Time and Place of the General Judgment

Each soul is judged, in what is called the particular judgment, the instant it leaves its body; that is, each man is judged immediately after death. The general judgment of the last day will not reverse or change any sentence passed in the particular judgment; the purpose of the general judgment is to manifest to all rational creatures the justice of God, as well ashis goodness and mercy.

It seems likely that the general judgment will take place without words. For all will be judged at once; each will know his own sins and the sins of all others; each, then, will know at once the justice of the judgment in each case. Hence, it seems thatthe general judgment will be conducted without word-of-mouth discussions. Indeed, it is most probable that the whole judgment will be enacted and received mentally, not audibly.

God alone knows the day and the hour of the end of theworld and the last judgment. Scripture says (Mark 13:32): “Ofthat day or hour, no man knoweth”; and (I Thess. 5:2),“The day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night.”

The prophet Joel says (3:2): “I will gather together all nations … into the valley of Joseph at, and I will plead with them there.” This prophecy is usually taken to indicate the place in which the last or general judgment will beheld. The valley of Joseph at is near Jerusalem, and is overlooked by Mount Olivet from which our Lord ascended into heaven.