One night after church service was over, a person approached me and asked: “Pastor, I’ve been struggling lately. I’m not sure if God can forgive my sins. I feel like I’ve done too many wrong things. I know God is forgiving, but my mistakes seem too big.” After listening to his story to understand the reason for his guilty conscience, I assured him that God not only wants to forgive him but is fully capable of doing so. After listening, he replied, “But what if my sins are really serious?” I told him that God specializes in helping us with serious problems.
Later that night, while reflecting on the encounter, I realized that at the resolution of the great controversy, God is addressing not only our individual sins but also the very existence of sin and evil. The reality of evil is profoundly serious, with cosmic consequences that disrupt the harmony and order of God’s universal governance. This larger issue had to be addressed through Jesus’s heavenly ministry. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He did not enter a period of rest but continued His redemptive work into its next phase. Preparing many mansions in the Father’s house for the redeemed signifies the accomplishment of the plan of salvation in heaven (John 14:2), while the Holy Spirit continues to apply the benefits of salvation to humanity.[i]
Once the 2,300-year apocalyptic prophecy was fulfilled (Dan 8:14; Eze 4:6; Num 14:34), God’s plan of salvation transitioned to a period of pre-Advent judgment through the priestly ministry of Jesus in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. This phase, often called the ‘investigative’ judgment, does not serve for God to learn new information, as He is omniscient. Instead, the pre-Advent judgment is meant for other created beings’ sake in vindicating God’s character against Satan’s accusation at the time of the end (Dan 7:10b, 13, 21; 1 Cor 4:9). At an unknown future time before the return of the Son of Man to Earth, the opportunity to repent will be over (Gen 6:3), the work of salvation will be completed, and Christ will return to finally resolve the problem of evil.
What happens just before the Second Coming?
Before the second coming, the remnant people will proclaim the everlasting gospel to the entire world (Matt 24:14; Rev 14:12; 18:1–4). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, this mission will give everyone the chance to decide for or against present truth. This time will also be marked by profound deception concerning authority and worship, where even the elect could be deceived if they are not firmly settled in biblical truth and focused on Jesus.[ii]
Because God cares for and sustains His people, He seals them, indicating they belong to Him and will be protected through any tribulation (Ezek 9:4–6; Rev 7:1–4). Once this sealing is complete, Christ[iii]stands[iv] (Dan 12:1) and declares: “It is done.”[v] From that moment, the destiny of all humankind is determined, followed by an irrevocable decree on the human condition. This divine determination is not arbitrary but is based on the voluntary choices of those who responded positively or negatively to the offer of salvation. At this point, the righteous and the wicked will remain as they are until the imminent return of the Lord (Rev 22:11, 12).[vi]
After the close of probation, Jesus departs from the sanctuary, leading to an escalation of calamities on earth and deepening moral darkness across the planet.[vii] During this period, as depicted in Revelation 7, the four angels release the winds, triggering the onset of the last seven plagues.[viii] This time is marked by coercive violence and unjust oppression against the faithful followers of God. Such events are expected since deception and coercive tactics have long been employed by the adversary (Dan 7:25; Rev 13:17). Amidst these trials, God remains sovereign and responsible for all that He permits, promising not to forsake His children even in such challenging moments (John 14:18).
From God’s perspective, at the close of probation, Christ completes His intercessory ministry in the Holy of Holies on behalf of humanity, marking the end of the opportunity for sinners to receive divine forgiveness. At this point, humanity must approach God without an intercessor. Concurrently, the Holy Spirit is withdrawn from the earth, as His role is to convince sinners and lead them to Christ (John 16:8). In the absence of Christ and the Spirit, a partial divine judgment falls upon the wicked, intensifying the culmination of the final drama of redemption.[ix]
Why the intercession of Christ matters
Christ’s role as our Intercessor holds central importance throughout salvation history. From the beginning (Jn 17:5) till the end (Rev 22:13), Jesus is consistently portrayed as the Advocate or Helper interceding on behalf of believers before the Father (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25, 9:4; 1 John 2:1).[x] His mediatorial work of propitiation aims to reconcile sinners to God. This propitiatory function (1 Jn 2:2; 4:10) mirrors the role of the sanctuary’s mercy seat of the ark of the covenant (Heb 9:5). Thus, Christ’s mediation with the Father signifies that He stands between the Father and humanity, analogous to the mercy seat positioned between the decalogue inside of the ark—representing God’s character—and the high priest representing the people on the Day of Atonement.[xi]
Moreover, the necessity of an advocate (1 Jn 2:1) underscores a specific tension between the sinner and the Father. This tension arises not due to the Father’s lack of love for the sinner (John 16:27) but rather because of the inherent nature of sin itself. The wrath of God, provoked by human sinfulness, is appeased, however, not through human efforts but through God Himself in the person of Jesus (Rom 3:25). Thus, Jesus is not merely the propitiation but also the propitiator.
Those who triumph in God’s judgment and in the final events of Earth’s history do not do so through their own righteousness or merits, but by accepting Christ as their defender and substitute in judgment.
In the time of trouble, the role of intercessor, mediator, and propitiator between God and humanity will cease because Jesus will have completed His work. Those who cling to God during these troubled times will undergo great anguish, akin to Jacob’s night of struggle at Jabbok (Gen 32:25–33; cf. Jer 30:5–7). Just as Jacob had direct contact with God and survived, so too, in the end, the faithful will stand before God without an intercessor and endure.[xii] Jacob did not survive this encounter by his own efforts, however, but by God’s provision.[xiii] God, through Christ, is not only the Author but also the Finisher of our faith, leading us to the very end (Heb 12:2). Those who triumph in God’s judgment and in the final events of Earth’s history do not do so through their own righteousness or merits (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:23), but by accepting Christ as their defender and substitute in judgment, and by being united with God, akin to Jacob who clung to the Stranger that night and declared, “I will not let You go unless you bless me!” (Gen 32:26).
The coming of the Lord and the triumph of love
In the second coming of Jesus, our blessed hope, those who passed away in Christ will be resurrected, and those who are alive will meet their Lord in the air to receive immortality (1 Thess 4:16, 17; 1 Cor 15:50–52). At this time, the wicked will perish at Christ’s second coming, though this is distinct from the eternal death (known as the second death) which awaits them later. This ultimate judgment is reserved for the third coming of Jesus, following the millennium (Rev 20:14).
During the millennium, Satan will be confined and isolated on a desolate earth. With the faithful in heaven and the wicked dead (2 Thess 1:7, 8; 2:8; Jer 25:33), Satan and his angels will have ample time to reflect on all the evil perpetrated throughout history, for which he bears responsibility as the originator of sin.[xiv] The earth will revert to its primordial state, described as “without form and void” (Gen. 1:2), devoid of light or life. This desolation is the abyss or bottomless pit that Revelation refers as to the state of the Earth during the millennium (Rev 20:1).[xv]
God cannot override the free will of those who choose not to accept His grace.
Meanwhile, the faithful, saved by God’s grace in heaven, will participate with God in His judgment (Rev 20:4; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6; 1 Cor 6:2, 3). This phase of the judgment involving the saints does not determine who is saved and lost, as that decision was settled before the Second Coming. Instead, this judgment during the millennium serves to dispel all doubts regarding God’s justice and love in response to the devil’s accusations against divine governance.[xvi] It will be evident to all that God is just as He justifies (Rom 3:26), and every effort was made to save the lost (Luke 19:10). However, God cannot override the free will of those who choose not to accept His grace. Though this brings sorrow to God (Eph 4:30), He respects every human’s choice.
After the millennium, Jesus will come again, and the remaining dead will rise for the final judgment of condemnation (John 5:29; Rev 20:5, 7). Satan will make a final attempt to seize the new Jerusalem descending from heaven (Rev 20:8, 9). Gathering the resurrected wicked, he tries to assault the Holy City. This desperate assault is thwarted by God’s holiness and power. While Jesus first came to earth as the “Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3), in His second and third coming, Jesus will come in a glorious manner (Rev 14:14–16; 19:11–16; 20:11), described as “king of kings and lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16).
Before the executive judgment, Jesus and the saints are inside the Holy City, while the wicked are outside with Satan and his angels. For the first time in human history, everyone born is present at the same moment. Jesus presents a panoramic view of the plan of salvation to the wicked, making them aware of every sin they committed without repenting.[xvii] They recall every opportunity lost, every moment they willfully silenced the Holy Spirit, and every sin they refused to abandon. This causes them deep remorse for what they have lost but not true repentance. They acknowledge God’s justice and realize that the wages of sin is indeed eternal death (Romans 6:23).
As the final sentence is rendered, even Satan recognizes his wrongdoings. Then, everyone—both inside and outside the city—bows before Jesus, and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2:10, 11). Following this, God purifies the earth with a restorative, surgical, and purifying fire, making all things new again (Rev 21:1). He then wipes away the tears of the faithful, who may mourn loved ones who rejected salvation and were lost forever (Rev 21:4). Finally, the rule of love and universal order is reestablished throughout the entire universe.
There is no longer any doubt about the just and loving character of God for He has demonstrated to the entire universe not only His love but also how it ultimately triumphed. Everything has been renewed, and creation regained its pristine Edenic glory. The restoration of the new earth is comprehensive, touching all aspects of human nature and the created order (Isa 11:6; 66:22). However, one reminder remains forever: “Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion… the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honor; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power.”[xviii]
The entire universe learned, through the story of redemption, that true happiness, freedom, and love are found only in a harmonious relationship with God.
The assurance that evil and sin shall not rise again is not based on the idea that God will eliminate our freedom of choice after the restoration of all things. Instead, it rests on the understanding that the entire universe learned, through the story of redemption, that true happiness, freedom, and love are found only in a harmonious relationship with God. The great controversy has ended. Sin and evil no longer exist.
[i] All biblical quotations are taken from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.
[ii] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan (Oakland, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 602, says “When the testing time shall come, those who have made God’s word their rule of life will be revealed.” This means that our faith should rely in nothing but the Word, humbly holding fast faith in Jesus and His promises. Elsewhere, White contends that the nature of God’s sealing and assurance for the elect to persevere is a “settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually.” Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1977), 4:1161.
[iii] For an explanation why Michael can be understood as Christ, see Marvin Moore, Challenges to the Remnant: Adventists, Catholics and the ‘the Church’ (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 2008), p. 241. See also, George R. Knight, ed., Seventh-day Adventist Answer Questions on Doctrine, annot. ed. (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2003), pp. 65–76.
[iv]This word encompasses a broad meaning when referring to man as its subject. However, there are some specific meanings when God is the subject. In Psalm 109:31, God takes (amad) His position at the right hand of the needy to ensure justice. It is also used poetically to describe theophany, referring to God’s coming (amad) (Ezekiel 3:23; 10:18; 11:23). Habakkuk portrays God standing (amad) and surveying the earth (Hab 3:6). Willem VanGemeren, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997), 3:432–33.
[v] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 613.
[vi] The fact that He is coming “quickly” suggests that even after the investigative judgment concludes, Christ has not yet returned to Earth. His arrival is therefore understood to be a future event from this point in time. There exists a period between the closing of the investigative judgment and the Parousia.
[vii] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), 614.
[viii] “I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the sanctuary, and then will come the seven last plagues.” Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1945), p. 36.
[ix] The seven last plagues described in Revelation serve a purpose akin to the ten plagues sent to Egypt by God before the Israelite’s deliverance from Pharaoh’s bondage. These apocalyptic plagues are not intended to instill fear but rather depict divine resolution in the eschatological context, addressing the issues of sin, injustice, and evil.
[x] Jesus interceding with the Father does not imply a negative role for the Father in the work of salvation. It’s crucial to recall that the atonement originated from the Father’s heart. See Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Oakland, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898), p. 57; Fernando Canale, “Doctrine of God” in Raoul Dederen, ed., Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), pp. 126–27.
[xi] Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1955), pp. 144–213.
[xii] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 613.
[xiii] “Jacob’s night of anguish, when he wrestled in prayer for deliverance from the hand of Esau (Genesis 32:24–30), represents the experience of God’s people in the time of trouble.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 616.
[xiv] Satan’s imprisonment on this desolated earth foreshadows the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement. Once the service was completed, the sins of the sanctuary were transferred to the scapegoat, which was led into the wilderness. Likewise, Jesus, our High Priest, finished His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, and at His Second Coming, declares Satan guilty and responsible for the sins of God’s people that he has caused. See Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p.658.
[xv] Ranko Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ: Commentary on the Book of Revelation, 2nd ed. (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2009), p. 576.
[xvi] See the chapter “The Millennium and the End of Sin” in Seventh-day Adventists Believe: A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrine[s],3rd ed. (Silver Spring, MD: Ministerial Association/Review and Herald, 2018), p.407.
[xvii] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p.666.
[xviii] Ibid., p. 674.
