MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
April 10, 2024
The Law of God and the Cross of Christ Series- No. 6
THE THIRD ‘WAY OF ESCAPE’
“Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” Exo. 25:8, 9, KJV. (Read chapters 25-31 for more complete picture).
The first of four earthly ones was any tent or temporary dwelling place, but especially the tabernacle erected by Moses at Mt.Sinai, God’s sacred earthly dwelling place and the center of the Hebrew (ancient Israel) worship for more than four centuries. Under the first and last theocracy God was Israel’s direct Supreme Ruler, and in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle abode the visible glory symbolic of Divine Presence (Exo. 25:22; 40:34, 35), at times called the “Shekinah” glory, which is a Rabbinical, not Biblical term.
In the promised land, king David was privy to the purpose and meaning of the sanctuary and all its systems and services. God gave him all the specifications on how and what it would be built with—but forbade him from actually doing if for he had “bloody hands” as a man of war. It was his son Solomon “the wise man” whom God entrusted with this sacred task and project.
This temple, most often referred to as Solomon’s Temple was constructed on what was formerly called Mt. Moriah, scene of the offering of Isaac by Abraham. Hence, David could and did write, “Thy WAY, O God, is in the SANCTUARY” (Ps. 77:13).
Going back to the beginning:
“It was difficult for man, surrounded by sin, to understand these wonderful truths [embodied in the first promise and prophecy of Gen. 3:15]. The rays of light [of the gospel truth] which shone from the heavenly sanctuary upon the [very first] simple sacrifices [offered by Adam, Abel, Seth, etc.], were so obscured by doubt and sin, that God, in His great love and mercy, had an EARTHLY SANCTUARY built after the divine pattern [in heaven], and PRIESTS were [divinely] appointed [not people-elected], who served unto the EXAMPLE AND SHADOW of heavenly things.’ (Heb. 8:5). This was done that the man’s FAITH might lay hold of the fact that IN HEAVEN there is a SANCTUARY whose SERVICES are for the REDEMPTION of [fallen, sinful] mankind.
“The prophet Jeremiah grasped this great truth, and exclaimed, ‘A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.’ (Jer. 17:12). David knew of God’s dwelling place in heaven [the ‘Father’s house,’ John 13:1-3, and when writing for the generations to come, he said, ‘He (God) had looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth.’ (Ps. 102:19). The faithful ones have always understood that when they sought God with ALL THE HEART, their PRAYER came up to His holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven.’ (2 Chron. 30: 27).”
S. Haskell, The Cross and Its Shadow, pp. 21, 22, Facsimile Reproduction, Printed by Review & Herald Publishing Asso., 1914. (All emphasis and bracketed words mine)
Review 1 Cor. 10:13 again with these added light that should strengthen, resolve, as it increases intelligent faith in God and the ways of escape He has made that all may successfully bear and endure, not yield to any and all of Satan’s deceptions and temptations!
Until next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.