The Hour of His Judgment Summit Study Notes - Without Bohr Highlights

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lesson # Page #
LESSON #1 - THREE INTERCONNECTED DOCTRINES ............................. 3
LESSON #2 - THE THREE STAGES OF JUDGMENT ................................ 15
LESSON #3 - LIKE A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND ................. 25
LESSON #4 - LIVING IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT ............................... 37
CONTACT INFORMATION........................................................................ 51
“The Hour of His Judgment” | Secrets Unsealed Summit Study Notes by Pastor Stephen Bohr
SecretsUnsealed.org | SUMTV.org | Page 2 of 51
“THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr
LESSON #1 - THREE INTERCONNECTED DOCTRINES
Introduction
Three Bible doctrines are closely related and we must study them together. If we
misunderstand one, we will also get the others wrong. The doctrines are:
 The state of the dead.
 The investigative judgment.
 The second coming of Jesus.
The Origin of Man
Genesis 2:7:
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Isaiah 64:8: God used wet dust, potters clay:
“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we
are the work of Your hand.”
 God formed the material body with all its organs and systems.
 However, the physical organism was lifeless.
 God infused into the nostrils of the body the breath of life (power source)
 All the organs and systems began to function.

 The brain is the processor that records and classifies all of what comes
through the five senses.
 From his first breath, Adam began forming his life history or self-identity by
what came into his brain by his five senses.
 When Adam died at 930 years of age, his self-identity or biographical record
was complete.
What Happened to Adam at Death?
Ecclesiastes 12:7: Death is the opposite of the creation of life:

“Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God
who gave it.”
 The breath of life leaves the body.
 The body with all its organs and systems ceases to function.
 The body eventually returns to dust.
 The brain no longer processes anything because the five senses are no
longer able to receive and process input.
Psalm 146:3-4
“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His
breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts
perish.”
Ecclesiastes 9:5
“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither
have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
The Critical Question
When Adam died, his self-identity, biography or life history of 930 years that he
inputed into his brain disintegrated along with his brain. This sounds somewhat
fatalistic, does it not? However, there is more to the story!
The Content of the Books
In the Bible, the heavenly record books (plural) contain an exact and complete
written transcript of Adam’s life. That is to say, the books contain a complete
biography including actions, motives, words, feelings, emotions, secrets and
thoughts. Let us notice in several Bible text what the books contain.
Daniel 7:9-10
“I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His
garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne
was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from
before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.”
2 Corinthians 5:10: The books contain a record of our actions:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive
the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Matthew 12:36-37: The books contain a complete record of our words:
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it
in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you
will be condemned."
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: The books contain a record of our works and our secret
things:
“Fear God and keep His Commandments, for this is man's all. 14 For God will bring every
work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Human beings are personally on earth but in heaven, their life record is in
books. The heavenly books contain a complete of every human being: Every act,
every word, every motive, every thought, every emotion, even every opportunity
to do good that we did not take advantage of. There is a complete record of our lives
inside and out! So to speak, God has another me in heaven.
Ellen White understood this when she wrote:

“As the artist takes on the polished glass a true picture of the human face, so the angels
of God daily place upon the books of heaven an exact representation of the character
of every human being.” In Heavenly Places, p. 360
The Bible authors described the records of life’s history with the word ‘books’,
actually ‘scrolls’. Ellen G. White used the idea of photography:
“Remember, your character is being daguerreotyped [photographed] by the great
Master Artist in the record books of heaven, as minutely as the face is reproduced upon
the polished plate of the artist.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior Adultery and Divorce,
p. 62.
I am convinced that if God called a prophet today, he would speak of the records as
video cameras or hard drives. God speaks to human beings in the language of the
times.
The Contents of the Book (Singular)
You will notice in the following verses that God has books (plural) and He has a
book (singular):
Revelation 20:12-13
“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.
And another book [Notice there is a distinction between ‘books’ and a ‘book’. In
a few moments we will speak about the contents of this book] was opened, which
is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things
that were written in the books.”
We have already seen that the books contain the self-identity or biographical record
of each human being. What does the book contain? The answer is that the book
contains the names of believers in Christ.
Philippians 4:3
“And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the
gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the
Book of Life.”
Revelation 3:5
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name
from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His
angels.”
Revelation 13:8
“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in
the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Exodus 32:31-33
“Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great
sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their
sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."”
Daniel 12:1
"At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons
of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was
a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one
who is found written in the book.”
Let us notice now some details about the investigative judgment:
Every Human Being Must Appear
2 Corinthians 5:10: Every person who has believed in Jesus must appear before His
judgment seat.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may
receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or
bad.”
The Judgment is in Heaven
Daniel 7:9-10
“I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days [who lives in
heaven] was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like
pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10 a fiery stream
issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten
thousand times ten thousand stood before Him [the angels live in heaven]. The
court was seated, and the books were opened.”
The Judgment Transpires before the Second Coming
Revelation 14:6-7
“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel
to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—
saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His
judgment has come [while the gospel is being preached]; and worship Him who
made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."”
Jesus gives the Reward when He comes
If Jesus brings the reward when He comes again then he must have determined the
reward before He comes. This means people do not receive the reward when they
die but rather when Jesus comes.
Matthew 16:27
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He
will reward each according to his works.”
Revelation 22:12
"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one
according to his work.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until
the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord
Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with
the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air [the righteous dead and the righteous living receive their reward at the
same time]. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Where was Adam in 1844 when the Judgment Began?
God judged Adam based on his record in 1844:

“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed
on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the
earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes
with the living.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 482
Where was Adam in 1844 when God called him to the judgment?
John 5:28-29
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will
hear His voice 29 and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
How could Adam have appeared before the great judgment seat of Christ in 1844 if
he was dead and disintegrated? The answer is that God judged him based on the
record of his life in the book. So to speak, God had the angels bring Adam’s DVD and
on the HD screen the heavenly jury saw the story of Adam’s life.
“The righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they are
accounted worthy of ‘the resurrection of life.’ Hence they will not be present in person
at the tribunal when their records are examined and their cases decided.” Ellen G.
White, The Great Controversy, p. 482
The Spirit that Returns to God
The Spirit that returns to God is more than just the capacity to breathe. The spirit
is the breath plus our self-identity or life record that God keeps in the books. Each
person has his/her own spirit or self-identity. At the resurrection, people not only
receive the vital force but with it they receive the record of their lives. Stephen Bohr
will be Stephen Bohr! Imagine if God made a mistake and gave me someone else’s
life record with the breath!
Luke 8:52-56: When Jesus resurrected Jairus’ daughter Jesus returned her own
spirit:
“Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but
sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all
outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit
returned [it must have left when she died], and she arose immediately. And He
commanded that she be given something to eat.”
Acts 7:57-60: Stephen prayed that God would receive and safeguard his spirit:
“Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one
accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down
their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was
calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried
out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said
this, he fell asleep.”
Luke 23:46: When Jesus died, He asked His Father to safeguard His spirit:
“And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I
commit My spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last.”
Ellen White made the following profound statement about the spirit:
“Our personal identity is preserved in the resurrection, though not the same
particles of matter or material substance as went into the grave. The wondrous works
of God are a mystery to man. The spirit, the character of man, is returned to God,
there to be preserved. In the resurrection every man will have his own character.
God in His own time will call forth the dead, giving again the breath of life, and bidding
the dry bones live. The same form will come forth, but it will be free from disease and
every defect. It lives again bearing the same individuality of features, so that friend
will recognize friend. There is no law of God in nature which shows that God gives back
the same identical particles of matter which composed the body before death. God
shall give the righteous dead a body that will please Him.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary, Vol. 6, p. 1093
The apostle Paul used the personal pronoun ‘you’ interchangeably with the word
‘spirit:
1 Thessalonians 5:28
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Galatians 6:18
“Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Let us take the example of a video camera. Suppose we turn on the video camera
today and the turn it off. Ten years go by before you turn on the video camera again.
On the video tape, there is no time interval between the two video tapings. So to
speak, God is videotaping our entire life inside and out. He records our thoughts,
feelings, emotions, words and actions. When we die, the video camera shuts off. At
the resurrection, it turns on again. There has been no time interval on the tape.
Those who resurrect will pick up where they left off. This explains the rather
strange verses in Job 19:
Job 19:25-27, NIV
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And
after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him
with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
What did Job mean when he said that he would see God with his own eyes, he and
not another? Did he mean that only he was going to resurrect to see God? Of course
not. He simply meant that when he resurrects, he will be the same Job who went into
the grave.
The Wicked outside the City
Ellen White also makes a remarkable statement about the resurrection of the wicked
after the millennium:
“There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a
battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death
these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume [start
again] the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the
same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell. Ellen G. White, The Great
Controversy, p. 664
Why do the wicked resurrect as wicked as they were in life? The answer is simple.
When God resurrects them He will not only give them the breath of life; He will also
return to them with it the record of their wicked lives!
John F. Kennedy
The assassination of John F. Kennedy will help us understand how this works. I am
sure you have seen the short video clip of Kennedy’s assassination. When you see
that short film clip is Kennedy alive or is he dead? I purposely asked an ambiguous
question. When you view that tape you are actually seeing the events after Kennedy
is dead but the film shows him while he was alive.
God recorded the records of Adam’s life while he was alive but the heavenly jury
examines them after he is dead. Thus, in a certain sense Adam appeared alive
before the judgment seat of Christ at the beginning of the judgment in 1844.
How the Process Worked Beginning in 1844
Even though the following passage in context is speaking about the millennial
judgment of the wicked dead, in principle it illustrates how God performed the
judgment of the righteous before the second coming as well:
Revelation 20:11-15
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and
the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small
and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was
opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead [they are dead!] were judged
according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”
The Daily and the Yearly Sanctuary Service
Of course, the big question is this: If God is going to give back to us the identity we
formed in life, will He return all? What about our evil tendencies, our sinful nature,
the memory of our sinful thoughts, words, actions and feelings? The answer is that
He will delete all of these from our records and our bodies.
In the daily service, the sins entered the sanctuary. God forgave them but they
remain in the heavenly records until my case comes up in the judgment.
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.”
In the yearly service, God deleted from the records the sins that entered the
sanctuary in the course of the year:
Leviticus 16:16: Sins deleted from the sanctuary
“So he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the
children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins; and so he shall
do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them in the midst of their
uncleanness.”
Hope for the Worst of Sinners
Acts 26:9-11
“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison,
having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I
cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and
compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I
persecuted them even to foreign cities.”
Acts 22:16
“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,
calling on the name of the Lord.'”
The computer analogy
The computer = The body

The processor = The Brain
The power source = The breath of life
The PC takes on its own self-identity based on input
There is the possibility that it might crash or be smashed
The backup disk keeps a record of the hard drives ‘identity’
Buying a new computer:
A new computer = Indestructible body
A new processor = the brain with much more memory
Plugged into the power source = the breath of life
Previous computer information = self-identity logged into the new brain
Before logging in the information, God deletes all the trash.
In the heavenly judgment, God examines the hard disk of each person’s life. God will
blot out every sin that the sinner repented of, sincerely confessed and by God’s
power, overcome. We will not receive back all the bad things that are on our
record. This is why repentance (sorrow for sin and a turning away from it) and
confession are a matter of life or death. Our greatest assurance is to have our sins
covered by the blood of Jesus in the sanctuary.
LESSON #2 - THE THREE STAGES OF JUDGMENT
Judgment before the Second Coming
The judgment occurs before the second coming of Jesus while the gospel is still
being preached:
Revelation 14:6, 7
“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe,
tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him,
for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and
earth, the sea and springs of water."
The Judgment in Heaven
Daniel 7:9, 10: The judgment takes place in heaven:

"I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His
garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His
throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten
thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the
books were opened.”
All Believers Must Appear
2 Corinthians 5:10: All believers must appear before the judgment seat:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may
receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good
or bad.”
The Great Controversy, p. 483
“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have
believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived
upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation and
closes with the living.”
Believers do not appear in Person
The righteous do not appear in person but rather through their records:
“The righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they
are accounted worthy of "the resurrection of life." Hence they will not be present
in person at the tribunal when their records are examined and their cases
decided.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 482
John 5:28, 29: Believers are in the grave until Jesus comes to resurrect them:
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves
will hear His voice 29 and come forth--those who have done good, to the
resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation.”
Examination before the Second Coming
Matthew 22:11-13
"But when the king came in to see [better: ‘examine’] the guests, he saw a man
there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, 'Friend, how
did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. 13
Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and
cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Luke 12:35-37
"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like
men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that
when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are
those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly,
I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come
and serve them.”
Luke 19:12-13
”Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for
himself a kingdom and to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to
them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'”
Jesus Brings the Reward
Jesus will bring the reward when He comes again. If He brings the reward
when He comes again. Therefore, He must have determined what the reward
will be before He comes.
Matthew 16:27
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then
He will reward each according to his works [what was in the books].”
Revelation 22:12
"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every
one according to his work.
The Second Coming of Jesus
When Jesus returns with His reward, He will sit on a great throne in the midst
of great convulsions in heaven and on earth:
Revelation 6:14-17
“Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and
island was moved out of its place [key word also in 20:11]. 15 And the kings of
the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every
slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the
mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from
the face [vital word also in Revelation 20:11] of Him who sits on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and
who is able to stand?"
Revelation 20:11 describes the same event as Revelation 6:15-17:
Revelation 20:11
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.”
At the second coming, all the wicked die and remain so during the thousand
years.
Revelation 20:4-6
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them.
Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus
and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had
not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and
reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live
again until the thousand years were finished.”
The Millennial Judgment
So far, we have discussed the judgment of the righteous before the second
coming of Jesus and the second coming. Now we will see that God follows the
same basic process in the judgment of the wicked during and after the
millennium. Let us begin with the judgment during the millennium.
The righteous will participate in this millennial judgment:
Revelation 20:4
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to
them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to
Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and
had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived
and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
This verse describes the second group of martyrs of Revelation 6:9-11(see the
study, ‘The Souls under the Altar’). This group of martyrs will live during the
short time of trouble just before the close of probation (Matthew 24:9). They
will receive the latter rain, proclaim the loud cry, and refuse to worship the
beast and his image and to receive his mark. Some of them will die a martyrs’
death.
However, these martyrs will not be the only ones to participate in the
millennial judgment. Believers from all ages including Paul and the faithful
Corinthians will participate.
1 Corinthians 6:1-3
“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the
unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will
judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to
judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How
much more, things that pertain to this life?”
It is during this millennial judgment that the rest of the dead will stand before
God. However, an incisive question remains. Who are the dead who stand
before God? They certainly cannot be the righteous because God judged them
before the second coming. Therefore, they must be the wicked who died at the
second coming.
The critical question that remains is this: How can wicked dead people stand
before God during the millennium if they do not live again until after? How can
dead people stand before God? Believers in the immortality of the soul claim
that the souls of the dead stand before God. However, that is not what the text
says.
Revelation 20:12
“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were
opened and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life and the dead
were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the
books.”
Before we are able to answer the above question, we must review a segment of
what we studied in our last study.
An Expanded Meaning of the Word “Spirit”
In the course of time, the spirit or character of man becomes individualized or

personalized. When Jesus comes, He will not only resurrect our bodies and
give us the breath of life. He will also return to us our self-identity (who we
were when we died) which He has preserved in the books.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
“Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God
who gave it.”
God brings to view the life record of the wicked while they are still dead. The
books (plural) contain an exact transcript (the ‘spirit’) of their unrepentant
lives.
Revelation 20:12
“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened
and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were
judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the
books.”
When Jairus’ daughter resurrected she not only received her capacity to
breathe. She also received her own personal identity:
Luke 8:55
“Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that
she be given something to eat.”
When Stephen resurrects he will be Stephen. No doubt, he will recognize Saul
of Tarsus and rejoice over his salvation:
Acts 7:59, 60
“And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive
my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not
charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
When Jesus died, He commended His spirit to His Father. When He resurrected,
He was the same Jesus who went into the tomb with a glorified body:
Luke 23:46
“And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands
I commit My spirit [pneuma].' "Having said this, He breathed His last [pneuma].”
In all these cases, God not only returned the capacity to breathe but also the
individuality of each. This is the reason why Paul used the word ‘spirit’
synonymously with the personal pronoun ‘you’:
1 Thessalonians 5:28
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Galatians 6:18
“Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 6, pp. 1092-1093:
“Our personal identity is preserved in the resurrection, though not the same
particles of matter or material substance as went into the grave. The wondrous
works of God are a mystery to man. The spirit, the character, is returned to God,
there to be preserved. In the resurrection every man will have his own
character. God in His own time will call forth the dead giving again the breath of
life, and bidding the dry bones live. The same form will come forth, but it will be
free from disease and every defect. It lives again bearing the same individuality
of features, so that friend will recognize friend. There is no law of God in nature
that shows that God gives back the same identical particles of matter that
composed the body before death. God shall give the righteous dead a body that
will please Him.”
Therefore, we have the answer to our question. The fact is that the wicked dead
stand before God in the same way that the righteous stood before God in the
pre-advent judgment, through the record of their lives!
The Post Millennial judgment
After the thousand years, the earth and the sea give up the dead that are in
them. Whereas during the thousand years the ‘dead’ stood before God through
their records, the dead will now resurrect and stand before God in person. They
will then be able to see the reason why they are outside the city and they will
agree that God was just in the decision.
Revelation 20:13
“The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the
dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.”
Isaiah 26:19
“Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and
sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth
shall cast out the dead.”
Ellen White described the resurrection of the wicked after the thousand years:
“There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost
a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In
death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they
resume [start again] the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They
are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell. Ellen
G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 664
“As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the
wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see
just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far
pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The
seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings
perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of
mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart--all appear as if written in
letters of fire.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 666
Revelation 20:14, 15
“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:1: New heavens and earth:
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first
earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”
LESSON #3 - LIKE A BRIDE ADORNED

FOR HER HUSBAND
Eastern Wedding Customs in Biblical Times
 The betrothal or engagement between the bride and the groom took
place at the home of the bride’s father
 There the groom paid the dowry (Jesus gave himself to pay the dowry
for her).
 The groom then returned to his father’s house to prepare the home
where he would live with his wife after the marriage (John 14:1-3).
 During the period of preparation, the bride would remain in her
father’s house preparing for the wedding (Ephesians 5:25-27)
 In the interim, the groom sent out invitations to the guests of the
wedding.
 The groom sent a special garment to the guests that gave them the right
to attend the wedding as guests. Those who did not have the garment
had no right to be in the wedding chamber.
 When the place and the bride were ready, the bridegroom would return
to the bride’s home to take her to his father’s house where the wedding
ceremony took place (John 14:1-3).
 The wedding reception followed in the home of the groom’s father.
The Ten Virgins
Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus instructed His individual followers to be ready to go with Him into the
wedding chamber, as invited guests.
Symbols of the Parable
 Lighting the way to the bridal chamber (the preaching the gospel to
invite individuals to the wedding).
 All claimed to be believers. All had lamps and oil in their lamps. However,
the wise virgins had reserve supply in their vessels.
 Five wise were genuine Christians and five foolish were counterfeit.
 The delay in the coming of the groom for the wedding (delay in Jesus
receiving the kingdom from His Father).
 The midnight cry (the final invitation to the wedding).
 The door is shut (the close of probation when all cases are final).
 The wedding takes place (Jesus marries His church/His kingdom as a
whole after the door closes).
 The foolish return and beg entrance but it is too late, the door is closed
(too late to prepare after the close of probation).
 Watch because you do not know when your Lord is coming (in context,
the coming of the groom is for the wedding that takes place in heaven.
Meanwhile, the garments of the guests are examined in the heavenly
books).
Without a Wedding Garment
The parable of the wedding garment of Matthew 22:11-14 is parallel to the

parable of the ten virgins.
Matthew 22:1-14
“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.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 428
 The first invitation for the Jewish nation to come to the wedding.
 Jesus dies.
 The second invitation for the Jewish nation to come to the wedding.
 The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
 Invitation to the Gentiles to come to the wedding (all during the
Christian era).
 The wedding hall is full of guests (the proclamation of the gospel).
“So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all
whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with
guests.”
 The examination of the garments
"But when the king came in to see [theaomai: examine] the guests, he saw
a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him,
'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he
was speechless”.
The Groom’s Father sent out an invitation to the wedding with a special
garment for each guest. Once in the wedding chamber, the Father
examined the garments of the guests to determine if each guest wore
the garment.
“Those who in the judgment are ‘accounted worthy’ will have a part in the
resurrection of the just. Jesus said: ‘They which shall be accounted worthy
to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead . . . are equal unto
the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the
resurrection.’ Luke 20:35, 36. And again He declares that ‘they that have
done good’ shall come forth ‘unto the resurrection of life.’ John 5:29. The
righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they
are accounted worthy of ‘the resurrection of life.’ Hence they will not be
present in person at the tribunal when their records are examined and
their cases decided.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 482
 The door or probation closes and the wedding takes place in heaven.
 Those who did not have the garment were cast out of the wedding
chamber into outer darkness where they would wail and gnash their
teeth for not having been able to remain in the wedding hall (Matthew
8:12; 13:41, 42; 13:47-50; 22:13, 14; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:25-30).
"Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away,
and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing
teeth.'
The Wedding and Wedding Supper
Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14: In 1844 Jesus moved from the holy to the most holy
place of the heavenly sanctuary to receive the kingdom from His Father.
"I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His
garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His
throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten
thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the
books were opened . . . 13 I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One
like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of
Days, and they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve
Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His
kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”
Luke 12:35-37: Receiving the kingdom from the Father is the same as the
wedding between Jesus and the totality of the faithful members of His church.
The wedding clearly takes place in heaven because Jesus returns from there to
earth where the subjects of His kingdom are waiting:
"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like
men who wait for their master, when he will [1] return from the wedding, that
when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those
servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. [2] Assuredly, I
say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come
and serve them.”
Luke 19:11, 12: In the parable of the pounds, Jesus informed his followers that
he was going to a far country to receive the kingdom after which He would
return to this earth:
“Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near
Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear
immediately. Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to
receive for himself a kingdom and to return.”
The Lamb’s bride is the New Jerusalem (with all of the redeemed in it), and the
city is the capital of His kingdom, so we can know for sure that receiving the
kingdom from His Father and marrying his bride are two complementary ways
of saying the same thing.
The New Jerusalem
Revelation 21:2
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Jesus marries His bride and receives the kingdom before His second coming.
In the following statement, Ellen White equates Christ receiving the kingdom
with Jesus marrying His bride:
[When probation closes] “Every case had been decided for life or death. While
Jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going on for
the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living. Christ had received His
kingdom, having made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins.
The subjects of the kingdom were made up. The marriage of the Lamb was
consummated. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the
whole heaven, was given to Jesus and the heirs of salvation, and Jesus was to reign
as King of kings and Lord of lords.” Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 280
Jesus does not marry a city of brick and mortar, gold and silver. He marries the
New Jerusalem with the redeemed of all ages inside. Hebrews 11 tells us that
the names of the redeemed are written in heaven. Jesus spoke of Jerusalem as
the people within the city:
Luke 19:41-44
“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had
known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!
But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your
enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on
every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and
they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the
time of your visitation."
Matthew 23:38
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who
are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen
gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
In 2 Corinthians 11:2 Paul stated that he had engaged the church to Christ as
a pure bride and in Ephesians 5:25-27 he wrote that Christ died to make it
possible for the church/bride to be without spot or blemish.
The Wedding Reception
Revelation 19:9
“Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage
supper of the Lamb!'" And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
An angel pronounced a blessing upon the invited guests to the marriage
supper of the Lamb. The bride (the church as a whole) was ready, clothed in
fine linen, bright and pure which are the righteous deeds of the saints. The
marriage and the marriage supper are two distinct yet related events.
The Composite Picture
1. Those who preach the gospel are inviting the guests to the wedding.
Those who accept the invitation become part of the bride corporately
and guests individually.
2. In 1844 Jesus came to the Father to begin the process that would
eventually make it possible for Him to receive the kingdom or to marry
His bride—the church as a whole (Matthew 25:1-13).
3. Since 1844, the King has been examining the garments of each person
individually who has accepted the gospel invitation to the wedding to
determine if they have the right to attend the wedding.
4. The judgment began with the dead that first lived on the earth, and will
end with those who are alive. These persons, as individuals, are the
invited guests to the wedding. However, the people as a whole—the
faithful church in its entirety—are Christ’s betrothed bride or kingdom.
“The parable of the wedding garment opens before us a lesson of the highest
consequence. By the marriage is represented the union of humanity with
divinity; the wedding garment represents the character which all must
possess who shall be accounted fit guests for the wedding.” Ellen G. White,
Christ Object Lessons, p. 307
Not everyone who has claimed Jesus, as Savior has been true and faithful.
Those who are found without a wedding garment in the judgment will be
removed from the book of life (Matthew 22:1-14) and when the last
case has been examined, the bride/kingdom is purged, pure and faithful
(Revelation 19:7-9; Ephesians 5:25-27).
5. When the judgment is over, the bride (the church in its entirety) has
made herself ready for Him and Jesus will marry her (He takes over the
kingdom; Daniel 7:13, 14; Luke 19:11, 12).
6. When every person has either accepted or rejected the invitation to the
wedding, the door will close and Jesus will receive the kingdom or marry
His kingdom. Any guests who arrive late are found unprepared and
unworthy and those who are in the wedding chamber without the
garment will be cast out (Matthew 25:1-14; Revelation 22:11).
7. After the wedding in heaven is finished, a terrible time of trouble will

ensue for the bride (the church) and Jesus will return to the earth to
rescue her from certain annihilation (Daniel 11:44-12:3).
8. Jesus gathers his kingdom/bride and takes her to the Father’s house in
heaven. When the faithful arrive in heaven, they sit down with Jesus to
eat the marriage supper—this is the wedding reception (Revelation
19:9; Matthew 8:11, 12).
“To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to
the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father's
house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.” Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home, p. 503
“Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying, "Come, My people, you have come
out of great tribulation, and done My will; suffered for Me; come in to supper,
for I will gird Myself, and serve you." We shouted, "Alleluia! glory!" and entered
into the city. And I saw a table of pure silver; it was many miles in length, yet
our eyes could extend over it. I saw the fruit of the tree of life, the manna, almonds,
figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many other kinds of fruit.” Ellen G. White,
Counsels to the Church, p. 36
Solving a Problem
The Bible makes it clear that the wedding takes place in heaven before Jesus
returns for the second time. However, many modern versions (for example, the
NIV and the ESV), leave the erroneous impression that Jesus will come to earth
to gather his people to Himself after the marriage supper has ended. These
translations are confusing because other texts clearly affirm that Jesus will
literally sit with his people at the supper table in His kingdom after He has
come for them (see Matthew 8:11, 12).
So the question is this, when is the marriage supper? Does it take place before
Jesus comes for his own or after he takes them to heaven?
Let us compare Luke 12:35-37 in the NKJV with the NIV:
NKJV:
"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men
who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he
comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants
whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that
he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.”
NIV:
"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for
their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and
knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those
servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth,
he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come
and wait on them.”
It will be noticed that in the NIV (and many other contemporary versions), Jesus
returns to the earth from the heavenly wedding banquet to gather his waiting
people. In other words, the wedding banquet takes place before Jesus comes to
take His people to heaven. However, in the NKJV Jesus returns from the
wedding (not the banquet) to gather His people to take them to the banquet.
Which translation makes more sense and fits best with all the Biblical
evidence?
In Greek, the words used for marriage (gamos and gamoi) include both the
wedding and the wedding feast. In our times, we make a marked distinction
between the wedding and the reception. However, in biblical times the
covenant vow took very little time while the feast was a major community
event that would last hours and even days or weeks. Thus, the wedding was
simply a brief ceremony with a celebration that was a big feast after!
The Greek language did not have a word that distinguishes between the
wedding and the feast as we do today (such as wedding and reception)
because people perceived both to be phases of the same event. However,
although the Greeks did not have a word for the vow as distinguished from the
feast, they did have a word for the feast alone when that is what they wished
to emphasize. That word appears in Revelation 19:9 where the saints are
invited to the wedding feast.
Therefore, the process is as follows:
 Jesus will marry his kingdom/church in heaven.
 Jesus will then return from the wedding in heaven to take his waiting
people on earth to the heavenly feast/reception.
Note: The bride is the church or kingdom as a whole while the church
members as individuals are the guests (clearly shown in Matthew 22). The
bride/kingdom is the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of Christ’s entire
human kingdom (Revelation 21:9, 10). Individual members of the city are not
the city itself but the residents who have homes there (John 14:1-3)
Ellen White understood this very clearly:
“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer's inkhorn by
his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done and
the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering
before the ark containing the Ten Commandments, throw down the censer. He
raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, ‘It is done.’ Then all the angelic host
laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, ‘He that is unjust, let
him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’
“The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City,
the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is
called ‘the bride, the Lamb's wife.’ Said the angel to John: ‘Come hither, I will show
thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.’ ‘He carried me away in the spirit,’ says the
prophet, ‘and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of
heaven from God’ Revelation 21:9, 10. Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy
City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the
church. In the Revelation, the people of God are said to be the guests at the
marriage supper Revelation 19:9. If guests, they cannot be represented also as
the bride. Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of
Days in heaven, ‘dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;’ He will receive the New
Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, ‘prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband.’ Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. Having received the kingdom, He will
come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His
people, who are to ‘sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,’ at His table in
His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of
the Lamb.
‘The proclamation, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,’ in the summer of 1844, led
thousands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appointed time the
Bridegroom came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient
of Days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom. ‘They that
were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.’ They were
not to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while
they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to ‘wait for their Lord, when
He will return from the wedding’ Luke 12:36. However, they are to understand
His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense
that they are said to go in to the marriage.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy,
pp. 426, 427
Notice all the Biblical texts that Ellen White uses to sustain her explanation of
the wedding and the reception:
“In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is employed to
represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people.
To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the
rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride [the kingdom in its
entirety] to the Father's house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit
down to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He says, ‘As the bridegroom rejoiceth
over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.’ ‘Thou shalt no more be termed
Forsaken; . . . but thou shalt be called My Delight; . . . for the Lord delighteth in
thee.’ ‘He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over
thee with singing’ Isaiah 62:5, 4, margin; Zephaniah 3:17. When the vision of
heavenly things was granted to John the apostle, he wrote: ‘I heard as it were the
voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of
mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let
us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is
come, and His wife hath made herself ready." "Blessed are they which are called
unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:6, 7, 9.” Ellen G. White, The
Desire of Ages, p. 151
Another illustration
 The sea: Humanity

 The fish: Members of humanity
 The fishermen: Proclaimers of the gospel
 The net: The gospel
 The casting: The preaching of the gospel
 The boat (only those in the boat are separated, those who entered the
church)
 The separation: The investigative judgment
 Cast out the bad and gather the good: The execution of the judgment
Matthew 4:18-20
“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter,
and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19
Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They
immediately left their nets and followed Him.”
Matthew 13:47-50
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and
gathered some of every kind, 48 which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and
they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked
from among the just, 50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be
wailing and gnashing of teeth."
The Christian world cannot conceive of a judgment before the second coming
because they believe that God judges a person when he dies or at the second
coming.
LESSON #4 - LIVING IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
Heavenly and Earthly
Hebrews 8:1-5: The earthly sanctuary services and Feasts were a small-scale
reflection of far greater future events in salvation history:
“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High
Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected,
and not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices.
Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He
were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts
according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things,
as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For
He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on
the mountain."
God gave a description of the sanctuary so that His people could follow Jesus
by faith in His work there. The people could see with their physical eyes what
happened in the camp and the court but not in the Holy and Most Holy. Today
we are going to focus on the work of Jesus in the Most Holy Place. The high
priest had bells so that the people could follow his movements.
Sometimes we focus so much on what the high priest did in the Most Holy
Place on the Day of Atonement that we have forgotten what the people were
supposed to do outside the sanctuary. Some people say: “You are so heavenly
minded that you are not earthly good but this can be turned around to say: “You
are so earthly minded you are no heavenly good.”
A Work outside the Sanctuary
The congregation had a role to play on the Day of Atonement while the High
Priest was cleansing the sanctuary:
 The coming Day of Atonement was announced by the sound of the

trumpets (the Millerite movement in 1844 and the loud cry of Revelation
18:1-5) At the end of the Day there were only two groups: Those who
remained in Babylon and those who came out.
 All Israelites were required to assemble at the sanctuary to follow the
work of the High Priest—it was a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:21, 24,
27).
 While the high priest was cleansing the sanctuary, the people were
gathered outside afflicting their souls (Leviticus 16:29, 30, 23:27).
The closer we come to Jesus the more sinful we will see ourselves and the
more we will want to reflect his image (Hebrews 12:1-3). The further we
am from Jesus the better we will feel about ourselves.
 The congregation fasted (Isaiah 58; Joel 2:11ff):
“The true fasting which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from
every stimulating kind of food, and the proper use of wholesome simple
food, which God has provided in abundance.” Ellen G. White, Medical
Ministry, p. 283
Isaiah 58:6-7
"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to
undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break
every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you
bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that
you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?”
 The congregation was to abstain from work because their minds needed
to be focused on the work of the high priest (Leviticus 16:29, 30; 23:28).
 As the high priest blotted out the sins of the people from the sanctuary,
the people were to blot out sin from their soul temple through the
power of the Holy Spirit. The message is that we must be cleansing the
soul temple here while Jesus is cleansing the heavenly temple there.
Jesus will not cleanse from there what we have not cleansed here
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Leviticus 23 explains that those who did not afflict their souls were to be
cut off from the congregation and destroyed (Leviticus 23:28-30). The
meaning of cut off: No longer a member of God’s people (Genesis 17:14;
Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 20:3; Numbers 15:30, 31; Psalm 34:16; 37:28;
109:13, 15.
Those who are alive when Jesus comes will need a special preparation to stand
before a holy God. Their soul temple must be cleansed from sin. Those who live
during the period of the judgment of the living will need to experience total
victory over sin. Like the disciples on the Day of Pentecost, they will need a
special preparation for this period.
The Bible and Victory over Sin
The following texts speak about the necessary preparation for the coming of
Jesus:
Hebrews 12:14-16, 28, 29
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the
Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root
of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest
there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food
sold his birthright . . . 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot
be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with
reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.”
1 John 3:1-3
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be
called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not
know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed
what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies
himself, just as He is pure.”
Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”
Titus 2:11-14
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself
for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself
His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Ellen White on the Earthly Work
“From the Holy of Holies, there goes on the grand work of instruction. The
angels of God are communicating to men [the key question is this: What are
they communicating to us?]. Christ officiates in the sanctuary. We do not follow
Him into the sanctuary, as we should. Christ and angels work in the hearts of the
children of men. The church above united with the church below is warring the
good warfare upon the earth. There must be a purifying of the soul here upon
the earth, in harmony with Christ's cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven.”
Ellen G. White, Maranatha, p. 249
“Godliness, sobriety, and consistency will characterize the life and example of
every true Christian. The work which Christ is doing in the sanctuary above will
engage the thoughts and be the burden of the conversation, because by faith
he [the word ‘he’ here means his people] has entered into the sanctuary. He is
on earth, but his sympathies are in harmony with the work that Christ is
doing in heaven. Christ is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary from the sins of
the people, and it is the work of all who are laborers together with God to
be cleansing the sanctuary of the soul from everything that is offensive to
Him. Everything like evil surmising, envy, jealousy, enmity, and hatred, will be put
away, for such things grieve the Holy Spirit of God and put Christ to an open
shame. Love of self will not exist, nor will any engaged in this work be puffed up.
The example of Christ's life, the consistency of his character, will make his
influence far-reaching. He will be a living epistle, known and read of all men.”
Manuscript 15, 1886, pp. 2, 3 (‘Christian Integrity in the Ministry,’ no date)
Who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 6:14-17 describes the second coming of Christ:

“And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the
mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in
the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and
hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the
Lamb!”
Verse 17 ends with a question: “For the great day of His wrath has come, and
who is able to stand?”
What does the word ‘stand’ mean? In several verses of the New Testament, it is
the antonym of ‘fall’. Examples:
 Mark 3:24, 25: A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.
 John 8:44: Satan at the beginning did not stand in the truth.
 1 Corinthians 10:12: He that thinks that he stands let him take heed
lest he fall.
 Ephesians 6:11-13
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
 2 Timothy 2:19: “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands,
having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone
who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
 Luke 21:36: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted
worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before
the Son of Man.”
The Answer to the Question
Revelation 6:17 ends with a pointed question and the answer to the question is
in the following chapter—the 144,000 will be able to stand.
Revelation 7:1-4: This passage refers to the sealing of the 144,000 but does
not underline their character:
“After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,
holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth,
on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east,
having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels
to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the
earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their
foreheads." And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and
forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.”
The idea of sealing on the forehead comes from Ezekiel 9 where abominations
were being committed among God’s own people. The sealing took place among
those who professed to be God’s people and only those who sighed and cried
were sealed.
Revelation 14:1-5: A description of the character of God’s end time people:

Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one
hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their
foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and
like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their
harps. They sang as it were a new song [they went through the experience of
Israel at the Red Sea] before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the
elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four
thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These ones were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins. These ones follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the
throne of God.”
 They follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
 They have the Father’s name on their foreheads (name is an indication
of character).
 They sing a new song. They are alive in the final deliverance from
certain death.
 They were not defiled with women.
 There was no deceit in their mouths.
 They are without fault before the throne of God.
Same Question in other Places
Revelation 6:17 is not the only place where the question is asked and
answered. There are several other texts where se same question asked
followed by a description of the sterling character of the faithful. After
describing the second coming of Christ in Joel 2:1-10, the prophet asks the
question:
Joel 2:11
“The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the
One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible,
who can endure it?”
The following verses Joel 2:12-17 give the answer in terms of the Day of
Atonement:
"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting,
with weeping, and with mourning." So rend your heart, and not your garments;
return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and
of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and
relent, and leave a blessing behind Him--A grain offering and a drink offering For
the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred
assembly; Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders,
gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his
chamber, and the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to
the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, "Spare Your
people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations
should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their
God?'
The items in this verse clearly refer to the attitude of God’s people in
preparation for the Day of Atonement:
 Returning to God with all their hearts with fasting, weeping and
mourning.
 Rending the heart and not the garments.
 Blowing the trumpet in Zion.
 Call an assembly and a fast.
 Sanctify the assembly.
 The ministers are to weep between the porch and the altar.
Isaiah 33:14-16: The same question as Revelation 6:17:

Verse 14: The question:
“The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: "Who
among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with
everlasting burnings?"
Verses 15, 16: The answer: A holy lifestyle.
“He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of
oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears
from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil: 16 He will dwell on
high; his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him,
his water will be sure.”
Psalm 15
Verse 1: The question. “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle [the
sanctuary]? Who may dwell in Your holy hill [Zion]?
Verses 2-5: The answer: A holy lifestyle:
“He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his
heart; 3 he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor,
nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; 4 In whose eyes a vile person is
despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt
and does not change [does not break his promises]; 5 he who does not put out
his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does
these things shall never be moved [who shall be able to stand?]”
Psalm 24:3-6: #1: The question
Verse 3:
“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?”
#2: The answer: A holy lifestyle
Verses 4-6:
“He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to an
idol, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and
righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is Jacob, the generation of
those who seek Him, who seek Your face.”
#3: The entrance. Verses 7-10:
“Lift up your heads, O you gates and be lifted up, you everlasting doors and the
King of glory shall come in!! 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and
mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you
everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in! 10 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.”
This song was sung when Jesus arrived in heaven with the first-fruits (Ellen
G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 833-835) upon His ascension to heaven. There,
waiting for Him, were the Father, the cherubim and seraphim and the
representatives of the worlds that never sinned. This song will be sung again
when Jesus ascends to heaven with all of the redeemed:
Welcomed by the Father:
“The sacrifice of our Savior has made ample provision for every repenting,
believing soul. We are saved because God loves the purchase of the blood of Christ;
and not only will He pardon the repentant sinner, not only will He permit him to
enter heaven, but He, the Father of mercies, will wait at the very gates of
heaven to welcome us, to give us an abundant entrance to the mansions of the
blest. Oh, what love, what wondrous love the Father has shown in the gift of His
Beloved Son for this fallen race! And this Sacrifice is a channel for the outflow of
His infinite love, that all who believe on Jesus Christ may, like the prodigal son,
receive full and free restoration to the favor of Heaven.” Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 950
Acts 3:19-22
“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times
of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he [the Father]
may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until
the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his
holy prophets long ago.”
Ellen White Quotations: Parallel Work
“Satan is constantly alluring away from faithfulness and thoroughness in the

essential works of preparedness for the great event that will try every man's soul.
The work in the heavenly sanctuary is going forward. Jesus is cleansing the
sanctuary. The work on earth corresponds with the work in heaven. The
heavenly angels are at work constantly to draw man, the living agent, to look to
Jesus to contemplate and meditate upon Jesus that he may, in viewing the
perfection of Christ, be impressed with the imperfections of His own character
. . . This is the burden of the message for this time.” Ellen G. White, The Upward
Look, p. 344
Ellen White Quotations
“Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God
and purifying their souls by obeying the truth--these are receiving the heavenly
mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes
forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless
for eternity. Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed
upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the
forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed
upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All
who receive the seal must be without spot before God--candidates for heaven.”
Ellen G. White, The Faith I Live By, p. 288
“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot
or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to
cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon
us as the early rain fell upon the disciples . . . .” Ellen G. White, Maranatha, p. 240
“All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as
their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the
books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ,
and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins
will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.
The Lord declares, by the prophet Isaiah: "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy
transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Isaiah 43:25.”
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 483
“Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek
to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Savior be brought
to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where
he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his
temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself: "The prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30. Satan could find nothing in
the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father's
commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his
advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall
stand in the time of trouble.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 623
“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease
in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator.
Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the
blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they
must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is
going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed
from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away
of sin, among God's people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in
the messages of Revelation 14. When this work shall have been accomplished, the
followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing.” Ellen G. White, The Great
Controversy p. 425
The Secret of Victory
Screen out the bad and focus on Jesus:

Ephesians 5:25-27
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself
for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the
word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot
or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Psalm 119:9-11
"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your
commandments! 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin
against You.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of
the Lord.”
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LESSON #1 - THREE INTERCONNECTED DOCTRINES ............................. 3

LESSON #2 - THE THREE STAGES OF JUDGMENT ................................ 15

LESSON #3 - LIKE A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND ................. 25

LESSON #4 - LIVING IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT ............................... 37

LESSON #1 - THREE INTERCONNECTED DOCTRINES

The Origin of Man

What Happened to Adam at Death?

Ecclesiastes 12:7: Death is the opposite of the creation of life:

The Content of the Books

Ellen White understood this when she wrote:

The Contents of the Book (Singular)

Let us notice now some details about the investigative judgment:

Every Human Being Must Appear

The Judgment Transpires before the Second Coming

Jesus gives the Reward when He comes

Where was Adam in 1844 when the Judgment Began?

God judged Adam based on his record in 1844:

How the Process Worked Beginning in 1844

The Daily and the Yearly Sanctuary Service

Hope for the Worst of Sinners

The computer analogy

The computer = The body

LESSON #2 - THE THREE STAGES OF JUDGMENT

Judgment before the Second Coming

The Judgment in Heaven

Daniel 7:9, 10: The judgment takes place in heaven:

Believers do not appear in Person

Examination before the Second Coming

Jesus Brings the Reward

The Second Coming of Jesus

The Millennial Judgment

An Expanded Meaning of the Word “Spirit”

In the course of time, the spirit or character of man becomes individualized or

The Post Millennial judgment

LESSON #3 - LIKE A BRIDE ADORNED

Eastern Wedding Customs in Biblical Times

Symbols of the Parable

Without a Wedding Garment

The parable of the wedding garment of Matthew 22:11-14 is parallel to the

The Wedding and Wedding Supper

The New Jerusalem

The Wedding Reception

The Composite Picture

7. After the wedding in heaven is finished, a terrible time of trouble will

 The sea: Humanity

LESSON #4 - LIVING IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

Heavenly and Earthly

A Work outside the Sanctuary

 The coming Day of Atonement was announced by the sound of the

The Bible and Victory over Sin

Ellen White on the Earthly Work

Who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 6:14-17 describes the second coming of Christ:

The Answer to the Question

Revelation 14:1-5: A description of the character of God’s end time people:

Same Question in other Places

Isaiah 33:14-16: The same question as Revelation 6:17:

Ellen White Quotations: Parallel Work