reme Court is a symbol of the majesty of law and justice in a world that’s of-tentragically unfair. But each of us has a case pending before the highest tribunal of all—the SupremeCourt of the Universe! The final judgment is the most important one of all. To many, this is a terrifyingprospect. Our eternal destiny seems to be decided, as it were, in the wink of an eye; with the flick of Hiswrist, God assigns us a place with either the sheep or the goats. Is God really acting alone in the finaljudgment, making a private, arbitrary decision? How will He really conduct this all-important proceeding?Daniel 7:9-10, NIV, says: “As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took hisseat. . . . Thousands upon thousands attended Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Note that it says, “thrones were set in place.”Thrones—in the plural. Evidently the Ancient of Days, God Himself, permits other heavenly beings topreside with Him in the judgment. That idea is further supported by the phrase, “The court was seated.”Evidently God’s decision isn’t just a matter of divine decree. He’s willing to carry this out in a court-roomsetting, accompanied by others on their thrones, and in front of thousands upon thousands of wit-nesses.God’s final judgment is not just a private decision but an open affair, which many will witness first-hand.When the court is seated, Daniel tells us, “the books are opened.” The all-knowing God needs noreminder of the facts, but He’s chosen to make the final judgment a matter of public record; all the evi-denceis down in black and white.In Revelation 20:12 John the Revelator confirms that scene: “I saw the dead, great and small, stand-ingbefore the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.The dead were judged...
