Friday: Further Study: Sacrifices
Further Study: Ellen G. White, “The Tabernacle and Its Services,” pp. 343–358, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
“As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers, so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner’s behalf.
“The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of the purification offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357.
Discussion Questions:
- Some have argued that the whole concept of substitution is unfair. Why should the innocent die in the place of the guilty? However, because this is a truth that is not only clearly taught in the Bible but is central to the core theme of the Bible, how do we answer that charge? Might the “unfairness” of it all help us to understand the grace that was displayed in order to bring us forgiveness? That is, in what ways might this “unfairness” help to show just how great and merciful and loving our God really is?
- As a class, read Micah 6:8. What are we being told there? More importantly, how can we learn to fufill this explicit command? How do we learn to do all these things, including to “walk humbly with thy God”? What does that mean? How can walking humbly with God translate into walking humbly with others?
- Think about what it means that the only way we could be saved was through the death of Jesus. What does this amazing truth teach us about just how bad sin is, and why any effort to save ourselves by our own works is as fruitless as scrubbing a pig in hopes of making it kosher?
- In class, go over the final question at the end of Wednesday ’s lesson. Discuss your answers and the implications of your answers in terms of the gospel and that which God has done for us in order to save us.
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God's master plan includes details that we will study throughout eternity. However, Jesus' life and suffering as well as the old sanctuary with its services help to spell out God's Love and the true character of the "smallest" of sins. We may not understand ever fully just how much "unfair" suffering Jesus has suffered because of the two--His love and the awfulness of sin.
As we look back at ancient Israel bringing offerings and sacrifices to the sanctuary it ought not to escape us that Heaven was emptied and God gave all for us. Have we been emptied and is our all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Think about what it means that the only way we could be saved was through the death of Jesus. Now on the contrary we think that we have to do something to be saved, its human nature. I was in Cleveland Ohio taking a scuba diving class, I passed the chalk board test and the indoor pool test, the next test was in a rock quarry filled 1/2 with water. We all suited up hooked up our gear and made sure it was in working order. Then went down two by two, one by one was not allowed. After the dive as we sit on the bank the teacher asked for our testimony. I raised my hand and told her about the gulp of water I could have drowned on. You could see the hair raise on her back as she said with trembling voice, 'you passed the test' but how did you save your self? Professor it came to me in a split second, I heard your word in the class room and did something, you told us to take a breath through the regulator. I coughed, put my hand on the regulator and took several breaths of compressed air. God gave us a brain to use, the air to breath, and the spark of life to keep our heart beating. We rise out of the water and praise the Lord.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world---our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. He who believes in the Son of God has witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 1John 5:4,5,10.
So why not believe God and His testimony, He loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we would not parish, instead have eternal life. Its our choice. Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Willing obedience. Hey we not only have the Father, We have the Son, and Holy Spirit bolstering our confidence in Him. He is only a prayer away. I do believe that the Holy Angels are in there cheering us on too. From what I understand our Guardian Angels are not only our physical guardians, our Guardian Angels assist in our spiritual well-being, and testimony to others.
Think Jesus