Last Day Tokens

3 THE JUDGMENT MESSAGE

The Sanctuary—Cleansing of the Sanctuary—Standing in the Lot—Time Sealed Up—“The Time of the End”—Knowledge Increased

UNDER the symbol of three angels’ messages, there is introduced in the book of Revelation a threefold warning, which is followed by our Saviour’s coming to reap the “harvest of the earth.” ¹ In the public ministry of Christ, our Lord gave a parable in which He presented not only the seed sowing and the growth of the plants, but also the final “harvest.” In explaining this parable to His disciples, He told them distinctly that “the harvest is the end of the world,” ² thus showing that these three messages not only immediately precede the end of the world, but that they contain the truths which are to “ripen” the harvest of the earth,-the one class for the heavenly garner, and the other for the wine-press of the wrath of God. LDT 35.1

The first of these messages proclaims the “everlasting gospel.” It is not the work of literal angels visibly to preach the gospel to men, but to minister to those “who shall be heirs of salvation.” ³ In the case of the devoted Cornelius, to whom a glorious angel appeared, it was not to communicate to him the simplest fact of the gospel even, but to tell him where one of God’s chosen ministers was, who could and would teach him the truth. ⁴ LDT 35.2

Our Saviour committed the preaching of the gospel to men, and to those faithful in their commission is still His assurance, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” ⁵ LDT 35.3

These angelic messengers of Revelation are regarded as symbols of messages of truth to be proclaimed by men to this last generation. While the visible workers are men, angels, who “desire to look into” ⁶ the truths of the gospel, camp about ⁷ those who, in the fear of the Lord, proclaim His word. LDT 36.1

It is not a new gospel that is to be proclaimed to the last generation, but the same “everlasting gospel.” In the first of these three messages, however, there is, connected with the proclamation of the gospel, a new reason assigned why men should yield obedience to the Lord. It is found in these words: “For the hour of His judgment is come.” ⁸ When the apostle Paul stood before Felix and “reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled!” ⁹ His trembling, undoubtedly, would have been much greater had the message been, “The hour of His judgment is come.” This first angel’s message does not say the judgment is coming, but “the hour [period] of His judgment is come.” LDT 36.2

Such an announcement could only be made at a time when the judgment is actually to begin. If men are to give such a message to their fellow men, the Scriptures must contain a line of prophetic truth, and a prophetic period leading down to the session of the judgment. Do the Scriptures contain such a period?-They do, or men could never, from the Scriptures, give such a message. That period of time is the 2,300 days, ¹⁰ leading down to the cleansing of LDT 36.3