October 22, 1844 is an important date in the history of the universe. For a second time heaven’s court had convened.
More than 6,000 years earlier this court had convened when “all the heavenly host were summoned to appear before the Father, to have each case determined.”[1] That first court session determined which angels would be removed from heaven. The second court session is determining which humans will be admitted to heaven.
On October 22, 1844, the door into the most holy place of the sanctuary was thrown open for all to see. The ark containing the Ten Commandments was revealed (Rev 11:19). This is important because the judgment is based on God’s Ten Commandment law (James 2:12). At last “the time for the Commandments of God to shine out with all their importance”[2] had arrived. It was now the time when God’s Law was to be plainly proclaimed. The “times of ignorance” were over, the final offer of repentance would now go to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Acts 17:30; Revelation 14:6). This message would be proclaimed even if it is necessary for the stones to cry out (Lu 19:40).
Cardinal O’Malley
On October 22, 2020—the 176th anniversary of the day the door into the Most Holy Place was opened—God has sent another announcement of the importance and immutability of His Law. He sent this announcement through a most unexpected source—a Roman Catholic cardinal! Who can doubt that God’s truth will triumph?
The day before, Pope Francis had appeared in an interview in the documentary, Francesco. During this interview the pope declared, “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”[3] But the Pope’s statement caused consternation to many sincere Catholics.
Cardinal O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, tried to sooth these feelings and explain away Pope Francis’ comments. In his explanation the cardinal acknowledged, “We do not serve people well by falsely claiming that we can change the Decalogue.”[4] How right the cardinal is. People have not been well served by the centuries-old false claim of the church being able to change God’s Law.[5]
May we each confess this great truth as openly the cardinal did!
[1] Ellen G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, p. 22. https://egwwritings.org/?ref=en_1SP.22.2¶=141.76
[2] Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 42. https://egwwritings.org/?ref=en_EW.42.1¶=28.331
[3] Joshua Bote, USA Today, October 21, 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/21/pope-francis-endorses-civil-unions-what-means-lgbtq-us-rights/3713846001/ (accessed October 25, 2020)
[4] https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=188683 (accessed October 25, 2020)
[5] For example, see, The Christian Sabbath (2d ed.; Baltimore: The Catholic Mirror, [1893]), pp. 29–31. [FRS No. 30; original editorials, FRS No. 125.]