Right now, an Investigative Judgment is underway in heaven. It is the first phase of a three phase judgment. This investigative session began with the cleansing of the heavenly temple mentioned in Daniel 8: 14 (a prophecy that projects the cleansing beginning in 1844). The session also began with the lives of God’s people, according to 1 Peter 4: 17. “For the time has come for Judgment to begin at the House of God and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the Gospel?”

More than likely, the cases of God’s people are being considered in the order in which they were born. That would go all the way back to Adam and Eve. Every life since then that has claimed to be of God, and that has died, is put into evidence. Following them, those who are alive and are claimants of Christ will be put on trial. All stand before God, not literally, but with their histories being taken from heaven’s book of life.

All things, good and bad, secret and public, are on display. Along with that are the recordings of repentance and the forgiveness of sins. In those cases, those names remain in the book of life. If sin persisted without repentance, those names are removed from the book of life and placed in the books of the unbelievers.

This unrepentant/unbelieving group, resurrected after the millennium, will have its own judgment session (lives reviewed in person). All the books, including the book of life, will be opened to them ((Revelation 20: 5, 12). As a result, in addition to bowing their knees and confessing that Jesus is Lord, they will have to admit that God is fair, even concerning their impending second death. They will understand, as Hosea 13: 9 says, that they have destroyed themselves.

I know there are some who refute this pre-advent judgment. They say judgment is rendered at death or after Jesus’ return. They also say that an investigative judgment is unnecessary because God already knows who is saved and lost.

But I say, as for judgment taking place before Jesus’ return, consider these words: “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy” (Revelation 22: 11). This is the pronouncement that humanity’s probation and the court session is over. It precedes these words of Jesus: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done” (Revelation 22: 12).

Jesus knows who is to receive the reward because a judgment is made before leaving heaven. It is only after leaving that the reward of incorruptible immortality is bestowed. That happens upon meeting Jesus in the air; not earlier when a person dies.

We see this pattern of judgment – starting with God’s people, marking them for salvation before destroying the wicked – in the Old Testament (read Ezekiel 9: 1-6), which is often referred to as a pre-cursor or shadow of what’s to come .

As for the contention that God already knows who is saved, that is true. The Investigative Judgment is not to tell God something He doesn’t already know. It is conducted for the purpose of addressing Satan’s charges against God’s people and, above all, to vindicate God’s character.

The investigation is transparent for all to see, pre-empting any charges of a cover-up. That’s why, even though sins are forgiven at confession, they aren’t immediately blotted out from the book of life. They will remain in the book for all to see (with “forgiven” next to them) until all three phases of the judgment are over.  Throughout the whole process, all heavenly spectators in the court will get to see how patient God was with sinners and how fair He is in handling the judgment.

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As said, the Investigative judgment is the first of three judgment phases. For information on the last two phases – Confirmation and Executive – and for more insight into the Investigative, read my long-form article 3 Phases of End-Time Judgment. Click here.