HOW TO BE VINDICATED IN THE PRE-ADVENT JUDGEMENT

Daniel 7 makes it abundantly clear that before Jesus returns to Earth there will be a pre-advent investigation of the life of every Christian believer. To determine if he is meritorious of eternal life. All those who are vindicated as a result of this judgment will become candidates for Heaven. Accordingly, immortality will be conferred upon them when The Saviour returns in the clouds of heaven. “Now, this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1Corinthians 15: 50-54.

The partition on the right, in the picture above, illustrates the first apartment of the earthly sanctuary. This apartment was known as The Holy Place (a representation of the Christian Church). This structure was constructed by Moses in the wilderness, in obedience to the divine command. While the children of Israel journeyed to the promised land. There are three important pieces of furniture that illustrate the responsibilities of every believer during the period of Investigative Judgement. The first piece of furniture is the Altar of Incense. The Aaronic High Priest himself (a representation of Christ The Saviour). Burned sweet-smelling incense upon this altar twice daily. Morning and evening. The burning of the incense represents prayer. Predictably, we should pray to our heavenly Father no less frequently than at least two times each day. The incense had a sweet-smelling, incomparable fragrance. Its replication by anyone for personal use was strictly forbidden by divine decree. This fragrance was a symbol of the exceeding unparalleled righteousness of Christ our Saviour.

It is Christ’s perfect Righteousness that is intermingled with our sin-polluted prayers that make our supplications acceptable to the Heavenly Father. Individually, when any child of God stands before His throne of judgment, then He needs to have no fear. Because Jesus our Great High Priest stands there with Him as His Advocate. Therefore, God does not see the sins of the penitent believer. Rather (if everything else is in place), He sees the spotless righteousness of His beloved Son. Thus the repentant sinner is fully Justified in Heaven’s high bar of jurisprudence. This Incense Altar was very close to the Most Holy Place (Symbolizing Heaven). Representing the fact that believers maintain their closeness to Heaven through daily intercession.

The next piece of furnishing in The Holy Place was the Table of The Shew Bread. There were 12 flat loaves of bread on this table. Six loaves were arranged on top of each other on the left side of the table and six were similarly arranged on the right. These loaves were eaten daily by the priests (the sons of Aaron). All the loaves were unleavened bread. Meaning they were baked without yeast since, in Israel’s economy and theology, yeast is a symbol of sin. The loaves essentially were a representation of Christ (The Sinless One).  “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16. He is also The Bread of Life. “And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'” John 6: 35-36. Just as the Old Testament priests fed daily upon the Shewbread, even so, must New Testament believers feed daily upon Christ the Living Bread through Bible study.

The third piece of furniture is the golden candelabra with six branches. The main stick is made of solid gold and so are the six branches. The main stick represents Christ the Saviour. The six branches are a representation of converted and penitent sinners. Their holiness, relationship with God, and fitness for Heaven are maintained only by being embedded in Christ. As long as they are connected with Him they will be able to shine brightly in the darkness of this sinful world. As Jesus, Himself stated, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:5-8.

(TO BE CONTINUED).