Bible for clearer light-these saw the truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the Saviour ' s change in ministration , and by faith they followed Him in His work in the sanctuary above . And all who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths , following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform the last work of mediation , and at its close to receive His kingdom--all these are represented as going in to the marriage .
In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced , and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage . Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests , to see if all are attired in the wedding garment , the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb . Matthew 22:11 ; Revelation 7:14 . He who is found wanting is cast out , but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne . This work of examination of character , of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of God , is that of the investigative judgment , the closing of work in the sanctuary above .
When the work of investigation shall be ended , when the cases of those who in all ages have professed to be followers of Christ have been examined and decided , then , and not till then , probation will close , and the door of mercy will be shut . Thus in the one short sentence , " They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage : and the door was shut ," we are carried down through the Saviour ' s final ministration , to the time when the great work for man ' s salvation shall be completed .
In the service of the earthly sanctuary , which , as we have seen , is a figure of the service in the heavenly , when the high priest on the Day of Atonement entered the most holy place , the ministration in the first apartment ceased . God commanded : " There shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place , until he comes out ." Leviticus 16:17 . So when Christ entered the holy of holies to perform the closing work of the atonement , He ceased His ministration in the first apartment . But when the ministration in the first apartment ended , the ministration in the second apartment began . When in the typical service the high priest left the holy on the Day of Atonement , he went in before God to present the blood of the sin offering in behalf of all Israel who truly repented of their sins . So Christ had only completed one part of His work as our intercessor , to enter upon another portion of the work , and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners . This subject was not understood by Adventists in 1844 . After the passing of the time when the Saviour was expected , they still believed His coming to be near ; they held that they
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