Foretelling the rejection of the Investigative Judgement?
I came across this article that EGW wrote, and it struck me that this was about the Investigate Judgement, how some would refuse to accept it and get stuck in their rejection and refuse to go forward with the light being shown by Christ....
"...In February, 1845, I had a vision of events commencing with the Midnight Cry.
I saw a throne and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and
admired his lovely person. The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious
light covered him.
I asked Jesus if his Father had a form like himself. He said he had, but I could not behold
it, for said he if you should once behold the glory of his person you would cease to exist.
Before the throne I saw the Advent people, the church, and the world. I saw a company,
bowed down before the throne, deeply interested, while the most of them stood up
disinterested and careless. Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their
prayers and look to Jesus; then he would look to his Father, and appeared to be pleading
with Him.
A light would come from the Father to the Son, and from the Son to the praying
company. Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son, and
from the Son it waved over the people before the throne. But few would receive this great
light; many came out from under it and immediately resisted it; others were careless and
did not cherish the light, and it moved off from them; some cherished it, and went and
bowed down with the little praying company. This company all received the light, and
rejoiced in it, as their countenances shone with its glory.
And I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming Chariot go into the Holy of
Holies, within the veil, and did sit. There I saw thrones that I had never seen before.
Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and the most of those who were bowed down arose
with Him; and I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after
he arose, and they were left in perfect darkness.
Those who rose up when Jesus did, kept their eyes fixed on Him as He left the throne
and led them out a little way. Then He raised His right arm and we heard his lovely voice
Page 7
saying, "Wait here--I am going to my Father to receive the Kingdom; keep your garments
spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to myself."
And I saw a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, and Angels were all around it
as it came where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot and was borne to the Holiest
where the Father sat.
There I beheld Jesus, as He was standing before the Father, a great High Priest. On the
hem of His garment was a bell and pomegranate.
Then Jesus shew me the difference between faith and feeling.
And I saw those who rose up with Jesus send up their faith to Him in the Holiest, and
pray--my Father give us thy Spirit. Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost.
In the breath was light, power, and much love, joy and peace.
Then I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did
not know that Jesus had left it.— Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on
the work of God; I saw them look up to the throne and pray, my Father give us thy Spirit;
then Satan would breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much
power, but no sweet love, joy and peace.
Satan's object was to keep them deceived, and to draw back and deceive God's children.
I saw one after another leave the company who were praying to Jesus in the Holiest, and
go and join those before the throne, and they at once received the unholy influence of
Satan.
About four months since I had a vision of events all in the future. I saw the time of
trouble, such as never was. Jesus told me it was the time of Jacob's trouble, and that we
should be delivered out of it by the voice of God.
Then I saw the four angels cease to hold the four winds. And I saw famine, pestilence
and sword--nation rose against nation, and the whole world was in confusion. Then we
cried to God day and night for deliverance, until we began to hear the bells on Jesus'
garment.
And I saw Jesus rise up in the Holiest, and as he came out we heard the tinkling of the
bells and knew that our High Priest was coming out. Then we heard the voice of God
which shook the heavens and the earth, and gave the 144,000 the day and hour of Jesus
coming. Then the saints were free, united, and full of the glory of God, for he has turned
their captivity.
And I saw a flaming cloud come where Jesus' stood. Then Jesus laid off his priestly
garment and put on his Kingly robe, and took his place on the cloud which carried him to
the East, where it first appeared to the saints on earth— a small black cloud which was
the sign of the Son of Man.
Page 8
While the cloud was passing from the Holiest to the East, which took a number of days,
the synagogue of Satan worshipped at the saint's feet....."
("Early Writings," pp. 55, 56; ed. 1907).
The passage is explained in Early Writings, pp. 242 to 261. Ellen White is talking about those who reject the truth that they are given. They were left in spiritual darkness. I think this points indirectly to the truth of the Investigative Judgement in the passage above as part of truth given to us. This is also in the Great Controversy, p. 422-489.
GC 430, 431---
It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the atonement who receive the benefits of His mediation in their behalf, while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of ministration are not benefited thereby. The Jews who rejected the light given at Christ's first advent, and refused to believe on Him as the Saviour of the world, could not receive pardon through Him. When Jesus at His ascension entered by His own blood into the heavenly sanctuary to shed upon His disciples the blessings of His mediation, the Jews were left in total darkness to continue their useless sacrifices and offerings. The ministration of types and shadows had ceased. That door by which men had formerly found access to God was no longer open. The Jews had refused to seek Him in the only way whereby He could then be found, through the ministration in the sanctuary in heaven. Therefore they found no communion with God. To them the door was shut. They had no knowledge of Christ as the true sacrifice and the only mediator before God; hence they could not receive the benefits of His mediation.
The condition of the unbelieving Jews illustrates the condition of the careless and unbelieving among professed Christians, who are willingly ignorant of the work of our merciful High Priest. In the typical service, when the high priest entered the most holy place, all Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God, that they might receive the pardon of their sins and not be cut off from the congregation. How much more essential in this antitypical Day of Atonement that we understand the work of our High Priest and know what duties are required of us.
Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah's day, and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the Flood. In the time of Abraham, mercy ceased to plead with the guilty inhabitants of Sodom, and all but Lot with his wife and two daughters were consumed by the fire sent down from heaven. So in the days of Christ. The Son of God declared to the unbelieving Jews of that generation: "Your house is left unto you desolate." Matthew 23:38. Looking down to the last days, the same Infinite Power declares, concerning those who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved": "For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. As they reject the teachings of His word, God withdraws His Spirit and leaves them to the deceptions which they love.
Author
Topic: Foretelling the rejection of the Investigative Judgement? (Read 19497 times)
