What's Christ Doing Up There? Who's Called to Tell the World?!
What's Christ been doing? He arrived Home safe. Sure He deserves to relax after dying for us and breaking free from the Devil's tomb-trap, but what's holding Him up for the next great Rescue? Who's going to announce His Return? He must have something more to do in order to complete the Salvation process.
Providentially emerging from intense spiritual revival on four continents, a three-phased (1650-1900) Great Awakening stimulated serious study of time prophecies in Daniel 7-9. Utilizing the Historicist approach to interpretation, the meticulous Karaite Jewish calendar, and the Bible’s own Year-for-a-“Day” principle, tens of thousands of Americans thronged giant tents, tabernacles and outdoor camp meetings to hear revivalists unwrap the folds of history and Biblical typology to reveal Jesus!
Daniel 7-9 synchronizes prophecy and history with such amazing accuracy that the ancient prophet actually pinpoints Christ's baptism (9:24) and His crucifixion (9:26-27) centuries ahead of time!
Riveted to the Book, a national craze was ignited over quick assumptions that the terminus of Daniel 8:14's "2300 day-years” on October 22, 1844, pegged that day for the return of King Jesus! Everyone was looking for the right Person! But, enthralled by mass enthusiasm, the Bible's warning against date-setting went unheeded! American history will forever identify that date as The Great Disappointment! Biblical timelines were checked and rechecked by historians and scholars who to this day still confirm the accuracy of 1840's calculations of Daniel's amazing prophecy.
Those who would become the Seventh-day Adventist Church went back to the Word of God and discovered extensive parallels between the Old Testament sanctuary services and its design pattern in the sanctuary of heaven above (1 John 2:1-2; Hebrews 9:11-15,24,28). Close scrutiny of the Old Testament Day of Atonement services and priestly activity (Leviticus 16) inform us of Christ’s current High Priestly duties in heaven.
Please read my blog post, "Three Things Jesus Did for Us to Be Saved, Part Three."
Right now, Jesus is totally engaged in getting power from the heavenly nerve center to each of His children who have put Him in charge of their lives but must still do battle with the tempter! Those with that Heaven-Earth bonding to Jesus will make up the final faithful who actually see Him split the skies soon. When we devote ourselves to regularly "com[ing] boldly unto the throne of grace," (Hebrews 4:16), Jesus' final case review paralleling Israel's Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-30) will find us "HIS!" Both Daniel (12:4) and Revelation (14:7) predict public evangelism based upon Christ Jesus' heavenly ministry.
That's why I'm writing about it! The topic sure paints Christ as always-on-our-side! Adventists originated at the time these prophecies gained modern attention. I know of no other faith group preaching them now.
But, if my friends in other denominations find this a springboard to your own sharing, the "Lord is no respecter of persons." Have at it! And if one of the Lord's purposes for calling Adventists into existence was to spotlight Christ’s work in heaven and the ticking cosmic timer, now's a great time to re-tune rather than let this truth fade away! The Bible is telling us Jesus "IS THERE" for us! It's also telling us what time it is, and it’s late!
The Case Review was the last thing the High Priest did on the ancient Day of Atonement.
