The Signs of the Times, vol. 14
July 20, 1888
“The Roman Catholic Church and Her Daughters” The Signs of the Times 14, 28, p. 439.
LAST week we quoted from the following from Rev. Charles W. Shields, D.D., of Princeton College, as reasons why the doctrine of Apostolic Succession should not be forbidden in the proposed reunion of Christendom:— SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.1
“You would exclude the Roman Catholic Church, the mother of us all.... You would exclude also the Protestant Episcopal Church, the beautiful daughter of a beautiful mother.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.2
So then Protestants have reached the point where they acknowledge the Roman Catholic Church as their mother, and not only that, but they see in her a beautiful mother. In view of the Scriptures on this subject, these statements are intensely suggestive. In Revelation 17:1-6 is written the following:— SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.3
“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters; with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication; and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.4
This is the Lord’s own description of the Roman Catholic Church. It will be seen at a glance that all who acknowledge her as their mother place themselves in very questionable company. She is a harlot who has committed fornication with the kings of the earth. With the wine of her fornication the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk; and she has made herself drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. In the vigorous language of the historian, “The Roman bishops have deluged Europe and Asia with blood.” Upon her bold, brazen forehead is written, “Mystery,” and it is the “Mystery of Iniquity.” And this is the character whom Protestant (?) doctors of divinity greet with the title of “beautiful mother,” “the mother of us all”! The word of God says, “Jerusalem which is above ... is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:26. But here are “Protestant” divines who deny our heavenly mother, and salute “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth,” as the mother, the beautiful mother, of them all. This was published February ..., and not yet have we seen a single paper that has repudiated, nor heard of a minister who has denied, this daughterly tribute to the “beautiful mother” of them all. SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.5
What was it that made the Church of Rome a harlot? She was not always so. Once she was the very excellence of purity and virtue. Said Paul to the church at Rome, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” Romans 1:8. But she fell from her high estate; she lost the power of godliness, and courted the power of ungodliness; she forsook her rightful Lord, and joined herself to the kings of the earth, and committed fornication with them. An illicit connection was formed between the Church and the State. The church leaned upon the arm of the State instead of upon that of her lawful Spouse. She sought the support of earthly power, instead of humbly depending upon the Source of all power in Heaven and in earth. And she who was once a lawful wife, espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ, became a confirmed harlot. She whose faith was once a source of joy throughout the whole world, became a wicked, drunken harlot, making the inhabitants of the earth drunk with the wine of her fornication. She who was once clothed with the pure white raiment of the righteousness of Christ, now sought to make up for the loss of it by arraying herself in purple and scarlet, and decking herself with gold and precious stones and pearls; and where once she held forth the word of life, now she held forth in her jeweled hand a golden cup, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. And the only things of which the Scripture says she is the mother are “harlots and abominations of the earth.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.6
That there should be any professed Protestants who were willing to acknowledge as the mother of them all a church so described in the word of God, and which history shows to be abundantly worthy of the description, would be sufficiently surprising were it not that the course of the professed Protestant churches of to-day is giving clear evidence that they are walking in the ways of the wicked mother, and that they will soon show themselves to be true daughters of “Babylon the Great,” the “beautiful mother” of them all. No one can look at the carnivals, the festivals, the “crazy” suppers, the ring-cakes, the grab-bags, the “sleeping beauties,” the selling of young ladies at auction, the lotteries, and other gambling devices practiced by so many of the churches of the present day, and say but that in these things these churches are walking contrary to the ways of the Lord, whom they profess to serve. In all these things they show themselves “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” And now, just like their Romish mother before them, having love the power of godliness, they are grasping the power of ungodliness; having lost the power of God, by which they can persuade men, they are grasping for the civil power, by which they will compel men to conform to that which they say is the doctrine of Christ. These also are now turning away from the Lord and leaning upon the arm of the State; they are forsaking their lawful Spouse, and forming illicit connection with civil government. Among all the so-called evangelical Protestant churches of our country there is not one which is not, through Sunday laws, grasping for control of the civil power to wield it in their own interests. SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.7
This is precisely the way, even to the subject of the legislation, in which the Roman Catholic Church seized upon the civil power in the fourth century. This is precisely the course which she took by which she made herself that great harlot, committing fornication with the kings of the earth. And this course, in which the Protestant churches of our land are even now so far advanced, will inevitably lead them to the same impure end, and will make them, at last, worthy daughters of that pernicious one whom now they so admiringly call “a beautiful mother,” “the mother of us all.” We are not the only ones who see such a danger. Last March the Methodist Episcopal Conference of Kansas adopted resolutions refusing to support any political party that will not grant to them certain concessions. Upon this the Interior (Presbyterian) made the following sound comments:— SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.8
“The Methodist conference in Kansas at its meeting in Topeka last week, passed resolutions demanding national prohibition and refusing to support any political party which does not stand squarely upon their platform. They demanded: 1. That the United States shall not issue permits to sell liquor in any State unless the same be countersigned by the State authorities. 2. Prohibition in the District of Columbia, the territories, etc. 3. The importation of liquors into any State to be by the consent of the State. 4. A prohibitory amendment to the constitution of the United States. SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.9
“Just what the practical effect of these provisions might be it is not safe to undertake in advance to determine. But the purpose of these brethren was to put down the liquor traffic, and therefore it was a righteous purpose. But we would not like to have our presbytery or assembly pledge our church to the defeat of any political party not committed to these particular measures. We would not like to have our church committed to a war of extermination upon the Republican party or the Democratic party. As the clause in our Confession forbidding the church to meddle with civil affairs is now under scrutiny, the action of the Methodist conference affords a very good illustration. SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.10
“Let us suppose, now, that the Methodist Episcopal Church, which at the North, we may say, is pretty nearly solidly Republican, should receive and obey a mandate from its general conference to vote against the Republican party—that would defeat that party. There are over one hundred thousand offices and over a thousand millions of treasure dependent upon that stake. Can a church have the awarding of such political spoils to one or another political party, and remain morally pure? No reasonable man will believe it. Nothing has yet been seen in history in the way of ecclesiastical corruption, that would compare with the horrible mixture of cant and rascality that would follow. This shows that, however attractive from a moral standpoint ecclesiastico-political action may be, it is in the highest degree perilous. In forbidding it our Confession of Faith deals with principles of religion and morality that are unchangeable and decisive.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.11
This is sound doctrine. The churches cannot tamper with political influence and retain their purity. And just as soon as the churches take it upon themselves to control legislation, and to wield their influence for political purposes, just so soon she separates herself from Christ and forms an illicit union with worldly power. The church have already entered upon this course, which can end only in the union of Church and State. And only let the lines be a little more clearly drawn which show that political preference is dependent on church favor, and then the Babylon—mother and daughters—of the book of Revelation will be complete, and will “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Then will be seen at the full, that tide of “ecclesiastical corruption,” that “horrible mixture of cant and rascality,” spoken of by the Interior. And there will be heard the voice from Heaven saying, “Come our of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.12
“For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” Revelation 18:5-8. SITI July 20, 1888, page 439.13
J.
“Questions and Answers” The Signs of the Times 14, 28, p. 440.
AN atheistic paper fell into the hands of one of our brethren, making some of the same old objections to the Bible, and he asks us the following:— SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.1
“QUESTION.—“How do you harmonize the following passages of Scripture?—Genesis 14:14 with Judges 18:29; also Exodus 12:40 with Genesis 15:13; and 2 Kings 8:26 with 2 Chronicles 21:20 and 22:1, 2. The dates in the Gospels place Christ’s baptism at A.D. 27 and his crucifixion at A.D. 33, when but three and one-half years should intervene. Please explain. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.2
“C.H.H.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.3
The first of these passages tells how Abram, when he heard that Lot had been carried captive, armed his trained servants and “pursued them unto Dan.” The second tells how the children of Dan, the son of Jacob, burnt the city of Laish, and built a new city in its place, and “called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel; howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.” These two passages are of exceeding great comfort to scoffers at the Bible. “Behold,” say they (but they are but vain words), “the books says Abram pursued them unto Dan, when the book itself shows that there was no such place as Dan for more than five hundred years afterward.” But this is saying too much. For although there was no such city as Dan till more than five hundred years after Abram’s expedition there was such a place as Dan at the time when Abram pursued the captors of Lot, and it is the truth that Abram pursued them unto Dan. Says Josephus:— SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.4
“When Abram heard of their calamity he was at once afraid for Lot his kinsman, and pitied the Sodomites, his friends and neighbors; and thinking it proper to afford them assistance he did not delay it, but marched hastily, and the fifth night fell upon the Assyrians near Dan, for that is the name of the other spring of Jordan.”—Antiquities, Book 1, chap. 10, paragraph 1. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.5
The river Jordan has its principal source in a big spring near Cesarea Philippi, at the foot of Anti-Lebanon. From unknown time that spring was called Dan, as Josephus says, and that is why the river that flows from it has always been called Jordan, literally Yar-Dan, that is, the river Dan. And it was to this place that Abram pursued the captors of Lot, and surprised them “by night,” in their camp there at the spring of Dan. This record about Abram and Lot has nothing to do with the city of Dan. It does not say Abram pursued them unto the city of Dan, but he “pursued them unto Dan.” Before infidels can make their objection good, they must prove that the Dan in Genesis 14:14 is the city of Dan, of Judges 18:29. But this they cannot do, for their own objection as formed in their own words shows that then there was no such city as Dan; while both authentic history and philology show that there was the such a place as Dan and that it is the source of the river Dan—Jordan. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.6
This is an old infidel objection, and has been answered over and over, but they still repeat it, although they know the truth about it. Here is a new point which we propose for them in place of this old, wornout one: In Genesis 13:10 the Book says, “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan,” that is, all the plain of the river Dan. Now let them argue thus: “The plain of Jordan is literally the plain of the river Dan. Now Dan was one of the sons of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, and there was no such city as Dan, till the children of Israel had possessed the promised land, and the tribe of Dan had destroyed Laish and built their own city in the place of it and called the city Dan after the name of their father. Therefore to say that Lot beheld all the plain of the river Dan is the height of absurdity, because then there could have been no such river as Dan, because there was no such city as Dan for more than five hundred years afterward.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.7
Here is a parallel: History says that Columbus discovered America in 1492 A.D. Now what could be more preposterously absurd than to set forth a sober history, such a statement as that, when everybody knows that there was no such place as Columbus for three hundred and thirty-six years afterward. Everybody knows that Columbus is the capital city of the State of Ohio, and it is not only a fact of authentic history, but one also attested by the memory of men still living, that the foundations of the city of Columbus were laid in A.D. 1828. Quote to us as sensible history that Columbus discovered America! Pooh! SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.8
In the second reference, one passage, Exodus 12:40, speaks of the sojourn of Israel in Egypt 430 years, while the other said to Abraham that they should dwell in a land that was not theirs 400 years. The same difference is made between Galatians 3:17 and Acts 7:6, Paul saying it was 430 and Stephen 400. This is to be explained by the fact that Acts 7:6 and Genesis 15:13 do not speak definitely but only in round numbers, which was suitable to the purpose in both places; while Galatians 3:17 and Exodus 12:40 having occasion to be definite give the exact time and name the odd years. Another instance of this is Numbers 14:33, 34. It is said, after they had spied the land, that they should spend forty years wandering in the wilderness, according to the forty days that they had spied the land. Yet it was really only thirty-eight years from that time, and the forty years include the two years which they had already spent since leaving Egypt. Another is in Judges 11:26. Jephtha said Israel had possessed the lands of Moab 300 years, but, to speak exactly, it was somewhat more than 300 years. Another is in Judges 9:18, 56, with verse 5. Abimelech is said to have slain the seventy sons of Gideon, though in reality he only slew sixty-nine, for Jotham escaped. In 1 Corinthians 15:5 Paul speaks of Christ’s appearance to the twelve, when there were but eleven, because Judas had hanged himself. In Mark 16:14, it says that he appeared to the eleven, when there were only ten, because John 20:24 says Thomas was not there. In all these instances, the numbers are used generally, but when Paul or any other is making an argument or a particular statement, then the definite number is given. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.9
The next reference in the question relates to the age of Ahaziah when he began to reign. In 2 Kings 8:26 he is said to have been twenty-two years old; while in 2 Chronicles 22:2 he is said to have been forty-two years old. Yet at the same time, 2 Chronicles 21:20 shows that his father died at the age of forty years, which leaves no shadow of doubt as to the age of Ahaziah—he was twenty-two years old. How then could it come about that it is said in one place forty-two, and in the other twenty-two? It must be remembered that the ancient nations did not have figures as we have to express numbers, they had only letters. And in the Hebrew there are several letters so near alike that a very small scratch of a pen—a tittle—will turn one into the other. One of these letters if Kaph, and when used as a numeral counts twenty; another is Mem, and when used as a numeral counts forty. These two letters are so near alike that the scratch of a pen less than one-sixteenth of an inch in length will turn Kaph into Mem, and so turn twenty into forty. And that is how, in copying the ancient manuscript, 2 Chronicles 22:2 was made to read forty-two instead of twenty-two, as it should be. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.10
The discrepancy in the dates given in the margin of the Gospels, is a mistake of Archbishop Usher, who put them there. The date of the baptism of the Saviour is given correctly, A.D. 27. But how the Archbishop got three years between his baptism and his first miracle, when the Scripture gives it plainly as only four days, is more than we can understand. See Mark 1:7-9, and John 1:26-29, 35, 43, and 2:1. And how the Archbishop could get six years between the Saviour’s baptism and his death, when the Scripture clearly shows that he attended but four Passovers, making but about three and a half years, for he was crucified at the fourth Passover, is likewise more than we can make out. See John 2:13; 5:1; 6:4; 11:55. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.11
The reader must always bear in mind that, although the dates and marginal references in the Bible are often a great help to the understanding of the Scriptures, yet they are not given by the inspiration of God. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.12
J.
“The Third Angel’s Message. The Time of the Message” The Signs of the Times 14, 28, pp. 440, 441.
THE TIME OF THE MESSAGE
(Lesson 5, Sabbath, August 4.)
1. WHAT was the purpose of the sanctuary and the service of the Levitical priesthood?—It was a figure of the sanctuary and service of the priesthood of Christ. Hebrews 9:9, 22, 23, 11, 12, 24. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.1
2. In the figure how often was the service completed? SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.2
“And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.” Leviticus 16:34. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.3
“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. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.4
3. In the reality how often will it be completed? SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.5
“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.” “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; nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 9:12, 24-26; 10:3, 10. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.6
4. What was that day’s service called which was performed on the last day of the annual service of the earthly sanctuary?—The atonement, cleansing of the sanctuary, and “reconciling” the sanctuary. Leviticus 16:19, 20, 33. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.7
5. What made it necessary to cleanse, or reconcile, this sanctuary? SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.8
“And he shall make an atonement for the holy [place], because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins; and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.” “For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.” “And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.” Verses 16, 30, 34. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.9
6. Is the heavenly sanctuary to be purified, cleansed, or reconciled? SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.10
“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 9:23. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.11
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20. SITI July 20, 1888, page 440.12
7. What says the prophecy on this? SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.1
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.2
8. When did this period of time begin?—B.C. 456½. Daniel 9:25; Ezra 7:7-26. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.3
9. When did it end?—A.D. 1844. For 2300-456½=1843½ =1844. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.4
10. Then when did the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary begin? SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.5
11. In the figure what was done with those who had not their sins taken away by the work of atonement?—They were cut off without mercy; their probation was ended. Leviticus 23:29, 30. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.6
12. As this sanctuary service was all in behalf of sinners, and as all who would not partake of it were cut off without remedy, what, in effect, was that work of atonement?—A work of judgment. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.7
13. When the seventh trumpet angel should begin to sound what, among other things, was then to come?—The time of the dead that they should be judged. Revelation 11:18. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.8
14. What says the angel of Revelation 14:6, 7? SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.9
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.10
15. What then is the date of the message of Revelation 14:6, 7?—A.D. 1844. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.11
16. Was there such a message given at that time? SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.12
17. What was the result of the rejection of that message? SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.13
“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.14
18. What was the result of the “falling away” after the first preaching of the gospel? SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.15
“Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.16
NOTES
THE sanctuary of the Levitical law was a figure of the sanctuary of the gospel. Hebrews 9:9, 11, 23. That was on earth, this is in Heaven; that was made with hands and pitched by man, this was made without hands and pitched by the Lord. Hebrews 9:9, 23, 24; 8:2; 9:11. The service of that sanctuary was by the men of the Levitical priesthood, and with the blood of beasts; the service of this sanctuary is by Christ the Lord, of the Melchizedec priesthood, and with the blood of Christ. Hebrews 7; 9:6, 9, 12-14, 22-26; 8:1. The service of that sanctuary was completed once a year; the service of this when completed is once for all. Hebrews 9:25, 26; 10:3, 10. The last work of the annual service in that sanctuary was upon what was called the day of atonement, and the service was called the cleansing of the sanctuary—the taking away of all the sins that had been conveyed into the sanctuary by the service of the priests at the confessions and sacrifices of the people during the year that then ended. Leviticus 23:27-32; 16:2-34. The last work of the once-for-all service of the heavenly sanctuary will be the great day of everlasting atonement, and the service will be to take away forever all the sins which have been borne by our High Priest, at our confession and the offering of him by faith as our sacrifice, as he offers himself in fact in our behalf. This also is called the cleansing of, not the earthly but the heavenly, sanctuary. As the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary was the last work for that year in behalf of that people, so the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary will be the last work forever in behalf of any people. As the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary was the very last day of that annual round of service, so whenever the world shall have reached the time of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, the world will then have entered upon the very last days of the work of the gospel, and when the sanctuary shall have been cleansed, the gospel—the mystery of God—will “be finished as He hath declared to his servants the prophets.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.17
Now when, according to the Scriptures, should the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary begin? In Daniel 8:14, from a certain time, it is said, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” This also being prophetic time each day stands for a year, and is, therefore, two thousand and three hundred years. From what time? “From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem.” Daniel 9:25. Seventy weeks—four hundred and ninety years—were cut off from the two thousand three hundred, and appropriated to Daniel’s people, the Jews, and the beginning of the four hundred and ninety years is the beginning of the two thousand and three hundred. This beginning, as quoted above, was at the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, which was in the year 457 B.C. Ezra 7. Although Ezra, with the decree, started from Babylon in the first month, it was not till the fifth month that he reached Jerusalem; and as the decree was to the treasurers “beyond the river” Euphrates and in Palestine, it was of no force till he reached that country, so about half the year was gone before the decree could be said to go forth to restore and to build the city, which would make it about the middle of the year 457, or really 456½ years before Christ. Two thousand and three hundred years from 456½ B.C. brings us to 2300-456½=1843½ after Christ. Eighteen hundred and forty three and a half years after Christ carries us into the year 1844 A.D. Then it was, the angel said to Daniel, that the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary should be: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.18
THAT this cannot be applied to the earthly sanctuary is made certain by the statement in Daniel 9:25, that after the cutting off of the Messiah, the people of the prince that should come (the Romans) “should destroy the city and the sanctuary,” and Christ said that when it should be destroyed, Jerusalem should be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Luke 21:24. As that city and that sanctuary were to be destroyed, and were destroyed but a few years after the expiration of the four hundred and ninety years, it is impossible that that should be the sanctuary that was to be cleansed at the expiration of the two thousand and three hundred years. Consequently the sanctuary that was to be cleansed at the end of the two thousand and three hundred years was the heavenly sanctuary, because it is the only one that was then in existence. Therefore it is certain that the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary in A.D. 1844. (For an extended and thorough treatment of the subject of the sanctuary and connected dates, see “The Sanctuary and Its Cleansing,” for sale at this office.) SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.19
THE cleansing of the sanctuary, the work of the atonement under the Levitical law, was a work of judgment. For said the Scripture, “Whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” Leviticus 23:29. Whoever did not make confession of sin that day could have no part in the atonement that was made that day; and when the sanctuary had been cleansed, and atonement made, he was to be cut off without mercy, he had no other chance, his probation was gone. So, likewise, in the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, in the atonement made once for all, whosoever shall not confess his sins, and be partaker of the intercession of Christ, can have no part in the atonement of Christ, and when that sanctuary shall have been cleansed, and that atonement made, he will be cut off without mercy, he will have no other opportunity, his probation will be ended. Of such it will be said, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still.” No longer will the precious cleansing blood be applied. These are they who shall wring out and drink the dregs of the cup that is in the hand of the Lord (Psalm 75:8); these are they who “shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” Revelation 14:10. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.20
THIS cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary began in A.D. 1844, and in the very nature of the case must soon close. We are now living in the great day of atonement. Now is the time when it is urgent upon every soul to confess his sins, to put away all his transgressions, to be partaker of the intercession of Christ, to wash his robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. For soon the mystery of God will be finished, the work of the gospel will be closed, and the unmixed wrath of God and the Lamb will be poured upon all the wicked of the earth. SITI July 20, 1888, page 441.21
J.