Read Hebrews 12:23. If this is a celebration, why is God described as a judge? How can a judge be part of or a reason for a celebration? Read also Daniel 7:9, 10, 13-22.

 The celebration described in Hebrews 12:22-24 alludes to a future judgment. God, the judge, presides, and books are used, and the result of this future judgment from the books is that God’s people receive the kingdom (Heb. 12:28).

 This scene evokes the great pre-Advent judgment described in Daniel 7, which portrays a judgment scene where God, the “Ancient of Days” (Dan. 7:9), sits on a throne made of fire and is surrounded with “ten thousand times ten thousand” (Dan. 7:10) angels. Books are opened (Dan. 7:10), and the judgment is decided in favor of “the saints of the most High,” who then “possessed the kingdom.” (Dan. 7:22).

 Similarly, Hebrews 12:22-29 describes a judgment scene at Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, where God, “the Judge of all,” is surrounded with “thousands upon thousands” of angels (NIV). The scene is also a fiery one (Heb. 12:29). It includes books because the saints are “enrolled” in them (Heb. 12:23, ESV), which implies a favorable judgment for the saints.

 Jesus is at the center of the scene (Heb. 12:24). He was described as the Son of Man in Hebrews 2, who was “crowned with glory and honor” after having tasted “death” in our behalf (Heb. 2:9, ESV). According to Hebrews 2:10, the “son of man” (see Heb. 2:6, ESV) suffered in order that He could bring “many sons to glory” (ESV); that is, in order that believers would be able to be “crowned with glory and honor” as well. The “Son” has now brought believers into Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, through the benefits of the new covenant (Heb. 12:22-24), where they are promised to receive a kingdom (Heb. 12:28).

 This judgment is, then, really good news for believers because it is a judgment that rules in their favor. It vindicates them. It is a judgment that defeats their adversary, the dragon, who is behind the terrible beasts that have persecuted believers in the past (Daniel 7) and will do so in the future (Revelation 13).