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. (Daniel 7:10)
Compare Rev. 20:12. The following classification appears in GC 480, 481:
(1) the book of life, wherein are recorded the names of all those who have accepted the service of God;
(2) the book of remembrance, a record of the good deeds of the saints; and
(3) a record of the sins of men. In the record of a vision of the executive phase of the judgment at the end of the 1000 years the following classification appears:
(1) the book of life, containing a record of the good deeds of the saints;
(2) the book of death, containing the record of the evil deeds of the unrepentant,
(3) the statute book, the Bible, according to whose standard men are judged (EW 52).
Was set.
Or, “began to sit.” Daniel is shown the final judgment in both its phases, investigative and executive.
In the investigative judgment the records of all who have at one time or another professed allegiance to Christ will be examined. The investigation is not conducted for the information of God or of Christ, but for the information of the universe at large—that God may be vindicated in accepting some and rejecting others. Satan claims all men as his lawful subjects. Those for whom Jesus pleads in judgment, Satan accuses before God; but Jesus defends their penitence and faith. As a result of the judgment a register of those who will be citizens of the future kingdom of Christ will have been made up. This register includes the names of men and women from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. John speaks of the ransomed in the new earth as “the nations” of the saved (Rev. 21:24).
Thousand thousands.
These represent the heavenly angels who wait before the Lord and are ever attendant on His will. The angels perform an important part in the judgment. They function as both “ministers and witnesses” (GC 479).