In the Holy of Holies
355
This subject was not understood by Adventists in 1844. After
the passing of the time when the Saviour was expected, they still
believed his coming to be near; they held that they had reached an
important crisis, and that the work of Christ as man’s intercessor before
God, had ceased. It appeared to them to be taught in the Bible, that
man’s probation would close a short time before the actual coming
of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. This seemed evident from those
scriptures which point to a time when men will seek, knock, and cry
at the door of mercy, and it will not be opened. And it was a question
with them whether the date to which they had looked for the coming
of Christ might not rather mark the beginning of this period which was
to immediately precede his coming. Having given the warning of the
Judgment near, they felt that their work for the world was done, and
they lost their burden of soul for the salvation of sinners, while the
bold and blasphemous scoffing of the ungodly seemed to them another
evidence that the Spirit of God had been withdrawn from the rejecters
of his mercy. All this confirmed them in the belief that probation had
ended, or, as they then expressed it, “the door of mercy was shut.” [
See
Appendix, Note 7.
]
But clearer light came with the investigation of the sanctuary ques-
tion. They now saw that they were correct in believing that the end of
the 2300 days in 1844 marked an important crisis. But while it was true
[430]
that that door of hope and mercy by which men had for eighteen hun-
dred years found access to God was closed, another door was opened,
and forgiveness of sins was offered to men through the intercession of
Christ in the most holy. One part of his ministration had closed, only
to give place to another. There was still an “open door” to the heavenly
sanctuary where Christ was ministering in the sinner’s behalf.
Now was seen the application of those words of Christ in the
revelation, addressed to the church at this very time: “These things
saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he
that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth:
I know thy works; behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no
man can shut it.” [
Revelation 3:7, 8
.]
It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the
atonement, who receive the benefits of his mediation in their behalf;
while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of
ministration, are not benefited thereby. The Jews who rejected the