As we have already seen, there must be a judgment before Christ comes. The angel announces in a loud voice that “the hour of His judgment has come” (Revelation 14:7, NKJV). The book of Daniel gives us the time when this judgment begins.

Read Daniel 8:14. What specific timetable does Daniel give us regarding the cleansing of the sanctuary?

Each Jew clearly understood the meaning of the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary. It occurred on the Day of Atonement, which was the day of judgment. Although Daniel understood the concept of the cleansing of the sanctuary and the judgment, he was confused about these 2300 days.

Read Daniel 8:27 and Daniel 9:21-22. What was Daniel’s response to the vision of the 2,300 days, and what was God’s response to him?

Image © Steve Creitz at Goodsalt.com

At the end of Daniel 8:1-27, Daniel fainted and exclaimed, “I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it” (Daniel 8:27, NKJV). That is, the vision of the 2,300 days (the rest of the vision had been already explained; see Daniel 8:19-22). The next chapter, Daniel 9:1-27, records the angel Gabriel coming to explain to Daniel the 2,300-day prophecy. “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand“ (Daniel 9:22, NKJV).

Gabriel amazes Daniel as he reveals an answer to his prayer much broader than he ever imagined. The angel Gabriel took Daniel down the stream of time and revealed the truth about the coming Messiah, giving the exact dates of the beginning of His ministry and His cruel death, events that tied directly to the cleansing of the sanctuary, in Daniel 8:1-27. In other words, Christ’s death and the judgment are inseparably linked.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Daniel 8:1-27, Daniel 9:1-27, Ezra 7:1-28, Matthew 3:13-17, Romans 5:6-9, Mark 15:38, Leviticus 16:16.

Memory Text: “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Romans 13:11-12, NKJV).

Several years ago, National Geographic magazine told about a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. After it ended, forest rangers trekked up a mountain to assess the damage. One ranger found a bird literally burned to ashes at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.

When he struck it, three tiny baby birds scurried from under their dead mother’s wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. What a picture of the believer, who is safe in Christ!

The fires of God’s judgment burned themselves out on Him, at Calvary, and all who are in Christ are safe forever beneath His wings. At the cross, Christ was judged as a condemned sinner so that we could be judged as righteous citizens of the heavenly kingdom. He was judged as a criminal so that we could be set free from the destructive fires of eternal loss, both figuratively and, yes, literally, as well.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 6.

Sunday–>

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Is this True, Somewhat True, or False? We will be judged on our measure of faith in Christ. Join us with Lesson 5, The Good News of the Judgment.

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My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 1:1-2 NKJV

An advocate speaks up for others and looks out for them. A teacher friend of mine told me about a student who was getting bullied. Another student saw this and it made her mad, so she took her bullied classmate to the teacher to find some justice in the situation. The other student had nothing to gain personally by stepping in as an advocate, but she could not just watch this happen and do nothing to help. 

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Another teacher friend of mine told me about a student who is always leaving his assignments on his desk, forgetting to turn them in. Another student will often see the other student forgetting to turn in his work and will pick it up and turn it in for him. The thoughtful student has nothing to gain by his kindness. He is simply looking out for his forgetful classmate. The thoughtful student is an advocate for his forgetful friend. You may think the forgetful student just needs to remember to turn in his work, and you are right, but hasn’t Jesus acted as an advocate for you, even when you were undeserving?

How careful is the Lord Jesus to give no occasion for a soul to despair. How He fences about the soul from Satan’s fierce attacks. If through manifold temptations we are surprised or deceived into sin, He does not turn from us and leave us to perish. No, no, that is not our Saviour…. He was tempted in all points like as we are; and having been tempted, He knows how to succor [assist or aid] those who are tempted. Our crucified Lord is pleading for us in the presence of the Father at the throne of grace. His atoning sacrifice we may plead for our pardon, our justification, and our sanctification. The Lamb slain is our only hope. Our faith looks up to Him, grasps Him as the One who can save to the uttermost, and the fragrance of the all-sufficient offering is accepted of the Father. If you make failures and are betrayed into sin, do not feel then you cannot pray … but seek the Lord more earnestly. The blood of Jesus is pleading with power and efficacy for those who are backslidden, for those who are rebellious, for those who sin against great light and love. Satan stands at our right hand to accuse us, and our Advocate stands at God’s right hand to plead for us. He has never lost a case that has been committed to Him. We may trust in our Advocate; for He pleads His own merits in our behalf…. He is making intercession for the most lowly, the most oppressed and suffering, for the most tried and tempted ones. With upraised hands He pleads, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:16. I would I might sound the glad note to earth’s remotest bounds. “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Oh, precious redemption! How broad this great truth is—that God for Christ’s dear sake, forgives us the moment we ask Him in living faith, believing that He is fully able! –Ellen White, Our High Calling, Page 49. 

Jesus is not just our advocate when we are righteous; He is our advocate when we are sinning against great light! Jesus is truly a friend of sinners. In Psalm 32:1-6, David writes about confessing his sin to Jesus and finding forgiveness. Then he says,

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

David does not call God his hiding place when he is doing everything right, but in the context of when he is doing everything wrong. The sanctuary is a safe place. The sanctuary is a safe place for sinners. In the sanctuary service, sinners find forgiveness and healing from sin. Satan offers the sinner no safety, no forgiveness and no healing. Satan’s plan is to destroy sinners. Jesus is the sinner’s only friend, as Jesus offers a safe place in His sanctuary. Jesus offers forgiveness and healing from sin. When you sin against great light, Satan is not your friend! Jesus is the sinner’s only friend. 

The Bible is chock full of promises like 1 Corinthians 10:13, promising us we do not have to give in to sin. The Bible is clear there is no excuse for sin. John writes in 1 John 2:1 that we are not to sin. John goes on to tell us, though, that if we do sin — Go to Jesus! Jesus is your advocate. Jesus is the one pleading your case when you fall victim to the bully Satan. Jesus is the one looking out for you when you forget your homework or forget to claim a Bible promise keeping us from sin. Jesus is the sinner’s friend and advocate. 

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A Guy on a Bicycle

By Anthony Kent

On dusty outback roads, through dry monotonous terrain, and under a merciless hot Australian sun, Philip rode his bicycle hundreds of miles selling hope-filled Christian books as a literature evangelist. One day, he came to a farm in the middle of nowhere, a place called Eugowra. Here, he saw a farmer plowing a field. The man was strong in physique but broken in spirit. It was Tom Kent.

Image © Pacific Press

Philip didn’t know it, but Tom’s family was heartbroken. His wife, Mary, had succumbed to pneumonia. He was in despair, struggling to care for their 11 children. Just before her death, Mary had asked Tom to promise that he would meet her in heaven – and bring the children with him. Tom had promised. Tearfully, he had looked for a Bible to see how he could keep his promise. That’s when Philip met Tom.

Philip Ainslie Reekie was born in Scotland in 1846. In 1888, widowed and divorced, he migrated to Australia, looking for a new life. Just a year later, in 1889, he stumbled upon some Christian literature, discovered amazing Bible truths, and encountered the real Jesus. He’d not only found a new country, but also a new reason to live. He wanted to spread hope. He quit working as an engraver so he that could engrave God’s Word upon hearts by becoming a literature evangelist.

Now listening to Tom’s heartbreaking story, Philip saw pain, and heard of Mary’s dying hope. He decided to share The Great Controversy with Tom. Tom wrestled with the biblical truths he read, but after careful study, accepted the teachings. These new discoveries gave Tom the deep comfort and assurance that he so badly needed. He shared his discoveries with his children and neighbors. His children, and five neighboring families became believers and disciples of Jesus. It was then that Tom knew he could keep his promise to his wife.

Today, this remarkable story continues. Tom Kent’s descendants, together with the other five families and other people brought into the Seventh-day Adventist Church, add up to more than 20,000 individuals. Twenty thousand lives transformed by a faithful literature evangelist on a bicycle and a farmer who shared The Great Controversy with his family and neighbors.

Would you like to experience ultimate joy, meaning, and purpose in your life? Join the global church in 2023 and 2024 in the mass promotion and distribution of The Great Controversy. Visit greatcontroversyproject.com for more information or ask your pastor.

Anthony Kent is great-grandson of Tom Kent and General Conference associate ministerial secretary.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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