'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.'

Atonement study continued…

'In the common acceptation of the word, the term scape-goat is applied to any miserable vagabond who has become obnoxious to the claims of justice; and while it is revolting to all our conception of the character and glory of Christ, to apply this term to him, it must strike every one as a very appropriate designation of the devil, who is styled in the Scriptures, the accuser, adversary, angel of the bottomless pit, Beelzebub, Belial, dragon, enemy, evil spirit, father of lies, murderer, prince of devils, serpent, tempter, etc.

In Rev. 20, there is something that bears a striking analogy to the action of the High Priest in regard to the scape-goat, and is, doubtless, a fulfillment of that type. This scripture, ushering in the first resurrection—the resurrection of the just, who are raised at the coming of Christ,—certainly refers to a period beyond human probation, and therefore after the sanctuary is cleansed.

An angel is seen to come down from Heaven, and bind the dragon, which is the devil, and cast him into the bottomless pit, where he is shut up a thousand years.

By reference to the Scripture use of this term abyss (rendered bottomless pit), we find the very idea of Lev. 16:21,22 carried out, for it is literally a desert waste, void, or land not inhabited. In every place where the term is used in such a manner as to determine a locality, it is connected with the earth, or a part of the earth. In Rev. 9, at the sounding of the fifth trumpet, the abyss was opened, and locusts came out, etc. This describes the action of the Mahometan power. In chap, 11, the beast that ascends out of the abyss is said to make war against the two witnesses and to kill them. By careful expositors of prophecy this is referred to the French Revolution. In chap. 17, the seven-headed and ten-horned beast is said to ascend out of the abyss. Chap. 13:1-10 refers to the same beast in another phase of its existence, and these chapters clearly point out European powers. Thus far we find it confined to the earth. Paul, in Rom. 10:7, uses this term in the same manner. “Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead).” The abyss, here rendered deep, in other places rendered bottomless pit, refers to the grave, or, at most, to the state of death. In Gen. 1:2, “and darkness was upon the face of the deep,” the abyss points out a void, waste, or uninhabitable state of the earth; and in no

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case, where it is possible to trace its connection, has it any other location but the earth.

Two facts only need notice to show the perfect fulfillment of the types in the scripture under consideration. (1) Satan is called the prince of the power of the air. By his creation as an exalted angel he has the power of traversing the air as well as the earth. To deprive him of that power and confine him to the earth would fulfill Rev. 20. (2) When Satan is bound, at the coming of Christ, the earth will be desolated, and left without an inhabitant.

As a very brief summary of the proof on this point, the following facts and scriptures are offered:— At the coming of Christ the saints will ascend to meet the Lord in the air, and be taken to those mansions which he has gone to prepare for them. “For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come; so now I say to you.” “Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterward.” “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 13:33, 36; 14:1-3. Compare Rev. 4:6, and 15:2.

Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 

 The wicked will all be destroyed from the face of the earth at that time. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” 2 Thess. 1:6-9. Most

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decisive proof to the same point is given in Rev. 19:11-21. The King of kings, and Lord of lords, who in righteousness judges and makes war, appears to smite the nations and to tread the wine-press of the wrath of God. An angel calls to the fowls of heaven to come to the supper which the great God has prepared for them; “that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.” The armies of earth are then gathered against the Conqueror, and the beast and the false prophet, and their worshipers are slain. “And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth.” And so Paul speaks of “that wicked” at the coming of Christ: “Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” 2 Thess. 2:8. God, whose voice once shook the earth, when he spoke his law on Sinai, will speak again with a voice which will shake both earth and heaven. Heb. 12:25, 26. And we learn that “a great voice out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne,” will be heard when the last plague is poured out, as Jesus says, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth.” Rev. 16:12-21.

Jeremiah describes the drinking by the nations of the wine-cup of God’s fury, which “all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth,” shall drink; and they shall all “fall, and rise no more,” because of the sword which the Lord shall send among them. The Lord has a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh. “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” Jer. 25:15 to the end of the chapter. Note on these texts: Paul says the voice of the Lord will be heard but once from Heaven. John says this is just before Christ come as a thief. Joel says it is in the day of the great battle, and the treading of the wine-press of the wrath of God. See also Rev. 14:14-20.

Rev 14:14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 

Rev 14:15  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

Rev 14:16  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 

Rev 14:17  And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 

Rev 14:18  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 

Rev 14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 

Rev 14:20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. 

Jeremiah says all the nations shall drink of the wine cup of God’s

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fury, and “all the wicked” be given to the sword. Now when the righteous are taken away from the earth, and all the wicked slain, the earth will be left empty, and without inhabitants. Therefore the following scriptures refer to that time. Jer.4:19-29. Verse23 says the earth was without form and void; in the same chaotic state in which it was when first created, before the Spirit of God, in formative power, moved upon the face of the deep—the abyss. “Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.” Isa. 24:1; the entire chapter is on this subject. “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. . . The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation. . . . Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.” Zeph. 1:2, 14-18.

Thus the Scriptures clearly prove that the earth is yet to be desolated, without an inhabitant, broken down, without form and void, even as it was when first created, before man was made to dwell upon it. In this condition it was called “the deep,” “the abyss,” which in our version is rendered “bottomless pit.” He who has been “the prince of the power of the air,” will be confined thereon during the thousand years, Rev. 20:4, to behold the desolation which his rebellion has caused. And thus the antitype of the scape-goat will be sent away, with the sins of God’s true Israel upon his head, “to a land not inhabited.” Lev. 16:22.

Of all that God has revealed by his holy prophets, nothing else fulfills, to the letter, the type of the scape-goat upon whom the high priest placed the sins of Israel after the atonement was fully made,—when he came out from the presence of God to pronounce the benediction of Heaven upon his waiting people. Some have been troubled over Lev. 16:10, where the scape-goat is reserved also “to make an atonement with him, and to let him go

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for a scape-goat into the wilderness.” While, in general, the definition of the original is, to cover, expiate, or forgive, Gesenius gives as one definition, “to do away, or obliterate.”

Now we have constantly insisted that the forgiveness of sin was relative; not absolute, as most writers on the atonement affirm. Forgiveness in probation, in our being justified by faith, has reference to the decisions of the future Judgment. And in the final remission, in the atonement, sin is not so “blotted out,” as to be counted as no more existing. Sin is a terrible stain upon the fair universe of God. It is not a matter to be passed over lightly. When it is fully forgiven to the penitent ones, and altogether removed from God’s people, it still has an existence, and falls somewhere else; in the type, on the scape-goat; in the antitype, on the devil. And when he is destroyed, sin perishes with him, it is, in his extinction, literally “done away, or obliterated.” But he has nothing to do with the Atonement.

As soon as the sins of Israel are removed from the most holy—the place of judgment—the work is finished for the people, judgment being rendered in their favor; and the priest no longer represents them as a people in danger of condemnation; no longer bears sin as their sin, but only to place it on the head of its originator. Practically, as far as the people of God are concerned, it would not make a particle of difference whether laid on Satan, or disposed of some other way; they are secure when the blood on the mercy-seat has procured release for them, as they are acquitted at the throne of judgment.

Though the conclusion seems unavoidable that Satan is the antitype of the scape-goat, in whose person sin is finally destroyed or obliterated, we cannot yield to the assertion that Satan thereby takes part in the work of atonement for man, or bears sin in the sense of suffering the penalty of our transgressions. It has been affirmed (page 31), and we think correctly, that a voluntary substitute is necessary to meet the demands of justice. This position our Saviour occupied; but neither Scripture nor reason lead us to suppose that Satan will ever consent to die for us, or for our sins; he is never spoken of as a ransom; never said to die for us; never represented as a means of redemption. And, as quoted by Mr.  Beecher, the scape-goat was not considered as a sacrifice. Whatever may be ultimately done with our sins under the appointment of God; whatever may be done

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with or to Satan in the closing up of the great rebellion against the throne of Heaven; the bearing of our sins, and dying for us, and meeting in his own person the demands of the violated law for our sakes, is clearly and distinctly set forth in the divine word as the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and in this work he stands alone—no one shares it with him to any extent whatever. And to him shall be the glory, and honor, and praise forever. But what is the part that Satan performs? Simply that of receiving upon himself the infinite weight of sins which he has instigated, and being sent away under their intolerable load. And here we would ask, What could be more fitting than that the author and instigator of all sin should receive the guilt of those transgressions which he has incited mortals to commit, but of which they have repented, back upon his own head? And what could be a more striking antitype of the ancient ceremony of sending away the scape-goat into the wilderness, than the act of the mighty angel in binding Satan and casting him into the bottomless pit at the commencement of the thousand years?

This is a point of transcendent interest to every believer. Then the sins of God’s people will be borne away to be remembered no more forever. Then he who instigated them, will have received them back again. Then the serpent’s head will have been bruised by the seed of the woman. Then the “strong man armed” (Satan) will have been bound by a stronger than he (Christ), and the house of the strong man (the grave) spoiled of its goods, the saints. Matt. 12:29; Heb. 2:14. Then will the work of the enemy in sowing tares among the wheat (Matt. 13:24-45), be forever remedied, and the tares will have been gathered into bundles to burn, and the wheat gathered into the garner. Then our great High Priest will have come forth from the sanctuary to pronounce the everlasting blessing upon his waiting people. Then shall we have come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. Then will the redeemed, placing the foot of triumph upon the world, the flesh, and the devil, raise their glad voices in the song of Moses and the Lamb. Oh, glorious day! May the Lord hasten it in his good time. Who would not, in view of this,

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take up the petition of the beloved John, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”

(To be continued)

(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:

THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

  (1884)

BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER

Our Sins Placed Upon Satan.

'CHAPTER IX.

THE SCAPE-GOAT

In commenting on the position of certain authors on the relations of the death of Christ, it was remarked that pardon, during probation, is not absolute, but relative. It is conditional, as the Scriptures clearly show. God never disregards the claims of his law—of justice. In forgiving the sinner so that he escapes the penalty he has deserved, God does not overlook the crime, or treat it as a matter to be lightly passed over. But he transfers the sin to another who bears it in his stead, and suffers for him. The sin was counted as still existing—an offense against Heaven’s King. This is further shown by the action of the priest on the day of atonement. His service did not end with cleansing the sanctuary, or in blotting out the sins of the people from the book of judgment. The sin still existed, though they were cleansed; and it was removed from the presence of God to another object. Two goats were presented before the Lord, and lots were cast upon them; one to be a sin offering, to be slain, the blood of which was sprinkled in the sanctuary; the other for a scape-goat, which was not slain, and concerning which the priest took no action till after the Atonement was made.

Let not the reader mistake the import of this expression. We do not say that the priest took no action with the scape-goat until after the sin offering was slain. The statement reaches far beyond that; he took no action concerning the scape-goat until after he had taken the blood of the sin offering into the sanctuary and exercised his priestly office there in blotting out the sins of the people. If this distinction be well considered it may prepare the mind to see the truth concerning the object and antitype of the scape-goat.

It has been supposed that this goat was also a type of Christ; but that is a supposition for which the Scriptures give not the least warrant. Some authors consider that, as the sin offering typified the crucified Saviour, so the scape-goat presented alive before the Lord

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typified the Lord as risen for the justification of his people. But this view is inadmissible from the order of the service. We notice that, 1. The goat was slain as a sin offering; this typified the death of Christ on Calvary. 2. The priest took the blood and went into the sanctuary for the people; this typified the risen Saviour going into “Heaven itself, by his own blood, to appear in the presence of God for us.” 3. After he had made an end of reconciling the holies, that is, after the atonement was fully made in the sanctuary, then the priest brought the live goat and laid both his hands upon the head of the goat, and confessed over him the sins of the children of Israel, putting them upon the head of the goat. This must certainly typify something in the future to be performed after the sanctuary in Heaven is cleansed. But the sins placed on the scape-goat can be of those only who have “afflicted their souls,” and are accepted of God, for they who are impenitent and continue to transgress the law of God, bear their own sins—their sins are on their own heads. And when the sins of God’s people have been transferred through the priest to the sanctuary of God, and from thence removed to the head of the scapegoat, the goat is then sent away to “a land not inhabited,” and there “let go,” or caused to remain. And by this it is clearly seen that the pardon of sin is relative; that the sin is removed from the penitent believer only by transfer; but such transfer does not destroy or put out of existence the sin, as a future action in reference to it is appointed by the Lord.

There is something analogous to this in the New Testament, and it accords with the meaning of Lev. 16:8, as given by reputable authorities. The Hebrew word for scape-goat as given in the margin of Lev. 16:8, is Azazel.

Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 

On this verse, Jenks in his Comprehensive Commentary remarks, “‘Scape-goat.’ See different opinions in Bochart. Spencer, after the oldest opinions of the Hebrews and Christians, thinks Azazel is the name of the devil; and so Rosenmuller, whom see. The Syriac has Azzail, the angel (strong one) who revolted.” The devil is evidently here pointed out. Thus we have the definition of the Scripture term in two ancient languages,

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with the oldest opinion of the Christians in favor of the view that the scape-goat is a type of Satan. Charles Beecher in his work, “Redeemer and Redeemed,” makes an argument that the name Azazel refers to Satan, from which we extract as follows:—“The use of the preposition implies it. The same preposition is used on both lots, La-Yehovah, La Azazel; and if the one indicates a person, it seems natural the other should, especially considering the act of casting lots. If one is Jehovah, the other would seem for some other person or being; not one for Jehovah, and the other for the goat itself. “What goes to confirm this is, that the most ancient paraphrases and translations treat Azazel as a proper name. The Chaldee paraphrase and the targums of Onkelos and Jonathan would certainly have translated it if it was not a proper name, but they did not. The Septuagint, or oldest Greek version, renders it by apopompaiov [apopompaios], a word applied by the Greeks to a malign deity, sometimes appeased by sacrifices. “Another confirmation is found in the book of Enoch, where the name Azalzel, evidently a corruption of Azazel, is given to one of the fallen angels, thus plainly showing what was the prevalent understanding of the Jews at that day. “Still another evidence is found in the Arabic, where Azazel is employed as the name of the evil spirit. “In addition to these, we have the evidence of the Jewish work Zohar, and of the Cabalistic and Rabbinical writers. They tell us that the following proverb was current among the Jews: ‘On the day of atonement, a gift to Sammail.’ Hence Moses Gerundinensis feels called to say that it is not a sacrifice, but only done because commanded by God. “Another step in the evidence is when we find this same opinion passing from the Jewish to the early Christian Church. Origen was the most learned of the Fathers, and on such a point as this, the meaning of a Hebrew word, his testimony is reliable. Says Origin: ‘He who is called in the Septuagint apopompaiov, and in the Hebrew Azazel, is no other than the devil.’

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“Lastly, a circumstance is mentioned of the emperor Julian, the apostate, that confirms the argument. He brought as an objection against the Bible, that Moses commanded a sacrifice to the evil spirit. An objection he never could have thought of, had not Azazel been generally regarded as a proper name. “In view, then, of the difficulties attending any other meaning, and the accumulated evidence in favor of this, Hengstenberg affirms, with great confidence, that Azazel cannot be anything else but another name for Satan.” Pp. 67, 68.

Also on the opinion that the scape-goat typified the Saviour after his resurrection, Mr. Beecher has the following:— “Matthew Henry says: ‘The slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins, the scape-goat a type of Christ rising again for our resurrection.’ But he forgets that the goat was so unclean that its touch rendered the man by whom it was sent, unclean, and necessitated a thorough washing. Was Christ unclean in his resurrection? It is said, 1 Tim. 3:16, that he was ‘justified in the Spirit;’ and Rom.4:25,‘He was delivered for our offenses, but raised for our justification.’

1Ti 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 

Purity is the grand idea associated with Christ’s resurrection, and therefore such a view of the type is manifestly impossible.” Irenaeus, writing in A. D. 185, quotes an elder’s words against Marcus, who was accused of heresy, as follows:— “Marcus, thou former of idols, inspector of portents, skilled in consulting the stars, and deep in the black arts of magic. Ever by tricks such as these confirming the doctrines of error. Furnishing signs unto those involved by thee in deception, wonders of power that is utterly severed from God, and apostate, which Satan, thy true father, enables thee still to accomplish, by means of Azazel, that fallen, yet mighty angel. Thus making thee precursor of his own impious actions.”—Irenaeus against Heresies, Book 1, chap. xv, p. 68. This shows that such an opinion was held by Christians at that time.

(To be continued)

(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:

THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

  (1884)

BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER

Blood For the Broken Law.

Continued…

'The relation of justification and obedience has been fully discussed in Chapter Three. But the relation of justification to the Judgment demands consideration. Peter said: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you; whom the Heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things,” etc. Acts 3:19-21.

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 

Act 3:20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 

Act 3:21  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 

 It is evident that Peter did not think their sins would be blotted out when they were converted, but at some future time; and the Scriptures clearly show that that time is when the sanctuary is cleansed and the Atonement made. But in thus using this text it becomes necessary to vindicate the translation. Some affirm with much assurance that “when the times of refreshing shall come” is an incorrect rendering, and that it should be— “so that times of refreshing shall come.” Liddell & Scott give as one definition of the original: “Of the time of a thing’s happening, when, as soon as.” Pickering says: “When, as to time.” Barnes, while he admits that the objection has in its favor the more usual use of the word, says: “Others have rendered it, in accordance with our translation, when, meaning that they might find peace in the day when Christ should return to judgment, which return would be to them a day of rest, though of terror to the wicked. Thus Calvin, Beza, the Latin Vulgate, Schleusner, etc. The grammatical construction will admit of either.” Thus it is seen that the claim that the Authorized Version is wrong, is far from being established. We have no doubt that “when” should be retained in the text; that the expression, “the times of refreshing,” refers specially to the blessing of the Spirit which will be given to the saints when they are sealed with the seal of the living God (Rev. 7), which will enable them to stand when Jesus ceases his priestly work, and during the time of pouring out the seven last plagues.

Rev 7:2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 

Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 

And yet another question has been raised, on which some minds have been perplexed. If the blotting out of sins is done in the closing work of the priest, when the sanctuary is cleansed, that is to say, in the Judgment, then the sins of all the saints must stand on record till

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that time. Now it has been shown (Chapter Three) that justification by faith and salvation are not identical; the former is a fact of experience at the present time, while the latter is contingent on “patient continuance in well-doing” on the part of the justified one.

As was remarked, “justification by faith is not a final procedure; it does not take the place of the Judgment, nor render the Judgment unnecessary. It looks to something beyond itself to be accomplished in the future.” The same perplexity has arisen over the Apostle’s words in Acts 2:38,“Repent, and be baptized everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” From this it has been inferred, but without sufficient reason, that sin is remitted in the act of baptism. Such an idea is not expressed in the text. Evidently the terms signify in order to the remission of sins; and it is too much to claim that in laboring to gain a certain object, that object is obtained in the very act of laboring. God told his people that they should have life—eternal life—if they kept his commandments, which, to the faithful, will be fulfilled “when Christ who is our life shall appear,” and not till then. The declaration above quoted, from Acts 2:38, points to the same fact as that in chapter 3:19.

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord

The remission of sin is the work of the Judgment; and the believer must stand justified by faith, looking to the priest for the accomplishment of his hope. But that the sin is not really blotted out, or atonement made at baptism, or at any other period in probation, is proved by the word of the Lord to Ezekiel, 18:26: “When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done he shall die.” Again, in chapter 32:13: “All his righteousness shall not be remembered.” That is, he shall be treated as though he had never been righteous. Now the righteousness of the righteous is by faith; therefore if he turn and commit iniquity he shall be treated as if he never had faith; his justification is annulled—he falls from grace. For a demonstration of the truthfulness of this view, we look to the cases of the faithful who lived before the time of Christ. Were it admitted that the Atonement was made at the death of Christ, it would still remain a fact in the cases of the patriarchs and prophets

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that their sins were not atoned for, not actually blotted out till the blood was shed by which they are blotted out. But they were justified by faith, and died in that justified state, looking forward to the work of Christ when the object of their faith should be realized; when his blood should take away the sins of which they had already repented or, in other words, when the Atonement should be made. This is decisive on the point. It proves beyond dispute that it is possible for a person to be justified by faith, accepted of God, and die in hope, without actually having his sins yet blotted out when he dies. And if the patriarchs and prophets could thus rest in hope, waiting for the blood of the coming Messiah to be shed to blot out their sins, so can the saints of a later age take hold of that blood by faith, waiting for Jesus our High Priest to blot out their sins when the times of refreshing shall come.

We think that our position is fully proved by the Scriptures, that, however closely justification and reconciliation are allied, the Atonement is subsequent to both. And this because it is the Judgment. If we are justified or reconciled, and so continue to the end, we may hope that our sins will be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. This work is effected in the most holy place, where the ark of the testament is; this place is opened in Heaven under the sounding of the seventh trumpet; and this trumpet ushers in the judgment of the dead, the coming of Christ without sin unto salvation to them that look for him; the giving reward to all his servants, and the destruction of them that corrupt the earth. These events pass beyond the bounds of human probation, and close up the dispensation of the gospel. Having traced this subject thus far; having found what the Atonementis; by whom and where it is made; and also for whom; we may turn back to “first principles” and again consider the law of God, and the position it occupies under the gospel.

In the type, the testimony—the law —was put into the ark, in the most holy place; and it was over the law that the blood of the covenant was sprinkled by the high priest on the day of atonement. The glory of God was above the cherubim; these were upon the mercy-seat, and this was upon the ark in which was the law. As God looked down upon his 

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law, the very basis of his Government, his justice was aroused, for his law was violated. But mercy interposed; the high priest entered with the blood that brings remission, that had been offered to vindicate the majesty of the law. The blood was sprinkled “upon the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat.” Again the Lord looks down upon his law, but between him and the law is the mercy-seat sprinkled with the blood of the victim; the law is honored; its penalty has been enforced; a substitute has been accepted; and the penitent sinner is pardoned.

We notice that here was a real law, taking hold of the moral relations of God’s creatures; that here was actual transgression; on the part of the creatures a disregard of moral obligations. But under the Aaronic priesthood there was no actual taking away of that sin; it remained to be taken away by the blood of Christ Therefore Christ officiates in behalf of that same law, as Paul shows in Heb. 9:15; and therefore the ark of his testament in Heaven contains that same law, where Jesus offers his own blood.

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

Our High Priest has declared that he delighted to do the will of God, yea, the law was in his heart; he magnified the law and made it honorable; he upheld it in his life; he honored it in his death by suffering its penalty to vindicate its justice; he pleads his blood in Heaven in behalf of those who have broken it.

You who claim that God’s law is abolished: look to his heavenly temple where Jesus our great High Priest is, and behold it there safely lodged in the ark. You who say that the law is changed—behold the original in Heaven, of which a copy only was given to Israel.

Did not God speak it with his own voice? Did he not write it with his own finger? Did he not give it as a rule of holiness of life? Was it not perfect? Did it not contain the whole duty of man? Yes; and by it God will bring every work into judgment. Here is that justice and judgment which are the habitation of his throne. Ps. 89:14.

Psa 89:14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 

What evidence have you that the heavenly record of God’s immutable will has been changed? Men may mutilate the copy he has given them; they may strike out the name of the Holy One, and insert a term of reproach in its stead, but with him is neither variableness nor shadow of turning.

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Peter says that Government is “for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.” All rights and privileges are protected by Government—by law. To subvert the law is to destroy the security of our rights. The law-making power has the sole right to change or abolish laws. Yet in the case of the fourth precept of the law of Jehovah men have not only changed its terms, but they now claim that it is their right to determine whether they shall keep it as the “one lawgiver” proclaimed it, or make changes in it, and observe it according to their own amendments!

God  said, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” and gave the reason, that he rested the seventh day when he created the heavens and the earth. But men say, “The seventh day is the old Jewish Sabbath,” and substitute in its place another day which was not the rest-day of God, upon which he never bestowed his blessing, which he never sanctified, and which he never commandedmen to keep. They have so long pursued this course that they think it a small matter to make such a change. But how must it look in the sight of Heaven? How must God regard the slight put upon his authority?

(To be continued)

(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:

THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

  (1884)

BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER

In or Outside of the Ark- Where Are You?

Truthfully- for what else is there but truth as we study to know God - study as--  workman…

2Ti_2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Truthfully the word of God reveals to us so much. Every person is given an opportunity to learn the truth- none will be able to proclaim they were denied opportunity- not a single lost person will be able to say this.

In the days of Noah every single person had an opportunity to know truth, to find grace in the eyes of God. You'd think more than just Noah and his family would have wanted truth, but they didn't. Let's not just imagine the people drinking, laughing and playing- going on with their normal God-less lives. Let's imagine there were some people who thought for a moment, a mere more even that maybe Noah wasn't crazy, maybe he had something they didn't, some insider knowledge. Perhaps those people had to make a decision to heed that nudging of maybe, and they shoved that nudging to the side in order to keep on with their lives on an even keel- at least in the manner of their own familiar chaos of living.

Chaos of living… we all have that don't we? Chaos interfering with what should be a peaceful, easy life. Chaos we come to expected that we label- drama, we call stress, we call life as we know it to be. This chaos of living is in part Satan's attempt to drag us away from any peace we try to grasp. Satan sweeping the rug of that peace of God which passes understanding out from under us. Satan ripping the boots of the gospel of peace right off our feet before we have a chance to break them in. Satan surrounding us with chaos and telling us this is life, and it will always be life, that there is not going to be any other way. Satan allowing us tidbits of his own brand of chaotic peace just enough that we convince ourselves the we have enough of God's peace to live.

We are caught up in the chaos of living and as long as this is true then we aren't going to be fully comprehending the truth. We will keep our eyes fixed on the chaos and not on the peace beyond the chaotic.

The people who may have been nudged in Noah's day, yet ignored the nudge were probably a lot more than we imagine. The people that had the small thought of… maybe Noah isn't a lunatic, maybe something bad is coming, these people who shushed those thoughts were plentiful. 

While some shush the Holy Spirit's urgings outright with a finality, others toy with the urgings for a while as they decide whose urgings to heed.  Regardless, every single person will have had that opportunity to know their Savior in truth, and know His salvation in reality, to be prepared for His return.

As in Noah's day (enlightenment from the study below this little bit of babbling of mine revealed to me) also means something beyond the partying, and carrying on the chaos of living.  For several days Noah and his family were locked up in the ark with NOTHING happening outside- NO RAIN, not a drop!  During that time the revelry that was going on outside had to be enormous.  Inside Noah and His family waited, covered in the truth of God's word. Outside- were none accepted the truth- life was going on as usual, well maybe with a bit more excited chaos caused by the ridiculing of the ark and Noah's beliefs.

Anti-typical to that day will be Christ's return… there will be those who will be locked in with Christ, and those who will be outside of Christ's saving grace.  Because the TRUTH tells us, that all cases will be decided BEFORE our Savior returns.  Probation for all mankind will CLOSE before Christ returns. NO ONE will be given a second, third, one thousandth chance once probation is over BEFORE Christ returns. NO ONE will see the seven last plagues and be able to decide then…. Just as NOT a single person in the days of Noah who felt the first rain drop hit them- could get in the ark- it was closed to them. Imagine the terror… never had it rained before and then you feel that first drop of wetness from the sky, and then another and then another until it is suddenly pouring water from the sky all around you.  The chance to be on the ark is gone.  So too will the chance to be saved by our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ- will be gone while people are still living - marrying, drinking, eating, having all sort of fun and wrapped up in the chaos of living.

God HELP US TO BE CHRIST'S NOW! RIGHT NOW! Help us fully, and wholly be YOURS long before probation closes all around us! PLEASE LORD, help us be YOURS, help any UNBELIEF we may have in us! Save us right now! By the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ now and forever!!!!!!!

EXCERPT  continued---

'There are differences in the work of the priest in the two holy places of the sanctuary.

The intercession, or work of the priest in the holy, is general, for the whole world; and herein is shown the benefit that the whole world receives from the death of Christ.

Every sin deserves its punishment, which is death; and without a mediator this would be the unavoidable and universal consequence.

But through the pleading of the Saviour, sentence against the evil work is not speedily executed; Eccl. 8:11;

Ecc 8:11  Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

the sinner is granted an opportunity to repent; a time of probation is given in which he may return to God through Christ. In this sense Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. He has prepared a covering beneath which all may find refuge.

By virtue of his death for sin, wherein mercy is exalted and justice honored, the transgressor is spared and invited to accept the blood of Jesus as his substitute, and be reconciled to God.

And herein is shown the correctness of the apostle’s declaration that God is the Saviour of all men; but there is a special salvation to them that believe.

1 Tim. 4:10.

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 

The benefits of probation which all enjoy, are by the blood and intercession of Christ. And surely these are no slight benefits. Though the sinner may pass them by unheeding; may

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scorn the warning voice, and despise the precious blood; the countless multitude of the redeemed who are all reconciled by these very means, forever attest the value and fullness of those means so blindly disregarded by the impenitent. On the other hand, the Atonement, made in the most holy place, is specific and limited.

By this it is not to be understood that repentance and reconciliation are not granted in the day of atonement, as some have inferred. To uphold that view it would be necessary to show that the penitent would not have been received, according to the type, on the day of atonement. But that cannot be shown; it was not the case. The offering on that day was made for all the people; but they only received the benefit of it who “afflicted their souls,” as the Lord commanded. “For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” Lev. 23:29.

The reception of benefit from the work of the priest was conditional upon that day, as upon any other day; but upon this day it was complete and final. For incorrigibility upon this day there was no extension of time. And so it will be in the antitype.

As Christ closes his priestly work in Heaven before he comes to earth, and when he comes he will find both righteous and wicked ones living on the earth, it follows that the Atonement will be completed and probation ended before he comes.

And thus it will be, that they who do not “afflict their souls;” who do not repent and leave their sins while our Advocate is doing that last work, will be cut off without remedy.

Crying for mercy after he puts aside his priestly robes will be of no avail. How necessary that we be fully in harmony with the work of God in his last warning message (Rev. 14:9-12) in order that that day shall not come upon us as a thief.

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

It is a very solemn thought that the last generation of men, living upon the earth just before the Lord appears, and up to the hour of his appearing, will remain here, busied with the things of this world after probation has closed.

The great majority having turned away from the alarm which has been sounded; having rejected the warning which has been given by the servants of the Lord, will not understand the great change which has taken place in the position of the Son of

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God; they will scoff at the idea of his coming being near, and become bolder in sin as the restraining influence of God’s Spirit leaves them. Our Saviour has given a lesson upon this subject which demands the careful consideration of all. He said: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:37-39. In Gen. 6 we learn that Noah and his family were commanded to enter into the ark seven days before the flood of waters came. “And the Lord shut him in.” But when Noah was shut in, all others were shut out. They had neglected the warning too long. They said as will be said in the last days, “All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:4. Even after Noah entered into the ark, and the Lord had closed the door, they saw no change; they were emboldened in their hardness of heart because the judgment was delayed. Each day confirmed them in their ideas of their own wisdom, as day after day passed and the flood did not come. Poor souls! they knew not that their destiny was sealed; that there was no chance for them to enter the ark; that they had recklessly passed beyond the offer of mercy. “So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” The testimony of Jesus after he was glorified teaches the same thing. When he is soon to come the second time he announces: “He that is unjust. let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is  with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:11, 12.

This decision is not made when he comes, nor after he comes, but when he is quickly coming.

This is further proof that it will be as it was in the days of Noah, and that every case must be decided before the Son of man is revealed, “taking vengeance on them that know not God.’

(To be continued)

(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:

THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

  (1884)

BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER

Two Holy Places In the Heavenly Sanctuary.

'This point being settled, another question arises: Are there two holy places in the heavenly sanctuary? and if so, did not Christ enter the most holy when he ascended on high? In answer to this notice,

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1. When Moses was about to make the tabernacle, he was admonished to make all things according to the pattern shown him in the mount. Heb. 8:5; Ex. 25:40.

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. 

Exo 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. 

2. This tabernacle and its officers served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” Heb. 8:5.

3. The two holy places in the earthly sanctuary are termed “figures of the true” [holy places], and pattern of things in the Heavens. And they could not be patterns of the heavenly, and be made in “all things according to the pattern” shown to Moses, unless the heavenly had also two holy places.

4. That there are two holy places in the heavenly temple is shown by the book of Revelation, in which prophecy has unfolded various events in this dispensation immediately concerning the position and work of our High Priest. When the living creature (one of the cherubim) called John up “in the Spirit” into Heaven, he said he saw a throne set, and described its appearance, and him that sat thereon; and said there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. Rev. 4:2—Rev 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 

5. The order given to Moses, in erecting the earthly sanctuary, was to set the candlestick with its seven lamps on the south side of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, which was the holy place. Ex. 25:33—35; 40:24.

Exo 25:33  Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 

Exo 25:34  And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 

Exo 25:35  And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 

Exo 40:24  And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 

As this was a shadow and example of heavenly things, we learn by this text in the book of Revelation, that John’s vision of the throne of God was in the holy place of the heavenly temple. where were the seven lamps of fire or golden candlestick. Therein the Lord said he would manifest his presence; Ex. 29:42, 43;

Exo 29:42  This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. 

Exo 29:43  And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. 

 and there was our Saviour at the time of John’s vision, officiating as priest. In this, a continual or daily offering was made, that judgment might be stayed, and the sinner spared, until the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, or making atonement, which was the blotting out and entire removal of sin from the sanctuary of God. According to the type, this work of propitiation or intercession the Saviour had first to fulfill, in order to give man an opportunity to be reconciled to God, or converted, that his sins might be blotted out in the appointed time.

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But we look down the stream of time still further; when the dispensation is drawing to a close, and the seventh trumpet is sounded.4 ((Footnote 4 here- 4. Keith, on the prophecies, quoted largely from Gibbon, to show that the first four trumpets noted events connected with the downfall of Western Rome. Mr. J. Litch, following Keith, traced the history  of the next two, showing their connection with Eastern Rome. In this he gave conclusive evidence that the sixth trumpet ceased to sound in 1840. A pamphlet on the subject of the trumpets can be obtained where this work is published.)

The third woe comes upon the earth, and great voices are heard saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ; the elders before the throne of God announce that “the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and them that fear thy name, small and great.” Rev. 11:15—17. Here is a series of events, the connection and location of which cannot be mistaken, showing that this trumpet closes up this dispensation. By this we would not be understood to say that it covers no time beyond the close of this dispensation, but it certainly does cover the last days of this dispensation. Our Saviour says, “Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12. Paul says the saints shall have rest when the Lord Jesus is revealed, taking vengeance on the wicked. 2 Thess. 1:6-10.

2Th 1:6  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 

2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 

2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 

2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 

 And Jesus told his disciples they should be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Luke 14:14.

Luk 14:14  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. 

Thus it is shown that the judgment of the dead, the coming of the Lord, and the resurrection of the just, are events transpiring under this trumpet. It does not seem to admit of a doubt that the judgment of the saints, the blotting out of sin, the making of the atonement, and the cleansing of the sanctuary, are identical. And we have seen that in the type the atonement was made—the sanctuary cleansed, when the high priest went into the most holy place before the ark; and the most holy was opened only on the day of atonement. This fact is also referred to in the scripture under consideration. Under the sounding of the seventh trumpet it is said, “The temple of God was opened in

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Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. 11:19. It has been noticed that John was shown a door opened in Heaven; a throne set; and seven lamps of fire before the throne. Rev. 4. But it was not till the seventh trumpet sounded that the temple of God in Heaven was opened where the ark of his testament is seen. By reference to “the example” of the heavenly things—to “the figures of the true”—we learn that the seven lamps, or candlesticks, were in the holy, and the ark of the testament in the most holy place of the sanctuary. And further, that the work of intercession was continual in the holy place, but the most holy was not opened except on the day of atonement. From this we learn that the work of intercession of our High Priest in the holy place in the heavenly sanctuary extended from the commencement of his ministry in A. D. 31, to the sounding of the seventh trumpet (1844), when the antitypical day of atonement commenced, in which the sanctuary is cleansed.

(To be continued)

(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:

THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

  (1884)

BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER

Heavenly Things Purified.

(Continued…)


In the prophecy of Daniel are three chains of prophetic symbols, each giving information whereby we may know when the end is near.


In chapter 2 is the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream, which gives a brief history of the great kingdoms of the world from the time of Babylon to the dividing or breaking up of the Roman Empire. In chapter 7 is a series of consisting of wild beasts, which covers exactly the same ground as that of chapter 2, but supplementing that chapter with later events, reaching down to the very close of the eighteenth century. The same symbols are presented in Rev. 13, with still later events, reaching down to the last message, and the advent of the Lord. Compare Rev. 13:11-18 with chapter 14:9-14.


Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 
Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 
Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 
Rev 13:15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 
Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 


Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 
Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 
Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. 
Rev 14:14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 


By studying these prophecies, and the history of the nations which shows the progress of their fulfillment, we may learn definitely where we are in the chain of events which reaches down to the coming of the Lord. True, we cannot tell how long it will take to complete the fulfillment; we cannot learn from the prophecies the time of the Lord’s coming; but we may learn from these, and also from other scriptures, when “he is near, even at the doors,” as Jesus himself has given assurance in his own words. Matt. 24. Another series of symbols is given in the 8th chapter of Daniel, and to this we must give more particular attention. It relates more particularly to our subject than do the others, and the interpretation is given in plain and unmistakable terms. The first symbol is a ram having two horns; this was explained by Gabriel to mean the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. Verse 20. The ram was succeeded by a he-goat, having a notable horn between his eyes. When that was broken four horns came up for it, and these in turn were succeeded by a little horn which “waxed exceeding great.” It


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became stronger than all the kingdoms which preceded it. And of this Gabriel said: “And the rough goat is the king [kingdom] of Grecia, and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king [Alexander]. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.” Grecia was divided into four kingdoms upon the death of Alexander. But a power came up, small in its beginning, which conquered the world and held all in its iron grasp. The Persian and Grecian Empires appear before us, great by sudden conquest. Not so with Rome. She gradually became exceeding great by successive conquests. It was this power that “magnified himself even to the prince of the host” of heaven; verses 10-12; or stood up against the Prince of princes. Verse 25. Daniel said he heard one holy one ask another how long this vision should be, even “to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot.” The answer is made to Daniel in these words: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Now it has been seen, by Lev. 16, that the cleansing of the sanctuary, and making the atonement, mean precisely the same thing; for the atonement was made by the high priest sprinkling the blood upon the mercy-seat and altar, and cleansing them from the sins of the people. Hence, this expression of Dan. 8:14 is equivalent to saying, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the atonement be made.” And again, to understand this time is to understand the fulfillment of the message of Rev. 14:6, 7, “the hour of his judgment is come,” for the Judgment sits when the Atonement is made. Thus we see that the time was appointed and announced for making the Atonement. This is in conformity to the type, where the tenth day of the seventh month was set apart to that work. While this text stands as a part of that “scripture” which is “profitable for instruction,” it is both interesting and profitable to inquire where these two thousand and three hundred days terminate. But to understand this, we must trace the connection between chapters 8 and 9 of Daniel; for chapter 9 is in part explanatory of chapter 8, the explanation of the time (2300 days) being given in the latter, not in the former. Note the following points:—


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1. Gabriel was commanded to make Daniel understand the vision.
2. He explained in chapter 8 the symbols of the kingdoms represented   therein.
3. He did not explain the time of verse 14.
4. Daniel said he did not understand the vision, which, of course, refers to that part not explained —the time.
5. In chapter 9, Gabriel said he had come to give him understanding, and commanded him to “consider the vision.”
6. No vision had been mentioned since chapter 8, which shows that Gabriel had reference to the same vision which, he was commanded to make him understand in that chapter.
7. In chapter 9, he commenced instructing Daniel on time, the only thing in the “vision” not hitherto explained.
8. He said, Seventy weeks are determined (Heb. literally cut off) upon thy people.
9. The seventy weeks commence with the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, B. C. 457. See Ezra 7.
10. The seventy weeks are evidently “cutoff” from the 2300 days, the only period given in the vision. Therefore the time of the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem must be the commencement of the 2300 days. And if the seventy weeks are not cut off from the 2300 days, that is, if the seventy weeks do not mark the beginning of those days, then no explanation of the days was given, and Gabriel never did what he was commanded to do.


But such a supposition will not be urged. Therefore, we must admit that in Dan. 9 we have a clue to the 2300 days of Dan. 8, and to understand the seventy weeks of Dan. 9, is also to understand the 2300 days of Dan. 8, the two periods commencing together. In regard to the nature of these “days” no argument can be needed. The “seventy weeks” of Dan. 9, marking the manifestation of the Messiah, which took place at the time of his baptism, see Matt. 3:16, 17; John 1:32-34; Mark 1:14, 15, were not weeks of days, but weeks of years.


Mat 3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 
Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 


Joh 1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 
Joh 1:33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 
Joh 1:34  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 


Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 
Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 


To deny this were to unsettle one of the clearest evidences in favor of the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth. But as the seventy weeks are part of the 2300 days of the vision of Dan. 8,


The Atonement - 146


those “days” were not solar days of twenty-four hours, but year-days, “each day for a year,” according to a well-known method of counting time. Eze. 4:6. As the Messiah was to be cut off, and cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease in the midst of the last week of the seventy, which was in A. D. 31, and the time that the apostles turned to the Gentiles marks the close of that period, which was in A. D. 34, it is easy to see that the 2300 days would extend 1810 years beyond that time, or to A.D.1844.


And as the angel said the sanctuary should be cleansed at the end of that period, this must refer, not to the typical sanctuary which was destroyed by the Romans in A. D. 70, but to the antitypical “sanctuary and true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Heb. 8:1, 2.


Some are ready to object to this view, that the heavenly sanctuary where our High Priest officiates cannot need cleansing—that there is nothing impure in Heaven. The zeal of such to vindicate the honor of heavenly things is parallel with that of Peter, who rebuked the Lord for speaking of his ignominious death; he thought a victor’s crown only was becoming his Master. But God has a plan appointed, and the death of his Son was in that plan; and the mistaken zeal of his servants must not be suffered to interfere with it. In that plan is also the Atonement which God’s now exalted Son as priest makes in the sanctuary in Heaven; and it has been sufficiently shown that the Atonement is made by cleansing the sanctuary. That this expression of the angel refers to the heavenly, and not to the earthly, sanctuary, may be proved by several considerations. The following we think is conclusive on this point.


1. The sanctuary was not cleansed from any impurity of its own, nor from any defilement from use, as ordinary habitations are cleansed, but from sin. Therefore it was cleansed by blood. By referring further to Lev. 16, it will be seen, and will be noticed hereafter, that the design was to take away the sins from the presence of God, and remove them from the throne of judgment. But Paul declares in Heb. 10:4, that “it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sin;” but that was all the blood the priests had to offer in the worldly sanctuary; therefore, as that blood would


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not remove sin, it follows that the earthly sanctuary was never cleansed at all, except in figure, and never could have been had it remained and the priests still officiated therein till the end of the 2300 days. Nevertheless, the necessity existed; for the people were actual sinners, and needed to have their sins remitted or blotted out.


2. The sanctuary, as before noticed, was defiled by the sins of the people, though the people never came in contact with it. The high priest stood as their representative; he bore their judgment. Ex. 28:30. And as he alone went into the most holy place, it follows that it was defiled by his bearing their sins.


Now it is plainly stated that Christ bears our sins—they were laid upon him—he is our representative before his Father. And it seems evident that one of the following positions is true: That Christ has taken the sins of his people, or his people have their sins yet upon them. It will be admitted that the former is true; that as the representative and substitute of his saints, he takes their sins. But if he takes them, where does he take them? Certainly where he is. Now it is by virtue of his priesthood that he bears the judgment of the people; but his priesthood is in the heavenly sanctuary. Heb.8:1-4.


Heb 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; 
Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 
Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 
Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:


There, according to the type, is where our sins are taken. To show this is the object of the type.


3. That the heavenly sanctuary is cleansed, is proved by direct declarations of the New Testament. Paul, in writing to the Hebrews respecting the types and their fulfillment in the priesthood of the Son of God, says: “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these [i.e., with the blood of calves and goats]; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Heb. 9:23.


Accordingly he says that Christ entered into the holy places, into Heaven itself, “by his own blood.” Verse 12.This is the better sacrifice, or blood, by which the heavenly things are purified or cleansed.


(To be continued)


(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:
THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE
  (1884)


BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER