atonement

Editorial – The Atonement

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On the cross of Calvary Jesus paid the price for the sins of the whole world. However, He told the angels four thousand years before this, right after Adam and Eve sinned, that “few would receive Him as the Son of God.” Early Writings, 150. By His death on the cross, Christ began the work which after His resurrection He ascended to complete. The cross was the means of atonement for the human race and by His death on the cross, the conditions of atonement were fulfilled. Christ had won the kingdom, wresting it from Satan becoming heir of all things.

Today Jesus is making an atonement for us before the Father. A review of the earthly sanctuary service in the book of Leviticus reveals that the atonement has at least three phases:

  • an atoning sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11)
  • the priest must make atonement with this blood (Leviticus 4:18–20)
  • the sinner must be cleansed (Leviticus 16:30)

This is stated in beautiful simple language by the apostle John: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Those who neglect this work of confession will eventually be “cut off” (see Leviticus 23:29, 30) when probation is over and the plan of salvation is complete.

“We are in the great day of atonement, and the sacred work of Christ for the people of God that is going on at the present time in the heavenly sanctuary should be our constant study.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 520.

It was to this silent, unnoticed close of human probation that Jesus looked forward to when He said, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from’ ” (Luke 13:24, 25).

The Atonement

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For many years the Protestant churches accused the Seventh-day Adventist Church of being a cult because they did not believe, as did the Protestants, that the atonement was completed at the cross. Adventists believe that the Day of Atonement began on October 22, 1844.

There were leading Adventist ministers in the 1950s who wanted to remove the cult status. These ministers talked to the evangelicals of the Martin-Barnhouse conferences in the middle ’50s saying that Adventists did believe that the atonement was finished at the cross and it is just the benefits of that sacrifice that are now being administered. The book, Questions on Doctrine, was written to prove this. I have personally heard Elder R. A. Anderson, one of the principle persons involved, explain explicitly and publicly the reason for this book—to lose the cult status.

The word atonement in inspired writings means more than one thing. It is used in at least two or three different ways, which is part of the reason for the controversy and has at least two meanings. The first is the sacrifice that was necessary, not only to forgive the sinner, but to take away or remove his sins. Ellen White uses the word atonement in that way in The Review and Herald, September 24, 1901. She wrote, “… when the Father beheld the sacrifice of His Son, He bowed before it in recognition of its perfection. ‘It is enough,’ He said. ‘The atonement is complete.’ ”

Atonement in that sentence is used in regard to the atonement sacrifice which was complete. The book of Hebrews is very clear that that sacrifice will never have to be made again. Under the old covenant many sacrifices were offered, but under the new covenant there was one atonement sacrifice for all.

In The Signs of the Times, June 28, 1899, it states: “When He offered Himself on the cross, a perfect atonement was made for the sins of the people.” It was perfect, complete and never need be repeated, throughout all eternal ages.

The second meaning of the word atonement is to cleanse or remove from a person, or a group of people, both the guilt and the power of sin. We call it the blotting out of sin that began when Jesus moved from the Holy Place to the Most Holy on October 22, 1844. Using the word atonement in that sense, Ellen White wrote in “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 481: “Today He [Christ] is making an atonement for us before the Father.”

“We are now living in the great day of atonement.” The Great Controversy, 489. We have been living in the antitypical Day of Atonement since October 22, 1844, when the investigative judgment began. The investigative judgment and the atonement, or blotting out of sins, are two separate things. The atonement occurs at the end of the Day of Atonement when the sins will be blotted out. In the typical service, the high priest entered into the Most Holy Place, dipped his finger in the blood and sprinkled it seven times on the mercy seat which represented the blotting out of sin from God’s people. Then the high priest took those sins upon himself, went out, and confessed them over the head of the scapegoat, which was then separated from the children of God forever. (See Leviticus 16.)

Ellen White states in The Signs of the Times, March 14, 1878: “Those only who acknowledge the binding claim of the moral law can explain the nature of the atonement.”

We are told: “The whole world needs to be instructed in the oracles of God, to understand the object of the atonement, the at-one-ment, with God. The object of this atonement was that the divine law and government might be maintained.” The Signs of the Times, March 20, 1901.

Since the fall, Satan has attacked the law of God and His government. The atonement was to maintain the authority of the divine law and God’s government.

Let us review some descriptive words used throughout the Spirit of Prophecy concerning God’s law so we can better understand the atonement.

The law of God is eternal – it has no beginning and no ending. It did not begin at Mount Sinai as some of our Christian friends teach. It was in existence before the creation of the world and before the uprising in heaven that caused the expulsion of Satan and his angels. Nothing that has been created, neither angels nor man, can be eternal because all have had a beginning.

The law of God is immutable – Immutable means something that you cannot change. It is no longer a commonly used word.

“The law of God stands immutable, eternal as His throne.

“There is no such thing as weakening or strengthening the law of Jehovah. As it has always been, so it is. It cannot be repealed or changed in one principle. It is eternal, immutable as God Himself.” The Signs of the Times, March 20, 1901.

The law of God is imperishable – It can never pass away. “All the opposition cannot, for one moment, drag down that holy law. It is eternal, imperishable as the throne of God.” The Review and Herald, May 25, 1876. Any attempt to destroy the law is an attempt to destroy the throne of God.

God’s law is irrevocable – When a person makes out a revocable trust, he can change it anytime before he dies. An irrevocable trust means it cannot be changed and there are strict state laws governing it.

It is indestructible – No matter what you do, you can’t destroy it. “The law of God maintains its binding claims, notwithstanding the fact that men claim to have refuted every argument in its favor. The truth still lives; the light still shines; it cannot be put out. In the Dark Ages the Bible was set aside; it was burned. Men tried to banish it from the earth; but how signally they failed! The law of God may be ignored, despised, rejected, trampled upon, but it is still the great standard of righteousness, immutable and indestructible. It is eternal.” The Review and Herald, May 28, 1901.

“… these rejecters of truth cannot always remain deaf to the claims of God’s law, for it is eternal and irrevocable.” The Review and Herald, May 18, 1897. It is the standard of righteousness.

The law of God is complete – “The law of Jehovah was always holy, just, and good, and complete in itself.” The Signs of the Times, March 20, 1901.

The law of God is perfect – See Psalm 19. “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (verse 9 KJV).

God’s law is the foundation of His government – “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face” (Psalm 89:14).

God’s law is the standard of righteousness – David said, “All Your commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172).

When a person understands the principles and holiness of the law, he will be prepared intellectually to begin to understand something about the atonement sacrifice that was required to save people who had broken that law.

We have previously covered the purpose of the atonement. The object of the atonement was to preserve the divine law and the divine government. Here we will see the only way that an atonement could be provided.

Remember this law is eternal and is as sacred as God Himself. There has never been a time when it didn’t exist. The only one able to make an atonement for such a law that had been broken would be somebody who was sinless and perfectly spotless.

“Christ could not have done this work had He not been personally spotless. Only One who was Himself perfection could be at once the sin bearer and the sin pardoner. … from the time that He was born an infant in Bethlehem till He hung on the cross of Calvary, and cried in a voice that shook the universe, ‘It is finished,’ the Saviour was pure and spotless.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 461.

When Jesus went to the cross, He did not have one murmuring thought. The people conducting the trial, the torture and the crucifixion of Jesus were all stirred up by the devil.

Throughout His life, Jesus had never lost patience once while the devil kept trying to defeat the plan of salvation, right up until the time He died. While hanging on the cross some called out to Him, “If you are the Son of God, come down now.” It was within His power that He could, but had He done that, it would have broken up the plan of salvation. It was the same in the wilderness of temptation when Jesus had fasted for 40 days. If the devil had succeeded to get Him to throw Himself down from the temple, the plan of salvation would have been over and we would be eternally lost.

From the time Jesus was born in Bethlehem until He died on the cross, He was perfectly sinless and spotless, otherwise His sacrifice would not have atoned for our sins. You see, the law of God is perfect. To atone for a law like that takes a perfect person.

Only One who was of superior value to Adam as he existed in paradise could make an atonement for a broken law like this.

Only One who was divine could make an atonement for this broken law. “God himself became man, and bore all the wrath that sin had provoked. This problem, How could God be just and yet the justifier of sinners? baffled all finite intelligence.” The Youth’s Instructor, August 31, 1887.

Nobody in the universe other than the Godhead could answer that question. How could God be just and also justify the sinner? “A divine person alone could mediate between God and man.” Ibid. The arch-angel of heaven could not do it. Only a divine person, One who possessed the before-mentioned qualifications could do it. Jesus volunteered to be that One.

Let’s just think that through for a moment. It would not be just for an innocent person to pay the price of the guilty if he was forced to do it. That wouldn’t be just and there would be no atonement in that. The only way there could be any atonement was if Jesus Christ volunteered to do it. He was not pushed into doing it. He was not pressed into doing it. He willingly offered Himself.

Ellen White talks about the red heifer, which symbolized Christ and was to be an animal upon whom had never been a yoke. Ellen White explains it this way: “It must be without spot or blemish, and one that had never borne a yoke. Here, again, Christ was typified. The Son of God came voluntarily to accomplish the work of atonement. There was no obligatory yoke upon Him, for He was independent and above all law.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 120.

Only One who was equal with God could do this. “The broken law of God demanded the life of the sinner. In all the universe there was but One who could, in behalf of man, satisfy its claims. Since the divine law is as sacred as God Himself, only one equal with God could make atonement for its transgression.” The Signs of the Times, November 4, 1908.

Only Jesus Christ is equal with God. He is the only Person who could make an atonement. Just before He was crucified Jesus said to His disciples, “No man comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, literal translation).

Jesus said, “nor does anyone know the Father except the Son” (Matthew 11:27, last part). He told the Jews that if they knew the Father they would know Him whom the Father had sent. All who claim to worship God that do not know His Son are worshiping another God.

Only the One who had created man could make atonement for him. Only the One who was independent and above all law could make atonement for man. Only One who had divine perfection of character could make atonement for man.

To come to the realization that a Being like that would stoop to such a depth to save a wretch such as I makes one feel like a worm. But that is how much God loves us. He withheld nothing, even His only beloved Son, so man could be saved out of his wretchedness.

We often talk of looking forward to heaven to be reunited with our loved ones who have passed, but the main reason to be in heaven is to be with Jesus, the One who made all of this possible by His sacrificial love and concern over His lost creation and tell Him how we appreciate what He has done for us.

Throughout eternity the saints will marvel at the love and sacrifice of our Saviour. The love of Christ, the apostle Paul said, is beyond knowledge. There is nobody who can explain it, for it is beyond anything that can be explained. But once you have experience it, you will want nothing else.

After the apostle Paul experienced it, he didn’t want anything else. He said that he had lost everything else because of it and counted that rubbish in comparison to the love of Christ. If he could just know Jesus, that was enough.

When I started studying about the atonement, I was so aghast. I said, Lord, I cannot comprehend this. We do not understand how great Jesus is. If we did, we would be so astonished at the plan of salvation that we would walk in awe the rest of our lives.

The Christian religion is true. The evidence is overwhelming. It is historical. It is a fact. One day soon we are going to face our Creator. The goal of my life is just to be ready for that day. I pray that the Lord will help us to understand the plan of salvation, in a practical way, and to realize that it was done for each one of us individually.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Editor’s Letter – The Investigative Judgment

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Israelites, throughout the year, brought their sin offerings to the sanctuary, confessing, repenting and forsaking their sins and they were forgiven (Leviticus 4 and 5). However, if they did not participate in the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:29, 30), they were still cut off from Israel. In the same way, even though a Christian has repented and confessed his sins and chosen to follow Jesus all the way in a life of obedience, he cannot be saved unless the Lord takes his sins away from him, or as some Scriptures say, unless his sins are blotted out.

This occurs during the end period of earth’s history in one day (Zechariah 3:9) and was symbolized by the service of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:30). Paul clearly says that this event occurs in the end of the ages (Hebrews 9:25, 26). Daniel speaks of it as beginning shortly after 1798 (see Daniel 7) and specifies exactly when this work would begin in Daniel 8:14—1844.

This work of cleansing the sanctuary or Investigative Judgment involves a judgment in favor of God’s holy people and a negative judgment of the continuance in rebellion, often translated the daily (Daniel 8:12) and a negative judgment likewise upon the desolating rebellion (Daniel 8:13). The continual rebellion was a constant worldwide rebellion involving every nation in the world for 4,500 years and the desolating rebellion which succeeded it is the apostasy of the latter times which has been getting worse now for over 1,500 years. So, in summary, the cleansing of the sanctuary involves a judgment involving every nation under heaven for the past 6,000 years.

In this judgment every person who has ever lived will find his destiny. If a person continues to live in sin and never overcomes it (study Revelation 21:5–7), his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life (see Exodus 32:33). But if a person overcomes his sins (the world, the flesh and the devil—James 4; Romans 6; I John 5), then his name will be retained in the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5) and he will be acquitted in the judgment and receive an everlasting reward when Jesus returns. The people who are keeping the real or antitypical Day of Atonement are those who are humbling themselves before God and pleading for the Holy Spirit in their lives that they may be overcomers through the merits of Jesus and thereby be ready to meet Jesus when He comes to receive a church (Ephesians 5:27).

Out of Position

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“It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the atonement who receive the benefits of His mediation in their behalf, while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of ministration are not benefited thereby.” The Great Controversy, 430.

This means that if we do not understand the mediation that is going on right now in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary, we cannot act in faith. We know that, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. Unless we have scriptural evidence to rest our faith upon, shall we ask for something we do not understand?

Throughout the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy it is stated very clearly that those who reject the light, which brings to view this work of ministration, are not benefited thereby. They do not receive the benefit or the power available from the Most Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary.

In A.D. 31 when the disciples understood the work of Christ and saw Him ascend into heaven and the angel told them that this same Jesus would return unto them, they immediately went into the upper room and prayed for Pentecostal power for the benefits that Christ was doing in the Holy Place. At that time when they prayed for that power, they received it. They knew what their Saviour was doing, and they received the benefit of His mediation in the Holy Place. Many believe that we do not need to understand anything about the sanctuary or the Most Holy Place or what kind of position we need in this time and that we are going to be benefited by a latter rain power, even salvation. Many have no idea about 1844 and the prophecies but believe they are going to receive the divine outpouring of grace.

“The condition of the unbelieving Jews illustrates the condition of the careless and unbelieving among professed Christians, who are willingly ignorant of the work of our merciful High Priest.” The Great Controversy, 430. Professed Christians are willingly ignorant of these things, even though they have the books on their shelves.

“In the typical service, when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, all Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God, that they might receive the pardon of their sins and not be cut off from the congregation. How much more essential in this antitypical Day of Atonement that we understand the work of our High Priest and know what duties are required of us.” Ibid., 430, 431.

What would happen then, if someone went to the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement and said, “I am not going to humble my soul in solemn reverence before God by fasting and praying. I am going to come and thank and praise God and be thankful that I am saved by grace. I am going to put on my best robes and sing to the Lord as if I am already in heaven.” If they did this, they would be removed from the camp, because although they may have had a form of worship, it was not acceptable for the occasion; therefore, they would be out of position. That kind of worship would not be acceptable and could not be allowed in the congregation of Israel at that time. That was not the necessary work that was to be for that time.

We are told very clearly how much more essential it is in this antitypical Day of Atonement that we understand the work of our High Priest and know what duties are required of us.

“Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to gain seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful study of the word of truth. The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God.” Ibid., 488.

“All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill.” Ibid.

There are duties that we need to understand and partake of right now. There is a position that God requires us to fill, but because many are willingly ignorant allowing Satan to encumber and to distract their minds, they are out of position. Many are in positions of leadership in the church but out of position with God. There are even people in positions in the home as fathers, mothers and children, but they are out of position. They are not in a spiritual condition to be that witness whom God needs during this time, having an understanding of the things that have been prophesied for these last days.

In Revelation 3, we see in the church of Laodicea (meaning a people judged), an illustration of the last church, the last generation that lives before Christ comes, in the time of the judgment. “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:14–16.

It does not say they will be spued out of the church. They may be part of a congregation, holding positions of trust, and still be spued out of the mouth of God. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (verse 17).

They are poor and blind and naked because of the lack of understanding of the necessary soul work for this time in which we are living. Jesus Christ is right outside the door of their hearts knocking and seeking entrance (Revelation 3:20). For some reason many can see themselves as being rich, but they cannot see their spiritual condition. They do not understand what is going on in the heavenly sanctuary and how to be in harmony with that work of soul searching. They are busy in the church doing certain works that are causing Jesus to say, “I have to spue you out of My mouth unless you repent; unless you receive Me into the heart; unless you overcome and move away from this carnal idea of what spirituality is; as you sit in the last church.” You are out of position. You need to understand that there are duties required of you. You do not understand what Christ is doing in the Most Holy Place right now. You do not understand the position in which you need to be, a co-laborer with Jesus, understanding the work of our great High Priest so that you may benefit from His mediation.

I have heard it said over and over again that we are living in the end of time, and we need to awaken to the fact that we have liberty in Christ. The Bible says there are some people who will preach liberty but it will lead to destruction. While preaching that they are in liberty and freedom, they continue in the bondage of sin. Many people understand liberty in Christ to mean do as they please. At this most solemn time in earth’s history instead of receiving the robe of Christ’s righteousness, they choose their own apparel, as did Adam and Eve when making their garments from fig leaves, and adorn their mortal bodies, their corruptible house of clay—which will one day die. People will adorn these things with gold, pearls and all kinds of costly accessories and say that this is their liberty in Christ because they are praising the Lord in the beauty of holiness. This kind of wisdom does not come from above. The last church gets this kind of wisdom from below, and it is earthly and devilish. This is not found in the word of God but is found in those who do not know what duties are required of them right now. They do not know the position they are to occupy right now.

Paul describes those who had liberty in Christ. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” I Timothy 2:9, 10.

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; … Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands.” I Peter 3:1, 3–5. It was not by the wearing of jewelry that women were known to be married, but by a meek and quiet spirit showing respect to their families. There has been a worldliness that has permeated the church so that the church is reflecting the world instead of following the Lamb whithersoever He goes and reflecting Him.

All through the word of God the same message is clear that God is a holy God. We are not going into a less holy place but entering by faith into the Most Holy Place. The Bible says very clearly in Revelation 14 that the message of this church claims to be wide awake, but God says that they are asleep. This church has a message that they are keeping the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. So if they are keeping the commandments of God, note what the first commandment says, beginning in Exodus 20:3–5: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”

Many people today make an idol out of their homes, cars and apparel, which consumes the majority of their salary. They are slaves to the banks who own them.

We just want to do our own thing and exercise liberty in Christ! “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” Isaiah 4:1.

Jacob, in the word of God, clearly describes these strange gods in the very first book of the Bible. “And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, [Bethel means the house of God, you are going to worship before God] and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.” Genesis 35:1, 2.

Right here Jacob commands his household to put away the strange gods and change their garments. What were those strange gods? “And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem” verse 4.

Some people believe that the strange gods in their hands were statues of Buddha but these could not have been in their ears. In this verse the earrings were equated with the strange gods. God commanded not to have any strange gods before Him (Exodus 20). Some say that it is okay to wear jewelry because the high priest wore a crown of jewels. We live in the time of the antitypical Day of Atonement. This is a time for all to gather around the sanctuary and in a most solemn manner come before God with fasting and prayer to seek Him that He may be found and call upon Him while He is near. On the typical Day of Atonement, God’s people did not adorn themselves; neither did the priests wear their crowns but a specific dress for that occasion. When the high priest entered in before God in the Most Holy Place, he wore clothing whereby no glory was given to himself.

Right now we believe that Jesus is in the Most Holy Place, and we as sons and daughters of God here on earth should be holy within.

When Christ entered the Holy Place in A.D. 31 and was anointed, that anointing fell upon the disciples on earth, and they preached and lived with Pentecostal power. They understood the work of Christ and they were in position, praying and fasting and waiting for Him without gold and pearls and costly array. When they received this outpouring of His Holy Spirit, they went forth and preached a message in harmony with what Christ was doing.

We believe that Christ has entered the Most Holy Place; He is our High Priest and is ministering before the Ark of the Covenant in the presence of God. If this is the type, let’s see how He was dressed so that we will know how we should dress. Remember, on a daily basis the priest would wear a golden mitre and have diamonds upon his chest.

“And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died; And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:1, 2.

What holy place was within the veil? A veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy in which the mercy seat was on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron could enter the Holy Place at all times to offer the daily offering; however, there was only one day each year when he could enter the Most Holy Place. On that day, the Day of Atonement, he would have to go through a special cleansing and be dressed in a certain way.

“Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.” Leviticus 16:3, 4.

His holy gold in-wrought coat with the golden breastplate with all of the diamonds and the golden mitre were to be put aside for the holy linen garment that was devoid of gold, silver and precious stones. We are called to be a holy generation. We are living in the most holy period of time, and are solemnly gathered around the sanctuary. In type, God shows us what we should be doing while Jesus ministers in the Most Holy Place. There is to be no gold or silver—even in New Testament times they did not put on those things as they were not in harmony with the Holy Place ministry. To enter into the Most Holy Place, there was a humbling of their dress and they wore simple linen garments.

There is an interesting description of Lucifer before his fall: “Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Ezekiel 28:11–15.

Lucifer was adorned with all of these brilliant stones and this contributed to his selfish pride causing his fall from heaven. In verse 17 it says, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.”

And we poor mortals feel that we could put on all this decoration without impunity and not be lifted up when an angel, the highest angel in heaven, fell because he was so beautiful! If iniquity is found in us as it was found in Satan, even that which is good becomes corrupt or a curse. When sin is no more and we receive an immortal body and our hearts and minds are changed completely, we will be given a golden crown and walk on streets of gold. At that time these precious stones will not produce pride but gratitude to God who is truly a God of beauty. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7. God created man in perfection and He claimed that His work was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no need to add to his beauty by a covering of precious stones; he was already perfect. It is only in our enfeebled state due to sin that people feel the need to decorate their bodies with jewelry, tattoos and body piercings. God had scattered the precious stones all over the earth, and because of man’s greed and selfishness, they became a curse to him. The worldwide flood buried all of those treasures, and ever since, man has sought to dig them back out of the earth where they were hidden.

Does this mean that God cannot use a person to witness for him just because of a little thing such as a ring or an earring or a little stud in his/her tongue? Is God so particular?

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” Acts 17:30.

God, in His mercy, winks at our ignorance, but now, in this judgment hour, the message is going forth to everybody to repent and to turn away from their idols and prepare to receive the latter rain power.

Is God particular? Ask Cain who thought it would be all right to offer the fruit of his field instead of the required blood sacrifice.

Is God particular? Ask Saul who thought it would be alright to offer sacrifices himself instead of waiting on Samuel.

Is God particular? Ask Judas who thought he could make a few quick dollars selling his Lord.

Is God particular? Put your own name here _______________.

Very soon, all decisions will have been made. Some people will cast in their lot with Cain, Saul and Judas who were deceived into thinking they could make up their own rules. No one will want to share the page of their record of which it will be said that even with all that God had done for them, they are still castaways—they chose to be out of position.

The temptation is so great for this generation who want to do as they please, dress how they wish, wear their earrings, wedding rings and nose rings. Who wants to look different than those around us? It should be remembered that it was the slaves in Bible times that had their ears bored through. However changing is worldly fashion! How blind can we be?

Examine your own heart today and make your election sure while the door of mercy is still open. Take note of the two women described in Revelation 12 and 17: the pure woman clothed with light with her feet on the moon and the crown of stars compared to the harlot decked with gold, pearls and costly array and riding on a beast.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” I Corinthians 7:1.

The Lord is coming. Are you entering by faith into the Most Holy Place? Are you in position, ready to do as the Lord commands and be ready for the final battle? Let us reflect Jesus in all that we do, even in our outward appearance to show that Christ is truly upon the throne of our hearts.

John R. Cofer is a medical evangelist and may be contacted at: 661-209-7142. For more information see www.gospelofhealth.org.

Sanctuary, part 3

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As this legal system, which we have been considering, was only a “shadow,” a “figure” and “patterns” of no value in itself only to teach us the nature of that perfect system of redemption which is its “body,” the “things themselves,” which was devised in the councils of heaven, and is being wrought out by “the only Begotten of the Father;” let us, guided by the Spirit of truth, learn the solemn realities thus shadowed forth. By these patterns, finite as we are, we may, like Paul, extend our research beyond the limits of our natural vision to the “heavenly things themselves.” Here we find the entire ministry of the law fulfilled in Christ, Who was anointed with the Holy Ghost and by His own blood entered His Sanctuary , heaven itself, when He ascended to the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, as “A minister of the Holies,” etc., Hebrews 8:6, 2. Paul, after speaking of the daily services in the Holy and the yearly in the Holy of Holies, says, “The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way of the Holies was not yet made manifest; while as the first tabernacle was yet standing, which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered” etc., “until the time of reformation. But Christ being an High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,” “by His own blood He entered (on or into) the holy things.” Hebrews 9:8–12

The “things” are “good in themselves,” “holy,” or “heavenly,” and in “heaven itself,” where Christ has entered as our High Priest to “minister” for us; and those “holy things” “in heaven” are connected with the “greater and more perfect tabernacle,” “which the Lord pitched and not man”; the same as the holy things of the first covenant were connected with their tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1–5; and all those holy things together make the Sanctuary. The Holies (two) verse 8, the way of which was not made manifest till the time of reformation when Christ shed His own blood, belong to His “greater and more perfect tabernacle,” spoken of in the next verse. I translate the names literally because they are not literal in our common version. The Douay Bible has them as here given. The blood of Christ is the way or means by which He, as our High Priest was to enter both apartments of the heavenly tabernacle. Now if there be but one place in the heavens, as many say, why were there two in the figure? And why, in applying the figure, does Paul speak of two? Perhaps those who “despise the law” and “corrupt the covenant of Levi” can explain this; if not, we advise them to abide by Paul’s exposition of the matter. [See Hebrews 9:6–15.]

Christ Enters The First Compartment

Hebrews 6:19, 20 is supposed to prove that Christ entered the Holy of Holies at His ascension, because Paul said that He had entered within the veil. But the veil which divides between the Holy and the Holy of Holies is “the second veil,” Hebrews 9:3; hence there are two veils, and that in Hebrews 6, being the first of which he speaks, must be the first veil, which hung before the Holy and in Exodus was called a curtain. When He entered within the veil, He entered His tabernacle, of course the Holy, as that was the first apartment; and our hope, as an anchor of the soul, enters within the veil, i.e., the atonement of both apartments, including both the forgiveness and the blotting out of sins.

Those who hold that Christ entered the Holy of Holies at, and has been ministering therein ever since, His ascension, also believe, as of course they must, that the atonement of the Gospel Dispensation is the antitype of the atonement made on the tenth day of the seventh month under the law. If this is so, the events of the legal tenth day have had their antitypes during the Gospel Dispensation. The first event in the atonement service of that day was the cleansing of the Sanctuary, as we have seen from Leviticus 16. Then, upon their theory, the Sanctuary of the new covenant was cleansed in the early part of the Gospel Dispensation.

Evidence is not wanting that neither the earth nor Palestine, their Sanctuaries, was then cleansed. I call them their Sanctuaries, for they are not the Lord’s. But if the Lord’s new covenant Sanctuary was then cleansed, the 2300 days ended then; but if they are years, which we all believe, they extend 1810 years beyond the 70 weeks, and the last of those weeks was the first of the new covenant or Gospel Dispensation. The fact that those days reach 1810 years beyond the 70 weeks and that the Sanctuary could not be cleansed till the end of those days is demonstration that the antitype of the legal tenth day is not the Gospel Dispensation. Again, if the atonement of that day is typical of the atonement of the Gospel Dispensation, then the atonement made in the Holy, Hebrews 9:6, previous to that day, was finished before the Gospel Dispensation began. It has been shown that that atonement was made for the forgiveness of sins, and I have found no evidence that such an atonement was made on the tenth day of the seventh month. The Gospel Dispensation began with the preaching of Christ; and if it is the antitype of the legal tenth day, one of these two things is true: either the Saviour, instead of fulfilling, has destroyed the greater part of the law, the daily service of the Holy which occupied the whole year except one day, the tenth of the seventh month; or else He fulfilled the whole law except one three hundred and sixtieth part of it before the Gospel Dispensation began and before He was anointed as the Messiah to fulfil the law and the prophets. One of these two conclusions is inevitable on the hypotheses that the Gospel Dispensation and the atonement made in it, is the antitype of the legal tenth day and the atonement made in it. Upon which of these horns will they hang? If on the former, the declaration, “I came not to destroy the law,” pierces them; but if they choose the latter, it then becomes them to prove that the law, which had a shadow of good things to come, was fulfilled within itself, that the shadow and substance filled the same place and time; also they will need to prove that the entire atonement for the forgiveness of sins was made before the Lamb was slain with whose blood the atonement was to be made. Now it must be clear to every one that if the antitype of the yearly service (Hebrews 9:7) began at the first Advent, the antitype of the daily [sacrificial service] (Hebrews 9:6) had been previously fulfilled; and, as the atonement for forgiveness was a part of that daily [sacrificial] service, they are involved in the conclusion that there has been no forgiveness of sins under the Gospel Dispensation. Such a theory is wholly at war with the entire genius of the Gospel Dispensation and stands rebuked, not only by Moses and Paul, but by the teaching and works of our Saviour and His commission to His apostles, by their subsequent teaching, and the history of the Christian church. But again, they say the atonement was made and finished on Calvary when the Lamb of God expired. So men have taught us, and so the churches and world believe; but it is none the more true or sacred on that account if unsupported by Divine authority. Perhaps few or none who hold that opinion have ever tested the foundation on which it rests.

The Foundation Of A False Theory

  1. If the atonement was made on Calvary, by whom was it made? The making of the atonement is the work of a Priest, but who officiated on Calvary? – Roman soldiers and wicked Jews.
  2. The slaying of the victim was not making the atonement: the sinner slew the victim, Leviticus 4:1–4, 13–15, etc.; after that the priest took the blood and made the atonement. (See Leviticus 4:5–12, 16–21.)
  3. Christ was the appointed High Priest to make the atonement, and He certainly could not have acted in that capacity till after His resurrection. We have no record of His doing any thing on earth after His resurrection, which could be called the atonement.
  4. The atonement was made in the Sanctuary, but Calvary was not such a place.
  5. He could not, according to Hebrews 8:4, make the atonement while on earth. “If He were on earth, He should not be a Priest.” The Levitical was the earthly priesthood, the Divine, the heavenly.
  6. Therefore, He did not begin the work of making the atonement, whatever the nature of that work may be, till after His ascension, when by His own blood He entered His heavenly Sanctuary for us.

Let us now examine a few texts that appear to speak of the atonement as passed. Romans 5:11: “By Whom we have now received the atonement,” (margin, reconciliation). This passage clearly shows a present possession of the atonement at that time the apostle wrote, but it by no means proves that the entire atonement was then in the past.

When the Saviour was about to be taken up from His apostles, He “commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,” which came on the day of Pentecost when they were all “baptized with the Holy Ghost.” Christ had entered His Father’s house, the Sanctuary, as High Priest, and began His intercession for His people by “praying the Father” for “another Comforter,” John 14:15. “And having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:33, He shed it down upon His waiting apostles. Then, in compliance with their commission, Peter, at the third hour of the day began to preach, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38. This word remission, signifies forgiveness, pardon or more literally, sending away of sins.

Now put by the side of this text another on this point from his discourse at the ninth hour of the same day, Acts 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.” Here he exhorts to repentance and conversion (turning away from sins); for what purpose? “That your sins may be (future) blotted out.” Every one can see that the blotting out of sins does not take place at repentance and conversion, but follows, and must of necessity be preceded by them. Repentance, conversion, and baptism had then become imperative duties in the present tense; and when performed, those doing them “washed away,” Acts 22:16, remitted, or sent away from them their sins, (see Acts 2:28); and of course are forgiven and have “received the atonement”; but they had not received it entire at that time because their sins were not yet blotted out.

The Process Of The Atonement

How far then had they advanced in the reconciling process? Just so far as the individual under the law had when he had confessed his sin, brought his victim to the door of the tabernacle, laid his hand upon it, slew it, and the priest had with its blood entered the Holy and sprinkled it before the veil and upon the altar and thus made an atonement for him, and he was forgiven. Only that was the type, and this the reality. That prepared for the cleansing of the great day of atonement, this for the blotting out of sins “when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and He shall send Jesus.” Acts 3:19. Hence, “by Whom we have now received the atonement” is the same as “by whom we have received forgiveness of sin.” At this point the man is “made free from sin.” The Lamb on Calvary’s cross is our victim slain; “Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant” “in the heavens” is our interceding High Priest, making atonement with His own blood, by and with which He entered there. The essence of the process is the same as in the “shadow.” First, convinced of sin; second, repentance and confession; third, present the divine sacrifice bleeding. This done in faith and sincerity, we can do no more; no more is required.

Then in the heavenly Sanctuary, our High Priest with his own blood makes the atonement and we are forgiven. 1 Peter 2:24: “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” (See also Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4–12.) His body is the “one sacrifice” for repenting mortals to which their sins are imputed and through whose blood in the hands of an active Priest they are conveyed to the heavenly Sanctuary. That was offered “once for all,” “on the tree;” and all who would avail themselves of its merits must through faith, there receive it as theirs, bleeding at the hands of sinful mortals like themselves. After thus obtaining the atonement of forgiveness we must “maintain good works,” not the “deeds of the law;” but “being dead to sin should live unto righteousness.” This work we all understand to be peculiar to the Gospel Dispensation.

An inferential objection arises, which in many minds overwhelms any amount of Bible argument on this point. It is, New Jerusalem cannot be defiled, hence needs no cleansing; therefore, New Jerusalem is not the Sanctuary. A very summary process of inferential deduction truly, especially for those who have said so much on the insufficiency of mere inferential testimony. We would advise them to review the grounds of their faith and see how many and strong arguments they have for the earth or Palestine being the Sanctuary and how many objections to the Sanctuary of the new covenant being where its Priest is, that are not entirely inferential; and then in place of their inferences, take the plain testimony of the Word and teach it. But how was the Sanctuary defiled?

The Earthly Sanctuary Had To Be Cleansed

The Sanctuary of the Old Testament, being on earth, could be, and was, defiled in various ways—by an unclean person entering it. “She shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the Sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.” Leviticus 12:4. It could be profaned by the high priest going out of it while the anointing oil was upon him for the dead (see Leviticus 21:12) and by a man’s negotiating to purify himself. (See Numbers 17:20; 19:20.) All of the chief of the priests and of the people polluted it by transgressing very much after all the abominations of the heathen. (See 2 Chronicles 36:14.) “Surely, because thou hast defiled My Sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations (idolatry), therefore will I diminish thee.” Ezekiel 5:11

“Moreover this they have done unto Me; they have defiled My Sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned My Sabbaths: for when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into My Sanctuary to profane it.” Ezekiel 23:38, 39. “Her priests have polluted the Sanctuary; they have done violence to the law.” Zephaniah 3:4. Antiochus polluted it by offering swine flesh upon its altar. (See 1 Maccabees 1:20–24.) From these texts we can clearly see that it was moral rather than physical uncleanness that defiled the Sanctuary in the sight of the Lord. True, it did become physically unclean, but that uncleanness had to be removed before the atonement was made by which it was reconciled or cleansed. (See 2 Chronicles 29.) And that, we have seen, was the law of cleansing, Leviticus, chapters 12 to 15; the object must be made visibly clean, so to speak, so that we would call it clean, to prepare it for its real cleansing with blood. Now no one supposes that New Jerusalem is unclean or ever has been, as its type was when overrun, desecrated, and desolated by Syrian, Chaldean, or Roman soldiery, or trode by wicked priests. Even if it were, the removing of such defilement would not be the cleansing it was to undergo at the end of the 2300 days. The Sanctuary was unclean in some sense, or else it would not need to be cleansed; and it must in some way have received its uncleanness from man. Removed, as the heavenly Sanctuary is from the midst of mortals and entered only by our Forerunner, Jesus, made an High Priest, it can only be defiled by mortals through His agency, and for them cleansed by the same agency. The legal typical process of defiling and cleansing the Sanctuary through the agency of the priest has been examined. With that in our minds, let us go to the New Testament. Paul says, Colossians 1:19, 20: “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell, and having made (margin, making) peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him I say, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven.” When “things on earth” are spoken of in connection or contrast with “things in heaven,” no one can understand them all to be in the same place. “Things in heaven” are to be reconciled as well as “things on earth.”

The Heavenly Sanctuary Cleansed

If they needed reconciling, they were unreconciled; if unreconciled, then unclean in some sense in His sight. The blood of Christ is the means, and Christ Himself the agent of reconciling to the Father both the things in heaven and the things on earth. People have an idea that in heaven, where our Saviour has gone, everything is and always was perfect beyond change or improvement. But He said, “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.” John 14:2. He went into heaven, and Paul says that the “building of God, an house not made with hands” is in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1

For what did He go to His Father’s house? “To prepare a place for you.” Then it was unprepared; and when He has prepared it, He will come again and take us to Himself. Again, Hebrews 9:23: “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” What were the patterns? “The tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry,” verse 21, which constituted the worldly Sanctuary, verse 1. What were the heavenly things themselves? The greater and more perfect tabernacle (see verse 11), and the good things and the holy things (see verses 11, 12). These are all in heaven itself. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself.” Verse 24. Paul here shows that it was as necessary to purify the heavenly things as it was to purify their patterns, the worldly.

The End

Sanctuary, part 2

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The priesthood of the worldly Sanctuary of the first covenant belonged to the sons of Levi; but that of the heavenly, of the better covenant, to the Son of God. He fulfills both the priesthood of Melchisedec and Aaron. In some respects, the priesthood of Christ resembles that of Melchisedec, and in others that of Aaron or Levi. 1.) He was “made an High Priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec.” Taxis, rendered order, properly signifies “series, succession.” Christ, like Melchisedec, had no priestly descent of pedigree; (See Hebrews 7:3 [margin] i.e.) he never followed nor will have a successor in office; and “because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood,” (which passeth not from one to another; margin.) Verse 24. The priesthood of Levi to be continuous had many and a succession of priests, “because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.” Verse 23. 2.) Being after the order of Melchisedec, He is superior to the sons of Levi because he blessed and received tithes from them in Abraham. Verses 1, 7, 9, 10. 3.) He is King and Priest; a King by birth, being from the tribe of Judah, and a Priest by the oath of His Father. Verses 14, 21. 4.) Being Himself perfect, and His priesthood unending, He is able to “perfect forever” and “save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Verse 25. He was not called after the order of Aaron, i.e. not in his succession but this does not at all prove that the priesthood of Aaron was not typical of the priesthood of Christ. Paul distinctly shows that it is.

1.) After calling upon us to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (religion), Christ Jesus,” he lays the foundation of the investigation by drawing the analogy between Moses over his house (olkos, people) and Christ over His (Hebrews 3:1-6), and says: “Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.” This clearly shows that the Mosaic economy was typical of the divine. 2.) He shows that He was called of God to be an High Priest “as was Aaron,” Hebrews 5:1-5. 3.) Like Aaron and his sons, He took upon Him flesh and blood, the seed of Abraham, “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,” was made “perfect through suffering,” and “in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren; that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:4. 4.) Both were ordained for men in things pertaining to God: that (they might) offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” Hebrews 5:1, 8:3

Typical of Christ’s Ministry

5.) Paul evidently considered the Levitical priesthood typical of Christ’s from the pains he takes to explain the analogies and contrasts between them. 6.) “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death, but this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.” 7.) “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s for this He did once when He offered up Himself.” 8.) “For the law maketh men high priests which have infimity; but the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the Son who is consecrated (perfected, margin) for evermore.” Hebrews 7:23-28. 9.) “But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry” than theirs. Hebrews 8:6 10.) “By how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant” than theirs; Hebrews 8:6. 11.) “But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle” than theirs. Hebrews 9:11. 12.) “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the holy place.” Verse 12. 13.) “For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, Who, through the eternal spirit offered Himself without spot to God purge your conscience.” Verses 13, 14. 14.) “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself. Verse 24. 15.) “Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;” but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Verses 25, 26. 16.) “And as it is appointed unto [the] men [priests] once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Verses 27, 28

17.) “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually, make the corners thereunto perfect;” but “by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14. 18.) “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” “but a body hast Thou prepared Me.” Verses 4, 5. These are a part of the contrasts or comparisons the apostle draws between the Levitical priesthood and Christ’s, and there is a resemblance in every instance; but Christ’s is superior to Levi’s.—I add one more. Hebrews 8:4, 5. “For if He were on earth He should not be a priest, seeing that there (many, they) are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.”

The Substance and its Shadow

The features of the substance always bear a resemblance to those of the shadow, hence the “heavenly things” referred to in this text must be priestly service “in the heavens” (see verses 1, 2) performed by our High Priest in His Sanctuary; for if the shadow is service, the substance is service also.

As the priests of the law served unto the example and shadow of the heavenly service, we can from their service learn something of the nature of the heavenly service. “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 showed to thee in the mount.”

None can deny that, in obedience to this admonition, Moses made or instituted the Levitical priesthood; it was then “according to the pattern” which the Lord showed him, and that pattern was of heavenly things. (See Hebrews 9:23.) If there was not another text to prove that the Levitical priesthood was typical of the Divine, this would abundantly do it. Yet some are even denying this obvious import of the priesthood; but if this is not its import, I can see no meaning in it. It is an idle round of ceremonies without sense or use, as it did not perfect those for whom it was performed; but looked upon as typical of the heavenly, it is replete with the most important instruction. As this is the application made of it by the New Testament, so we must regard it, while we examine the atonement made under the Levitical priesthood.

“Now when these things [the worldly Sanctuary with its two apartments and the furniture in each] were thus ordained, the priests went always [daily, Hebrews 7:27; 10:11] into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

“But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.” Hebrews 9:6, 7

Daily and Yearly Services

Here Paul divides the services of the Levitical priesthood into two classes—one daily in the Holy and the other yearly in the Holy of Holies.

Their stated daily services, performed in the Holy and at the brazen altar in the court before the tabernacle, consisted of a burnt offering of two lambs, one in the morning and the other at even, with a meat offering which was one tenth of an ephah of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and a drink offering which was one-fourth of an hin of strong wine. The meat-offering was burnt with the lamb, and the drink offering was poured in the Holy. (See Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:3-8.) In connection with this, they burned on the golden altar in the Holy, sweet incense, which was a very rich perfume, when they dressed and lighted the lamps every evening and morning. (See Exodus 30:34-38; 31:11; 30:7-9.) The same was afterwards done at the Temple. 1 Chronicles 16:37-40; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 13:3, 4-12; 31:3; Ezra 3:3.)

This did not atone for sins either individually or collectively. The daily service described was a sort of continual intercession, but the making of atonement was a special work for which special directions are given. Different words are used both in the Old Testament and New to express the same idea as Atonement.

Examples—From the following texts we learn that the words atone, cleanse, reconcile, purify, purge, pardon, sanctify, hallow, forgive, justify, redeem, blot out, and some others, are used to signify the same work, viz., bringing into favor with God; and in all cases, blood is the means, and sometimes blood and water. Exodus 29:36: “Thou shalt cleanse the altar when thou hast made an atonement for it.”—Leviticus 12:8: “The priest shall make an atonement for her and she shall be clean.” Leviticus 14:2: “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing.” Verse 21: “The priest shall make an atonement for him and he shall be clean.” Leviticus 14:2: The atonement could not be made for him till after he was healed of the leprosy, (see Leviticus 13:45, 46.) Till he was healed, he had to dwell alone without the camp. Then, Leviticus 14:3, 4. “The priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and behold if the plague of the leprosy be healed in the leper; then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean,” etc. The law was the same in cleansing a house form the leprosy. (See verses 33-57.) The stones affected with the plague were removed and the house “scraped within round about” and then repaired with new material.

Physical uncleanness is now all removed and we would call it clean, but not so; it is only just prepared to be cleansed according to the law. Verse 48: “And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds” etc. Verse 48: “And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird” etc. Verses 52, 53: “And make an atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.” Leviticus 16:18, 19: “And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Leviticus 8:15: “And Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his fingers and purified the altar round about with his fingers and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.” 2 Chronicles 29:29. 2 Chronicles 29:24: “And they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel,” Jeremiah 33:8: “I will cleanse them from all their iniquities…and I will pardon all their iniquities.” Romans 5:9-11: “Being now justified by His blood….by Whom we have now received the atonement.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19: “Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 2:16: “And that he might reconcile both unto God.” Hebrews 9:13, 14: “The blood of bulls sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; but the blood of Christ shall purge our conscience from dead works.” He is the Mediator for the “redemption of the transgressions,” and to “perfect forever them that are sanctified,” Hebrews 10:14. Ephesians 1:7: “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins.” Acts 3:19: “Be converted that your sins may be blotted out.”

The atonement is the great idea of the Law, as well as the Gospel; and as the design of that of was to teach us that of the Gospel, it is very important to be understood. The atonement which the priest made for the people in connection with their daily ministration was different from that made on the tenth day of the seventh month. In making the former, they went no further than into the Holy; but to make the latter, they entered the Holy of Holies—the former was made for individual cases, the latter for the whole nation of Israel collectively—the former was made for the forgiveness of sins, the latter for blotting them out—the former could be made at any time, the latter only on the tenth day of the seventh month. Hence, the former may be called the daily atonement, and the latter the yearly; or the former the individual, and the latter the national atonement.

Individual Atonement

The individual atonement for the forgiveness of sins was made for a single person, or for the whole congregation in case they were collectively guilty of some sin. The first chapter of Leviticus gives directions for the burnt offering, the second for the meat offering, the third for the peace offering, and the fourth for the sin offering, which, as its name implies, was an offering for sins, in which he who offered it attained forgiveness of his sins. The trespass offering, Leviticus 5; 6:1-7, was similar to the sin-offering. “If a soul sin through ignorance,” Leviticus 4:2, “when he knoweth of it, then shall he be guilty,” Leviticus 5:3. “And it shall be when he shall be guilty in any of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing.” Verse 5

From Numbers 5:6-8, it appears that confession and restitution are necessary in all cases before the atonement could be made for the individual. “When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; then they shall recompense his trespass with the principle thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.”

Then he or the elders (if it was for the congregation) brought the victim for the sin or trespass offering to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation on the north side of the altar of burnt offering in the court (see Leviticus 4:24; 1:11; 17:1-7); there he (or the elders) laid his hand on its head and killed it. (See Leviticus 4:2-4, 13-15, 22-24, 27-29.) Then, the victim being presented and slain, the priest that was anointed took some of the blood into the Holy, and with his finger sprinkled it before the veil of the Sanctuary and put some of it upon the horns of the altar of incense, then poured the remainder of the blood at the bottom of the altar. Thus he made an atonement for the individual, and his sin was forgiven. (See Leviticus 4:5-10, 16-20, 25, 26, 30-35.) The carcasses of the sin offering were taken without the camp and burned “in a clean place.” Leviticus 4:11, 12, 21

It should be distinctly remembered that the priest did not begin his duties till he obtained the blood of the victim, they were all performed in the court (the enclosure of the Sanctuary), and the atonement thus made was only for the forgiveness of sins. These points are expressly taught in this chapter and the following one on the trespass offering. Here is an atonement, to make which, the priests only entered the Holy; and to make it they could enter that apartment “always” or “daily.” “But into the second [the Holy of Holies] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people [laos, nation].” Hebrews 9:7. This defines the yearly to be.

National Atonement

The Lord “speaks particularly” of the national Atonement in Leviticus 16: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron, thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat:” Verse 2. For what purpose and when could he enter it? “To make an atonement for the children of Israel [the whole nation] for all their sins once a year” “on the tenth day of the seventh month.” Verses 34, 29. This was the most important day of the year. The whole nation, having had their sins previously forgiven by the atonement made in the Holy, now assemble about their Sanctuary, while the High Priest, attired in his holy garments for glory and beauty (see Exodus 28:4) having the golden bells on the hem of his robe that his sound may be heard when he goeth in before the Lord, the breast plate of judgment on his heart, with their names therein that he may bear their judgment, also in it the Urim and Thummim (light and perfection), and the plate of pure gold, the holy crown, (see Leviticus 8:9: Exodus 28:36), with “Holiness to the Lord” engraved upon it, placed upon the forefront of his miter that he may bear the iniquities of the holy things, enters the Holy of Holies to make an atonement to cleanse them that they may be clean from all their sins before the Lord.” Verse 30. The victims for the atonement of this day were, for the priest himself, a young bullock for a sin offering (see verse 3), and for the people, two goats; one for a sin offering and the other for the scapegoat, and a ram for a burnt offering. (See verses 5-8. He killed or caused to be killed the bullock for a sin offering for himself. (See Verse 11.) “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bringing it within the veil; and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not; and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy sea eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times,” Verses 12-14. So much, in preparation to make an atonement for the people; a description of which follows:

“Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat; and he shall make an atonement for [cleanse, see marginal references] the holy place [within the veil, verse 2], because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for [i.e. atone for or cleanse] the tabernacle of the congregation [the Holy], that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.” Verses 15, 16. “And he shall go out [of the Holy of Holies] unto the altar that is before the Lord [in the Holy], and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood [for himself] of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat [for the people], and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Verses 18, 19. The altar was the golden altar of incense in the Holy upon which the blood of individual atonement was sprinkled during the daily ministration. Thus it received the uncleanness from which it is now cleansed. Exodus 30:10: “Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements.” We see from Leviticus 16:20 that at this stage of the work, “he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar,” i.e. the Holy of Holies, the Holy, and the altar in the latter.

We have before seen that atone, reconcile, cleanse, etc., signify the same hence, at this stage he has made an end of cleansing those places. As the blood of atonements for the forgiveness of sins was not sprinkled in the court, but in the tabernacle only, the entire work of cleansing the Sanctuary was performed within the tabernacle. These were holy things, yet cleansed yearly. The holy place within the veil contained the ark of the covenant , covered with the mercy seat and overshadowed by the cherubim’s, between which the Lord dwelt in the cloud of divine glory. Who would think of calling such a place unclean? Yet the Lord provided at the time, yea, before, it was built, that it should be annually cleansed. It was by blood, and not by fire, that this Sanctuary, which was a type of the new covenant Sanctuary, was cleansed.

The high priest on this day “bore the iniquities of the holy things which the children of Israel hallowed in all their holy gifts.” Exodus 28:38. these holy things composed the Sanctuary. Numbers 18:1 “And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou, and thy sons, and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary.” This “iniquity of the Sanctuary” we have learned was not its own property, but the children of Israel’s, God’s own people’s, which it had received from the them. And this transfer of iniquity from the people to their Sanctuary was not a mere casualty, incident on scenes of lawless rebellion, bloodshed or idolatry among themselves, not the devastation of an enemy; but it was according to the original arrangement and regular operation of this typical system. For we must bear in mind that all the instructions were given to Moses and Aaron before the erection of the Sanctuary. Provision was made to make atonement for sins committed in ignorance; but not till after they were known; (See Leviticus 4:14, 5:3-6); then, of course, they became sins of knowledge. Then the individual bore his iniquity (Leviticus 5:1-17; 7:1-8) till he presented his offering to the priest and slew it. The priest made an atonement with the blood (see Leviticus 17:11), and he was then forgiven and free from his iniquity.

Sin Transferred

Now at what point did the individual cease to bear his iniquity? Evidently, when he had presented his victim slain, he had then done his part. Through what medium was his iniquity conveyed to the Sanctuary? Through his victim, or rather its blood, when the priest took and sprinkled it before the veil and on the altar. Thus the iniquity was communicated to their Sanctuary. The first thing done for the people on the tenth day of the seventh month was to cleanse it, thence by the same means, the application of blood. This done, the high priest bore the “iniquity of Sanctuary” for the people “to make atonement for them.” Leviticus 10:17. “And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place [within the veil], and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar [or when he hath cleansed the Sanctuary], he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited (margin, of separation). Leviticus 16:2-20. This was the only office of the scapegoat, to finally receive and bear away from Israel all their iniquities into an uninhabited wilderness and there retain them, leaving Israel at their Sanctuary and the priest to complete the atonement of the day by burning the fat of the sin offerings and offering the two rams for burnt offerings on the brazen altar in the court. (See verses 24, 25.) The burning without the camp of the carcasses of the sin offerings closed the services of this important day. (See verse 27.)

The Cleansing of the Sanctuary from Sin

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In the book of Hebrews, we are shown that the cleansing of the Sanctuary from sin is an integral part of the New Covenant. “Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 9:23. This work of cleansing is the only work that remains between us and the Second Coming of Christ. As soon as Jesus has completed His work of atonement, He will take off His High Priestly robes, put on His kingly garments, and return to this world to take His people home. All other events, including the Sunday laws and the time of trouble, are peripheral events to that central focal point of the New Covenant.

In Revelation 11:1, we are told, “And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.’” The question arises, Who are these worshippers in God’s Sanctuary in heaven? Turning to Hebrews 10:19, we read, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Further, the apostle tells us that, “God, Who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we wee dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4–6.

According to Paul, by faith we are to enter into holy places of the Sanctuary in Heaven where we are to participate in the work that Jesus, as our High Priest, is doing for His people. While our body is down here, by faith we are to enter into the Sanctuary in Heaven. We are, therefore the worshippers. As we grasp this truth, we begin to understand that the Sanctuary in Heaven cannot be cleansed if the worshippers are still defiled by sin.

There are two ways that the Sanctuary can be cleansed. One way is for the sins of God’s people to be blotted out; the other is for their names to be removed from the books in Heaven. The defilement an only be ended by the complete removal of either the sin or the sinner. Paul describes the provision of the New Covenant in this way, “Now, once in the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:16. Ellen White refers to it as the final atonement. “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. . . . As in the final atonement the sins of the truly penitent are to be blotted from the records of heaven. . . .” Patriarchs and Prophets, 357, 358.

The Day of Atonement

It is well to remember that in the daily service of the Sanctuary, the priest made atonement. That atonement, however, was not sufficient unless the person participated in the work that took place on the Day of Atonement. (See Leviticus 23:28–30.) This service was the typical service; but since October 22, 1844, we are living in the antitype, or the reality of that service.

In the daily Sanctuary service, the worshippers had a conditional pardon. It was conditional on their participation in the work that took place on the Day of Atonement. In the typical Day of Atonement, any person who did not afflict his soul, or who did any work, was to be cut off from the people. The apostle Paul talks about the provisions of the typical service in dealing with sin. “For the law [ceremonial law], having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year [Day of Atonement], make those who approach perfect. For them would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshippers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Hebrews 10:1–4.

If it was possible for those sacrifices to really take away sins, then after the Day of Atonement there would have been no sacrifices and no need of confession of sins because their sins would already have been taken away. They would have been perfect. The Old Covenant, however, could not really take away sins. It was merely a description, or type, to explain the work to be accomplished by the New Covenant. As a result, the same people who had come to the Day of Atonement returned to offer more sacrifices the next year.

Paul then goes on to show that what the Old Covenant could not do, really takes place under the New Covenant. God is not simply going to forgive our sins; He is actually going to take them away. God’s people will then be perfect in regard to the conscience; they will have no more consciousness of sins.

In Hebrews, the apostle Paul links the experience of Christ with the experience of the New Covenant. He also ties the experience of those who will be translated with Christ’s experience. As Jesus went through a time of trouble just before He left this world, the saints are going to have to experience a time of trouble just before they are translated. As we will see, this experience through which they pass is closely connected to the cleansing of the Sanctuary. It will also be shown that when we speak of the cleansing of the Sanctuary, we are talking of the cleansing of the worshippers and that this cleansing is intimately related to what takes place in the mind of the believer.

Final Removal of Sin

It was not God’s will, even in Old Testament times, for His people to continually sin and then bring sacrifices. (See Hebrews 10:5, 6.) The New Covenant provides just one sacrifice; and that Sacrifice delivers the believer not just from guilt, but from the power of sin. Speaking of the New Covenant, Paul continues, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.” Then he adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Verses 16, 17. He is speaking of the removal of their sins, after which He will remember them no more.

Whenever you read the texts in the Bible that speak about casting our sins in the bottom of the sea, if you will notice the context, you will see that it is always referring to the results to be accomplished as a result of the completed work of the New Covenant. Sins are not cast into the depths of the sea and forgotten by the Lord until the New Covenant is consummated. Until that time they are kept on record, even thought you are forgiven. The apostle Peter, speaking of this, says, “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. This is the time of refreshing, also foretold in Joel 2 and Zachariah 10, that is going to come just before Jesus returns to this earth. This spiritual refreshing is what we refer to as the Latter Rain.

“Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.” Hebrews 10:18. The significance of overcoming sin is found in the fact that the New Covenant cannot be put into effect in a person’s life until he has victory over sin because under the New Covenant, there is only one sacrifice and the sins are taken away only once and for all. While you can confess and receive forgiveness many times, your sins are only taken away once.

The Preparation

We are told, “I saw that none could share the refreshing unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action.” Early Writings, 71. And what does the Latter Rain accomplish? “While we cherish the blessing of the early rain, we must not, on the other hand, lose sight of the fact that without the Latter Rain, to fill out the ears and ripen the grain, the harvest will not be ready for the sickle, and the labor of the sower will have been in vain.” Testimonies to Ministers, 507.

The Latter Rain prepares God’s people to receive His seal. To receive the seal of God we must reflect the image of Jesus fully. And what does it man to reflect the image of Jesus fully? It is to have His Law written the heart. This final work takes place during the time that we refer to as the time of trouble.

God does not just arbitrarily say, “I am not going to take you to heaven unless you go through the time of trouble first.” The time of trouble has to do with the final purification or cleansing of the Sanctuary. It is a vital part of the purification of God’s people. “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.’ I Peter 4:1, 2.

Notice carefully that the apostle closely links the discipline of chastening with perfection of character. “If you endure chastening, God deal with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:7–11.

The Final Shaking

The final shaking and the presentation of an unshakable kingdom and a glorious church is what the time of trouble is all about. Ellen White says that the purification of God’s people can only be accomplished through suffering. “The purification of the people of God cannot be accomplished without their suffering. God permits the fires of affliction to consume the dross, to separate the worthless from the valuable, that the pure metal may shine forth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 85.

God does not allow you to get into trouble because He enjoys seeing you suffer but because He knows that there is no other way that your character can be purified. We do not realize how much sin has degraded and affected our characters; and even for divine power, there is no way to accomplish our purification without suffering. One Saturday night, when my brother Marshall was alive, we were talking about persecution and the suffering of God’s saints. Marshall said that no matter how bad it becomes, it will only be temporary.

“The time of trouble is the crucible that is to bring out Christ-like characters. It is designed to lead the people of God to renounce Satan and his temptations. The last conflict will reveal Satan to them in his true character, that of a cruel tyrant, and it will do for them what nothing else could do, up-root him entirely form their affections. For to love and cherish sin is to love and cherish its author, that deadly foe of Christ. When they excuse sin and cling to perversity of character, they give Satan a place in their affections, and pay him homage.” Review and Herald, August 12, 1884. Whenever you are in trouble, always remember that it is all for a purpose and that it is only temporary.

It is interesting to note that the earthliness is going to be removed from those who have already gained the victory over sin. These are not people who are still smoking, drinking, carousing, and living like the world. This is all in the past in their lives, but the root of the sin problem has not yet been fully eradicated from their heart. We can never be ready for Jesus to come and to be translated, unless it comes out. That is what the time of trouble is all about.

Describing these scenes, Ellen White wrote, “It is an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day and night they cried unto God for deliverance. To outward appearance, there was no possibility of their escape. The wicked had already begun to triumph, crying out, “Why doesn’t your God deliver you out of our hands? Why don’t you go up and save your lives?’ But the saints heeded them not. Like Jacob, they were wrestling with God. The angels longed to deliver them, but they must wait a little longer; the people of God must drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism. The angels, faithful to their trust, continued their watch. God would not suffer His name to be reproached among the heathen. The time had nearly come when He was to manifest His mighty power and gloriously deliver His saints. For His name’s glory He would deliver every one of those who had patiently waited for Him and whose names were written in the book.” Early Writings, 283.

Are you praying and asking the Lord to help you to receive the maximum benefit out of every trial and trouble that He allows to come to you? The troubles that God’s people experience are not the result of happenstance or arbitrary in nature, but they are for a purpose. God is preparing a people to be ready to meet Him when He comes. As long as you abide in His will, every trial and trouble that you experience is a necessary preparation for that experience. “The fact that we are called upon to endure trial, proves that the Lord sees something in us very precious, which He desires to develop. If He saw nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend time in refining us. We do not take special pains in pruning brambles. Christ does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is valuable ore that He tests.” Signs of the Times, August 18, 1909.

The New Covenant provides for the removal of sin from God’s people. As soon as this work is accomplished, friends, Jesus is going to come; and we are going to go home. Always remember when you are in trouble that all of our troubles are temporary, but the consequences are eternal.

May God help each one of us to gain from our trials an experience that will prepare us to be ready to look up and meet Jesus with joy when He comes.

The Final Generation, part 4

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The religious journal, Christianity Today, states in the March 3, 1958 issue that “the Adventists today are contending vigorously that they are truly evangelical. They want to appear to be so regarded.” Mentioning this book Questions on Doctrines, it says that this “is the Adventist answer to the question whether it ought to be thought of as a sect or a fellow evangelical denomination.” It states further that “the book” is published in an effort to convince the religious world that we are evangelical and one of them.

This is a most interesting and dangerous situation. As one official who was not in favor of what was being done stated to me: “We are being sold down the river.” What a sight for heaven and earth! The church of the living God, which has been given the commission to preach the gospel to every creature under heaven and call men to come out of Babylon, is now standing at the door of these churches asking permission to enter and become one of them. How are the mighty fallen! Had their plans succeeded, we might now be a member of some evangelical association and no longer a distinctive Seventh-day Adventist Church, in secrecy “sold down the river.” This is more than apostasy. This is giving up Adventism. It is the rape of a whole people. It is denying God’s leading in the past. It is the fulfillment of what the Spirit of Prophecy said years ago: “The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. . . . Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement.” Selected Messages, book 1, 204.

“’Be not deceived; many shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.’ We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature.” Ibid., 197.

“When men standing in the position of leaders and teachers work under the power of spiritualistic ideas and sophistries, shall we keep silent, for fear of injuring their influence, while souls are being beguiled? . . . Those who feel so very peaceable in regard to the works of the men, who are spoiling the faith of the people of God, are guided by a delusive sentiment.” Series B, no. 2, 9, 11.

“Renewed energy is now needed. Vigilant action is called for. Indifference and sloth will result in the loss of personal religion and of heaven. . . . My message to you is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth. . . . We must firmly refuse to be drawn away from the platform of eternal truth, which since 1844 has stood the test.” Selected Messages, book 1, 195, 196, 199, 200.

“I hesitated and delayed about the sending out of that which the Spirit of the Lord impelled me to write. I did not want to be compelled to present the misleading influence of these sophistries. But in the providence of God, the errors that have been coming in must be met.” Ibid., 205.

“What influence is it that would lead men at this stage of our history to work in an underhanded, powerful way to tear down the foundation of our faith—the foundation that was laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation? Upon this foundation we have been building for the past fifty years. Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, ‘Meet it!’” Ibid., 207, 208.

All this was written to meet the apostasy in the alpha period. We are now in the omega period which Sister White said would come and would be of a “startling nature.” Her words are even more applicable now than then. It is time to stand up and be counted.

Christ’s death on the cross corresponded to the moment when on the Day of Atonement the high priest had just killed the Lord’s goat in the court. The death of the goat was necessary; for without its blood, there could be no atonement. But the death itself was not the atonement, though it was the first and necessary step. Sister White states that the “atonement commenced on earth.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 261. Says the Scripture: “It is the blood that maketh atonement.” Leviticus 17:11. And, of course, there could be no blood until after the death had taken place. Without a blood ministration, the people would be in the same position as those who on the Passover slew the lamb but failed to place the blood on the doorposts. “When I see the blood,” said God, “I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13. The death was useless without the ministration of the blood. It was the blood that counted.

It is the blood that is to be applied, not “an act,” “a great act,” “a sacrificial act,” “an atoning act,” “the act of the cross,” “the benefits of the act of the cross,” “the benefits of the atonement,” all of which expressions are used in Questions on Doctrine, while any reference to the blood is carefully avoided. It is not an act of any kind that is to be applied. It is the blood. Yet in all of the one-hundred pages dealing with the atonement, in the book, not once is the blood spoken of as being applied or ministered.

Blood Atonement

Here are some expressions from the Spirit of Prophecy in regard to the blood atonement:

“Jesus was clothed with priestly garments. He gazed in pity on the remnant, then raised His hands, and with a voice of deep pity cried, ‘My blood, Father, My blood, My blood, My blood.’” Early Writings, 38.

“He appears in the presence of God as our great High Priest, ready to accept the repentance, and to answer the prayers of His people, and through the merits of His own righteousness, to present them to the Father. He raises His wounded hands to God, and claims their blood-bought pardon. I have graven them on the palms of My hands, He pleads. Those memorial wounds of My humiliation and anguish secure to My church the best gifts of Omnipotence.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 261, 262.

“The ark that enshrines the tables of the Law is covered with the mercy seat, before which Christ pleads His blood in the sinner’s behalf.” The Great Controversy, 415.

“When in the typical service the high priest left the holy on the Day of Atonement, he went in before God to present the blood of the sin offering in behalf of all Israel who truly repented of their sins. So Christ had only completed one part of His work as our intercessor, to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 429.

Christ is “now officiating before the ark of God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 433.

“Christ, the great High Priest, pleading His blood before the Father in the sinner’s behalf, bears upon His heart the name of every repentant, believing soul.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 351.

“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.” Ibid., 357.

The Final Atonement

“The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete His work, and fulfill His pledge to ‘make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.’” The Desire of Ages, 790.

When Christ says in His High Priestly prayer, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” (John 17:4), Sister White comments: “He had wrought out a righteous character on earth as an example for man to follow.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 260.

In working out this righteous character, Christ demonstrated that it could be done. But could others do the same? That needed to be demonstrated also.

Character is not created, it is developed through manifold tests, temptations, and trials. God at first gives a light test, then a little stronger one until, little by little, resistance to temptations grows stronger. After a time, certain temptations cease to be temptations.

Holiness is not attained in a day. “Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven.” The Desire of Ages, 330. A man may gain victories every day but still may not have attained. Even Paul had to admit, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.” Undaunted he exclaims, “But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12.

Christ had pledged to make men overcomers. It was no easy task, but the work of atonement was not finished until and unless He did it. Out of the last generation, out of the weakest of the weak, Christ selects a group with which to make the demonstration that man can overcome as He overcame. In the 144,000, Christ will stand justified and glorified. They prove that it is possible for man to live a life pleasing to God until all conditions and that man can at last stand “in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.” The Great Controversy, 614. As a husband and wife are one, so now are Christ and the church. The at-one-ment, the true atonement, the final atonement, the complete atonement has been made. “The family of heaven and the family of earth are one.” The Desire of Ages, 835.

The 144,000

Practically all Adventists have read the last few chapters in The Great Controversy which describe the fearful struggle through which God’s people will pass before the end. As Christ was tried to the utmost in the temptations in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane, so the 144,000 will likewise be tried. They will apparently be left to perish, as their prayers remain unanswered as were Christ’s in Gethsemane when His petitions were denied. But their faith will not fail. With Job they exclaim, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15.

The final demonstration of what God can do in humanity is made in the last generation who bear all of the infirmities and weaknesses which the race has acquired through six thousand years of sin and transgression. In the words of Sister White, they bore “the results of the working of the great law of heredity.” The Desire of Ages, 49. The weakest of mankind are to be subjected to the strongest of Satan’s temptations, that the power of God might be abundantly shown. “It was an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day and night they cried unto God for deliverance. To outward appearance, there was no possibility of their escape.” Early Writings, 283.

According to the new theology which our leaders have accepted and are now teaching, the 144,000 will be subjected to a temptation immeasurably stronger than any that Christ ever experienced. For while the last generation will bear the weaknesses and passions of their forefathers, they claim that Christ was exempt from all of these. Christ, we are told, did not inherit any of the passions “that corrupt the natural descendants of Adam.” Questions on Doctrine, 383. He was, therefore, functioning on a higher and altogether different level from men who have to battle with inherited passions; hence, He does not know and has not experienced the real power of sin. But this is not the kind of Saviour that I need. I need One who was “in all points tempted like as we are.” Hebrews 4:15. The “substitute Christ” which our leaders present to us, I must reject and do reject. Thank God that “we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Ibid.

Indictment Against God

But more than even this is involved in the new theology; it places an indictment against God as the Author of a scheme to deceive both men and Satan. Here is the situation:

Satan has consistently maintained that God is unjust in requiring men to obey His Law, which he claims is impossible to do. God has maintained that it can be done; and to substantiate His claim, offered to send His Son to this world to prove His contention. The Son did come, kept the Law, and challenged men to convince Him of sin. He was found to be sinless, holy, and without blame. He proved that the Law could be kept and God stood vindicated; His requirement that men keep His commandments was found to be just. God had won, and Satan was defeated.

But there was a hitch in this; for Satan claimed that God had not played fair, He had favored His Son and had exempted Christ “from the inherited passions and pollutions that corrupt the natural descendants of Adam.” Questions on Doctrine, 383. He had not only exempted mankind in general, but Christ only. That, of course, invalidated Christ’s work on earth. He was no longer one of us who had demonstrated the power of God to keep men from sinning. He was a deceiver of whom God had given preferred treatment and was not afflicted with inherited passions as men are.

Satan had little difficulty in having men accept this view; the Catholic Church accepted it; in due time, the Evangelicals gave their consent; and in 1956, the leaders of the Adventist Church also adopted this view. It was the matter of “exemption” that caused Peter to take Christ aside and say, “Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee,” which so raised the wrath of Christ that He told Peter, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” Matthew 16:22, 23. Christ did not want to be exempt. He told Peter, “Thou savourest not the things that be of God.” Ibid. So some today savor not the things of God. They think it merely a matter of semantics. God pity such and open their eyes to the things that be of God. With the surrender of the Adventist leaders to the monstrous doctrine of an “exempt” Christ, Satan’s last opposition has surrendered. We pray again, may God save His people.

The Bible is mostly a record of the protest of God’s witnesses against the prevailing sins of the church and also of their apparent failure. Practically all protesters sealed their testimony with their blood, and the church went on until God intervened. All Paul hoped was that he might “save some.” I Corinthians 9:22. Practically all of the apostles died martyrs, and Christ they hanged on a tree. It took forty years before the destruction came; but when God intervened, He did thorough work.

This denomination needs to go back to the instruction given in 1888, which was scorned. We need a reform in organization that will not permit a few men to direct every move made everywhere in the world. We need a reform that will not permit a few men to handle finances as is not being done. We need a reform that will not permit men to spend millions on institutions not authorized by the vote of the constituency, while mission fields are suffering for want of the barest necessities. We need a change in the emphasis that is given to promotion, finances, and statistics. We need to restore the Sabbath School to it rightful place in the work of God. We need to put a stop to the entertainments and suppers that are creeping in under the guise of raising money for good purposes. We need to put a stop to the weekly announcements in church that are merely disguised advertisements. This list could be greatly enlarged.

But all of these, while important, are, after all, only minor things. We need a reformation and revival most of all. If our leaders will not lead in this, “then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place.” Esther 4:14. I am of good cheer, praying for the peace of Israel.

The Atonement, What Is It and Why Is It Important?

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The serious student of the atonement is likely to be perplexed when he consults the Spirit of Prophecy to find two sets of apparently contradictory statements in regard to the atonement. He will find that when Christ “offered Himself on the cross, a perfect atonement was made for the sins of the people.” Signs of the Times, June 28, 1899. He will find that the Father bowed before the cross “in recognition of its perfection. ‘It is enough,’ He said, ‘the atonement is complete.’” Review and Herald, September 24, 1901.

But he will find this: “At the conclusion of the 2300 days, in 1844, Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform the closing work of the atonement.” The Great Controversy, 422. We also read that tins will “stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement [in 1844.]” Patriarchs and Prophets, 357. [All emphasis supplied.] It is also stated that in “the final atonement the sins of the truly penitent are to be blotted from the records of heaven.” Ibid., 358. “Jesus entered the most holy of the heavenly, at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, in 1844, to make a final atonement.” Early Writings, 253.

The first set of statements says that the atonement was made on the cross; the other says that the final atonement was made 1800 years later. I have found seven statements that the atonement was made on the cross; I have twenty-two statements that the final atonement was made in heaven. Though both of these figures are doubtless incomplete, it is evident that one cannot accept one set of statements and reject the other if they wish to arrive at truth. The question, therefore is, How can these statements be harmonized?

In the February issue of the Ministry, 1957, the statement appeared that “the sacrificial act of the cross (was) a complete, perfect, and final atonement.” This was a distinct contradiction to Mrs. White’s pronouncement that the final atonement began in 1844. I found that this was not a misprint but an official and approved statement. If we still hold the Spirit of Prophecy as having authority, we have two contradictory beliefs: the final atonement was made at the cross; the final atonement began in 1844.

Definition of Atonement

I have listened to several discussion of the meaning of the Hebrew word kaphar, which is the word used in the original for atonement, but have received little help. The best definition I have found is a short explanatory phrase in Patriarchs and Prophets, 358, which simply states that the atonement, “this great work of atonement, or blotting out of sins, was represented by the services of the Day of Atonement.”

This definition is in harmony with Leviticus 16:30 which says, “For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.” Atonement is here equated with being “clean from all your sins.” As sin was the cause of separation between God and man, the removing of sin would remove the separation between God and man.

The definition of atonement is consisting of three words—at-one-ment—is by some considered obsolete, but it nevertheless represents vital truth. Mrs. White thus uses it. Says she: “Unless they accept the atonement provided for them in the remedial sacrifice of Jesus Christ who is our Atonement, at-one-ment, with God.” In Heavenly Places, 146.

God’s plan is that in the “fullness of time He might gather together in one all things in Christ.” Ephesians 1:10. When this is done, “the family of heaven and the family of earth are one.” The Desire of Ages, 835. Then, “One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation.” The Great Controversy, 678. At least the atonement is complete.

Two Phases of the Atonement

Much confusion in regard to the atonement arises from a neglect to recognize the two divisions of the atonement. Note what is said of John the Baptist. “He did not distinguish clearly the two phases of Christ’s work, —as a suffering sacrifice and a conquering king.” The Desire of Ages, 136, 137. The book Questions on Doctrine makes the same mistake. It does not distinguish clearly; in fact, it does not distinguish at all; it does not seem to know of the two phases; hence the confusion.

The First Phase

The first phase of Christ’s atonement was of a suffering sacrifice. This began before the world was and included the incarnation, Christ’s life on earth, the temptation in the wilderness, Gethsemane, and Golgotha, and ended when God’s voice called Christ from the “stony prison house of death.” Isaiah 53 is a vivid picture of this.

Satan had overcome Adam in the Garden of Eden; and in a short time; nearly the whole world had come under his sway. At the time of Noah, there were only eight souls who entered the ark. Satan claimed to be prince of this world, and no one had challenged him.

But God did not recognize Satan’s claim to dominion; and when Christ came to earth, the Father “gave the world into the hands of the Son, that through His mediatorial work He may completely vindicate the holiness and the binding claims of every precept of the dine law.” Bible Echo, January, 1887. This was a challenge to Satan’s claim, and thus began in earnest the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

“The great work of redemption could be carried out only by the Redeemer taking the place of fallen Adam. With the sins of the world laid upon Him, He would go over the ground where Adam stumbled.” Review and Herald, February 24, 1874. “Jesus volunteered to meet the highest claims of the law.” Ibid., September 2, 1890. “By pledging His own life, Christ has made Himself responsible for every man and woman on the earth.” Ibid., February 27, 1900.

As Satan claimed ownership of the earth, it was necessary for Christ to overcome Satan before He could take possession of His kingdom. Satan knew this, and hence made an attempt to kill Christ as soon as He was born.

The first real encounter between Christ and Satan took place in the wilderness. After forty days of fasting, Christ was weak and emaciated, at death’s door. At this time, Satan made his attack. But Christ resisted, and Satan was compelled to retire defeated. But he did not give up. Throughout Christ’s ministry, Satan dogged His footsteps and made every moment a hard battle.

Gethsemane

The climax of Christ’s struggle with Satan came in the garden of Gethsemane. Hitherto Christ had been upheld by the knowledge of the approval of the Father. But now He “was overpowered by the terrible fear that God was removing His presence from Him.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 95. If God should forsake Him, could He still resist Satan and die rather than yield? “Three times His humanity shrank from the last, crowing sacrifice. . . . The fate of humanity trembled in the balance.” Ibid., 99. “As the Father’s presence was withdrawn, they saw Him sorrowful with a bitterness of sorrow exceeding that of the last great struggle with death.” The Desire of Ages, 759. “Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground;” but with His last ounce of strength He murmured, “If this cup may not pass from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.” “A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man.” Ibid., 693, 694. In His death, He was victor.

When Christ said, “It is finished,” God responded, “’It is finished. The human race shall have another trial. The redemption price was paid,’ and Satan fell like lightning from heaven.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12. 409.

“As the Father beheld the cross, he was satisfied. He said, ‘It is enough; the offering is complete.’” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1137. It was necessary, however, that there should be given the world a stern manifestation of the wrath of God; so, “in the grave Christ was the captive of divine justice.” Signs of the Times, November 15, 1899. It must be abundantly attested that Christ’s death was real, so He must “remain in the grave the allotted period of time.” Review and Herald, April 26, 1898. When the time was expired, a messenger was sent to “relieve the Son of God from the debt for which He had become responsible, and for which he had made full atonement.” The youth’s Instructor, May 2, 1901.

“In the intercessory prayer of Jesus with His Father, He claimed that He had fulfilled the conditions which made it obligatory upon the Father to fulfill His part of the contract made in heaven, with regard to fallen man. He prayed: ‘I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.’ That is, He had wrought out a righteous character on earth as an example for men to follow.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 260.a

The contract between the Father and the Son made in heaven included the following:

  • The Son was to work our a “righteous character on earth as an example for man to follow.”

 

  • Not only was Christ to work out such a character, but He was to demonstrate that man also could do this; and thus man would become “more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.”

 

  • If Christ thus could present man as a new creature in Christ Jesus, then God was to “receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 260; Isaiah 13:12; The Desire of Ages, 790.

Christ had “fulfilled one phase of His priesthood by dying on the cross for the fallen race. He is now fulfilling another phase by pleading before the Father the case of the repenting, believing sinner, presenting to God the offerings of His people.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 929. “In His incarnation He had reached the prescribed limit as a sacrifice, but not as a Redeemer.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 409. On Golgotha He was the victim, the sacrifice. That was as far as He could go as a sacrifice. But now His work as Redeemer began. “When Christ cried, ‘It is finished,’ God’s unseen hand rent the strong fabric composing the veil of the temple from top to bottom. The way into the Holiest of all was made manifest.” Ibid.

With the cross, the first phase of Christ’s work as the “suffering sacrifice” ended. He had gone the “prescribed limit” as a sacrifice. He had finished His work “thus far.” And now, with the Father’s approval of the sacrifice, He was empowered to be the Saviour of mankind. At the ensuing coronation forty days later, He was given all power in heaven and earth and officially installed as High Priest.

The Second Phase

“After His ascension, our Saviour began His work as our High Priest. . . . In harmony with the typical service, He began His ministration in the holy place; and at the termination of the prophetic days in 1844, . . . He entered the most holy to perform the last division of His solemn work, —to cleanse the sanctuary.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 265, 266. On the same page, Sister White repeats, apparently for emphasis, “at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, into the presence of God, to perform the closing work of atonement, preparatory to His coming.” The reader cannot fail to note how clearly and emphatically this is stated. John the Baptist “did not distinguish clearly the two phases of Christ’s work, —as a suffering sacrifice and a conquering king.” The Desire of Ages, 136. Our theologians are making the same mistake today—and are not inexcusable. They have light which John did not have.

In studying this part of the atonement, we are entering a field that is distinctly Adventist and in which we differ from all other denominations. This is our unique contribution to religion and theology, that which “has made us a separate people, and has given character and power to our work.” Counsels to Editors and Writers, 54. In the same place, she warns us against making “void the truths of the atonement, and destroying our confidence in the doctrines which we have held sacred since the Third Angel’s Message was first given.”

This is vital counsel and written for this very time when efforts are being made by some among us to have others believe that we are like the churches about us, an evangelical body and not a sect. Paul, in his day, had the same heresy to meet. He was accused of being a “pestilent fellow,” a “ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” Acts 24:5. In his answer before Felix, Paul confessed that after the “way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things are according to the law and which are written in the prophets.” Acts 24:14, R.V. In those days, men spoke sneeringly of the true church as a sect, as men do now. Paul was not disturbed by this. We have no record that he attempted to have the church of the living God recognized as an evangelical body by men who trampled the law of God in the dust. On the contrary, whatever they might call him and his “sect,” he confessed that he believed “all things which are written in the law and the prophets.” Verse. 14.

Source Material – Letters to the Churches, Letter No. 6, The Atonement, pages 71-85.

The Sanctuary, Letters to the Churches, part 2

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In Questions on Doctrine, beginning at page 661, there is a collection from the writings of Ellen White on the subject of the Atonement, 30 pages in all. It claims to be a “comprehensive assemblage” of Ellen White’s teachings on the Atonement. From the use of the word comprehensive, I expected to find a full and extensive collection. But in consulting this material, I was disappointed in its lack and one-sidedness. I found it to be a very incomplete and meager collection, leaving out numerous quotations that rightly belong even in a small compilation, not to say a comprehensive one. Strangely enough, quotations that were omitted were such as much on no account be left out.

First of all, I wanted to know what Sister White had to say of the date 1844, which is the “crisis year.” I wanted to know if it had anything particularly to do with the Atonement, or if it could safely be left out. I found that the author had omitted it. So I looked in turn for other quotations, not one of which I found in the assemblage. I looked for the statement: “At the termination of the 2300 days in 1844 . . . our great High Priest . . . enters the holy of holies, and there appears in the presence of God, to . . . perform the work of the Investigative Judgment and to make an Atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” This is said to be the “great day of final Atonement.” The Great Controversy, 480. [All Emphasis supplied.] This important statement was not there. I looked for the parallel statement: “At the termination of 2300 days in 1844, Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of Atonement preparatory to His coming.” Ibid., 422. I did not find it. I looked for this statement: “This is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the most holy, to perform the last division of His solemn work—to cleanse the sanctuary.” Ibid., 421. I could not find it. I looked for the statement: “The end of the 2300 days in 1844 marked an important crisis.” Ibid., 49. I did not find it. I looked for other statements, such as: “The sacred work of Christ (that) is going on at the present time in the heavenly sanctuary,” “The atoning work of Christ is now in progress in the heavenly sanctuary,” “Today He is making atonement for us before the Father.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 520; White Board Minutes, 1483; Manuscript 21, 1895, quoted in Ministry, February, 2957, 30. I found none of these.

At first I thought that this book Questions on Doctrine did not have room for these texts, nor did the Ministry. But I had to abandon this reasoning when I observed that it was only a particular kind of statement that was omitted. The omitted quotations all clustered about the important “crisis” date, 1844, the Investigative Judgment, Christ’s entering into the most holy for the final Atonement, His making Atonement now, His making Atonement “today before the Father.”

One thing that kept our men from going overboard, body and soul, to the Evangelicals, was doubtless, Mrs. White’s writings. She is very emphatic on the question of the sanctuary; and it would not be easy to convert our people to the new view, as long as they had the Testimonies to sustain them in the old position. The faith of our people in the Spirit of Prophecy must be weakened, or better yet, destroyed, before much headway can be made in bringing in the new view. The Ministry article serves well for this purpose.

It was the editor himself, who in his research had “become acutely aware of the E. G. White statements which indicate that the atoning work of Christ is now in progress in the heavenly sanctuary.” White Minutes, 1483. This did not at all fit in with the new view that the atonement was made on the cross, so he suggested that footnotes or appendix notes might appear to clarify what she meant. He suggested haste in the “preparation and inclusion of such notes in future printings of the E. G. White books.” When the plan became known, it was abandoned. The author of the article in the February, 1957 Ministry then took over and had the article printed which we are considering.

The author asks this question, “Why, in the early days, in the light of all this, did not Mrs. White point out and correct the limited or sometimes erroneous concept of some of the early writers concerning the atonement? And why did she employ some of their restricted phrases? How could this be explained? The answer, which the author gives, is the most astonishing and astounding answer that has ever been given to such a question.

“In answer: it is essential that we first of all remember this basic fact: No doctrinal truth or prophetic interpretation ever came to this people initially through the Spirit of Prophecy—not in a single case.” [Emphasis his.]

Read those words again, keeping in mind that this is an article which claims to give the true meaning of the atonement, the official interpretation, and that it has the approval of the administration and that the editor passed it. Also, it has not been retracted or changed. It stands.

These are bold, almost unbelievable words and are utterly untrue. To assert that Sister White never, not even in a single case, initially contributed any doctrinal truth or prophetic interpretation will not be believed by her thousands and millions of readers who all have been benefited by her works. The reader will have noted that the author does not say that Sister White never contributed any doctrinal truth or prophetic interpretation. He says that she never contributed anything initially; that is, she never made any original contribution. She got it from somebody else; she “lifted” it. Our enemies have made that assertion for years, but I never thought that such would be announced to the whole world with the consent of the leaders; but here it is. Whatever Sister White wrote, be it the counsel of Father and Son in eternity or Satan’s inmost rebellious thoughts, “somebody told her.” She never contributed a thing, initially. Never in a single case! Let me produce a single case. The following is taken from Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, 56, 57.

“Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who after the passing of time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the Word. Again and again these brethren came together to study the Bible in order that we might know its meaning and be prepared to teach it with power. When they came to the point in their study where they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me. I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively. Thus, light was given that helped us to understand the Scriptures in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God was made plain to me, and I gave others the instructions that the Lord had given me.” Review and Herald, May 25, 1905.

In this case, there was no human intermediary. Unless we are to believe that Sister White did not tell the truth, she got her instructions from above. In this case, the instruction concerned “Christ, His mission, and His priesthood,” the very subjects we have now under consideration. Whatever we may or may not be sure of, we know now that the instruction that came to Sister White on the subject of Christ, His mission, and His priesthood came direct from God. This means that the sanctuary question, as our forefathers taught and believed it, has God for its Author. It came as a result of a vision, which I do not believe can be said of any other doctrine that we hold.

We have reached a crisis in this denomination when leaders are attempting to enforce false doctrine and threaten those who object. The whole program is unbelievable. Men are now attempting to remove the foundations of many generations and think that they can succeed. To make the plain statement that “Christ is making atonement now” means that He is making application now is indefensible on grammatical, philological, theological or common sense ground. To go farther and upon such false interpretation build a new theology to be enforced by sanctions is simply out of this world. Undue assumption of authority coupled with over-confidence in the virtue of bestowed honors have borne fruit; and the fruit is not good.

The present attempt to lessen and destroy confidence in the Spirit of Prophecy and establish a new theology may deceive some, even many; but the foundations upon which we have built these many years, still stand; and God still lives. This warning should not go unheeded:

“If you lessen the confidence of God’s people in the testimonies He has sent them, you are rebelling against God as certainly as were Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 66.

From the booklet, A Word to the Little Flock, dated April 21, 1847, Sister White says: “I believe the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days is the New Jerusalem temple of which Christ is a minister. The Lord showed me in vision more than a year ago that Brother Crosier had the true light on the cleansing of the sanctuary, etc., and that it was His will that Brother C. (Crosier) should write out the view which he gave us in the Day Star Extra, February 7, 1846. I feel fully authorized by the Lord to recommend that Extra to every saint. I pray that these lines may prove a blessing to you and to all the dear children who may read them. Signed, E. G. White.”

As I write this, I have before me a Photostat copy of the Day Star Extra from February 7, 1846. On pages 40 and 41 of that issue, I read Brother Crosier’s article. Brother Crosier observes, “But again, they say the atonement was made and finished on Calvary when the Lamb of God expired. So men have taught us, and so the churches and the world believe; but it is none the more true or sacred on that account, if unsupported by Divine authority. Perhaps few or none who hold that opinion have ever tested the foundation on which it rests.

  1. If the atonement was made on Calvary, by whom was it made? The making of the atonement is the work of a priest, but who officiated on Calvary? Roman soldiers and wicked Jews.
  2. The slaying was not making the atonement; the sinner slew the victim. (See Leviticus 4:1–5, 13–15, etc.) After the priest took the blood and made the atonement. (See Leviticus 4:5–12, 16–21.)
  3. Christ was the appointed High Priest to make the atonement and certainly could not have acted in that capacity until after His resurrection and we have no record of His doing anything on earth after His resurrection which could be called the atonement.
  4. The atonement was made in the sanctuary, but Calvary was not such a place.
  5. He could not, according to Hebrews 8:4, make the atonement while on earth. ‘If He were on earth, He could not be a priest.’ The Levitical was the earthly priesthood; the Divine, the heavenly.
  6. Therefore, He did not begin the work of making the atonement, whatever the nature of that work may be, until after His ascension, when by his own blood, He entered the heavenly sanctuary for us.”

This, then, is the “true light” which the Lord showed Sister White in vision, had His approval, and which she felt fully authorized to recommend to every saint. Only as we downgrade Sister White can we reject this testimony of hers. We are not ready to do this.