Fundamental Doctrines of the Remnant 4

42.  What is Babylon in the book of Revelation? Babylon in Revelation 17 is the whole world collectively standing against God and His people. All of the people of the world are deceived, and drunk, for they have drunk the cup of error provided by the harlot church – all of those churches who have turned away from the straight truths of the Bible, and have accepted the delusions offered by the three false spirits of Revelation 16:13-14 and the false miracles of the two horned beast of Revelation 13. All of the world will follow the Roman Catholic Beast, who is also the great harlot of Revelation 17, and who is also the Little Horn, the King of the North, and the man of sin in II Thessalonians 2.

 

43.  Why does Jesus come riding on a white horse in Rev 19? Jesus comes on the same vehicle spoken of in the first four Seals – a horse. A horse is a symbol of God’s church – Zechariah 10:3. So in the end Jesus comes, riding His church into the battle. But as in all major conflicts between Christ and Satan the horse does not do the fighting but Jesus only does the fighting. In Exodus 14-15 God/Jesus is the Principle Warrior God. He does the fighting; He does the delivering of His people. In II Chronicles 20:15-22 God’s people were to go to battle singing because they were to recognize that this battle was God’s battle and He would do the fighting. In the battle of Armageddon it will be God’s battle and He will fight it with His church. They will be totally surrendered to Him and will totally trust in Him to deliver them. He rides on the horse of His church but He does the fighting and all glory comes to Him.

 

 44.  What is so important about the New Jerusalem? According to Galatians 4:26 the New Jerusalem is the mother of all of God’s people. The New Jerusalem is where the true temple in heaven is located where Jesus intercedes for us all. The New Jerusalem is also brought to earth in Revelation 21:2 and it becomes the capital city of the kingdom of God on earth. The New Jerusalem is the capital of the heavenly country that Abraham and all of the saints of the earth have been looking for in Hebrews 11:7-16; 12:18-28. The New Jerusalem is the center of worship in the new earth.

 

 45.  Do the wicked live forever in the lake of fire? The wicked do not live forever in the lake of fire. Jesus does not grant the wicked the gift of eternal life but eternal death. Romans 6:23. God has promised to burn them forever, or until they die for the wicked are not granted eternal life, but death. When their sins are punished they will turn into ashes, along with Satan (Malachi 4:1, 3), and will never bother the righteous again for they shall be as though they had never been (Psalms 37:9-11; Ezekiel 28:18-19).

 

 46. What is the Judgment in Revelation 14:7 and Revelation 20? The Judgment spoken of in Revelation 14:7 is the time of the investigative judgment – that time where Jesus reviews all of the data accumulated on each soul and passes judgment as to whether they will be saved or not. This judgment started in October 22, 1844 and completes at the close of probation just before the second coming of Jesus. The Judgment spoken of in Revelation 20 is called the executive judgment. This judgment pours out the punishment on the resurrected wicked. All of the decisions of Jesus and the saints (I Corinthians 6:1-3) will be executed on the wicked when Jesus brings the saints back to the earth, and the resurrected wicked surround the New Jerusalem with the intent to take the city. But God pours out His judgment; fire comes down from heaven, and turns the whole earth into a lake of fire. When the fire is finished the whole earth will be purified and then Jesus will create the new heavens and the new earth where the saints will live forever in the glory of Jesus.

 

47.  What are the books in heaven? The books in heaven are referred to in Daniel 7:10 where the judgment is set, and the books are opened. These books are also referenced in Revelation 20:12. The most important book is the book of life. If our names are not written there we will be lost and will be cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15. One of the key issues is that God alerts us that our names can be written in the book of life and can be removed (Revelation 3:5) So it behooves us to know as much about the books in heaven as we can. God wants to deliver us and He will be our advocate in the heavenly judgment. Our relationship to Him and our willingness to repent and overcome in the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12) are the key issues regarding the books in heaven.

 

 48.  Final thoughts on the Sanctuary Service in heaven – In the book of Leviticus 16 we are told about the great Day of Atonement. We are told in great detail about how God takes the blood and make and atonement for Israel and for the sanctuary. We know that this special judgment occurs in the end of the religious year in the 7th month. We know that the sacrifice was made in the courtyard, and that the High Priest has ministered in the courtyard and then in the Holy Place and then once a year He went into the Most Holy Place to complete the sanctuary process. In Early Writings 258-261 God’s messenger describes an interesting process. She describes a series of events in the time of Jesus. She says that John the Baptist was equivalent to the first angel’s message for his time. He called for repentance and he called for the people to recognize that Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God and would be slain for the sins of the people. If the people did not accept John’s message they would not accept the teachings of Christ. If the people did not accept John or Jesus, they would not accept the testimony of the disciples that Jesus had gone into the Holy Place in heaven and they could not be blessed by the intercessory ministry of Jesus there for sinners.

She says this same thing happened again on a larger scale. She claims that the Jews in the time of Jesus did not accept His sacrifice on Calvary, and since they rejected Him then they would not accept His movement from the courtyard where the Lamb of God was sacrificed to that of the Holy Place in heaven. The prayers of the Jews would be fruitless for they had rejected their advocate. She says the same thing about the professed Christians in the time of 1844. If they rejected the good news taught by the Bible about the Sanctuary, and that Jesus was about to open up the Most Holy Place in heaven, then they to would not be able to be blessed by the intercessory ministry of Jesus in the Most Holy Place where Jesus entered in October 22, 1844.  

In Leviticus 16:20-28 God says that there will come a time when Jesus has finished the atoning process in the Most Holy Place. He will come out, He will place the sins on the scapegoat and then He will take off his intercessory garments and will come to the camp. This message means that intercession will have closed and all of God’s people who have desired His intercessory ministry will be cleansed. All who have rejected this ministry will not have been cleansed and will be cut off from the camp (Leviticus 23:27-30). It is very important for God’s remnant people to understand the Day of Atonement. Sadly many of our people are looking longingly back into the Holy Place and want to go and join those people who do not want to come into the Most Holy Place to be interceded for. They do not want the Most Holy Place ministry of Jesus and they do not want the Investigative Judgment of Jesus to be performed on them. They seem to feel that they will have a clearer picture of Jesus if they did not have to have all of this additional truth which so interferes with the things of this earth. They want to be united with those who have rejected the message of the midnight cry and the transition into the Most Holy Place.

 

Oh children of God do not let Satan deceive you. God is not mocked. He has called each one of us into the Most Holy Place where He will perform the final cleansing of His intercessory ministry. It will soon be time for us to give the fourth angels message of Revelation 18:1-9. The only people who can give this call are those who recognize that soon Jesus will be leaving the Most Holy Place. This call will set the stage for the close of probation. Soon God’s people will give this call, and Satan will then be calling for people to think about the Most Holy Place but it will be too late for the people to be cleansed for Jesus will be leaving the Most Holy Place for His people will be cleansed from sin by His intercessory ministry. There will be much confusion about the sanctuary process but those who do not accept this ministry now will not be benefited by the Most Holy Place ministry if it is all completed and time has run out. Now is the time of salvation and now we must give a clear trumpet call so that the 7th trumpet will be completed. Study the sanctuary doctrine for it is the foundational doctrine of the Most Holy Place time. Those who have chosen to remain in the courtyard and in the Holy Place will not be blessed by the closing of the sanctuary message of Revelation 18. Study to show yourselves approved of and study to show that you know where your Great High Priest is and what He is doing. He wants us to walk with Him step by step and those who lag behind will be lost. See Great Controversy pages 429-432.

 

Conclusion – This list of doctrines, presented in this little paper, are not to be seen as exhaustive at all. We know that the Bible is the Word of God and is thus eternal and ever unfolding. God has many more truths to share with us as we are able and willing to learn from Him. This list of doctrines is also not to be used as a list by which to test ones fellowship with God. God’s people are not to look for ways of keeping people out of heaven, but are to look for ways of helping people to find their way to heaven and be reunited with their Savior Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This list of doctrines was shared as an attempt to encourage Bible study, especially for those who have chosen to be in the Most Holy Place experience with Jesus our Great High Priest. Always remember that the Holy Spirit wants to teach us and guide us that we may have the mind of Christ, so press forward and study as though your lives were dependent on the Word of God for it is true. Also remember that Jesus will do everything in the universe to protect and keep you and lead you just as He did to Israel of old. Jesus loves us and He will get us through. Happy studying.