General Conference
Multimedia Department
A MOMENT �OF PRAYER
22
MY DEFENSE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
Parable of the Wedding Feast
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22:1-14
Parable of the Wedding Feast
Where did these guests, who were invited from the streets and roadsides, get their wedding garments?
In ancient times, it was customary in the East for the king to provide proper garments at wedding celebrations to each guest upon entering the banquet.
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGEMENT
What will God take into account in the judgment?
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Ecclesiastes 12:14
When Jesus Christ comes the decision on who will be saved and who will be lost will already have been made.
An investigative judgment will already have taken place.
Daniel saw the Investigative Judgment �in vision. ��Who takes �part in it?
“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 7:9-10
“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall �not pass away, and his kingdom that �which shall not be destroyed”
Daniel 7:13-14
Our sins are registered in the sanctuary of God. An investigative judgment and a work of cleansing are necessary. When would this begin, according to Daniel's prophecy?
“And he said unto me, �Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall �the sanctuary be cleansed”
Daniel 8:14
It was the beginning of the investigative judgment in heaven-the cleansing of the sanctuary to determine who will be saved and who �will be lost before the coming of Jesus.
THE CLEANSING OF THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY
What did God command Israel to do?
“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them”
Exodus 25:8
What had �to be shed �so man �could be �forgiven?
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal �redemption for us.”
Hebrews 9:22, 12
In the sanctuary built in the wilderness, �there were two compartments separated by a veil, the Holy Place and the Most Holy. �How often did the priest enter the Holy Place, and for what purpose?
“Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service �of God.”
Hebrews 9:6
Who was the only one who entered the Most Holy Place, and how often did �he do so?
“But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.”
Hebrews 9:7
THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY
Where is the real sanctuary?
“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: �We have such an high priest, �who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
.”
Hebrews 8:1-2
Who is the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary?
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us”
Hebrews 9:24
Whose blood did He offer?
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal �redemption for us.”
Hebrews 9:11-12
When was the heavenly sanctuary to be cleansed?
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
Daniel 8:14
1. Of the sinner.
When he accepts Jesus Christ and is declared righteous in the court of God.
Three trials
Three trials
2. Judgment for the sinner
Christ is presented instead of him. This is the one that takes place from 1844, until the end of time of grace.
Three trials
3. Judgment of the ungodly
the measure is determined of the punishment of every man who rejected the grace of God. This happens during the millennium.
CONCLUSION
What will Jesus exclaim when he ceases to intercede for us and the investigative judgment comes to an end?
“He that is unjust let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy , let him be filthy still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."
Revelation 22:11
Our words, works and motives will all be judged. �Is there a second opportunity for those who do not �repent today?
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
Jeremiah 2:22
At this very moment your fate is being decided!
The standard in judgment will be the law of God, which we can obey only through the power of Christ's righteousness in us.
There is only one way: to surrender ourselves to Him.
Will you take Him today as your advocate and give Him your heart?
Thank you, �Lord, �
for your intercession!
Our next topic: �Why are there so many religions?
A disturbing question answered by the Apocalypse projecting to through clear biblical prophecies, the history of the church and the religious movements throughout history to the present day.
GOD BLESS YOU!
biblewell.org
info@biblewell.org