Standing up of Michael by John Norton Loughborough

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 28, 1907

Standing up of Michael

By John Norton Loughborough

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

“And he shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 11:15; 12:1, 2.

At what time does Michael “stand up”—commence his reign? for that is the meaning of “stand up,” according to Dan. 11:2-7. Does he stand up before the Turk comes to his end with none to help him, or when the Turk plants the tabernacle of his palace between the seas”? If we look at the Turkish power as symbolized by the great river Euphrates, in Rev. 16:12, that power is “dried up”—comes to his end with none to help him—at the pouring out of the sixth plague. When he falls with none to help him, or to uphold him in this newly occupied place of his palace, seems to be the time of the rush of the kings of the East to gain possession of his territory. And this is after five of the plagues have been poured out.

The plagues are poured out without any mixture of mercy, from the fact that when they are poured out there is no longer any being in the heavenly temple to plead the cause of sinners. See Rev. 15:8. In “Great Controversy,” page 491, it is thus expressed:—

“When the work of investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death.”

In a Testimony given at Dorchester, Mass., Oct 23, 1850, we read: “Then I saw that Jesus’ work in the sanctuary will soon be finished; and, after his work is finished, he will come to the door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel upon the head of the scapegoat. Then he will put on the garments of vengeance. Then the plagues come upon the wicked, and they do not come until Jesus puts on that garment, and takes his place upon the great white throne.”

Looking at the statement made by Daniel in the light of these facts, it appears that the standing up of Michael—the beginning of his reign—is when the Turk moves to the new place of his palace, and the “that time” refers to the time of his removal, and that his final destiny is anticipatingly mentioned, and not that Michael does not stand up until the Turk is left to his fate with none to help him.

We would explain this text on the same principle that we do Matt. 24:45-51 and Matt. 25:1. Not that the kingdom of heaven would be compared to ten virgins after the evil servants, “weeping and wailing,” have met their final doom, but when they are engaged in the work of smiting their fellow servants. In fact that was just the time when the Advent people did compare their experience with the parable of the ten virgins. So in the case of the removal of the Turk, it is stated that he “shall come to his end and none shall help him,” while the time that “Michael shall stand up” is just as the Turk has planted his palace in the holy mountain.

There has been much questioning with some as to who those are who awake to everlasting life in that partial resurrection in the time of trouble. The testimonies presented in former articles in the REVIEW on the subject of the 144,000 say that those who have died in faith, keeping the Lord’s Sabbath will come forth to hear him pronounce the everlasting covenant upon those who have honored him by keeping the Sabbath.

Mountain View, Cal.