The Way Study Blog

Sunday, October 4, 2015

A New Name

Once more we will study this Revelation prophecy for the church (God's People) in Philadelphia. The perfection of the seven churches cannot be forgotten. This prophecy along with the others are all equally important, all equally needed throughout time. Let's read through it first and then once more read what the Biblical scholar Uriah Smith has to say. And may the HOLY SPIRIT guide us ONLY to the truth we need, protecting us from all that we do not need. All through our Savior- Jesus Christ, our Lord!

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Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith

Revelation 3-

Verse 7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write;

These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.

9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.

13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The Church of Philadelphia.--The word "Philadelphia" signifies "brotherly love," and expresses the position and spirit of those who received the Advent message up to the autumn of 1844.

The great religious awakening in the early part of the nineteenth century which resulted from a study of the prophecies, culminated in this advent movement. Men from all denominations were convinced that the coming of Christ was near. As they came out of the various churches, they left sectarian names and feelings behind, and every heart beat in unison as all joined to give the alarm to the churches and to the world, and pointed to the coming of the Son of man as the be-

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liever's true hope. Selfishness and covetousness were laid aside, and a spirit of consecration and sacrifice was cherished. The Spirit of God was with every true believer, and his praise upon every tongue. Those who were not in that movement cannot fully realize how great was the searching of heart, the consecration to God, the peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and the pure, fervent love for one another which true believers enjoyed.

"The Key of David."

--A key is a symbol of power. The Son of God is the rightful heir to David's throne; and He is about to take to Himself His great power and to reign; hence He is represented as having the key of David. The throne of David, or of Christ, on which He is to reign, is included in the capital of His kingdom, the New Jerusalem, now above, but which is to be located on this earth, where He is to reign forever and ever. (Revelation 21: 1-5; Luke 1: 32, 33.)

"He That Openeth, and No Man Shutteth."--

To understand this language, it is necessary to look at Christ's position and work as connected with His ministry in the sanctuary, or true tabernacle, above. (Hebrews 8: 2.)

A figure, or pattern, of this heavenly sanctuary once existed here upon earth in the sanctuary built by Moses. (Exodus 25: 8, 9; Acts 7: 44; Hebrews 9: 1, 21, 23, 24.)

The earthly building had two apartments,--the holy place and the most holy place. (Exodus 26: 33, 34.)

In the first apartment were the candlestick, the table of shewbread, and the alter of incense. In the second were the ark, which contained the tables of the covenant, or the ten commandments, and the cherubim. (Hebrews 9: 1-5.)

In like manner the sanctuary in which Christ ministers in heaven has two apartments, for it is clearly stated in Hebrews 9: 21-24 that "both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry" were "patterns of things in the heavens."

As all things were made after the pattern, the heavenly sanctuary has also furniture similar to that of the earthly. For the antitype of the golden candlestick and altar of incense, in the first apartment, see Revelation 4: 5; 8: 3; and for the antitype of the ark of the covenant, with its ten commandments, see Revelation 11: 19.

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In the earthly sanctuary the priests ministered. (Exodus 28: 41, 43; Hebrews 9: 6, 7; 13: 11.)

The ministry of these priests was a shadow of the ministry of Christ in the sanctuary in heaven. (Hebrews 8: 4, 5.)

A complete round of service was performed in the earthly tabernacle once every year. (Hebrews 9: 7.) But in the tabernacle above the service is performed once for all. (Hebrews 7: 27; 9: 12.) At the close of the yearly typical service, the high priest entered the second apartment, the most holy place of the sanctuary, to make an atonement; and this work is appropriately called the cleansing of the sanctuary. (Leviticus 16: 20, 30, 33; Ezekiel 45: 18.) When the ministry in the most holy place began, that in the holy place ceased; and no service was performed there so long as the priest was engaged in the most holy place. (Leviticus 16: 17.)

A similar opening and shutting, or change of ministration, must be accomplished by Christ when the time comes for the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. The time for this service to begin did come at the close of the 2300 days, in 1844.

To this event the opening and shutting mentioned in the text under consideration can appropriately apply, the opening being that of Christ's ministration in the most holy place, and the shutting, its cessation in the first apartment, or holy place. (See exposition of the subject of the sanctuary and its cleansing, under Daniel 8: 14.)

Verse 9 probably applies to those who do not keep pace with the advancing light of truth, and who oppose Christians who do. Such shall yet be made to feel and confess that God loves those who obey His word, and follow in the knowledge of his truth.

"The Word of My Patience."--

John says in Revelation 14: 12: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Those who now live in patient, faithful obedience to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will be kept in the hour of temptation and peril. (See the comments on Revelation 13: 13-17.)

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Behold, I Come Quickly.--

The second coming of Christ is here again brought to view, and with more startling emphasis than in any of the preceding messages. The nearness of that event is here urged upon the attention of believers. The message applies to a period when this great event is impending. In this we have indubitable evidence of the prophetic nature of these messages. What is said of the first three churches contains no allusion to the second coming of Christ, from the fact that they do not cover a period in which that event could Scripturally expected. But with the Thyatira church, the time had come when this great hope was just beginning to dawn upon the church. The mind is carried forward to this hope by a single allusion: "Hold fast till I come."

The next state of the church, the Sardis period, finds the church occupying a position still nearer that event, and the great proclamation is brought to view which was to herald Christ's coming, and the duty of watching is enjoined upon the church: "If thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief." We reach the Philadelphia church still later, and the nearness of the same great event then leads Him who "is holy and true" to utter the stirring declaration, "Behold, I come quickly."

It is evident from this that these churches occupy positions successively nearer the great day of the Lord, as in each succeeding one, and in a continually increasing ratio, this great event is made more and more prominent, and is more definitely and impressively urged upon the attention of the church. Here indeed they see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10: 25.)

The Admonition.--

"Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." By our faithfulness we are not depriving anyone else of a crown. The verb rendered "to take" has a number of definitions, one of which is "to take away, snatch from, deprive of." Let no one, and no thing, induce you to yield the truth, or pervert you from the right ways of the Lord, for by so doing it will cause you to lose the reward.

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The Promise to the Overcomer.--

The overcomer is to be a pillar in the temple of God, and go out no more. The temple here must denote the church, and the promise of being made a pillar in it is the promise of a place of honor, permanence, and safety in the church, under the figure of a heavenly building. When the time comes for this part of the promise to be fulfilled, probation is past, and overcomer is fully established in the truth, and sealed. "He shall go no more out," that is, there is no danger of his falling away, he is the Lord's forever, and his salvation is sure.

From the moment the Christians overcome and are sealed for heaven, they are labeled, if we may so express it, as belonging to God and Christ, and addressed to their destination, the New Jerusalem. They are to have written upon them the name of God, whose property they are, the name of the New Jerusalem, to which place they are going, not old Jerusalem where some are vainly looking. They also have upon them the new name of Christ, by whose authority they are to receive everlasting life, and enter into the kingdom. Thus sealed and labeled, the saints of God are safe. No enemy will be able to prevent their reaching their destination, the glorious haven of rest, the New Jerusalem above.'

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By the grace and mercy of our Lord, may we be among those who receive the new name of Christ, may we be sealed, may we belong to our Lord, NOW and FOREVER!

All through HIM!

Amen!

Saturday, October 3, 2015

We have a Heavenly Sanctuary

Yesterday we talked about the reason WHY we need to study the Sanctuary and the work there in the Sanctuary. We have a HEAVENLY SANCTUARY where our Savior lives and the unfolding of the revealed plan through the earthly sanctuary is taking place and WILL continue to take place until our Savior finishes His work there and stands up- and then the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES- a TIME OF TROUBLE that we can't even imagine- will take place and THEN our SAVIOR WILL RETURN FOR HIS PEOPLE!

This is TRUTH!

This is Biblical truth and we must comprehend this through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us, enlightening us to God's will through His truth!

The book of Revelation has much to say and it goes together with the book of Daniel to do so. We began a study of the book of Revelation and we've paused to expound upon the SANCTUARY, the Heavenly Sanctuary.

This excerpt from our last study - ' There was the Holy Place, not vacant and meaningless, and the Most Holy Place, where the final decree regarding sin and sinners was prefigured each year in the great Day of Atonement.' This is where we are now in our study-------

May God bless us as we search for His truth and ONLY His truth- through Jesus Christ our Lord!

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1981 Jun -- XIV 6(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - II -- As we continue our discussion about the Atonement - and specifically that phase of the atonement which involves man's at-one-ment with God - we shall consider the second step as pre-figured in the earthly type.

In the First Apartment --

In the earthly sanctuary service, all ministry within the first apartment was done by the priests. It was the priest who placed the incense on the golden altar, which stood before the second veil, both morning and evening; and who "dressed" the lamps simultaneously. (Ex. 30:6-8) Prepared by the Levites, the cakes of shewbread were placed by the priests on the Table opposite the Golden Candlesticks, and were renewed every Sabbath day. (Lev. 24:5-8). But while the priests were ministers of the Holy Place, the people were involved in that ministry. They were commanded to provide oil for the lamps (Lev. 24:2); they were assessed an half shekel for the service of the sanctuary. This assessment was considered as "an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls." (Ex. 30:13-16) Thus the very materials purchased by the half shekel, and used by the priests in the ritual of the Holy Place were considered a part of the ongoing atonement.

Theologically, the services and articles of furniture in the Holy Place have been understood to represent the experience called sanctification. In the type by the assessment of the half shekel and the purpose for which it was used, and how the Lord regarded it, we can understand that what we call sanctification is a part of the atonement - man becoming at-one with God.

The people of Israel sensed the typical meaning of the first apartment ritual. The offering of the incense - both morning and evening - was recognized as a time of prayer. (Luke 1:10) Since the lamps were trimmed at the same time, they could perceive a meaning in this act as well - "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Ps. 119:105) The service connected with the Table of Shewbread reminded them weekly of their responsibilities under the Fourth Commandment.

With the establishment of the New Covenant, the involvement of the ones who had become atone with God through the priestly act of Jesus resulting from the sacrifice of Himself as Substitute was more direct. They are pictured as participants in the ministry before the Throne in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. There the four and twenty elders have "everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." (Rev. 5:8)

p 2 -- Representing the 24 courses of the Levitical priesthood, these 24 Elders are no longer restricted to the tribe of Levi, but have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." (Rev. 5:9) While redeemed members of the human family serve with their great High Priest in the ministry of the first apartment of the tabernacle "which the Lord pitched and not man" (Heb. 8:2); the earthly believer is also considered a part of this royal priesthood, thus becoming a part of the kingdom of priests to which all Israel were called, but to which Israel never attained. (I Peter 2:9; Ex. 19:5-6) The "priesthood of all believers" involves more than mere equality of rank, but involves active participation in the daily "dressing" of the lamps; the offering of the incense morning and evening; and the weekly participation in the renewing of the bread of His presence on the Holy Sabbath.

In this priestly ministry under the New Covenant, the believer has committed himself to a work of a lifetime - daily, both morning and evening, he holds communion with his God; the light of the Spirit guides in his life's decisions; and each week he partakes with his fellow "priests" of the bread of God's presence as found in the Word, and through this fellowship a renewing of their perceptions and commitment. To perceive the depths of this ongoing atonement provided through Jesus Christ, the great High Priest over the household of God, one can find endless insights as the mind is directed by the Holy Spirit in the study of the symbols devised by God in the lesson plans for the earthly sanctuary.

The Bible pictures not only Christ as the minister of the true tabernacle where in its first apartment He ministers as "a Lamb as it had been slain;" but also as the One who has obtained from the Father, the light of the seven golden candlesticks which is "sent forth into all the earth." (Rev. 5:6) It is through this Holy Spirit that where two or three are gathered together in His name partaking of the heavenly Shewbread - He is in the midst of them. This church on earth and the Church of the heavenly Jerusalem become one through the ministry of Jesus "the mediator of the new covenant" and "the blood of sprinkling." (Heb. 12:22-24) From an individual judicial atonement resulting from the acceptance of the Substitute sacrificed "in the court," and the mediation of that blood upon "Mt. Sion," we enter an individual-corporate atonement process in the first apartment ministry, a process which is to be completed in the Most Holy Place as a corporate atonement, or as prefigured in the type - a national atonement.

In the Most Holy Place -- It is of utmost importance to note that 0. R. L. Crosier in his study - "The Sanctuary" - first appearing in the Day Star, Extra, February 7, 1846, and reprinted again in the 1850 Advent Review, a 48-page pamphlet, notes the daily ministry in the earthly sanctuary which pertained to the sin offerings as "the individual atonement," and the once-a-year ministry in the Most Holy Place as "the National Atonement." To this concept, we have given little attention. In simple language, it means a corporate atonement.

Introducing this concept, Crosier used Hebrews 9:7 - "But into the second [apartment] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people." He emphasized - "errors of the people," defining people as "nation" from the Greek word used - AaoV.

p 3 -- This was to emphasize the corporate idea involved rather than the result to a single individual. This concept is emphasized in the Levitical detailing of the ritual to be performed on the Day of Atonement. The two goats over which the lots were cast were to be taken from "the congregation of the children of Israel." (Lev. 16:5) The one which became the Lord's goat is designated as "the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people." (verse. 15) The atonement was made "because of the uncleaness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins." (ver. 16) The ritual commanded was declared to be an "everlasting statute" by which "to make atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year." (ver. 34) Further, this was noted by God as "the sin offering of atonements" (Ex. 30:10) All previous offerings by which atonement was realized find their ultimate objective in this final atonement. It was national, collective, and corporative.

This atonement of atonements involved "the holy place within the vail", because "of the uncleanness of the children of Israel." (Lev. 16:2,16) It involved "the tabernacle of the congregation" [the first apartment]; "the altar that is before the Lord" (ver. 18); and the priests and "all the people of the congregation." (ver. 33) Its purpose - that the people "be clean from all [their] sins before the Lord." (ver. 30)

In this study of the services of the Day of Atonement, it must be clearly understood that the people's involvement in the ritual of this day, whether considered collectively, or individually was absolutely nil. It was the blood of the goat designated as "the Lord's goat" (See Lev. 16:8-9) which accomplished the atonement. It was the High Priest arrayed in his holy garments who entered the Most Holy Place alone to minister the atonement of atonements.

This Day was to be to the people a holy convocation (Numbers 29:7) As they assembled, and throughout the day, they were to "afflict their souls." (Lev. 23:27, 32) In it they were to do no work - for if anyone did he would be destroyed from "among the people." (ver. 30) This people as they assembled, assembled as "forgiven sinners" not as "cleansed saints." That was to be the result of the atonement made on this Day. Even though throughout the year, they had assembled morning and evening at the time of prayer; even though they had diligently sought to know and practice the precepts of the Lord, they still were unclean before the Lord. And nothing which they could do on the Day of Atonement could gain them merit. They were to do no work, and anyone who attempted to accomplish something by his works was to be destroyed from among the people. The blood of the Lord's goat, and the ministry of the High Priest alone would attain the atonement of atonements. This was the type.

In the great antitypical Day of Atonement in the sanctuary which the Lord pitched and not man, our great High Priest, with His perfect holiness and by His own blood will accomplish the cleansing of not just one individual, but the cleansing of His people. This cleansing will be of a people who know they have been forgiven, and that at the foot of the Cross - before the altar of the court - is the highest place they can attain; a people who are not seeking perfection by their own works, but who find in their communion with God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that humility of soul, that distrustfulness of self which God delights to honor. "Blessed are they who know their spiritual poverty, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:3 RBV)

p 4 -- It must also be recalled from the type given that as God made a covenant with Moses as representative of the people - a covenant to which the people did not assent to as a nation, but which through the "daily" services of the sanctuary they individually acknowledged by the bringing of their sin offerings, so Christ has been accepted by the Father as the representative of the individuals who accept Him as their Substitute - their Sin-Offering. For these people - collectively - He will make the atonement of atonements. They are His people. As a Representative of them, He has covenanted to "make a man more precious than gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir." (Isa. 13:12)1 This He will do; but it must be kept in mind that He and He alone will do it! He does it in and for those who recognize themselves as sinners, not perfected saints. It was this He made painfully clear to the "religious" during the days of His earthly ministry. He said "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Matt. 9:13)

As our High Priest, Christ will obtain from the Father all power necessary for the accomplishment of His part of the covenant so that the ultimate objective of the at-one-ment may be realized - "Father, I will that they also, whom thou has given me, be with me where I am." (John 17:24) For who is like unto our heavenly Father, who "pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will [respond], He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; [He] will cast all [our] sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:18-19) And when this shall have been accomplished in the atonement of the atonements, then we shall see His face, and His name shall be in our foreheads. In that hour we shall experience the fullness of the atonement (Rev, 22:4)

Our Father, as He sees the host of the redeemed - His earth-born children come home - will rejoice over [them] with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over [them] with singing." (Zeph. 3:17)

l Isaiah 13:12 is a very important text. The promise to make a man more precious than fine gold is placed in a time setting in context with "the day of the Lord." Following the fulfillment of the prophecy - "the sun shall be darkened in his going forth" (verse 10) - and before "the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, I and in the day of His fierce anger" - this promise is to be fulfilled. Thus between the Dark Day, May 19, 1780, and the close of human probation, Christ will make a man as precious as the golden wedge of Ophir. Thus the timing of this promise coincides with the antitypical Day of Atonement - the Day of the Atonement of the Atonements. (See Isa. 13:9-13; Dan. 8:14)

"Let no one take the limited, narrow position that any of the works of man can help in the least possible way to liquidate the debt of his transgression. This is a fatal deception. If you would understand it, you must cease haggling over your pet ideas, and with humble hearts survey the atonement. This matter is so dimly comprehended that thousands upon thousands claiming to be sons of God are children of the wicked one, because they will depend on their own works."

(Ms 50, 1900; 6BC: 1071)

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The knowledge revealed will NOT ever be hidden again! For thousands of years the message was hid, the book sealed, the knowledge unrevealed. For THOUSANDS of years the knowledge just wasn't allowed and now that it is allowed many people could care less. People say it's getting bogged down in semantics and unnecessary trappings, so the truth is hidden but they couldn't be more wrong. Studying to know the revealed truth is vital. We are told this--

Mat_13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Treasure in a field. You find that treasure and you give all you have to buy the field where the treasure is hid so the treasure will belong to you. You are counting on riches beyond imagination when you give up everything for those riches. The kingdom of heaven is the richest treasure a person could ever obtain. Will you give all you can to obtain the kingdom of heaven? I'm NOT talking about working your way to heaven but the contrary. Surrendering all of yourself and seeking the will of God in all things, is this something you're willing to do? Does God want us to comprehend the signs of the times we live in?

Mat_24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mat_24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Mat_25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Mar_13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Mar_13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Luk_21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

1Th_5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1Pe_4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Rev_3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

We are to WATCH. This is a command of activity, not of inactive participation. We are called to watch! And we watch by studying. To not study, to not constantly seek to learn more of our Lord and His will is a fools folly.

The book of Revelation that gives us a BLESSING as we read, hear, and keep the sayings within is worth the STUDY and all it leads us to comprehend. The door of knowledge was opened and will never be shut by any man.

Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Rev 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

We are kept by CHRIST!

We must HOLD FAST so no MAN takes our crowns. Man will try! It is possible for people to take the truth from us if we allow them to. We can give in to the pressures all around us to conform to the lies. We are shown the brilliant lies of the deceivers, lies that make satan appear as an angel of light, and when we do not accept the lies many others are going to believe we are of satan and will do all in their power to convince us that we are on the wrong path. This hour of temptation we will be kept from by our SAVIOR and we must HOLD FAST to the truth we know and not be seduced by the great deceiver.

More tomorrow by the grace and mercy of our LORD, our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! May we know ONLY HIS TRUTH!

Friday, October 2, 2015

The Atonement - In Prophecy

Right now was are studying prophecy though it may not appear to be so. In the Books of Revelation and Daniel we are given the sanctuary message and that message is all about making atonement- AT ONE MENT - man with God. Mankind estranged itself from its Creator-God and rather than destroy mankind, the Creator-God made a way for mankind to once more be reunited with Him. However sin has only ONE punishment- DEATH. Either we would have to die the eternal death or another would have to die for us, another would have to die in our place. Death- the penalty for sin would have to be paid one way or another. And then God the declared Heavenly Father, with God the declared Only Begotten Son of the Father, enacted the plan of salvation and that plan included the ATONEMENT. A figure on earth, a type on earth of what would be needed in heaven- ceremonial laws were given, people were taught to comprehend in the example of the figure of the true to come.

We need to know all we can about the sanctuary (earthly and heavenly), and all we can about the atonement (earthly and heavenly). What our Savior is doing in the heavenly sanctuary is immensely important to us because this is the work He is undertaking right now, right up until the moment He stands up and declares the work finished, and He returns to earth to gather His people of whom we desire to be among. So let's continue our study on the atonement, seeking God's TRUTH through the Holy Spirit's guidance, let our eyes of understanding be opened, may we be spiritually enlightened all by the GRACE and MERCY of our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.

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1981 May-- XIV 5(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - I Author William Grotheer

(((continued from yesterday's blog study))))

This second aspect of the atonement - man becoming one with God begins at the same point - the Cross.

Here his healing begins for in the Cross he comes to see the real significance of where his mental derangement will lead. If God had only the judicial aspect of the atonement in mind to effect the redemption of man - justification - Gethsemane would have sufficed. There the cup was accepted, and there the blood first touched the ground. (Luke 22:44) Thus Gethsemane could have become the antitypical Altar. Why then the Cross? THE CROSS BRINGS TO OUR POOR DERANGED AND DULL SENSES THAT SIN IS THE WILL TO KILL GOD. Jesus had told the Jews that the lusts of their father the devil they would do. Being a murderer from the beginning - desiring to kill the Immortal Potentate, Satan would have them do that very thing to God's Son in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt. (John 8:44) When we truly perceive what sin really is, our thinking is rearranged, and we see in Him whom we have pierced, our Sacrifice and Substitute.

However, with the healing of our thought processes, we are still short of the glory of God. We are still just as unable to meet the judicial requirements of God as stated in His law, as we were before we found our place at the foot of the Cross. But He who became our Sacrifice and Substitute speaks to us, and says I will be your Mediator - your Priest. I will accomplish your atonement with your God. And so "of Him are [we] in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (I Cor. 1:30) "Wisdom" - for by the Cross we see the real meaning of sin; "righteousness" for by His righteousness God is able to declare "the remission of sins that are past." (Rom. 3:25); "sanctification" for by His sanctification the truth is to be inwrought in our lives (John 17:19); and "redemption" for by that redemption our vile bodies shall be changed into the likeness of His "glorious body" (Phil 3:21); - yea all this is for us by Jesus Christ that "in all things He might have the preeminence." (Col. 1:18) But in this divine process whereby we become atone with God and see His face again (Rev. 22:4), there are specific acts to be performed on both the part of the priest and the individual. These conditions were outlined in the types of the earthly sanctuary which foreshadowed the work and ministry of our great High Priest as He makes atonement for us in the sanctuary of the heavens.

In the Court --

The principle article of furniture as far as the individual was concerned was the Brazen Altar. On this Altar was offered the sin offering. While the disposition of the blood varied with the status of the sinner, the process by which it was presented, and the ultimate result reflecting back on the sinner was the same. The one presenting the animal of the sin offering must bring it "to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord." (Lev. 4:4) Then he would "lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering" before the Lord. (Lev. 4:29) With this ritual the participation of the sinner ceased. But in his participation, he had performed two very meaningful acts.

p 4 -- First, he had presented a substitute to meet the demands of justice, and secondly, he himself slew the substitute.

At the point when the victim was killed, the priest took over. He either ministered the blood directly before "the veil of the sanctuary" (Lev. 4:6), or he partook of the flesh of the sin offering. (Lev. 10:17) Through the priestly act, atonement was made, and forgiveness was extended to the sinner. (Lev. 4:20) Again this ritual tells us something. The atonement of man with God was not made until after the sacrificial substitute was offered. The result of the atonement was forgiveness - judicial in its results, because the sinner had just as much a potential to sin after the sin offering was presented as he had before its presentation. The forgiveness extended had only one effect upon him - he could rest in the consciousness of freedom from the guilt caused by his sin. He stood before his God as though he had never sinned. The victim had borne his sin, and had been accepted in his place.

The Hebrew word translated "atonement" in describing the ritual of the sanctuary is kah-phar. It means literally "to cover." Its first use in Scripture had to do with Noah's ark. There God commanded Noah - "Make yourself an ark of gopher wood, and cover it inside and out with pitch." (Gen. 6:14 RSV) In the sanctuary service as pertaining to the sin offering, the priest made the "covering." The sin of the sinner was open - he confessed, and was deserving of death, but had presented a substitute. By the means of the blood of the substitute, the priest had in turn "covered" his sin. In the reality, Jesus became both Substitute, and Priest, one following the other. As the great High Priest over the house of God, He has effected the judicial atonement - whether individual or corporate - covering the sins of all who "come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:25)

If in the sanctuary service, the ritual of the Court had been all that was to be performed, and the first apartment into which the priest went with the blood of the sin offering was a vacant vestibule, then we might conclude that the "new theology" had some merit. But the Scripture plainly teaches that beyond the judicial atonement was MUCH MORE to be performed by the priests on behalf,of the sinner directly effecting his final atonement with God. There was the Holy Place, not vacant and meaningless, and the Most Holy Place, where the final decree regarding sin and sinners was prefigured each year in the great Day of Atonement. These we shall discuss in the next thought paper, God willing.' - End thought paper excerpt.

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You see, we need to comprehend that there is MORE than Jesus dying upon the cross, more than His resurrection, more than His ascent to heaven and stopping there. HOW pointless would it be, seriously, how pointless would it be for our Savior to return to heaven recently resurrected, to only sit there as a figurehead with nothing else to do at all but let thousands and thousands of years go by watching the ongoing suffering of mankind whom He died to save. Sure, some will argue that He is in heaven greeting the thousands that die every day, but DEATH IS A SLEEP, not some ticket to heaven redeemable upon breathing your last fleshly breath. Our Savior is our great high priest.

Heb_4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

And our great high priest is our priest for a reason. As typified in the earthly example, a priest had priestly work to undertake, and our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, was NO different.

We are going to continue with this sanctuary/atonement study tomorrow, learning more and more about the work of our Great High Priest.

Prophecy tells us that our Savior, our Great High Priest will FINISH His work…

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book

When our Great High Priest is finished with His heavenly work then His people are delivered, everyone found written in the book of life!

Shouldn't we want to know all we can about our Heavenly High Priest and His work in the heavenly sanctuary? Yes, we should want to know all we can and by the grace of God we will.

All in the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior, our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever!

Amen!

Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Sanctuary and Atonement

Spiritual eyes opened never to be closed. Truth that can't be untold. The revealing that can't be unrevealed. Yes, doors can be shut, but no man can shut the door that our Savior has opened. This open door to the truth, this knowledge that was allowed at its proper time to come forth and change the spiritual world as well as the physical, is something amazing, this is a door that can never be shut. Unfortunately, the narrow way is one FEW will find. People love to stop their spiritual journey at a few favorite verses, a few nice ideas, a lovely concept here and there. Some enjoy attending sermons, seminars, lectures and such to hear things that make their lives more meaningful. And some even do want the truth but those are FEW. I have to keep saying it over and over throughout my studies because it's what GOD'S word says! It's God's truth that the narrow way is HARD to find, that FEW will find it!

Doesn't it warrant our utmost undivided attention to study deeply a book once shut that is now open? A book of prophecy! A book that would foretell history right up until the end of our world as we know it. It's a book that can be understood through history but only with the Holy Spirit's guidance. Many have perverted its contents in many ways to suit their own end. Many don't even try to comprehend because it's so confusing to them and they believe it to be impossible to understand.

The truth is available to us through our Savior! You may be wondering how I know what we are studying is the truth. I know I believe in my Savior and through Him, I will know the truth whatever that may be. If you believe you know the Savior and He has guided you to a different truth, that is between you and Him, just as my own beliefs are between me and my Lord.

May He guide us all to HIM and only HIS truth!

Continuing with our study, we talked about the temple- the type and anti-type.

There is so much to this that we have to take a bit to study it once more--

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Why is it important that we study the sanctuary?

Hebrews {8:1} 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; {8:2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

This is why.

We have a minister of the sanctuary.

A minister of the true tabernacle.

A minister of the tabernacle the Lord pitched and not man.

We have a High Priest.

Hebrews {9:11} But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; {9:12} Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

But Christ being come an high priest.

By a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands.

Not by blood of goats and calves.

By His own blood he entered in once into the holy place.

Do you see why we should study the sanctuary? What it meant to be given the sanctuary, what it meant so that we can understand even more fully what our Lord and Savior has done in becoming a High Priest for us.

Some might think all that sanctuary stuff has been done away with and is nonsense destroyed by Jesus, but I don't think that at all. I think the old covenant with the earthly sanctuary served its purpose in being an example. Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection are all tied into the old covenant as He made a new one.

Sometimes in life we don't *have* to understand the old way of things to be part of the new way, but history is taught in all our schools because history shows us where we've been, how far we've come, it reveals the good and the bad and we constantly seek to make our present and future lives something meaningful so that one day when it to is history we'll be able to say that we progress, we learned from the old and welcomed the new.

Learning from the old can sometimes fully explain the new for those seeking a deep understanding of things more than a superficial one. Sometimes we are called to a deeper understanding, sometimes it is very necessary especially when Satan would have us give up hope and make it all a lie. The deeper rooted we are into the Word of God the harder it will be to uproot us. I pray that God through His Holy Spirit by the Grace and Mercy of His Son, our eyes and hearts are opened to the understanding He would have us find in Him through love.

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1981 May-- XIV 5(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - I Author William Grotheer

1981 May-- XIV 5(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - I -- The word - atonement - is an English word coming from "atone," a word in Middle English meaning - at one. So we can say that atonement means simply to be at one again with a person from whom we have become estranged. When applied to theology, it indicates the reconciliation between God and man, and man and God. There is only one thing that has separated between God and man, and man and God, and that is sin.

In the case of man's alienation from God, the Scripture states it very simply - "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) Paul summarizes the condition of man by quoting from the Old Testament - As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10-12)

With God, the alienation was forced upon Him by man's actions, not by any action initiated by Him. Isaiah declared - "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." (Isa. 59:2) God is holy and righteous. The Psalmist sang that "righteousness and judgment are the basis of His throne." (Ps. 97:2 Heb.) Sin - rebellion - on the other hand had challenged the very foundations of the government of God. Justice demanded that the traitors be executed. There is, however, another aspect to the character of God. His holiness and His righteousness emanate from a heart of love. Love devised an atonement that would meet the demands of justice, and thus secure the Throne, and would provide a means for the healing and restoration of the traitor.

Before we can understand the atonement devised by God, we must understand the sickness of man. All sin represents degrees of insanity. We continue in our rebellion because "the whole head is sick." (Isa. 1:5) Sin originated with a created being whose mind became deranged. The prophet stated of Lucifer under the symbolism of the king of Tyrus - "Thou has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." (Eze. 28:17) How could a created being ever think that he could destroy an immortal God, and take His place? But once in the pathway of insanity, this arch-traitor led our first parents into sin by a derangement of their thought patterns, a subversion of the higher nature to the lower. The atonement must bring healing to the mind, and restoration of the glorious character lost through this deceptive derangement.

There is, however, that judicial aspect of judgment with which God had also to

p 2 -- deal so that He could be at-one-ment with sinful man, and thus effect the healing of man. "The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23) But who would be willing to die as a substitute, and who could die in such a capacity so that the demands of justice might be met? There was only One, and that was the Son of God. To Abraham who was bringing his "only son" as an offering to God, the Spirit encouraged his heart so that he could say to Isaac - "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." (Gen. 22:8) And He did! "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) "The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all . . . His soul [was made] an offering for sin." (Isa. 53:6, 10) Thus the first great question of the Atonement found an answer - How can God be just, and yet justify the sinner? (See Rom. 1:16-17; 3:24-26) We can, therefore, from the viewpoint of God - and only from that viewpoint - speak of the Cross as an atonement. The Cross is an atonement only in this phase of the relationship - God becoming at one with man. In the cross man is provided by God what could be called a "second chance," but which is in reality an opportunity to escape his corporate involvement in the first choice made for him by the father of the race, for "by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation." (Rom. 5:18)

The significance of this atonement with man on the part of God is illustrated in covenant-history. Israel was assembled before Mount Sinai. They had heard the voice of God proclaim His law amid thunderings and lightenings. They listened carefully as Moses read "the book of the covenant" which he had prepared under the direction of God. To what they heard, Israel responded - "All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Ex. 24:7) In this book of the covenant had been written as its preamble the requirement of God for singleness of worship on the part of Israel. It read - "Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." (Ex. 20:22-23) Within forty days following the ratification of this blood covenant, and the solemn commitment of Israel, they gave their adoration to the "golden calf" of Egyptian devil worship. They repeated the sin of Adam and Eve in giving their loyalty and allegiance to the enemy of God.

The reaction of God to this apostasy was swift. Moses was immediately informed by God as to what was happening in the camp below, and was told that He no longer considered them His people. (Ex. 32:7) Moses after returning to the encampment of Israel from his dialogue with God in the Mount, removed the "tabernacle" of meeting without the camp. (Ex. 33:7) Then he told the people - "Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord, peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin." (Ex. 32:30) The result of this interceding of Moses, and the exchange that took place between him and God is given in God's final answer to Moses' pleadings - "The Lord said to Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel." (Ex. 34:27) Israel's commitment was not secured to this covenant. It was a covenant by which Moses stood as surety for Israel's compliance, and through which God could once more become atonement with Israel. It was a "type" covenant of the "atonement" achieved by Christ for man to effect God's reconciliation with man. God became at one again with humanity in Christ Jesus. Even, as God talked with Moses face to face (Deut. 34:10) so Christ in His glorified humanity is in the very presence of God to speak for man. (Heb. 4:14-15)

The fact should not be overlooked that at the time when Israel was forfeiting

p 3 -- their rights as God's people in the worship of the golden calf, and demonstrating the inability of man to keep any covenant to which mentally he would agree, God was giving to Moses "the plan" by which man can become at-one with God. The sanctuary and its services, which were to operate as "types" under a type-covenant, were being revealed to Moses. (See Ex. 24:18-32:1)

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And with that note we will pick up with the next part of our Sanctuary study tomorrow.

There is a lot of food for thought here, a lot.

The fact that we are each responsible for the slaying of the innocent Lamb of God, responsible in a REAL way, not an imagined abstract way. Our sins, our seeking to kill God, to separate ourselves from God is so real. We don't want to look at sin that way. We want to look at it as harmless little acts we are compelled to perform beyond our ability to control. We want to take ourselves, our blame out of the equation and toss it elsewhere. We want to imagine that those little defiant acts that scream selfishness and self love over God love aren't so bad as all that. Sin is horrific and when we take the true nature of sin and try to conform it into something it isn't who are we deceiving but ourselves? Yes, the heavy weight of the knowledge is grievous and we can't imagine ever being sinless, and this is where our faith has to come into play. Our faith and our belief that God is willing to guide us to the acceptable place in our lives through the mercy and grace of His slain Son, not because we deserve it, because we don't, but because He loves us with an unimaginable love.

By His Grace. By His Mercy. By His Love.

Amen.

Revelation Chapter 3 -

Verse-

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write;

These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

8 I know thy works:

behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:

for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.

9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;

behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Only Truth

Continuing with our study on the book of Revelation. May God BLESS us as we read and keep the sayings within.