The Investigative Judgment in the Writings of Ellen G. White

Chapter 10—The Close of the Millennium

During the thousand years which follow Christ’s return, the saints join the Lord in judging the wicked (The Great Controversy, 661). At the close of the Millennium the drama reaches its peak when “the whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God” (The Great Controversy, 668). IJWEGW 12.2

“What a solemn scene it will be! What a reckoning will have to be made for nailing to the cross One who came to our world as a living epistle of the law. God will ask each one the question, What have you done with my only-begotten Son? What will those answer who have refused to accept the truth? They will be obliged to say, ‘We hated Jesus, and cast Him out.’”—The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 5:1106, 1107. IJWEGW 12.3

Before the assembled inhabitants of the universe Christ pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His government. The books of record are opened and the wicked are conscious of every sin they have ever committed (The Great Controversy, 666). “The whole life will come in review like the scenes in a panorama” (The Review and Herald, November 4, 1884, p. 690). The sins of all the wicked will be openly known. Nothing will be hid. Ellen White declares: IJWEGW 12.4

“When the Judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, there will be many astonishing disclosures.... Secret sins will then be laid open to the view of all. Motives and intentions which have been hidden in the dark chambers of the heart will be revealed. Designing

ambitions, selfish purposes, will be seen where the outward appearance told only of a desire to honor God and to do good to men.…Hypocritical, ambitious teachers may now be admired and exalted by men; but God, who knows the secrets of the heart, will strip off the deceptive covering, and reveal them as they are. Every hypocrite will be unmasked.”—The Review and Herald, January 1, 1884, p. 2. IJWEGW 13.1

“In that solemn and awful hour the unfaithfulness of the husband will be opened to the wife, and the unfaithfulness of the wife, to the husband. Parents will then learn, for the first time, what was the real character of their children.”—The Review and Herald, March 27, 1888, p. 194.

“The fruit of every selfish, arbitrary exaction will be made plain, and men will see the results of their doings even as God sees them.”—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 224. (See also Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 241, 242.)

Sin will be confessed then, and the confession will be “most public” (The Review and Herald, December 16, 1880, p. 770). Too late to benefit the wrongdoer or to save others from deception, the confession will only testify that the sinner’s condemnation is just. Even “Satan bows down, and confesses the justice of his sentence” (The Great Controversy, 670). This, of course, is the primary purpose of the whole judgment process. It is God’s means of vindicating His own character and His government. It is His method of convincing the universe that He has been eminently fair and just in all His dealing with men and angels since time began. IJWEGW 13.2

“The judgment scene will take place in the presence of all the worlds; for in this judgment the government of God will be vindicated, and His law will stand forth as ‘holy, and just, and good.’ Then every case will be decided, and sentence will be passed upon all. Sin will not then appear attractive, but will be seen in all its hideous magnitude.”—The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 7:986. IJWEGW 13.3

This grand climax of all history was often in the mind of Ellen White. She writes: IJWEGW 13.4

“When speaking to congregations, there is always before me the final judgment, which is to be held in the presence of the world, when the law of God’s government is to be vindicated, His name glorified, His wisdom acknowledged and testified of as just to believers and unbelievers. This is not the judgment of one person, nor of a nation, but of a whole world of intelligent beings, of all orders, of all characters. The judgment takes place first upon the dead, then upon the living, then the whole universe will be assembled to hear the sentence. I feel as if I were in the presence of the whole universe of heaven, bearing my message for time and for eternity.”—Letter 109, 1898.

“In the day of final judgment, every lost soul will understand the nature of his own rejection of truth. The cross will be presented, and its real bearing will be seen by every mind that has been blinded by transgression. Before the vision of Calvary with its mysterious Victim, sinners will stand condemned. Every lying excuse will be swept away. Human apostasy will appear in its heinous character. Men will see what their choice has been. Every question of truth and error in

the long-standing controversy will then have been made plain. In the judgment of the universe, God will stand clear of blame for the existence or continuance of evil. It will be demonstrated that the divine decrees are not accessory to sin. There was no defect in God’s government, no cause for disaffection. When the thoughts of all hearts shall be revealed, both the loyal and the rebellious will unite in declaring, ‘Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, Oh Lord, and glorify Thy name? ... for Thy judgments are made manifest’ (Revelation 15:3, 4).”—The Desire of Ages, 58. IJWEGW 14.1

Ellen G. White Estate

Washington, D. C.

February 25, 1980