June 26, 2020
YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE SANCTUARY AND GOD’S LAW
“The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was SEEN in His temple THE ARK OF HIS TESTAMENT.” Rev. 11:19, KJV.
“The ark of God’s Testament is in the holy of holies, the second apartment of the sanctuary. In the ministration of the earthly tabernacle, which served ‘unto the EXAMPLE and SHADOW of heavenly things’ this apartment was opened ONLY upon the great day of atonement, for the CLEANSING of the sanctuary.
“Therefore the announcement that the temple of God was OPENED in heaven, and the ark of His testament was seen, POINTS to the opening of the Most Holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, IN 1844, as Christ [in His office as our merciful High Priest] entered there to perform the CLOSING WORK of atonement.
“Those who BY FAITH FOLLOWED their great High Priest, as He entered upon His ministry in the most holy place, BEHELD THE ARK OF HIS TESTAMENT. As they had STUDIED the subject of the SANCTUARY, they had come to understand the Savior’s CHANGE OF MINISTRATION, and they saw [by intelligent faith] that He was NOW officiating before the ARK of God, pleading His BLOOD in behalf of sinners. [the closing work of blood atonement].
“The ark in the tabernacle ON EARTH contained the TWO TABLES OF STONE upon which were inscribed the precepts of the LAW of God. The ark was MERELY a receptacle for the tables of the Law, and the presence of these divine precepts gave to it its VALUE and SACREDNESS. When the temple of God was opened in heaven, the ark of His Testament was seen.
“Within the holy of holies, in the sanctuary in heaven, the DIVINE LAW IS SACREDLY ENSHRINED, THE LAW THAT WAS SPOKEN BY GOD HIMSELF amid the thunders of Sinai, and WRITTEN WITH HIS OWN FINGER on two tables of stone.” Great Controversy, 433, 434.
God’s faithful are those who “walk by faith” and “dwell by faith” in the most-holy-place living relationship with Jesus Christ our great High Priest and Judge of all the earth. God’s law is written in their hearts and minds. They belong to God’s spiritual kingdom in earth. “Make your calling and election sure.” NMF