Rational consideration of "why the delay" in the light of the Bible makes clear the real reason. The integrity of modern Israel is in question. Her profession and her life are completely at variance.
According to the True Witness she does not "know" how "wretched" she is. God cannot vindicate a lukewarm people. He says that "the angel of the church of the Laodiceans" must overcome "even as" He overcame (Rev. 3:21). This demands strict integrity. To lower God's expectation in order to vindicate an uncaring, lukewarm people would insult divine justice. Before He can exonerate His remnant church, His people must understand their history and rectify every failure to follow the light they have been given. Only then can the marriage of the Lamb be consummated for His bride will have "made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7).
To be "ready" involves the cleansing of the sanctuary which began at the end of the 2300 "days" (years) but which can never be complete until the 1888 incident in our history is fully understood and the underlying spiritual problems solved. Ellen White has put this into focus:
"The sin committed in what took place at Minneapolis remains on the record books of heaven, registered against the names of those who resisted light, and it will remain upon the record until full confession is made, and the transgressors stand in full humility before God."[1]
The brethren to whom this was written one hundred years ago are all in their graves. But they are "our" brethren and death does not automatically cleanse "the record books of heaven." We dare not disown them for they with us are part of the corporate body of Christ. While they remain prisoners in their tombs the question of "our" integrity will not go away. As surely as we must recognize the reality of the sin of Adam so we must note the end-time sin of modern Israel. It is in this end-time that we are called to "give glory to [God], for the hour of His judgment is come" (Rev. 14:7). Inspired prophecy will not release us from our accountability for we are told that the 1888 Minneapolis history must be recognized eventually: "Sometime it will be seen in its true bearing, with all the burden of woe that has resulted from it."[2]
The integrity of a new generation must now be tested, and we must re-examine what happened in a past generation with its profound implications for reaching spiritual maturity. Like Calvary, 1888 is more than a mere historical event. We dare not try to bury it in the archives and forget it, for it represents the outworking of principles that apply to every generation until the final victory of truth. As surely as each one of us was at Calvary in spiritual reality, so each one of us was in the same sense a delegate at the 1888 Conference when truth was rejected.
There are those in the church (in fact, many) who are grieved with the mention of 1888 and express dismay that we pay attention to this tragic event of the past. There was an audible sigh of relief among Borne members and leaders in the church when the 1988 Minneapolis Centennial was passed, for the hope was expressed that now we can "get on with the work." But our history cannot be changed in all eternity, and those with sensitive feelings of resentment about 1888 evidence an attitude of heart at war with God's Holy Spirit.
But there will be a victory for truth as the High Priestly ministry of the world's Saviour completes His work of cleansing His sanctuary. The solemn promise in His word is that after 1844, "then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." This is the unique work pending which is crucial to the question, "why the delay?"
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