The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 481

dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away.” Daniel 7:13, 14. The coming of Christ
here described is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to
the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a
kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator.
It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was
foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days
in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the
holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the
last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of
investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown
to be entitled to its benefits.
In the typical service only those who had come before God with
confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the
sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service
of the Day of Atonement. So in the great day of final atonement
and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the
professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and
separate work, and takes place at a later period. “Judgment must begin
at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of
them that obey not the gospel?” 1 Peter 4:17.
The books of record in heaven, in which the names and the deeds
of men are registered, are to determine the decisions of the judgment.
Says the prophet Daniel: “The judgment was set, and the books were
opened.” The revelator, describing the same scene, adds: “Another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Revelation 20:12.
The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the
service of God. Jesus bade His disciples: “Rejoice,

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