Ang Mabuting Balita ng Paghuhukom
Aralin 5, 2nd Quarter Abril 22-28, 2023.
Ibahagi ang Liksyong ito
Sabbath ng hapon Abril 22
Memory Text:
“ At sinasabi niya ng malakas na tinig, Matakot kayo sa Dios, at magbigay kaluwalhatian sa kaniya; sapagka't dumating ang panahon ng kaniyang paghatol: at magsisamba kayo sa gumawa ng langit at ng lupa at ng dagat at ng mga bukal ng tubig.” - Pahayag 14:7
Bagama't ito ang kasukdulan ng gawain ng ating kaligtasan at ng pagtatatag ng kaharian ni Cristo sa lupa, ang "investigative judgment" ay isa sa mga hindi lubusang nauunawaan at pinakamahiwaga at nakalilitong paksa ng Bibliya sa ating kapanahunan. Kung hindi ito mahalaga sa ating kaligtasan, hindi pagsisikapan ng kaaway na balutin ito sa kadiliman. Napakahalaga, kung gayon, ang walang humpay na pangangailangang saliksikin ang Kasulatan “gaya ng nakatagong kayamanan,” at magsumamo sa Diyos para sa patnubay ng Kanyang Espiritu upang wastong maunawaan ang napakahalagang paksang ito. Gayunpaman, walang kabuluhan ang anumang pagsisiyasat ng katotohanan maliban kung ang motibo ay upang matuto at gawin ang kalooban ng Diyos. Kaya naman, “kung ang sinuman,” ang sabi ni Jesus, “ay nagiibig gumawa ng kaniyang kalooban, ay makikilala niya ang turo, kung ito'y sa Dios.” Juan 7:17.
Linggo, Abril 23
Ang Kahalagahan ng Paghuhukom
Ano ang kinalaman ng “walang hanggang ebanghelyo” sa paghatol ng Diyos?
“Kay William Miller at sa kanyang mga kasamahan ay ibinigay na ipangaral ang babala sa Amerika. Ang bansang ito ay naging sentro ng dakilang kilusang adbiyento. Dito nagkaroon ng pinakadirektang katuparan ang propesiya ng mensahe ng unang anghel. Ang mga sulat ni Miller at ng kanyang mga kasama ay dinala sa malalayong lupain. Saanman nakapasok ang mga misyonero sa mundo ay ipinadala ang masayang balita ng nalalapit na pagbabalik ni Cristo. Sa malayo at malawak ay ipinalaganap ang mensahe ng walang hanggang ebanghelyo: 'Matakot sa Diyos, at magbigay ng kaluwalhatian sa Kanya; sapagka't dumating ang panahon ng kaniyang paghatol.'” GC 368.1
“ Sa bawat dako ay narinig ang sumasaliksik na patotoo, na nagbabala sa mga makasalanan, kapwa mga makasanlibutan at mga miyembro ng iglesia, na tumakas mula sa galit na darating. Tulad ni Juan Bautista, ang tagapagpauna ni Cristo, inilagay ng mga mangangaral ang palakol sa ugat ng puno at hinimok ang lahat na magbunga ng karapat-dapat sa pagsisisi. Ang kanilang nakapupukaw na damdaming mga panawagan ay lubos na kabaligtaran sa mga katiyakan ng kapayapaan at kaligtasan na narinig mula sa mga sikat na pulpito; at saanman ibigay ang mensahe ito ay nagpakilos sa mga tao. Ang simple at tuwirang patotoo ng Banal na Kasulatan, na itinakda sa tahanan sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ng Banal na Espiritu ay nagdala ng matinding pananalig na iilan lamang ang makatatanggi. Ang mga nagpapahayag ng relihiyon ay nagising mula sa kanilang huwad na seguridad. Nakita nila ang kanilang mga pagtalikod, ang kanilang kamunduhan at kawalan ng pananampalataya, ang kanilang pagmamataas at pagkamakasarili. Marami ang naghanap sa Panginoon nang may pagsisisi at kahihiyan. Ang mga pagmamahal na matagal nang kumapit sa mga bagay sa lupa ay itinalaga na nila ngayon sa langit. Ang Espiritu ng Diyos ay sumasa kanila, at sa mga pusong lumambot at nagpasakop na sila ay nakiisa upang patunugin ang sigaw na: 'Matakot sa Diyos, at magbigay ng kaluwalhatian sa Kanya; sapagka't dumating ang panahon ng kaniyang paghatol.'” GC 369.1
Lunes , Abril 24
Ang Awa at Paghuhukom ng Diyos
Basahin ang Apocalipsis 20:12. Paano tayo hahatulan? Ano ang kaugnayan ng ating mabubuting gawa sa ating kaligtasan?
At nakita ni Juan ang mga patay, “maliit at dakila,” na hindi bumangon sa unang pagkabuhay-muli (Apoc. 20:6), “na nangakatayo sa harapan ng luklukan; at nangabuksan ang mga aklat: at nabuksan ang ibang aklat, na siyang aklat ng buhay: at ang mga patay ay hinatulan ayon sa mga bagay na nasusulat sa mga aklat, ayon sa kanilang mga gawa.” Apoc. 20:12.
Zech. 3:1-4 – “At ipinakita niya sa akin si Josue na pangulong saserdote na nakatayo sa harap ng anghel ng Panginoon, at si Satanas na nakatayo sa kaniyang kanan upang maging kaniyang kaaway. At sinabi ng Panginoon kay Satanas, Sawayin ka nawa ng Panginoon, Oh Satanas; oo, ang Panginoon na pumili ng Jerusalem ay sumaway nawa sa iyo: di baga ito'y isang dupong na naagaw sa apoy? Si Josue nga ay nabibihisan ng maruming kasuutan, at nakatayo sa harap ng anghel. At siya'y sumagot at nagsalita sa mga yaon na nangakatayo sa harap niya, na nagsabi, Hubarin ninyo ang mga maruming suot sa kaniya. At sa kaniya'y kaniyang sinabi, Narito, aking pinaram ang iyong kasamaan, at aking susuutan ka ng mainam na kasuutan.”
Ang unang binigyan ng kasuutan ay si Josue, ang pangulong saserdote, ang pinakamataas na opisyal sa iglesia. Kung wala sa kanya ang kasuotan ay wala rin ito sa iba. Mula dito makikita natin na ang tunay na revival at reformation ay nagsisimula sa ulo, hindi sa mga paa, at bago bigyan ang isang tao ng karapatang magsuot ng damit, ang kanyang kasamaan ay aalisin – at siya ay magsisisi sa kanyang mga kasalanan, at ito ay papawiin ng Panginoon. Gayunpaman ay naroroon si Satanas upang labanan at akusahan siya; ngunit, salamat sa Diyos na nandiyan din ang Panginoon para sawayin ang kaaway. Naunawaan mo ba ang itinuturo dito, mga kapatid? Habang kinukuha mo ang kasuotan ay kailangan mong harapin ang matinding mga oposisyon. Ano naman kung gayon? Kalabisan ba na tumindig ka para sa Katotohanan at katuwiran na tinatalikuran ng karamihan? At paano ka nga magiging bayani para sa Diyos? (Basahin ang Mateo 5:10-12.)
Ang mga apostol at mga propeta ay hindi lamang pinanagumpayan ang pagsalungat ng kanilang sariling mga kapatid, ngunit sila ay malugod na namatay para magkamit ng maputing kasuutan. Gayunpaman, hindi nga hinihiling sa iyo na isuko ang iyong buhay, ngunit upang iligtas ito. Binaligtad nga sa ating panahon ngayon. Hindi hahayaan ng Panginoon na lamunin ka ng apoy. Ililigtas ka niya bilang “isang dupong na naagaw sa apoy.”
Martes, Abril 25
Isang Napakagandang Eksena
Basahin ang Daniel 7:9, 10, 13 at ilarawan kung ano ang nakita ni Daniel sa mga talatang ito. Ano rin ang huling resulta ng paghatol na ito? Tingnan ang Daniel 7:14, 26, 27 .
Mula sa paghahambing ng Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, sa Apocalipsis 4:2 at 5:1, 11, ang katotohanan ay malinaw na ang parehong mga pangitain ay tumutukoy sa parehong kaganapan - ang paghatol. Ang isa ay nagsiwalat na ito ay magaganap sa panahon ng ‘non-descript beast’ sa kaniyang ikalawang yugto, pagkatapos na ang sungay nito na may mga mata ng isang tao at isang bibig na nagsasalita ng mga dakilang bagay ay lumapastangan (pagkatapos ng paghahari ng Eklesiastikal na Roma), at bago patayin ang hayop at ang kanyang katawan ay ibinigay sa nagniningas na apoy (Dan. 7:11) bago ang pagkawasak ng Roma. At ang ibang pangitain naman ay naghahayag na ito ay magaganap sa panahon ng Christian Period, at sa loob ng panahon ng pagsubok [probationary time].
Minasdan ni Daniel hanggang sa ang mga luklukan ay nangaglagay, at ang “Matanda sa mga araw,” ang Hukom, ay nakaupo, na nagpapakita na Siya o ang mga trono man ay wala pa noong una. Maliwanag na sa iba pang mga trono, "sa mga upuan," ay nakaupo ang dalawampu't apat na matatanda. At sa wakas, nakita niya ang “Anak ng tao,” si Cristo, ang Tagapagtanggol, na dinala sa harap ng “Matanda sa mga araw.” Alinsunod dito, kapwa nakita nina Daniel at Juan ang “kahatulan...ay nalagda, at ang mga aklat ay nangabuksan.”
At habang nakita ni Juan ang 144,000 na nakatayo sa Bundok Sion kasama ng Kordero pagkatapos na ang paghuhukom ay natakda ang bago ito isara, ang kaganapan ay hindi dumarating bago o pagkatapos ng paghuhukom, kundi sa panahon o kalagitnaan nito.
At ngayon tandaan na ang pangitain ni Juan tungkol sa “Kordero na nakatayo sa Bundok Sion” (Apoc. 14:1) ay naghahayag kay Cristo bilang isang Tagapagligtas , samantalang ang kanyang pangitain tungkol sa “leon ng tribo ni Juda” na nakatayo sa harap ng paghuhukom ay nagpapakita sa Kanya bilang isang Hari. . Sa paguugnay, ipinakikita dito na habang Siya ang Tagapagligtas , Siya din sa mga oras na ito ay ang Hari ng mga hari.
Ang pagkakaiba lamang ay ipinakita kay Daniel ang pagkalagda sa Paghuhukom, samantalang nakita naman ni Juan ang buong sesyon nito.
Bukod dito, ang Apocalipsis sa mga sumusunod na talata ay paulit-ulit na nagsisikap na ipakita sa atin na ang pangyayaring inilalarawan doon ay ang Paghuhukom na nasa sesyon:
“Matakot kayo sa Dios, at magbigay kaluwalhatian sa kaniya; sapagka't dumating ang panahon ng kaniyang paghatol.”
“At nakakita ako ng mga luklukan,” pahayag ni Juan, “sila'y pinagkalooban ng paghatol.” Apoc. 20:4
Tunay na isinulat ito ni Juan bilang isang propesiya, ngunit sa oras na ito ay aktuwal na maganap, ang ahensiya ng Diyos sa lupa, ang Espiritu ng Propesiya sa iglesia ay maghahayag na ito ay natupad na.
Dahil ang mga talaan ng mga patay at mga buhay ay dapat suriin ng mga hukom [Judicial Tribunal], ang Mensahe ng Unang Anghel (Apoc. 14:6), ay dapat ipahayag sa parehong mga panahon, sa panahon ng paghatol sa mga patay, at sa pamamagitan ng isang malakas na sigaw [Loud Cry] sa panahon ng paghatol sa mga buhay. Samakatuwid, ang direktang aplikasyon ng Mensahe ng Unang Anghel, gayundin ang pagtawag na lumabas sa Babilonia, ay ginawa nang ang lupa ay naliwanagan ng kaluwalhatian ng anghel. (Tingnan ang Apoc. 18:1-4). Ang Apocalipsis ay dapat na mas lubos na maunawaan sa panahon ng paghuhukom sa mga buhay.
Miyerkules , Abril 26
Isang Sulyap sa Langit
Read Revelation 4:2–4. What similarities can you see here with the judgment scene in Daniel 7?
Here is brought to view a twofold scene. On the one hand, before the throne are the “seven lamps burning” and the “Lamb as it had been slain,” showing that the throne was “set” there to serve in time of probation. The light from the candlestick represents the light of truth in the church while the blood of the Lamb is atoning for sinful beings. On the other hand, upon the throne sits the Ancient of days, the Judge, surrounded by the jury of twenty-four elders plus the angelic witnesses, “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” of them, plus the four beasts (who, being “redeemed” “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” – Rev. 5:8, 9, – are therefore symbolical of the saints,– all those whose sins will be blotted from the books of records, – just as the beasts of Daniel 7 are symbolical of all the kingdoms which will perish in their sins), with the Lamb, our Advocate, in the midst. All this shows a combined mediatorial-judicial work.
Now so far, we see that when John in vision beheld the door – the veil – as it opened to the Most Holy apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, he was permitted to look within, and that the things which he saw, were to take place “hereafter” from his time; showing thereby that at the time of his vision (about 96 A.D.) the Most Holy apartment was closed. In addition to this, we shall now see from Daniel’s prophecy that the judgment throne was set up in the Most Holy apartment of the heavenly sanctuary after the “little horn” of Daniel 7 came up.
“I considered the horns,” says the seer, “and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Dan. 7:8-10.
These verses reveal that after “the judgment was set, and the books were opened,” “the Son of man,” Christ, was then “brought” to a position, not at “the right hand of God,” “the Ancient of days,” but “near before” Him (Dan. 7:8-10, 13).
Both John’s and Daniel’s visions reveal that the throne in the sanctuary was not there from the beginning of the creation of God; or from the days of Moses; or yet from the hour that Christ ascended on high; or even from the days of pagan Rome; that, indeed, it was not “set up” until after the fall of pagan Rome, when the “little horn” of the non-descript beast came up – in the days of Ecclesiastical Rome (Dan. 7:7-12, 21, 22). Elsewhere than in the sanctuary, therefore, is---God’s Eternal Throne Room.
Because the sanctuary throne was not in existence in the days of the early Christian church, therefore the throne upon which Stephen saw Christ at the “right hand of God” (Acts 7:56) could not have been in the sanctuary, wherein is the “sea of glass,” but rather in Paradise, whence flows the “river of water of life,” and on either side of which is “the tree of life.” Rev. 22:1, 2. Very obviously, therefore, the throne which Stephen saw is “the throne of God and of the Lamb,” the throne permanent and eternal. Round about this glory-seat are no beasts, no witnesses, no jury, and before it is “no candle,” and no blood to be offered. In short, it stands, not in the sin-laden sanctuary, but in Paradise. It is the sovereign administrative throne, from which the Infinite eternally governs His immortal sinless beings!
To this throne, then, which is from everlasting to everlasting, Christ ascended and thereat sat down at the right hand of His Father until the time came when, in fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy and of John’s revelation, sometime after the little-horn power came into existence, both He and His Father moved to the sanctuary throne. Upon the latter He does not sit as a king at the right hand of God; but rather before it does He stand both as a sacrificial lamb (Rev. 5:6), and as an intercessor (Dan. 7:13) pleading for sinful human beings. Hence, His mediatorial work began---First In The Holy,Then In The Most Holy.
Thursday - April 27
Jesus is Worthy
Read Revelation 5:8–12. How does all of heaven respond to the announcement that Jesus is worthy to open the scroll of judgment and redeem us?
As to the book sealed with seven seals, the only book that “no man in heaven, nor in earth…was able to open…neither to look thereon,” save the Lion of the tribe of Juda, it unquestionably is the book in which the deeds of mankind are chronicled, as the seals themselves disclose.
This fact Inspiration again confirms: “Thus the Jewish leaders made their choice. Their decision was registered in the book which John saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the book which no man could open. In all its vindictiveness this decision will appear before them in the day when this book is unsealed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” – Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 294.
What the book contains, now becomes exceedingly clear: It contains the history of the world and the deeds of all mankind. And, of course, logic rules that with the opening of the book, the Judicial investigation of the deeds of the professed people of God should begin, as The Revelation itself discloses. Moreover, since both the wording and the symbolism of The Revelation refute any interpretation other than the one herein made, the truth of these things now stands fast and sure.
The sanctuary (the church), the place which harbors the people of God, is therefore the one to be cleansed. Eventually, though, as a foreshown, all mankind, even the heathen must come before the Judgment bar of God, before “the Great White Throne.”
Thus, the event was actually to be “hereafter” from John’s time, the time in which were to be investigated the things which took place before John’s time, and the things which were to take place after his time (Rev. 1:19) – the deeds of all mankind from the beginning to the end.
Prophetically, the Judgment was set and the books were opened, but no one in the whole vast universe of God was worthy to open the sealed book, or even to look therein, save the Lamb – the Saviour of the world, the King of kings, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, our King and Advocate, Creation’s Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Thus it is that, as our only Defender, the One Who has lived among us, He is the only one who can through personal experience understandingly and sympathetically lay open the secrets of the past, of the present, and of the future – the only one worthy to open the book and to defend fallen humanity.
Friday - April 28
Further Thought
Fundamental to a correct concept of the judgment, is a correct understanding of the nature of it and of the reason for the books. As to the latter John the Revelator says:
“And I saw the dead, small and great stand be fore God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books.” Rev 20:12.
Unquestionably, therefore, the books contain both the names and the records of all who are to be judged. And naturally these names and record were entered while each person was living “Thine eyes,” says the Psalmist, “did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Ps. 139:16. “The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there.” Ps. 87:6.
Thus does Inspiration reveal that each one’s deeds are chronicled with terrible exactness in the books of heaven, and that in the reason for the books inheres the---Reason For The Judgment.
That not every name that has been entered in the Lamb’s books will be retained there, is born out with sad conclusiveness by the following scriptures:
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Who, soever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book.” Ex. 32:33. “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Rev. 22:19.
Accordingly, the books contain the names of a mixed multitude, – both those who stood firmly in the faith and continued patiently to the end, and those who did not. Said Christ: “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matt. 24:13. But those who do not endure shall be lost.
“And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the Word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” Mark 4:16,17.
“O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.” Jer. 17:13.
So, there must come a day of reckoning, a day when the names of those who are found unworthy of eternal life will be blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life – a proceeding for which the only correct term can be, “investigative judgment.”
And now that the “time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…,” “thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3), for “if it [the judgment] first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Pet. 4:17.