Please read Romans 2:5 and Revelation 15:4: “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” “Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.” These verses presuppose that some prior process of Investigative Judgment took place before the execution of the Executive Judgment, of which Paul and John are referring to here. And according to Isaiah 40:10; 62:11; and Revelation 22:12, when Jesus Christ comes the second time, “His reward is with Him.” This also indicates that a prior judgment has taken place in order to decide who it is that will inhabit Heaven itself.

The Investigative Judgment began in the second angels message: “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters,” Rev. 14:7. This is referred to also by Daniel: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did sit [upon the judgment seat], whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened,” Dan. 7:9-10. Here is clearly pictured a judgment scene of investigation, for “the books were opened.” Why else but to investigate the evidence contained therein? And Peter teaches us: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” First Peter 4:17. This is also a clear reference to an investigative phase of judgment that begins with those most responsible for knowing and teaching these Biblical truths (see also Isa. 3:14).

Now there is also referred to in scripture a Sentencing Judgment, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,” 2Co. 5:10. However, before there can be a Sentencing, there first must have been an Investigative Judgment. “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.”

Another fact and phase of judgment, is for that judgment to bring justice. This phase of judgment would be called the Executive Judgment. And God is “To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all His saints. Praise ye the Lord,” Psa. 149:9. Notice also that the people are “judged out of those things which were written in the books,” Rev. 20:12, which is a clear indication that “the books were opened,” ibid., and an Investigative Judgment had already been made “out of those things which were written in the books,” ibid. Another interesting fact is that in order to have your name “written in the book of life,” Rev. 20:15, you must have at some point lived - which all have done. Thus, to have your name “be blotted out of the book of the living,” Psa. 69:28 (see also Exo. 32:32; Phi. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; Rev. 20:15; and especially Rev. 3:5), indicates that there was some prior investigation going on in order for that name to be obliterated.