This is a broad overview of the investigative judgment from Scripture, "here a little, there a little," "line upon line." It is brief, yet the basic structure is there. Bless you as you consider it.
Let’s begin with the sanctuary. The earthly sanctuary (anti-type) was constructed, set up and furnished after the pattern of the heavenly (type, or the true, not built with hands): "Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle. . . ." Exodus 25:8, 9. We will assume you have a working knowledge of its services, both daily (sacrifices) and annually (cleansing of accumulated sins). If you look at the annual service, the Day of Atonement performed in the wilderness, you will realize it was a local day of judgment, investigative in nature. The life of the high priest weighed in the balance all the while the Children of Israel “afflicted their souls and fasted in prayer” waiting for him to emerge from the most holy place. Again, we will assume you know the details. We also assume you can acknowledge everything associated with the earthly service represented in type what was to be revealed in antitype. Agreed?
Following are prophecies from various places in Scripture showing us there will be a time when type meets antitype. And unless you need it, I will not elaborate much on each verse but will let Scripture speak for itself.
Dan 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
You are familiar with the 2300 day prophecy and this little chart?
Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, 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.
Dan 7:10 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.
According to the type the earthly sanctuary represented, the high priest was to accomplish a final atonement, or a work of judgment, during his annual visit into the holy of holies. The antitype fulfillment required the true High Priest, Jesus, to do the same thing in the pattern temple above. Are we in agreement?
Now, let’s turn to the book of Hebrews. "We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man." Hebrews 8:1, 2. In the earthly sanctuary, it was the Levites "who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God, when he was about to make the tabernacle: for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." Hebrews 8:5. For more detail, read Hebrews 9:1-10.
Look at this to see the work of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary: "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:25-28.
Notice the use of the word “judgment” and “in the end of the world.”
This explains it better: "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 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." Hebrews 9:22-24
And here is the judgment scene recorded in Revelation 20:12, "And the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
At the second coming, Jesus will bring His reward with Him. Would He give the saints a reward if He did not first decide who He would take to heaven? No. The decision has to be made beforehand or else the following verse is meaningless: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he which is righteous, let him be righteous still. . . . And behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:11, 12. This one, too: "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15. What is written in the books determines beforehand who is saved and who is not, for Jesus said, "Not everyone that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21. He further says,
"He that overcometh . . . I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." Revelation 3:5.
Here is a blessed promise: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16.
Hebrews 7:25 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.