The Judgment. Its Events and Their Order

CHAPTER 8 — THE EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT

Christ Executes Judgment — Gathering of the Nations — Working of Satan — Separation of the Righteous and Wicked — The Saints Gathered Home

THE Saviour closes his priesthood with the acquittal of his people at his Father’s bar. For the act of God, the Father, in sitting as judge, enables the Son to appear as the advocate of his people, and to obtain decision in their favor. That acquittal involves the virtual condemnation of all others. The last act of the Father in the work of the judgment in Daniel 7, is to crown his Son king, that he may execute its decision. It is at the close of this session, therefore, that our Lord terminates his office of priest-king upon his Father’s throne, and takes his own throne to execute the decision of the Father. For it is the part of the Son to show from the record of the books who have overcome, and to confess the names of such before his Father. Revelation 3:5. It pertains to the Father to give decision that such persons shall have immortality. And the execution of the judgment will consist in making these persons immortal, and in destroying all the rest. The decision of the judgment does therefore rest wholly with the Father. But the execution of the judgment pertains alone to the Son, who is crowned king at his Father’s tribunal for this very purpose. JEO 102.1

The distinction between these two relations sustained by the Father and the Son to the work of the judgment is made very plain by our Lord’s words in John 5:22-30. This chapter takes up the judgment work just where the prophecy of Daniel leaves it. The Father having rendered decision, and having anointed his Son king, it pertains to the Son to execute the judgment — a work which he distinctly acknowledges in John 5. In this chapter our Lord uses these remarkable words:— JEO 102.2

“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.” Verses 22, 23. JEO 103.1

Now it is certain that God the Father must sit in judgment to fulfill Daniel 7:9, 10. But if we read forward in these words of our Lord to verses 26, 27, we shall see what he means in verse 22. JEO 103.2

“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” Verses 26, 27 JEO 103.3

It is therefore not the decision of the judgment, but its execution, that the Father had by promise even then given to his Son. And this execution will be effected, by the accomplishment of the words which follow:— JEO 103.4

“Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” Verses 28, 29. JEO 103.5

That our Lord is simply carrying out the judgment of his Father in the work which he thus performs, is distinctly taught in the next verse:— JEO 103.6

“I can of mine own self do nothing; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” Verse 30. JEO 103.7

Christ’s part of the judgment work is its execution. His work is just, because he first hears the Father’s decision, and then carries it out, doing only the Father’s will in all this work. We conclude this chapter with the following direct proof that the decision of the judgment, which is the Father’s part of the work, is past when our Lord comes again in the clouds of heaven. The execution of the judgment must be preceded by the investigation and decision of the cases which are judged. Now it is distinctly stated that the coming of Christ is to execute the judgment; whence it follows that the decision of the judgment is made by the Father before he sends his Son in the clouds of heaven. Thus we read of his second advent:— JEO 104.1

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 14, 15. JEO 104.2

The term saints, or holy ones, is applied to angels as well as to men. Daniel 8:13. These ten thousands of his saints are the host of heavenly angels that will escort our Lord on his return to our earth. Matthew 25:31. Enoch does, therefore, distinctly state the object of the second advent. It is to execute the judgment. And this fact constitutes a convincing proof that the decision of the judgment precedes our Lord’s return. That event is therefore “the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” Romans 2:5. And the very act of giving immortality is one part of the work of rendering to every man according to his deeds. Romans 2:6, 7. The judgment of God does, therefore, precede the advent of his Son from heaven. JEO 104.3

When the events of Christ’s advent are mentioned in the Scriptures, it is not merely those which happen at the very point when he descends from heaven, but also those which happen in consequence of that event. The execution of the judgment covers more than 1,000 years. Revelation 20. But the advent of Christ lies at the foundation of this whole work. And when men find just retribution meted out to them for all their sins they will surely be convinced of their ungodly deeds and of their hard speeches. JEO 105.1