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How to face God’s final
The Lesson: In our last study we looked at the seven annual Jewish feasts connected with the ancient Sanctuary service. We saw how each feast symbolised an event reaching from the Feast of Passover pointing to Christ’s death, to the Feast of Tabernacles pointing to our final home in heaven. Though we do not keep these feasts anymore since they are types that were done away at the cross, they still provide an incredible waymark prophecy showing us where we are in the scope of time. In our last study we saw that we are living in the antitypical Day of Atonement. This was the event following the Feast of Trumpets and just prior to the Feast of Tabernacles. We are living in a very important and solemn time as we are nearing the second coming of Jesus. Through this study we would like to have a closer look at the Day of Atonement and how it points to the time we are living in just before Christ’s appearing. The Day of Atonement The Day of Atonement took place on the 10th day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. The High Priest would enter into the Most Holy Place of the Sanctuary, only on this day of the year, to make an atonement for the people. Each day, services and sacrifices were made and the blood of the animals was carried into the Sanctuary. The blood of the lambs and goats, symbolising the sins of the people, was transferred into the Sanctuary daily, but once a year, when the High Priest alone would enter into the Most Holy Place, the Sanctuary was symbolically cleansed through the atonement for all the people that had symbolically transferred their sins into the Sanctuary. It was a time when all sins had to be confessed and transferred to the Sanctuary. It was a time of judgment and those who did not confess their sins were cut of from the people of God. The Jewish people would greet each other that day by saying: "May your life be inscribed in the book of life." What does this mean to us today? Will there be a time of judgment just before Jesus comes the second time? Does the Bible teach this? Does prophecy teach this? “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Romans 14:10 The subject of the judgment is one that affects every person who has ever lived. It is not just the ungodly that are judged, nor is it just the righteous. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Not one exemption is granted. Through this study of Bible prophecy we are going to discover truths about the judgment hour. Please put on your thinking cap as this study is deep and at times intense. But don’t worry, we will take things step by step. We will let the prophetic Word speak so we may learn about the wonderful truths concerning the judgment. The judgment is good news for those that follow Jesus. He has promised to be our Advocate and spokesman during this event. He wants to present us faultless before the throne of God, not because of our own works, but because of His great sacrifice in our behalf. Only the cross of Calvary allows us to stand without fault through the judgment. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25 When Will the Judgment Be? “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Acts 17:30, 31 While it is true that no one knows the day nor the hour when Jesus is to come, that does not mean that we cannot know when the judgment is to begin. Although there is not an appointed day in prophecy for Jesus to come (it is in our power to hasten or delay his coming, 1 Peter 3:12), there is an appointed day for the judgment to begin. God has appointed a day in His prophetic clock when the great judgment day will commence. God’s People Know and Proclaim the Judgment Day “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. “ Acts 24:25 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12 “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7 When Paul was preaching the gospel to Felix, Paul knew and understood the judgment. He used this powerful theme in seeking to bring the proud ruler to Revelation pictures a message going to the entire world, and part of this message is that “the hour of his judgment has come.” No longer is the judgment day some mystical event in the future, it is something God’s people know and proclaim far and near. No longer is it “judgment to come”, it has now become the judgment that “has come.” How do God’s people know and proclaim this worldwide message? By their study of Bible prophecy! History’s Panorama “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. 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… I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14 After seeing the rise and fall of successive empires, Daniel the prophet beholds the greatest event of all. It is not the clash of earthly arms, but the movement of Christ into a different phase of His work in the heavenly Sanctuary—the judgment. Babylon rose and fell. Medo-Persia conquered the world only to be toppled by Greece. Greece spread its culture and learning throughout the world, but was absorbed into the vast Roman Empire. Rome’s dominion lasted for centuries, but weakened and prepared the way for the arising of the Antichrist. We will be looking at this power in our 10th study. After this power is described Daniel’s prophetic eyes were directed off this earth to the Sanctuary above, where Christ began the investigative judgment, the final work to take place before His return in power and great glory. Sometime before Jesus’ second coming, the great judgment day was to commence. In Daniel chapter 8, the same sequence of events is reviewed, with a greater elaboration, but the focus of this vision is to pinpoint when the judgment was to begin. This chapter is really the climax of the entire book of Daniel. The preceding chapters build up to the revelation given and then the subsequent chapters elaborate more on that climatic event. Medo-Persia, Greece, and pagan Rome are seen again in their various symbols, but then a most important question is asked. “Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the Sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:13, 14 How long will it be until God’s people will be freed from the oppression of these despotic earthly powers which have long trammeled them? How long will it be until judgment is made in favor of God’s people? This is the same event Daniel had seen unfolding in the preceding chapter, just described with these words: “Until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:22). When was the judgment to begin, which would set God’s people free from their oppressors? When would the Sanctuary be cleansed? Although nearly the entire vision is explained in great detail to Daniel (Daniel 8:17-26), the most important part of the vision went unexplained. “And I, Daniel, fainted.” (Daniel 8:27) The angel Gabriel could not finish the explanation because it was too much for Daniel to bear and he fainted. Daniel’s interest did not abate in this unexplained portion, though. In fact, it led him to a deeper study of the Word of God and an earnest pleading for light and understanding. (An example we should all follow when we do not understand the mysteries of prophecy.) He studied the scrolls of the prophets (Daniel 9:2) and fervently prayed for forgiveness for his people (Daniel 9:4-19) and an understanding to what now perplexed him. An answer was given! “Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” Daniel 9:21-23 The angel Gabriel who had given Daniel the explanation of his vision, returned in answer to his prayer. He came to give him “skill to understand the vision.” Which vision? It could only be the vision of Daniel chapter 8, which had thus far gone unexplained—the two thousand three hundred year prophecy. What was the explanation? What does this most important prophecy mean? When was the judgment to begin? “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” Daniel 9:24, 25 Gabriel begins his explanation by saying; “Seventy weeks are determined for your people.” The word translated determined is the Hebrew word “chathak”, which literally means, “to cut off.” Seventy weeks were determined, or cut off, especially for the Jewish people. This leads us to ask, what were they cut off from? It could only be from the prophecy, which was being explained: The two thousand three hundred days. This twenty-three hundred day prophecy had no starting date and without a starting date it would be impossible to calculate when the judgment was to begin, but here is a smaller prophecy cut off from the larger one that gives the starting date. With the explanation given by the angel Gabriel, the longest time prophecy, the twenty-three hundred days, can now be understood. An important principle when interpreting Bible Prophecy is that a day in Bible prophecy equals a year (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34). Thus the twenty-three hundred days are not twenty-three hundred literal days, but two thousand three hundred years, and the seventy weeks are not four hundred and ninety literal days, but four hundred and ninety years. As we follow this day year principle the prophecy matches perfectly. The starting date given for these two most important prophecies is when the decree goes forth to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, which occurred in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, or the fall of 457 BC. (Daniel 9:25; Ezra 6:14; 7:8). This prophecy predicts first, Jesus’ sacrifice and work on earth for the salvation of man, and secondly, Jesus’ final work of judgment in heaven for the salvation of mankind. Jesus was anointed as the Messiah to His mission on earth in AD 27 at His baptism (Luke 3:1-3, 21, 22; Acts 10:37, 38) exactly four hundred and eighty-three years (sixty-nine weeks) after the decree was given. Jesus was then crucified in the “midst of the week,” (Daniel 9:26, 27), or AD 31 in fulfillment of the prophecy. Then in AD 34, at the conclusion of the four hundred and ninety years probation upon the Jewish people, Stephen was stoned and the gospel began to go to the entire world. (Stephen’s stoning – Acts 7; the disciples being dispersed everywhere preaching the Word – Acts 8:1-4; Philip takes the gospel to Samaria and the Ethiopian eunuch – Acts 8:5-8, 26-38; Saul, who became Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles is converted – Acts 9; the wall of prejudice between Jew and Gentile is broken down in Peter’s mind by the conversion of Cornelius – Acts 10) The time period of Daniel 9 had met its complete fulfillment in AD 34. Every particular had occurred, exactly when predicted. Since the four hundred and ninety years were simply cut off from the larger time period reaching to the judgment, one thousand eight hundred and ten years were left to this far reaching prophecy (2300 – 490 = 1810). By adding 1810 to AD 34, it brings us to the fall of 1844 (34 + 1810 = 1844). What monumental event transpired in the fall of 1844? God’s great judgment day began! In order to understand this, we must first understand why the terminology “the cleansing of the Canctuary” was used. The Cleansing of the Sanctuary “For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.” Leviticus 16:30-33 “And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you.” Leviticus 23:28, 29 To the Hebrew mind, the cleansing of the Sanctuary was not an uncommon term. It was commonly known and had been instituted at Sinai itself with the sacrificial service. The “cleansing of the sanctuary,” the “judgment day” and the “day of atonement” were considered synonymous terms. They all referred to the one day every year that the final atonement and blotting out of their sins occurred. On the tenth day of the seventh month of each year, the priest performed the yearly service of cleansing the inner apartment of the Sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. It was a day of destiny for the people, and if anyone did not join in searching their hearts and refraining from common duties they were cut off from their people. It was clearly a day of judgment when the Sanctuary, the tabernacle of meeting, the altar, the priests and all the people were symbolically cleansed from their sins. In the year 1844, the Day of Atonement was on October 22. Thus, just as Christ died on the exact day of the Passover, so He began the “cleansing of the Sanctuary” on the very day that the typical feast was held, namely October 22, 1844. There was no earthly Sanctuary at this time though, so what Sanctuary was cleansed? The Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: 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 “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… And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” Hebrews 9:23, 27 The only Sanctuary in existence in 1844 was the real or true Sanctuary in heaven. The earthly Sanctuary was simply a copy or model made after the template and pattern in heaven. It was to this Sanctuary that Jesus ascended after His work here on earth was finished. It is this Sanctuary that has become the centre of God’s operations to save mankind. It is in this Sanctuary that Jesus is seen ministering in heaven (Revelation 1:12, 13; 8:3, 4). It is this Sanctuary to which the final scenes of earth’s history are directed. (Revelation 15:5; 16:17) Just as there were two apartments in the earthly Sanctuary, so there are two apartments in the heavenly Sanctuary. As the priests ministered in the first apartment of the Sanctuary every day, so Jesus ascended to the first apartment of the heavenly Sanctuary and began the round of ministration there. (Revelation 1:12, 13; 8:3, 4) As the high priest entered the Most Holy Place of the earthly Sanctuary once a year in the work of judgment, so Christ our true High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16) entered the Most Holy Place of the heavenly Sanctuary once and for all in 1844. The greatest event of recent history transpired when God’s great Judgment Day began on October 22, 1844, in the Sanctuary above. The Books Were Opened “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; 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.” Revelation 20:11-12 “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Exodus 32:32, 33 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19 Views of the judgment have filled holy men with fear and admiration. John saw heaven and earth fleeing away from the presence of the One upon the throne. Then the books were opened. What books? The Book of Life, the book that registers the names of everyone who professes to follow our Lord. The Book of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16), which contains the record of all the good deeds of God’s people, and the book that records our sins and wanderings (Psalm 56:8). Although no one is saved by his works, we are clearly judged by our works. Our works reveal the character of our heart. All who have overcome their sins through Jesus’ power will have their names retained in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Those who have loved the Lord enough to obey and follow Him regardless of the cost will have their name engraved in the records of heaven where no eraser can efface it. Their sins, which may have been many and grievous, are no more remembered. The blood of our Lord has blotted them out. There is another class of people, though. These are the ones who have professed to love the Lord, but have neglected to follow and obey His Word. They have made a profession, and their names are written in the Book of Life, but their character does not correspond with the profession. Because they have clung to sin, the Lord cannot blot out their sins, and so their names are removed from the record of the righteous. What a solemn time that is, and we are living in it right now! Thus the heavenly Sanctuary is cleansed from all sin and sinners. Those who have repented and confessed their sins will have their sins blotted out from the books, but those who cling to their sins will have their names blotted from the books above. Thus the heavenly Sanctuary is cleansed in the final phase of the plan of salvation. Our Whole Duty “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:10-12 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23 To keep God’s Law is the whole duty of mankind. We may do many good works, but if we neglect to keep all of God’s holy Law we are rejecting the very duty the Lord has plainly laid before us. If we are not living up to all of God’s Law, we are risking our salvation because the judgment is transpiring today. As God has given us the privilege to be living in the most exciting time of earth’s history, so we have more exalted responsibilities as well. The judgment is really good news for those that follow Jesus. Jesus will plead in our behalf and the great accuser, which is the Devil, will be silenced forever! The Final Decree “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11 Very soon the destiny-fixing decree will rumble through the courts above—he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; he that is righteous, let him be righteous still. You will not be able to change your mind then. The destiny of every person who has ever lived will be sealed for time and eternity. How will it be with us? Which side will we be on? Multitudes will cry out too late, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” (Jeremiah 8:20). Will that be you? Will it be me? Are we preparing to meet our Lord in the clouds of glory? “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” I John 2:1-5 We may have the strong assurance that our life is hid with Christ in God. We may know whom we have believed. There need be no doubt in our mind that Do you want the assurance of protection in the days ahead? Do you want to know that when the decree sounds in the Sanctuary above, that your name is retained in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Will you choose to be obedient to Him in all things? Jesus Himself promised to give us all the strength we need to follow Him in our lives. He is there to help you, will you accept His offer? |
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Prophecy's Appointed Hour
repentance, but Paul knew that it was still to come. He called it “judgment to come.” The Day of Judgment had not yet arrived. Jesus declared that while it was future in Paul’s day, it would take place before He would come again for His people. He stated that His reward would be with Him. If His reward is with Him, then the judgment must have been made before He comes for His own. The judgment must then take place sometime between the labours of the apostle Paul and Jesus’ return with the clouds of glory. It is even predicted that God’s people will know and proclaim this great event. 
Christ is our intercessor and that He is even now pleading our case, if only we are living in obedience to all of His Law. This is made possible through the blood of Jesus. We cannot perform obedience in ourselves, but through the power of Jesus we can. His life can be seen in ours! 
