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Estimated book page count (based on word count): 230 text pages / 240 total pages

Deeper

Settled on the Prophecies

Eugene Prewitt

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Copyright 2009

Eugene Prewitt

Cover design and layout

Text editing and layout

Harvey Steck

All emphasis in quotations added by the author unless otherwise indicated.

All scriptures are quoted from the KJV (King James Version) unless otherwise indicated. Thoseattributed to the YLT are quoted from Youngs Literal Translation.

Published by Publishers Name

Publishers Contact Info Printed in the USA

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Table of Contents

Please note: I will refine the appearance of the Table of Contents after we flow it into

InDesign.

Back-page Blurb...................................................................................................................4Introduction...........................................................................................................................5

Section I........................................................................................................................7

Questions from Those Within...............................................................................................7Chapter One................................................................................................................10

The Judgment......................................................................................................................10

Chapter Two...............................................................................................................18

Laodicea..............................................................................................................................18Chapter Three.............................................................................................................32

Hebrews Problems and Ballenger.......................................................................................32

Chapter Four...............................................................................................................39An Invisible Remnant.........................................................................................................39

Section II....................................................................................................................51

Questions from Those that are Without..............................................................................51Chapter Five...............................................................................................................53

The Day of Cleansing.........................................................................................................53

Chapter Six.................................................................................................................62

More on the Mark and Much on the Seal...........................................................................62Chapter Seven.............................................................................................................88

Conditional Prophecy and Predestination...........................................................................88

Chapter Eight..............................................................................................................96Brief Thoughts on Michael in Scripture.............................................................................96

Chapter Nine.............................................................................................................101

Satan Burns For Ever and Ever?...................................................................................101Section III.................................................................................................................108

Questions Regarding the Time.........................................................................................108

Chapter Ten..............................................................................................................110The 1290- and 1335-Day Prophecies...............................................................................110

Chapter Eleven.........................................................................................................120

The Seven Times or the 2520-Year Prophecy..................................................................120

Chapter Twelve........................................................................................................137Reapplications and Multiple Fulfillments and the Story Line..........................................137

Section IV.................................................................................................................151

Testimony Tidbits.............................................................................................................151Indexes..............................................................................................................................169

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Back-page Blurb

Why does Revelation say that Satan will burn in the lake of fire for ever and ever? Why does

the Old Testament teach that atonement was made on the Passover? What is the point of the1290- and 1335-day prophecies? And what about the 2520-day prophecy? Why havent we heard

about it before this?Does the remnant of Revelation 12 include not-yet-converted Seventh-day Adventists?

Why did scores of Bible students follow Ballenger out of the Adventist church when they did a

Bible study on within the veil?

What is present truth for Adventists? And must it be so that our prophecy lectures on themark of the beast quote largely from Catholic sources? Could we prove our point from the Bible

alone?

And how do we know which prophecies are conditional and which are unconditional? Andhow can we say that Michael, one of the chief princes, is divine? And if, according to

Raymond Cottrell, the leading scholars of Adventism were unable to defend the doctrine of theinvestigative judgment, how can it be defended? Could it be established without a reference toDaniel 8:14?

These are unsettling questions. And the purpose of this book is to settle them and many like

them.

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Introduction

William Miller, after the Great Disappointment, reminisced about the opposition he received

while preaching the Advent near. Doctors of divinity and scholars had assailed him. Books had

been written against him.How often, you might ask, was William Miller confronted with an argument that

confounded him momentarily? How often did a new line of Bible reasoning catch him off guard

or cause him some embarrassment?

To me, that has happened often.But William Miller testified that never once did anyone bring an argument against his

position that he had not studied and laid to rest already. How could that be so? He wrote:

Various difficulties and objections would arise in my mind, from time totime; certain texts would occur to me, which seemed to weigh against my

conclusions; and I would not present a view to others, while any difficulty

appeared to militate against it. I therefore continued the study of the Bible, to seeif I could sustain any of these objections. My object was not merely to remove

them, but I wished to see if they were valid. . . . In this way I was occupied for

five years, from 1818 to 1823, in weighing the various objections which were

being presented to my mind. (William Miller, William Millers Apology andDefense, pp. 13, 15) [*** check ***]

What was the result of five years of such study, conducted while Miller was yet employed

full time in secular occupations? Twenty-two years after those five years of study, even after theGreat Disappointment, Miller answered that question in a way that still seems incredible to me.

During that time, more objections arose in my mind, than have been

advanced by my opponents since; and I know of no objection that has been since

advanced, which did not then occur to me. (Ibid., p. 15)

But it is not likely that you or I could honestly say the same, not likely that no objectionagainst our Adventist faith has ever arisen but such as we had previously put to rest for

ourselves.

This book is the first in a short series that is intended to move us closer, as a people, to anexperience like that of our pioneers. We want to be settled. And in this book we want to be

settled on questions related to the prophetic.

The shaking is ruthless. May we step fast and forward.

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Probably the two most important chapters in this book are those on the judgment and on the

final test over the mark and the seal. Do you know your Bible well enough to persuade a seeking

neighbor that Sunday observance will be the mark of the beast? If that question is to test theworld, dont you think we ought to know that topic well?

These chapters are progress reports. No month goes by but some Bible thought opens up to

me like it never has before. Will you find a new line of evidence that affirms the precious truths

for our time? Tell me about it. I want to hear. I want to learn.Other books will follow this one. They will touch more directly on the gospel and on the

practical life of persons seeking Christs righteousness. Those books will seek the blessingmentioned in this passage:

A minister, after preaching a Bible discourse which brought deep conviction

to one of his hearers, was accosted with the question, Do you really believe what

you have preached?Certainly, he answered.

But is it really so? asked the anxious questioner.

Certainly, said the minister, as he reached for his Bible.

Then the man broke out, O, if this is the truth, what shall we do?What shall we do? thought the ministerwe? What could the man

mean? But the question forced its way to his soul. He went away to plead with

God to tell him what to do. And as he prayed, there came to him withoverwhelming force the thought that he had the solemn realities of eternity to

present to a dying world. For three weeks his place in the desk was vacant. He

was seeking an answer to the question, What shall we do?The minister returned to his charge with an unction from the Holy One. He

realized that his past preaching had made little impression on his hearers. Now he

felt upon him the terrible weight of souls. As he came to his desk, he was notalone. There was a great work to be done, but he knew that God would not fail

him. Before his hearers he exalted the Saviour and His matchless love. There wasa revelation of the Son of God, and a revival began that spread through thechurches of the surrounding districts. (Gospel Workers, p. 3334)

But for now, in this book, this is the blessing I am seeking for the readers:

Let us give more time to the study of the Bible. We do not understand the

word as we should. The book of Revelation opens with an injunction to us tounderstand the instruction that it contains. Blessed is he that readeth, and they

that hear the words of this prophecy, God declares, and keep those things which

are written therein: for the time is at hand. When we as a people understand what

this book means to us, there will be seen among us a great revival. We do notunderstand fully the lessons that it teaches, notwithstanding the injunction given

us to search and study it. (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 113)

Eugene Prewitt, July 24, 2009

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Section I

Questions from Those Within

Adventist generally are aware of a shaking that is to take place among Gods people. Those that

can be shaken will be shaken. Those who, on the contrary, are settled into the truth intellectually

and spiritually so that they cannot be moved, will remain with the truth.I have, in my brief lifetime, received many studies, books, and articles that asserted that my

salvation would hinge on whether or not I accepted the propositions set forth in them. Many of

them were charitable enough to say that God would wink at the times of my ignorance. But

precious few of the authors seemed to believe that an honest searcher for truth, led by the HolySpirit, could read the documents and be unconvinced.

If I were only to take into consideration those studies that met the following guidelines,

there would still be more than you might guess:

1. The author is a firm believer in the Spirit of Prophecy as manifest in Ellen White;

2. The author is very knowledgeable;

3. The author has carefully examined the arguments urged against his views;

4. The author has prayerfully and humbly pleaded for guidance from heaven;

5. The author has a disdain for sin, avoids display, advocates helpful reforms;

6. The author has a very significant list of statements from Inspiration proving his/her

position;

7. The author has a theory that makes many otherwise difficult passages easy toharmonize with each other; and

8. The author has more than one passage from Inspiration that indicates that ones

salvation may hinge on how one receives the message being presented. And these are

buttressed by other statements that we should be ready to receive new light.

Yet, if I were to believe only the studies that meet these qualifications, I would at the sametime believe that our God is three persons and two. I would believe that we should keep the

feasts and that we should not. I would believe that we should stay in the Seventh-day AdventistChurch, join the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement, leave both, and start a third. I would

believe that modern prophets that rejected each other were both true. I would pronounce Godsname only in Hebrew. I would also believe that the movement to pronounce that name aright is

the fourth angel of Revelation 18. I would also believe that the Shepherds Rod is that fourth

angel. I would also believe the literature work of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is thatangel. I would also believe that the call to leave the Seventh-day Adventist denomination for

non-denominational Sabbath-keeping is that angel. I would also believe that the Reform

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Movement is that angel. And I would believe more things than can be well recounted about

Daniel 7 through 11.

With that said, I propose that we acknowledge that having these eight identifying marks isnot sufficient evidence that a matter is true. Consequently, I would suggest that if I conclude

from my study that I dont believe that matter, I am not necessarily accusing the document of

lacking any of these eight evidences.

This introduction nearly states the direction this book is going, and for that I am notashamed. We will have to give account in the judgment for the use of our time and energies. That

is reason enough to motivate me to take heed how [I] hear. (See Luke 8:18.)

Charity in Judging

I fear men, not because they are a member of one group or another, but because they aremen. Men, the best and most honest of them, are erring and contradictory. They make mistakes

and retract them or defend them to the bitter end. The evangelist Bunyan, breathing the very

atmosphere of heaven, wrote with ability against the Seventh-day Sabbath. Luther and Carlstadtattacked each other. On nearly every point of difference, Luther was in the wrong. A few of our

pioneers opposed Andrews opinion that Sabbath begins at sundown. And nearly all early

Adventists kept it wrong in that respect for several years.We ought, then, to be charitable in judging. Men may be sincerely wrong, and while we

must strenuously oppose the worst of their errors, we may count the erring men as better than

ourselves.

But there is a class with whom we cannot be as charitable, in the social sense of the word, aswith others. That class is made up of prophets, true and false. A person that speaks for God is His

servant or His enemy. His ministry is not a harmless mistake; it is of the devil or of God. Most

prophets acknowledge this.Victor Houteff (the founder of the Shepherds Rod movement, known often today as the

Branch Davidians) falls into this last category. Speaking of his own material, Houteff wrote It

cannot be anything else but some wonderful, plain, clear-cutting Bible truth which could not be

contradicted. (Shepherds Rod, p. 95.) A man that claims to be a prophet (see page 196 of hisbook) makes a statement about inspiration, and thus about the Bible. If he is mistaken in detail,

then the Bible may be also. If he can change his written views over time, then portions ofScripture may also be outdated. The Bible has no kind words for false prophets.

Yet false prophets may repent and be converted. Two young ladies in Ellen Whites day

were self-deceived until instructed by her. They both returned to their position as learners in the

school of Christ. I would rather have their position in the judgment than that of many personswho have left the truth never to return.

In a future book I intend to address many questions that faithful Adventists may meet from

strong believers in the Testimonies.But not in this one. Here we will address prophetic questions from a different class.

Many Adventists are losing confidence in the fundamental teachings that define us. They areshocked and disappointed to discover many sensible and Biblical arguments against things theyhave long believed.

The 1844 judgment, for example, has been attacked as fictitious by many able writers and

with many scriptural reasons. The first chapter addresses this question Biblically.

The second chapter addresses the first prophecy in Revelation intended specifically for theChristians in our own day. And the truths in this chapter about love and truth have the potential

of solving the heart problems that make faulty arguments so deceptive.

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One Adventist evangelist, Albion Ballenger, turned against our church over what he

perceived as a proof in the book of Hebrews that the sanctuary message of the church was

fundamentally flawed. I read an editorial when I was a young man that said that no one had everwritten a sensible Bible study that countered the Biblical arguments of Ballenger. The third

chapter in this section is just such a study.

The last chapter in this section is a critique of the Adventist doctrine of the remnant. Who

are part of that remnant that seems to raise the ire of the beast? Does the remnant include personsin your baptismal study that have not yet been baptized?

It is by addressing these questions that I hope to make a contribution to the edifice of truththat was built by so many before me.

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Chapter One

The Judgment

Adventists alone teach the doctrine that we have named the investigative judgment. Our

neighbors in the Baptist or Catholic communions have ideas about death that make such a

judgment unthinkable.What are the defining characteristics of this Adventist doctrine?

First, there is timing. We teach that the judgment began in 1844. That means a great deal. It

means, for example, that the judgment didnt happen at the cross. And it means that the judgment

wont happen at Christs second coming. And it precludes a judgment at the moment of death.In place of all of these options, it places the judgment that decides the destinies of

Christians, near the end of time, yet beginning prior to many of the final events.

Second, our doctrine is related to the long-standing controversy between Christ and Satan.We teach that the judgment is not for the purpose of informing the Father so that He may make a

right decision. No, the judgment is for the angels and other unfallen beings. They are the ones

who witness the cases being decided. And they are the ones who testify that Gods judgments arejust.

Third, our doctrine is related to the gospel and to how men live their lives on the earth today.

We teach that the judgment compares the lives of men to the Ten Commandments. Destinies aredecided on the question, has this man been an overcomer? Has he loved and obeyed?

The judgment does not ask, What were his opinions? but, What evidence does hisconduct give regarding whether or not the law was written in his heart? Was the Spirit a resident

there? The cleansing blood of Jesus stands able to wash away the record of a mans sin, and itwill if there is evidence that the man gave Jesus opportunity to clean up his life while on earth.

These three characteristics combineda pre-Advent judgment for the benefit of the angels

that determines destinies by comparing the lives of men to the Ten Commandmentsmake ourdoctrine unique.

And it is hated.

So here is a little history from the perspective of our enemies:

Unambiguous Evidence?

Raymond Cottrell wrote a paper on the investigative judgment called Liability or Asset?In that paper he indicates that there is no unambiguous Bible evidence for the Adventist doctrine

of the judgment. The thesis of his paper is that the doctrine is built on an erroneous

understanding of Daniel 8:14. In the paper he writes:

In 1958 . . . I determined to try once more to find a way to be absolutely

faithful to both Daniel and the traditional Adventist interpretation of 8:14, but

again found it impossible. I then formulated six questions regarding the Hebrew

text of the passage and its context, which I submitted to every college teacher

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versed in Hebrew and every head of the religion department in all of our North

American collegesall personal friends of mine. Without exception they replied

that there is no linguistic or contextual basis for the traditional Adventistinterpretation of Daniel 8:14.

Again, you would think, from reading the article and other attacks on this doctrine, that the

Adventist doctrine is based on a misunderstanding of Daniel 8:14. And, more than this, that ifDaniel 8:14 is explained correctly that the doctrine of the investigative judgment evaporates.

So we are about to look at Bible evidence for the Adventist doctrine. And when we are done,

look back over the passages that we have quoted and you will find not one reference to Daniel

8:14. There is unambiguous evidence for the Adventists investigative judgment. And we willget to Daniel 8:14 in the chapters on Ballenger and on the Atonement.

Yes, Unambiguous Evidence

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)

The Bible refers, in a number of passages, to a judgment. These passages do not all speak of

the same event. The question raised by the scholars mentioned above (in a remarkable fulfillment

of Daniel 12:10s none) is whether any of these passages amount to solid evidence for thedoctrine of the investigative judgment.

Here are some simple Bible observations from three chaptersDaniel 7, Revelation 14, and

Revelation 6. Each of these chapters has a prophetic story line that gives us an ability to locate

the timing of the judgment in relation to end-time events.1. What do we find in Daniel 7? After the rise and fall of Babylon, Persia, Greece and

Rome; after the rise of proto-European tribes, and then after the papacy rises with its blasphemy

and persecution, we find a judgment opened in heaven that utilizes the books.

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. (Daniel 7:910)

After this judgment we find the papacy being destroyed by fire at the same time that itsdominion comes to an end. The other nations, by way of contrast, continued to exist as non-

superpower nations after their fall from world greatness. (Behold Iraq, Iran, and Greece inexistence even today.)

Then we see again, in heaven, a transaction between the Father and the Son. The Sonreceives the kingdom of the whole earth which kingdom shall never be destroyed.

In point of time, this judgment looks like the one pointed out by Adventists. It is late in

earths history, yet ends before the final climatic scenes.

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2. What do we find in Revelation 14? While probation still continues, before the gospel has

been preached to every nation and people, an announcement about the arrival of the time of the

judgment is made.

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, FearGod, 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 14:67)

This is followed by two other warnings related to the mark of the beast and papalcorruptions. Gods commandment-keeping people are pictured as faithfully enduring

persecution. Next in Revelation 14 comes the Second Coming under the symbol of two ripe-

related harvestsfirst of the righteous, then of the wicked for destruction.In point of time, this Revelation 14 announcement that the hour of His judgment is come

is united with the final campaign to evangelize the world and precedes the most climatic events

that, themselves, precede the Second Coming. In timing, this looks like the judgment Adventiststeach about.

3. What do we find in Revelation 6? While probation lasts, and after some period of serious

persecution of Gods people, the blood of the saints cries out for vengeance. The lives of the

martyrs are represented as being under the altar in heaven. When they cry for vengeance, theyare told that they must rest a little longer until another wave of persecution should bring another

wave of martyrs.

But, in the meantime, they are given white robes.

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and

true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the

earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was saidunto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their

fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were,

should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:1011)

Their cry for vengeance is followed by the signs in the sun, moon, and stars and then by the

personal appearance of Jesus Christ.In point of time, the giving of the white robes to the faithful martyrs follows the persecution

of the dark ages and precedes both the persecution of the last age and the Second Coming. They

receive their white robes neither at death nor at their resurrection. They are at rest whileawaiting vengeance against their murderers.

This pre-Advent declaration of their destiny looks, in point of time, like the one Adventiststeach.

Common and Uncommon Elements

These three passages share two common elements. They each picture a Divine judgmentfollowing papal activity and preceding the earths final events.

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They each indicate that the judgment is an other-worldly event. In Daniel 7, it occurs before

angels in heaven. In Revelation 6, the souls being vindicated refer to those that dwell on the

earth. as you might refer to someone who lives in a different land than your self.Finally, in Revelation 14, the need for an announcement presupposes that the beginning of

the judgment is not readily apparent to those on earth.

In addition, each passage offers its own clues as to how this judgment ties in with the

broader picture of Scripture.Daniel 7, for example, ties the judgment to the idea of the heavenly books. The student of

Scripture finds, after a study of these books, that names can be written, and names can beremoved. See Exodus 32:3134; Deuteronomy 29:1920; Revelation 22:19; Luke 10:20.

Jesus elsewhere connects the blotting out of names with a scene very similar to the judgment

scene in Daniel 7. And more than this, He connects that judgment scene with the granting of

white robes. This statement of Jesus, in this respect, reminds us of Revelation 6. It bringstogether two of our three time line passages.




And this passage from the fifth church age, directing the church of that time to the future,

reminds us of the name of the last church. Laodicea means a people judged.

Another passage that speaks of blotting out something from the books used in thejudgment is found in Peters post-Pentecostal sermon. There, in point of time, the blotting out is

future and coincides with an end-time pouring out of the Spirits power. This power, used to

lighten the world with Christs glory, must precede the close of human probation. And itimmediately precedes the sending of Jesus back to earth.

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; andhe shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. (Acts 3:19

20)

This is the second passage that has connected the judgment with a set time. The other was

Revelation 14:7. This brings us to the question of the Adventist Great Disappointment.

Prophecies of the Great Disappointment

Many detractors from the doctrine of the investigative judgment suggest that this doctrinewas created by Adventists to cover their embarrassment about the non-appearance of Christ in

1844. But Habakkuk 12, Hebrews 10, Malachi 3, and Revelation 10 all refer, prophetically, to

that time of trial and misunderstanding. According to these four passages, the fulfillment ofprophecy would appear to tarry, but it would not tarry, and men were still to keep waiting for

Christs return. They would be seeking to see Him in the clouds, but He would instead come to

His temple.

They would need patience to inherit His coming kingdom and would be tempted to throwaway their confidence. They would preach His coming with great enthusiasm but then would

cease. Finally, they would be bidden to take up the work again. It would be like they loved the

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sweetness of their message until they understood it thoroughly, then it would be a bitter

disappointment.

Each of these four passages throws additional light on the topic of the judgment in heaven.There are also a number of parables that illustrate the truth. Solomon concludes his words of

wisdom with a reference to that event.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep hiscommandments: 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 12:1314)

Paul preached that there was a day for this judgment. He connected it with thefuture

justifying of those that were currently obeying the commandments.

As many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: . . .

(for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law

shall be justified . . .) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by

Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:1216)

Who will be blotted out of the book? Those that sin against the Lord. See Exodus 32:34.

But doesnt that include us all? Yes, human cases would be hopeless if the overcomers were notoffered a white robe, a blotting out of their sins, prior to the final decision of their cases. This

gift of a white robe is the future shall be justified of the current doers of the Law.

In both of these passagesEcclesiastes 12 and Romans 2the judgment is made a motive

for commandment-keeping. This is also the case in the three angels messages. We glorify Godby keeping the law that is a transcript of His character. Compare Ecclesiastes 12 and Revelation

14. They differ primarily in that Solomon places the judgment future while earths last warning

places the judgment at present.

Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is

come: . . . here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of

Jesus. (Revelation 14:7, 12)

Fear God, and keep his commandments: . . . For God shall bring every

work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether

it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:1314)

The Cleansing of the Sanctuary

We have observed already that, from the books of heaven, names may be removed and sinsmay be blotted out. Both of these processes cleanse the heavenly books in the heavenly sanctuaryfrom the record of sin. As each case is decided, either sins are blotted out and a white robe is

given, or a name (and its record) is removed from the book of life.

In the antitypical day of atonement there was one more step in processing the sin problemafter the cleansing of the sanctuary. There is one who has tempted and prodded, cajoled and

trapped, bringing men into his ranks of sin slaves. He is, in this way, guilty for all the sins he has

caused men to commit.

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He is not guilty in their stead. Only the innocent Jesus could bear their sins as a substitute.

But this wicked one is guilty in his own stead for his part in their falls. In the symbols, this

Azazel is blamed for the sins he has caused. He has injured Jesus through Christs saints, andnow justice returns the pain into his own bosom. He is led into the wilderness.

If we call Azazel a scapegoat, we must clarify that Azazel is not an underling blamed in

order to take the heat off from a superior. A more backward description of the relation of sin to

Satan could hardly be imagined. Satan is the ultimately guilty one rather than the unfortunate laststop for the passing of the buck.

If we ask, How is this blaming of Satan related to the judgment in heaven? we need onlynote the observers of the judgment.

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. (Daniel 7:910)




Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall

the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8)

The prominent place given to the angels, one-hundred million strong, reveals that the

judgment scene is for them. God knows those that are His. The investigative judgment is for the

information of the holy angels. It is they who have an interest in the blame that belongs to their

once-honored Lucifer.The relation of the angels to the judgment was woven into the sanctuary. Not only were two

angels sculpted there in a position of reverence and interest in the law and mercy, but the entirefabric of the inner curtains was woven with cherubim. (See Exodus 26:31; 36:35)

The Relation of the Investigative Judgment to the Great White Throne Judgment

There is a judgment in the book of Revelation that seems, in some ways, similar to the one

in Daniel 7. It is, however, different in a few other significant details: timing, location, and

purpose.

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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and

death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were

judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast

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into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found

written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:1115)

When does this judgment happen? Very apparently it is finished after the 1000 yearsmentioned in the verses just before it. We can tell this by the statement that the consequences

meted out by this judgment are referred to as the second death. It is also apparent by the fact

that the lake of fire happens after the 1000 years as God breathes down fire on the armies thatsurround the Holy City. (See Revelation 20:110)

Also, notice that in this judgment there is no intercession by Jesus. And who are the

witnesses of this judgment? Rather than the angels, this judgment serves those that are judged.

They are resurrected to hear their cases decided and to be convinced of their wickedness.1

During the 1000 years just ended, there was a special judgment for the benefit of the saints.

This millennial investigation is the judgment alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:3 and by Johnin Revelation 20:11.

Then, after the 1000 years are over, the great white throne judgment scene is finally

fulfilled. There the dead are convinced that the judgments against them are just. Just as thewicked at Christs second coming are accused by Jesus for their wrongdoing, so will be the

resurrected wicked after the thousand years.

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,

Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute

judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all

their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their

hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 1415)

These two instances when Christ sits on His throne and judges resurrected persons happen,

naturally, in conjunction with the two resurrections. Both the judgment that precedes the 1000

years and the judgment after the 1000 years are a fulfillment of

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. For it is

written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every

tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of

himself to God. (Romans 14:1012)

Not all these knees bow simultaneously, however. These two resurrections are those

mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:2325. The saints, the wicked survivors of the plagues, and

special rebels will meet their destiny first. The wicked dead will meet it later. As it is written, allwill share the same experience of giving account of themselves before God.

1 It is a fact that Ellen White applies both Revelation 20:1115 and Jude 1415 to Christs second

coming. And this is accurate in much the same way that Peters application of Joel 2 to the day of

Pentecost is accurate. At Christs second coming, all living nations are gathered before Him. He accuses

the wicked of their neglect of the needy and of their lawlessness. Matthew 7:23; 25:40. He comes

bringing all the holy angels with him. Matthew 25:31. All elements of Jude 1415 fit the Second

Coming perfectly well. But in a more thorough sense they apply to the post-millennium judgment where

all that are ungodly are judged and where Christ executes judgment upon all. Ellen White also plainly

applies Revelation 20:1115 to the post-millennium execution of the wicked in The Great Controversy.See p. 666.

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Some may wonder why we call attention to the judgment in heaven when our own turn at

the bar of God is yet future. The answer is that men ought to learn of the judgment going on now

while there is time to set their lives in order. To learn of the judgment then will be to learn of itfar too late.

In conclusion, there is plenty of unambiguous evidence for a multi-phased judgment of the

human race. The books of record are intimately related to every phase of that judgment. Their

contents are examined in heaven during the judgment for the angels. There sins and names areblotted out as destinies are forever fixed. Then the books are brought forth to convince the

wicked inhabitants of earth of their lawlessness. Then the books are examined by the saintsduring the 1000 years. Finally, the wicked dead are resurrected to face the books. Then those

whose names are not in the book of life are destroyed in the lack of fire.

Only the first phase of this judgment is coincident (happens at the same time) with human

probation. Only that current phase is announced as a warning to the last generation to readythemselves for Christs coming. We ought to spread that warning while the cases of past

generations are still being decided.

Conclusion

So what about the doctrine of the investigative judgment? Biblically, it is a judgment thathappens in heaven for the benefit of the angels. Biblically, it happens near the end of earths

history but prior to Christs coming. Biblically, its timing is announced, and this shows that its

timing has been prophesied. Biblically, the Ten Commandments are the standard in the

judgment; therefore, men are called to keep them in view of their pending cases. Biblically, thejudgment reverses the decisions of human tribunals that have killed the saints, thus condemning

the papacy while cleansing the books of record from the sins of the overcomers.

Biblically the doctrine stands. Unambiguously.

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Chapter Two

Laodicea

There have always been messages that were more timely than others. Truth seems to come alive

when its time has come. At its appointed moment, the currents of thought and politics in the

world work together to make it most relevant. Or its revelations may describe so perfectly thecondition of Gods people that the students mind finds itself flooded with a sense of its

truthfulness.

Some messages have always been timely.

We must keep Jesus our pattern ever before us. This is and ever will be

present truth. It was by beholding Jesus and appreciating the virtues of His

character that John became one with his Master in spirit. With spiritual vision he

saw Christs glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of graceand truth; and he was changed from glory to glory into His likeness. (The Ellen

G. White 1888 Materials, p. 135)

Today, the message to the Laodiceans (Revelation 3:1421) is speaking to men again, to a

greater number of them, and with greater force.2

Laodicea converses each weekend regarding salvation, assurance, and the gifts of grace.

These topics are broached in Sabbath school with characteristic boldness. We, as members of thechurch, are looking forward to Christs coming. But we dont understand these topics. Wewouldnt expect a prophet to say to us:

Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD!3 to what end is it for you?

the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a

lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the

wall, and a serpent bit him. (Amos 5:1819)

Amos uses metaphors familiar to usthe serpent, the lion, the comfort of getting home afterdanger. Perhaps we are not as mindful of the bear, that animal called by God to punish the

mocking of His special messenger. Amos indicates that Adventists, waiting and hoping to gohome to heaven, anxious to escape the roaring lion on their track, will find at last that they havebeen deceived by the serpent and that their treatment of Heavens prophet has not endeared them

to Heaven.

2 This chapter is adapted and abbreviated from a longer study by the same title available at

www.bibledoc.org.3 You that desire the day of the Lord is a phrase that, in our day, has been abbreviated into a single word:

Adventist.

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We are represented by Amos as expecting great things from the coming of Jesus. Our riches,

whether or not they include material prosperity, include an assurance that all will be well with us

in the end. Laodicea knows, in a superficial way, that her destiny depends on her love and herfaith. She is aware that those with a faith/love relationship are the ones that are justified. But

rather than being a source of worry, this thought comforts her from day to day. She is confident

enough of her standing with God to speak of it.

I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing

There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hearand answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help

from Him. He has promised, I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and

floods upon the dry ground. Isaiah 44:3. Those who hunger and thirst afterrighteousness, who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled. The heart

must be open to the Spirits influence, or Gods blessing cannot be received.

Our great need is itself an argument and pleads most eloquently in our behalf.But the Lord is to be sought unto to do these things for us. (Steps to Christ, p. 95)

Laodicea might be more conscious of her need if she understood the nature of faith and love.

These, according to James and Paul, are the riches of the gospel. But James speaks of men who

say they have faith, yet do not. (See James 2:1420) And John speaks of men who say theyhave love, but have it not. (See 1 John 4:20)

It is interesting, in this context, to notice that faith in Gods truth and selfless love were the

two significant virtues missing from the Laodicean church in Pauls time.

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for

them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that

their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all

riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of themystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. (Colossians 2:12)

James speaks of those that are rich in faith4 and identifies them as the same class as thosethat love God.

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this

world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them

that love him? (James 2:5)

Our God Himself is spoken of as being rich in mercy. This is shown by the great love

wherewith he loved us. Ephesians 2:4. Faith and love are combined in a number of otherpassages. A working faith can never be separated from love, for faith works by love. Galatians

5:6. It would be appropriate for Laodicea to take a moment to probe the meaning of these goldenvalues. An understanding of faith and love might wake her to a hungering and thirsting after

righteousness.

The Nature of Faith

4 See 1 Peter 1:78 for another correlation of faith with gold.

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The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out

of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

(Romans 10:17)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Colossians 3:16)

Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your

souls. (James 1:21)

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,

and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Without taking further pains to prove it, let me state that faith is living by every word that

proceeds from the mouth of God. Faith is a relationship with the Word. Faith submits to theWord. It lives and acts as if the Word itself has power to do the thing it promised.

What does faith look like? That depends on the nature of the Word that faith is resting on at

the moment. When faith comes to a warning, faith looks like preparation and taking heed.When faith comes to a rebuke, faith looks like confession and repentance. Faith lets the principle

of the Word become the ruling power in the life. When faith comes to inspired history, it looks to

the world to be akin to naivet.It takes the Word at face value. Faith recognizes the creative power in the Word of God.

When faith comes to Calvary and lets the glory of that story move the will, faith looks like tears,

penitence, humility, courage, and selfless love. When faith comes to a promise, it looks likehope. When it comes to a command, it looks like obedience. When confronted with counsel, it

looks very much like a desire to please God. When considering an inspired hymn, faith may even

look like music.5

This could be partially expressed in a chart:

The Nature of the Word........................................................The Appearance of Faith

A Warning Preparation

A RebukeConfession and RepentanceHistory Belief A Promise HopeA Command Obedience

Counsel A Desire to PleaseThe Story of Calvary............................................Tears, Penitence, Humility, Courage, Selfless LoveA Spiritual HymnSpiritual Music

When the Bible asserts that we are saved by hope and justified by works and excused by

our thoughts and condemned by idle words (see Romans 8:24; James 2:24; Romans 2:15;

Matthew 12:36), the Book makes no contradiction with those statements that faith alone can saveus. The repeated statements that we are judged according to our works and even the statement

5 Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one

another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

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that we are justified by our words are only a development of the theme that man shall live by

every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

The Word every must be allowed to have its meaning. Unbelief is selective. It mayincorporate portions of the Word, the promises and stories, while spurning the counsels and

commands. It may acknowledge the laws and regulations while slighting the Sacrifice. Unbelief

has never saved a soul and never will. So James says that a man may try to show his faith

without works, but then James says, I will show my faith by my works.Just as Laodicea has falsely supposed she had a great deal of faith, she has been

misinformed regarding love and does not recognize her dearth of the treasure.

The Nature of Love

Love is a fruit of the Spirit. (See Galatians 5:22) Unspiritual people do not love. He thatloveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8) And those with Jesus in their hearts

most certainly do exercise love. Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

(1 John 4:7) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and groundedin love, may . . . know the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:1719) Love is so rare that its possession

attracts the attention of the world. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye

have love one to another. (John 13:35)This is not to say that unconverted mothers do not love their children. Neither can we justly

deny that an unconverted man may truly love his converted wife. But sentimental, selective love

is a mere reflection of the virtue itself. Jesus made this contrast in Matthew 5. He suggested to

His audience that the love they showed their families and friends did not prove any relationshipto their Father in heaven. If they would be His children, they must love their enemies.

Loving our enemies does not change the fact that they are our enemies. Love is not an

ecumenical cover-up of differences. Love is, on the contrary, selfless service. Service to others,at the expense of ones own interests and comfort, will be an identifying mark of Gods last-day

people.

Love in the Last DaysThe Bible makes a number of statements regarding the significance of love to end-time

events. We observed earlier that the first-century church of Laodicea (see Colossians 2:13) hada crying need to be knit together in love. This need, a characteristic also of the last-day church,

is signified in the term lukewarm. What is spiritual heat in this end-time context?

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But

he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:12

13)

Enduring love characterizes the finally saved. The cooling of this selfless principle

characterizes the church in its Laodicean condition. But prophecy foretells more than a love thatsurvives. Paul speaks of end-time love as one that thrives.

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward

another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may

stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians

3:1213)

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Our love, if we are to be found blameless at Christs coming, must be growing for our

leaders, our fellow members, and for those that are without. If it is not growing, it will be

dying.

Visit your neighbors in a friendly way, and become acquainted with them. . . .

Those who do not take up this work, those who act with the indifference that

some have manifested, will soon lose their first love, and will begin to censure,criticize, and condemn their own brethren. (Christian Service, p. 115)

What does love look like? That depends on the need of the one that is brought into our

sphere of influence. In the home, love looks like a father cheerfully doing the dishes day after

day. Love looks like disciplining oneself to keep tracts on hand to give away at gas stations andsupermarkets. Putting the needs of others first, true love may look like taking fewer pictures and

giving a larger offering for Mission Extension.

When a brother is found doing wrong, love looks like patience and correction. When abrother is in danger, love looks like a solemn warning and a helping hand. If your brother has

done you wrong, love looks rather like faithful rebuke and attempted reconciliation than like

gossip. Lest we miss this last point, Jesus used it as example of what His own love means. Hewrote to Laodicea, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

Hot or Cold

Somewhat selfless Christians make the universe confusing. The Lord of glory, with

sympathy for those whose destinies will be decided by the vacillating witness of the church, says

that He is repulsed by half measures in self-denial.His promise to spew out those that continued on with their mixture of self-interest and

God-pleasing ought to lead our church to remember Jerusalem.

Do Not Resist Him

Do not resist HimWhen He is calling

The peace we now have

May not always beThe Holy City

Gods own chosenIn His favor

Thought shed always be

When the walls were burning andLighting a million tear-stainedface

And the cedars that were there

Were making mountains glow

All the soldiers had been toldDo not destroy that placeBut the God of heaven said

It must be brought low

And when Jesus tried to tellThe people of their danger

They reminded Him of whatit seemed had slipped His mind

But He said that to the faithof Abram they were strangers

And it would not help them iftheir blood was from his line


The peace you now have

May not always be

The Holy CityGods own chosenIn His favor


Like a mother hen, He saidThat he would have gathered them

If they would have come to HimWhen the prophets called

But they all went their own wayTo their chosen problems

And they left God no wayTo save them from them all


The peace you now have

May not always be

The Holy CityGods own chosenIn His favor


Jesus, John the Baptist, and Jeremiah all argued against the smug we are thepeople mentality.

To this point we have discussed Laodiceas opinion of herself. She has thought, we

have thought, that she was rich. Her misunderstanding of love and faith has led to thisdelusion. She has been lukewarm and cooling in her selflessness. This, in the face of a

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call to a growing and enduring love and a warning of dire consequences otherwise, has

endangered her position as the chosen of God. She would rather not acknowledge this

danger; therefore, the True Witness finds other ways to tell her.

Wretched, Miserable, Poor, Blind, and Naked

The Greek word talaheeporos, translated wretched, is found in only one other

passage in the Scriptures. There, in Romans 7, Paul describes the experience of a manthat is in bondage to the law of sin and death, a man that wants to do right, but who findsanother law bringing him into captivity to the law of sin. (See Romans 7:2324)

This man, like all those that have not yet been set free from the law of sin and

death (Romans 8:2), cries out, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

(Romans 7:24) Wretched Laodicea does not know Jesus. She wants to do right but isunable.

Eleeinos, miserable in Revelation 3, is also found in just one other passage of

Scripture. Paul, in arguing the reality of a physical resurrection, describes the conditionthat we would all be in if there were no rising from the dead.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men mostmiserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

In other words, if there was to be no resurrection, our Christian hope would be adelusion. The hope of most Laodiceans is just such a delusion. Wretched and miserable,

wanting to do right and hoping for heaven while captive to sin and doomed to deaththis

is our general condition.The gold of Revelation 3, the gold of Scripture, is faith that works by love and

purifies the soul. Laodicea is poor in the same sense that she is lukewarm.

Lukes gospel presents the poor as the recipients of Heavens choicest blessings.

There Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor. He called His disciples ye poor

and blessed them saying yours is the kingdom of heaven. The poor are to be invited toChristian feasts before friends and relatives. And when, in this gospel, the invitation to

the heavenly feast is refused by others, the command is to go quickly into the highwaysand call, among others, the poor. (See Luke 4:18; 7:22; 6:20; 14:13, 21)

The rich ruler is invited to sell all he has and give to the poor. Sadly spurning the

offer, his crown went to another. In the next chapter, the wealthy Zacchaeus is invited bythe Spirit to do the same and volunteers his willingness to do it. Finally, it is the poor

widow that out-gives the wealthy in the book of Luke. (See Luke 18:22; 19:8; 21:23)

But our church is not poor in Spirit in the beatitudal sense that would bring theblessings of which Luke wrote. She is proud, knowing nothing of her condition,

arguing about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil

surmisings, 1 Timothy 6:4. Her contentions do not tend to increase her affection andselfless disposition.

So, as we have compared the Bible writers use of different terms, we have learned

that wretched means captive to sin; miserable means having a deluded assurance of

salvation; poor means having little of the riches of James 2:5, faith and love. More thanthese, Laodicea is both blind and naked.

The Pharisees were blind leaders of the blind. They were offended at Christs

instruction in Matthew 15. When the disciples tried to apprise their master of how these

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leaders felt, Jesus said Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And . . . both

shall fall into the ditch. (Verse 14)

They were making of none effect the testimony of the law of God (v. 6) and wereshutting out the very light that might have saved them.

Jesus spoke with great plainness to these men. He said, Ye blind guides; fools and

blind; fools and blind; blind guides; blind Pharisee. Matthew 23:16, 17, 19, 24,

26. They missed the idea of true spirituality. Their religion was superficial. It wasfocused on the largeness of the institutional offerings and ignorant of the smallness of

institutional piety. But when certain Pharisees asked Jesus, are we blind also? Heanswered almost cryptically:

If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see;

therefore your sin remaineth. (John 9:41)

It was not Jesus who denied their blindness. They denied it in their own hearts whileasking about it with their lips, and Jesus quoted to them their hearts answer. This is

precisely Laodiceas problem. She may even come to Jesus and ask am I blind? But her

question is unbelief. Jesus has already told her that she cannot see and offered to heal hereyes. The question is a denial of the illness.

What a tragedy it is, for wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked persons are the

very ones the gospel has been custom made to help. It was, in fact, the call of the apostle

Paul to open spiritual eyes to the light that they might receive forgiveness of sins.

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and

from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness

of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that

is in me. (Acts 26:18)

The four words we have studied thus far are all code for unconverted. Jesus hassaid to Laodicea, you are unconverted, unconverted, unconverted, unconverted. And

He says it again with the word naked.We are familiar with the idiom of wearing Christs righteousness. We think we are

clothed. How embarrassing to find that we are not! Our confusion stems from our

ignorance of Christs righteousness and of how to put it on. Jesus offers us white

raiment, and we will study that offer after considering His first proffered giftgold.

I Counsel Thee to Buy

The heavenly Merchantman has presented His wares in the Old Testament as well.

There we learn how one as poor as Laodicea may buy riches as Christ offers here.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that

hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for

that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth

not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good. . . .

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live. . . .

Seek ye the LORDwhile he may be found, call ye upon him while he is

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near: let the wickedforsake his way, and the unrighteous man his

thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy

upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah

55:17)

Isaiah does not say that listening carefully to God and forsaking our evil way is the

cost of Gods blessings. His mercy is without money and without price. But thesewillful actions are nonetheless the condition upon which we may buy and satisfy our

soul hunger.

What can we pay in our poverty? We can pay attention. We can hearken and

incline our ear and hear when God says Ho! Is that how we get the gold? So thenfaith cometh by hearing, by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Isaiah 55 is too much for many persons. They cannot see consistency in having

conditions attached to a free gift. If we have to buy it, it is not free. If it is free, we donthave to buy it. Let them argue with Jesus in Isaiah and Revelation. We only want to

believe the marvelous offer and to seek the Lord while He may be found.

Thou Mayest Be Rich . . . Be Clothed . . . and SeePause here and drink in the glory of the promise. From the wretched state we are in,

we are told in the plainest language, there is hope!So we come to Jesus for the gold of faith and love. How do we buy them? By an

ongoing act of the will. Faith and love are fundamentally the very same thing. They are a

choice on our part to let Gods creative Word live through us. Then we can choose to liveby each portion of the Word that we find, to put the needs of even those we have never

met before our own conveniences.

Everything here depends on the right action of the will. If we will let the Word ofChrist dwell in [us] richly and let love be without falseness, God will work in us both

to will and to do of His good pleasure. (See Colossians 3:16; Romans 12:9; Philippians

2:13) These heavenly plantsfaith and lovegrow prodigiously when cared for by theconstant exercise of the will. Our decisions to help others incline our wills even more inthat same direction. Our choice to deny our desires so that we may live by a God-

breathed principle makes us more like Him that spoke the principle.

And White Raiment

Perhaps the clothing that Christians wear is one of the least understood aspects ofrighteousness by faith. In the minds of many, this spiritual robe is about equivalent to

having pardon written by our names in heaven. But this is not the way Paul and John

present it.

In Revelation 3 we are given two reasons to buy and wear the garment. The first is to

avoid nakedness itself. The second is to prevent the shame of that nakedness from beingwitnessed. This last point hints that this robe is more than forgiveness. The world can see

when we are naked, and though we are unconscious of our exposure, it is shamefulnonetheless.

Paul speaks of what it means to put on the robe. He does not speak of covering filthy

garments with clean ones, but of removing the first to make room for the second.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off

the works of darkness . . . But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and

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make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans

13:1214)

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,

which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in

the spirit of your mind; and that yeput on the new man, which after

God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore puttingaway lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are

members one of another. . . .

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil

speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one

to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for

Christs sake hath forgiven you. . . .

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in

love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an

offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians

4:2225, 3132; 5:12)

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,

blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to

another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and

haveput on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the

image of him that created him: . . . Put on therefore, as the elect of God,

holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,

meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one

another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ

forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness. (Colossians 3:814)

This true holiness, as it is called in Ephesians 4, stands very distinct from the shamrighteousness that is called Christs by those who know Him not. What a light

Laodicea would be in the world if she were stripped of her filthy rags and covered with

Christs robe of lovely living!The man in Matthew 22 that accepted the invitation to the wedding but failed to put

on the wedding garment typifies Laodicea. He thought that accepting the invitation was

all that was required.

There are many who are represented by this man. They have acceptedthe invitation to the marriage supper, but have failed to comply with the

conditions for entrance to the feast. They will not lay aside the garments oftheir own self-righteousness, and put on the robe prepared for them at aninfinite price. They have accepted the theory of the truth, but they do not

possess and cultivate the faith that works by love and purifies the soul.

They do not appropriate the truth to their individual needs, and becomepartakers of the divine nature. They are not willing to have the earthliness

removed from their character, in order that the heavenly graces may be

imparted. They will be speechless before the King when he comes in to

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examine the guests, and asks them why they have not put on the

righteousness of Christ. (The Youths Instructor, October 28, 1897)

And Eyesalve that thou Mayest See

We have observed already that blindness is a lack of spiritual understanding. Paul

expresses this thought in Ephesians in such a way as to make it clear that the eyesalve isthe work of the Holy Spirit.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may

give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of

him: the eyes of your understandingbeing enlightened; that ye may

know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory

of his inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:1718)

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to

bestrengthened with might by his Spiritin the inner man; that Christ

may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and groundedin love, may be able to comprehendwith all saints what is the breadth,

and length, and depth, and height; and to knowthe love of Christ,

which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of

God. (Ephesians 3:1619)

Our need of the Holy Spirit and the ability of that Spirit to bring us all that we needthese were the favorite themes of Jesus. A thorough study of the promise of the Spirit

would dwarf our study of Revelation 3. We will notice here only a few important points.

First, a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit is promised to the church at the verytime that Laodicea is counseled to receive it. The conditions of receiving that gift are few

and simple.

Our faith, working by love, must bring obedience (Acts 5:32)

We are to be asking for the gift (Luke 11:13; Zechariah 10:1)

We must move forward to know God more and more (Hosea 6:13)

We must turn from our sins (Joel 2:1223; Proverbs 1:23)

As Many as I Love I Rebuke

The love of Jesus would not be appreciated by many. Those that perceive revulsionin rebuke and condemnation in correction could not bear the searching love of our Sin-

bearer. The church age that is warned of its lack of true love is given an illustration of thenature of that love in the love-inspired rebuke of the True Witness. Indeed, to refrainfrom giving needed instruction is a type of hatred.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any

wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. (Leviticus

19:17)

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This is not to say that all rebuke is produced by selfless service. If some preach

Christ of contention there can be no doubt that some rebuke for strife and debate and to

smite with the fist of wickedness. (See Philippians 1:16; Isaiah 58:4) But all the false-hearted instruction ever given will never make true-hearted instruction less needed.

Reproofs of instruction are the way of life. (Proverbs 6:23)

Not only does Jesus reprove, He also chastens. Despise not the chastening of the

Lord. Proverbs 3:11; see also Job 5:17; Hebrews 12:5. This thrice-repeated maximreflects the deep-seated antipathy of men for having their wrong course pointed out. One

of the most self-deceiving ways of despising reproof is to simply avoid hearing it. For

every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds shouldbe reproved. John 3:20. That this is a danger for Laodicea is apparent in the Spirits

admonition to hear. Revelation 3:22.

Be Zealous and Repent

This passage is evidence enough that zeal and repentance are also functions of the

will. We choose what we dzaylohoe (Greek for earnestly desire). This is the sense ofbe zealous. And we choose from what and to whom we will turn. This is repentance.

But it is manifest in this message that some source of information must inform the soul of

just what it is that he is to zealously repent of. Misguided zeal and undirected repentancecannot be intended.

They zealously affect you, but not well. . . . But it is good to be

zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am

present with you. (Galatians 4:1718)

The question, Repent of what? is answered by the implications in the next verse.

Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock

This is the last of the code phrases for unconverted. Jesus wants to dwell in [our]

hearts by faith. (Ephesians 3:17) Yet, for unbelieving Laodicea, He patiently waits at the

door. The Prince of Peace is outside; therefore, peace itself cannot be inside.

The Saviour says, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man

hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with

him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20. He is not repulsed by scorn orturned aside by threatening, but continually seeks the lost ones, saying,

How shall I give thee up? Hosea 11:8. Although His love is driven back

by the stubborn heart, He returns to plead with greater force, Behold, Istand at the door, and knock. The winning power of His love compelssouls to come in. And to Christ they say, Thy gentleness hath made me

great. Psalm 18:35. (Christs Object Lessons, p. 235)

Two Conditions to Christs Entrance

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If any man hearmy voice, and open the door, I will come in to

him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Hearing His voice: This is the first condition. Deaf persons today often havedoorbells that trigger lights in their house to blink on and off. Unless they are sleeping,

this signal will alert them to the presence of a guest. Jesus presents the case to Laodicea

as if it is not a matter to be assumed that she will hear His voice. If she does not hearHis voice, she will not think to open the door.

What is Jesus saying at the door? He is saying, Repent. Repent of what?

Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the

prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways,

and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law

which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my

servants the prophets. (2 Kings 17:13)

We read that the Lord testified. . . by all the prophets. . . . The testimony of Jesus

is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10) Prophets have always called the people toobey the various counsels and commandments of God. But those who will not read the

testimony of the prophets will not hear the voice of Jesus. The last-day church not onlykeeps the commandments but has the testimony of Jesus. (Revelation 12:17) Prophetic

counsels have come to her as the voice of Jesus calling her to repent, to open the door of

the heart by turning from her evil ways.Those who will not read the Spirit of Prophecy have neglected the first of the two

conditions for special fellowship with Jesus in our day. For them the command to repent

in verse 19 is a vague call, perhaps for someone else. They would rather excuse their

wrong on the basis of their fallen nature and are not keen on reading testimonies thatwould make them feel the accountability that accompanies their depravity.

Open the door: Here is the second condition. This is the only reasonable response tohearing the voice. But those who are unfamiliar with Jesus may not be comfortableopening a door to Someone who demands so much. If they have not learned to recognize

the love in His life-giving reproofs of instruction, they will rise up against them. Rather

than let the Guest in, they will confound Him with an enemy and treat Him spitefully.

If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to thisstraight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to

overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said

the angel: God will bring His work closer and closer to test and proveevery one of His people. Some are willing to receive one point; but when

God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and standback, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Herethey have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus.

They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not

prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length oftime to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the

True Witness. If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and

overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of

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God have the charge: They are joined to their idols, let them alone, and

they pass on to their work, leaving these with their sinful traits unsubdued,

to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point, and standevery test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the

counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus

be fitted for translation. (Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 187)

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it

would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of

the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the

heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forththe straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise

up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among Gods people.

I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded.The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has

been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must

work deep repentance; all who truly receive it will obey it and be purified.

(Early Writings, p. 270)

This, then, is the end result of the message. It will purify some and harden the rest.

Now some have been frightened, almost as if the shaking will cause weak Christians

to lose their way. But it is not weak Christians that refuse the voice of Jesus. It is falseones. Not the small grains of wheat, but the chaff will be blown away. What a precious

promise is found in the promise of the shaking!

For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among

all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain

fall upon the earth. (Amos 9:9)

I Will Come In and Eat with Him

The food that Jesus offers is His truth. Truth is food? Prophets are represented as

eating scrolls. (See Ezekiel 2; Revelation 10) Jeremiah wrote, Thy words were found,

and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.Jeremiah 15:16.

On the surface it might seem that all have access to this feast, but it is not so. They

may eat the words alone, but if they would eat them with Jesus, they must open the door.And the words, without Jesus indwelling, will not be of true profit.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: butthe word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in

them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)

Does Revelation speak of any special meal of truth being made available to Christs

followers? Any special Word from Him? Certainly. The testimony of Jesus, as given to

the remnant church, not only invites the church to open her door but proffers a trueabundance of good things for those that do invite Christ to enter.

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To Sit with Me on My Throne

This honor have all his saints. Psalm 149:9. We then, a kingdom of priests here,

will reign also as kings and priest above. (The twenty-four elders already reign this way.See Revelation 5:10) Already we are a royal priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9.

Our royal destiny, to sit on an eternal throne, makes certain behaviors unacceptable.

This is why Adventists must not drink alcoholic drinks.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; . . .

lest they drink, and forget the law. (Proverbs 31:45)

And regarding priests,

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee,

when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall

be a statute for ever throughout your generations: and that ye may

put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and

clean. (Leviticus 10:910)

Our calling to being judges in the future sets us apart as tea-totaling priests even

today.

Even as I also Overcame

This study opened with a statement on one unchanging element of present truth.

Beholding Jesus ever has been and ever will be current theology. In closing His messageto the Laodiceans, Jesus presents His own life of self-denial and service as a model for

those who would be overcomers. The most notable overcoming on Christs part was the

defeat of His own inclination to escape the cross. If it be possible, He prayed in humanweakness, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

(Matthew 26:39)Not my will. That is the way that Christ overcame. Even as I also did, He invites,

you may also.

Long afterward, when John had been brought into sympathy with

Christ through the fellowship of His sufferings, the Lord Jesus revealed to

him what is the condition of nearness to His kingdom. To him thatovercometh, Christ said, will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even

as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.

Revelation 3:21. The one who stands nearest to Christ will be he who hasdrunk most deeply of His spirit of self-sacrificing lovelove that

vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, . . . seeketh not her own, is not easilyprovoked, thinketh no evil (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5)love that moves the

disciple, as it moved our Lord, to give all, to live and labor and sacrificeeven unto death, for the saving of humanity. (The Acts of the Apostles, p.

543)

Amen.

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Chapter Three

Hebrews Problems and Ballenger

Brief Idea: Adventism has nothing to be ashamed of regarding its position on Daniel

8:14. From tsdaq to the relation of the little horn to the sanctuarys defilement, fromHebrews 6 to Hebrews 9, we stand on solid ground.

Many persons have left Adventism over various objections to our doctrine. And one

objection that rises periodically is that our belief in the sanctuary message is founded

on a faulty translation of Daniel 8:14. The sanctuary was to be justified, not cleansed. Sothe argument runs.

Arguments About Words

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before

the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the

subverting of the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14)

When we ask, What does that verse mean? we may search for an answer in otherverses. But when we ask, What does that wordmean? we may find men challenging

our position by referring to sources beyond our ability to evaluate. We, the average

readers, are not able to compare the merit of various lexicons and of various authorities inthe field of Biblical languages.

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