Key Text: "...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 14:7
According to Bible Prophecy, we can be sure that a gospel message with a certain sound found its way and entered the ranks of Christianity and the world in 1844, 1845, the 1850's. It has come down to our generation and will continue to the end of time. We call it the "Everlasting Gospel" in the frame work of the three angels of Revelation 14:6-12. That message, friends, includes, "the hour of his JUDGMENT is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Revelation 14:7
Let’s remember that the sermon of the month in July of this year was entitled, "The World Wide Gospel." That gospel is not a new gospel, but rather it brings to light, gives glory to God and announces the hour of His judgment. So, the gospel in Daniel and Revelation in essence covers creation, worship, the fall of Babylon, the keeping of God’s Commandments, the faith of Jesus, the worship of the beast and his image, and the hour of His judgment. These are the great Bible truths that made their way into Christianity in the 1840's. In the year 1844 when the message, "the hour of his judgment is come" had its introduction into the churches, it came with great power. It came in the setting of the true Biblical gospel and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. That message is being preached around the world in our time. And just prior to the end of the world, this end time gospel announces the fall of Babylon and the call to come out of her my people. We look back through the ages and Biblical historical facts tell us of many present truths for different generations in past ages. We have had the flood found in Genesis 6 and 7. We read of Israel leaving Egypt in the book of Exodus. The birth of Jesus, our Lord, is found in Matthew and Luke. The crucifixion, the burial and resurrection of our Lord etc. are all Biblical facts that happened in past ages, but they were present truth at one time. They were present truth then and remain as Biblical historical truth today.
In our generation, at this very time in earth’s history we have present truth and that is the gospel (same gospel preached by Paul) preached in the context of Daniel and Revelation. That is present truth. The hour of His judgment is come. Revelation 14:7
In 1844, the time had come for the gospel to be given with the surrounding truths of prophecy found in Daniel and Revelation. Daniel 8:13-14 was the two texts pertaining to 1844 and the 2300 day prophecy. "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) "...for the hour of his judgment is come..." as found in the three angels’ message went forth. Revelation 14:7
"The time has come, the important time when through God’s messengers the scroll is being unrolled to the world. The truth comprised in the first, second, and third angels’ messages must go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; it must lighten the darkness of every continent, and extend to the islands of the sea." Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 133
"In the hour of greatest peril the God of Elijah will raise up human instrumentalities to bear a message that will not be silenced. In the populous cities of the land, and in the places where men have gone to the greatest lengths in speaking against the Most High, the voice of strong rebuke will be heard. Boldly will men of God’s appointment denounce the union of the church with the world." Prophets and Kings, p.187
"In preaching of a definite time for the judgment, in the giving of the first message, (Revelation 14:6-7) was ordered of God. The computation of the prophetic periods on which that message was based, placing the close of the 2300 days in the autumn of 1844, stands without impeachment." The Great Controversy, p.457
In his book, Twenty-seven Points - Just What Do You Believe in Your Church?, Dr. E. Harold Roy has a chapter (chapter 22) on "Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary." The material has to do with the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. The prophecy of the 2300 days is made plain, and I am taking the liberty to print the six pages from this portion of the book.
"The Israelites had been miraculously delivered from Egypt. As they traveled through the wilderness toward Canaan, the Lord said to Moses. ‘Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them’ (Exodus 25:8). The people gave generously to the ‘building fund,’ and the sanctuary was constructed according to the instructions given to Moses by the Lord.
"Later on, after Israel was established in the Promised Land, the wilderness structure was replaced by Solomon’s Temple. The Bible reveals many important things about the sanctuary or tabernacle.
"IT CONSISTED OF TWO APARTMENTS, the holy place and the most holy place. As one entered the first apartment, facing west, there was on the right the table of shewbread, a type of the Bread of Life. On the left was the seven-branched golden lamp stand, representing the work of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the room just in front of the veil or curtain which separated the two apartments was the altar of incense, with its ever ascending smoke representing the prayers of God’s people.
"In the most holy place was the Ark of the Covenant which contained the Ten Commandments. Over it was the mercy seat with two carved Cherubims. Between these angels was the Shekinah, the light of God’s presence.
"At the entrance of the tabernacle in the courtyard was the altar of burnt offering. And between it and the tabernacle was the laver where the priests washed before entering the sanctuary.
"THE LORD APPOINTED THE LEVITES AS PRIESTS, and one of them chosen as high priest. Only the latter was permitted to enter the most holy place.
"THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE SANCTUARY WAS TO TEACH THE PLAN OF SALVATION. Here the animal sacrifices were offered which typified Jesus ‘the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).
"When a person sinned, he brought a lamb to the outer court. He laid his hand on the animal’s head, confessed his sin, and cut its throat. The priest caught the blood in a container and took it into the first apartment, where he sprinkled it on the altar of incense before the veil. Symbolically, the sin was transferred from the sinner to the lamb and through its blood to the sanctuary. Here the sins of the people remained through the year (Leviticus 4:27-35).
"ONCE EACH YEAR THE SANCTUARY WAS CLEANSED on the Day of Atonement. IT was a day of judgment, and on this day the people prayed and confessed their sins.
"On the Day of Atonement the high priest offered a sacrifice for himself and his family. Then two goats were brought before the sanctuary, and lots were cast. The one chosen as the Lord’s goat was sacrificed as a sin offering. The other was the scapegoat, or the Azazel goat.
"The blood of the Lord’s goat was shed and carried by the high priest into the most holy place. He entered there with utmost reverence and sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat obtaining mercy for all who had confessed their sins. Then he came forth bringing the sins of the people, and placed them on the head of the scapegoat. This animal was led into the wilderness where it stayed until it died. Thus the sanctuary was cleansed of sin (Leviticus 16).
"THE EARTHLY, OR OLD COVENANT SANCTUARY, WAS A TYPE OF THE NEW COVENANT SANCTUARY IN HEAVEN (Hebrews 8:1-5). As the apostle Paul points out, Christ is our great High Priest in Heaven. There He ministers for us, and through His blood our sins are forgiven.
"CHRIST, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, DOES A SPECIAL WORK IN THE END TIMES. During the Dark Ages the priestly ministry of Christ in heaven was largely obscured. However, it will be made prominent in the last days.
"The Lord gave Daniel a vision regarding this important matter. In Daniel 8:13-14 we read: ‘How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the host of to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.’
"What are the 2300 days? Since a day stands for a year in Bible prophecy (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), they represent 2300 years.
"When does this time period begin? Daniel 9:23-25 gives us the answer: ‘Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city.... Know therefore and understand, that form 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 Hebrew word for ‘determined’ is chathak and it means ‘cut off.’ Seventy weeks (of seven days each or 490 years) were to be cut off from the 2300 year prophecy for the Jews ‘to make an end of sins, and ... to bring in everlasting righteousness.’ (Daniel was careful to point out that during the seventieth week of the prophecy that Messiah would come).
"The book of Ezra records that the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was issued by Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. (Ezra 6:14; 7:7). Thus the prophecy began in that year.
"When would the prophecy end? Beginning in 457 B.C. and counting toward our day, the 2300 years would end in 1844.
"We can be sure of our dates by checking them with the life of Christ. Daniel declared that 69 weeks of 483 years would pass from the commandment to restore Jerusalem until Messiah came. In 27 A.D., exactly 483 years after 457 B.C., Christ was baptized by John and began His ministry, preaching, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Luke 3:1,21; Mark 1:15).
"In the middle of the seventieth week Messiah was to be crucified. This happened in 31 A.D. The gospel would be preached to the Jews for another half week (three and a half years). This brings us to 34 A.D. In that year Stephen was stoned, and the gospel went to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46).
"WHAT SANCTUARY WAS TO BE CLEANSED AT THE END OF THIS PROPHECY? Obviously, not the Old Testament sanctuary. It did not exist in 1844 for the Roman army completely destroyed it in 70 A.D. Therefore, the sanctuary to be cleansed is the one in heaven where Jesus our great High Priest ministers in our behalf.
"You see, the Old Testament sanctuary services foreshadowed what Jesus does in reality when HE deals with sin (Hebrews 8:1-6; 9:1-28). The Day of Atonement, which in symbol cleansed the earthly sanctuary by a work of judgment, represents the actual cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary by Jesus our great High Priest. The work has been going on since He entered the most holy place in 1844. When it is finished, the decree of Revelation 22:11 will go forth, and Jesus will return to earth.
"In this pre-Advent judgment, the books are opened. Lives are examined. Cases are decided. They are decided on the basis of their relationship with Jesus Christ. No one has to be lost. He is ‘not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9). ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9). ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ (Acts 16:31).
"457 B.C. The Command to Restore and Rebuild Jerusalem. Daniel 9:25; Ezra 6:14
408 B.C. The Reconstruction of Jerusalem Completed. Daniel 9:25
27 A.D. The Baptism and Anointing of Jesus. Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:1,2,21,22; Acts 10:38
31 A.D. Messiah "cut off" in the Midst of the Week. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 27:50
34 A. D. The Stoning of Stephen, Gospel to the Gentiles. Daniel 9:24; Acts 7:59,60; 13:46
1844 A.D. End of the 2300 Days - Beginning of the Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary. Daniel 8:14; Revelation 14:7"
Salvation through the true Biblical gospel of God’s grace continues to be preached around the world. The door of mercy remains open. Man can still come to Christ for forgiveness, but the day will come (that day is know only to God) when man can no longer be saved, can no longer come to the Savior for salvation. Please notice these two points of Bible teaching.
1. His rewards are with Him when He returns.
"And, behold, I (Jesus) come quickly; and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Revelation 22:12-13. The reward of eternal life and the rewards for serving God are given at His glorious appearing. Not that God’s children are saved by works and rewards, but rather the rewards are given because of their service of love. Because they have loved the Lord, loved people, and went about with a loving spirit; the children of God are rewarded. Salvation is free! Rewards are given for faithful and loving service.
2. The separating of the sheep from the goats, the separation of the saints from the sinners, will take place when our Lord returns.
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." Matthew 25:31-33. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matthew 25:34. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41.
The books of heaven are now open; they are being studied, and when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His people, He will know them by name and He will know all about their loyal and faithful service.
Now, friends, because of the above two things we understand that the judgment is now going on. This is not the executed judgment, but rather the pre-advent judgment that gives the answers to the rewards question and the saint and sinner question. When our Lord comes it will already be completely settled as to crowns and rewards given to the saints. The pre-advent judgment will have already been settled regarding who will be lost and who will be saved.
Today is the day of salvation. Probation is closing on the world today just as it did for the people of Noah’s day. Time is running out for our generation.
John H. Stockton wrote the song "Only Trust Him"
"Come every soul by sin oppressed - There’s mercy with the Lord,
Only Trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now,
He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now."
Jesus is our Savior now, but when He comes He’ll be our Judge. It is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)
There’s a story in the Gray and Adams Commentary about a doctor who "made it his chief aim and concern in matters of religion to degrade and make slight and fun of Jesus." He viewed the Savior as just another man and spoke of Him in a very demeaning way. In time to come the doctor became terminally ill and on his death bed, he stated, "I am a dying man, and what affects me most of all is that I must stand before and be judged by the carpenter’s son!"