IN HARMONY with Revelation 22: 11, the time for the adjustment of matters in the Court would be in the Fall of 1954, when the Epiphany period (in the restricted sense) would end and the Basileia (kingdom) period would set in in its first lapping beginning. Obviously the earthly phase of the Kingdom was not set up in the Fall of 1954, but the Basileia, or Kingdom period, as a separate stage of our Lord’s Second Advent, during which the earthly phase of the Kingdom is to be set up, would then have its first lapping beginning.

1954 A Biblically-Marked Date

(1.) In Leviticus 12 the purification of the mother of a son during forty days represents the purification of the Little-Flock-developing Truth and its servants during the forty years of the Parousia (in its restricted sense, the reaping period, 1874-1914), while the purification of the mother of a daughter during eighty days represents the purification of the Great-Company-developing Truth and its servants during the eighty years of the Parousia and Epiphany combined (in their restricted senses, 1874-1954).

(2.) The midnight of the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25: 1-12) was April, 1877, when the general proclamation of Christ’s second presence began. Its night began October, 1799, which means that it came to its first end in 1954, the end of the Epiphany (in its restricted sense), in the beginning of its lapping into the kingdom time.

(3.) The Lord’s assigning twelve hours to a working day (John 9: 4; 11: 9) and His providing in the parable of the Penny (Matthew 20: 1-16) for an eventide, and consequently a night to follow the (forty years) day of reaping (Matthew 20: 8), show that the symbolic twelve-hour night period that follows the Parousia day of reaping (the twelve-hour day of forty years) must be of equal length, thus proving that the Epiphany is likewise forty years long.

(4.) Moses’ twofold stay of forty days in the mountain types these two periods: the forty days in each stay typing forty years, forty for the Parousia and forty for the Epiphany, the mountain representing the kingdom, ascended by the Christ from two standpoints, the Parousia and Epiphany standpoints.

(5.) 40 years seems to be the Bible period for trial along the line of certain principles, like the 40 years’ trial in the wilderness, the 40 years’ reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, as trial times, the 40 years of the Jewish, Gospel and Millennial Age harvest trials. Accordingly, we would expect that the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, as classes, similarly to have 40 years – the Epiphany (in its restricted sense) – set aside as the special trial period along the lines of the principles applicable to them.

Tentative Justification for a New Purpose

By the time of the adjustment of matters in the Court in the Fall of 1954, all tentatively justified ones who had not consecrated by that time lost forever their opportunity of becoming antitypical Levites, the elect, and were put out of the Court into the Camp. But, they did not thereby lose their faith in Jesus’ merit as their only hope of attaining salvation and therefore did not lose their tentative justification, their standing as loyal justified ones – though they could no longer thereby secure for themselves a standing in the Court. Though back in the Camp, they retained these, BUT WITH A CHANGED ASPECT, that is, for Epiphany Camp purposes.

Changed Significance of Camp

From the above it is evident that with the adjustment of matters in the Court in the Fall of 1954 there came a decided change also in the significance of the Camp. In the Gospel Age application it represented the condition of the unjustified, nominal people of God ONLY. But the Camp could not forever picture the condition of the unjustified, nominal people of God. It must at some time begin to represent the condition of real people of God, so after the adjustment of matters pertaining to the Court set in, the Camp began to be what it previously had not been – a condition not only for the UNJUSTIFIED, nominal people of God, but also for tentatively JUSTIFIED believers.

Epiphany Campers are among Quasi-Elect

Furthermore, since all who will finally be Epiphany Campers are tentatively justified, they are of the quasi-elect. For any Epiphany Campers – apart from Covenant-believing Jews before Israel’s conversion – to be among the quasi-elect, they must be faithful unto the end in tentative justification. Therefore, when in the Fall of 1954 the unconsecrated faith justified ones were remanded from the Court into the Camp, they did not lose their tentative justification – rather, it lapsed and they thus received the grace of God in vain (2 Corinthians 6: 1) in so far as Gospel Age ELECTIVE purposes are concerned; but they retained it for Epiphany Camp purposes; and must continue loyally to maintain it in this changed aspect until the end if they will finally be Epiphany Campers among the quasi-elect.

Newly Tentatively Justified in Camp

In the Fall of 1954, the door of entrance into antitypical Leviteship, the Door of entrance into the Court closed forever to any desiring to enter. However, this does not prevent additional repentant ones from thereafter accepting Jesus as their Savior and becoming tentatively justified. Their standing as tentatively justified ones is pictured in the Epiphany Camp, and not in the Court. This was something new that began to exist, which prior to the Fall of 1954 had not existed. In 1954 the Tabernacle setting progressed to the building of the Epiphany Camp as distinct from the Court.

Never again after the Fall of 1954 would anyone’s entering the tentatively justified condition be pictured at the Gate of the Court, the entrance into Leviteship. Nevertheless, access to God, to becoming His sheep, will continue to be pictured by going through the door into the sheepfold (John 10). Even after the Highway of Holiness is opened, the “other sheep” (John 10: 16) (Matthew 25: 31-34), the restitution class, will also enter into the “one fold” through the only “door” (John 10: 7, 9) (Acts 4: 12).

The Antitypical Court Curtain  

While the Epiphany Campers believing on and accepting Jesus as Savior and King is not represented by entering the Gate of the Court, it is shown in the white linen curtain surrounding the Court, which represents Christ’s righteousness, Christ as Savior and King. By the Lord’s consecrated people, as represented in the 60 posts around the Epiphany Court, this antitypical Curtain is to be held up to the view of all in the Camp. It is that message, Christ as Savior and King, whereby the Epiphany Camp, which will consist of the loyal justified and the converted loyal Jews, will be constructed.

During the Gospel Age, because of the unbelieving condition of those in the Camp, the antitypical Court Curtain was a wall of unbelief to them; but as the Tabernacle picture progressed we came to the Fall of 1954 to the building of the Epiphany Camp as distinct from the Court, and the Camp thenceforth, instead of containing only unbelieving ones, has become more and more a standing for repentant and believing ones, who accept Christ as Savior and King; and because of the believing condition of these repentant and believing ones in the Camp, the antitypical Court Curtain, representing Christ as Savior and King, is to them in effect what it has always been to believers – “the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1 Peter 1: 5).

Consecrated Epiphany Campers

As therefore after the Fall of 1954 tentative justification continues to operate, so also, since the Fall of 1954 the opportunity to consecrate has been operative, but with a changed purpose. Consecration will continue to be open until restitution begins – and even thereafter will be open, with a changed purpose to the restitution class in the Millennial Camp. It is proper that all who come to a knowledge of the Lord should consecrate themselves fully to Him. This will always be the only proper course to pursue. It is always in order, even though the uses God makes of His consecrated servants, their standings and the rewards He gives them may differ considerably as dispensational changes in His Plan set in from time to time. But all who will ever gain everlasting life on any plane must consecrate before they will receive it.

The Consecrated Epiphany Campers entrance into consecration is not pictured at the Door to the Holy, the Gate of the Court, nor on the Highway of Holiness, which is not yet open. Because of their consecrating after the first lapping beginning of the Basileia, in the Fall of 1954, they will not have their final inheritance among the elect; however, the Scriptures indicate that these consecrated servants of God will be the highest class among the quasi-elect.

(to be continued)