October 16: REVERENCE AND WORSHIP (part 3 - JUDGMENT)
. . . 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.” Revelation 14:7
Revelation’s sanctuary language is the key to a right understanding the hour of His judgment. When God gave the tabernacle plan to Moses, He also gave instructions for yearly events that revolved around the sanctuary. Each yearly event prophetically depicted a one-time actual event to come. For example, the yearly celebration of Passover (the first of three spring feasts) pointed forward to Jesus on the cross: For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7b). Immediately after Passover was Unleavened Bread (pointing to Jesus in the tomb) and Firstfruits (Jesus resurrected): But now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20).
In between the three spring feasts and the three fall feasts came the Feast of Weeks (called Pentecost in the New Testament) pointing to the church age. And now we find ourselves living in the time of the end (Daniel 11:40; 12:9). The trumpet judgments of Revelation are the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets, which was a literal ten-day period of intense self-evaluation leading up to the Day of Atonement. Hopefully, you will recall that the number ten is associated with testing. God allows us to be tested in order for us to understand the condition of our souls. He already knows, but He wants each of us to understand our dire state in order to seek His forgiveness and help to overcome those things which Satan is using to trip us up.
The Day of Atonement is the day in which we now live. In God’s mercy, the last trumpet is sounding in slow-motion as the last-day message is being preached in the world. This message is summarized in Revelation 14:6-12. Think of the last day just before Jericho fell: God’s people marched seven times that day, instead of only once, as trumpets were blown before the walls came “a-tumbling” down (Joshua 6:4, 15. 20). Seven signifies completion. When the whole world has had the opportunity to hear and accept the truth, history will be complete and Jesus will return to rescue His bride.
Cleansing of the sanctuary accompanies the Day of Atonement. This judgment language is linked both to the sanctuary and preparation for the return of Jesus. The Greek used in our opening verse is krisis, which is the action of judging (not to be confused with krima, which is pronouncement and execution of the sentence). Daniel was given a glimpse of this future (to him) judgment scene as it began: The court was seated and the books were opened (Daniel 7:10). The very next verse shows us that the antichrist is still speaking his pompous words when this judgment begins. If you wonder when the krisis (action of judging) began, Daniel overheard two angels asking about it, one of whom told Daniel directly: “For two thousand, three hundred days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:14) A simple calculation* cites the year 1844 (remember there is no year “0”). At that time, a review of every life since the beginning of earth’s history commenced. A modern phrase for this is “pre-advent judgment.” Jesus will know before He returns who is saved and who is lost.
“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.” Matthew 16:27 (see also 24:31 and Revelation 22:12)
*The beginning date for this calculation is BC457 (see Ezra 7 and Nehemiah 2:1-18)