The Investigative Judgment
In the Tribunal of the Heavenly Sanctuary
[Revelation chapter 4, 5 and 6]
Part I
“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.
Sin is the transgression of the Law, and the wage of sin is death. The kingdom of heaven as a state founded upon the Law, would always uplift the Law and Justice to keep its citizens always live in order wherever they are on earth or in the heavens. Following the success of Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary to have man again redeemed unto His kingdom, there must be established an institute of Justice or a tribunal for the establishment of law and justice among men and women, before making any determination of who are worthy and who are not worthy for their salvation. Of course, not every one of us by only calling upon the name of Jesus may so easily be benefited by His sacrificial work of redemption to be received into heaven, without first fulfilling several requirements which have been stipulated in the Law and His testimonies here on earth, which have now been developed into the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
After the establishment of the institute of Law and Justice, then a tribunal of Justice which is the investigative Judgment would be held to take place in the heavenly sanctuary, to try and to judge all the inhabitants of the earth. This is the investigative Judgment which has begun in the heavenly sanctuary since 1844 to first investigate the cases of the people of God ever since Adam and Eve, up to those who lastly live at the close of the time of probation. With the establishment of the investigative Judgment we will have a Judge, and a Jury consists of a number of men, a Mediator, several Witnesses, and those accused as sinners, and all other guests who have joined to witness all the proceedings of the tribunal from the beginning until the end.
Since those to be judged in that tribunal of Justice are only the people of God ever since the beginning in time of Adam and Eve, then the announcement of where and when the investigative Judgment is to take place, would have been given us prior to the time. This is of course a fair dealing that enable us to make due preparations for that investigative Judgment that we will at last be freed from all claims of the law.
Announcement of the Investigative Judgment
Announcement of the investigative judgment was given us by John the Revelator in the following words,
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. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. – Revelation 14 : 6 – 11.
Angel, in the book of Revelation, represents several objects. The silent angel would always represent the leaders. As an example, the angels of the seven Churches in Asia represent the leadership of those Churches. Whereas the angel that cries with a loud voice would always represent a message of salvation. Therefore the messages from the three angels of Revelation 14: 6 – 11 would inevitably represent the messages announcing the beginning of the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary. However, the messages of the judgment should be found in other books, because they have been interpreted into the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
Those who announce the proceedings of
the investigative judgment
Due to the fact that the book of Revelation is a complement of the book of Daniel, and hence the book of Daniel itself has been just revealed in the time of the end, in the Church of God in this time of the end, therefore the message of the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary must be found only in the Church of the Laodiceans, which represent the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Since the beginning John the Revelator had informed us in the following words,
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.
John to the seven churches which are in Asia, Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne, ……. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and , What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.” – Revelation 1 : 1, 4, 9, 10, 11.
Since the Lord God has only one Church in all the history of the world, therefore “the seven Churches in Asia”, must represent the seventh or the last Church of God, which is now living in this time of the end. Thus the fulfillment of the words of the book of Revelation is in force for us as the Laodiceans, because they have been just interpreted in the time of the end. The word, “Laodicea” itself derived from the Greek words Lao and Decay, which means people or to say, and the judgment. Therefore the Laodicean Church means the people who proclaimed the judgment, who have been tasked to announce the proceedings of the investigative judgment from the beginning up to the end.
It is now clear that the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 : 6 – 11 have been tasked on us to proclaim to the world, because the whole book of Revelation has been addressed only to the Seventh-Day Adventists. Read Revelation 1 : 1 and 4.
Since all the prophecies of Daniel and also of John the Revelator have been fully interpreted in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, therefore the truth of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 : 6 – 11 should have been found also there. The three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 : 6 – 11 represent the Spirit of Prophecy by Sister Ellen G. White, prepared by her up to the time she died in 1915. However, since in the Spirit of Prophecy of Sister White the deliberation therein is limited only to the judgment of the dead, we therefore must have yet a new light, which is to deal with the judgment of the living, wherein we ourselves are to be judged. This is the reason why the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, represented by Brother Victor T. Houteff should have come in 1929. This is the message of the angel of whom the Revelator said: “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.” – Revelation 18 : 1.
More explanation of the angel is found in the following statements: “Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. ………This message seemed to be an additional to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.” – Early Writings, p. 277.
Therefore if the three angels’ messages of the third angel’s message represent the Spirit of Prophecy publications by Sister White, then the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 must represent the publications of the Shepherd’s Rod by Brother Victor T. Houteff. This could readily be understood, because both of the messages have now united in the so-called the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, which is now enlightening the earth with the glory of the Truth of the Lord. Because under the light of those messages in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, the Bible could now be fully understood than ever before. And the fate of this planet and all its inhabitants has been clearly laid out in our sight.
When does the investigative judgment begin?
“And he said unto me, unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” – Daniel 8 : 14.
One prophetic day is similar to one year of our calendar. This could be found from the prophetic word by prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 4 : 5 and 6, which is found in the following words: “…… I have appointed thee each day for a year. “
Unto two thousand and three hundred years then the sanctuary will be cleansed. Which sanctuary that will be cleansed? Let us be careful that the prophecy of Daniel is just for the first time revealed in the time of the end, in the Church of the Laodiceans. We therefore should go to find its interpretations in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. From the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY itself we will know that the two thousand and three hundred years would commence in 457 BC and come up in 1844, which is the beginning of the Laodicean period. The servant of the Lord said:
“The commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, as completed by the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus, went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C. See Ezra 6 : 14; 7 : 1, 9. “ Prophets and Kings, pp. 698, 699.
“In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. Verses 12 – 26. In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457 B.C. But in Ezra 6 : 14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built “according to the commandment [“decree,” margin] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” These three kings, in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years.” – The Great Controversy, pp. 326 – 327.
“As the priest entered the most holy once a year to cleanse the earthly sanctuary, so Jesus entered the most holy of the heavenly, at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, in 1844, to make a final atonement for all who could be benefited by His mediation, and thus to cleanse the sanctuary.” – Early Writings, p. 253.
At this time the sanctuary which consists of the holy place and the most holy, which were separated by the large curtain, could no more be found anywhere on earth. The function of the last sanctuary in Jerusalem has ended at the time when Jesus gave up His ghost on the cross of Calvary. That is why, when Jesus did not return to His Father in 31, no more priests nor any high priest could be found doing their job in the earthly sanctuary in Palestine.
However, due to the fact that up to this time Jesus has not yet put off His priestly robe, hence as the High Priest in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, He would have begun to serve there in 1844.
The purification of the sanctuary means to put away sin and the sinners out of the sanctuary of God. Since this is very closely related to the transgression of the law, then the process of purification would be a law process that should be conducted in an open tribunal, through an investigative judgment, which is to be carried out in the heavenly sanctuary.
From the investigative judgment
that has begun since 1844
John the revelator has been brought in the Spirit to witness into the sanctuary when the investigative judgment in the tribunal was in progress. Even to the fact, John not only had witnessed the process of investigation of the judgment going on, but he had even witnessed all the proceedings from the beginning up to the end. Let us read carefully how John told us the story here below:
“After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.“
“And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
“And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.“
“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.”
“And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?”
“And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.”
“And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousand;”
“Saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”
“And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.” – Revelation 4 & 5.
Several important points that should be noted from Revelation chapter 4 and 5 are as follows,
[1] John has witnessed through an open door in heaven, which has proven that the investigative judgment in the tribunal proceeded in heaven, not on earth.
[2] While looking into the inside, it was shown to John someone who was found sitting on a throne. From His occupation in sight it seemed clear that He would be no other than God the Father Himself, Who was to act as the Judge. In His right hand there was a Book sealed with seven seals. The Book was later released of all the seals, and John was able to look into the whole contents of the Book. Hence those things he wrote out of the contents of the Book, gave us the so-called the Revelation, which means those sealed things which are opened, the secret things that are revealed.
[3] From Revelation 20 : 12 it is proven that there are yet several other books which are not sealed, but he was not permitted to look into the contents of those books.
[4] In the meantime there were twenty four elders sitting around the throne, to show us that they are indeed the juries of the tribunal.
[5] The Lamb which is also called by the Lion is to represent Jesus. He is the only One who has the power to open the Book of all its seals, because He had been slain for the redemption of those whose names are written in the Book.
[6] The presence of thousands of thousands of the angelic hosts standing around the throne gave us the fact that they are the witnesses, who joined in the tribunal to witness the whole proceedings of the investigative judgment from the beginning up to the end.
[7] Whereas the accused sinners of the world were shown to John in groups in the formation of the four beast. These are the saints who have been previously taken to heaven by Jesus, to represent all the people of God on the earth, who are now to be judged in the heavenly tribunal. This is proven from their own words they uttered: “………’Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nations.” – Revelation 5 : 9.
From the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY we read further:
“The Judicial throng, Inspiration makes known, consists of a judge-the Ancient of Days; of witnesses-the angels; of an advocate-the Lamb; of a jury-the elders; of defendants-the beasts; and of their ruler-“the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” – To The Seven Churches, p. 14.
The investigative Judgment
began on the cases of the dead
Sister White said:
“Every case had been decided for life or death. While Jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living.” – The Story of Redemption, pp. 402, 403.
“The Judgment is now passing the sanctuary above. Forty years has this work been in progress. Soon-none know how soon-it will pass to the cases of the living. In the awful presence of God our lives are to come up in review. At this time above all others it behooves every soul to heed the Saviour’s admonition, “Watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is.” – Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p. 315.
The names of the accused sinners to be judged will be found in the Book sealed with the seven seals. The Book has been divided into seven sections and every section was sealed separately with a seal. Due to the fact that only Jesus has the power to open the Book from its respective seal, hence the seven sections of the Book must represent the seven periods of the world history; each period contains the names of those living in the related period.
Meanwhile from within the proceedings of the tribunal John also had witnessed the presence of the four beasts, which differ from each other. The first beast was like a lion, the second beast was like a calf, the third beast had a face as of a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. Since the beasts represent also all the people of God who are to be judged in the tribunal, the four beast therefore must represent the four main periods of the world history. The first beast must represent the first period of the people who lived from the beginning of the creation up to the time of Moses. This is the period of the world history before the Bible was written. The second beast represents the second period of the world history from the time of Moses up to the time when Jesus gave up his life for the redemption of mankind in the year 31. The third beast represents the third period of the world history from the year 31 up to the termination of the judgment of the dead. And the four beasts represent the fourth period of the world history beginning from the time of the purification of the Laodicean Church (Ezekiel 9) up to the close of probation.
When Jesus opened the seventh seal of the Book, there would be silent in the heavenly court for about halve an hour, which is about seven days on earth. Read Revelation 8 : 1. This situation is to show that the investigative judgment on the cases of the dead has ended. And for a short period of about seven days Jesus as the High Priest would leave behind His task in the golden altar to descend to the earth to stand on the mount Sion to establish the Davidic Kingdom of the 144.000 in the Palestine.
The investigative Judgment
on the cases of the living
It could be seen later from Revelation 8 : 3 – 5, that after returning from Mount Sion in Palestine Jesus again stood before the golden altar, which is in the heavenly sanctuary. The tribunal of judgment again resumed on the cases of the living. Differ from the investigative judgment on the cases of the dead which proceeded only in the heavenly sanctuary, the investigative judgment on the cases of the living will proceed first on earth, and later in the heavenly court. The investigative process on the cases of the dead took place on the books in the heavenly court. Those who will be found not fully repented up to the time they die, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, to be transferred into the book of death. These will stay on in their graves up to the second general resurrection for the wicked, after the one thousand years millennium, after the second coming of Jesus.
However, at the beginning of the investigative judgment on the cases of the living, the proceeding will be started here on earth with the execution of the wicked ones, as foretold in the prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 9. Brother Victor T. Houteff said:
“The Judgment of the Living on earth commences with Ezekiel 9, but in heaven (in the books) after Ezekiel 9. The Judgment of the Living is in two phases: The first phase is a separation that takes away the wicked from among the righteous, Ezekiel 9. The second phase is the book work when the investigation takes place, and when the sins of the righteous and the names of the wicked are blotted out of the records in Heaven. This second phase, the judicial session in heaven, is what commences after Ezekiel 9.” – The Symbolic Code, vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 19, 20.
Some of us may raise the following questions: How is it possible for the execution of the Ezekiel 9 to be carried out on earth, before the judgment on the cases of the living in the heavenly court be investigated? How could the elders and so many saints who are now singing day and night in the heavenly court of justice be brought there, and appeared in the sight of John the Revelator in 96, whereas the investigative judgment in the heavenly court on their cases has not as yet begun?
We have to know that those to be judged in the heavenly tribunal will consist of only the people of God, the citizens of His kingdom, who are bound to obey the Ten Commandments of the Law of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, which has been developed unto the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. Their names have been registered in the book of life in the heavenly sanctuary ever since their baptism, or ever since they were born in the household of the saints. Due to the fact that they were never more fallen into the sin against the Holy Spirit up to the time they died, then God and Jesus should have made a fair and just decision on their fate. On the contrary, with so many Laodicean brothers and sisters are still implicated in the sin against the whole or a part of the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY up to this day, they would no more be forgiven of their sins, either at the time they fell or in the time of the end. Please read Matthew 12 : 32. That means, ever since the time they fell into the sin against the Spirit, their names would automatically erased, and no more be retained in the book of life in the heavenly sanctuary. To this end Solomon the prophet said: “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” – Proverbs 24 : 16.
Although these two classes of people (the just and the wicked) are now commingled in the same Church of the Laodiceans, only those of the just whose names would be retained in the book of life up to the time comes for their turn to be judged. The names of the wicked ever since their fall in sin against the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY would no more are retained in the book of life, because it would be no more possible for them to repent. The consequence of sinning against the Holy Spirit, the sinner will be left alone by the Spirit, that the power to distinguish between right and wrong will be lost. The wicked in the sense of the Bible, is those who have been implicated in the sin against the Spirit. Please read for yourself in Daniel 12 : 10.
Daniel and John share the same vision on
the Investigative Judgment in the Heavenly Court
Those shown to the apostle John presented above is the same prophecy of the same event which had been previously shown to Daniel the prophet. And that is the investigative judgment of the heavenly tribunal, which has been going on ever since 1844 in the heavenly sanctuary. Please follow the comparative statements given us by both the servants of the Lord here below.
|
Daniel’s vision (Daniel chapter 7) |
John’s vision (The book of Revelation) |
||
|
1. |
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down.” – verse 9 |
1. |
“And I saw thrones, ….. “ – Revelation 20 : 4. |
|
2. |
….. and the Ancient of days did sit, ….. – verse 9 |
2. |
“ …. And one sat on the throne.” – Revelation 4 : 2. |
|
3. |
“A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him.” – verse 10 |
3. |
“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire.” – Revelation 15 : 2. |
|
4. |
“….. one like the Son of man came with … and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. – verse 13 |
4. |
“….. in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb….. – Revelation 5 : 6. |
|
5. |
“ … and the books were opened.” – 10
|
5. |
“ ….. and the books were opened.” – Revelation 20 : 12. |
|
6. |
“thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.” – verse 10
|
6. |
“…. And I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; – Revelation 5 : 11. |
|
7. |
“…. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. – verse 10 |
7. |
“ …. His judgment is come;” – Revelation 14 : 7. “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 : 12. |
Both Daniel and John the Revelator as witnesses on the event have stressed that what they have seen in the vision is an investigative judgment in the heavenly tribunal. The difference between their visions is that the investigative judgment of the tribunal had been shown to Daniel when it was in the process of preparation before the start. Whereas John was led in vision to witness the proceedings in the heavenly sanctuary when the investigative judgment has already begun. The fact is that he not only has witnessed the proceedings of the investigative judgment going, but even the whole process from the beginning of the investigative judgment in the court up to the end. As an example:
Daniel has witnessed the things when the thrones were being set, at the time He the Ancient of Days was moving away from His administrative throne (where Jesus usually sat on the right hand side of His Father — Revelation 22 : 1) to the judicial throne (in the heavenly sanctuary). Then one like to the Son of man came, and they brought Him near before the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7 : 13), and not to His right hand side. Whereas in the meantime the elders who were to sit on the other thrones, which were being set, not as yet came. Nevertheless when John looked into the sanctuary, he saw the twenty four elders already sitting on the thrones.
Daniel saw one like to the Son of man when He was being brought near to the Ancient of Days. Whereas John saw it after He was already brought there.
To John His coming seemed like to a Lamb, and one of the elders called Him by the name ‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah.’ And besides, John also saw there four beast, the candlestick, and a book which was still open. Thus Daniel had witnessed only a part of the preparations, whereas John saw the opening process of the investigative judgment and all its proceedings up to the end.
How is Justice to be established?
Though the Ten Commandments of the Constitution never change for ever, however the Testimony or the Testimony of Jesus Christ, or the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, as the rules of implementation of the Law, is continually increased up to the time of the end. Commensurate with the number of man increased on the earth ever since the beginning up to now; hence the number of rules of implementations of the Law would also increase. And consequently the more burden of accountability would be given to every successive generation of man according to the rules of implementation available in their generation up to the time of the end.
The accused sinners from the first period of the world history represented by the Lion, during their life time, they were responsible to offer a lamb of sacrifice on the altar every day. And the accused sinners from the second period of history represented by the young calf, from the time of Moses and his followers, were obliged to offer a sacrificial lamb every day in the holy place of the tabernacle, and once a year the service was to be held in the most holy place of the same. The accused sinners from the third period of history, which was depicted by the beast with a head like to a man, were no more obliged to carry out the burned offering sacrifice of a lamb on the altar. And the accused sinners from the fourth period of history represented by the flying eagle, have been obliged to obey the whole Bible with all the prophetic and parabolic words of Jesus inclusive, which have been revealed in this time of the end. Therefore each generation has been burdened to bear the responsibility to obey the Bible truth revealed up to their respective time. To this end Sister Ellen G. White said:
“Different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to the necessities of God’s people at that time. Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; those who were blessed with its light were tempted and tried. The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it?” – The Great Controversy, p. 609.
“Men will be judged according to the measure of light given them. None will be accountable for their darkness and their errors if the light has not been brought to them. They have not sinned in not accepting what has not been given them. All will be tested before Jesus leaves His position in the most holy place.” – 1 Testimony Treasures, p. 285.
“When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, and every man shall be judged according to the things written in the books, then the tables of stone, hidden by God until that day, will be presented before the world as the standard of righteousness. Then men and women will see that the prerequisite of their salvation is obedience to the perfect law of God. None will find excuse for sin. By the righteous principles of that law, men will receive their sentence of life or of death”. – Ellen G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7 – A, p. 41.
Besides being divided into the four main groups of God’s people according to the four period of the world history, depicted by the four beasts shown to John in vision, there is yet another way of dividing into seven smaller divisions, as found in the Book in the hand of the Judge that was sealed with seven seals. This is indeed to prove of how Jesus and His Father were going to establish justice through the process of the investigative judgment in the heavenly tribunal. Each group is responsible to obey all the rules of implementation of the Law in their respective period of history.
“God will not condemn any at the judgment because they honestly believed a lie, or conscientiously cherished error; but it will be because they neglected the opportunities of making themselves acquainted with truth. The infidel will be condemned, not because he was an infidel, but because he did not take advantage of the means God has placed within his reach to enable him to become a Christian.” – Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 437.
Paul is an apostle with a very unique experience of life. He is known as an apostle especially called to work for the salvation of the Gentiles. However, those preached by him during his life time was only limited to the gospel of the New Testament. The various prophecies of the Old Testament prophets and the book of Revelation, even the parables of Jesus, were not yet revealed by him. Therefore, suppose should the very meek apostle be permitted to live on up to this time, he must be found among his brothers and sisters of the same faith in the Laodicean Church, because only in this Church the rules of implementations of the Law wherein the prophecies and the parables of Jesus have been interpreted could be found.
The same way with DR. Martin Luther, who is popularly known up to this time of his Biblical doctrine named, ”The Just shall live by Faith.” Although he had been categorized as one of the New Testament prophet according to the criteria given us by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4 : 11 – 14, he knew nothing yet of the fourth Commandment of the Law, which is obliging people to keep the Sabbath holy. He even knew nothing yet of the rule of baptism, which oblige people to get their baptism by immersion. Nevertheless it is undeniable that without the presence of Luther on the stage of history in the past, no one of us would dare to profess himself to be Christian. Therefore, should the lowly hearted Luther be permitted to live longer up to this time, then as a citizen of the kingdom of God, he would be united with us in the Laodicean Church. Because only in this Church all the secrets of the Bible have been interpreted in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY to be the rules of implementation of the Law in this time of the end.
The Accountability of the Law
[John 15 : 22]
Ellen G. White in her Spirit of Prophecy said:
“Those who have an opportunity to hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, thinking that if they do not hear, they will not be accountable, will be judged guilty before God the same as if they had heard and rejected. There will be no excuse for those who choose to go in error when they might understand what is truth. In His sufferings and death Jesus has made atonement for all sins of ignorance, but there is no provision made for willful blindness . . . . . “
“We shall not be held accountable for the light that has not reached our perception, but for that which we have resisted and refused. A man could not apprehend the truth which had never been presented to him, and therefore could not be condemned for light he had never had. But if he had opportunity to hear the message, and to become acquainted with the truth, and yet refused to improve his opportunity, he will be among the number of whom Christ said, “Ye will not come tome, that ye might have life.” Those who deliberately place themselves where they will not have an opportunity of hearing the truth, will be reckoned among those who have heard the truth, and persistently resisted its evidences.” – Ellen G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7 – A, p. 265.
“My brethren and sisters, appreciate and study the truths God has given for you and your children. Spend not your time in seeking to know that which will be no spiritual help. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” This is the all-important question, and it has been clearly answered. “What is written in the law? How readest thou?”- E.G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7 – A, p. 422.
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand”. – Revelation 1 : 3.
“We must study the truth for ourselves. No man should be relied upon to think for us. No matter who he is, or what position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a criterion for us. We are to counsel together, and to be subject one to another; but at the same time we are to exercise the ability God has given us, in order to learn what is truth”. – E. G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 109, 110.
The Reciprocal Accountability
“The law of reciprocal dependence and influence is to be recognized and obeyed. “None of us liveth to himself.” – Testimonies for the church, vol. 6, p. 242.
“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” – Ezekiel 3 : 18.
There are many Christians today compete against each other to promote the so-called LOVE to their fellowmen. Most of them have only the ability to offer their love in form of material things and services. And very few of them have tried to offer the Bible truth of salvation, because they are themselves lacking most of the truth in the Bible and the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. That is why when the more dominant truth is offered to them from the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY; they would always tend to reject it without first making any investigation to get the falsehood of the truth is warned to those who have proclaimed it. To such a case Sister White said:
“Different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to the necessities of God’s people at that time. Every new truth has mad its way against hatred and opposition; those who were blessed with its light were tempted and tried.” – The Great Controversy, p. 609.
Most Christians in this time no more have the ability to distinguish between the Bible truth of salvation and the common Bible stories. They fully believe in their Bible not because its truth is truly right and proven worthy, but only because they have been affiliated with a great name of a world Organization of their Church, and of so many miracles performed by their ministers as a result of their petitions and prayers to the Lord. Whereas, they do not know that the reciprocal accountability is also a law of accountability that must be accounted for in the investigative judgment in the heavenly court of justice. It is therefore, when you have received an article like to this one, you will be accountable to the Lord to have it thoroughly investigated and to accept it, or you have to tell the author of its falsehood that he may also be saved from his wrong. Such reciprocal accountability is also known by the name, “the blood accountability”, which means we are all having the accountability to save each other from the wrong doing. I have to save you with the complete Bible truth of salvation, or conversely you are the one who are to save me from my doctrinal falsehood. No one of us live for himself. And no one from among God’s people could be welcomed into the heavenly mansions without first being accounted for all his negligence here on earth to warn his fellowmen of their transgressions.
Concluded
The investigative judgment which is now going on in the heavenly sanctuary is actually a process of the purification of the Church. Our Laodicean Church is said to be the kingdom of God in the parable of Jesus. And the kingdom in this time of the end has been likened to ten virgins: the five wise virgins on the one side and the five foolish virgins on the other side. When the time comes for us who are now living to be judged in the heavenly tribunal, then those who are now categorized as the five foolish virgins would be entirely cut off, and driven out of the kingdom. And at last the same kingdom would emerge as a new kingdom with only the 144.000 elects of God from among the wise virgins. “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins ……. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” – Revelation 14 : 4, 5.
To be Continued to: Part II
The Breaking of the Seven Seals
* * *
|
297 total, 1 views today