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righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they are
accounted worthy of 〃the resurrection of life。〃 Hence they will not be
present in person at the tribunal when their records are examined and their
cases decided。
Jesus will appear as their advocate； to plead in their behalf before God。
〃If any man sin； we have an advocate with the Father； Jesus Christ the
righteous。〃 I John 2：1。 〃For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands； which are the figures of the true； but into heaven itself； now
to appear in the presence of God for us。〃 〃Wherefore He is able also to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him； seeing He ever liveth to
make intercession for them。〃 Hebrews 9：24； 7：25。
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As the books of record are opened in the judgment； the lives of all who have
believed on Jesus come in review before God。 Beginning with those who first
lived upon the earth； our Advocate presents the cases of each successive
generation； and closes with the living。 Every name is mentioned； every case
closely investigated。 Names are accepted； names rejected。 When any have sins
remaining upon the books of record； unrepented of and unforgiven； their
names will be blotted out of the book of life； and the record of their good
deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance。 The Lord declared
to Moses： 〃Whosoever hath sinned against Me； him will I blot out of My
book。〃 Exodus 32：33。 And says the prophet Ezekiel： 〃When the righteous
turneth away from his righteousness； and committeth iniquity； 。 。 。 all his
righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned。〃 Ezekiel 18：24。
All who have truly repented of sin； and by faith claimed the blood of Christ
as their atoning sacrifice； have had pardon entered against their names in
the books of heaven； as they have become partakers of the righteousness of
Christ； and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God；
their sins will be blotted out； and they themselves will be accounted worthy
of eternal life。 The Lord declares； by the prophet Isaiah： 〃I； even I； am He
that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake； and will not
remember thy sins。〃 Isaiah 43：25。 Said Jesus： 〃He that overcometh； the same
shall be clothed in white raiment； and I will not blot out his name out of
the book of life； but I will confess his name before My Father； and before
His angels。〃 〃Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men； him will I
confess also before My Father which is in heaven。 But whosoever shall deny
Me before men； him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven。〃
Revelation 3：5； Matthew 10：32； 33。
The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly
tribunals but faintly represents the interest
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evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life
come up in review before the Judge of all the earth。 The divine Intercessor
presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be
forgiven their transgressions； that they be restored to their Eden home； and
crowned as joint heirs with Himself to 〃the first dominion。〃 Micah 4：8。
Satan in his efforts to deceive and tempt our race had thought to frustrate
the divine plan in man's creation； but Christ now asks that this plan be
carried into effect as if man had never fallen。 He asks for His people not
only pardon and justification； full and complete； but a share in His glory
and a seat upon His throne。
While Jesus is pleading for the subjects of His grace； Satan accuses them
before God as transgressors。 The great deceiver has sought to lead them into
skepticism； to cause them to lose confidence in God； to separate themselves
from His love； and to break His law。 Now he points to the record of their
lives； to the defects of character； the unlikeness to Christ； which has
dishonored their Redeemer； to all the sins that he has tempted them to
commit； and because of these he claims them as his subjects。
Jesus does not excuse their sins； but shows their penitence and faith； and；
claiming for them forgiveness； He lifts His wounded hands before the Father
and the holy angels； saying： I know them by name。 I have graven them on the
palms of My hands。 〃The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit： a broken and
a contrite heart； O God； Thou wilt not despise。〃 Psalm 51：17。 And to the
accuser of His people He declares： 〃The Lord rebuke thee； O Satan； even the
Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee： is not this a brand plucked out
of the fire？〃 Zechariah 3：2。 Christ will clothe His faithful ones with His
own righteousness； that He may present them to His Father 〃a glorious
church； not having spot； or wrinkle； or any such thing。〃 Ephesians 5：27。
Their names stand enrolled in the book of life； and concerning them it is
written： 〃They shall walk with Me in white： for they are worthy。〃 Revelation
3：4。
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Thus will be realized the complete fulfillment of the new…covenant promise：
〃I will forgive their iniquity； and I will remember their sin no more。〃 〃In
those days； and in that time； saith the Lord； the iniquity of Israel shall
be sought for； and there shall be none； and the sins of Judah； and they
shall not be found。〃 Jeremiah 31：34； 50：20。 〃In that day shall the branch of
the Lord be beautiful and glorious； and the fruit of the earth shall be
excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel。 And it shall come
to pass； that he that is left in Zion； and he that remaineth in Jerusalem；
shall be called holy； even everyone that is written among the living in
Jerusalem。〃 Isaiah 4：2； 3。
The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be
accomplished before the second advent of the Lord。 Since the dead are to be
judged out of the things written in the books； it is impossible that the
sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their
cases are to be investigated。 But the apostle Peter distinctly states that
the sins of believers will be blotted out 〃when the times of refreshing
shall come from the presence of the Lord； and He shall send Jesus Christ。〃
Acts 3：19； 20。 When the investigative judgment closes； Christ will come； and
His reward will be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be。
In the typical service the high priest； having made the atonement for
Israel； came forth and blessed the congregation。 So Christ； at the close of
His work as mediator； will appear； 〃without sin unto salvation〃 （Hebrews
9：28）； to bless His waiting people with eternal life。 As the priest； in
removing the sins from the sanctuary； confessed them upon the head of the
scapegoat； so Christ will place all these sins upon Satan； the originator
and instigator of sin。 The scapegoat； bearing the sins of Israel； was sent
away 〃unto a land not inhabited〃 （Leviticus 16：22）； so Satan； bearing the
guilt of all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit； will be
for a thousand years confined to the earth； which will then be desolate；
without inhabitant； and he will at last suffer the
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full penalty of sin in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked。 Thus the
great plan of redemption will reach its accomplishment in the final
eradication of sin and the deliverance of all who have been willing to
renounce evil。
At the time appointed for the judgmentthe close of the
2300 days； in 1844began the work of investigation and blotting
out of sins。 All who have ever taken upon themselves the name of Christ must
pass its searching scrutiny。 Both the living and the dead are to be judged
〃out of those things which were written in the books； according to their
works。〃
Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned and
blotted out of the books of record； but will stand to witness against the
sinner in the day of God。 He may have committed his evil deeds in the light
of day or in the darkness of night； but they were open and manifest before
Him with whom we have to do。 Angels of God witnessed each sin and registered
it in the unerring records。 Sin may be concealed； denied； covered up from
father； mother； wife； children； and associates； no one but the guilty actors
may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong； but it is laid bare before the
intelligences of heaven。 The darkness of the darkest night； the secrecy of
all deceptive arts； is not sufficient to veil one thought from the knowledge
of the Eternal。 God has an exact record of every unjust account and every
unfair dealing。 He is not deceived by appearances of piety。 He makes no
mistakes in His estimation of character。 Men may be deceived by those who
are corrupt in heart； but God pierces all disguises and reads the inner
life。
How solemn is the thought！ Day after day； passing into eternity； bears its
burden of records for the books of heaven。 Words once spoken； deeds once
done； can never be recalled。 Angels have registered both the good and the
evil。 The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of
even a single day。 Our acts； our wo