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From Here to Forever

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Chapter 28—Facing Our Life Record

“I beheld till thrones were placed, and One that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:9, 10, R.V. HF 295.1

Thus was presented to Daniel's vision the great day when the lives of men pass in review before the Judge of all the earth. The Ancient of Days is God the Father. He, the source of all being, the fountain of all law, is to preside in the judgment. And holy angels as ministers and witnesses, attend. HF 295.2

“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. 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.” Daniel 7:13, 14. HF 295.3

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 a kingdom which will be given Him at the close of His work as mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Our great High Priest enters the holy of holies to engage in His last ministration in behalf of man. HF 295.4

In the typical service only those whose sins were transferred to the sanctuary had a part in the Day of Atonement. So in the great final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a separate work at a later period. “Judgment must begin at the house of God.” 1 Peter 4:17. HF 296.1

The books of record in heaven are to determine the decisions of the judgment. The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. Jesus bade His disciples: “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Paul speaks of his fellow workers, “whose names are in the book of life.” Daniel declares that God's people shall be delivered, “every one that shall be found written in the book.” And the revelator says that those only shall enter the City of God whose names “are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Daniel 12:1; Revelation 21:27. HF 296.2

In “a book of remembrance” are recorded the good deeds of “them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” Every temptation resisted, every evil overcome, every word of pity expressed, every act of sacrifice, every sorrow endured for Christ's sake is recorded. “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” Malachi 3:16; Psalm 56:8. HF 296.3