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Chapter 24—What Is Christ Doing Now?
The subject of the sanctuary unlocked the mystery of the disap-
pointment. It opened to view a complete system of truth, connected
and harmonious, showing that God’s hand had directed the great
advent movement. Those who had looked in faith for His second
coming expected Him to appear in glory, but as their hopes were
disappointed, they had lost sight of Jesus. Now in the holy of holies
they again beheld their High Priest, soon to appear as king and de-
liverer. Light from the sanctuary illumined the past, the present, and
the future. Though they had failed to understand the message which
they bore, yet it had been correct.
The mistake had not been in the reckoning of the prophetic
periods, but in the event to take place at the end of the 2300 days.
Yet all that was foretold by the prophecy had been accomplished.
Christ had come, not to the earth, but to the most holy place of
the temple in heaven: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one
like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came”—not
to the earth, but—“to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him
near before him.”
Daniel 7:13
.
This coming was foretold also by Malachi: “The Lord, whom
ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of
the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the
Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:1
. The coming of the Lord to His temple
was “sudden,” unexpected, to His people. They were not looking for
Him there.
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The people were not yet ready to meet their Lord. There was
still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them. As they
should by faith follow their High Priest in His ministration, new
duties would be revealed. Another message was to be given to the
church.
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