Earlier text: THE PARABLE, MATTHEW XXV, 1—12

This well compares with the wise virgins in the parable going in to the marriage. We might here remark also that on the day of atonement for cleansing the earthly Sanctuary, the high priest bore into the Holiest, upon the breast-plate of judgment, the names of all Israel that could be benefited by the tenth day atonement. Thus our High Priest bore in, on the tenth day of the seventh month, 1844, all that had not rejected light and truth sufficient to be cut off from Israel. In this way the branches were borne in with the Vine.

“And the door was shut.” This also was a literal door in the marriage, and was designed to illustrate an important event connected with Advent history, which we have already referred to in our remarks upon the coming of the bridegroom, and the going in with him to the marriage. Christ, the “Minister of the Sanctuary, and of the True Tabernacle,” was to officiate in the anti-typical daily ministration, until the termination of the 2300 days. Then that work for the world was to cease forever; and he was to pass within the second vail, and enter upon the work of cleansing the Sanctuary. This subject is made very clear by the following, addressed to the church of brotherly love.

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that OPENETH, and no man SHUTTETH; and SHUTTETH, and no man OPENETH: I know thy works; behold, I have SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT, for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”

This language is addressed to only one church of the seven. Adventists have agreed in applying them to seven periods, or states of the church. This language does not apply to the Sardis, [nominal church,] neither to the Laodicean church; but to the Philadelphia, the church of Brotherly Love, that came out of the different sectarian bodies, and were united in the Advent faith in 1844. All denominational tenets were laid aside, and although the Advent brethren came out from the different sects, yet all were perfectly united on the great subject of Christ’s coming. To this church, one door is opened, while another is shut. “Behold, I set before thee an open door.” This door Christ opens, while he shuts another. As the Philadelphia church applies to no other period than the time of the termination of the 2300 days, when Christ closed his work for the world in the Holy, and opened the door of the “Holiest of all,” the conclusion seems irresistible that the open and shut door of Rev. iii, 7, 8, refers to the change in the position and work of our Great High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary. He then closed the work or “door” of the daily ministration in the Holy, and opened the door of the Most Holy. “The tabernacle of the testimony” was then opened; but before this could be done, the “door,” or work of Christ’s continual mediation in the Holy had to be closed. This may well be “likened” to the shut door in the parable.

The idea that the door of God’s mercy is closed, or ever was to be closed to those who do not reject the offers of mercy, is not found in the Bible. No such door is mentioned in Scripture. But that there ever has been a point, beyond which men may go, where, according to the plan of salvation, the intercession of Christ could not benefit them, is evident. The Jewish church, having rejected and condemned Christ, could not be benefited by his mediation in the Holy. The nominal Gentile church, as a body, having rejected the Second Advent, cannot be benefited by his intercessions in the Most Holy.

Says the objector, “I believe that Jesus is still on the mercy-seat.” To this we reply, that Jesus never was on the mercy-seat, and never will be. The place for the mercy-seat is over the Ark containing the ten commandments, in the Most Holy Place. Jesus did not enter that apartment till the end of the 2300 days, much more, take his position upon the mercy-seat. This is one step further than we can possibly go. We do believe, however, that Jesus entered the “tabernacle of the testimony” at the end of the 2300 days, and now stands before the mercy-seat, pleading his blood before the Father, in our behalf. There he stands an intercessor between the Father and the scattered members of his body, ready to pour salvation and mercy on those who zealously repent of their backslidings, turn to God with the whole heart, and receive the present truth. Oh, may God wake up the Laodiceans, and lead them by the power of his Spirit and truth to the open door, which presents to our view Jesus in the Holiest, standing beside the Ark of the ten commandments. Amen.

“Afterward come also the other virgins, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not.”

The wise virgins in the history of the marriage, entered in, and a literal door was shut, and the foolish came to that shut door, fully expecting to enter. Our Saviour has shown us the application of this portion of the parable in the following text.

“When once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, Saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.”—Luke xiii, 25.

The foolish, in the parable, knocked at a literal door. Christ has shown us that the cry “Lord, Lord,” after the Master of the house [Jesus] should rise up [from his mediation for the world in the Holy] is the event connected with Advent history, that may be “likened” unto it. It is evident that the five foolish, in the parable, fully expected to enter. If not, they were indeed foolish to come and seek admission when they knew they could not enter. Those who say “Lord, Lord,” and seek the presence and favor of God, after Jesus rises up from his mediation in the Holy Place, are laboring under a similar deception.—This leads us to a brief examination of the nature of the knocking.—Said Jesus,—

“Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, KNOCK, and it shall be opened unto you.”—Matt. vii, 7.

The word knock, in this text represents earnest and urgent cries and entreaties for the presence and favor of God, such as ever have been necessary in the conversion of men from sin to holiness. It is evident that the knocking, after Jesus has risen up from his mediation in the Holy, is of the same nature. But those who thus “knock” and say, “Lord, Lord,” and seek the favor of God, are evidently under a similar deception to that of the five foolish, who expected admission after the door was shut, not to be opened. If this position is correct, then the knocking will appear very much like the work of God in past time; therefore, we may expect to see what the churches and Adventists who have gone back with them, call reformations. This is strikingly taught in the following testimony from the Prophet:

“They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; [a mediator for all the world, in the Holy;] but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself [to the Most Holy] from them.—They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten STRANGE CHILDREN; [apparent converts,] now shall a month devour them with their portions.”—Hosea v, 6, 7.

Those who refuse to follow down the track of Prophecy, so as to learn the present position and work of our Great High Priest, will “knock,” or seek the Lord as a Minister in the Holy, where he is not. Therefore they will not find him, and his present intercessions in the Most Holy Place will not benefit them, any more than the blood of beasts, and the services of the priests in the worldly Sanctuary benefited the Jewish nation, after Christ ascended on high, a Minister of the “True Tabernacle” in heaven. Had the Jews believed John and Christ, and then followed down the track of Prophecy to the day of Pentecost, they would have received the Holy Ghost, that was then poured out, which signified that the way of the heavenly Sanctuary was then opened.103But it may be said that those represented by the foolish virgins will not knock until Christ comes, or not until they know that the door is shut against them. To this we reply, that as the foolish in the parable expected admission, so will those who knock after the Master of the house is risen up. This seems very necessary that one should be “compared” with the other. Also, the Bible teaches that men will not say, “Lord, Lord, open unto us,” when Christ comes, or when they know that the door is shut. Their only desire and object will then be to flee and hide from his presence. Those who knock say, “Lord, Lord, OPEN UNTO US.” They desire his presence. But when they are apprised of their real condition, their cry will be, “Mountains and rocks fall on us, and HIDE US FROM the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” Those who can make the words, “hide us from,” &c. mean “open unto us,” will probably still apply the knocking to the future, after men know that they are lost.—But Scripture and reason teach that the knocking should be applied to the period of time beginning at the end of the 2300 days, in 1844, and closing in the great day of wrath, at the point of time when men will be made to know that the door is shut.

We have now gone through with the history of the marriage, and have seen that it compares well with Advent history. And that all the events in Advent history, that were to be “likened” to the corresponding events in the marriage, are in the past, excepting the knocking, which applies not only to the past and present, but more especially to Satan’s last hour of deception and triumph, that is just before us. We say, therefore, that the time has come for the fulfillment of our Saviour’s words, “THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom,” &c. Now they can be compared, for the events of both are history.—May the servants of the Lord be endowed with meekness and heavenly wisdom, so as to compare the two in such a manner that the scattered flock may see their present position, and be ready to hail with joy the King of glory, “when he shall return from the wedding.”

But it may be asserted that the church is the bride of Christ, and that the marriage cannot take place till Christ comes to earth to take his people to himself. We have not space to take up the subject of the bride at this time as we should be glad to, and answer every objection, but will present a very few ideas. Said the Angel to John, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Well, this is the very thing we wish to understand. The angel promised to show John the bride, and if he showed him the church, then it is forever settled that the church is the bride of Christ. One positive testimony is worth more on this point, or any other, than a hundred inferences. But what did the angel show to John in fulfillment of his promise that he would show him the bride? Let John answer.

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that Great City, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” Rev. xxi 9, 10.

Then instead of the bride being the church, it is the “Great City, the Holy Jerusalem.” But, says an objector, “It will take a great deal to make me believe that a City, made of different kinds of stone is the bride of Christ. Let me say, my brother, your objection is against the plain testimony of the Bible. If you object to that, we can say nothing to help you. Do be reconciled with the word of God. But, really, is it not as easy to credit the testimony of the beloved disciple, when he testifies that the Holy Jerusalem is the bride of Christ, as that of Paul that the New Jerusalem is the mother of the church? Says Paul: “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal. iv, 26. It may also be said, that it is hard to believe that a literal city of stones is the mother of the church. But Adventists should not be “slow of heart” to believe Bible testimony.

The principle Scripture brought to prove that the church is the bride of Christ, is Eph. v, 22—33. But it should first be particularly noticed, that Paul’s subject is the duty of husband and wife. The union that should exist between them is strikingly illustrated by the union that exists between Christ and the church. But the Apostle does not intimate that the church is the bride of Christ. Those who use this text to prove that the church is the bride, infer that it is so, merely because Paul chose the union existing between Christ and the church, to show the duty of man and wife. Those who have had much to say upon the insufficiency of inferential reasoning should not rest their faith relative to the bride, on such a weak inference, which contradicts the plain testimony of John. Rev. xxi, 9, 10.

Christ is the “everlasting Father” of his people, [Isa. ix, 6,] the New Jerusalem the mother, [Gal. iv, 26,] and the members of the church of Christ are the children. Soon the whole family in heaven and in earth will be gathered. The view that the church is the bride of Christ, not only unites by marriage, the father with the children, but the bridegroom with the guests. It should here be understood that the virgins in the parable were not the bride. They represent the church, while the bride represents the New Jerusalem, the Lamb’s wife. This fact being understood, we may now see that the marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven, where the bride is, before he comes to call forth the sleeping saints, and to change the living righteous. For when he comes, he does not come to the wedding, but returns from the wedding. Says Jesus:

“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will RETURN FROM THE WEDDING.” Luke xii, 35, 36.

The marriage of the king’s son [Matt. xxii, 1—14,] was designed to illustrate the same as the parable of the ten virgins, though its application may embrace more. There was a period in the marriage of the king’s son, when the king came in to examine the guests. He found one destitute of a wedding garment, who was bound hand and foot, and cast out. Now this is an important portion of the parable, and has a direct application, as well as the other parts of it. But it is perfectly impossible to make any application of it to the view of the marriage, that the church is the bride, and that the marriage takes place at, or after the Second Advent. For it cannot be supposed that Christ, at his second coming, would take any to himself, into the air, or into the City, who were unprepared, and upon examination would be found destitute of what may be represented by a wedding garment, and have to be cast out into the earth again! But apply the marriage where it should be applied, to the preparatory scenes of the coming of the Son of man, and all is clearly understood.

As we are now in the time of the marriage, we may expect a message to be given, that will test and try those who have been called out from the world and churches, by those messages that brought them to the time of the marriage in 1844. The work of this message will compare with the examination of the guests in the marriage. And we believe that the third angel’s message is just such a test, by which the guests are now being examined. If there had been no danger of some losing their garments in this trying time, in which the saints were to wait for the return of the Lord from the wedding, then there would have been no need of the caution. “Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Rev. xv, 15. Those who have drawn “back,” we fear “to perdition,” have been improperly called foolish virgins. It seems evident that those who really believed the Lord’s coming in 1844, and acted out their faith, are represented by the wise virgins. Such had their names borne in with Christ to the marriage. But their state is represented by the man destitute of a wedding garment. We must now leave this interesting subject for the present, and may God add his blessing.

We have hastily written out this subject, and doubtless our readers will discover many defects we shall, however, be happy to answer all reasonable objections and inquiries relative to it. W.