Seventh Day Adventist Question

The real issue - raised by Bob Ryan - is not about the possibility or impossibility of God being "appeased" concerning sin sinners have committed. If God forgives, He makes peace - and also in Himself comes to peace with his justification of the sinner. Anyhow, Bob Ryan tries to use this artificial problem for a launching-platform of his idea of an atonement not only still going on 'in heaven', but also begun 'in heaven' - a work of "judgement" that never had been begun or finished upon earth in the life of the Mediator while here.
He refers to Ezekiel 44 to prove his point - to instill fear into the heart of the person who still doesn't seem to have fallen for all the obligatory salvation-extras.
So here I further comment on the SDA's "Investigative Judgement", this time with reference to Ezekiel 44,
Ezekiel 44
27 "On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering," declares the Lord GOD.”

What Bob Ryan finds essentially convenient for his own views to forget about, are the words, “On the day that …”. Says he, “His (Jesus’) role was in ATONEMENT and according to the Lev 16 model that process STARTS with the "Atoning Sacrifice" that John mentions in 1John 2:2 as being completed at the cross.
Then according to Lev 16 we ALSO have the work of the High Priest in atonement. This work of atonement we see Christ taking up in Heb 7-10 AFTER the cross.
Stopping all of Christ's work in atonement at the Cross - denies His atoning work in Heb 7-10 and rejects the teaching on Atonement that God gives in Lev 16.
So, of course, Adventists do not do that.”

Fact is, Adventists do just ‘that’! Adventists do it by first creating a false picture of what the “Calvinists” do, namely, “Stopping all of Christ's work in atonement at the Cross”. Of course, Calvinists do not do that. Here is one of them, explaining, “481a Precisely by uttering a final word which had been in his heart also each time He reached a milestone in his onward march, He proves that his departure is God’s progress. 481b A great significance lies in the fact that Christ utters a word of life in his dying hour, for He confesses by that means that he is already in the ascendancy. He professes in this way that He is already emerging from the lowest shafts of humiliation, and that He, having arisen from “the second death”, now is already ascending to heaven. 482c Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit … And now almost all people most naturally say, Thereupon the curtain fell. But He said, The curtain rises to the new act. The angels take up their positions to look on. Then He stood in the full light, He the dramatis Persona.” (Klaas Schilder) This is what SDA’s cannot comprehend, that Jesus “in his dying hour … is already in the ascendancy”! Both Leviticus and Hebrews teach it – they proclaim it in the Divine Tense of Present Perfect (as Schilder put it). Jesus’ utter exaltation is perfected in resurrection from the dead; therein His Priesthood is performed everlastingly – to have made “final atonement”! Al future as all past is present in that moment of first creation – from it all creation springs. And all justice and justification. Through and in the dying and rising again of Jesus Christ propitiation is made, rest and peace established for ever. “ON THE DAY” … Ezekiel 44: 27 "On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering," declares the Lord GOD.”
What is this “inner court”? This is what Schilder says it is, “Thus the Son now enters into fellowship with the Holy Trinity. …But the Son arises to his rest. He also arises into his rest. His rising represents nothing standing, and all his standing is a sitting, a resting. (is His enthronement, inauguration and anointment, King, Lord, and, HIGH Priest in every office of being our Intercessor. CGE) Thus the Son now enters into fellowship with the Holy Trinity. The human word of Jesus the Nazarene causes a flash of the light of the divine joy in regeneration to dazzle the heavens.”
“His rising represents nothing standing, and all his standing is a sitting, a resting” … His enthronement, crowning, inauguration and anointment, King, Lord, and, HIGH Priest in every office of being our Intercessor.
There’s no “sanctuary in heaven” the way the SDA’s say there is! The “sanctuary in heaven”, is, the Risen Christ, is, The in resurrection from the dead Exalted; is, the Divine Present Perfect of the Son of Man at the right hand of God IN making atonement “to us-ward” on that earthly heavenly place in front of Joseph’s tomb in that heavenly earthly “Day of the Sabbath”!
And that means, dear friend about whom your pastor has doubts as to your “salvation”: You safely may trust in God for it – don’t mind the grotesque scare-devils some paint – they’re no more than smirched water-colours of inept artists.

 

Ezekiel 44
27 "On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering," declares the Lord GOD.”

What Bob Ryan finds essentially convenient for his own views to forget about, are the words, “On the day that …”. Says he, “His (Jesus’) role was in ATONEMENT and according to the Lev 16 model that process STARTS with the "Atoning Sacrifice" that John mentions in 1John 2:2 as being completed at the cross.
Then according to Lev 16 we ALSO have the work of the High Priest in atonement. This work of atonement we see Christ taking up in Heb 7-10 AFTER the cross.
Stopping all of Christ's work in atonement at the Cross - denies His atoning work in Heb 7-10 and rejects the teaching on Atonement that God gives in Lev 16.
So, of course, Adventists do not do that.”

Fact is, Adventists do just ‘that’! Adventists do it by first creating a false picture of what the “Calvinists” do, namely, “Stopping all of Christ's work in atonement at the Cross”. Of course, Calvinists do not do that. Here is one of them, explaining, “481a Precisely by uttering a final word which had been in his heart also each time He reached a milestone in his onward march, He proves that his departure is God’s progress. 481b A great significance lies in the fact that Christ utters a word of life in his dying hour, for He confesses by that means that he is already in the ascendancy. He professes in this way that He is already emerging from the lowest shafts of humiliation, and that He, having arisen from “the second death”, now is already ascending to heaven. 482c Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit … And now almost all people most naturally say, Thereupon the curtain fell. But He said, The curtain rises to the new act. The angels take up their positions to look on. Then He stood in the full light, He the dramatis Persona.” (Klaas Schilder) This is what SDA’s cannot comprehend, that Jesus “in his dying hour … is already in the ascendancy”! Both Leviticus and Hebrews teach it – they proclaim it in the Divine Tense of Present Perfect (as Schilder put it). Jesus’ utter exaltation is perfected in resurrection from the dead; therein His Priesthood is performed everlastingly – to have made “final atonement”! Al future as all past is present in that moment of first creation – from it all creation springs. And all justice and justification. Through and in the dying and rising again of Jesus Christ propitiation is made, rest and peace established for ever. “ON THE DAY” … Ezekiel 44: 27 "On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering," declares the Lord GOD.”
What is this “inner court”? This is what Schilder says it is, “Thus the Son now enters into fellowship with the Holy Trinity. …But the Son arises to his rest. He also arises into his rest. His rising represents nothing standing, and all his standing is a sitting, a resting. (is His enthronement, inauguration and anointment, King, Lord, and, HIGH Priest in every office of being our Intercessor. CGE) Thus the Son now enters into fellowship with the Holy Trinity. The human word of Jesus the Nazarene causes a flash of the light of the divine joy in regeneration to dazzle the heavens.”
“His rising represents nothing standing, and all his standing is a sitting, a resting” … His enthronement, crowning, inauguration and anointment, King, Lord, and, HIGH Priest in every office of being our Intercessor.
There’s no “sanctuary in heaven” the way the SDA’s say there is! The “sanctuary in heaven”, is, the Risen Christ, is, The in resurrection from the dead Exalted; is, the Divine Present Perfect of the Son of Man at the right hand of God IN making atonement “to us-ward” on that earthly heavenly place in front of Joseph’s tomb in that heavenly earthly “Day of the Sabbath”!
And that means, dear friend about whom your pastor has doubts as to your “salvation”: You safely may trust in God for it – don’t mind the grotesque scare-devils some paint – they’re no more than smirched water-colours of inept artists.


Bob Ryan, August 27, 2005 01:54 PM, “Walter Martin was pretty hard on Hoekema because Hoekema used a combination of "just making stuff up" and "quoting from non-official sources" to build his straw men. Martin took the position that there are plenty of "REAL" differences to object to with Adventists without having to "make stuff up" besides.”
To me it is immaterial what any one of these critics of SDA-ism had to say. (I STUDIED the books of both on the issue.) The only deduction I was able to form was that Hoekema much better knew what he was talking about ; and that Martin needed to take a long look at his own concepts on justification, as it shows in this quote made by Pastor Bob, “It is a serious charge to maintain that any professing Christian group denies justification by grace alone as the basis of eternal salvation; and, if the Adventists were guilty of this, surely there would be ground for considering them as a cultic system. However, literally scores of times in their book Questions on Doctrine, and in various other publications, the Adventists affirm that salvation comes only by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross. The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin pg. 546.”
And, Pastor Bob, you should be able to see from this quote the great flaws in Martin’s own understanding of justification! It’s the easiest thing to claim “grace alone as the basis of eternal salvation” while restricting ‘grace alone’ to just some ‘basis’ which not at the same time is the whole. The same thing as ‘faith plus …’. Grace at the bottom but nothing higher up.
And it matters not how many times a claim is made of ‘justification by grace alone as the basis of eternal salvation’ while how many times making more claims and propagating doctrines that destroy that basis. All I am able to say of SDA-ism is that it is not unique among denominations who make of the principle of ‘justification by grace alone as the basis of eternal salvation’, a mockery. All Arminianism do. The SDA’s just take Arminianism to its logical consequences, where the other churches are afraid to follow through.
The same type of flaw shows in this idea from the quote, “that salvation comes only by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross”, where the idea actually is that salvation does not come by the grace of God only through faith, or comprehensively in Jesus Christ only, but by Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross, only; that in the last analysis salvation is not based upon nor completed in and by and through Christ’s resurrection REALLY! Why and how then otherwise, according to SDA-ism, does ‘salvation come’? By the ‘process’ that is not ended in and by and through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, but by the ‘process’ “STARTED” (to quote Bob Ryan) “upon the cross” and continued “in heaven” only to be ‘ended’ by the supposed ‘Investigative Judgement’ since 1844 in the ‘Most Holy’ of the heavenly sanctuary which they claim literally exists ‘in heaven’ and which they disclaim is not Christ Himself. Which “Final Atonement” as they claim, is once more to be re-checked all over again ‘in heaven’, during their supposed ‘thousand years’ up there. To deny this, say they – as Bob Ryan in this very discussion says – is “... to ignore and deny the role of the High Priestly work of Christ IN ATONEMENT as DESCRIBED in Lev 16 and EXPLICITLY identified in Heb 7-10!”
Horrible accusation, because it is to ignore and deny the role of the High Priestly work of Christ as symbolised by the sanctuary in atonement in and by and through resurrection and exaltation from the dead to the right hand of God “in heavenly places” (Eph.1:19f), and as DESCRIBED in Lev 16 and EXPLICITLY identified in Heb 7-10. The whole ‘process’ never went farther nor higher than the exterior of Joseph’s grave outside the gates of Jerusalem on planet earth in all heavens of God’s creating, or it had to go farther and higher than the exceeding greatness of the power of God that worked in the Person of the Man of Nazareth when He raised Him from the dead, exactly at that address, at that domicili citandi of Divinity - in that Sanctuary! Horrible accusation, because it is to tell God, you lied when you said, “Finished”! Horrible accusation, because it is to tell God, you lied when you said, “And God on the Seventh Day rested from all His works”.

 

Sorry for the above duplication of post!

Said I, where Bob Ryan quoted me, “Jesus' atonement 'stopped' - i.e., was perfected - in resurrection from the dead. Ephesians 1:19f .”
Argued Bob Ryan against my so saying,
“Please note the missing data to support that claim - Eph 1:19: “and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might.”
One. This says nothing about ignoring God's instruction on Atonement in Lev 16.
Two. It says nothing about the process of atonement of Lev 16 being "completed at the resurrection".
Three. It says nothing about the "High Priestly work" of Lev 16 being negated or completed PRIOR to Christ's High Priestly work EXPLICITLY identified in Heb 7-10 that is EXPLICITLY stated as STARTING after the resurrection.”

I answer him,

What, is, “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe”? What can “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” be, but, “in accordance with the working of the strength of His might” in ‘saving’ us – once and for all in and through Jesus Christ? (We’re talking here about “salvation”, aren’t we?)

And, what, should, and could this salvation, this reconciliation, this atonement, this propitiation, this making peace and this appeasement of God, be, but “the "High Priestly work" of Lev 16”, “completed”? It ‘in-deed-is’ – it literally being the “working” – of this “High Priestly work of Lev 16” that not only is “STARTING”, but is “EXPLICITLY stated as” both “BEING done” – “working”, and “DONE” – “WORKED”, and that, NOT “after the resurrection”, but IN and THROUGH “the resurrection”, as Paul says, “WHEN, He raised Christ from the dead”. “From the dead” it says, that is, ‘THERE AND THEN’ “WHEN”, directly and instantaneously and simultaneously, “from the dead” “WHEN”, “RAISED”! That is what “WHEN”, means, and that is what “FROM” means – and that is what NOTHING, but NOTHING, could be more, or greater or else or “after”!

Else what “EXCEEDS”, “the greatness of His power”? Else what “exceeds” “the greatness of” His ‘High Priestly’ ‘office’ or ‘position’, or “WORK”? Or it should “exceed” “the greatness of” the “WORKING of His mighty power WHICH He WROUGHT, IN (IN, IN, IN!) Christ”!
Or it should “exceed” “the greatness of” God’s “SETTING Christ AT (i.e., ‘EXALTING Christ TO’) God’s own right hand in heavenly places”!

Well, isn’t that ‘EXPLICITLY stating’ ‘the resurrection’ – ‘EXPLICITLY stating’ Christ’s being “RAISED, FROM the dead”, ‘EXPLICITLY stating’ Christ’s being “SET AT” or being “SEATED IN” High Priestly office? Isn’t JUST THAT, Christ being crowned and anointed and inaugurated IN THE FINISHING OF PERFECTION High Priest and King and Judge and at the same time executing and finishing and perfecting ‘office’ and position – “WORK” – of High Priest, King and Judge?

“FAR ABOVE all principality, and power, and might, and dominion”, says Paul, speaking not only of “every (other) name” than of God and Christ, but firstly of precisely the Name of God and Christ, because he is STILL exonerating the “EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER” where declaring, “FAR ABOVE all principality, and power, and might, and dominion”! This – ‘the resurrection’ – is God’s deed of act of Essential Being; His “once-for-all execution of power and might and judgement of all time and eternity.

In a word, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead IS His High Priestly office FINISHED “in heavenly court” and judgement. “There remains for the People” no “after”-judgement – no more UNREST! There is “after these things” “God in the SON speaking” “no other day” of salvation : “It is finished!” “It is finished!” Jesus’ announced the “day” of this judgement, when He laid down His life in fullest assurance and knowledge of taking it up again – for for that was the power He had – “the exceeding greatness of His power”! Here is “the process of atonement of Lev 16 being "completed””! This was Jesus’ obedience to “God's instruction on Atonement in Lev 16.” It – “Ephesians 1:19f” – ‘ignores’ nothing of it; there is no ‘missing data’ that ‘support that claim’; it ‘contains’ the fullness thereof – or Christ with His resurrection are void of power or meaning to ‘salvation’.

Can language be clearer; can a man – Paul – be more ‘explicit’ than in “Ephesians 1:19f”?
What are you protesting, sir? You think Leviticus symbolises any different? Or Hebrews explains any different? Well, then you haven’t thought well or at all!

 

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into heavens, Jesus the Son of God”, “we (Christianity) have the full assurance of hope unto the end” (6:11). “Let us hold fast our profession!” (4:14)

“The Church and all Christendom looks in its message at this immeasurable and unfathomable fact, that God has given Himself for us. And that is why in each really Christian utterance, there is something of an absoluteness such as cannot belong to any non-Christian language. The Church is not ‘of the opinion’, it does not have ‘views’, convictions, enthusiams. It BELIEVES and CONFESSES, that is, it speaks and acts on the basis of the message based on God Himself in Christ. And that is why all Christian teaching, comfort and exhortation is a fundamental and conclusive comfort and exhortation in the power of that which constitutes its content, the mighty act of God, which consists in the fact that He wills to be for us in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.” Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline

But short before God gives us this “full assurance of hope unto the end” in Jesus Christ, where, and in the moment that, God in Christ with almighty voice declares, “It is finished”, God Himself in Christ DYING, “entering in”, “propitiating”, and through DEATH, “passing through”, “making atonement”, comes the Seventh Day Adventist Church and its prophet Ellen White, and stop God in His track, declaring, quote, “God did not die”, “God” did NOT give Himself for us, quote, “because that cannot be”!
Therefore, Bob Ryan, according to the perverse teaching of your own church, your “process” of atonement, could not even have “STARTED” “at the cross” – for only God in His fullness “in Christ”, is able to make atonement for us! So what should not only be started for salvation, has not even been begun – how could the “process” be “continued” after the cross, and that, 1844 years “after the cross”? Who, I ask you, WHO, “Stop(s) all of Christ's work in atonement”? The Calvinists; or the Arminians? Who, “denies His atoning work in Heb 7-10 and rejects the teaching on Atonement that God gives in Lev 16”? The Calvinists; or the Arminians? In fact, who, the Epistle to the Hebrew Christians? You in effect make its writer the liar, for every time he mentions Christ’s work of atonement, he solidly – “absolutely” as Karl Barth above says – basis it on, and in, the very moment in God’s time of the one work of His in Christ in dying AND in rising ‘FROM THE DEAD’!
I challenge you, Bob Ryan, for the sake of your own assurance in the full salvation obtained and assured in Jesus Christ “once for all” in and through His death and resurrection, to find one instance where the writer of the Letter to the Hebrew Believers does not presuppose, absolutely, Jesus’ resurrection in his many references to His “entering in”. In fact, with this phrase the author talks of NOTHING else, after, greater or higher than Jesus’ rising from the grave “IN THE EARTH”, ‘the garden” which was a reference to the garden God created for Adam in the beginning. It pointed to full restoration, full salvation, final atonement between God and man! I have just heard my mother has passed away. NOW, thank God, she is united with God her life being hid in God in Christ until the day of the resurrection of the body. Peace, my beloved mother! Hope and assured, to meet you in that day, singing praises to His Name!
"And being made perfect (in resurrection) He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him (being) called of God an High Priest".

 

As much as I would "like" to claim that God's Word in Lev 16 on "Atoement" is "my idea" - I just can't bring myself to do it -- so ... you are wrong on that part.

As much as I would like to claim the responsibility for the NIV in 1John 2:2 that clearly shows CHRIST as the "ATONING SACRIRFICE" for our sins -- I just can't bring myself to be the "author" of that translation - so once again ... you are wrong.

As much as I would LIKE to claim to be the author of Heb 7-10 SHOWING Christ to start the HIGH PRIESTLY role in heaven AFTER the cross - the SAME high priestly role DEFINED BY GOD in Lev 16 as central to atonement --- I just can not.. so once again ... you are wrong.

As much as I Would like to CLAIM to have instructed the other well respected translators and Bible commentators that POINT out the obvious fact that ATONEMENT is diametrically opposed to the pagan idea of APPEASEMENT of an angry diety -- I can not... so once again - you are wrong.

As much as I would like to claim that I AM THE ONLY one that sees the obvious DIFFERENCE between "God so LOVED that He gave" vs the pagan appeasement idea of "Christ so propitiated the angry Father that God finally relented"... the point is just TOBVIOUS to be ignored so in fact I AM NOT the only one to have seen this (As the quotes show)... so once again... you are wrong.

In Daniel 7 we are CLEARLY told of judgment FUTURE to the time of the Roman empire where "Judgment is passed in FAVOR of the saints" and with that judgment ends the persecution of the saints on planet earth.

As much as I would like to claim to be the AUTHOR of Daniel 7... I am NOT... so once AGAIN.. you are simply wrong.

Ezek 44 in the LXX SHOWS the SAME word being used for atoning sacrifice as we see in 1John 2:2 AS also we see that SAME WORD used in the LXX in Lev 16 for the chapter on ATONEMENT.

As much as I would LIKE to claim to be the author of the LXX... I AM NOT... so once AGAIN you are wrong!

To see the Bible point that Hilasmos is properly defined as “sin offering” or “Atoning Sacrifice” we see its use in the OT.

Clearly the term is used in the context of the "atoning sacrifices" of the Hebrew sacrificial system and NOT in the context of greek-pagan notions of "appeasing" an angry diety.

Ezekiel 44
27 "On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering," declares the Lord GOD.;
[/quote]

Clearly the term for atoning sacrifice and all sacrifices modeled after the Hebrew model are in harmony with "GOD so LOVED that HE GAVE" and diametrically opposed to "man so propitiated the angry god that he finally relented".

Obviously God's model is better than the pagan model.

In Christ,

Bob

 

Jesus' sacrifice is the key to the Hebrew concept of ATONEMENT and according to the Lev 16 model that process STARTS with the "Atoning Sacrifice" that John mentions in 1John 2:2 as being completed at the cross.


Then according to Lev 16 we ALSO have the work of the High Priest in atonement. This work of atonement we see Christ taking up in Heb 7-10 AFTER the cross.

Stopping all of Christ's work in atonement at the Cross - denies His atoning work in Heb 7-10 and rejects the teaching on Atonement that God gives in Lev 16.

Some may try to imagine that Christ ascended to heaven BEFORE His death or IN His death. But in John 20 Christ makes it clear AFTER His resurrection "I HAVE NOT YET ascended to My Father".

So the point remains.

Christ spent 40 days ON EARTH after His resurrection BEFORE ascending up to Heaven as our High Priest. In Heb 8-10 Christ is said to have ENTERED into Heaven but in Heb 8:4 the point is made that while Christ was on earth He was NOT serving as High Priest!

The point remains.

In Christ,

Bob

 

But "surely" some argue that there must be a way to ignore the Bible teaching on the sanctuary in heaven - and just make "Christ our sanctuary" as if to boil the NT text down to so much myth and story.

Lets see if the NT text will allow such a thing --

Apparently the NT shows the heavenly sanctuary to be REAL - to be a PATTERN SEEN after which the literal earthly sanctuary was modeled.

So it is REAL. Built by God without hands. AND it has functional areas just as God says.

Not of this creation and not made with hands. This is the heavenly sanctuary that Christ ENTERS.
...

The point is clear - what happens in shadows through the earthly sanctuary - happens in "reality" in the heavenly.

Lambs were really slain on the altar of sacrifice.

The lamb of God was really slain on the cross.

The high priests really minister in the earhly sanctuary.

Christ OUR High Priest really ministers in that Heb 8 and 9 Sanctuary in heaven!

It is all REAL. God's model of ATONEMENT works - AS DESCRIBED in scripture!

In Christ,

Bob

 

Psalm 11 4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

God’s temple, and his throne are in heaven.

Psalm 18 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

Psalm 29 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

Isaiah 6 1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

God’s throne, is in his temple. The seraphim mentioned above, are very similar to those mentioned in the book of Revelation who were around the throne. They also say basically the same thing. They both have six wings. In Revelation however, their wings are not covering their faces, so John could see them, and describes them to us more fully.

Habakkuk 2 20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Micah 1 1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place

Malachi 3 1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Hebrews 8 1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.


Exodus 25 8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it


Hebrews 9 1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; ………………………………........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
………………………………........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................
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. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

The sanctuary that Moses built was made after the pattern which was shown to him. This pattern, was no doubt the heavenly sanctuary itself. For the Lord said see that you make it after the pattern of the tabernacle. What tabernacle do you think he was he talking about?


Revelation 1 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; ………………………………...........................
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Exodus 25 31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same………………………………......................................................................................
37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. ……………………………….................
40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount.

God’s throne is in the temple in heaven. The golden candlesticks, with seven lamps were made after the pattern shown to Moses. This pattern, was the candlesticks which John saw in the temple in heaven. There is a temple in heaven, and the temple on earth was modeled after it.

Revelation 4 2 And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Again, God’s throne is in the temple in heaven. The beasts mentioned above, are the seraphim that Isaiah saw in vision of the throne of God, in his temple, that we discussed earlier. The King James uses the word beast for what Isaiah called seraphim. Other versions call them living creatures. Strong’s concordance suggests living beings. The seven lamps of fire are again, the lamps which Moses patterned his after. That is to the best of human ability.

Revelation 5 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. ………………………………......
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and othe four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. ………………………..
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; ……………………………….....................................................
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.


Revelation 6 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Revelation 7 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne,and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
………………………………................................................................................................
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Revelation 8 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Exodus 27 1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

Again, an alter in the temple of heaven, and one in the temple that Moses made after the pattern.


Revelation 11 19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Exodus 25 10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

The ark in the temple in heaven, and the ark Moses made as a pattern of it.


Revelation 14 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. ………………………………......................................................
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. ………………………………..................................................
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Revelation 15 5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: ……………………………….......................................
7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Revelation 16 1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. ……………
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. ………………………………..............................................
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Again, God’s throne is in the temple in heaven.

Revelation 19 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

There is a temple in heaven. The visions of John in the book of Revelation take place in the temple in heaven. God is on his throne in the temple in heaven. From there, he is in control of everything. This is the same temple where Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us. It is the center of activity concerning this fallen and rebellious world. This temple will exist, until God makes all things new, in the new heaven, and the new earth. There will no longer be a need for a temple of intercession, for God will be the God of his people, and will be with his people. God the Father, and the Son will be the temple for their people, in the new heaven, and new earth.

This is why, it is only in the last book of the bible, in the last chapters of the bible, that you read about there being no temple. In the end, there will be no temple. This however, is in the new heaven, and new earth, described in the last book, in the last chapters of the bible. This is pointing forward to the time when this rebellious world, and all things pertaining to it, including the temple we are discussing, will be no more.


Revelation 21 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. ………………………………..............
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. ………………………………...........
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.


Revelation 22 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

AMEN!

By for now. Y. b. in C. Keith

 

Lloyd you got that one right.

Welcome back to this side of the fence bro.

Back to the "wrong side" so quickly?

"God was in Christ RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF" 2Cor 5.

He MADE Him who KNEW no sin to BE SIN in OUR BEHALF! 2Cor 5.

"For GOD SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE HIS only begotten Son" John 3:16

But in the greek pagan world of "appeasement" it would be "CHRIST so PROPITIATED the angry Father that He finally reletented in His anger and hatred against mankind"

See how easy and direct it is when one ACCEPTS the teaching of scripture over the pagan traditions of men Lloyd!

Try it.

In Christ,

Bob

 

Keith,
God is in His Holy Temple, Jesus Christ. There are MANY symbols in the Scriptures and they all tell us this. So doesn't matter how many illustrations you give, they all witness of God's Anointed - God who tabernacled in the Man Jesus 'in heaven' in the flesh for ever - from and through through resurrection from the dead. In His flesh and blood which in Christian practice and faith is espaecially illustrated and actually partaken of through faith, in Holy Communion.

 

Said Pastor Bob (August 26, 2005 08:39 AM), “I want to make sure these folks are saved, obviously that is more important to me than having them join the church.” Amen! If joined with God in Christ, these folks are surely saved and have already been joined in the Church of the Saved – the Community of Believers. They may perhaps live that knowledge and assurance in your Congregation, if they wish. Would your Church accommodate them in their Christian needs in this regards? – that is the worrying question! Happy people if it does! One criterium though for testing if it does, is: “What makes of this day (of final atonement) this peculiar day, is that which HAPPENED – on it, and, to it!” (Karl Barth) And I dare to add Paul – that which HAPPENED on it and to it “according to the Scriptures (the Law) THE THIRD DAY” (1Cor.15:5) – “according to the Scriptures” of God’s Passover on God’s Passover, in that year of our Lord according to His eternal purpose purposed in Christ and appointed, “God thus concerning the Seventh Day (speaking): And God on the Seventh Day rested from all His works … THEREFORE there for the People of God remains a keeping of the Sabbath Day”! (Hb.4:4-5, 9) “Therefore” – referring to Jesus “having given them rest” and “He (having) entered into His own rest as God”. (4:8, 10)
Does your Church obey the standards of accommodation for the People of God in the form and practice of true Sabbath-keeping respecting the true day “according to the Scriptures”, or does it harbour pagan idolatry in the form and practice of venerating the false and unscriptural ‘Day of the lord Sun’ according to the “weak and beggarly principles of the world”? (Gl.4:8-10)

 

Psalm 11 4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

So Gerhard,you think that the above means that God and His throne are inside of Jesus Chist?

Psalm 18 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

I guess this one means that He heard his voice from within Christ’s body.

Psalm 29 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

I guess that this one means that everyone inside of Jesus speaks of His glory.

Isaiah 6 1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen
the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

How is Jesus, or the Father, sitting upon a throne inside of Jesus, with His train filling Him up? I guess all the seraphims were inside of Him to, flying around and crying out to one another.


Habakkuk 2 20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

He’s inside Himself again.

Micah 1 1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

I guess He’s going to come out of himself when He comes down to tread the earth.


Hebrews 8 1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.

So Jesus is set on the right hand of the Father, inside of himself.


Exodus 25 8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it


So the pattern that they maid the earthly temple from, was Jesus body.


Hebrews 9 1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; ………………………………........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
………………………………........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................
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. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

So, Christ went to appear to the Father inside himself. I guess heaven itself is inside him to.


Revelation 1 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; ………………………………...........................
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Exodus 25 31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same………………………………......................................................................................
37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. ……………………………….................
40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount.


So all the articles of the sanctuary on earth, and in heaven, are actually inside Jesus.


Revelation 4 2 And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Again, all these things are inside Jesus.


Revelation 5 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. ………………………………......
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. ………………………..
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; ……………………………….....................................................
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

The same.


Revelation 6 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Revelation 7 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
………………………………................................................................................................
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.


Gee, a great multitude which no man could number are now inside Jesus’ body.


Revelation 11 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Wow, Jesus’ body is going to be opened up, and the ark is going to be in it.


………………………………......................................................
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. ………………………………..................................................
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Lots of angels coming out of Jesus, and the altar that’s inside of him I guess.

Revelation 15 5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: ……………………………….......................................

Jesus is being opened again.

7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Now His body is being filled with smoke from His glory.

Revelation 16 1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. ……………
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. ………………………………..............................................
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Jesus’ voice is coming out from Him, and from the altar, and the throne that are inside of him.


Revelation 19 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

The four beasts are falling down and worshipping God upon His throne inside of Jesus.


22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

How about that, there’s not going to be any Jesus in heaven, because, well, Jesus will be in heaven.

Get a grip Gerhard, you just don’t want there to be a temple in heaven.


By for now. Y. b. in C. Keith

 

Here is the real error of all Seventh Day Adventism, described by Bob Ryan, September 03, 2005 04:24 AM,
“It (“that claim”) that Jesus' atonement 'stopped' - i.e., was perfected – in resurrection from the dead. Ephesians 1:19f ) says nothing about the "High Priestly work" of Lev 16 being negated or completed PRIOR to Christ's High Priestly work EXPLICITLY identified in Heb 7-10 that is EXPLICITLY stated as STARTING after the resurrection.”
The error is, atonement / salvation not finished in the resurrection of Jesus but “STARTING after the resurrection”. This is “the "High Priestly work" of Lev 16 being negated”; this is making void God’s fulfilment and completion of “all His works” through “the exceeding greatness of His power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead”. This is placing untruth in the mouth of Christ when on the cross He with the eye on His victory over and recovery from death and grave, exclaimed, “Finished!”. This is putting back into the Voice of Life from death and the realms of the dead and devils, death and perdition. This is Jesus Christ “set at His own right hand in heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come”, “being negated” unhesitatingly, unashamedly, undaunted, audaciously, provocatively, daringly, God defying, God-unfearing. Here is what makes of Seventh Day Adventism, the cultic. This is why Seventh Day Adventism does not teach, believe, or practice, the Sabbath of the LORD your God, but a day of legalism and self-righteousness – in fact, a day of superstition! Because the Sabbath in SDA-ism is the day of man’s resting in the very nadir of death in the law and himself, and not The Day of God’s Rest in the very acme of Life in Christ.

 

Keith,
I said "the way the SDA's believe - there is no temple 'up there in heaven'. But it seems I also don't see the heavenly temple in the way you do. Again, all these illustrations you have given from the Scriptures are depiction in human terms of what is spiritual and not human or physical. I stand with my conviction Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as the Son of Man is the Living Temple, the Divine Temple of God in heaven which is God HIMSELF!
The great difference is that This Temple is not something separate from its function. The Building Wherein Atonement is Made, is not different - another entity - than the Building That Makes Atonement; and that Building is the risen Christ Jesus. He is also called the Anchor of our souls that went in into the Most Holy - do you also want to say He is a physical Anchor? Yes He indeed is physically 'there' - but not in iron, but in gloryfied flesh.

 

I leave you to imagine as many defenses for the pagans as you see fit.

"In the mean time" God's Word stands as "GOD SO LOVED THAT HE GAVE" rather than "Christ so APPEASED that God LOVED".

It may "seem to you" that the pagan idea and God's are the same -- but they "obviously" are not.

This is so blatant, so clear, so obvious...

Hard to believe you want to argue for paganism "anyway".

"God So LOVED that HE GAVE"

Read it again - for the first time.

In Christ,

Bob

 

The actual quote made the following irrefutable -- undeniable points.

#1. Christ's Highpriestly ministry is STATED in Heb 7 and 8 to have STARTED after the resurrection.

#2. The Lev 16 instruction that GOD GIVES on Atonement SHOWS the unique work of the High Priest to be KEY to the Atonement process.

#3. The "ATONING SACRIFICE" that John identified in 1John 2:2 was COMPLETED at the cross and is SPECIFIED in Lev 16 as the event that begins the atonement process which must INCLUDE the work of the HIGH Priest.

These undeniable facts being too clear to obfuscate -- the response to that post now goes on to "ignore them" and to "re-invent them" in a kind of revisionist-history much needed to make GE's case.

Actually "by contrast" the fact of the quote I gave SHOWS that the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross IS referenced in Lev 16 and IS key to starting all events LISTED IN THAT CHAPTER.

Obviously.

I also pointed out that the NT is already CLEAR - that Christ does NOT start His High Priestly ministry until AFTER His ascension AFTER His resurrection.

To try and contradict Heb 7 and 8 such that the High Priestly work of Christ starts BEFORE His resurrection "AS IF" He had ascended to the Father BEFORE His resurrection -- is to contradict BOTH the OT and NT.

John 20 states at Christ's resurrection "I have NOT YET ascended to the Father"

Case closed.

In Christ,

Bob

 

Chap.12

JOH 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
JOH 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
JOH 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
JOH 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

" As referring to the temple at Jerusalem, the Saviour's words," Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," had a deeper meaning than the hearers perceived. Christ was the foundation and life of the temple. Its services were typical of the sacrifice of the Son of God. The priesthood was established to represent the meditorial character and work of Christ. The entire plan of sacrificial worship was a foreshadowing of the Savior's death to redeem the world. There would be no efficacy in these offerings when the great event toward which they had pointed for ages was consummated.
Since the whole ritual economy was symbolical of Christ, it had no value apart from Him. When the Jews sealed their rejection of Christ by delivering Him to death, they rejected all that gave significance to the temple and its services. Its sacredness had departed. It was doomed to destruction. From that day sacrificial offerings and the service connected with them were meaningless. Like the offering of Cain, they did not express faith in the Saviour. In putting Christ to death, the Jews virtually destroyed their temple. When Christ was crucified, the inner veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, signifying that the great final sacrifice had been made, and that the system of sacrificial offerings was forever at an end." ( THE DESIRE OF AGES page 165)

MAR 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
MAR 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

Although the establishment of the new covenant put an end to the earthly temple services and sacrifices, as has already been discussed, it did not do away with the sacrificial system but fulfilled it. That which was typical and literal was replaced with that which was and is antitypical and spiritual. As has been the case with all that we have discussed in relation to the establishment of the new covenant, Christ fulfilled the things that the old covenant pointed to and established the new. That which was and is established by the new covenant, is always of a spiritual nature. The literal types and services of the old being fulfilled by the reality of the new, the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, established the spiritual reality of the new covenant. As stated previously, that which is literal and of this world is that which is passing away. On the other hand, that which is spiritual, being established in Christ, is that which is real and eternal. So also it is with the temple and its services. Although the literal temple no longer exists, the heavenly temple and its services have been established in Christ.

HEB 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

HEB 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
HEB 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.


HEB 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
HEB 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
HEB 9:13 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:
HEB 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
HEB 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Christ is our High Priest. He is ministering for us in the temple in heaven. This temple is the one that the Lord pitched and not man. The temple must be where the High Priest of the new covenant is, and that is in heaven. Is there a literal temple in heaven? I believe so, and apparently so did the writer of the book of Hebrews. However, to argue over weather or not the temple in heaven is literal, would be missing the point. The scriptures are very clear, Christ is our High Priest in heaven. He is performing the High Priestly ministry on our behalf before God the Father in heaven. That is to say, He ever lives to make intercession for us.
The temple of the new covenant is not bound to a single place or spot on earth or in heaven. The temple of the new covenant is on earth and in heaven. The scriptures are clear on this point. The spiritual nature of the temple and its services in the new covenant era make this necessary. The temple is in heaven where Christ is ministering for us, and yet the body of Christ, which is His people, is here on earth, and also considered His temple. There is no separating the two. Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary has everything to do with the establishment of His temple here on earth, His people. We are the temple of God, both corporatly and individually. The temple in heaven where Christ ministers, has everything to do with the establishment of His temple here on earth, which is us, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ told the woman at the well that He was about to establish this spiritual reality.

JOH 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
JOH 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
JOH 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
JOH 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
JOH 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
JOH 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Christ is here telling the woman at the well about the soon coming change in the way that God's people will worship Him. Location will not be so important soon, but rather the manner in which one worships. The important thing will be that you are worshipping God in the spirit and in truth. This is clearly a reference to the establishment of the new covenant, which did away with the temple and its services. Christ was preparing the way for the establishment of the spiritual over the literal form of worship. A time when anyone, anywhere could worship God the Father through the Lord Jesus His son. A time when all could come boldly before the throne of God and pour out their hearts upon the alter. A time when there would be no need for another person to mediate between us and God, but all could have equal access to the throne of mercy and justice. This was all accomplished in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

HEB 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
HEB 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The place where God dwells is His temple. Christ is at the right hand of His Father, where he ever liveth to make intercession for us. The Father and the Son are in heaven, therefore the temple of God is in heaven. God the Holy Spirit is on earth, dwelling in the hearts and minds of those who are depending and leaning on the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Since God is in His people through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, then the temple of God is here on earth in His people. These are spiritual realities. The temple in heaven, and the temple on earth, are intricately connected. They can not be separated, seeing that they have everything to do with each other.
The purpose of the temple was to provide a place where God could dwell among His people. The temple is where mediation takes place between man and God. It is where the sacrifice is offered that puts humanity back in a right standing with their God. This was its purpose during the old covenant, and even more so during this new covenant era. "EXO 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Again, all things come together and are fulfilled in Christ. When Christ became a man, then God Himself dwelt in human flesh. Thus establishing the temple of God within the hearts of His followers. By His death, He became the sacrifice that all of the old covenant sacrifices pointed to. He prepared the way for us to enter into this experience with Him, meeting the requirements of the law toward us as sinners. As we by faith, accept our death with Christ on the cross, the spiritual sacrifice of the new covenant is made in the new covenant temple, our bodies. Christ has entered into heaven as our High Priest, where He intercedes for us. Because of His intercession for us, we are enabled to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit within us, we are enabled to perform the will of God. We are the temple of God here on earth. This is all part of our salvation and restoration.
All of these things were accomplished in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. They were all accomplished by the mystery of Godliness. God became a man. He accomplished through our flesh what could not be accomplished any other way. "TI1 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Through our own flesh Christ conquered sin, established righteousness, Justified humanity, became our intercessor, and brought the temple of God to the human heart and mind, sanctification.

ROM 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
ROM 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
ROM 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.


ROM 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
ROM 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
ROM 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.


HEB 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
HEB 2:17 Wherefore 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.
HEB 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.


HEB 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
HEB 4:15 For 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.
HEB 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.


CO1 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
CO1 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.


All of these things were accomplished by God, by uniting Himself with humanity in and through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ became a man and dwelt among us, the Spirit of God rested upon Him. When He was baptized the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. By uniting Himself with humanity, Christ made it possible for God to dwell within the hearts of all that accept Him as their personal Savior. We can become the temple of God, the place where He dwells. Christ Himself has told us that this was His purpose, and this is indeed our salvation and restoration.

JOH 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
JOH 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
JOH 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
JOH 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
JOH 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Christ wants to be in us, as His Father was in Him when He was here on earth as one of us. In this new covenant era God wants us to be His temple here on earth. He wants to dwell within our hearts and minds, so that all who look upon us might see Him. This is not for our own glory, but only for His. As individuals, and as a corporate body, that is the body of Christ( the church) we have no other purpose than to glorify God and magnify His name in the earth.

CO2 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

CO1 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
CO1 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The scriptures are very clear concerning where the temple of the new covenant is located. The temple of God is where ever God dwells. God is in heaven, the temple that Moses made was patterned after the one in heaven. God is also in the earth through His people. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Christ is in the temple in heaven interceding before the Father for us here on earth who have accepted Him as our personal Savior. Christ is also in His temple here on earth drawing all humanity unto Himself. If we are lifting up Christ in our own lives then we will draw those around us to Him. This is our purpose as the temple of God here on earth. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts the hearts of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. That is why we must have the Holy Spirit within us if we are to be effective witnesses for God. This is no small thing, stop and consider for a moment that God wants you to be His temple here on earth.

EPH 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
EPH 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
EPH 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
EPH 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
EPH 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
EPH 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
EPH 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
EPH 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
EPH 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Bye for now. Y. b. in C. Keith

 

Im thinking that the brother and sister who were Seventh Day Adventists didnt pay very good attention ...

Seventh Day Adventists are taught the basics of salvation very early on... both from the Bible and in the Spirit of Prophecy...

http://www.egwtext.whiteestate.org/sc/sc6.html

http://www.egwtext.whiteestate.org/sc/sc.html


Claudia

 

From the Seventh Day Adventist Book that just about every SDA has read, Christ's Object Lessons:


"This Man Receiveth Sinners"
[This chapter is based on Luke 15:1-10.]
As the "publicans and sinners" gathered about Christ, the rabbis expressed their displeasure. "This man receiveth sinners," they said, "and eateth with them."

By this accusation they insinuated that Christ liked to associate with the sinful and vile, and was insensible to their wickedness. The rabbis had been disappointed in Jesus. Why was it that one who claimed so lofty a character did not mingle with them and follow their methods of teaching? Why did He go about so unpretendingly, working among all classes? If He were a true prophet, they said, He would harmonize with them, and would treat the publicans and sinners with the indifference they deserved. It angered these guardians of society that He with whom they were continually in controversy, yet whose purity of life awed and condemned them, should meet, in such apparent sympathy, with social outcasts. They did not approve of His methods. They regarded themselves as educated, refined, and pre-eminently religious; but Christ's example laid bare their selfishness.

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It angered them also that those who showed only contempt for the rabbis and who were never seen in the synagogues should flock about Jesus and listen with rapt attention to His words. The scribes and Pharisees felt only condemnation in that pure presence; how was it, then, that publicans and sinners were drawn to Jesus?

They knew not that the explanation lay in the very words they had uttered as a scornful charge, "This man receiveth sinners." The souls who came to Jesus felt in His presence that even for them there was escape from the pit of sin. The Pharisees had only scorn and condemnation for them; but Christ greeted them as children of God, estranged indeed from the Father's house, but not forgotten by the Father's heart. And their very misery and sin made them only the more the objects of His compassion. The farther they had wandered from Him, the more earnest the longing and the greater the sacrifice for their rescue.

All this the teachers of Israel might have learned from the sacred scrolls of which it was their pride to be the keepers and expounders. He not David written--David, who had fallen into deadly sin--"I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek Thy servant"? Ps. 119:176. Had not Micah revealed God's love to the sinner, saying, "Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy"? Micah 7:18.


The Lost Sheep
Christ did not at this time remind His hearers of the words of Scripture. He appealed to the witness of their own experience. The wide-spreading tablelands on the east of Jordan afforded abundant pasturage for flocks, and through the gorges and over the wooded hills had wandered

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many a lost sheep, to be searched for and brought back by the shepherd's care. In the company about Jesus there were shepherds, and also men who had money invested in flocks and herds, and all could appreciate His illustration: "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?"
These souls whom you despise, said Jesus, are the property of God. By creation and by redemption they are His, and they are of value in His sight. As the shepherd loves his sheep, and cannot rest if even one be missing, so, in an infinitely higher degree, does God love every outcast soul. Men may deny the claim of His love, they may wander from Him, they may choose another master; yet they are God's, and He longs to recover His own. He says, "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." Eze. 34:12.

In the parable the shepherd goes out to search for one sheep--the very least that can be numbered. So if there had been but one lost soul, Christ would have died for that one.

The sheep that has strayed from the fold is the most helpless of all creatures. It must be sought for by the shepherd, for it cannot find its way back. So with the soul that has wandered away from God; he is as helpless as the lost sheep, and unless divine love had come to his rescue he could never find his way to God.

The shepherd who discovers that one of his sheep is missing does not look carelessly upon the flock that is safely housed, and say, "I have ninety and nine, and it will cost me too much trouble to go in search of the straying one.

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Let him come back, and I will open the door of the sheepfold, and let him in." No; no sooner does the sheep go astray than the shepherd is filled with grief and anxiety. He counts and recounts the flock. When he is sure that one sheep is lost, he slumbers not. He leaves the ninety and nine with the fold, and goes in search of the straying sheep. The darker and more tempestuous the night and the more perilous the way, the greater is the shepherd's anxiety and the more earnest his search. He makes every effort to find that one lost sheep.
With what relief he hears in the distance its first faint cry. Following the sound, he climbs the steepest heights, he goes to the very edge of the precipice, at the risk of his own life. Thus he searches, while the cry, growing fainter, tells him that his sheep is ready to die. At last his effort is rewarded; the lost is found. Then he does not scold it because it has caused him so much trouble. He does not drive it with a whip. He does not even try to lead it home. In his joy he takes the trembling creature upon his shoulders; if it is bruised and wounded, he gathers it in his arms, pressing it close to his bosom, that the warmth of his own heart may give it life. With gratitude that his search has not been in vain, he bears it back to the fold.

Thank God, He has presented to our imagination no picture of a sorrowful shepherd returning without the sheep. The parable does not speak of failure but of success and joy in the recovery. Here is the divine guarantee that not even one of the straying sheep of God's fold is overlooked, not one is left unsuccored. Every one that will submit to be ransomed, Christ will rescue from the pit of corruption and from the briers of sin.

Desponding soul, take courage, even though you have done wickedly. Do not think that perhaps God will pardon

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your transgressions and permit you to come into His presence. God has made the first advance. While you were in rebellion against Him, He went forth to seek you. With the tender heart of the shepherd He left the ninety and nine and went out into the wilderness to find that which was lost. The soul, bruised and wounded and ready to perish, He encircles in His arms of love and joyfully bears it to the fold of safety.
It was taught by the Jews that before God's love is extended to the sinner, he must first repent. In their view, repentance is a work by which men earn the favor of Heaven. And it was this thought that led the Pharisees to exclaim in astonishment and anger. "This man receiveth sinners." According to their ideas He should permit none to approach Him but those who had repented. But in the parable of the lost sheep, Christ teaches that salvation does not come through our seeking after God but through God's seeking after us. "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way." Rom. 3:11, 12. We do not repent in order that God may love us, but He reveals to us His love in order that we may repent.

When the straying sheep is at last brought home, the shepherd's gratitude finds expression in melodious songs of rejoicing. He calls upon his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, "Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." So when a wanderer is found by the great Shepherd of the sheep, heaven and earth unite in thanksgiving and rejoicing.

"Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." You Pharisees, said Christ, regard yourselves as the favorites of heaven. You think yourselves secure in your own righteousness. Know, then, that if you

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need no repentance, My mission is not to you. These poor souls who feel their poverty and sinfulness, are the very ones whom I have come to rescue. Angels of heaven are interested in these lost ones whom you despise. You complain and sneer when one of these souls joins himself to Me; but know that angels rejoice, and the song of triumph rings through the courts above.
The rabbis had a saying that there is rejoicing in heaven when one who has sinned against God is destroyed; but Jesus taught that to God the work of destruction is a strange work. That in which all heaven delights is the restoration of God's own image in the souls whom He has made.

When one who has wandered far in sin seeks to return to God, he will encounter criticism and distrust. There are those who will doubt whether his repentance is genuine, or will whisper, "He has no stability; I do not believe that he will hold out." These persons are doing not the work of God but the work of Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren. Through their criticisms the wicked one hopes to discourage that soul, and to drive him still farther from hope and from God. Let the repenting sinner contemplate the rejoicing in heaven over the return of the one that was lost. Let him rest in the love of God and in no case be disheartened by the scorn and suspicion of the Pharisees.

The rabbis understood Christ's parable as applying to the publicans and sinners; but it has also a wider meaning. By the lost sheep Christ represents not only the individual sinner but the one world that has apostatized and has been ruined by sin. This world is but an atom in the vast dominions over which God presides, yet this little fallen world--the one lost sheep--is more precious in His sight than are the ninety and nine that went not astray from the fold. Christ, the loved Commander in the heavenly courts,

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stooped from His high estate, laid aside the glory that He had with the Father, in order to save the one lost world. For this He left the sinless worlds on high, the ninety and nine that loved Him, and came to this earth, to be "wounded for our transgressions" and "bruised for our iniquities." (Isa. 53:5.) God gave Himself in His Son that He might have the joy of receiving back the sheep that was lost.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1. And Christ says, "As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (John 17:18)--to "fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, . . . for His body's sake, which is the church." Col. 1:24. Every soul whom Christ has rescued is called to work in His name for the saving of the lost. This work had been neglected in Israel. Is it not neglected today by those who profess to be Christ's followers?

How many of the wandering ones have you, reader, sought for and brought back to the fold? When you turn from those who seem unpromising and unattractive, do you realize that you are neglecting the souls for whom Christ is seeking? At the very time when you turn from them, they may be in the greatest need of your compassion. In every assembly for worship, there are souls longing for rest and peace. They may appear to be living careless lives, but they are not insensible to the influence of the Holy Spirit. Many among them might be won for Christ.

If the lost sheep is not brought back to the fold, it wanders until it perishes. And many souls go down to ruin for want of a hand stretched out to save. These erring ones may appear hard and reckless; but if they had received the same advantages that others have had, they might have revealed far more nobility of soul, and greater talent for

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usefulness. Angels pity these wandering ones. Angels weep, while human eyes are dry and hearts are closed to pity.
O the lack of deep, soul-touching sympathy for the tempted and the erring! O for more of Christ's spirit, and for less, far less, of self!

The Pharisees understood Christ's parable as a rebuke to them. Instead of accepting their criticism of His work, He had reproved their neglect of the publicans and sinners. He had not done this openly, lest it should close their hearts against Him; but His illustration set before them the very work which God required of them, and which they had failed to do. Had they been true shepherds, these leaders in Israel would have done the work of a shepherd. They would have manifested the mercy and love of Christ, and would have united with Him in His mission. Their refusal to do this had proved their claims of piety to be false. Now many rejected Christ's reproof; yet to some His words brought conviction. Upon these, after Christ's ascension to heaven, the Holy Spirit came, and they united with His disciples in the very work outlined in the parable of the lost sheep.


The Lost Piece of Silver
After giving the parable of the lost sheep Christ spoke another, saying, "What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?"

In the East the houses of the poor usually consisted of but one room, often windowless and dark. The room was rarely swept, and a piece of money falling on the floor would be speedily covered by the dust and rubbish. In order that it might be found, even in the daytime, a candle must be lighted, and the house must be swept diligently.

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The wife's marriage portion usually consisted of pieces of money, which she carefully preserved as her most cherished possession, to be transmitted to her own daughters. The loss of one of these pieces would be regarded as a serious calamity, and its recovery would cause great rejoicing, in which the neighboring women would readily share.

"When she hath found it," Christ said, "she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

This parable, like the preceding, sets forth the loss of something which with proper search may be recovered, and that with great joy. But the two parables represent different classes. The lost sheep knows that it is lost. It has left the shepherd and the flock, and it cannot recover itself. It represents those who realize that they are separated from God and who are in a cloud of perplexity, in humiliation, and sorely tempted. The lost coin represents those who are lost in trespasses and sins, but who have no sense of their condition. They are estranged from God, but they know it not. Their souls are in peril, but they are unconscious and

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unconcerned. In this parable Christ teaches that even those who are indifferent to the claims of God are the objects of His pitying love. They are to be sought for that they may be brought back to God.
The sheep wandered away from the fold; it was lost in the wilderness or upon the mountains. The piece of silver was lost in the house. It was close at hand, yet it could be recovered only by diligent search.

This parable has a lesson to families. In the household there is often great carelessness concerning the souls of its members. Among their number may be one who is estranged from God; but how little anxiety is felt lest in the family relationship there be lost one of God's entrusted gifts.

The coin, though lying among dust and rubbish, is a piece of silver still. Its owner seeks it because it is of value. So every soul, however degraded by sin, is in God's sight accounted precious. As the coin bears the image and superscription of the reigning power, so man at his creation bore the image and superscription of God; and though now marred and dim through the influence of sin, the traces of this inscription remain upon every soul. God desires to recover that soul and to retrace upon it His own image in righteousness and holiness.

The woman in the parable searches diligently for her lost coin. She lights the candle and sweeps the house. She removes everything that might obstruct her search. Though only one piece is lost, she will not cease her efforts until that piece is found. So in the family if one member is lost to God every means should be used for his recovery. On the part of all the others let there be diligent, careful self-examination. Let the life-practice be investigated. See if there is not some mistake, some error in management, by which that soul is confirmed in impenitence.

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If there is in the family one child who is unconscious of his sinful state, parents should not rest. Let the candle be lighted. Search the word of God, and by its light let everything in the home be diligently examined, to see why this child is lost. Let parents search their own hearts, examine their habits and practices. Children are the heritage of the Lord, and we are answerable to Him for our management of His property.

There are fathers and mothers who long to labor in some foreign mission field; there are many who are active in Christian work outside the home, while their own children are strangers to the Saviour and His love. The work of winning their children for Christ many parents trust to the minister or the Sabbath school teacher, but in doing this they are neglecting their own God-given responsibility. The education and training of their children to be Christians is the highest service that parents can render to God. It is a work that demands patient labor, a lifelong diligent and persevering effort. By a neglect of this trust we prove ourselves unfaithful stewards. No excuse for such neglect will be accepted by God.

But those who have been guilty of neglect are not to despair. The woman whose coin was lost searched until she found it. So in love, faith, and prayer let parents work for their households, until with joy they can come to God

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saying, "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me." Isa. 8:18.
This is true home missionary work, and it is as helpful to those who do it as to those for whom it is done. By our faithful interest for the home circle we are fitting ourselves to work for the members of the Lord's family, with whom, if loyal to Christ, we shall live through eternal ages. For our brethren and sisters in Christ we are to show the same interest that as members of one family we have for one another.

And God designs that all this shall fit us to labor for still others. As our sympathies shall broaden and our love increase, we shall find everywhere a work to do. God's great human household embraces the world, and none of its members are to be passed by with neglect.

Wherever we may be, there the lost piece of silver awaits our search. Are we seeking for it? Day by day we meet with those who take no interest in religious things; we talk with them, we visit among them; do we show an interest in their spiritual welfare? Do we present Christ to them as the sin-pardoning Saviour? With our own hearts warm with the love of Christ, do we tell them about that love? If we do not, how shall we meet these souls--lost, eternally lost--when with them we stand before the throne of God?

The value of a soul, who can estimate? Would you know its worth, go to Gethsemane, and there watch with Christ through those hours of anguish, when He sweat as it were great drops of blood. Look upon the Saviour uplifted on the cross. Hear that despairing cry, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Mark 15:34. Look upon the wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet. Remember that Christ risked all. For our redemption, heaven itself was imperiled. At the foot of the cross, remembering that for one sinner Christ would have laid down His life, you may estimate the value of a soul.

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If you are in communion with Christ, you will place His estimate upon every human being. You will feel for others the same deep love that Christ has felt for you. Then you will be able to win, not drive, to attract, not repulse, those for whom He died. None would ever have been brought back to God if Christ had not made a personal effort for them; and it is by this personal work that we can rescue souls. When you see those who are going down to death, you will not rest in quiet indifference and ease. The greater their sin and the deeper their misery, the more earnest and tender will be your efforts for their recovery. You will discern the need of those who are suffering, who have been sinning against God, and who are oppressed with a burden of guilt. Your heart will go out in sympathy for them, and you will reach out to them a helping hand. In the arms of your faith and love you will bring them to Christ. You will watch over and encourage them, and your sympathy and confidence will make it hard for them to fall from their steadfastness.

In this work all the angels of heaven are ready to co-operate. All the resources of heaven are at the command of those who are seeking to save the lost. Angels will help you to reach the most careless and the most hardened. And when one is brought back to God, all heaven is made glad; seraphs and cherubs touch their golden harps, and sing praises to God and the Lamb for their mercy and loving-kindness to the children of men.

-Ellen G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, "This Man Recieveth Sinners"

 

These beliefs about salvation are all through our literature, listed in our official "Beliefs", etc. and I dont see how anyone could've missed it.

From the same book which just about every Seventh Day Adventist has read, Christ's Object Lessons, "Lost and is Found":

"Lost, and is Found"
[This chapter is based on Luke 15:11-32.]
The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son, bring out in distinct lines God's pitying love for those who are straying from Him. Although they have turned away from God, He does not leave them in their misery. He is full of kindness and tender pity toward all who are exposed to the temptations of the artful foe.

In the parable of the prodigal son is presented the Lord's dealing with those who have once known the Father's love, but who have allowed the tempter to lead them captive at his will.

"A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country."

This younger son had become weary of the restraint of his father's house. He thought that his liberty was restricted. His father's love and care for him were misinterpreted, and he determined to follow the dictates of his own inclination.

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The youth acknowledges no obligation to his father, and expresses no gratitude; yet he claims the privilege of a child in sharing his father's goods. The inheritance that would fall to him at his father's death he desires to receive now. He is bent on present enjoyment, and cares not for the future.

Having obtained his patrimony, he goes into "a far country," away from his father's home. With money in plenty, and liberty to do as he likes, he flatters himself that the desire of his heart is reached. There is no one to say, Do not do this, for it will be an injury to yourself; or, Do this, because it is right. Evil companions help him to plunge ever deeper into sin, and he wastes his "substance with riotous living."

The Bible tells of men who "professing themselves to be wise" "became fools" (Rom. 1:22); and this is the history of the young man of the parable. The wealth which he has selfishly claimed from his father he squanders upon harlots. The treasure of his young manhood is wasted.

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The precious years of life, the strength of intellect, the bright visions of youth, the spiritual aspirations--all are consumed in the fires of lust.
A great famine arises, he begins to be in want, and he joins himself to a citizen of the country, who sends him into the field to feed swine. To a Jew this was the most menial and degrading of employments. The youth who has boasted of his liberty, now finds himself a slave. He is in the worst of bondage--"holden with the cords of his sins." (Prov. 5:22.) The glitter and tinsel that enticed him have disappeared, and he feels the burden of his chain. Sitting upon the ground in that desolate and famine-stricken land, with no companions but the swine, he is fain to fill himself with the husks on which the beasts are fed. Of the gay companions who flocked about him in his prosperous days and ate and drank at his expense, there is not one left to befriend him. Where now is his riotous joy? Stilling his conscience, benumbing his sensibilities, he thought himself happy; but now, with money spent, with hunger unsatisfied, with pride humbled, with his moral nature dwarfed, with his will weak and untrustworthy, with his finer feelings seemingly dead, he is the most wretched of mortals.

What a picture here of the sinner's state! Although surrounded with the blessings of His love, there is nothing that the sinner, bent on self-indulgence and sinful pleasure, desires so much as separation from God. Like the ungrateful son, he claims the good things of God as his by right. He takes them as a matter of course, and makes no return of gratitude, renders no service of love. As Cain went out from the presence of the Lord to seek his home; as the prodigal wandered into the "far country," so do sinners seek happiness in forgetfulness of God. (Rom. 1:28.)

Whatever the appearance may be, every life centered in self squandered. Whoever attempts to live apart from

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God is wasting his substance. He is squandering the precious years, squandering the powers of mind and heart and soul, and working to make himself bankrupt for eternity. The man who separates from God that he may serve himself, is the slave of mammon. The mind that God created for the companionship of angels has become degraded to the service of that which is earthly and bestial. This is the end to which self-serving tends.
If you have chosen such a life, you know that you are spending money for that which is not bread, and labor for that which satisfieth not. There come to you hours when you realize your degradation. Alone in the far country you feel your misery, and in despair you cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. 7:24. It is the statement of a universal truth which is contained in the prophet's words, "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited." Jer. 17:5, 6. God "maketh

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His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45); but men have the power to shut themselves away from sunshine and shower. So while the Sun of Righteousness shines, and the showers of grace fall freely for all, we may by separating ourselves from God still "inhabit the parched places in the wilderness."
The love of God still yearns over the one who has chosen to separate from Him, and He sets in operation influences to bring him back to the Father's house. The prodigal son in his wretchedness "came to himself." The deceptive power that Satan had exercised over him was broken. He saw that his suffering was the result of his own folly, and he said, "How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to may father." Miserable as he was, the prodigal found hope in the conviction of his father's love. It was that love which was drawing him toward home. So it is the assurance of God's love that constrains the sinner to return to God. "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Rom. 2:4. A golden chain, the mercy and compassion of divine love, is passed around every imperiled soul. The Lord declares, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." Jer.31:3.

The son determines to confess his guilt. He will go to his father, saying, "I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." But he adds, showing how stinted is his conception of his father's love, "Make me as one of thy hired servants."

The young man turns from the swine herds and the husks, and sets his face toward home. Trembling with weakness and faint from hunger, he presses eagerly on his way. He has no covering to conceal his rags; but his

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misery has conquered pride ,and he hurries on to beg a servant's place where he was once a child.
Little did the gay, thoughtless youth, as he went out from his father's gate, dream of the ache and longing left in that father's heart. When he danced and feasted with his wild companions, little did he think of the shadow that had fallen on his home. And now as with weary and painful steps he pursues the homeward way, he knows not that one is watching for his return. But while he is yet "a great way off" the father discerns his form. Love is of quick sight. Not even the degradation of the years of sin can conceal the son from the father's eyes. He "had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck" in a long, clinging, tender embrace.

The father will permit no contemptuous eye to mock at his son's misery and tatters. He takes from his own shoulders the broad, rich mantle, and wraps it around the

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son's wasted form, and the youth sobs out his repentance, saying, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." The father holds him close to his side, and brings him home. No opportunity is given him to ask a servant's place. He is a son, who shall be honored with the best the house affords, and whom the waiting men and women shall respect and serve.
The father said to his servants, "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."

In his restless youth the prodigal looked upon his father as stern and severe. How different his conception of him now! So those who are deceived by Satan look upon God as hard and exacting. They regard Him as watching to denounce and condemn, as unwilling to receive the sinner so long as there is a legal excuse for not helping him. His law they regard as a restriction upon men's happiness, a burdensome yoke from which they are glad to escape. But he whose eyes have been opened by the love of Christ will behold God as full of compassion. He does not appear as a tyrannical, relentless being, but as a father longing to embrace his repenting son. The sinner will exclaim with the Psalmist, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." Ps. 103:13.

In the parable there is no taunting, no casting up to the prodigal of his evil course. The son feels that the past is forgiven and forgotten, blotted out forever. And so God says to the sinner, "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins," Isa. 44:22. "I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember

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their sin no more." Jer. 31:34. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7. "In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found." Jer. 50:20.
What assurance here, of God's willingness to receive the repenting sinner! Have you, reader, chosen your own way? Have you wandered far from God? Have you sought to feast upon the fruits of transgression, only to find them turn to ashes upon your lips? And now, your substance spent, your life-plans thwarted, and your hopes dead, do you sit alone and desolate? Now that voice which has long been speaking to your heart but to which you would not listen comes to you distinct and clear, "Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest; because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction." Micah 2:10. Return to your Father's house. He invites you, saying, "Return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee." Isa. 44:22.

Do not listen to the enemy's suggestion to stay away from Christ until you have made yourself better; until you are good enough to come to God. If you wait until then,

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you will never come. When Satan points to your filthy garments, repeat the promise of Jesus, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Tell the enemy that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. Make the prayer of David your own, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Ps. 51:7.
Arise and go to your Father. He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul.

Your heavenly Father will take from you the garments defiled by sin. In the beautiful parabolic prophecy of Zechariah, the high priest Joshua, standing clothed in filthy garments before the angel of the Lord, represents the sinner. And the word is spoken by the Lord, "Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. . . . So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments." Zech. 3:4, 5. Even so God will clothe you with "the garments of salvation," and cover you with "the robe of righteousness." Isa. 61:10. "Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." Ps. 68:13.

He will bring you into His banqueting house, and His

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banner over you shall be love. (Cant. 2:4) "If thou wilt walk in My ways," He declares, "I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by"--even among the holy angels that surround His throne. (Zech. 3:7.)
"As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isa. 62:5. "He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over thee with singing." Zeph. 3:17. And heaven and earth shall unite in the Father's song of rejoicing: "For this My son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."

Thus far in the Saviour's parable there is no discordant note to jar the harmony of the scene of joy; but now Christ introduces another element. When the prodigal came home, the elder son "was in the field; and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in." This elder brother has not been sharing in his father's anxiety and watching for the one that was lost. He shares not, therefore, in the father's joy at the wanderer's return. The sounds of rejoicing kindle no gladness in his heart. He inquires of a servant the reason of the festivity, and the answer excites his jealousy. He will not go in to welcome his lost brother. The favor shown the prodigal he regards as an insult to himself.

When the father comes out to remonstrate with him, the pride and malignity of his nature are revealed. He dwells upon his own life in his father's house as a round of unrequited service, and then places in mean contrast the favor shown to the son just returned. He makes it plain that his own service has been that of a servant rather

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than a son. When he should have found an abiding joy in his father's presence, his mind has rested upon the profit to accrue from his circumspect life. His words show that it is for this he has foregone the pleasures of sin. Now if this brother is to share in the father's gifts, the elder son counts that he himself has been wronged. He grudges his brother the favor shown him. He plainly shows that had he been in the father's place, he would not have received the prodigal. He does not even acknowledge him as a brother, but coldly speaks of him as "thy son."
Yet the father deals tenderly with him. "Son," he says, "thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." Through all these years of your brother's outcast life, have you not had the privilege of companionship with me?

Everything that could minister to the happiness of his

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children was freely theirs. The son need have no question of gift or reward. "All that I have is thine." You have only to believe my love, and take the gift that is freely bestowed.
One son had for a time cut himself off from the household, not discerning the father's love. But now he has returned, and the tide of joy sweeps away every disturbing thought. "This thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."

Was the elder brother brought to see his own mean, ungrateful spirit? Did he come to see that though his brother had done wickedly, he was his brother still? Did the elder brother repent of his jealousy and hardheartedness? Concerning this, Christ was silent. For the parable was still enacting, and it rested with His hearers to determine what the outcome should be.

By the elder son were represented the unrepenting Jews of Christ's day, and also the Pharisees in every age, who look with contempt upon those whom they regard as publicans and sinners. Because they themselves have not gone to great excesses in vice, they are filled with self-righteousness. Christ met these cavilers on their own ground. Like the elder son in the parable, they had enjoyed special privileges from God. They claimed to be sons in God's house, but they had the spirit of the hireling. They were working, not from love, but from hope of reward. In their eyes, God was an exacting taskmaster. They saw Christ inviting publicans and sinners to receive freely the gift of His grace--the gift which the rabbis hoped to secure only by toil and penance--and they were offended. The prodigal's return, which filled the Father's heart with joy, only stirred them to jealousy.

In the parable the father's remonstrance with the elder son was Heaven's tender appeal to the Pharisees. "All that

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I have is thine"--not as wages, but as a gift. Like the prodigal, you can receive it only as the unmerited bestowal of the Father's love.
Self-righteousness not only leads men to misrepresent God, but makes them coldhearted and critical toward their brethren. The elder son, in his selfishness and jealousy, stood ready to watch his brother, to criticize every action, and to accuse him for the least deficiency. He would detect every mistake, and make the most of every wrong act. Thus he would seek to justify his own unforgiving spirit. Many today are doing the same thing. While the soul is making its very first struggles against a flood of temptations, they stand by, stubborn, self-willed, complaining, accusing. They may claim to be children of God, but they are acting out the spirit of Satan. By their attitude toward their brethren, these accusers place themselves where God cannot give them the light of His countenance.

Many are constantly questioning, "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before Him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" But "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Micah 6:6-8.

This is the service that God has chosen--"to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke, . . . and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh." Isa. 58:6, 7. When you see yourselves as sinners saved only by the love of your heavenly Father, you will have tender pity for others who are suffering in sin. You will no longer meet misery and repentance with jealousy and censure.

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When the ice of selfishness is melted from your hearts, you will be in sympathy with God, and will share His joy in the saving of the lost.
It is true that you claim to be a child of God; but if this claim be true, it is "thy brother" that was "dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." He is bound to you by the closest ties; for God recognizes him as a son. Deny your relationship to him, and you show that you are but a hireling in the household, not a child in the family of God.

Though you will not join in the greeting to the lost, the joy will go on, the restored one will have his place by the Father's side and in the Father's work. He that is forgiven much, the same loves much. But you will be in the darkness without. For "he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." 1 John 4:8.

-Ellen G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, "Lost and is found"