the great controversy-第78章

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to　Christ's　ministration　in　the　most　holy　place；　to　the　investigative
judgment；　and　not　to　the　coming　of　Christ　for　the　redemption　of　His　people
and　the　destruction　of　the　wicked。　The　mistake　had　not　been　in　the　reckoning
of　the　prophetic　periods；　but　in　the　event　to　take　place　at　the　end　of　the
2300　days。　Through　this　error　the　believers　had　suffered　disappointment；　yet
all　that　was　foretold　by　the　prophecy；　and　all　that　they　had　any　Scripture
warrant　to　expect；　had　been　accomplished。　At　the　very　time　when　they　were
lamenting　the　failure　of　their　hopes；　the　event　had　taken　place　which　was
foretold　by　the　message；　and　which　must　be　fulfilled　before　the　Lord　could
appear　to　give　reward　to　His　servants。

Christ　had　come；　not　to　the　earth；　as　they　expected；　but；　as　foreshadowed　in
the　type；　to　the　most　holy　place　of　the　temple　of　God　in　heaven。　He　is
represented　by　the　prophet　Daniel　as　coming　at　this　time　to　the　Ancient　of
Days：　〃I　saw　in　the　night　visions；　and；　behold；　one　like　the　Son　of　man　came
with　the　clouds　of　heaven；　and　came〃not　to　the　earth；　but〃to　the　Ancient
of　Days；　and　they　brought　Him　near　before　Him。〃　Daniel　7：13。

This　coming　is　foretold　also　by　the　prophet　Malachi：　〃The　Lord；　whom　ye
seek；　shall　suddenly　come　to　His　temple；　even　the　Messenger　of　the　covenant；
whom　ye　delight　in：　behold；　He　shall　come；　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts。〃　Malachi
3：1。　The　coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple　was　sudden；　unexpected；　to　His
people。　They　were　not　looking　to　Him　there。　They　expected　Him　to　come　to
earth；　〃in　flaming　fire　taking　vengeance　on　them　that　know　not　God；　and　that
obey　not　the　gospel。〃　2　Thessalonians　1：8。

But　the　people　were　not　yet　ready　to　meet　their　Lord。　There　was　still　a　work
of　preparation　to　be　accomplished　for

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them。　Light　was　to　be　given；　directing　their　minds　to　the　temple　of　God　in
heaven；　and　as　they　should　by　faith　follow　their　High　Priest　in　His
ministration　there；　new　duties　would　be　revealed。　Another　message　of　warning
and　instruction　was　to　be　given　to　the　church。

Says　the　prophet：　〃Who　may　abide　the　day　of　His　coming？　and　who　shall　stand
when　He　appeareth？　for　He　is　like　a　refiner's　fire；　and　like　fullers'　soap：
and　He　shall　sit　as　a　refiner　and　purifier　of　silver：　and　He　shall　purify
the　sons　of　Levi；　and　purge　them　as　gold　and　silver；　that　they　may　offer
unto　the　Lord　an　offering　in　righteousness。〃　Malachi　3：2；　3。　Those　who　are
living　upon　the　earth　when　the　intercession　of　Christ　shall　cease　in　the
sanctuary　above　are　to　stand　in　the　sight　of　a　holy　God　without　a　mediator。
Their　robes　must　be　spotless；　their　characters　must　be　purified　from　sin　by
the　blood　of　sprinkling。　Through　the　grace　of　God　and　their　own　diligent
effort　they　must　be　conquerors　in　the　battle　with　evil。　While　the
investigative　judgment　is　going　forward　in　heaven；　while　the　sins　of
penitent　believers　are　being　removed　from　the　sanctuary；　there　is　to　be　a
special　work　of　purification；　of　putting　away　of　sin；　among　God's　people
upon　earth。　This　work　is　more　clearly　presented　in　the　messages　of
Revelation　14。

When　this　work　shall　have　been　accomplished；　the　followers　of　Christ　will　be
ready　for　His　appearing。　〃Then　shall　the　offering　of　Judah　and　Jerusalem　be
pleasant　unto　the　Lord；　as　in　the　days　of　old；　and　as　in　former　years。〃
Malachi　3：4。　Then　the　church　which　our　Lord　at　His　coming　is　to　receive　to
Himself　will　be　a　〃glorious　church；　not　having　spot；　or　wrinkle；　or　any　such
thing。〃　Ephesians　5：27。　Then　she　will　look　〃forth　as　the　morning；　fair　as
the　moon；　clear　as　the　sun；　and　terrible　as　an　army　with　banners。〃　Song　of
Solomon　6：10。

Besides　the　coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple；　Malachi　also　foretells　His
second　advent；　His　coming　for　the　execution　of　the　judgment；　in　these　words：
〃And　I　will　come　near

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to　you　to　judgment；　and　I　will　be　a　swift　witness　against　the　sorcerers；　and
against　the　adulterers；　and　against　false　swearers；　and　against　those　that
oppress　the　hireling　in　his　wages；　the　widow；　and　the　fatherless；　and　that
turn　aside　the　stranger　from　his　right；　and　fear　not　Me；　saith　the　Lord　of
hosts。〃　Malachi　3：5。　Jude　refers　to　the　same　scene　when　he　says；　〃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。〃　Jude　14；　15。　This　coming；　and　the　coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple；
are　distinct　and　separate　events。

The　coming　of　Christ　as　our　high　priest　to　the　most　holy　place；　for　the
cleansing　of　the　sanctuary；　brought　to　view　in　Daniel　8：14；　the　coming　of
the　Son　of　man　to　the　Ancient　of　Days；　as　presented　in　Daniel　7：13；　and　the
coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple；　foretold　by　Malachi；　are　descriptions　of
the　same　event；　and　this　is　also　represented　by　the　coming　of　the　bridegroom
to　the　marriage；　described　by　Christ　in　the　parable　of　the　ten　virgins；　of
Matthew　25。

In　the　summer　and　autumn　of　1844　the　proclamation；　〃Behold；　the　Bridegroom
cometh；〃　was　given。　The　two　classes　represented　by　the　wise　and　foolish
virgins　were　then　developedone　class　who　looked　with　joy　to　the　Lord's
appearing；　and　who　had　been　diligently　preparing　to　meet　Him；　another　class
that；　influenced　by　fear　and　acting　from　impulse；　had　been　satisfied　with　a
theory　of　the　truth；　but　were　destitute　of　the　grace　of　God。　In　the　parable；
when　the　bridegroom　came；　〃they　that　were　ready　went　in　with　him　to　the
marriage。〃　The　coming　of　the　bridegroom；　here　brought　to　view；　takes　place
before　the　marriage。　The　marriage　represents　the　reception　by　Christ　of　His
kingdom。　The　Holy　City；　the　New　Jerusalem；　which　is　the　capital　and
representative　of　the　kingdom；　is　called　〃the　bride；　the　Lamb's　wife。〃　Said
the　angel　to　John：　〃Come　hither；　I　will　show　thee　the　bride；　the　Lamb's
wife。〃　〃He　carried　me　away　in　the　spirit；〃　says　the　prophet；　〃and　showed　me
that　great　city；　the　holy　Jerusalem；　descending　out　of　heaven　from　God。〃
Revelation

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21：9；　10。　Clearly；　then；　the　bride　represents　the　Holy　City；　and　the　virgins
that　go　out　to　meet　the　bridegroom　are　a　symbol　of　the　church。　In　the
Revelation　the　people　of　God　are　said　to　be　the　guests　at　the　marriage
supper。　Revelation　19：9。　If　guests；　they　cannot　be　represented　also　as　the
bride。　Christ；　as　stated　by　the　prophet　Daniel；　will　receive　from　the
Ancient　of　Days　in　heaven；　〃dominion；　and　glory；　and　a　kingdom；〃　He　will
receive　the　New　Jerusalem；　the　capital　of　His　kingdom；　〃prepared　as　a　bride
adorned　for　her　husband。〃　Daniel　7：14；　Revelation　21：2。　Having　received　the
kingdom；　He　will　come　in　His　glory；　as　King　of　kings　and　Lord　of　lords；　for
the　redemption　of　His　people；　who　are　to　〃sit　down　with　Abraham；　and　Isaac；
and　Jacob；〃　at　His　table　in　His　kingdom　（Matthew　8：11；　Luke　22：30）；　to
partake　of　the　marriage　supper　of　the　Lamb。

The　proclamation；　〃Behold；　the　Bridegroom　cometh；〃　in　the　summer　of　1844；
led　thousands　to　expect　the　immediate　advent　of　the　Lord。　At　the　appointed
time　the　Bridegroom　came；　not　to　the　earth；　as　the　people　expected；　but　to
the　Ancient　of　Days　in　heaven；　to　the　marriage；　the　reception　of　His
kingdom。　〃They　that　were　ready　went　in　with　Him　to　the　marriage：　and　the
door　was　shut。〃　They　were　not　to　be　present　in　person　at　the　marriage；　for
it　takes　place　in　heaven；　while　they　are　upon　the　earth。　The　followers　of
Christ　are　to　〃wait　for　their　Lord；　when　He　will　return　from　the　wedding。〃
Luke　12：36。　But　they　are　to　understand　His　work；　and　to　follow　Him　by　faith
as　He　goes　in　before　God。　It　is　in　this　sense　that　they　are　said　to　go　in　to
the　marriage。

In　the　parable　it　was　those　that　had　oil　in　their　vessels　with　their　lamps
that　went　in　to　the　marriage。　Those　who；　with　a　knowledge　of　the　truth　from
the　Scriptures；　had　also　the　Spirit　and　grace　of　God；　and　who；　in　the　night
of　their　bitter　trial；　had　patiently　waited；　searching　the　Bible　for　clearer
lightthese　saw　the　truth　concerning　the　sanctuary　in　heaven　and　the
Saviour's　change　in　ministration；　and　by　faith　they　followed　Him　in　His　work
in　the　sanctuary　above。　And　all　who　through　the　testimony　of　the　Scriptures
accept　the

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same　truths；　following　Christ　by　faith　as　He　enters　in　before　God　to　perform
the　last　work　of　mediation；　and　at　its　close　to　receive　His　kingdomall
these　are　represented　as　going　in　to　the　marriage。

In　the　parable　of　Matthew　22　the　same　figure　of　the　marriage　is　introduced；
and　the　investigative　judgment　is　clearly　represented　as　taking　place　before
the　marriage。　Previous　to　the　wedding　the　king　comes　in　to　see　the　guests；
to　see　if　all　are　attired　in　the　wedding　garment；　the　spotless　robe　of
character　washed　and　made　white　in　the　blood　of　the　Lamb。　Matthew　22：11；
Revelation　7：14。　He　who　is　found　wanting　is　cast　out；　but　all　who　upon
examination　are　seen　to　have　the　wedding　garment　on　are　accepted　of　God　and
accounted　worthy　of　a　share　in　His　kingdom　and　a　seat　upon　His　throne。　This
work　of　examination　of　character；　of　determining　who　are　prepared　for　the
kingdom　of　God；　is　that　of　the　investigative　judgment；　the　closing　of　work
in　the　sanctuary　above。

When　the　work　of　investigation　shall　be　ended；　when　the　cases　of　those　who
in　all　ages　have　professed　to　be　followers　of　Christ　have　been　examined　and
decided；　then；　and　not　till　then；　probation　will　close；　and　the　door　of
mercy　will　be　shut。　Thus　in　the　one　short　sentence；　〃They　that　were　ready
went　in　with　Him　to　the　marriage：　and　the　door　was　shut；〃　we　are　carried
down　through　the　Saviour's　final　ministration；　to　the　time　when　the　great
work　for　man's　salvation　shall　be　completed。

In　the　service　of　the　earthly　sanctuary；　which；　as　we　have　seen；　is　a　figure
of　the　service　in　the　heavenly；　when　the　high　priest　on　the　Day　of　Atonement
entered　the　most　holy　place；　the　ministration　in　the　first　apartment　ceased。
God　commanded：　〃There　shall　be　no　man　in　the　tabernacle　of　the　congregation
when　he　goeth　in　to　make　an　atonement　in　the　holy　place；　until　he　comes
out。〃　Leviticus　16：17。　So　when　Christ　entered　the　holy　of　holies　to　perform
the　closing　work　of　the　atonement；　He　ceased　His　ministration　in　the　first
apartment。　But　when　the　ministration　in　the　first　apartment

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ended；　the　ministration　in　the　second　apartment　began。　When　in　the　typical
service　the　high　priest　left　the　holy　on　the　Day　of　Atonement；　he　went　in
before　God　to　present　the　blood　of　the　sin　offering　in　behalf　of　all　Israel
who　truly　repented　of　their　sins。　So　Christ　had　only　completed　one　part　of
His　work　as　our　intercessor；　to　enter　upon　another　portion　of　the　work；　and
He　still　pleaded　His　blood　before　the　Father　in　behalf　of　sinners。

This　subject　was　not　understood　by　Adventists　in　1844。　After　the　passing　of
the　time　when　the　Saviour　was　expected；　they　still　believed　His　coming　to　be
near；　they　held　that　they　had　reached　an　important　crisis　and　that　the　work
of　Christ　as　man's　intercessor　before　God　had　ceased。　It　appeared　to　them　to
be　taught　in　the　Bible　that　man's　probation　would　close　a　short　time　befo