Hebrews 12:22-24

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

Why Three Places?

In the Mosaic tabernacle, which prefigured Christ’s work for our salvation, the offering of the blood was central and vital. Every sacrifice, wherever offered and however ministered, pointed to the one offering of Calvary. Why then were there three places of ministration? For what reason was the blood sprinkled on the brazen altar in the court, on the golden altar in the holy place, and finally on the mercy seat beyond the inner veil?

 

Multitudes have a meagre view of the plan of salvation, its goals, and its methods of operation. Let me illustrate. Suppose a wealthy philanthropist conceives a plan to help people who have broken the law. One project he sets up is a large fund to pay for traffic violations. Anyone convicted in the courts can appeal to the agent of the fund, who will pay the fine. Notice that he does not set aside the law, but while recognising its authority, he provides a way to meet its penalty. 

Let’s watch the plan in operation. The state police stop a man driving ninety miles an hour and bring him into court. The judge lectures the offender and imposes a stiff fine. The speeder turns his ticket over to the agent of the philanthropic fund, the agent pays off, and the man goes free. As the “good news” gets out, more and more speeders gratefully avail themselves of the millionaire’s provision. This is about all that multitudes see at Calvary—Somebody has paid off, thus they don’t have to pay. They are “free from the law.” 

Back to our illustration. We visit the court again, and a state trooper brings in a traffic violator charged with driving one hundred miles an hour. The judge asks, “Aren’t you the man who was in here last week for doing ninety?” “Yes, Your Honor.” “I shall double your fine,” the judge says. Again the agent for the fund pays off, and more “good news” spreads. 

Now tell me, if the millionaire keeps paying for all the speeders who appeal to him, what is he doing to the law? Of course, making a mockery of it! If the judge continues to accept that program, is he not making the law of no effect? Someone might say, “The fines are all paid.” But the purpose of a penalty is to enforce the law so that people will stop breaking it. If Christ’s death were to pay for my sins so that I could keep sinning, then He would be an accomplice to my sin. If God as Judge would accept that, He would be annulling His own law. But neither Jesus nor His Father are in any such business. That is why the blood is sprinkled in three places. 

The slaying of the sacrifice took place in the court. Here the penalty was paid in full for everyone—those who lived before the cross and those who have lived afterward. Christ died for all men. Why? So everyone can have the opportunity to repent, receive forgiveness, and be saved. Sin is so heinous that men can’t even have the opportunity for salvation unless Jesus pays in full for their transgressions. 

But Justice cannot accept that offering unless Christ promises to do more than give them a second chance. And here we come to another part of the plan of salvation represented by the blood sprinkled in the holy place. Justice says that the blood cannot be applied to anyone’s debt unless and until he surrenders his sin. You notice that in the illustration the judge did not say to the generous millionaire, “Unless the accused is willing to quit his speeding, I will not accept your payment. Instead, I will put him in jail.” That is what he ought to say, isn’t it? That is what justice demands.
 

And that is what God requires, and He does so for the peace and order of the universe. Every time a speeder races down the highway he endangers the lives of hundreds of people. His example teaches disrespect of law, leading others to break it. The law must be upheld. us, Justice has something to say before the atoning blood can be applied to the sinner’s record in the books of heaven. Justice asks, “Has this sinner repented? Is he sorry for the sins that he has acknowledged, sorry enough to give them up?” If so, Justice concurs with Mercy, and the blood is sprinkled in the holy place to cover the sins. 

“Praise the Lord,” the penitent exclaims, “I am free! The Sinless One has taken my place and suffered my death. He has removed my transgressions to the temple above, and there He intercedes for me.”

 

But why is it necessary to sprinkle the blood in the most holy place? Justice demands that the final forgiveness of sin must wait until the man who has begun to quit sin is completely finished with it. Someone may say, “I don’t like to be on probation. I want everything settled forever right now!” Everything is settled as long as you stay under Jesus. But what will happen to sins that have been transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of forgiveness in cases where people don’t continue with Christ until their transgressions are blotted out? All their sins will return upon them. 

Some people dislike this doctrine. They say that since Jesus died on the cross for everybody, everybody is saved and merely needs to hear the good news. “Come to the altar and confess Christ, believe that He died for you, and it is all settled—settled for eternity,” they insist. “Now of course it would show your appreciation of His love if you would keep His precepts, but that has nothing to do with your salvation. You have been saved. And once saved, always saved. You can know you have eternal life right now and cannot lose it, because Jesus died in your place.” 

However, the sprinkled blood on the mercy seat tells us that no man’s sins are finally pardoned and blotted out until they are out of his life. Somebody says, “That looks hard!” But think it through. Which sins would you like to have Christ overlook and take to heaven? 

Would you want a person smoking under the tree of life? How about allowing someone to get drunk every Saturday night? Unthinkable, isn’t it—people staggering down the golden streets? “Oh,” you say, “nothing like that will ever happen!” Tell me, then, when are people going to quit smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol—on the trip to heaven? 

We expect people to quit some things down here in this world. Can a robber be saved? Yes. The thief on the cross was saved. He quit stealing, didn’t he? True, his experience didn’t last very long, but it lasted all the rest of his life! For (don’t miss this) sin is not so much an act as an attitude of rebellion. Our rebellion must be cured before Christ can blot out the record of our transgressions in heaven’s books. 

A person may avoid some outward sins because he doesn’t want to suffer the consequences or because he desires others to think well of him. But all that doesn’t give him a place in heaven. The selfish heart will always find something to rebel about. So the Scriptures say that to offend in one point is to be guilty of all. He who wilfully transgresses one commandment shows he would break all ten if he wanted to. His attitude is rebellion. 

Someone asks, “What about it when I fail again and again?” That is why the blood has not been sprinkled yet in the most holy place. With all my faults and failures I can come again and again and ask God to forgive me, and He will sprinkle His blood to cover me. But someday He will sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat, and the sanctuary will close. He does not intend this to scare me into obedience. Jesus will wait till the last one has come with his burden of sin. Don’t think He will get impatient and say, “I have waited long enough.” The fact that He has tarried so long shows that He would wait forever if it would do any good. 

The reason that He finally makes the atonement on the mercy seat, blots out the sins of His people, and puts the sins that haven’t been overcome back on those who continue with them is that the righteous have reached the point where they will remain righteous forever. But he who is filthy has reached the point where he will continue filthy still. Because the saints have parted with their sins forever and the sinners have no desire for cleansing, probation closes. Then comes the period of demonstration, the great time of trouble. God’s children reveal the power of His grace by loyally obeying even to the point of threatened death. The wicked exhibit their rebellion, finally attempting to murder every saint. Then the whole universe will say, “Enough!” Christ will come to destroy the impenitent and take His people home. R&R WDF

Names of Christ - Creator

For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Colossians 1:16,17

 
Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:7

In the night season my mind often dwells upon the work of infinite sacrifice revealed in the humiliation and death of Christ. The Creator of man, He who upon Mount Sinai proclaimed the eternal law; in his dying agony vindicated His right to pardon transgression and sin. RH August 26, 1909

Conditions To Our Asking - 1

Christ's lessons in regard to prayer should be carefully considered. There is a divine science in prayer, and His illustration brings to view principles that all need to understand. He shows what is the true spirit of prayer, He teaches the necessity of perseverance in presenting our requests to God, and assures us of His willingness to hear and answer prayer.

Our prayers are not to be a selfish asking, merely for our own benefit. We are to ask that we may give. The principle of Christ's life must be the principle of our lives. “For their sakes,” He said, speaking of His disciples, “I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified.” John 17:19. The same devotion, the same self-sacrifice, the same subjection to the claims of the word of God, that were manifest in Christ, must be seen in His servants. Our mission to the world is not to serve or please ourselves; we are to glorify God by co-operating with Him to save sinners. We are to ask blessings from God that we may communicate to others. The capacity for receiving is preserved only by imparting. We cannot continue to receive heavenly treasure without communicating to those around us.

In the parable the petitioner was again and again repulsed, but he did not relinquish his purpose. So our prayers do not always seem to receive an immediate answer; but Christ teaches that we should not cease to pray. Prayer is not to work any change in God; it is to bring us into harmony with God. When we make request of Him, He may see that it is necessary for us to search our hearts and repent of sin. Therefore He takes us through test and trial, He brings us through humiliation, that we may see what hinders the working of His Holy Spirit through us. COL 142,143

Our Message, Our Mission

Every day of our lives we have all been surrounded by people in the world and in the church who are doing things that we have been counselled not to do. We are all now at a point where they are able to openly fulfil Scripture and can actually “call evil good, and good evil”, thinking nothing of it whatsoever.

It is clearly portrayed in the Inspired writings that we are to give the 3rd angel’s message which involves actually all 3 messages - the everlasting gospel, the judgement of this world by it’s Creator and the fall of Babylon - whilst actually living by “the faith of Jesus”.

So, we can all see that in this one point we have the solution for the entire world to escape the full, unmixed with mercy, wrath of God on a rebellious church and world.

How to do this; living every day, waiting on Christ to unfold each moment for us, in absolute dependence on Him for everything as He abides in our heart, just as He lived while on this earth, has been all explained clearly on this weblog. 

If it is true that this is our mission at this time, and it certainly is, according to God’s instruction, it can now be clearly seen what has gone so terribly wrong in the the church, Present truth and the world. Which is why our mission is so absolutely crucial at this time in history. An entire planet in rebellion against God and we His faithful must demonstrate perfectly the character of Christ to them.

Let us just take one example internally - prophecy:

We have all seen how this was presented to us, and yes, we do need to know that this is officially the time when the wrath of God will be poured out on the final despisers of His grace and mercy, but what about our mission and all of the responsibilities that go with it?

Where are those who are living by “the faith of Jesus” demonstrating His love?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth…but the greatest of these is charity.

 
This is not just love, this is agape love - where the person who has it, is so serious about it, that they would rather lose eternal life themselves in order that their enemy/ies might be saved instead!

There maybe a simple explanation for this frustrating problem present everywhere - all anyone will have to do is to look at someone else and observe what they are doing and they can then see themselves “looking pretty good” compared to them; so then that opens up a whole new world for them; if they then do not like the way that someone tries to explain to them that what they are doing is wrong, or they totally avoid the Testimonies because they clearly show what their sins, faults, weaknesses are, or they find it easier to attack the person (or their character) who is trying to help and save them, then they can free themselves from all responsibility for their life, or so it seems, as they say - “Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things.” Isaiah 30:10 (See ”smooth things” in EGW Writings App search)

And as we see how he succeeds in disguising himself and accomplishing his work through the leaders of the church, we may better understand why he has so great antipathy to the Bible. If that Book is read, the mercy and love of God will be revealed; it will be seen that He lays upon men none of these heavy burdens. All that He asks is a broken and contrite heart, a humble, obedient spirit. GC 570.

As you know there is much admonition for us all in the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy on this overall subject e.g. “How To Receive Reproof” 5T 682, but it is a whole lot easier for the sin-loving heart, mind, or world to simply avoid reading it and continue “comparing themselves among themselves”. God cannot use force and neither can we, “If it is not willing, it is worthless”. We have seen many come and go who have tried to force people to change to what they think that they should do or be doing, but even if the people did try and change like they are expecting them to, and getting very upset if people do not do it, using satanic force, coercion, intimidation and fear - Babel, Babylon and Papal, right throughout history to this very day, what would happen? It has been used in God’s church/denominated people also over the years in each of the eras involved. Well, it has been proven since Abel - they cannot do it; “with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. So, why do they keep doing it? 

We are so privileged to know a better way and how it will all end. Only by living by “the faith of Jesus” - the 3AM can this ever happen, which is why our mission is so important, there is no other way. There is no other way to understand prophecy, keep the commandments, live the Christian life, be a blessing to others or in fact to do anything whatsoever, but to have Christ living His perfect life out, in and through us as He dwells in our heart moment by moment. If some one was actually doing this do you honestly think that they would not be doing all that God requires of us all? They would not need any human to tell them what they have to be doing, especially when that human places these heavy burdens on us but does not “move them with one of their fingers” See - Matthew 23 the entire Chapter. But if we do live by “the faith of Jesus” all will be ours. This is our message and mission - the 3AM!

Repeating again -

All that He asks is a broken and contrite heart, a humble, obedient spirit. GC 570.

Regardless of what each individual decides - we can all be sure that there will be most certainly, a group of people; prepared, ready and waiting - watching all that is transpiring on this earth and who will do Christ’s bidding at every step of this treacherous path through the closing scenes of this world’s history. He is calling you this moment to be one of this most amazing group in history, so -

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given to among the 144,000”

The Light of Life - 5

Jesus continued, drawing a sharp contrast between the position of the Jews and that of Abraham: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad.” 

Abraham had greatly desired to see the promised Saviour. He offered up the most earnest prayer that before his death he might behold the Messiah. And he saw Christ. A supernatural light was given him, and he acknowledged Christ's divine character. He saw His day, and was glad. He was given a view of the divine sacrifice for sin. Of this sacrifice he had an illustration in his own experience…This terrible ordeal was imposed upon Abraham that he might see the day of Christ, and realize the great love of God for the world, so great that to raise it from its degradation, He gave His only-begotten Son to a most shameful death…

Through his own suffering, Abraham was enabled to behold the Saviour's mission of sacrifice. But Israel would not understand that which was so unwelcome to their proud hearts. Christ's words concerning Abraham conveyed to His hearers no deep significance. The Pharisees saw in them only fresh ground for caviling. They retorted with a sneer, as if they would prove Jesus to be a madman, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham?”

With solemn dignity Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Silence fell upon the vast assembly. The name of God, given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence, had been claimed as His own by this Galilean Rabbi. He had announced Himself to be the self-existent One, He who had been promised to Israel, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2, margin.

Again the priests and rabbis cried out against Jesus as a blasphemer. His claim to be one with God had before stirred them to take His life, and a few months later they plainly declared, “For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God.” John 10:33. Because He was, and avowed Himself to be, the Son of God, they were bent on destroying Him. Now many of the people, siding with the priests and rabbis, took up stones to cast at Him. “But Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” 
The Light was shining in darkness; but “the darkness apprehended it not.” John 1:5, R.V. DA 468-470

God Will Help His People

Parents can secure small homes in the country, with land for cultivation, where they can have orchards and where they can raise vegetables and small fruits to take the place of flesh meat, which is so corrupting to the life blood coursing through the veins. On such places the children will not be surrounded with the corrupting influences of city life. God will help His people to find such homes outside the cities. CL 24

Lust

“Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”—Matthew 5:28.

The Jews prided themselves on their morality and looked with horror upon the sensual practices of the heathen. The presence of the Roman officers whom the imperial rule had brought into Palestine was a continual offense to the people, for with these foreigners had come in a flood of heathen customs, lust, and dissipation. In Capernaum, Roman officials with their gay paramours haunted the parades and promenades, and often the sound of revelry broke upon the stillness of the lake as their pleasure boats glided over the quiet waters. The people expected to hear from Jesus a stern denunciation of this class, but what was their astonishment as they listened to words that laid bare the evil of their own hearts!

 
When the thought of evil is loved and cherished, however secretly, said Jesus, it shows that sin still reigns in the heart. The soul is still in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. He who finds pleasure in dwelling upon scenes of impurity, who indulges the evil thought, the lustful look, may behold in the open sin, with its burden of shame and heart-breaking grief, the true nature of the evil which he has hidden in the chambers of the soul. The season of temptation, under which, it may be, one falls into grievous sin, does not create the evil that is revealed, but only develops or makes manifest that which was hidden and latent in the heart. As a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he;” for out of the heart “are the issues of life.” Proverbs 23:7; 4:23. 

MB 59-60