Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

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13. PREPARING FOR THE SEAL

THE CLEANSING OF THE SOUL TEMPLE — THE IMPORTANT LESSON OF THE CLEANSING OF THE SANCTUARY ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

We now enter into a consideration of one of the most important lessons to be learned from the cleansing of the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement, and the writer is happy to say that the brethren who teach that the seal must precede the Loud Cry and whose teachings we have referred to several times also make this a prominent feature of their teaching. However, before dealing with the most sublime truths we feel that we should cite a few more reasons against the idea that God’s people receive the seal before the Loud Cry. In the type there was nothing to indicate that each person’s name was considered separately on the day of atonement, one following the other, that probation closed earlier for some than it did for others. So far as the type is concerned all Israel together pled for divine mercy, together they repented of their sins, together they looked forward to the completion of the work of the High Priest. There was no separating of the sins of individuals as they were laid upon Satan. And when the High Priest came out and blessed the people, he blessed the whole congregation at the same time. Had God designed to teach that each Israelite received his seal, one after the other, He would have had to signify some way such as the High Priest coming out and blessing one and then going back for the next name.

No such indication is given. Yet, it should be observed, God did judge each person in the vast assembly of Israel. The Investigative judgment will certainly consider each person thoroughly, yet we must not measure God’s way of dealing with these cases on the basis of human ability. We can deal with only one case at a time. We are so very, very finite. God is so infinite that He thoroughly judged all those Israelites practically simultaneously, or at least all in that one day. Their probation ended at sunset. Supposing (in an effort to show how we should not try to work out Bible teaching on the basis of our human viewpoint) we estimate that there were 1,000,000 (probably many more when a prosperous nation in Palestine) responsible Israelites to be judged that day. God would surely give them a probation for half the

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daylight hours. The actual judgmental portion of that day - the slaying of the goat and the taking of his blood into the Most Holy Place - did not commence for a while. So that each case would not have more than a few seconds for consideration. This analysis could be extended, but what purpose would be gained except to reveal the folly of trying to use a human gauge with which to restrict the infinite God. We had better leave the unrevealed with Him Whose “ways are past finding out. “O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God”.

At Pentecost the early rain fell upon the assembled disciples at the one time -early in the morning, for at 9 o’clock Peter was explaining what had happened (Acts 2:1-15). When the latter rain falls it will fall similarly, for we read: “The latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.” It will not fall as each person is judged following the other, as it would if it were true, as our friends say, that each person judged then receives the seal, and “the seal and the latter rain are one”.

The reader will readily see that there is a difference in judging those whose destiny has been decided at death, and those who are living. God being just, and, considering all things, would consider the future of the living - whether they would accept Christ later before probation closed, etc.

It is not suggested that in any way the case of each person will not be thoroughly investigated, for we read: “Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated” (Great Controversy, Page 483). But it is suggested that the infinite God is not so limited that He could deal with only one case at a time. The Lord’s servant is writing specifically of the dead, though the same individual attention applies in the cases of the living. We are not given details of the conduct of the investigative judgment. It is possible that when the Lord considers the cases of the living He does not complete .the judgment of one, thus closing his probation before He passes on to another, until all are dealt with, but, rather, He considers them on a day to day basis and thus knows on any day just where each one stands. In this way it would not require a long period of time for the consideration of one person at a time until all are considered, but rather just before probation closes those persons who have from day to day maintained their standing before God are judged worthy to receive the seal. This thought is suggested by the plural employed by God’s servant when describing the investigative judgment with particular reference to the living:

Zechariah’s vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God’s people in the closing up of the great Day of Atonement. As Joshua was pleading before the Angel so the remnant church will plead. They are fully conscious of the sinfulness of their lives, they see their weakness and unworthiness. The tempter points to their filthy garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly, their sins and the Divine Advocate pleads in their behalf and declares: ‘The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, I gave My life for these souls.’ As the people of God afflict their souls before Him, pleading for purity of heart, the command is given, ‘Take away the filthy garments from them.’ The despised remnant are clothed in glorious apparel. Their names are retained in the Lamb’s book of life. They have resisted the wiles of the deceiver; they have not been turned from their loyalty by the dragon’s roar. Now they are eternally secure. While Satan was urging his accusations, and seeking to destroy this company, holy angels, unseen, were passing to and fro, placing upon them the seal of the living God” (5 Testimonies, page 472-475).

In Zechariah 3:4 the words are “Take away the filthy garments from him”, but in the above extract it reads: “Take away the filthy garments from them”. The reading of the whole of the description given by the Lord’s servant in 5 Testimonies, page 472-475 (and other places where the judgment of the living saints is depicted) the use of the plural throughout in reference to the whole of the remnant church, the people of God, is significant. In this connection it is interesting to observe how an author who believes in the oneafter-another judgment of the living, the giving of the seal before the Loud Cry, quotes these descriptions of the judgment in which the Lord’s servant portrays the experience of the remnant church as a whole, and uses them in reference to an individual.

Having dealt with these discrepancies, let us consider the most important lesson taught by the cleansing of the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement.

The latter rain came upon the disciples as they repented of their sins and put away from their lives the things that were displeasing to the all-pure eye of God (see Acts of the Apostles, page 36-56). “It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost” (5 Testimonies, page 214). Then, with this heart cleansing, the saints will be preparing to receive the seal of God - see context. “Only those who, in their attitude before God, are filling the position of those who are repenting and confessing their sins in the great anti typical day of atonement will be recognized and marked as

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worthy of God’s protection will be numbered with those who are sealed” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 445).

Thus, while the High Priest was in the sanctuary and the sins were about to be removed from there, the people outside were repenting of, and confessing and forsaking their sins.

The cleansing of the sanctuary is more than a matter of understanding how the sins of the penitent are removed from the books of record in the heavenly temple; it involves the cleansing of God’s temple on earth -His church, in a collective sense, and individuals when applied in detail. “While the Investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of the penitent are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of Purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people” (Great Controversy, Page 424). “Christ is cleansing the temple in heaven from the sins of the people. We must work in harmony with Him upon earth, cleansing the soul temple from its moral defilement” (Review and Herald, February, 11, 1890).

“While Christ is cleansing the sanctuary, the worshippers on the earth should carefully review their life and compare their character with the standard of righteousness. As they see their deficiencies, they would seek the aid of the Spirit of God to enable them to have moral strength to resist the temptations of Satan and to reach the perfection of the standard” (Review and Herald, April 8, 1890).

“The Jewish tabernacle was a type of the Christian church. The, church on earth composed of those who are faithful and loyal to God, is the ‘true tabernacle’, whereof the Redeemer is the minister. God and not man, pitched this tabernacle on a high, elevated platform. This tabernacle is Christ’s body A holy tabernacle is built up of those who receive Christ as their personal Savior. Christ is the minister of the true tabernacle, the High Priest, of all who believe in Him as a personal Savior” (Signs of the Times, February 14, 1900).

The Disappointment of those who expected our Lord to come to earth in 1844 is outlined in Revelation 10:9, 10 the message from the book of Daniel concerning the cleansing of the sanctuary they interpreted to mean the coming of Christ to the earth. The thought of the Savior’s return was sweet as honey to them, but the sweetness turned to bitterness when their hopes were dashed. However, the prophecy outlined that, following that Disappointment, they would understand and preach concerning the true meaning of the cleansing of the sanctuary. “And he [the angel] told me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein” (Revelation 10:11; 11:1).

This clearly states that, after the 1844 Disappointment, those who would then see the light concerning the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary were to make this message known to all mankind. But more than this was included in this prophecy: the double meaning concerning the cleansing of the church and the individuals of the church was also to be made clear to the people. The Spirit of Prophecy, as we have seen, draws attention to this double meaning. However, this is a feature that has not been as fully proclaimed, as no doubt it will be in the future, among those who are praying for the latter rain, which is to be followed by the reception of the seal of the living God upon the cleansed temple.

Commenting upon Revelation 11:1, the Lord’s servant says: “The church is a temple built after the Divine similitude, and the angelic architect has brought his golden measuring rod from heaven, that every stone may be hewed and squared by the Divine measurement” (Testimonies to Ministers, page 17). The personal application “that every stone may be hewed and squared” shows that inherent in that prophecy is the shaping of the character to fit into the place in the temple that the great Architect of the Universe has designed. That is, an obedient resignation to the will of God so that He may fit us for a place in heaven. “The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed. The righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven; the second is our fitness for heaven” (Review and Herald, 4 June, 1895).

A number of times in the inspired writings it is stated that there is to be a special cleansing work among believers on earth preparatory to the latter rain. Such is the prophecy of Malachi 3:1-4. The Lord’s servant quotes this prophecy in connection with the declaration that “While the Investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of the penitent are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon the earth”: “The Son of man came to the Ancient of days.’ This coming is foretold by the prophet Malachi: ‘The Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, He shall come, said the Lord of hosts’ (Malachi 3:1). The coming of the Lord to His temple was sudden, unexpected, to His people. They were not looking for Him there. But the people were not ready to

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meet their Lord. There was still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them. Says the prophet: ‘Who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 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’ (Malachi 3:2, 3). Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil” (Great Controversy, Page 424, 425). This work of cleansing the earthly temple must proceed “while the sins of the penitent are being removed from the sanctuary”.

From the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy it may be discerned that the nearer we draw to the time for the outpouring of the latter rain, the more will God’s people give study to the cleansing of the earthly temple - the church and the individuals comprising the church. This we have already seen in the repeated designations of the holiness of the 144,000 sealed ones given In Revelation 14:1-5. More and more, there will be the measuring of the temple as foretold in Revelation 11:1, which the Lord’s servant interprets as the shaping up of the stones to fit the places desired by the heavenly Architect.

“Through Christ was to he fulfilled the purpose of which the tabernacle was a symbol -that glorious building, its walls of glistening gold reflecting in rainbow hues the curtains inwrought with cherubim, the fragrance of ever-burning incense pervading all, the priests robed in spotless white, and in the deep mystery of the inner place, above the mercy seat, between the figures of the bowed, worshipping angels, the glory of the Holiest. In all, God desired His people to read His Purpose for the human soul” (Education, p. 36).

“From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. But by the incarnation of the Son of God, the purpose of Heaven is fulfilled. God dwells in humanity, and through saving grace the heart of man becomes again His temple. God designed that the temple at Jerusalem should be a continual witness to the high destiny of every soul” (Desire of Ages, page 161).

“In the cleansing of the temple, Jesus was announcing His mission as the Messiah, and entering upon His work. In cleansing the temple from the world’s buyers and sellers, Jesus announced His mission to cleanse the heart from the defilement of sin - from the earthly desires, the selfish lusts, the evil habits, that corrupt the soul” (Desire of Ages, page 161).

“Though the ministration was to be removed from the earthly to the heavenly temple; though the sanctuary and our great High Priest would be invisible to human sight, yet the disciples were to suffer no less thereby. While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth” (Desire of Ages, page 166).

“We are in the day of atonement, and we are to work in harmony with Christ’s work of cleansing the sanctuary from the sins of the people. Those who do not sympathize with Jesus in His work in the heavenly courts, who do not cleanse the soul temple of every defilement, are joining with the enemy of God and man” (Review and Herald, 21 January, 1890).

Solomon’s magnificent temple symbolized the church and each believer. Concerning the building of this temple on Mount Moriah, we read: “And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7). The noiseless building of the temple typified the building of Christ’s spiritual temple by the quiet operations of the Spirit of God. This was probably in Paul’s mind when he wrote: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: In Whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22).

“Of surpassing beauty and unrivalled splendor was the palatial building which Solomon and his associates erected for God and His worship. Garnished with precious stones, was a fit emblem of the living church on earth, which through the ages has been building in accordance with the divine pattern, with materials that have been likened to ‘gold, silver, precious stones’, ‘polished after the similitude of a palace’ (1 Corinthians 3:12; Psalm 144:12). Of this spiritual temple Christ is ‘the chief cornerstone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord’ “ (Prophets and Kings, Page 36).

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In my book written many years ago: “The Moral Purpose of Prophecy”, from whence 1 have largely drawn for much in this chapter, I wrote: ‘Incidents, such as the Babylonians’ destruction of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 36:17-19); their carrying off to Babylon the vessels belonging to the house of God (2 Chronicles 36:18; Ezra 1:7-11; Daniel 1:2) and using them there in the service .of their false gods (Daniel 5:2, 3); the deliverance and the return of ancient Israel from their Babylonian captivity, the rebuilding of the broken down temple and city of Jerusalem, etc., are all recorded in the Scriptures (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, etc.) for a moral purpose. While the study of sacred history is interesting and profitable in itself, yet the main reason for which these incidents are recorded is that by them we might receive spiritual strength (Romans 15:4). Not only may we discern the building of Christ’s church and of each believer in the building of the tabernacle and the temple, but the restoration of the back-sliding soul or church as an habitation of God may be seen in the rebuilding and restoration of the temple and its services after being subjected to assault and damage at the hand of the forces of Babylon. ‘The work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned exiles, tinder the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, presents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the closing days of earth’s history’ (Prophets and Kings, Page 677)” (The Moral Purpose of Prophecy, pp. 42, 43).

Paul not only spoke of the church as being God’s “temple”, but also of each individual (Ephesians 2:21, 22; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 6:19, etc.). The tabernacle was made after the heavenly “pattern” (Exodus 25:9, 40). After Moses had completed every detail of the structure and all the furnishings “as the Lord had commanded” him (Exodus 40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31), “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (v. 35). The same thing occurred at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:10, 12; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14; 7:2). The spiritual lesson is obvious: when we do all that the Lord commands us to do we, too, shall be filled with the glory of God. The New Testament command: “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) is tantamount to urging us to obey God in everything, for only in this way will the Spirit of God flood the soul with His glory. “The Holy Ghost, Whom. God hath given to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32). The minute and most exact measurements of each part of the temple (see Ezekiel 40:3, and throughout Ezekiel’s closing chapters dealing with the temple and its measurements, which is the basis for the measurements of the temple mentioned in Revelation 11:1) is designed to convey to us the fact that God requires all pertaining to the church and to us as individuals to be in accordance with the Divine measuring rod.

This is the import of the special message which we (SDA’s) have been informed, in Revelation 10:11; 11:1, would follow the Disappointment. Knowledge that Jesus is in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, removing blotting out the sins of the penitent from the books of record, would eventually lead to a greater consideration of the cleansing of the church and of each individual of every sin, and a building of character in harmony with the Divine measurements. God’s people will yet put forth every effort to heed the inspired counsel: “Having therefore these promises [of Christ reigning in the temple as He will when we are separated from sin and error, see previous verses], dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God- (2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1).

“As Christ was glorified on the day of Pentecost, so will He again be glorified in the closing work of the gospel, when He shall prepare a people to stand the final test in the closing of the great conflict. When the earth is lightened with the glory of God, we shall see a work similar to that which was wrought when the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed the power of a risen Savior. Thus it was in the time of the early rain; but the latter rain will be more abundant- (Review and Herald, November 22 and 29, 1892).

God’s people will yet heed the counsel of “the Faithful and true Witness”, and will buy of Him “gold tried in the fire” and be truly rich; and the “white raiment” of the righteousness of Christ; and with spiritual “eye salve” will see the truth as it is in Jesus and have holy fellowship with Him (Revelation 3:18- 20). “When any lust takes possession of the mind in any way or to any degree, and there is a yielding to fleshly desires, we lose the image of Christ in spirit and character. The work in the heavenly sanctuary becomes obscure” (Review and Herald, 21 January, 1890).

On the other hand, as we progress with character building, the spiritual vision becomes clearer (Steps to Christ, page 118; TMB. 127), and thus we are better able to follow and to discern Jesus as He completes His final ministry in the heavenly sanctuary (Great Controversy, Page 430, 431, 488, 489). This is the significance of the words: “They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10).

When Moses had done all that God commanded him to do in the erection and furnishing of the sanctuary, then God filled it with the glory of His presence. When Solomon’s temple was built and

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everything was in readiness, again the Lord filled it with the glory of His presence. When God’s people have cleansed “the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost” (5 Testimonies, page 214). Then will be completely fulfilled the prophecy made by Peter: “Repent, therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ (Acts 3:19, 20, RSV). The blotting out of sins from the human temple, which is parallel with remedying “the defects in our characters- precedes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal power. As long as we sin so long must they be registered in the heavenly books of record, so that the cleansing of the human temple - the blotting out of sins in the lives of God’s people must precede the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The earthly cleansing must precede the heavenly, and it is to this blotting out of sins in the lives of God’s people which will precede the out pouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain that the prophecy of Peter particularly points. “It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every sin. Then the latter rain will fall on us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.” Then, under the ripening influence of the latter rain, the grains will be ready for harvesting. “Without the latter rain to fill out the ears and ripen the grain, the harvest will not be ready for the sickle. As we seek God for the Holy Spirit, it will work in us meekness, humbleness of mind, a conscious dependence upon God for the Perfecting latter rain” (Testimonies to Ministers 508, 509).

The last act of Jesus toward His people in His heavenly ministry is to commission His angels to place the seal in the foreheads of His tried and faithful people: “When the decree goes forth, and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity” (5 Testimonies, page 216). Writing earlier in this chapter on “The Seal of God”, the Lord’s servant, after quoting Daniel 12:1, says: “When this time of trouble comes, every case is decided; there is no longer probation, no longer mercy for the impenitent. The seal of God is upon His people. This small remnant, unable to defend themselves in the deadly conflict with the powers of earth that are marshaled by the dragon host, make God their defense. The decree has been passed by the highest earthly authority that they shall worship the beast and receive his mark under pain of persecution and death” (page 213).

Observe that the seal of God is mentioned in connection with the close of probation, the commencement of the time of trouble and their preservation through God defending them. Observe, too, that this follows immediately upon the words of the preceding paragraph: “Our own course of action will determine whether we shall receive the seal of the living God, or be cut down by the destroying weapons” (5 Testimonies, page 212) in the seven last plagues (see context).

The Lord’s servant gives a resume of the final events: “I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work, and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing, from the presence of the Lord. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message. I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer’s ink-horn by his side returned from the earth, and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, ‘It is done” (Early Writings, page 279; Great Controversy, Page 613).

Thus we observe the latter rain is not the seal. The seal is not given before but after the latter rain or the loud cry - it is the last thing done before Jesus closes the door of mercy to commence pouring out the seven last plagues upon a world in rebellion against the Government of heaven. The saints are given the special seal just before the close of probation and are thus guaranteed safety through the day of God’s wrath and the unprecedented time of trouble. ​