The Sanctuary Study Pt. 10
Recapping from yesterday - The gospel's principles are in the Sanctuary given back in the desert to Moses. We tend to think of the gospel only in a New Testament way- the Gospel as the good news of Jesus. Taking a bit from yesterday we'll see otherwise...
Basic Principles From God's Viewpoint -- Light From the Throne -- Continued William Grotheer --
The Basic "Gospel" In Leviticus -- The unfolding of the "gospel" revealed in the sanctuary is found in the book of Leviticus. In the instruction for the first offering - the law of the burnt offering - fundamental principles were enunciated.
First, the offering was to be "voluntary" - no coercion. (Lev. 1:3) Even as God freely provided for man's redemption, so man's acceptance of the means of redemption must be from a willing heart.
Secondly, it was to be offered at "the entrance of the tabernacle of the congregation." A significance of this rule will be seen when we study the sin offerings in particular.
Thirdly, the offerer "put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering." (Lev. 1:4) The Hebrew word, samach, means "to lean upon in full support." This word is also used in Amos 5:19 describing a man who leaned with his hand upon a wall. This placing of the hand in full support upon the offering signified total dependence.
Fourth, the offering was "accepted for him to make atonement." This principle is fundamental and applies to all offerings wherein the hand is laid upon the victim. It is especially significant when understood in relationship to the sin offering. In the Hebrew, one word - chatta' th - is used for both "sin" and "sin offering." The sacrificial animal became sin, and was accepted in the place of the offerer. In the elementary burnt offering and in the sin offering, the one offering sacrifice slew the victim. (Lev. 1:5) The disposition of the blood differed, and in the elementary burnt offering, the whole of the animal was burned on the altar. (Lev. 1:7-9) Of Christ, Paul wrote - God "hath made Him to be sin for us." (II Cor. 5:21) Jesus is accepted in our stead to make atonement. Upon Him, we must place our full dependence.
There is deep meaning in the fact that the one bringing the offering, slew the sacrificial victim.
I, by my sin, slew the Lamb of God.
I, at Calvary, pounded the nails;
I, too, pierced His side.
I placed the crown of thorns the curse because of sin (Gen. 3:18) upon that holy brow.
I mocked;
I derided;
and I scoffed
...because my pride would not accept such a provision.
In all the actions and the attitudes of the people who literally surrounded Golgathal's hill, I can see myself as I am, or ought to be. But when I am willing to go "without the camp, bearing his reproach" (Heb. 13:13), I will find peace with God once more at one with Him - at the altar.
What Is Sin ? -- The basic purpose of the sanctuary rituals was to deal with the sin problem so that communion between God and man might be restored - an at-one-ment be realized.
God desired to dwell among His people whom He had chosen.
In the services prescribed were outlined how man could approach God; and God revealed through them how He planned to eradicate that which had separated -sin.
But first, what is sin? We have a very pat definition for sin -- "Sin is the transgression of ;the law. " But it is more than that. The text reads - note all the words: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (I John 4;3)
Sin is more than merely the outward act by which the law is violated.
Consider, what God is, not who He is.
In the song of Moses, God is declared to be "a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He." (Deut. 32:4)
He with whom sin began "abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." (John 8:44)
Deviation from truth leads to sin, and thus separation from God, who is truth., The way back to God must be a way of truth. That way is in the sanctuary. (Ps. 77:13) This is why the sanctuary truth as entrusted to Adventism is so vital. ((I'm going to interject here in the thought paper and say it is vital to us ALL. Not just Adventists.))
Because God is just and right, He demands that justice be met.
Every sin must be accounted for.
None - not a single one, no matter how small - dare be overlooked.
Every vestige must be ultimately removed from the universe - root and branch. (Mal. 4:1)
To ensure this, the most meticulous record system ever devised was set up in Heaven. There the record of every sin is recorded and by whom committed; for all must give an accounting. The Bible is specific that there are books in heaven and the nature of the records contained therein. (Dan. 7:10; Rev. 20:12) With our knowledge of computer technology and recording devices, a text strikes at us: Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice." (Eccl. 5:6)
In this time when we wish to project God as only a God of love, we must keep in mind that the Bible plainly teaches - "Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29'); and "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). God is just and requires that justice be meted out against sin and those who persist in sin.
In the first two categories of the law of the sin offerings, the bullock which had been accepted for those confessing was burned without the camp. The text says: The skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, ... and burn him on the wood with fire. (Lev. 4:11-12; See also verse 21)
The symbol is very clear. Either a substitute was to be "accepted" for the sinner, or else he himself would suffer extinction. God is serious about the sin problem. It will never arise the second time.
In the sanctuary of the Heaven of heavens, all sin will be accounted for, and all sinners will give an accounting.
The earthly sanctuary, as a parable, was cast down beside to show how a sinner can escape the final judgment of God against sin.
For just as surely as we live, we face a judgment.
There is only one exception to this rule. Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life - the living tabernacle in flesh - declared - "Verily verily, I say unto you, He that is hearing my word, and is believing on Him that sent Me, hath life eternal, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24, Greek)
While the Heavenly Sanctuary involves the whole universe, the earthly "model" pictures a way - light from the Throne -- whereby those who enter into covenant relationship with Christ as "minister ... of the true tabernacle" and "mediaor of a better covenant" escape the wrath of God against sin.
(The Sanctuary Studies will be continued in Commentary, Vol. III, Number 2.) --- End --- 1989 Special 1 -- Light From the Throne -- Part 1
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There is a way of escape from sin for all of us. The price paid beyond our imagining. As we continue studying the more enlightened we can become with the Holy Spirit guiding us, by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
12/23/09
A few days ago we talked about Christ saying- 'I know thy works...' Also in Revelation along those same lines it says- 'He that overcometh...'
When we talk about overcoming we immediately think of action. How many people overcome things by doing nothing? You might argue that by stopping certain actions people do overcome various obstacles, but to stop an action often takes a lot of effort asked any addict who is trying to overcome an addiction, trying to stop something, trying to NOT do something. Overcoming is an action. So why do people often believe and fight to believe that the Christian life is one of inaction and just belief? Live your life any way you choose as long as you believe you're okay. It's not what the Bible says at all.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
'He that is begotten of God KEEPETH himself'
'Keep yourselves from idols.'
Do you see the close connection between believing and a reflection of that belief in our lives? Why would the Bible spout faith and believing and in the same breath say- keep yourselves from idols? That's an action. We have to keep our lives in line with God's. We have to follow God's will in all we do. We have to put God before us as we live and hold our lives accountable to God. We accept Him, believe in Him and through faith we do so. It's no good at all to keep from idols if we don't believe in God. People say being good is enough, living a good life, honest and upright, friendly and helpful, but the nicest person in the world will not be saved unless they believe in God and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. God first in all things. Jesus put God's will first in all things. It was God's will not His when He allowed Himself to be crucified.
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
It was Christ's will to do His Father's will no matter what it meant. That didn't stop Christ from saying to His Father- 'if thou be willing remove this cup from me'.
He knew God's will and was willing to do God's will, but at the same time if He had His choice He would rather not have to endure what was being asked of Him.
This is an example for our lives too. God asks of us to do His will, we don't have to like it. Too many think we should like it, but it's not always something enjoyable we are being asked to do. Give up ourselves and submit to God, this is hard and yet through Christ it is possible.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we seek to serve Him to do His will now and forever.
Amen.
12/23/10
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not
hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
It is so
incredibly easy to hear and not do the things we hear isn't it? It's easy to
KNOW to do good, but incredibly difficult to do the good things we know we
should do. Why is it that way? Why?
I KNOW I
shouldn't lose my temper. I KNOW I shouldn't speak hurtful things. I KNOW I
should be more considerate of others. I KNOW I am so incredibly far from being a
doer of the word in so many ways. The closer I long to be to my Savior the
further away I seem to go. I've noticed just recently after studying about
'counting it joy', and trying to implement this in my life that Satan pulls out
all stops and not just in me but abusing those I love so that it pains me to
watch them being spiritually attacked over and over again.
These spiritual
attacks happen ALL the time and yet we've been taught to believe they are far
from spiritual attacks and simply human invention. Humans don't like to believe
they can be used by Satan to hurt others and yet it happens all the time. Satan
exploits our weaknesses and our propensity towards evilness in all forms. If He
knows we are hurt by something that is supposed to be harmless, he'll do all he
can to bring about that supposed harmless situation. Oh there are so many ways
the evil one works at us and when we can see his work in us shouldn't it sicken
us? I know it sickens me to know that Satan's influence on a spiritual level
affects me and my actions. I don't want to be hurtful, harmful, insensitive and
yet all too often I find myself being that way and the sad thing is a lot of
the times I try and justify the reasons I have for being that way- another
trick of Satan's. Preserve SELF at all cost! Even when giving up some of self-
turn that into a supremely selfish act through motive. Are we truly giving of
ourselves because it is what our Savior desires of us or are we giving of
ourselves so that we may APPEAR to be giving as our Savior desires? Satan uses
wiles we can't even comprehend as he attempts to twist our lives so
horrifically that we don't know whether we are coming or going and His purpose?
To get us to give up in despair, to be defeated by all the confusion he's
managed to cause.
Doers of the
word.
In all our
actions.
This isn't simply
for becoming the supposed ideal Christian person- diving
head first into all manner
of Christian acts, this is for ALL aspects of our lives. Our Savior's word
touched our lives on many, many levels and it's in ALL those levels that we have
to be DOERS of the word. We don't get to pick and choose when we should be doers
and when we should not, simply because we should ALWAYS be doers of the
word. If we are not ALWAYS doers
of the word then we are truly DECEIVING OURSELVES.
Deceiving
ourselves has become an art form, hasn't it? We deceive ourselves in so many
various ways and we do it because the ultimate goal is to live for self. Self
preservation-mentally, emotionally, physically. Our lives revolve around
preserving ourselves in so many, many ways. Whenever we get upset in any way we
need to stop and ask ourselves if there is any self preservation involved in
this upset. By self-preservation I mean are we concentrating on self, preserving
our self desires, our wants, our idea of how our lives should be, our opinions,
our choices over another's, our needs, our idea of how something should be done
or shouldn't be done. Are we putting ourselves FIRST for whatever reason we can
think of? Are we more concerned with how we are made to feel about ourselves
than anything else? Do OUR
feelings come first? Are we ridiculed and laughed at, and does this produce a
selfish desire NOT to be treated like that? Does it created a desire to preserve
SELF? We NEED to ask ourselves this, we HAVE to ask ourselves this because
giving up self is the message of our Savior who came and GAVE UP HIMSELF for US!
We are to give ourselves up for Him and for others, we are to come LAST- not
FIRST and we put ourselves FIRST in so many, many ways!
Doers of the word
in ALL ways or we truly are deceiving ourselves. If we think for one moment we
can be hearers only and then go away and live our lives any ol' way we choose,
keeping that old man alive, that old self alive and well by feeding it all the
sin it's used to being fed, then we are DECEIVED! We HAVE to be HEARERS of the
WORD and THEN DOERS! This is an
action, the action of DOING, of LIVING the Word of God in our lives!!!
Please Lord, help
us! Please! Save us from OURSELVES! Please!
In Your amazing
love always!!!!!!!
Through Your
righteousness forever!
Please Lord,
mercy…