The Fitman - Our Ultimate Role

Fit man is the person who leads away the scapegoat to the wilderness, after the High Priest puts on him all the sins of Israel. This man has an important role in finalizing the atonement of Israel.

Not until the goat had been thus sent away did the people regard themselves as freed from the burden of their sins. PP 355.4

The scapegoat is representing Satan:

Since Satan is the originator of sin, the direct instigator of all the sins that caused the death of the Son of God, justice demands that Satan shall suffer the final punishment. Christ's work for the redemption of men and the purification of the universe from sin will be closed by the removal of sin from the heavenly sanctuary and the placing of these sins upon Satan, who will bear the final penalty. So in the typical service, the yearly round of ministration closed with the purification of the sanctuary, and the confessing of the sins on the head of the scapegoat. PP 358.2

Who is the fit man?

The scapegoat came no more into the camp of Israel, and the man who led him away was required to wash himself and his clothing with water before returning to the camp. GC 419.2

The purification of the fit man highlights the need for us to be spiritually pure to fulfill this role:

Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above, are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort, they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. GC88 425.1 #victoryOverSin #finalGeneration

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Th 5:23

The purity required for the fit man to lead the scapegoat into the wilderness mirrors the state we must achieve:

Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept his Father's commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble. GC88 622.4 #finalGeneration #victoryOverSin

Importance of the fit man role

Then I saw that Jesus’ work in the sanctuary was almost finished, almost finished, and after His work there is finished He will come to the door of the tabernacle, or door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel upon the head of the scape goat. Then He will put on the garments of vengeance. Then the plagues come upon the wicked, and they do not come until Jesus puts on the garments of vengeance and takes His seat upon the great white cloud. Then while the plagues are falling the scape goat is being led away. He makes a mighty struggle to escape, but he is held fast by the hand that bears him away. If he should effect his escape Israel would be destroyed (or slain). I saw that it would take time to bear him away into the land of forgetfulness after the sins were put upon his head. 1LtMs, Ms 15, 1850, par. 8

Should the scapegoat escape, not only would the 144,000 fail, but all the saved would lose their lives. The plan of redemption would be for nothing. This is why Satan tries so hard to get us to lose our focus, forget our identity, and remain asleep.

God is risking everything on the success of the 144,000. We cannot lose track of our calling as fit men to drag the devil into the wilderness. We cannot let the scapegoat escape; if it does, the Plan of Salvation would be proven insufficient, and Satan’s accusations that the law cannot be kept would be justified.

It is now that we must keep ourselves and our children unspotted from the world. It is now that we must wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character. 5T 215.4

Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God—candidates for heaven. Go forward, my brethren and sisters. I can only write briefly upon these points at this time, merely calling your attention to the necessity of preparation. Search the Scriptures for yourselves, that you may understand the fearful solemnity of the present hour. 5T 216.2 #finalGeneration

Conclusion

The understanding of our role as the 144k to end the Great Controversy and vindicate the Father by proving that God's law can be kept through the Faith of Jesus, even in the absence of an intercessor.