Thursday: The Pre-Advent Judgment
Daily Lesson for Thursday 5th of June 2025
The description of judgment found in Daniel 7:1-28 gives us a glimpse behind the veil—to an awe-inspiring opportunity to see how God is resolving the problem of sin while still redeeming those who wish to live in a covenant relationship with Him.
Read the description of the investigative judgment provided in Daniel 7:9-10,13-14,22,26, and 27. What is the primary focus in the judgment? What is the verdict rendered at the end of the process? What does this tell us about the plan of salvation?
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There is little question that the human race is judged by God. Ecclesiastes 12:14 assures us that “God will bring every work into judgment” (NKJV), and Paul reminds us that we do not need to judge each other, because “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10). God, of course, does not need records to know who is saved or lost, but angels—who have been examining the plan of salvation all along (1 Peter 1:12)—would naturally have questions. They were witnesses to the rebellion of Satan and saw a third of heaven’s angels expelled from heaven (Revelation 12:4)—and now God is bringing us into His presence. God opens the books and allows the saints to see everything.
The story of Abraham’s pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah—a type of the judgment—offers us some important insight into judgment. The sins of Sodom were obviously being investigated; God mentions that the wickedness of the city had given it such a reputation that the outcry against it was great (Genesis 18:20). But it was not only Sodom and Gomorrah that were investigated prior to their destruction. God also opened the door for Abraham to study whether or not God was acting righteously in His decision to destroy the wicked.
Meanwhile, who appears amid the heavenly judgment, in Daniel 7:1-28, but “the Son of man,” Jesus (Daniel 7:13; see also Matthew 20:28), whose appearance is the only reason why this judgment is “made in favor of the saints of the Most High” (Daniel 7:22, NKJV). His perfect righteousness alone gets His people through judgment.
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Imagine standing in judgment with all your secrets exposed before our Holy God. What is your only hope at that time of judgment? (See Friday’s study.) |
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Many people assume that people, deep down, are fundamentally good, and that bad things only really happen because of poverty, lack of education, poor upbringing, lack of privilege, and the like. What we need is progress, not judgment. Judgment is outdated. We’re sophisticated enough to know what’s right and wrong.
Additionally people may want to believe that God is so “loving” that He will overlook our “little faults,” “lapses,” and “indiscretions.” Little white lies, cheating on the tax return, taking that pen when no one is looking, or secretly viewing pornography—these peccadillos are not worthy of death, right? The problem is, sin is sin, big or small.
Though God loves us, His holiness is such that He cannot tolerate evil. Habakkuk describes God this way: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). God does not ignore our sin. On the contrary, “you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Even those secret sins we hide in the recesses of our hearts will one day be brought to light: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13)
All the things you mention are problems and they do separate us from God. At the same time, I feel that the issue is more SIN than sins. When we look at Adam and Eve, did they die because they ate the fruit or because they chose to separate themselves from God by not trusting Him? They had chosen SIN before they committed a sin.
That's why I'm not really comfortable saying that God condemns people to death for taking a pen. The act of stealing reflects what's in one's heart. Selfish attitudes that lead to stealing are the true problem. And it's not so much God punishing people with death for every little infraction; it's about God respecting the choices of people who choose to live apart from Him (which ultimately leads to death).
Like the explanation. It is brief and straight forward.
The preadvent judgment has come under fire as being unbiblical, however a closer look at the doctrine shows that it is solidly biblical. God is being fully transparent here. Can you imagine what the unfallen angels must have thought when God announced that He was planning to bring earthlings into heaven? "Are you sure that this is a safe idea?" "How do we know that they won't try to take over like Lucifer did?" "How do we know they are safe to save?"
So many questions must have swirled through their minds, but God had a plan. He would open the books of the lives of those that were safe to save. He would let the angels see why they were safe to save. It is because they have made the LORD their refuge, they have repented of their sins, they have made Jesus their advocate and therefore they are safe to save.
As the lesson points out the judgment isn't for God’s benefit. In His Omniscience, God knows it all. Angels don't possess omniscience though, so rather than just expecting them to trust Him, God says, "let's take a look."
Anyone's only hope in the judgment is to have Jesus as their advocate.
The other factor is motives and thoughts. I believe angels and other beings cannot see what they are. They can only judge our actions. But actions don't always tell the whole story. We might be inclined to judge people as righteous because of their pious acts, not realizing that they are just good con artists, doing things for praise or whatever. Similarly, people do wrong things out of ignorance. For example, we would probably condemn the Christians of the middle ages who went on the crusades. Doing such actions would lead us to conclude they were Christians in name only. But were they? Perhaps some of them sincerely thought they were doing right and did have a trusting relationship with God. These are things that the unfallen worlds and probably even the angels don't fully know. So God needs to reveal this.
The “Pre-advent” and “Investigative Judgement” terms are almost uniquely Seventh-day Adventist expressions. And there is a danger of creating the impression that we have some sort of superior position in our use of these terms. I am always wary when someone starts an argument with me by firstly providing me with their own terminology and we need to understand that others will have the same wariness with us when we use our own terminology so frequently.
Granted, the church’s early pioneers’ journey through the 1844 movement and the great disappointment through to discovering a gospel purpose in our modern world should not be discounted. At the same time, we should understand that Jesus and his work is the main player and our role is subsidiary. We are the messenger and not the message. It makes sense to amplify our understanding of Jesus role as a mediator in the judgement rather than our timing and definitions.
The work of Jesus in the battle between Good and Evil is essentially timeless. It was/is/will be a key part of the story of Salvation showing the merciful character of a loving God.
We who subscribe to The Pre-Advent Judgment (Investigative Judgment) what difference does it make from those who believe otherwise? This message shall have gone with the wind if we fail to live soberly and faithfully (Luke 21:34–36). The pre-advent judgment theology tells us that judgment is already underway before the second coming of Jesus Christ. What is the purpose of this knowledge and understanding if it does not challenge us to make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10)? If judgment has already begun, can it be business as usual?
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13, NKJV)
Standing in the Investigative Judgment with every secret exposed before a holy God is a sobering thought. It reminds us that nothing is hidden from Him—but also that our only hope is in Jesus. His blood doesn’t just cover sin; it cleanses it completely (1 John 1:7). Knowing that Christ stands as our Advocate (1 John 2:1), offering His perfect righteousness in place of our guilt, should fill us with deep gratitude.
This truth should move us—not out of fear, but out of love—to serve Christ more fully. His grace doesn't excuse sin; it empowers us to live holy lives. The fact that He bore our judgment should stir a deeper loyalty in us to follow Him, obey Him, and reflect His character while there's still time to prepare.
From God, we cannot hide anything. He knows every little detail of our entire lives, every mistake, every wrong choice. Even though we might think we're good, sin can corrupt our minds. The only hope we have is to cling to the Grace of God Himself, demonstrated by the death of His Son, Jesus. To be saved from ourselves, Jesus is the name we have to cling to.