Sabbath School Department.
By G. H. Bell
LESSONS FOR BIBLE CLASSES.
LESSON XLVI.—THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST.
1. What offices did Christ fill? 2. What office did he fill when upon earth? 3. In what office has he been acting since his ascension? 4. In what office will he come to earth the second time? 5. What proof can you give that he will come as a king? 6. What is his last work as priest? 7. What will he do when this work is completed? 8. To whom has this coronation scene been presented in vision? 9. Where may we find a brief description of it? 10. For what purpose does Christ come to the earth the second time? 11. Into what state will those be brought who are accounted worthy of this change? 13. Could it be possible that such blessings would be conferred upon men before their sins were blotted out? 14. When are their sins to be blotted out? Acts 3:19. 15. What great event takes place immediately after this time of refreshing? 16. Then which comes first in the point of time, the blotting out of sins, or the second advent of Christ? 17. The blotting out of sins is a part of what work? 18. To what does the cleansing of the sanctuary pertain? 19. Then does the investigative Judgment come before or after the second coming of Christ? 20. What scripture furnishes further proof of this fact? 21. Who are to have part in the first resurrection? 22. Can they be accounted worthy before their account has been examined, and decision rendered in their cases? 23. To what work does this examination and decision belong? 24. Then to what conclusion must we come? 25. When did the cleansing of the sanctuary begin? 26. When did the investigative Judgment commence? 27. In what does the cleansing of the sanctuary consist? 28. What does Christ do after this work is completed? 29. What will he do immediately after his coronation? 30. What proofs can you give that the investigative Judgment will precede the second coming of Christ? Christ is a prophet, priest, and king. When he was upon the earth he was a teacher, or prophet; since his ascension, he has acted as High Priest of the heavenly sanctuary; but when he comes again, he will come as King of kings, and Lord of lords, as may be seen by reading Rev. 19:11, and onward. The cleansing of the sanctuary and laying the sins of his people upon Satan is his last work as priest. He then comes before his Father to be crowned king. This coronation scene was presented to Daniel in vision, and is briefly described in Dan. 7:13, 14. When Christ comes to earth, he comes to give a resurrection to the righteous dead, and translation to the righteous living. See 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. Those who are accounted worthy of this change will then be made immortal. Luke 20:35, 36. These are they of whom it is said, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Rev. 20:6. Now it is certain that such blessings will not be conferred upon men until their sins have been blotted out. It would be mockery to call them to account for their sins after they had been made immortal, had become like the angels, and had reigned with Christ a thousand years. But their sins are to be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, as will be seen from Acts 3:19, 20. Immediately after this, Christ is to come. Acts 3:20, 21. We see, then, that the sins of God’s people are to be blotted out before Christ comes to the earth to gather his jewels. But the blotting out of sins is a part of the work of cleansing the sanctuary, and pertains to the investigative Judgment. Thus we see that the cleansing of the sanctuary and the investigative Judgment precede the second advent of our Lord to this earth. This is further proved by Luke 20:35, 36, which speaks of some who are accounted worthy of a part in the first resurrection. Now they cannot be accounted worthy till their account has been examined, and decision rendered in their cases. But this examination of accounts and decision of cases is the work of the Judgment, and so that work must take place before the first resurrection, and also before the second coming of Christ; for that resurrection takes place at the time of his coming.