The investigative judgment which began in the autumn of 1844, is drawing to a close, and those who have known of its proceedings, should now be living in readiness, so that when each of our names are called, Jesus will be pleased to lift His right hand in exonerating us from the penalty of sin. Closely connected with the closing scenes of the judgment are a few solemn facts, of which we should all be aware, because, in our fast-paced world, where the gods of materialism, and fashion are stalking the land unrebuked, Christians and secular folk alike are in grave danger of forgetting what some may deem an inconvenient truth.
[1] We will all be held accountable for our actions and decisions. Each individual must render an account in the judgment to The One who gave us our existence, and this solemn truth applies across the board, affecting believers and unbelievers, men and women of all faiths, creeds, and cultures, even atheists, agnostics, and all those who subscribe to pagan religions, and secret societies. None are exempt and none can escape the searching scrutiny of the Omniscient God. Let’s read.
2nd Corinthians 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.
Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
That nation being referred to is the first known atheistic nation, and it’s worthy of note that the pharaoh of Moses’ day adamantly declared that he had no respect nor reverence for the God of the Hebrews. But as the Bible clearly teaches, being atheistic, in no way, shape or form, exempts any person or nation from being judged by the God of the universe, for the Bible teaches that God is no respecter of persons, whether we believe in Him or not. Let’s read:
Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.
3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.
32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
This first, and very important point is especially applicable in our present day, for the doctrine of non-accountability to anyone but ourselves has gone viral. This is the reason why there is so much animosity towards the Bible and its teachings, for anytime and anywhere the principles of God’s word are brought to bear against prevailing sins, there is the tendency to raise the cry of being judgmental. And it’s because of this why the voice of reproof and instruction, as found in the Bible, have gone strangely silent for the most part. But there is soon going to be a great awakening, when each person must come face to face with the irrevocable verdict handed down in the judgment.
[2] The next important point for us to remember, even if we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, is that our sins are not blotted out until after a final decision has been reached in the courts above. Until such time, our sins are only covered by the blood of Christ, but it’s only after close scrutiny of our deeds and decisions, that our sins are forever removed from the heavenly records. This sacred truth should have the effect of causing us not to become weary of our vigil, nor careless, but on the contrary, should motivate us to live soberly and righteously in this present world. Let’s read:
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
The doctrine of “Once saved always saved” is one of the “doctrines of devils”, and has been proven to be particularly dangerous, since it does violence to the scriptural teachings on the blotting out of sins, by proposing to release its adherents from any future backsliding or renouncing of their faith and practice. All the records of our deeds, both good and evil are kept in the books of heaven, until our names are called in the judgment, and it’s then, and only then, that we are either permanently acquitted, or forever convicted. The writers of the Bible, under the inspiration of The Holy Ghost, have doubled down on this sacred truth, so that no one be misled by any fanciful teachings to the contrary. Let’s read:
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Ezekiel 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Exodus 14:30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.
[3] The issue of the mark of the beast will not actually “Determine” who among the living will be saved or lost. It will only “Reveal” who was saved or lost all along, for no one will then suddenly change from sin to righteousness, as a last ditch effort, merely to avoid the judgments which will be meted out to the beast and its followers. In the teachings of the Bible there is no such thing as a rush for the door. God’s people who are in Babylon will come out from her, because they are already His people, not because they become His people overnight.
They were sitting in spiritual darkness on the issue of the true Sabbath, but they followed the great Shepherd to the best of their knowledge, and when they hear The Shepherd’s voice on the issue of true worship, they will follow where He leads the way. Let’s read:
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
And now, having laid the foundation for the closing scenes of earth’s history, we now turn to the final
phase of the investigative judgment. We begin by observing the solemn announcement made in the courts of heaven as written by the prophet Daniel. The court is now called, the Judge is seated, and the books of record are opened. Let’s read:
Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, 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.
10 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.
[The Great Controversy. pp. 479] Thus was presented to the prophet's vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered “according to his works.” The Ancient of days is God the Father. It is he, the source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the Judgment. And holy angels, as ministers and witnesses, in number “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,” attend this great tribunal.
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
[The Great Controversy pp. 479>480] The coming of Christ here described is not his second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of days in Heaven to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, which will be given him at the close of his work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not his second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844.
Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies, and there appears in the presence of God, to engage in the last acts of his ministration in behalf of man, to perform the work of investigative Judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.
In the typical service, only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin-offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the day of atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative Judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period.
Thus, in order for us to better understand the final phase of the investigative judgment, it will become necessary for us to study the type, given in Leviticus chapter 16. The day of atonement has come, Aaron the high priest is preparing to enter the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, to make atonement for all of the sins committed by individuals and the nation throughout the previous year. Two live goats are presented before the Lord, and the Chosen one is to be sacrificed, and his blood brought into the most holy place.
The other goat, Azaziel, stands idly by, awaiting extradition to the wilderness, where he will bear the sins of God’s people into a land not inhabited. It’s worthy of note that this scapegoat has no part whatsoever in the proceedings taking place in the Most holy place of the sanctuary. Let’s read:
Leviticus 16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
The Lord’s goat represents Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. And the reason why He is being offered as a “sin offering”, is because He is scheduled to carry our sin vicariously, not because there is any sin in Him. Let’s read:
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Leviticus 16:5 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering”… “and bring his blood within the vail”…. “and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins”…
17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place”…..
And thus it is, that after the atonement proceedings are finished in the most Holy place, after the sins of the people have been blotted out by the blood of Christ, that the scape goat is brought. All the sins that have been symbolically removed from the Most holy place are now placed upon the head of the scapegoat, and he is to bear them into a land not inhabited for a specified period of time. Thus it is, that when the antitypical day of atonement will have been closed, that Jesus Christ will place all of the sins of those who have been exonerated in the investigative judgment upon the head of satan, the antitypical scapegoat, and by the hand of a “Fit man” he will be banished to the earth, which at this time will not be inhabited, just as in the type. Let’s read:
Leviticus 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 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.
Question: What were the beneficiaries of this great atonement supposed to be doing, whilst their sins were being blotted out? And the question for us is, what are we supposed to be doing, now that the work of Christ’s mediation in our behalf, is drawing to a swift and permanent close? Let’s read:
Leviticus 23:26 And the Lord spake”… “saying,
27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God.
29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Question: What does ceasing from our own works mean?
Answer: Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
There is a counterfeit gospel that has gained much traction in our day, by which earth’s multitudes are taught to only believe, without any corresponding works of righteousness. Thus, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been watered down to a mere profession of faith, whilst sinful practices of the darkest hue are masqueraded under a guise of pretended piety. This gospel has recently been given extra legs by some of the most prominent spiritual leaders of our day, with the ordination of bishops and priests who openly practice lifestyles and marriages that are not sanctioned by the word of God.
And for this very reason, as a nation, we are now staring into a dark, moral abyss, from which there will be no escape or absolution, if repentance and concrete changes are not made pretty soon. Some may be wondering the urgency of the message for today; it’s because of a terrible and distinct dream I received during the week, which will be related just the way in which it was given. As a general rule of thumb, we are counseled in God’s word not to live by dreams or impressions, since they come from one of three sources, God, satan, our ourselves. However, this particular one is different, for it was given with startling clarity, and distinctness, and because it is in harmony with what the Bible teaches on the issue of the judgment, it matters not what is the source.
The judgment was set, and the Judge of all the earth was seated on His throne, and a brother was brought forth to face the record of his life, and also to hear the final verdict. As I stood beholding the proceedings, there was a long period of tense waiting, as the Judge reviewed the details of the man’s life. The person seemed nervous, and ill at ease, as the records were being carefully examined. Then finally, the Judge raised His eyes, and with a piercing look, did something that was totally unexpected. He reached for a box of Kleenex, and handed a few sheets to the man, whose record had
just been examined.
Immediately, there was a terrible outburst of uncontrollable and bitter crying, for the man then realized that his probation had been closed, the harvest was past, the summer was ended, and he had not been saved. The dream quickly faded, I immediately woke up, and started thinking very seriously about the ramifications of what I had just seen: Who was the person seen in the judgment, and what application it may have for you and me personally?
Only each individual could correctly answer that question, however it’s important that we not put off for tomorrow, what should be done today, for the time of the investigative judgment will soon be over. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reiterates this solemn truth, and it is the will of God that we do not take His grace and mercies or granted, lest we also be handed a few sheets of
kleenex. Let’s read:
Matthew 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches.
God bless!