Sunday
December 25
1. THE REDEEMED IN HEAVEN
a. What privilege will be extended to the saints when they are taken to heaven together with Christ? Revelation 7:13–17.
“Millions went down to the grave loaded with infamy because they steadfastly refused to yield to the deceptive claims of Satan. By human tribunals they were adjudged the vilest of criminals. But now ‘God is judge Himself’ (Psalm 50:6). Now the decisions of earth are reversed. ‘The rebuke of His people shall He take away’ (Isaiah 25:8).”—The Great Controversy, p. 650.
b. In what work will the redeemed participate as sharers with Christ after their ascension to the “Father’s house” (John 14:1–3)? For how long will they be engaged in that work? 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; Revelation 20:4, 6, 12.
“The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints; and the book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books are compared with the statute book, the Bible, and according to that men are judged. The saints, in unison with Jesus, pass their judgment upon the wicked dead.”—Early Writings, p. 52.
Monday
December 26
2. THE WICKED MUST BE JUDGED
a. Seeing that the fate of the wicked will have already been determined by their own free choice and they will be raised in “the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29) to suffer “the second death” (annihilation) at the end of the millennium (Revelation 20:5, 9, 14), why do they have to be judged?
“[At the end of the millennium] Christ, in union with His people, judged the wicked dead, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Word of God, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then they meted out to the wicked the portion which they must suffer, according to their works; and it was written against their names in the book of death. Satan also and his angels were judged by Jesus and the saints. Satan’s punishment was to be far greater than that of those whom he had deceived. His suffering would so far exceed theirs as to bear no comparison with it. After all those whom he had deceived had perished, Satan was still to live and suffer on much longer.”—Early Writings, p. 291.
b. All the wicked will perish in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15), but there will be degrees of punishment. Matthew 11:22; Luke 12:47, 48; 20:46, 47; Romans 2:5, 6. Therefore, what is implied in the fact that they will be judged “to be punished”? 2 Peter 2:9.
“Fire from God out of heaven is rained upon [Satan and his followers], and the great men, and mighty men, the noble, the poor and miserable, are all consumed together. I saw that some were quickly destroyed, while others suffered longer. They were punished according to the deeds done in the body. Some were many days consuming, and just as long as there was a portion of them unconsumed, all the sense of suffering remained. Said the angel, ‘The worm of life shall not die; their fire shall not be quenched as long as there is the least particle for it to prey upon.’
“Satan and his angels suffered long. Satan bore not only the weight and punishment of his own sins, but also of the sins of the redeemed host, which had been placed upon him; and he must also suffer for the ruin of souls which he had caused. Then I saw that Satan and all the wicked host were consumed, and the justice of God was satisfied; and all the angelic host, and all the redeemed saints, with a loud voice said, ‘Amen!’ ”—Ibid., pp. 294, 295.
Tuesday
December 27
3. THE PURPOSE OF THE JUDGMENT
a. Why is a judgment needed? Couldn’t God, who knows everything (Hebrews 4:13), pronounce a righteous sentence in every case? Why do even human beings have to take part in the judgment? What must become clear to the loyal angels, to the unfallen worlds, and to the redeemed from the earth? In the full conviction that God is just, what will all declare? Revelation 15:3, 4; 16:7; 19:1, 2.
“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.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 58.
b. How extensive is the judgment against sin, and what is the instigator of sin soon to realize? 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6.
“Satan also and evil angels are judged by Christ and His people. Says Paul, ‘Know ye not that we shall judge angels?’ (1 Corinthians 6:3). When the Judge of all the earth shall demand of Satan, ‘Why hast thou rebelled against Me, and robbed Me of the subjects of My kingdom?’ the originator of evil can render no excuse. Every mouth will be stopped, and all the hosts of rebellion will be speechless.”—The Faith I Live By, p. 216.
“[Arraigned at the bar of God in the final judgment,] Satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him for heaven. He has trained his powers to war against God; the purity, peace, and harmony of heaven would be to him supreme torture. His accusations against the mercy and justice of God are now silenced. The reproach which he has endeavored to cast upon Jehovah rests wholly upon himself. And now Satan bows down and confesses the justice of his sentence.”—The Great Controversy, p. 670.
Wednesday
December 28
4. ALL HIDDEN THINGS WILL BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT
a. The saints will have questions about many of their relatives and friends, wondering why they are not in the kingdom since they seemed to be good people. They themselves must therefore examine God’s records, determine the measure of guilt of each person in question, and use the two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12) in deciding the punishment. Psalm 149:4–9; Isaiah 54:17. Summarize.
b. Explain why many who were known as great sinners will be in the kingdom, while others, who seemed to be saints, will be consigned to the lake of fire? 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Matthew 21:31 (last part); 8:11, 12. When and where will many hidden things come to light? 1 Corinthians 4:5.
c. After Satan, his angels, and all the wicked have been reduced to ashes (Ezekiel 28:15–18; Malachi 4:1–3; Revelation 19:19–21; 20:9), who will inherit the earth made new? Romans 4:13 (compare Galatians 3:29); Romans 8:16, 17; Daniel 7:27; Psalm 37:29.
“The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored.”—The Great Controversy, p. 674.
d. After the earth has been cleansed by fire, what situation will prevail in the new world? Isaiah 32:1, 17, 18; 65:17, 19, 21, 23; 2 Peter 3:13.
“[In the new earth] the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known. The loves and sympathies which God Himself has planted in the soul shall there find truest and sweetest exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, the sacred ties that bind together ‘the whole family in heaven and earth’ (Ephesians 3:15)—these help to constitute the happiness of the redeemed.”—Ibid., p. 677.
Thursday
December 29
5. LOVE FOR THE UNDESERVING
a. For what reason has God adopted us as sons and daughters (John 1:12, 13; Romans 8:14), making us heirs of the kingdom (Galatians 4:7)? Has He done this because we loved Him first or because He loved us first, even while we still were His enemies? 1 Corinthians 2:9; Romans 8:37; 1 John 4:9, 10, 19; Romans 5:8–10.
b. When the controversy between light and darkness is ended forever and ever, and when all are satisfied in their conscience that God is righteous and merciful, what will be heard from the mouth of all created intelligences? Revelation 5:11–13.
“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.”—The Great Controversy, p. 678.
Friday
December 30
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Describe the privilege to be extended to the redeemed in heaven.
2. What will be the main occupation of the redeemed during the millennium? Why must the wicked be judged?
3. Since our omniscient God knows everything, wouldn’t it be sufficient for Him to pronounce the sentence in every case? Why do even human beings have to take part in the judgment?
4. Explain 1 Corinthians 4:5.
5. Describe the new earth.