The Sanctuary, the 2300 Days, and the Shut Door
III. THE SHUT DOOR
That there is to be a shut door prior to the second advent, many will admit; yet but few seem willing to have it where it actually took place. Let us take a brief view of our past history, as marked out by the parable of the ten virgins, [Matthew 25:1-11,] and I think we shall clearly see that there can be no other place for the shut door but at the Autumn of 1844. SATDSD 11.1
Here Jesus gives us the history of an eastern marriage, and declares that the kingdom of heaven [the history of the living subjects of the looked for kingdom, for nothing else could go forth to meet the bridegroom, etc. etc.] should be likened [compared] unto it. Now in order to compare advent history with that of an eastern marriage, every event in our history, corresponding with each point in the history of an eastern marriage, must be complete, and we must stand down this side of the shut door, then we can look back and compare both histories. This we will now do. SATDSD 11.2
| ADVENT HISTORY. | MARRIAGE. |
| The doctrine of the second advent of Christ called out a devoted people who took their Bibles [lamps] for their light, and who confidently expected to meet Christ [the Bridegroom] in 1843. | “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” etc. |
| We were disappointed, and the best light we could see, for a few months after that disappointment, was that we were in the tarrying time. In that tarrying time we “all slumbered and slept” on time. | “While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept.” |
| But soon we saw that the 2300 days extended to 1844. We saw that it would take all of 457, and all of 1843, to make 2300; therefore it would take as much of 1844, to complete 2300 full years, as had passed from the 457, when the decree went forth. From the best light we could then obtain from the autumnal types we were very confident that the days would end at the seventh month, and the cry - “Behold the Bridegroom cometh” was actually raised, and swelled louder and louder throughout the land, until the advent people were fully awake, anxiously expecting to see Jesus on the tenth day of the seventh month. | “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” |
| “Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” |
When we came up to that point of time, “And the foolish said unto the all our sympathy, burden and prayers wise, Give us of your oil for for sinners ceased, and the unanimous our lamps are gone out. feeling and testimony was, that our “But the wise answered, saying, work for the world was finished for ever. Not so: lest there be not enough for us and you: but rather go to “As he [Christ] is, so are we in this them that sell and buy for world.” 1 John 4:17. The living yourselves. branches on earth, will sympathize with, and move in concert with the “true vine” in heaven. The reason why “And while they went to buy, the the living branches felt that their work bridegroom came; and they that was done for the world, was, because the were ready, went in with him to the 2300 days were ended, and the time had marriage and the door was shut.” come for Jesus to shut the door of the Holy, and pass into the Most Holy, to receive the kingdom, and cleanse the Sanctuary. This change, so wonderfully described in Daniel 7:13, 14, answers to the coming of the bridegroom and shut door, in the parable. SATDSD 13.1
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened [compared] unto ten virgins,” etc. When? At this very time, when the faithful servant is giving meat to the “HOUSEHOLD,” (not to the unbelieving world,) and is opposed by the evil servant, and when the advent history, marked out by the parable, is fulfilled, and the shut door in the past. Now we may see that the only place for the shut door was in 1844. Amen. SATDSD 13.2
But says the objector - “The door of mercy will not be closed until Jesus comes.” We do not read of such a door as “the door of mercy” in the Bible; neither do we teach that such a door was shut in 1844. God’s “mercy endureth for ever.” See Psalm 136; 106:1; 118:1. He is still merciful to his saints, and ever will be; and Jesus is still their advocate and priest. But the sinner, to whom Jesus had stretched out his arms all the day long, and who had rejected the offers of salvation, was left without an advocate, when Jesus passed from the Holy Place, and shut that door in 1844. The professed church, who rejected the truth, was also rejected, and smitten with blindness, and now, “with their flocks and with their herds” they go “to seek the Lord” as still an advocate for sinners; but, says the prophet, [Hosea 5:6, 7,] “they shall not find him; he hath WITHDRAWN HIMSELF from them. They have dealt treacherously against the Lord; for they have begotten strange children.” SATDSD 14.1
The reason why they do not find the Lord is simply this, they seek him where he is not; “he hath withdrawn himself” to the Most Holy Place. The prophet of God calls their man-made converts, “STRANGE CHILDREN;” “now shall a month devour them, and their portions.” SATDSD 14.2
Says the objector - “I believe that Jesus is still on the mercy-seat.” In answer to this oft repeated assertion, let me say; Jesus never was on the mercy-seat, and never will be. The mercy-seat is in the Most Holy Place, where Jesus entered at the end of the 2300 days. Its position is upon the ark of the ten commandments; and over it are the cherubims of glory. Before the mercy-seat stands our Great High Priest pleading his blood for Israel. SATDSD 14.3
If the door (represented by the door in the parable) is not to be shut until Jesus descends from heaven in flames of fire, then where will be the knocking, and saying “Lord, Lord, open unto us”? It is evident that the door is shut prior to the second advent, and that unbelievers are ignorant of the fact of its being shut; therefore they knock at the shut door, and say, “Lord, Lord, open unto us.” When the great day of God’s wrath is come, and unbelievers are apprised of their lost situation, they will not knock, with a hope of being admitted, no, no; but they will flee to rocks and mountains for shelter. See Isaiah 2:19-21; Revelation 6:15-17. Now their prayer is, “Lord, Lord, OPEN UNTO US;” but then their prayer will be to “rocks and mountains,” “FALL ON US, and HIDE us FROM the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” SATDSD 15.1
It is impossible to harmonize such portions of the Word as Isaiah 2:19-21; Revelation 6:15-17, with the idea of the shut door, and knocking being at, and after the advent. The 2300 days and cleansing the Sanctuary of Daniel 8:13, 14, the parable of the ten virgins, and other parallel portions of Scripture clearly fix the shut door in 1844. This view establishes our holy advent experience in the past, gives certainty to the “blessed hope” of very soon seeing Jesus, and causes our path to shine “more and more unto the perfect day.” Amen. SATDSD 15.2
JAMES WHITE.
Oswego, May, 1850.