Sabbath: The Judging Process
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Matthew 25:31-46; Daniel 7:9-14; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Peter 2:4-6; Malachi 4:1; Revelation 21:8.
Memory Text: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NIV).
If Scripture is clear about one thing, it is the reality of judgment. God will judge the world. The texts, both in the Old Testament and the New, are numerous and without ambiguity. The justice so lacking here and now will one day come.
The Bible says that God has “perfect knowledge” (Job 37:16, NIV) and “knows everything” (1 John 3:20, NIV), including our most secret intentions (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Jeremiah 17:10). We can hide from everyone and everything else, but nothing is hidden from God.
What this reality implies is that He does not need a judgment for Himself to know the life of each individual. God’s judgments are, indeed, a divine accommodation, carried on for the sake of His creatures, both in heaven and on earth. This process is of a cosmic-historical nature because Lucifer began his rebellion in heaven and then spread it to this world (Revelation 12:7-9).
During this week we will consider the end-time judgment process with its three main phases: the pre-advent judgment, the millennial judgment, and the executive judgment. The whole process ends with the vindication of the righteous and the second death of the wicked.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 24.
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I grew up in the Seventh-day Adventist church and the judgement and its dates have been part of my whole life. When did it occur? Who is being judged? How many Judgements are there? It has the potential in young minds of being the equivalent of hell in some other churches. In fact, when I expressed an interest in going to a movie theatre my father used to argue about how would I feel if I knew that at the same time I was standing before the judgement bar of God.
Now my father had my best interests at heart, but now that I am much older than when he used that argument with me, I realise that judgement is a bit simpler than whether you are watching a nature film ("Living Desert" I just remembered the film I wanted to see) in a movie theatre or not.
Perhaps there is a tendency for Seventh-day-Adventists to overthink the judgement, mainly because it is so tied up with our identity.
This week, we should perhaps think beyond timetables and location and be more concerned about the rational and criteria. And one way we can do this is to think of judgement more in terms of restoration rather than punishment. If you want some reading on a different perspective, try C S Lewis, "Reflection on the Psalms", Chapter 2, "Judgement in the Psalms." It is not an alternative, but rather, an extension
For the sake of being brief, I am going to make an assertion - but one that I believe is well supported biblically. That assertion is that God's ways of being and doing are not the same as our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Across scripture, God's ways are characterised as "holy" - a term which refers to those ways being decidedly distinct/different from the ways of this world. Matthew 5:3-11 is but one example. Isaiah 55 contains other examples.
One of the key reasons Jesus came to earth in human form was to try and progressively 'enlighten' humanity (John 1:4-5) as to the different ways of God and therefore of His Kingdom. We see this reflected in Jesus's preface statements "to what shall I liken the Kingdom of God/Heaven" (Luke 13:20). However, Jesus/God is limited to using the language - the words and concepts - that we are already familiar with. Can you see the risk this presents?
Because of the way our mind works in 'default mode' (as fallen beings), unless we are mindful that our ways are less rather than more alike God's ways, when we see a word such as "judgment" or "justice", our mind will automatically 'pre-fill' our understanding of that word/concept based on our experience/knowledge. And we will do this without awareness and without questioning.
In light of the above points, I would invite those who are interested to consider this week how, for example words/concepts such as "judgment" and "justice" (two mentioned in today's lesson), might in fact be considerably different from God's perspective compared with what we are familiar with.
The judging process comes in phases. There must be a law/principle violated meaning there is a defendant and plaintiff. There is mention of the case before the judge{s} and after having gone through the cross examination by both advocates, the judge gives his/her ruling/judgment that either vindicates or convicts/condemns.
The author pens that God has "perfect knowledge and knows everything including our most secret intentions and we can't hide from His presence. He furthers states that God does not give a judgment for Him to know the life of each individual. This brings me to the question:
Could this be like the judgement is just but a formality just like the job interviews we do for formality with an already known outcome? Quoting from KJV 2 Timothy 2:19
Just thinking loudly!
Hi, Vincent.
As you have pointed out, the purpose of bringing out the records, during the various phases of the judgment, will obviously not be for God's enlightenment or information. Rather, it seems He attaches great importance to making His decisions openly and transparently. Nevertheless, I do believe it will still be possible for Him take a fresh look at the evidence, so to speak, as it is presented before His throne, and sincerely weigh every detail before the assembled intelligences of the universe. Seeing we are justified by faith, it seems clear to me that the particulars of everything a person has said, done, or thought will be examined only to determine whether or not he or she is truly a believer in Jesus. The merits of His righteousness will cover those whose faith is in Him. The others will have to stand or fall on their own merits, and I think we know how that will go.
But, so far, we are only looking at the pre-advent phase of the judgment, in which a verdict will be reached in each case. Such Scriptures as Luke 12:47-48, Revelation 20:4, Psalm 49:14, and 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 strongly suggest a sentencing phase, during the thousand years, in which we ourselves participate in the decision making. Again, God will know every outcome in advance. Yet our decisions, made in union with Christ, will be based only on the evidence as it comes to us.
Have a blessed day!
Being a judge means that you get to know the truth of what happened between two or more parties then decide on who gets what. And judges are addressed as Justice, for whatever decision they make should be accepted by both the offender and the offended as just. That cannot be seen with humans, only God.
I can see the word ‘judgement’ to be also used in the setting of an evaluation. We evaluate, judge many things and base our response on what we conclude. I see God’s judgement in this same light.
Our heavenly Father has no bias for or against anyone; we all are sinners to be saved by His grace. The one who chose to reject His way of truth and light and lived 'lawlessly', might still be found acceptable based on His eternal wisdom and grace.
I think the disposition by many Christians to judge others harshly for being ‘different’ or ‘not perfect’ will prove a hinderance when standing in front of the judgement seat of heaven. Please, Lord, grant that we may always seek your mercy and grace, your unfathomable depth of forgiveness, during our lifetime here on earth first!
Thank you for the clarification. I now understand