who are participants in investigative judgement?

The provided sources confirm and support the detailed account of the investigative judgment as described in the user's query. Below is a verified, source-backed analysis of each participant and their role, using the King James Bible and Ellen G. White writings as required.

1. God the Father (The Presider)

God the Father, referred to as the "Ancient of Days," is the source of all being and the fountain of all law. He is the one who presides over the judgment in the heavenly courts.

This is directly supported by:
<GC 479.3 | FLB 207.1 | GC 424.2 | SW, January 24, 1905 par. 1>
Specifically:
"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." Daniel 7:13.
Also: "He comes to the Ancient of days in heaven to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom" <GC 479.3>.
Furthermore, the "Ancient of days" is described as the sovereign ruler whose throne is like a fiery flame and whose garments are white as snow <4SP 307.1>. This confirms His presiding role in the heavenly court.

2. Jesus Christ (The Advocate and Judge)

Christ plays a multifaceted role in this work of investigation:

The Judge: God has committed all judgment unto the Son because He is the "Son of man". Having tasted human affliction and temptation, He is uniquely qualified to understand human frailties and pronounce righteous judgment.
<GC 479.3 | GC 424.2 | FLB 207.1 | GC 88 424.1>
"One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days" <Daniel 7:13> — this figure is Christ, the Son of man, who is the Judge of all.
The Advocate and Intercessor: He appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration for man. He presents the cases of each generation before the Father, pleading His own blood on behalf of all who have truly repented and exercised faith in His sacrifice.
<GC 426.1 | FLB 207.4 | GC 88 426.1 | Mar 248.4 | SW, January 24, 1905 par. 1>
"Christ had come, not to the earth, as they expected, but, as foreshadowed in the type, to the most holy place of the temple of God in heaven" <GC 424.2>.
"Our great High Priest entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary" <1SM 125.1 | RH, November 1, 1850 par. 5>.
The Defender: When Satan points to the sins of believers, Christ silences him with the "mighty argument of the cross," claiming the repentant ones as His own.
While the phrase "mighty argument of the cross" is not verbatim in the sources, the idea is strongly implied in the context of Christ's intercession and the defense of believers.
<GC 483.1 | 1MR 215.1 | HS 158.3>
The defense of the faithful is grounded in Christ’s atoning blood and His intercession in heaven. The books of record are reviewed, and Christ presents the cases of the righteous, ensuring their names are accepted <GC 483.1>.

3. Holy Angels (Witnesses and Record-Keepers)

A vast, unnumbered throng of angels—"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands"—attends this great tribunal.

Recording Deeds: Angels have kept a "faithful record" of the lives of every individual. Every sin, every word, every secret motive, and every good deed is registered in the heavenly books of record.
<4SP 307.1 | 4BC 1166.4 | 1888 1746.4 | 4SP 311.1>
"The Lord is proving and testing His people. Angels of God are watching the development of character and weighing moral worth" <2T 401.1>.
"Angels of God have registered both the good and the evil" <4SP 311.1>.
Ministers and Witnesses: They act as ministers and witnesses during the review of these records.
<4SP 307.1 | FLB 211.6 | 1888 1746.4>
The presence of "thousands of thousands ministered unto him" and "ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him" in Daniel 7:14 reflects the angelic host attending the judgment <4SP 307.1>.

4. Satan (The Accuser)

Satan is present as the "accuser of the brethren".

Resisting Christ: He is represented as standing at the right hand of the Advocate to resist His work of mediation.
<GC 483.1 | 1MR 215.1 | HS 158.3>
"Satan is constantly alluring away from faithfulness" and "points to the sins of believers" <UL 344.2>.
Accusing the Sinner: He presents a list of the sins he has tempted the people of God to commit, arguing that their defective characters make them his subjects rather than God's.
<GC 483.1 | 1MR 215.1 | HS 158.3>
"He presents a list of the sins he has tempted the people of God to commit" <GC 483.1>.

This role is consistent with the biblical portrayal of Satan as the accuser in the heavenly courts, as seen in Revelation 12:10 and Isaiah 14:12.

5. The Professed People of God (The Subjects)

The investigative judgment is not for the wicked world, but is limited to those whom the Lord designates as "My people".

The House of God: Scripture declares that judgment must "begin at the house of God".
<1SM 125.1 | RH, November 1, 1850 par. 5 | 1MR 215.1>
"The cases of the righteous dead have been passing in review before God" <1SM 125.1>.
The Dead and the Living: The investigation began with the righteous dead and will soon pass to the cases of the living.
<1SM 125.1 | RH, November 1, 1850 par. 5 | FLB 209.4>
"The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above. For many years this work has been in progress. Soon--none know how soon--it will pass to the cases of the living" <FLB 211.6>.
The Wedding Guests: This process is represented by the King’s examination of the guests in the parable of the marriage feast to see who is wearing the wedding garment (the robe of Christ’s righteousness).
<GC 426.1 | FLB 207.4 | GC88 426.1>
"The coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of days, as presented in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25" <GC 426.1>.

This typological connection underscores the judgment’s purpose: to determine who is truly clothed in Christ’s righteousness and who is not.

6. The Books of Record (The Evidence)

While not conscious participants, the books of record (including the "book of life" and the "book of God's remembrance") provide the evidence for the proceedings. Characters are compared against the statute book (the Bible) and God's holy law, which is the unerring standard of the judgment.

The books are opened and reviewed, and every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated <GC 483.1>.
Names are accepted or rejected based on whether sins remain unrepented and unforgiven <GC 483.1>.
The books are compared with the Statute book (the Bible), and judgment is rendered accordingly <RHB, March 22, 1887 par. 9>.
The "book of life" contains the good deeds of the saints, and the "book of death" contains the evil deeds of the wicked <RHB, November 1, 1850 par. 5>.

This process is rooted in the idea that every action, word, and motive is recorded and will be evaluated at the final reckoning <4SP 311.1>.

Conclusion:
The investigative judgment, beginning in 1844 in the heavenly sanctuary, is a solemn and comprehensive tribunal involving God the Father (Ancient of Days), Jesus Christ (Son of Man), angels (witnesses and record-keepers), Satan (accuser), the professed people of God (subjects), and the books of record (evidence). It is a divinely ordained process of final evaluation, grounded in Scripture and typology, designed to determine the destiny of every individual based on their works, faith, and character in accordance with God’s holy law.

All of these elements are supported by both the Bible and Ellen G. White’s writings, as cited below:

Search This Blog

The Pebble Blog