Daniel’s Prophecy Of The Judgment

The time of the opening of the judgment hour was fixed by the prophecies of Daniel. In the seventh chapter the prophet beheld in vision the opening of that solemn court. He saw the Father’s living throne move into the place of judgment.SPIAM 15.1

It was the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary; for in the earthly, typical sanctuary, the most holy place, the second apartment of the temple, was the scene of the judgment work in the yearly round of service for Israel. The closing phase of service for sin, on the last day of the yearly ritual, was the cleansing of the sanctuary, the Day of Atonement. It was the day of judgment in the camp. For whosoever was not found finally right with God on that last day, was “cut off” from having a part with God’s children. Leviticus 23:29. The modern Hebrew still sees a judgment hour in the solemn day. One of their poets says of this Day of Atonement:SPIAM 15.2

“The great white fast! the day that solemnly
Its clarion call sent over land and sea, ...
It is the judgment day of all the year!”SPIAM 15.3

And the priestly service on earth, we are told, was a type, a shadow, of the ministry of our High Priest in the true sanctuary in heaven.SPIAM 15.4

The closing ministry of Jesus for sin, therefore, must be the work of judgment in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, corresponding to the annual Day of Atonement, the cleansing of the sanctuary, at the close of the earthly ministry of the Levitical order. This is the scene that Daniel saw in vision. The Father took the throne of judgment. Thousands of thousands of angels ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. And the prophet Daniel wrote, “The judgment was set, and the books were opened.”SPIAM 15.5

Then, escorted by clouds of angels, the prophet saw “one like the Son of man” coming in before the judgment seat—Jesus, our great High Priest, standing for us in the judgment hour. Thank God, in that tribunal in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, there stands one able to answer for us. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1, 2.SPIAM 16.1

We are to tell the whole world that this solemn hour of God’s judgment is come. But, thank God, we can tell every son and daughter of Adam’s race that Jesus died for “the whole world.” The ransom price has been paid for all. “Whosoever will” may come. And Jesus begs us to come. “Come unto Me,” He has cried through all the ages. And still that is the invitation to every creature as the last service for sin continues in the sanctuary.SPIAM 16.2