The Millennial Judgment

The Bible tells us that at the Second Coming (1) both the living saints

and the resurrected saints will “meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16,

17); (2) all the saints will be taken to heaven to abide in the heavenly

“ ‘dwelling places’ ” that He Himself has prepared for them (John 14:1–3,

NRSV); and (3) only at the end of the millennium will the New Jerusalem

come down to this earth and become the everlasting home of the saints (Rev.

21:1–3, 9–11). So, during the millennium, while this earth remains desolate,

the saints will reign with Christ in heaven (Jer. 4:23, Rev. 20:4).

Read 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3 and Revelation 20:4–6, 11–13. Why should

the saints participate in the millennial judgment?

The whole judgment process is intended (1) to vindicate God’s char-

acter against the accusations of Satan that God is unfair in the way He

treats His creatures; (2) to confirm the impartiality of the rewards of

the righteous; (3) to demonstrate the justice of the punishments of the

wicked; and (4) to dissipate all doubts that could lead toward another

rebellion in the universe. In the pre-Advent investigative judgment of

the righteous, only the heavenly hosts are involved (Dan. 7:9, 10). But

during the millennial judgment of the wicked and the fallen angels, the

saints themselves also will participate (1 Cor. 6:3, Jude 6, Rev. 20:4–6).

The pre-Advent investigative judgment began in 1844 when “ ‘thrones

were put in place. . . . The court was seated, and the books were opened’ ”

(Dan. 7:9, 10, NKJV). The millennial judgment, however, will start after

the saints are taken to heaven and sit on thrones, and the judgment is com-

mitted to them. Then, once more, the heavenly books are opened, and the

dead are “judged according to their works, by the things which were writ-

ten in the books” (Rev. 20:4, 12, NKJV). This process provides an oppor-

tunity for the saints to evaluate the heavenly records and to see God’s fair

treatment in all cases. He not only rewards all human beings according to

what they deserve based on their own decisions but also explains to them

why He does so.

What does it teach us about the character of God that before any

of the sleeping lost are resurrected to face the second death, the

saved will be involved in the judging process, and no one will be

punished until we, too, see the justice and fairness of God? Bring

your answer to class on Sabbath.