The Order of Events in the Judgment.
We have established the fact by many indubitable proofs that the investigation and decision of the cases of the righteous precede their resurrection in the likeness of Christ. In establishing the fact that the cases of the righteous are thus decided before the sounding of the trump of God, we do really establish the fact that the cases of the wicked are also virtually decided at the same time. For when we have shown that all who are to have immortality are accounted worthy of it before their resurrection, it necessarily follows that though the actions of the wicked are not examined in detail until the saints sit with Christ in the judgment during the 1000 years, yet the wicked are, by the decision in the case of the righteous, left, as worthless and noxious, to the resurrection of the unjust and to the devouring fire. The next event in the great day of God is the destruction of the living wicked by the seven last plagues. As these do not come until the wicked are accounted unworthy of the kingdom of God, their destruction comes as a part of the judgment work, and after the virtual decision of their cases. The fact is many times revealed in the Bible that before the final deliverance of the saints there comes a time of trouble such as never was. This is plainly marked as lying between the decision in the case of the righteous at the close of their probation, and the event of their deliverance. Thus, according to Daniel, the deliverance of the saints does not take place until the existence of a time of trouble such as never was. And this time of trouble comes in consequence of the close of our Lord’s intercession and the assumption of his kingly office. Dan. 12: 1. The wrath of God against sin is neither stayed nor mitigated after the Son of God ceases to plead for sinful man. The closing work of Christ’s priesthood is in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. This is opened under the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Rev. 11: 19. It is after the temple is thus opened in Heaven that the seven angels pour out the seven last plagues. Rev. 15: 5–8. But these plagues fill up the wrath of God which is threatened by the third angel. Rev. 15: 1, compared with 14: 10. And the third angel gives the final message of mercy and warning to mankind before the Son of Man sits upon the white cloud. Rev. 14: 6–14. So it is apparent that while Christ is finishing his work in the sanctuary, and while the third angel is giving the last message of mercy to man, the seven last plagues are withheld, though pending ready to be poured out. But when the work of probation is closed, and the intercession of Christ in Heaven, and the voice of warning upon earth, are ended, then men drink the wine of God’s wrath without any mixture, from the cup of his indignation. That which constitutes this wrath is the seven last plagues. They are by this term distinguished from those plagues inflicted under the six trumpets. Rev. 9: 20, 21. They are represented as the wrath of God without mixture, i. e., they have no element of mercy mingled with them. They are poured out into the cup of God’s indignation. This is an awful expression to indicate that men at that time fall into the hands of the living God. This fearful execution of God’s judgment is witnessed before the deliverance of the saints; for not less than six of the plagues are poured out prior to the advent of Christ. Rev. 16: 12–15. This same period of trouble is brought to view in Rev. 7, and located between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals. Before the four winds are loosed, the servants of God are sealed. The seal is placed upon them, that the destroying angel may not cut them down. Compare Eze. 9 with Rev. 7. This is a plain proof that the saints must continue upon the earth for a certain space after the time of trouble commences. The fact that all who are sealed at the commencement of this time of trouble, are afterward seen standing upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, is proof that their probation closes with the commencement of this scene of trouble. Compare Rev. 7: 4; 14: 1. In other words they are then accounted worthy to escape the things that are to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. Luke 21: 36. The very time when they are thus accounted worthy to stand before the Saviour, is at the close of our Lord’s priesthood; and the time of trouble itself comes when that priesthood is exchanged for his kingly office. Probation does therefore close before the entrance of the people of God upon this great time of trouble. One of those events immediately following the close of probation, and therefore constituting a feature of the time of trouble, is what the Bible calls “the hour of temptation.” Thus we read: Rev. 3: 10, 11: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” The keeping of the word of Christ’s patience especially pertains to the period of the third angel. Rev. 14: 12. Those who keep this word are to be kept from the hour of temptation, while all others are to be taken captive by it. This shows that the saints are upon the earth during this period; and that when it commences, those who are unprepared are hopelessly lost. But this season of unrestrained temptation is also brought to view by Paul, when describing the state of things existing just before our Lord’s return. Thus he says: 2 Thess. 2: 9–12: “Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” When God sends men strong delusion to believe a lie that they all might be damned, it must be after the righteous have accomplished their work of overcoming, and after the Saviour has ceased to plead. The only way that God sends this strong delusion is by withdrawing his Spirit when men have sinned away the day of grace; thus leaving them a prey to the unrestrained power of the devil. Now it is remarkable that the third angel brings to view this same period of Satan’s mighty working. It is the work of the third angel to give warning of the things that are to come to pass upon the earth at the close of human probation. When he warns us against the worship of the image, and the reception of his mark, it is in direct reference to the fact that the two-horned beast is to make such an image and to require men to worship it on pain of death. Rev. 14: 9–12; 13: 11–16. And we do know that this image is made in consequence of the miracles that are to be wrought. Compare Rev. 13: 13, 14; 16: 13. One of these miracles will be the bringing down of fire from heaven. This lies before us in the time of trouble. It is no wonder that those who are not kept by the power of God should be deceived by this fearful delusion. It is at the close of the work of intercession that the Lord is represented as putting on the garments of vengeance for the destruction of his enemies. Isa. 59: 16–18. And when the enemy (Satan) shall come in like a flood, in the strong delusion, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Verse 19. It is also at the close of our Lord’s priestly work that the prophecy of Amos meets its fulfillment: “Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord; and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” Amos 8: 11, 12. The third woe comes by reason of the voice of the seventh angel. Rev. 8: 13. The seven last plagues come under the seventh trumpet. Rev. 11: 15–19; 15: 5–8. The seven plagues which fill up the wrath of God do therefore constitute the third woe. The people of God will not be removed from the earth till after six of the plagues have been poured out. They must witness the fearful scenes of the time of trouble. But the seal of the living God will be their protection, so that though a thousand fall at their side and ten thousand at their right hand, it will not come nigh them. Ps. 91: 1–10. The situation of the saints during the outpouring of the plagues will be like that of Israel during the plagues upon Egypt. These dreadful calamities which will come upon our earth before the people of God are taken from it, may be mentioned as the loosing of the four winds; the pouring out of the vials of God’s wrath in pestilence, famine, and earthquake, and in the battle of the great day of God Almighty. It will be the hour of temptation for all the wicked world, when Satan shall exert his utmost power. To the wicked it will be the time of trouble such as never was; to the righteous it will be the time of Jacob’s trouble, at which, in answer to their cry day and night, like the importunate widow, they will be delivered. Jer. 30: 5–7; Gen. 32; Luke 18: 7, 8. In view of this awful scene which must be witnessed by the people of God, Zephaniah calls upon all the meek of the earth to seek righteousness and meekness. And he adds, “It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” Zeph. 2: 1–3. If they do their best in seeking God it is but barely possible that they will escape. And our Lord beseeches his people to watch and pray always, that they may be accounted worthy to escape the things coming on the earth, and to stand before the Son of Man. Luke 21: 36. If, therefore, this great time of trouble is to come upon our world after the close of Christ’s intercession and before the deliverance of the saints, of what vast consequence is that final message of warning which reveals these great facts!