Cleanse and Purify

Ex. 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
**Caught up into slavery, lives nothing but hardship.
Slavery by definition is --slavery (slâ..ve-rê, slâv..rê) nounplural slaveries
1. The state of one bound in servitude as the property of a slaveholder or household. See synonyms at servitude.2. a. The practice of owning slaves. b. A mode of production in which slaves constitute the principal work force.3. The condition of being subject or addicted to a specified influence.4. A condition of hard work and subjection: wage slavery.(Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary)
Being bound in servitude.
Property of another.
Hard work and subjection 1 (1. Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others)
By nature we are not meant to be owned. We are born and raised and in each of us rests a sense of self that demands the right to answer only to ourselves and not another man.
With God as our only master, our Creator, our Redeemer, with God as the only one we are to worship and bow down to it is no wonder that doing so at the demand of another creates within us a sense of powerlessness, a sense of wrongness.
We can be servants and have a master we answer to, but the master is to be just and not demand worship from us. A demand to serve isn't the same as a demand to worship.
Still, within the heart of most servants, of most slaves beats the desire to be the one served rather than the one serving. Servants are used to do hard work, menial labor, they are to do that which the master doesn't want to do.
A lady of a manor may enlist the aid of servants because she does not wish to do that which a servant will do, for whatever reason.
Slavery under the hand of one who is evil is much different than slavery under the hand of one who is just and good, fair and honest.
In our modern world slavery still exists but not like it did before 1865. Slavery today is mostly hidden.
Christ tells us to be servants - Mark {9:35} And he satdown, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If anyman desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, andservant of all.
But while serving is all well and good, slavery isn't just serving. It's being under another's power, another who can do with us as they please to cause us harm and hardship.
The Egyptians enslaved God's chosen people. The slavery was horrific, bitter, and truly something appalling. The Egyptians began killing the children of the Israelites because the Israelites were so prolific and they wanted to keep their numbers down some. Killing the children! Murdering innocents. There wasn't anything the Israelites could do to stop their masters from killing their children- they were enslaved to the master and if they even tried to rebel they were killed as well.
Death, hardship, anguish was a way of life for the Israelites and they wanted to be free. Could they worship God as He wanted to be worshipped, as man was created to worship Him? No. The Egyptians had their own gods and they weren't the One and Only true God, the God of the Israelites. Fully in bondage they desired freedom and yet after it was given them they had this to say--Ex. 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
They would rather have DIED with full bellies in Egypt as slaves than died free of hunger.
Death either way was inevitable, but they'd rather die without hunger.Rather die in Egypt where they were captive, where they were slaves, where their children were murdered, where they answered to hard task masters, where they were not allowed to WORSHIP God. Much rather die without any hardship, without any deprivation. Seems normal and logical? A choice many would make?
Maybe.
I know recently I watched a Navy Seals training on tv and it amazed me the hardships the men had to endure to become Navy Seals. As they followed them from week to week and let you get to know various men who were going through it all, it stunned me at how most of those they'd singled out ended up dropping out during Hell week, during the worst of the worst they were put through. In the end it was amazing to see each of those that managed to make it through, knowing some very rugged individuals gave up while some of the smaller men were able to stick through it all. One of the men said it depends on how bad you want it and that's true. It has to be true because their punishments, their exceptionally rigorous training exercises were the same for them all. Some made it, most didn't. Why? Other than it being the sheer desire, why did only 18 out of 83 make it through training?
The hardship was worth it.
The instructors at one point were talking and said Hell Week is only five days long because those left after five days would literally let you work them to death rather than given in, they're that devoted to sticking it all out.
It amazed me but I could see the truth in it by the determination during their suffering to make it through. At that point in the training they were totally at the mercy of their instructors to live or die as they determined, they trusted in them of course to keep them alive- killing trainees wasn't something the Navy could really do and that trust that the Navy would keep them from dying even when they felt as if they might was amazing. These men didn't HAVE to endure the hardship, many didn't, most didn't. When the decision to opt out of hardship or endure through it exists it isn't surprising that the majority opt out of hardship.Jesus said broad is the way that leads to destruction and many will take that way, while narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few would take that way.
Hardship.
Life itself is hard no matter the circumstances.
Each and every one of us has a hard life in our own way. We all have our obstacles to overcome and we all have our hills to climb, our valleys to walk through. No one is exempt from these things and the mistake we often make is thinking that some are exempt, that some don't have it as hard as we do.
Another mistake is thinking that the future won't hold hardships just because we haven't had many now. To say my life has been wonderful and easy is a marvelous thing to be able to utter.
No matter the guise of the attacks we face on our faith, whether they come by being penniless, or being rich, we will all face the choice the Egyptians in the wilderness faced.
We will all have our own private little hell weeks to endure and we really are given an opportunity to opt out. To go the broad way.
We can murmur and complain and die in the wilderness for our rebellion, it's our choice.
We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to take on the hardships of following the will and the commands of God. They're not easy. We don't have to LIKE doing things.
Jesus was asked by a rich young man what he had to do to get to heaven and Jesus told him he had to love God and love his fellow man, and the rich young man said that he does that already- so what did Jesus tell him? Did He pat him on the back and tell him 'good job you have eternal life', no. He told him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. This was something the rich young man never expected! He could love God and love his fellow man, but...but part with all his riches?! This was something he didn't like and yet he was told to do it. Right and wrong are right and wrong whether or not we approve of what is right and what is wrong.
When we have unjust laws we try to make them just.
God's laws are just and because we might not like them, doesn't mean they aren't just and we can change them to suit us better.
No, it's not easy and we're told it's not easy.
We have a decision to make and we have to make it constantly in all we do, in every part of our life. Are we going to follow God, or follow man, follow God or follow ourselves?
There's a few lyrics of a song that comes to mind- 'Please forgive me I know not what I do.. please forgive me I can't stop loving you'
And it makes me think about the 'I know not what I do part...' Can I really say that, when I'm asking for forgiveness I obviously know I've done or am doing something wrong.
We know what we do.
We know the choices we make and we know that they're not always the right ones and yes, we have to ask for forgiveness often, daily, several times a day. If we sin knowingly we need to confess and repent- repentance being - 'To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.' Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Confess and repent.
James {5:16} Confess your faults one to another,and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. Theeffectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Luke {24:45} Then opened he theirunderstanding, that they might understand the scriptures,{24:46} And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus itbehoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the thirdday: {24:47} And that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in his name among all nations,beginning at Jerusalem. {24:48} And ye are witnesses ofthese things.
Mark {1:14} Now after thatJohn was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preachingthe gospel of the kingdom of God, {1:15} And saying, Thetime is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repentye, and believe the gospel.
Mark {6:12} And they went out, andpreached that men should repent.Acts {3:19} Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that yoursins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shallcome from the presence of the Lord
Psalms {32:5} I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I nothid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; andthou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Matt. {3:6} And were baptized of him inJordan, confessing their sins.
*******Luke {24:47} And that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in his name among all nations,beginning at Jerusalem
Repentance and remission of sins...
We need to repent, and we need to do so because any sin we have separates us from God.
Will it be easy? No.
Is it possible? Yes. Only in Christ.
We can all say with Paul-- Romans {7:24} O wretched man thatI am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So thenwith the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with theflesh the law of sin.
The law of sin says we are helpless and we can't save ourselves. The law of God needs to be served and Jesus will make it possible for us to be saved.
Praise God, all thankfulness to God, all praise, and all honor, by His most holy Son, now and forever.
Don't let us be like the Egyptians who long for death captive to sin, rather than long for death free of sin trusting in Jesus through any an all hardships we may have to endure.
James {4:7} Submit yourselvestherefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts,[ye] double minded.
Resist.
Draw nigh.
Cleanse, purify.
1 Pet. {5:6} Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty handof God, that he may exalt you in due time: {5:7} Casting allyour care upon him; for he careth for you. {5:8} Be sober,be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaringlion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: {5:9}Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the sameafflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in theworld. {5:10} But the God of all grace, who hath called usunto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye havesuffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,settle [you. ]{5:11} To him [be] glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Amen.Amen.Amen.

God is...

Matthew {3:9} And think not to say within yourselves,We have Abraham to our father for I say unto you, thatGod is able of these stones to raise up children untoAbraham.
God is--
--able to raise children from stones.
Mark {12:29} And Jesus answered him,The first of all the commandments [is,] Hear, O Israel; TheLord our God is one Lord: {12:30} And thou shalt love theLord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, andwith all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the firstcommandment.
God is--
--is one Lord.
Luke{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for,behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
God is--
--within you.
John {3:33} He that hath received his testimony hath set to hisseal that God is true.
God is--
--true.
Acts {10:34} Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of atruth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: {10:35}But in every nation he that feareth him, and workethrighteousness, is accepted with him.
God is--
--no respector of persons.
Romans {11:23} And they also, if they abide not still inunbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them inagain.
God is--
--able to graff them in again.
Romans {14:4} Who art thou that judgestanother man’s servant? to his own master he standeth orfalleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to makehim stand.
God is--
--able to make him stand.
1 Cor. {1:25}Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and theweakness of God is stronger than men.
God is--
--wiser than men.
God is--
--stronger than men.
1 Cor. {14:33}For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as inall churches of the saints.
God is--
--not the author of confusion, but of peace.
Gal. {6:7} Be not deceived; God is not mocked: forwhatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap
God is--
--not mocked.
Hebrews {11:16} Butnow they desire a better [country,] that is, an heavenly:wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for hehath prepared for them a city.
God is--
--not ashamed to be called their God.
1 John {1:5} This then is the message which we have heard ofhim, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him isno darkness at all
God is--
--light and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John {3:20}For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,and knoweth all things.
God is--
--greater than our heart.
1 John {5:9} If we receive the witness of men, the witness ofGod is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hathtestified of his Son.
The witness of God is--
--greater.
1 John {4:8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
God is--
--love.
1 John {4:16} And we have known and believed the love thatGod hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in lovedwelleth in God, and God in him.
God is--
--love.
God is able to raise children from stones, is one Lord, within you, true, no respector of persons, able to graff them in again, able to make him stand, wiser than men, stronger than men, not the author of confusion, but of peace, not mocked, not ashamed to be called their God, light and in him is no darkness at all, greater than our heart, greater, love, love.
God.
God is so much.
God is our everything.
With God- nothing is impossible, nothing.
Luke {18:26} And they that heardit said, Who then can be saved? {18:27} And he said, Thethings which are impossible with men are possible withGod.
Impossible with men, are possible with God.
We have to hold fast to that belief, hold it tight because it's true.
To us so much seems impossible, but with God nothing is. Our hope truly has to be with God, not with ourselves. We can't depend on ourselves for salvation, or to please God, or to do any good outside of God. God is love. We don't have a clue what love is if we don't know God. We need God if we desire love in our lives- to be loving, to be all God would have us to be. God is love. Man isn't love in and of himself. God is love and God in us can be love.
May God bless us all with His love, by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Not With Observation

Luke {17:20} And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation
*Isn't that a fascinating sentence?
Demanded by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come.
It's not unique wanting to know, it's as old as Jesus the wanting to know when Jesus will come again. The Pharisees asked Jesus Himself when it would happen and what did He tell them? Something we ALL need to take to heart.
'The kingdom of God cometh NOT with observation.'
Yes, we are to watch and that indicates observation but what are we told to watch for?
Mark {13:32} But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man,no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, butthe Father. {13:33} Take ye heed, watch and pray: for yeknow not when the time is. {13:34} [For the Son of man is]as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gaveauthority to his servants, and to every man his work, andcommanded the porter to watch. {13:35} Watch yetherefore: for ye know not when the master of the housecometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or inthe morning: {13:36} Lest coming suddenly he find yousleeping. {13:37} And what I say unto you I say unto all,Watch.
We are to watch the signs given, but even then we don't KNOW when it will be because only the Father knows.
Like a servant porter told to watch- he had to be on watch ALWAYS.
We have to watch ourselves. We have to watch our actions. We have to watch and make sure that we NEVER stop watching for our Master's return.
So while yes, we are told of many signs and we are to watch them, we aren't to keep our eyes focused on just the signs, just the current events pointing to the inevitable end. If all we do is note that the world is getting worse and worse and such and we don't WATCH ourselves to be ready, what good is it?
The Pharisees DEMANDED to know when the kingdom of God should come.
We can't be like them. We can't demand to know, we have to trust in Jesus' words which tell us that it will come 'NOT with observation.'
Watch and know, watch and pray, watch ourselves and our readiness.
You know whether or not you're sleeping on watch. That guard on duty knows then he's drowsy he can feel his head getting heavy, his eyes closing, his breathing start to even out. The responsibility of the guard is to stay awake and find ways to keep himself awake. We have to find ways to rouse ourselves to our duty to watch and stay awake.
Yes, there is a parable of the ten virgins where they ALL fall asleep and yet five prepared by having extra oil ready, and five didn't prepare.
We have to be prepared and ready for Christ. It is our duty to be ready by watching, by waiting, by studying, by praying, by looking for His coming while not demanding to know when. It will not come with observation.
Luke{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
How true. Our readiness for God, our readiness for Christ's return doesn't rest on anything outside of us, it doesn't rest on any outward circumstances but rather it rests on us loving, seeking, trusting, believing in God's mercy and grace for us.
We can't allow ourselves to get caught up in the when, we just can't. If we get so caught up in the when we are going to miss out on everything. Our wanting to know, our desire to know is a good thing in proper perspective. Knowing the facts, knowing that things are unfolding as we were told they would be are all good things. But we have to be ready or all the watching will mean nothing if we're not ready and we can't delay our getting ready- waiting for some *closer* sign of His return. We could die tomorrow and have no need of any more signs.
We have to be ready always, not wait to get ready.
May God help us to learn of His love more fully and make it a reality to us all.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and always.
Amen.

Understanding Love

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”- 1 John 4:20-21
Is it easier to love God than our brother isn't it?
In some respects it is, in others maybe not.
We look at our brothers in different ways. They're just people like we are. They're sinners like we are. They're undeserving as we all and just as needy as we are, they are us in a lot of ways.
Love others as yourself, as you would be loved not conditional upon your thinking you are an amazing, wonderful, deserving person. If you hate yourself are you to still love your brother? Or is hating yourself license to hate others?
That can't be right can it?
Do we like others in proportion to how much we like ourselves?
I know people who think they are the most wonderful things in all the world and people should almost literally bow down to their superiority and you know what- they generally don't seem all that loving towards others.
To me it almost seems the more self-love there is the more conceit there is and the more contempt for others.
Two opposite extremes perhaps. Hating yourself and the world around you, loving yourself to the point you can love no others. There has to be a middle ground and I believe that middle ground is found in loving others as we desire to be love.
Time and again we see movies we call sappy those that have happy ever after endings after much drama, many tears and anguish, lives in the gutter brought up out of the gutter. We want the same but realism often tells us our circumstances won't change miraculously. We might feel like we're in a hopeless situation and often times we are because life isn't a dream. Those who rise above are the few.
God wants us to rise above, to reach out to him.
The way we count success isn't the way God counts success.
Apart from God we are nothing and we try to be something but we flounder. We can create amazing worlds for ourselves and yet apart from God they are worthless.
How are we to love our brothers? How are we to love others? How are we to act?
We are to love God and love others and to do that we have to know what love is. The Bible tells us God is love. So we are to act as God does. God cares for others in such an amazing way it's all but incomprehensible to us.
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”- 1 John 4:20-21
With love as the common denominator it has to be amazingly important.
Is love something we have automatically or is it something we cultivate?
Love is something I think I'll study for a bit.
May God help us as we seek to understand love, as we long to be loving to our fellow man, as we desperately seek to love Him most of all.
By His Grace and Mercy now and always.
Amen.

The Choice is Ours.

Isaiah {65:17} For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. {65:18} But be ye glad and rejoice for ever [in that] which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.{65:19} And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.{65:20} There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner [being] an hundred years old shall be accursed. {65:21} And they shall build houses, and inhabit [them;] and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.{65:22} They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree [are] the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. {65:23} They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they [are] the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. {65:24} And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. {65:25} The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust [shall be] the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD

Promises.

To be fulfilled? Left unfulfilled? Conditional? Unconditional?

God did make promises to those who would be His elect people and yet over and over and over His elect would abandon Him. They'd have a crisis of faith and in that crisis turn to other gods.
When we make promises to people often they are conditional too, aren't they?

We promise we'll do something as long as the one we are promising will do something first.

Usually what we are promising is an incentive for those we are making the promise to, so they'll be more inclined to follow through on their end of things.

I know I've promised my children to reward them if they completed certain things within a certain time. You can bet they learned early on that I meant what I said when they failed to follow through on their end of things and therefore what I'd promised never came to pass. What good is a promise if it's not kept? No good at all, its empty and pointless.

When it comes to relationships between men and women promises are often made aren't they? A marriage ceremony is based on promises. Those promises are meant to be kept and if they aren't then consequences follow.

God promised to make a covenant with His chosen people and He did make the covenant. That covenant was conditional. If the covenant is kept then the promises would be kept, if the covenant was broken the promises are null and void.

God asked NOTHING that was impossible. He didn't ask men to sprout wings and fly and He'd be their God. He asked them primarily to have NO other gods before Him, none!
Time and again the promise was broken, the covenant broken.

While God included a way for people to be forgiven and still be His people and did not just destroy them outright, He never promised there would be no consequences to the sinning. Maybe there would not be eternal death, but sin is something by its very nature that brings about ruin in one way or another.

These verses in Isaiah talk of a new heaven and a new earth, they talk of an idyllic setting for a way of life and yet the promise was for the future and it was a promise that was made upon the condition of God's elect- truly being His elect.

Seriously, just as we can make promises of a grand future for someone and yet that someone turns their back on us, are we inclined to still offer that grand future for them? Not in that way, maybe in another way and there too based on whether or not they have a true love for us, a love that is full of faith and truth.

We can't look for the idealized life here in this world now. Sin has permeated this earth, the entire globe in every continent so completely that there isn't a way for any sort of idealize life to exist here and now, not truly, not without death and heartache of any sort.

Our hope is in Christ's return.

We need to be His elect.

We need to hold fast to Him and His righteousness. By His grace and mercy we are saved and we will be with Him.

The choice is ours. We can keep the promise to be God's elect by the grace of God through Jesus' sacrifice, or we can choose another path- God forbid.

May God help us one and all to be His and that His will be done, now and forever.

Amen.

End of the Sanctuary Study

We're going to wrap up the current study on the Sanctuary today, but not call it finished because there might be more we need to delve into.
Rounding this off with a Watch Paper snippet from 2003--
'By limiting the final ministry of Christ to the Most Holy Place is to ignore the typical significance of the movements of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
To fail to focus on the final ministry depicted as transpiring in the Court is to severe the climax of the Three Angels' Messages from the sanctuary to which the first angel directed attention - "the hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Rev. 14:7; Gr.)
These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Not only is the final atonement typified in the sanctuary service, but prophets of God saw, in visions given to them, activities related to that day.
One command given in the instructions for the Day of Atonement was that the High Priest must wear the holy linen garments (Lev. 16:4).Ezekiel in vision saw that the man with a writer's inkhorn by his side was "clothed in linen" (9:2, 3, 11).He received instructions to place a mark on those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed in Jerusalem while standing "beside the brazen altar." He who was enthroned above the cherubim had moved to "the threshold of the house" to give this command. In the final ministry the One on the throne unites with the One clothed in linen.This follows the type of Leviticus 16:18 - the mingled blood of goat and bullock for the cleansing of the Altar.
In Zechariah 3, the "men of wonder" (v. 8; margin) are those whom the Lord has "caused (their) iniquity to pass from (them)" and whom He has clothed "with a change of raiment" (v. 4).
This is a part of the final conflict between Christ and Satan (v. 1-2) which will be resolved in the "court."
We have been reminded that: Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement." (Testimonies Vol 5, p. 472)'
--- (2003 Aug) WWN William Grotheer
*******
The final conflict.
Where will we all be during the final conflict?
Will we recognize the final conflict?
The Bible tells us that people will be marrying and taken unaware-
Matthew {24:36} But of that day and hour knoweth no [man,] no,not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. {24:37} Butas the days of Noe [were,] so shall also the coming of theSon of man be. {24:38} For as in the days that were beforethe flood they were eating and drinking, marrying andgiving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into theark, {24:39} And knew not until the flood came, and tookthem all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of manbe. {24:40} Then shall two be in the field; the one shall betaken, and the other left. {24:41} Two [women shall be]grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.{24:42} Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour yourLord doth come.
'They knew not until the flood came...'
It's a logical question to ask will we recognize the final conflict.
People like to believe there will be some major happening that will convince them that NOW is the time to be ready. That it's coming! A nuclear bomb explodes- it's time! A war breaks out between two major world power countries! There is an infectious disease outbreak that kills millions! An earthquake totally destroys a major city and millions of people! You name it, insert your catastrophe here and what you think it will take for YOU to believe the final conflict is under way.
By the time many get an inkling it'll be too late- they knew not until the flood came. They knew then didn't they. The flood began and they knew they had time to recognize the truth of their situation and then what happened? '...knew not until the flood came and took them all away...' They weren't saved at the last moment because they recognized the truth of their situation finally. They were taken away, they were killed, they died, they weren't saved.
We can't wait, it's a mistake to wait for anything. You could die in the next moment and die not being ready because you're waiting for something. We have to be ready while we are waiting, not waiting to get ready.
The suddenness of the end will take the majority unaware- just like the analogy of someone standing next to you disappearing before your eyes, you'll definitely be shocked by that wouldn't you? Poof, it happens!
If you're expecting someone to disappear it's not surprising.
We have to watch so we are ready because we don't know the exact time.
If we're watching for Christ to return, we're not going to be surprised by Him coming, but ready.
If we were waiting for the flood, when it came we wouldn't be surprised. Just like a news forecast predicting a storm. We're not surprised when it's there. But if we're not listening to the news to hear the predicting, or if we ignore what's being said and blow it off, then yes we are surprised when the storm hits.
What's all this to do with the Sanctuary service and the Atonement?
When we look at the services and correlate them to the ministry of Christ we have to know what's what- let's reread the last snippet from the thought paper by Grotheer.
*
'By limiting the final ministry of Christ to the Most Holy Place is to ignore the typical significance of the movements of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
To fail to focus on the final ministry depicted as transpiring in the Court is to sever the climax of the Three Angels' Messages from the sanctuary to which the first angel directed attention - "the hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Rev. 14:7; Gr.)
These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Not only is the final atonement typified in the sanctuary service, but prophets of God saw, in visions given to them, activities related to that day.
One command given in the instructions for the Day of Atonement was that the High Priest must wear the holy linen garments (Lev. 16:4).Ezekiel in vision saw that the man with a writer's inkhorn by his side was "clothed in linen" (9:2, 3, 11).He received instructions to place a mark on those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed in Jerusalem while standing "beside the brazen altar." He who was enthroned above the cherubim had moved to "the threshold of the house" to give this command. In the final ministry the One on the throne unites with the One clothed in linen.This follows the type of Leviticus 16:18 - the mingled blood of goat and bullock for the cleansing of the Altar.
In Zechariah 3, the "men of wonder" (v. 8; margin) are those whom the Lord has "caused (their) iniquity to pass from (them)" and whom He has clothed "with a change of raiment" (v. 4).
This is a part of the final conflict between Christ and Satan (v. 1-2) which will be resolved in the "court."
We have been reminded that: Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement." (Testimonies Vol 5, p. 472)'
*
Where are we now? We know that the Times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled, that in 1980 after a series of probation periods the time for the corporate judgment was up and the judging moved to the individual. Soon, so very soon as the judging is made there will be declared those who will have a mark placed on them- a seal of God and those who will embrace the beast and receive his mark. The cleansing will be complete, and there will be those who are clothed in Christ's Righteousness and those who are left in filthy rags.
Remember this--These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Are we going to be among those who are 'eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, {24:39} And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away'
Or are we going to be among those who yes... eat, drink, marry, but live our lives knowing that Christ is coming, that the flood is on its way. We don't live our day to day lives under the pretense that Christ isn't coming, that we shouldn't be ready and waiting, watching and praying.
May our Lord and Savior by His grace and mercy help us to be ready for His return, help us to be among those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus, forever watching, praying and waiting, hoping.
Amen.

The Sanctuary Study Pt. 30

2002 Mar -- XXXV - 3(02) -- "The Judgment Was Set" -- Editors Preface -- William Grotheer -- WWN *******
In the daily service, provision was made for the individual who brought his sin offering to the Altar in the Court, to receive an atonement which resulted in forgiveness. The Scripture reads - "and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him" (Lev. 4:31; see also 4:26, 35). This atonement for the individual was always at the Altar in the Court and performed by a common priest. The atonement made on the typical Day of Atonement was both corporate and individual (Lev. 16:33), and involved a high priestly ministry beginning in the Most Holy Place and being completed at the Altar in the Court.
The emphasis placed on the Day of Atonement in the Scriptures dare not be overlooked.
While atonement was granted to each individual who confessed his sin day by day, and was forgiven, it was not designated as a "Day" of atonement.
That designation was reserved for the tenth day of the seventh month and involved a cleansing which is much more than just being forgiven.
The figurative intent was to be so cleansed as to sin no more. Further, in the designation of this Day, the plural is used. The Scripture reads: On the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonements. ... And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonements. (Lev. 23:27, 28; Heb.)
While it might be argued that because of the multiple aspects and wide range of the atonement made by the High Priest on this tenth day (Lev. 16:33), it could be considered as a simple plural. However, the distinction made between this day and the other feast days given to Israel, requires that this be considered the Hebrew use of the plural as the pluralis majestaticus v. excellentiae, even as in the use of Elohim. All the other feast days given in Leviticus 23 - the Passover, the day of Pentecost, "a memorial of blowing of trumpets," and the two "holy convocations" connected with the "feast of tabernacles" - required only the cessation from "servile work" (vs. 7, 21, 25, 35-36). The Day of Atonements was ranked with the seventh-day Sabbath - "ye shall do no work therein" (23:3) - with a fearful judgment attached (23:30).
While the first of the "feast" days of Israel was the Passover, which was fulfilled in the Offering at the Cross (I Cor. 5:7), it does not receive the status accorded the Day of Atonement in the yearly typical services of Israel. This should in no wise reflect on the centrality of the Cross because it was not only the Blood of Calvary which provided forgiveness, but it is also the same Blood which was offered "once for all" that provides for the cleansing from sin.
It is the dual atonement made possible by the one and same sacrifice which we dare not mitigate.
Our Great High Priest, as a common priest, offered Himself confirming the first step of reconciliation - forgiveness.
Then as the High Priest, He ministers the same blood for cleansing so that when He returns as King of kings, and Lord of lords, He comes "without sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9:28).
If the typology has any meaning, then the emphasis on the Atonement must be where Heaven places it - the final atonement via the sacrifice at the Altar in the Court.
We need to keep in mind that "a kid of the goats" (Lev. 4:23. 28), and "the Lord's goat" (Lev. 16:9), both offered on the Altar in the Court, pointed to the one great Sacrifice made on Calvary. Calvary provided a provisional at-one-ment; forgiven, though still a sinner.
The ministration of the great High Priest on the antitypical Day of Atonements provided for a complete at-one-ment, a cleansed sinner to sin no more.
**
This raises another question. Another "messenger" wrote of Christ's ministry in the introduction to his book, The Consecrated Way. He stated: In the manifestation of Christ the Saviour, it is revealed that He must appear in the three offices of prophet, priest, and king. (p.3)
Then he observed: This threefold truth is generally recognized by all who have acquaintance with the Scriptures, but above this there is a truth which seems to be not so well known that He is not all three of these at the same time. The three offices are successive. He is prophet first, then after that He is priest, and after that He is king. (p.4; emphasis his)
In the type, the atonement which resulted in forgiveness for the individual sinner was obtained by the common priest. The text reads - "the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him" (Lev. 4:26). One of the early acts of Jesus, after beginning His ministry, confirmed this priestly power in reality. Luke records the faith of the friends of a palsy stricken man. Bringing him to Jesus, the first thing they heard Jesus say to him was - "Man, thy sins be forgiven thee" (Luke 5:20). This riled the attending scribes and Pharisees. To their contentious questioning, Jesus replied: But that ye might know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (He said unto the sick of the palsy) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. (5:24).
Before accepting the office of High Priest, Christ had to have "somewhat also to offer" (Heb. 8:3). "This He did once, when He offered up Himself" (7:27). This offering began at Bethlehem when the glory of "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" began to be revealed. (See John 1:14; Rom. 3:24). To all who came, or were brought to Him, from the palsy stricken man to the woman taken in adultery, Jesus offered divine forgiveness. He was a "common" priest, "the Son of man." By the resurrection, He would enter a new office. As the Son of God, He would become "a [High] Priest forever after the order of Meichisedec" (Heb. 5:6) [See also Rom. 1:4 and Heb. 5:5]
Before Whom Do We Appear? -- Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (II Cor. 5:10).
Peter told Cornelius that the Apostles were given strict command by Jesus "to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead" (Acts 10:42). This accords with the words of Jesus Himself that "the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22).
How then are we to understand the prophecy of Daniel? Was the Ancient of days, intending to judge, and then changed His mind, and gave a different revelation through Christ in the New Testament? Hardly, such a conclusion is out of keeping with the revelation of Himself as One who changes not. (Mal. 3:6; James 1:17). In fact, the Scripture reveals two scenes in which the Ancient of days sits in judgment "and the books were opened" (Dan. 7:10; Rev. 20:12). These scenes are a thousand years apart when in fulfilment. Yet it is the same Judge, and the same books. While the objective of the open books in Revelation 20 is stated - "the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (v. 12b) - no such statement is made in Daniel. It is so assumed, but is the assumption correct?*
Another factor must be considered. When the First Angel of Revelation 14 descends for the final proclamation of the "everlasting gospel," he announces a reason why men of "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people" should "fear God and give glory to Him." The reason given is that - "the hour of His judgment is come." The Greek text reads. - ' oti hlqen 'h 'wra thV krisewV autou - "Because is (or has) come the hour of the judgment of Him." Is this to be understood as meaning God acting in judgment, or is God Himself seeking a judgment for Himself? There is no question that at the Judgment of the Great White Throne (Rev. 20), those termed "the dead" are the ones facing that judgment. We have assumed that the same conclusion can be applied to Daniel 7:10. Do we have some "learning" as well as "unlearning" to do at this point?
A Forgotten Motif -- Both in the services of the typical Day of Atonement, and in the prophecy of Zechariah 3 which focuses on the final cleansing, there is an alien power introduced. In the vision given to Zechariah, at the right hand of Joshua is seen an "adversary" (margin) to resist him. In the ceremonies on the Day of Atonement, there is the scapegoat (Azazel - Lev. 16:8 margin) in apposition to the Lord's goat, and on whom the High Priest placed the iniquities of a cleansed Israel for final judgment. This typical service and prophetic vision suggest a controversy between Jehovah and Satan, with man the object of the attack by one, and the defence of man by the Other.A careful study of the Scriptures casts further light on this controversy. Azazel, Satan the adversary, was once Lucifer, a covering cherub (Isa. 14:14; Eze. 28:14). A created being (Eze. 28:15), he desired to be "like the most High" (Isa. 14:14). This desire was nullified in the creation of man. The Elohim said to one another, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). Man's status at creation was but temporary. He was made only "a little while inferior to the angels" (Heb. 2:7, margin).
The redemption that is in Christ Jesus reveals further the objective of God for man. Jesus, too, was "made a little while lower than the angels for the suffering of death" (Heb. 2:9). In His victory, He was "crowned with glory and honor," and "highly exalted" being given "a name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:9). That which God did "when He raised Him from the dead" (Eph. 1:20) not only reveals God's intent for man in creation, but also His objective in redemption (Eph. 2:6-7). **
Between the time when God made man in His likeness and the "ages to come" came the sin problem, which needs resolution. However, for sin to be eradicated, and never arise the second time, the resolution must begin where, and over the issue which initiated it. In other words, can God carry out His original plan in the creation of man, and every member of the angelic host concur. Sin began with an angel who objected to God's plan because He desired to be what God was designing man to be. Thus the first act when God seeks to bring all rebellion to a conclusion, must be the concurrence of the angelic host in His objective. They are still free moral agents and the contemplated exaltation of man is now under different circumstances than when man was first created. It is fallen man that is to be exalted, not perfect man from the hand of the Creator.
This is the picture in Daniel 7. The first item of business when the judgment is set and the books are opened, is before the assembled hosts of Heaven. (v. 10). They know what is in the books; they recorded the deeds. They are not there as "traffic cops" to verify the "tickets" they gave to the "speedsters" of earth for their violations on the highway of life. They were accurate, remained honest, and not as Lucifer, "abode in the truth" (John 8:44). Now the first question comes: "Have I given enough; have I done enough so that my original plan for man can be completed?" The hour of the judgment of Him began.
The details must be gathered from the revelation given in the type of the services of the Day of Atonement.
Jesus is there as the Great High Priest.
He holds forth His nail pierced hands.
The angels remember that scene on Golgatha's brow.
They recall the darkness that surrounded the cross when the Ancient of days hid His presence as He suffered with "the Man that is my fellow" (Zech. 13:6, 7).
With one shout of acclamation, John sees and hears the Heavenly Host render their decision: And I beheld, and I heard the voice ( fwnhn- singular) of many angels around about the throne and the living creatures and the elders: the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing. And every creature . . . heard I saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Iamb for ever and ever. (Rev. 5:11-13).
The final work could now begin with all Heaven united for the objective and accomplishment of God's design in the creation of man.
The "Man clothed in linen" could begin the sealing of His people (Ezekiel 9).
The "filthy garments" can be removed from all who are willing to be released of them, and a "change of raiment" given in their place (Zech. 3).
Three mighty angels can go forth mandated with the "Everlasting Gospel" of God's design and purpose in Jesus Christ, "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8).
In the words of Jesus, describing and defining "the judgment," some conditions are imposed.
All who pass "from death unto life" are required to hear the words of the Messiah, and "believe" on the God who sent Him (John 5:24).
The entrance into sin is reversed.
The challenge of the "adversary," "Yea hath God said?" (Gen. 3:1) is answered, "Yea, God hath said" and "I believe."
The "books are opened" both prior to the coming of Christ without sin unto salvation, and the final judgment on sin in "the lake of fire." There is no record in Scripture of the books being closed once they are opened.
The fact is that no one can face the record in the "books" either before, or after they are opened. To do so is to face eternal extinction in "the lake of fire" - "the second death" (Rev. 20:14).
Into this prophetic picture is introduced another book, "another book was opened, which is the book of life" (Rev. 20:12). This book is first noted in prophetic record at the time "Michael stands up" (Dan. 12:1).
It had existed prior with the other books of record. When Moses prayed for Israel to be spared or else his name be removed from the book, the Lord God replied, "Whoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of my book" (Ex. 32:32-33).
Paul speaks of this book in his letter to the Philippians, where he writes of his fellowlaborers "whose names are in the book of life" (4:3).
There is a distinction made between the "books" which contain the record of "things. . . according to their works" by which they are judged, and the "book of life" in which there are only "names" - no resumes. One can assume that the first name entered was that of Abel's who "by faith. . . offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain" (Heb. 11:4).
All of this points up the significance of the command in the observance of the typical Day of Atonement, that "no work" be done (Lev. 23:28,30). The high priest alone accomplished the cleansing. Those who heeded the command, their names were retained in Israel.
Just so, in the final day of atonement, the Great High Priest alone will accomplish the objective - "I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir" (Isa. 13:12).
Even as in the first atonement - forgiveness - it is by faith alone, so the final atonement - cleansing - is by faith alone: "I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will cloth thee with a change of raiment" (Zech 3:4).
No man can cleanse himself by his own works, nor can he weave a robe in which there is not a single thread of human devising. All - forgiveness, cleansing - result from a surrender at the foot of the Cross to Him who "is able also to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25).
The Father, faithful to His commitment, raised Jesus from the dead "for our justification" (Rom. 4:25) and to ever live so as "to make intercession" (Heb. 7:25) for those whom He justifies. "In bringing many sons unto glory," God made "the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Heb. 2:10). It was accomplished by Jesus, who had finished the work which He had agreed to do. The final at-one-ment is still to come when "in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth" (Eph. 1:10).
In this we see the two-fold gospel of God, the "counsel of peace" which was "between the Two of Them" (Zech. 6:13, Heb.). One was to be "made of the seed of David according to the flesh" to "condemn sin in the flesh" and the Other who would raise Him from the dead "with power" so He could save "to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him" (Rom. 1:3-4; 8:3; Heb. 7:25). At the Cross one phase of the Gospel was completed; It was finished.
***
Pausing here.
Think about it-
In the typical day to day sacrifice people were forgiven and yet sin still existed and they needed to constantly seek forgiveness.
Today we still sin and we still need to seek forgiveness. Tomorrow it will be the same won't it? We'll be living in a sin-filled world with the tendency towards sin and our only hope is in Christ.
To say that sin was finally done away with once and for all, that it no longer exists is ludicrous.
Christ came and sacrificed Himself for us to rid the world of sin completely.
To think that it will never happen because all was done that would be done isn't a pleasant thought. To think that forever mankind will have to go on living in a world of sin, dying in a world of sin isn't the hope of eternal life in Christ.
For death to be done away with, sin has to be done away with and we are given that promise in Christ that death will be no more. This is a truth not a fable. It is hope, not despair.
Death wasn't done away with for us, we still die. More work is being done to bring this world to a sinless state and take away death once and for all. The way has been made, it is possible for it to be and it WILL be, there is no doubt. Christ paid the price needed and now in the fulness of time all will be true. Christ will come again and sin will be gone completely, death will be no more.
The answers found in the typical Sanctuary services throughout the year fit perfectly into all this. There is a certain peace afforded us in knowing that Christ is our High Priest and soon, sin will be gone completely. We have to cling to our Savior, our only hope for eternal life, only in Him will we find life.
May God help us to understand that the cleansing taking place is for our benefit, that when all who would be saved are saved that the cleansing will be fully made ridding the world entirely of sin. The cleansed will be with Christ, the uncleansed will die, the cause of the uncleansed as typical of the Day of Atonement - the goat - will be led out to the wilderness with all the sins upon him and then gone completely when Christ returns with His people after the 1000 years and the earth is made new-- sinless.
So much to understand, so much to know.
We can't say it's all too complicated, we need to search things out. We need to understand that salvation is found in Christ now and always. In Christ is hope for us all.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.