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.