Man's Sin and Saviour by E. J. Hibbard

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 27, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 38.

Man's Sin and Saviour

By E. J. Hibbard

XII. Court Week in Heaven

THE most solemn event of which man can conceive, is the assembly of the hosts of heaven before the throne of God, when the judgment is set to consider the lives of men. The Scriptures reveal the fact that this event will take place while some men are living and acting in the common affairs of life. Daniel describes the scene thus: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:9, 10.

This reveals the fact that sometime judgment will set, or begin, that books will be used in the judgment, and that myriads of beings will surround God's throne. But these beings are not men, for the next verse declares that earth scenes are still in progress while the judgment in heaven is proceeding.

In Paul's time that event was yet future, for he reasoned of righteousness and temperance and of a judgment to come. Acts 24:25. He also stated in his sermon on Mars Hill that God "hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness;" therefore the conclusion that the judgment-day itself was future when Paul wrote. But tho the day was future, yet the appointment of that day was past. "He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world."

John adds his testimony to the effect that when the judgment-day begins God will send word to everybody living on earth: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." That message began in the year 1844, or a little previous to that time, and has continued ever since. Was it on time? Did God inspire it?

We who read this journal last week noted that some important event was to take place beginning in 1844. That event we learned was the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. And we are as sure of it as we are that Jesus is the Messiah; for the same prophecy that points out the year of His first advent, also reaches the latter date, 1844. We refer the reader to this article in last week's SIGNS for the proof of this fact, and will not repeat the evidence here.

In this article two sanctuaries were compared, the earthly and the heavenly. The former was found to be the type of the latter. The earthly sanctuary was cleansed once a year, while the heavenly sanctuary was to be cleansed once only, and that near the end of this world. The cleansing of the earthly sanctuary was not a house-cleaning operation, but a cleansing from sin, which was done by the sprinkling of blood. It was a work of judgment, for it decided the destiny of every worshiper of God at that time, were he Hebrew or alien; and this, being the type of the heavenly sanctuary and its cleansing, is evidence that when that event shall take place, every professed follower of Christ will have his case in review before the God of heaven.

In connection with this solemn event, and just before the end of the world, John says, "The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." Rev. 11:19. This was at the time, as John states in the previous verse, that "the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged." Therefore in this solemn time God points every one who has acknowledged the name of Christ, to the heavenly sanctuary and to the ark of His testament.

Now the ark of God’s testament on earth contained but one thing, and that was the tables of stone upon which were inscribed the sacred law of God, the Ten Commandments. This fact, being apparent to the minds of such as, in the year 1844, found what the cleansing of the sanctuary means, led their minds to an investigation of that law which had been enthroned in the earthly sanctuary within the ark of God’s testament in the most holy place; and by investigation they found that this law had not been changed by divine appointment, and that every precept remains as when it was given by God from the summit of Sinai.

If we are correct in believing that the hour of God’s judgment began at the end of that long prophetic period in 1844, then the rule of that judgment is vital to every living person. What is that rule? I will bring three witnesses to testify. First Solomon: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13, 14. Second, Paul’s words, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." Rom. 2:12. And last, James says, "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:12. Therefore, Solomon, Paul, and James all agree that God’s rule of judgment is His law. And John says that during that judgment God’s temple was opened in heaven, and there was seen the ark of His testament. That is enough to convince every intelligent Bible student that God desires we should conform to the law contained within that ark. Man can not do this of himself, for the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. But in Jesus Christ carnality ceases and spirituality takes its place; therefore the spiritual mind is in harmony with God’s law, and subject to it, as every converted person truly knows.

It has been thought by some that the Ten Commandments were intended only for the Israelites and not for Gentile converts; that the Israelites were commanded to keep that law, while Gentiles were permitted to transgress it without guilt. But this is not the Gospel; for in Rom. 2:17-27 we find by even a casual reading that the Jew who rejected Christ, tho he made great pretensions in reference to the law and taught it to others, was a transgressor of it himself, but the

Gentiles who accepted Christ were doers of that law which the Jews continually broke. Hence it is written: "Circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?" Rom. 2:25-27. Now every intelligent person knows that "circumcision" stands for the Jew, and "uncircumcision" for the Gentile. Here the uncircumcision, or Gentile, keeps the righteousness of the law and fulfils the law, which the circumcision, or Jew, breaks, or transgresses. No Gentile can keep God’s law until he is converted, because the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, nor can it be. Therefore the "uncircumcision" here referred to must be converted Gentiles; and no Gentile or other person can be converted except through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the acceptance of the Gospel of His salvation. It is therefore plain that in the days of Paul the Gentiles who accepted Christ kept the law, while the Jews who rejected Christ broke, or transgressed the law.

It is evident, therefore, that in the days of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, in the time of the judgment of men upon earth, any power which would seek to belittle God’s law and lead men to transgress it, must be a power not in harmony with God nor the best interests of His people.

John says "the dragon [or Satan] was wroth with the woman [the church], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Now the remnant of the church is the last; and this makes it plain that before the return of Christ to this earth, those who truly worship Him will have their attention called to all His commandments. Is it not true also that the new covenant promise, being that God will write His law in the mind and heart of His people, makes it clear that all who have this blessed experience will, with Christ, exclaim, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart"?

"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." "And as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." And "the hour of His judgment is come."