be an investigative judgment, in which it will be determined who shall be accounted worthy of everlasting life; secondly, there will be the time of the passing of judgment upon the wicked; and thirdly, there will be the execution of "the judgment written."

The Investigative Judgment.

The following words of our Saviour make it clear that the investigative judgment must take place before the resurrection of the dead, which will be at the second coming of Christ:

"But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." Luke 20: 35, 36.

Here is brought to view an accounting to determine how many of the countless millions who will be sleeping in the dust of the earth shall be worthy of a part in the first resurrection. The warning of our Saviour, addressed to those who will be living on the earth at the time of His second coming, shows that such an investigation of the living will take place:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21: 34-36.

Here it is clearly stated that those who will stand before the Son of Man when He comes, will have been previously judged or "accounted worthy."

The Scene Described.

A forcible description of this judgment scene may be quoted from the prophecy of Daniel as follows:

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down [set up], 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 stood before Him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7: 9, 10.

This same scene is described by the revelator, in the following language:

"And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 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 [hades, the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works." Rev. 20: 11-13.

Passing Sentence on the Wicked.

As we have already seen, the first phase of the judgment, the work of investigation, will take place during a period of time just prior to the second coming of Christ. Those who shall then have been accounted worthy of eternal life will be "caught up . . . in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air," and will reign "with Christ a thousand years." During this thousand years, the saints will sit in judgment, meting out sentence upon the wicked.

"To execute upon them the judgment written; this honor have all His saints." Ps. 149: 9.

The execution of the judgment, which will take place after a thousand years, is described as follows:

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, . . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. . . . Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power. . . . And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Rev. 20: 4-9.

The Facts Summed Up.

We have found: (1) that there is to be a day of judgment; (2) that the time was appointed before the foundation of the world; (3) that a message announcing the

hour of His judgment was to be given just before the second coming of Christ; (4) that the investigative judgment was to take place prior to the second coming of Christ; (5) that the passing of sentence upon the wicked will be during the thousand years of the saints' reign in heaven; (6) that the execution of the judgment upon the wicked will be at the close of the thousand years.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12: 13, 14.

"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Rom. 14: 11, 12.

"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." 2 Cor. 5: 10.