2. Questions that Angels Ask: The Background of the Gospel

Review

In these first two session we are answering the question, why does there need to be an investigative judgment? Or, why do some people read the Bible and clearly see the teaching of the investigative judgment, while others don’t see it, and yet others dismiss and reject it as unbiblical and heretical?

In our our last lesson we saw that the everlasting Gospel demonstrates God’s mercy while upholding His justice. Every truth of the Bible contains at its center this dual emphasis that reflects the balanced makeup of God’s nature of mercy and justice.

Therefore…

God justifies us by faith, yet He judges us by works (Romans 2:13; 3:28).

The content of the Seventh-day Adventist Message is the everlasting Gospel while the context of our message is the hour of God’s judgment (Revelation 14:6-7).

The everlasting gospel puts equal emphasis on the earthly ministry of Jesus (His life, death, and resurrection) and His Heavenly ministry (His work as High Priest and Judge in the Heavenly Sanctuary).

The Wheat and the Tares

Matthew 13:24–30 (KJV 1900)

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Matthew 13:36–43 (KJV 1900)

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Education Pg. 190

Education Chapter 20—Bible Teaching and Study

The Bible is its own expositor. Scripture is to be compared with scripture. The student should learn to view the word as a whole, and to see the relation of its parts. He should gain a knowledge of its grand central theme, of God’s original purpose for the world, of the rise of the great controversy, and of the work of redemption. He should understand the nature of the two principles that are contending for supremacy, and should learn to trace their working through the records of history and prophecy, to the great consummation. He should see how this controversy enters into every phase of human experience; how in every act of life he himself reveals the one or the other of the two antagonistic motives; and how, whether he will or not, he is even now deciding upon which side of the controversy he will be found.

God’s Original Purpose for the World

Ephesians 3:10–11 (KJV 1900)

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Ephesians 3:10–11 (NLT)

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 3:10–11 (The Message)

10 Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!

11 All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV 1900)

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Ephesians 1:4–6 (KJV 1900)

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Titus 1:2 (KJV 1900)

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Genesis 1:26–28 (KJV 1900)

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

The Rise of the Great Controversy

Ezekiel 28:11–18 (KJV 1900)

11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament 7402. רָכַל rāḵal

7402. רָכַל rāḵal: A verb meaning to sell merchandise, to trade. In its participial forms, it refers to a merchant, a tradesman, or a female merchant (1 Kgs. 10:15) who sells merchandise (Ezek. 17:4; 27:3, 13; Nah. 3:16, NASB traders).

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament 7400. רָכִיל rāḵiyl

7400. רָכִיל rāḵiyl: A masculine noun referring to gossip. It refers to spreading rumors or falsities about someone. It is always used in a negative manner. Such a practice was prohibited by the Mosaic Law (Lev. 19:16). Wisdom Literature condemns it. It entails revealing things that should not be made public (Prov. 11:13; 20:19). God condemns the whole people of being talebearers, especially certain leaders (Jer. 6:28; 9:4[3]; Ezek. 22:9).

Leviticus 19:16 (KJV 1900)

16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.

Isaiah 14:12–14 (KJV 1900)

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Revelation 12:7–9 (KJV 1900)

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Genesis 3:1–6 (KJV 1900)

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Genesis 3:1–6 (KJV 1900)

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

The Plan of Redemption

The Everlasting Gospel Reveals God’s Character to Us

John 1:14 (KJV 1900)

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 14:9 (KJV 1900)

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

John 17:3 (KJV 1900)

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Romans 1:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV 1900)

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The Everlasting Gospel Reveals God’s Character through Us

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV 1900)

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Revelation 1:5–6 (KJV 1900)

5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Romans 8:29 (KJV 1900)

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV 1900)

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:24 (KJV 1900)

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Matthew 28:18–20 (KJV 1900)

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Acts 1:8 (KJV 1900)

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Numbers 14:21 (KJV 1900)

21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Psalm 72:19 (KJV 1900)

19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: And let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

Isaiah 6:3 (KJV 1900)

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.

Isaiah 11:9 (KJV 1900)

9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.

Conclusion

The investigative judgment is that awesome moment where God makes His final argument in His favor to bring the great controversy to an end once and for all.

Deuteronomy 19:15 (KJV 1900)

15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Jesus Christ is the faithful and true Witness. He is the perfect revelation of God’s character. But God wanted to settle the matter of the great controversy beyond all doubt.

So we have the second witness of God’s faithfulness in dealing with the saints of the Old Testament.

And we, along with all those who have made up the New Testament Church, are called to be God’s third witness to the faithfulness of His character and His right to rule the universe.

The Investigative Judgment will reveal God’s faithfulness. It will be seen that, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God has forgiven our sins and restored us to loyalty where we can rightly represent Him to the unfallen universe.