Month: September 2021

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 20

THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALvATION (Part 7)

The Two Apartments of the Heavenly Sanctuary

“For Christ [at His ascension] is not entered into the holy places made with [mortal human] hands, which are the FIGURES [or shadows] OF THE TRUE; but into HEAVEN ITSELF, now to appear in the presence of God [the Father] for us.”Heb. 9: 24, KJV.

“The sanctuary is heaven, in which Jesus ministers in our behalf is the GREAT ORIGINAL, of which the sanctuary built by Moses was A COPY. . . .The matchless splendor of the earthly tabernacle REFLECTED to human vision the glories of that heavenly temple, where Christ our forerunner ministers for us before the throne of God.

The abiding place of the King of kings, which thousand thousands minister unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him’ (Dan. 7: 10), that Temple, filled with the glory of the eternal throne, where seraphim, it’s abiding guardians, veil their faces in adoration, could find, in the most magnificent structure ever reared by human hands, BUT A FAINT REFLECTION of its vastness and glory.

“Yet important truths concerning the HEAVENLY SANCTUARY AND THE GREAT WORK THERE CARRIED FORWARD for man’s redemption, were taught by the EARTHLY SANCTUARY and its services.

“The holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented by the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. As in vision the apostle John was granted a view of the temple of God in heaven, he beheld there ‘seven lamps of fire burning before the throne’ (Rev. 4: 5). He saw ‘an angel having a golden censer; and there was given unto Him much incense, that He should offer it with all the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne’ (Rev. 8: 3).

“Here the prophet was allowed to behold the FIRST APARTMENT of the sanctuary in heaven: and he saw there the ‘seven lamps of fire,’ and the ‘golden altar,’ REPRESENTED by the golden candlestick and altar of incense in the sanctuary on earth. Again, ‘the temple of God was opened’ (Rev. 11:19), and he looked WITHIN the inner veil, upon the HOLY OF HOLIES. Here he beheld the ‘ARK OF HIS TESTAMENT,’ represented by the sacred chest constructed by Moses to CONTAIN THE LAW OF GOD.” – E. G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 414. 415.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 17

THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION (Part 6)

Type and Antitype: the earthly sanctuary a “shadow”
of the heavenly sanctuary:

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the TRUE TABERNACLE, WHICH THE LORD PITCHED, AND NOT MAN.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of a necessity that THIS MAN have somewhat also to offer. For if He [this ‘MAN’] were on earth, He should not be a priest, [why?] seeing that there are priests that offer gifts [and sacrifices] according to the [ceremonial] law, who serve unto the EXAMPLE and SHADOW OF HEAVENLY THINGS, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the TABERNACLE: See, saith He [God] that thou make all things according to THE PATTERN showed to thee in the Mount (Sinai).” Heb. 8: 1-5, KJV.

Two Apartments or Places in the Earthly (or ‘worldly’) Sanctuary of the Old Covenant and the furniture found in each. “Then verily the FIRST COVENANT had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly [earthly] sanctuary, for their was a TABERNACLE made; the FIRST [apartment of place], wherein was the [seven-branched] candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread, which is called the sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle [apartment of place] which is called the HOLIEST OF ALL [or most holy place]; which had the [1] the golden censer and [2] the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [3] the golden pot that had manna, and [4] Aaron’s rod that budded, and (5] the tables of the covenant [the two tables of stone upon which God wrote with His own finger]. And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.” Heb. 9: 1-5, KJV.

Here we have irrefutable Bible proof of the existence of the heavenly sanctuary, God’s dwelling place, as shadowed forth by the earthly sanctuary which He commanded Moses at Sinai to build as His abiding place with His people on earth.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 15

THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 4)

There were only four earthly temples/sanctuaries/tabernacles as follows:

1. The first mobile tabernacle (or “tent of the congregation”
   built by Moses and accompanied Israel throughout their 40 year wilderness journeys and rigid into earthly promised land.
2. Solomon’s grand Temple was ransacked in 539 B. C. during Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian conquest.
3. Zerubbabel’s Temple. After Babylon was conquered by Medo-Persia, Cyrus, king of Persia began allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem to start rebuilding their desolated temple.

This prophesied rebuilding and restoration was completed under three successive Persian kings, Cyrus, Darius, and finished under Artaxerxes, It began with Zerubbabel, grandson of Jehoiachin king of Judah and Joshua the high priest who lead about 50,000 Jews who returned to Jerusalem to begin the work.

The second and third phases were led by Ezra the scribe, and Nehemiah the king’s cup-bearer, respectively. Since this Temple, inferior to that of Solomon’s Temple, i.e., only in terms of size and physical grandeur, was built under the leadership of Zerubbabel, it is frequently called ‘Zerubbabel’s Temple.’

NOTE: “Zerubbabel was the first governor of postexilic Judah. He was appointed c. 537 B.C. and was still in office by 515 B.C. at the time of the Temple dedication (Zech. 4: 9, 10; cf. Ezra 6: 15).

Thus he held office for more than 20 years. It was fitting that the first postexilic leader of the country and the rebuilder of the Temple should be a representative of the Davidic line, and one who also was in the direct line of the ancestry of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1: 6, 12, 13; Luke 3: 27, 31).” (From the SDA Bible Dictionary).

4. Herod’s Temple. This was the Temple existing in Christ’s time toward which He told His disciples would be desolated so that “not one stone would be left upon another.” Forty years later Christ’s prophecy was fulfilled when the Roman armies led by Titus returned and desolated Jerusalem, slaughtered over a millions Jews and took the rest as slaves and spoils war to Rome.

The Temple desolated was the last ever existing on earth. At Christ’s death at Calvary the veil separating the holy from the most holy in the Temple was rent from top to bottom.

The eyes and faith of Christ’s disciples and followers hence were directed to the antitypical Temple in heaven where Christ would ascend to and become our merciful High Priest, Mediator, Intercessor, and Advocate.

(To be continued) Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 14

THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 3)

Before proceeding further in our quest to understand the purpose of the sanctuary and its services, designed by God and given personally to Moses in Mount Sinai (during the 40 days he went without food and water while being in an actual physical one-soul audience with God himself), let us establish a firm and sound foundation of the meanings of these two key words:

1. SANCTUARY
   The Hebrew miqdash, ‘sacred place,’ ‘sanctuary,’ ‘holy (things).’ both from qadash, ‘to set apart,’ that is, to separate from common use; the Greek hagion (often in the plural),‘what is holy,’ ‘sanctuary.’ A place consecrated to the worship of the true God, especially the TABERNACLE erected at Mt. Sinai (Exo. 25: 8, etc.) and the TEMPLE later constructed at Mt. Moriah (2 Chron. 3: 1; 20: 8, etc.).”

I hope to share with you the services connected with the sanctuary, namely, the daily, the yearly, the five sacrifices or offerings (the burnt, meat/meal, peace, trespass, and sin offerings, and the special sacrifice/offerings of the yearling red heifer, and the living bird sacrifice—as time and opportunity allows by God’s permission and provision.

2. TEMPLE
   “A rendering of:
   1) Hebrew and Aramaic ( a loan word from Sumerian-Akkadian ekkalu, borrowed from the Sumerian E-GAL, ‘palace,’ ‘temple,’ literally ‘great house,’), used also of the ‘tabernacle’ at Shiloh (1 Sam. 1: 9: 3: 3) and of God’s heavenly abode (2 Sam. 22:7).

2) The Hebrew bayith, ‘house,’ ‘temple,’ either that of a pagan deity (Judges 9: 46; 2 Kings 10: 21; etc.), or the Temple of God in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6: 2-10, etc.). A temple was considered primarily a dwelling place of the deity, and only secondarily a place of worship.

3) Greek hieron (Matt. 4: 5; 12: 5, 6, etc.).

4) Greek naos (Matt. 23: 16; etc.). Strictly speaking, hieron applies to the whole Temple complex, with all its auxiliary buildings and courts, whereas naos designates the sacred shrine, or the Temple building, consisting of the ‘holy place’ and the ‘most holy place.’ . . .

“Although the Old Testament says very little about the pagan temples in Canaan [the promised land!], it gives detailed descriptions of the Temple of Solomon and of the IDEAL temple of Ezekiel’s vision [which was never built], and also some information of Zerubbabel’s Temple. Herod’s Temple, the scene of Christ’s ministry, is described in detail in the writings of [the Jewish historian] Josephus [‘The Antiquities of the Jews’] and the Mishnah.” – SDA Bible Dictionary, Complete with Atlas, Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 8, 1960, Review & Herald.

NOTE: The Mishnah is the traditional doctrine of the Jews as developed primarily by the decisions of the rabbis before the third century A.D; the collection of Halakoth, the basis of the Talmud.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 13

THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 2)

The Sanctuary in Type and Antitype Based on “It is Written” and “Thus saith the Lord.” I urge all to prayerfully read the verses given from your own Bibles (preferably the KJV or NKJV) before reading selected quotes from the inspired pen in order to establish the Scriptural facts regarding the sanctuary and it’s services, thus fortifying your own minds with its character developing and testing truths, to wit:

The earthly or “worldly” (KJV) sanctuary: See Heb. 9:1. Note that It was also at Mt. Sinai where God wrote with His own finger, twice, the law of Ten Commandments and gave it to Moses on two separate table of stone, that God commanded Moses, “Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” Exo. 25: 7.

God’s messenger says [all emphasis and words in brackets mine]:
Full and specific instructions were given for the construction of that first tabernacle, also called the “tent of the congregation. But “because of their apostasy [worshipping of the golden calf] the Israelites FORFEITED the blessing of the divine presence [that the sanctuary provided], and for a time rendered impossible the erection of a sanctuary for God among them. But after they were taken again into favor with Heaven, the great leader [Moses] proceeded to execute the divine command.

“Chosen men [Aholiab and Bezaleel] were especially endowed by God [through the Holy Spirit] with skill and wisdom for the construction of the SACRED BUILDING, God Himself gave the PLAN of that structure. . . . the holy places made with [human] hands were to be ‘FIGURES OF THE TRUE,’ ‘PATTERNS OF THE THINGS IN THE HEAVENS’ (Heb. 9: 24, 23).

A MINIATURE REPRESENTATION OF THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE where Christ, our great High Priest, after offering His life as a sacrifice [as the antitypical atoning sacrificial Lamb at Calvary, the antitypical altar of sacrifice located at the outer court of the earthly sanctuary] was to minister [as Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator] in the [penitent] sinner’s behalf.

“God presented to Moses in the Mount [Sinai] a view of the HEAVENLY SANCTUARY, and commanded him to make all things according to the PATTERN shown him.. . . “For the building of the sanctuary, great and expensive PREPARATION was necessary. . . . Yet the Lord only accepted FREE-WILL OFFERINGS. [Exo. 25: 2 quoted].

DEVOTION TO GOD AND A SPIRIT OF SELF-SACRIFICE WAS THE FIRST REQUISITE IN PREPARING A DWELLING PLACE FOR THE MOST HIGH.” – E. G. White, Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 343.

Keep this mind and heart as we proceed studying this precious subject:
“The sanctuary in heaven is the VERY CENTER OF CHRIST’s WORK in behalf of men. It concerns the soul of every soul LIVING [not dead] upon the earth. IT OPENS TO VIEW THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION, bribing us down to the very CLOSE OF TIME, and revealing the TRIUMPHANT issue of the CONTEST between righteousness and sin. It is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE that all should THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE these subjects, and be ‘able to give an answer to everyone that asks them a reason if the hope that is in them ‘(1 Pet. 3: 15).” -Ibid, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 488-9.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 10

THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 1)

“Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies.” Ps. 27: 12. This “way” is identified in the following verses of the same chapter (emphasis mine): “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD all the days of my life, to behold the BEAUTY of the Lord, and to inquire in His TEMPLE. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me on His pavilion: in the secret of His TABERNACLE shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.” Verses 4, 5.

Where is/are God’s dwelling place/s? First, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY WAYS higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55: 8, 9.

“For thus saith the high and holy One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I DWELL IN THE HIGH AND HOLY PLACE [and] with him also that is of a CONTRITE AND HUMBLE SPIRIT [attitude/deportment/character].” Isa. 57: 15. John in vision saw the “great white throne” in the most holy of the heavenly sanctuary on which He sat.” Rev. 20: 11.

How about here on fallen earth; where does He “dwell”? “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. . . . Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may DWELL among them. According to all that I show unto thee, AFTER THE PATTERN OF THE TABERNACLE, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” Exo. 25: 1, 8, 9.

Since “God” the Father is a Spirit” (not flesh and blood though He has a ‘form and likeness’] and His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, in His incarnated human nature, our merciful High Priest, is currently still interceding, mediating, and advocating for His penitent people on earth, HOW and through WHOM do the Father and Son dwell in?

Paul answers: “Know ye not that ye are the TEMPLE OF GOD, and that the SPIRIT OF GOD [the Holy Spirit] DWELLETH in you? If any man DEFILE the temple of God, him shall God DESTROY; for the temple of God is HOLY, which temple YE are.” 1 Cor. 16, 17.

“What? Know ye not that YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT which [Who] is IN you, which yo have of God, and YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN? [Why?] “For ye are BOUGHT with a price: [the life and blood of Jesus!]: therefore, glorify God in your BODY and in your SPIRIT, which are God’s.” 1 Cor. 6: 19, 20.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF