The Setting of the Final Judgment
As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. Dan. 7:9, 10, RSV.
Another aspect of Christ's heavenly ministry is that of judgment. Just as the ancient Jewish year had a day of judgment connected to the ministry of the earthly sanctuary near its end in the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), so the Bible tells us that the heavenly pattern will also. Daniel 7 presents us with the most graphic scene of that heavenly judgment, which represents the final act of Christ's high priestly ministry. In the flow of history that judgment takes place during the final phases of the little horn's reign (verse 8) and near the time when God gives the kingdom to the saints (verses 14, 26, 27). In other words, the book of Daniel pictures it as occurring right before Christ comes again. After the judgment is complete, Christ will, so to speak, lay aside His priestly robes and don those of a conquering king.
Before we get to Jesus' place in the judgment we need to take a closer look at Daniel's portrayal of the judgment scene itself. "Majestic" is the only way we can describe it. Even the size of the heavenly throne room, represented in the earthly model by the Most Holy Place, beggars our imaginations. Visualizing a room large enough to contain millions of angelic beings is beyond our comprehension. We can say the same for the dynamism and glory of the place. Here we need to be careful, though. The prophet puts before us a picture beyond our imagination and comprehension. As a result, we can grasp the general picture of what is happening but its details are beyond us. We have a snapshot rather than a detailed explanation of what is happening.
But even from that we learn several quite distinct facts. One is that of glory. The vision depicts Jesus and the Father in terms of light and fire as They sit upon the throne. Another image is that of action with thousands and millions of angels performing works of service both in relation to God and to the universe.
But the defining picture is that of the judgment being set, with all eyes focused on the process. The judgment is a public event based upon evidence (books). God wants all the universe to know that He has done the best thing possible in His handling of the sin problem on earth that led to the incarnation of the Son.
The words "thrones were placed" "and the books were opened" signal not only the judgment but the beginning of the end of earthly history.
As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. Dan. 7:9, 10, RSV.
Another aspect of Christ's heavenly ministry is that of judgment. Just as the ancient Jewish year had a day of judgment connected to the ministry of the earthly sanctuary near its end in the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), so the Bible tells us that the heavenly pattern will also. Daniel 7 presents us with the most graphic scene of that heavenly judgment, which represents the final act of Christ's high priestly ministry. In the flow of history that judgment takes place during the final phases of the little horn's reign (verse 8) and near the time when God gives the kingdom to the saints (verses 14, 26, 27). In other words, the book of Daniel pictures it as occurring right before Christ comes again. After the judgment is complete, Christ will, so to speak, lay aside His priestly robes and don those of a conquering king.
Before we get to Jesus' place in the judgment we need to take a closer look at Daniel's portrayal of the judgment scene itself. "Majestic" is the only way we can describe it. Even the size of the heavenly throne room, represented in the earthly model by the Most Holy Place, beggars our imaginations. Visualizing a room large enough to contain millions of angelic beings is beyond our comprehension. We can say the same for the dynamism and glory of the place. Here we need to be careful, though. The prophet puts before us a picture beyond our imagination and comprehension. As a result, we can grasp the general picture of what is happening but its details are beyond us. We have a snapshot rather than a detailed explanation of what is happening.
But even from that we learn several quite distinct facts. One is that of glory. The vision depicts Jesus and the Father in terms of light and fire as They sit upon the throne. Another image is that of action with thousands and millions of angels performing works of service both in relation to God and to the universe.
But the defining picture is that of the judgment being set, with all eyes focused on the process. The judgment is a public event based upon evidence (books). God wants all the universe to know that He has done the best thing possible in His handling of the sin problem on earth that led to the incarnation of the Son.
The words "thrones were placed" "and the books were opened" signal not only the judgment but the beginning of the end of earthly history.
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