Sunday: The Sanctuary and the Law
Daily Lesson for Sunday 26th of May 2024
Read Revelation 11:19, Exodus 25:16, Exodus 31:18, and Revelation 12:17. What do these verses indicate was in the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary?
The Day of Atonement was a day of judgment. All of Israel was commanded to take part in this event by repentance, soul searching, and refraining from all work (see Leviticus 23:29-31). On this day alone the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for sin. There, in the innermost apartment of the sanctuary, was the ark of the covenant. Within the ark was God’s Ten Commandment law, written on tables of stone. The golden cover of the ark was called the mercy seat, where blood was sprinkled to cleanse the sanctuary from sin. God’s presence was manifest in Shekinah glory above the mercy seat. Every sacrifice offered revealed God’s mercy toward sinful human beings, but the Day of Atonement shows that sin is remembered until the day of judgment (Hebrews 10:3) and that it could really be removed only through faith in the blood of Christ to cleanse from sin (1 Peter 1:18-19). There, in the presence of God, mercy and justice beautifully combine.
Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com
Looking into the heavenly sanctuary, the apostle John saw “the temple of God . . . opened” and the “ark of His covenant” revealed (Revelation 11:19, NKJV). The Great Controversy adds this comment: “Within the holy of holies, in the sanctuary in heaven, the divine law is sacredly enshrined—the law that was spoken by God Himself amid the thunders of Sinai and written with His own finger on the tables of stone. The law of God in the sanctuary in heaven is the great original, of which the precepts inscribed upon the tables of stone and recorded by Moses in the Pentateuch were an unerring transcript. Those who arrived at an understanding of this important point were thus led to see the sacred, unchanging character of the divine law.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 434.
As the early Adventist believers studied the Bible’s teaching on the sanctuary, they realized the significance of the law of God and the Sabbath in the heart of God’s law. They reasoned that if the law of God was pictured in the ark of the covenant in the heavenly sanctuary, it certainly could not have been done away with at the cross.
Think about the Sabbath, which, at 1,000 miles an hour, comes to us every week without exception. What should that tell us about the importance of the doctrine of Creation? What other doctrine has such a powerful, and reoccurring, reminder?
(26)
In recent times I have had some interesting discussions with atheists on ethical issues. I am currently taking a class in environmental ethics as part of my U3A activities. I started attending the class simply because they needed someone to look after the technical logistics of computers and data projectors. Still, I stayed on because many of the topics interested me.
I found that on many issues we are all on the same side. The source of ethics came up and interestingly they mentioned that Christian ethics based on the Ten Commandments had much in common with ethics as expressed in other frameworks.
This commonality has prompted me to think more deeply about the notion that God wants to write his law in our hearts.
A couple of verses in Hebrews come to mind:
Now I know that you will say that this is God's covenant with his people but I suspect that God works on the minds of anyone willing to listen, even those who do not acknowledge his existence. In the context of the centrality the law of God seen in the heavenly sanctuary perhaps this is a symbolic reminder of the centrality of his great law in all of our hearts.
And before we start with a series of "Yes, but..." responses to show how unbeliever's disregard the law of God, we should perhaps remind ourselves that Christians have often had their own personal interpretations of God's laws too. The first few chapters of Romans remind us of that.
[Just a quick note that I have not forgotten about the Sabbath. I have a small brain and can only write about one thing at a time.]
Thank you, Maurice. It is not just disbelievers who disregard the law of God. We Christians who profess it believe it do too in practice in many ways. Oh that I would be willing to let the Holy Spirit write God's laws on my heart that I may not sin against him. To sin against God is to sin against Love. My love for God in response to his unfathomable love for me. My love for others, and even my love for myself. Oh that I would allow him to truly be my God, and that I would be his completely.
The way that God writes His Laws in our hearts is by way of His Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 14:16-20 that He would have His Father send us "Another Comforter" and also refers to this Gift as "The Spirit of Truth," that not only "Dwells with us," but also would be "In us." It is by the Third Person of the Godhead that God accomplishes His "Writing His Laws in our hearts and minds." But this work does not happen overnight in our hearts and our minds. This side of Jesus' Second Coming, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds, moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, etc. and etc. until we die or Jesus comes to start His earthly reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And as far as the "Fourth Commandment Sabbath" is concerned. This is the first of "Seven Feasts" that He gave His Old Testament people. And this first feast is still in force for God's "End Time People." Each and every start (the night part of that day) of the Seventh Day Week, Friday Evening, we start another Sabbath Day celebration for the end of that week. And without fail, after 24 hours of this day we go another six days of living for God until another Seventh Day comes upon us this way without fail. This is part of becoming "Sanctified" as True Christian Seventh Day Adventists, celebrating each and every Seventh Day Sabbath once every week without fail.
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10.
This week we focus on God’s Commandments, particularly the 10 Commandments, particularly the 4th one.
Yesterday was Sabbath and it was warmer than usual. I stopped at a gas station in the afternoon to get something cool to drink. It’s in a “rough” part of town, where many addicted and homeless sit in cars or out on the pavement. I’ve befriended one woman in particular and felt called to extend myself in a caretaking role for her…. provide supplies, do her laundry, wash her hair, take her shopping, etc. The shopping trip was particularly challenging because we also needed to fit her large shopping cart with all her belongings into the back. I share this to share what I was telling God yesterday … “I’ve put in my hours here, Lord.”
So when another woman came up to me for help, I just kept walking into the store. I didn’t have any cash to give, I was tired, I had already been helping somebody else that afternoon, and I wanted a little time in nature to rest and to talk with God before I headed back home to resume helper role for my Mom.
I share this to say that God convicts me that keeping His commandments is about loving Him and loving my neighbor. Love is the bedrock of God’s kingdom and laws. The love of Christ is not a here-and-gone love; it is deep, and broad, and full. It is written in our hearts and carries us above everything selfish. The wealthy young ruler was asked to go deeper, and I am being asked the same thing. God in the heart is a spring of loving water that never stops bubbling. I count up the balance sheet of things I’ve done for that one woman, but I don’t think God keeps a list of the mercies He’s shown me…. there wouldn’t be enough room to write them. I think of Peter, who said to the begging man, “silver and gold have I none , but such as I have I give to you…“ (Acts 3:6). Why don’t I feel empowered to heal in Jesus’s strength like that? Why do I feel like I don’t have what people really need?
Lord Jesus, help me to truly keep Your Commandments.
Amen. “Why do I feel like I don’t have what people really need?” I can relate.
Esther our God is a sovereign God
All scripture is given by the inspiration of God.
The only scripture written by the finger of God IS the Ten Commandments.
Ex. 32:16. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.
Dt. 4:13. So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments, and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.
Hebrews 10:16 is cited from Jerimia.31:33
Today as I write concerning the Biblical law, there are drastic measures taken now to get rid of the Holy Bible and to do away with precious laws written there, may we as well as myself continue to prayerfully share the 3 angels messages to whomever we come in contact with because soon time will be no more!
I asked myself: “why was the law given to man, and what is it to accomplish?” Ellen White comments: “The law of God in the sanctuary in heaven is the great original, of which the precepts inscribed upon the tables of stone and recorded by Moses in the Pentateuch were an unerring transcript. Those who arrived at an understanding of this important point were thus led to see the sacred, unchanging character of the divine law.”
The precious, detailed instructions to build the Arc reflects the importance of its content. But there are two aspects of its material content – physical and spiritual. As I see it, the content reflects first and foremost the spiritual aspect of God's Law. The physical aspect is used as the vehicle through which the spiritual is established; both depent/rely on Faith - a spiritual aspect given by God to those who love Him.
The Christian believer does well to come to terms with understanding that all the laws and the prophets can be reduced to: ‘Love God with all your heart and treat your neighbor as you want to be treated' – Matt.22:37-40. If we do not commit to loving God with all our heart, asking our Lord and Savior to keep us safely hidden within Himself, we will fall short of the law and that which the prophets foretold – receiving the gift of Everlasting Life.
I agree with the commandment that we should “love God with all of our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.” The commandment is “holy and just and good”. Rom. 7:12. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” Rev. 5:12. But I find that I am not able to produce this love in myself. In Desire of Ages p. 22 we have this statement, “He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him.” I find hope in this Scripture, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” And in this Scripture, we are “accepted in the Beloved. “ Ephesians 1:6 I pray with Esther and Maurice that The Lord would truly write His commandments of love in my heart.
Love God with All our Heart, then love my neighbour unreserved. Two very important aspects of the law. God already loves us, evidence is there, He sent His Only Begotten son, without any blemish to come and die in my place, me a sinner saved by His only Begotten son!! What else can I ask for, the ransom was paid already. My duty is to Love God unreservedly.
Look at all the ten commandments, they all anchor on Love. When we Love, we shall keep the sabbath Holy, we shall not kill, we shall not covert, we shall not bear false witness, etc. Indeed Love conquers All.
Did the 1844 (Day of Atonement ministry of Christ) only begin as of Revelation 11:19?
I'm confused. The text in Revelation 11:19 ("...the temple of God was opened...ark of the covenant") is within the context of the 7th Trumpet.
Assuming the Adventist recapitulationist perspective, how could the 7th Trumpet be the starting point of the Day of Atonement, if the 6th Trumpet SEALING has "been delayed" (“The Lord's work has been hindered, the sealing time delayed.”--Letter 106, 1897) and is considered to yet future to our time (RH Sept 23, 1873 and May 28, 1889)?
There appears to be a "timing problem". If the 6th SEAL (Sealing) has not yet taken place, the 7th Trumpet's Day of Atonement should not be able to take place.
Please explain