2007-02-09 The Earthly Sanctuary

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in IAUA (ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father, Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly sabbath. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of the Lord. A reader shared some thoughts in the form of a question. I am studying some of the history of Israel around Hezekiah, Manasseh, Josiah, etc. I have been reading some of what is said in archeology about those time periods (fortunately I have access to information from a few Christian archeologists). I was reading today that archeology has found two types of worship sites at various places in what was Judah and Israel. One type is the type we know God clearly spoke against, where they were worshipping Baal, Ashtoreth, etc. (FYI, from what I was reading one of the things that happened historically when Judah or Israel followed "false gods" was that they were following pressure (sometimes forced military pressure, at other times the motive was more a desire for political gain in being like the more powerful countries around them--Assyria in the case of the kings I've been reading about). The second type of arceological site found is one that duplicated the temple at Jerusalem, i.e. had a holy and most holy place, prayers and sacrifices were offered, incense, etc. I know from reading the Mosaic books that God also said to not have the second type of site, and that they were clearly not following what was said in the books of Moses when they had these sites. So, here's my question (pardon my humanness here, but there is a reason for this question): Why? Why didn't God want the second type of site? Heres the reason I ask: My understanding of how things operated soon after the fall is that God's original plan was for us to each have a relationship with Him, on a daily basis, in which His law was within our hearts. To individually worship Him and have a conscience and lifestyle from this. After Adam and Eve sined, things moved to where the heads of clans had the alter of sacrifice and prayer looking forward to the Messiah, and also the heads of families had this practice. I know and understand that because of sin, we got to the point where this practice became more and more what is commonly called "pagan" and than more and more misrepresenting God (and instead practicing evil as when there were human sacrifices). I beleive God gave Adam and Eve the correct understanding of the Plan of Redemption and the sanctuary in heaven, from the garden of Eden. That was lost sight of. I understand (I think) what led to than God having a nation have the sanctuary here on Earth and what the purpose for that was. But, if God wants us to go back to the original plan, why would He not want it to be having centers of worship (Holy and Most Holy place) in more places than just Jerusalem? Is it because people simply weren't ready for it than? They were still more prone to go after the practices of the nations around them and worship God in a way that misrepresnted God. Yet, I know God also wanted and spoke of the day when the law would be in our hearts and minds, and His goal was for us to individuall have that relationship with Him so that after Jesus came we would through prayer come to Him understanding the sanctuary. So, from the perspective of our time in history, and what God wants to accomplish in each of our hearts and minds, I wonder about this part of the Bible and archeology. You see, I have heard other Bible scholars (who have a particular organized church they want to pressure people into accepting instead of searching the Bible out for themselves), and I have heard those type of Bible scholars use the parts of the Bible and archeology (that I read above) to than try to say that God only has one true church; and of course that church is the one they are promoting; and they than use those examples in the Bible in a way God did not intend, to try to control and force other's to their particular church. ----- My response was: Very interesting question. This is only an observation because the Bible does not specify. God instituted the earthly sanctuary as a copy of the heavenly to instruct us by example when the time came that this specific instruction was needed. Until that time worship was not location specific. The purpose of the proscribed gathering at the temple three times a year was, I believe, primarily to ensure that when the Messiah appeared and the great sacrifice was made that the Jewish nation would be gathered at that spot and when the outpouring of the spirit occurred at Pentecost that the nation would again be gathered at that spot. There are secondary reasons but I believe that those were primary. After the final sacrifice the purpose for a central temple ended. The gathering at Tabernacles does not seem to have as specific an event in the past. It is highly representative and symbolic of the final gathering at His Second Coming of all the children of Israel. I don't recall if I have ever mentioned this explicitly but I believe that the Second Coming will be at Tabernacles. I believe that the First Coming was at Trumpets. I do believe there is one true church but it is a people following His will to the best of their understanding and not an organization. I do believe the Adventist church as a people is implicitly the one true church but there is no explicit requirement to be a member of an organization. I do believe that those seeking truth will eventually realize the conditional necessity of joining the organizational fellowsip, as I did. I say conditional because there are many circumstantial factors to consider as an individual is led by the Holy Spirit. I do not believe there is any Biblical basis for the restoration of an earthly temple at Jerusalem. ----- I circulated this anonymously for comments among a few other readers. My first reaction is that there could not be more than one Most Holy Place! There is only one in Heaven. Therefore, there could only be one on earth -- as an example of the Heavenly. The same thing can be said about the Holy Place and the Tabernacle itself. The altars that heads of families or tribes erected were the equivalent of the courtyard. There is no Heavenly equivalent to the courtyard! Representatively, this earth is the courtyard and the tabernacle is Heaven. Christ was crucified in the courtyard and ascended to the Heavenly Tabernacle to continue His Ministry -- just as the earthly priests sacrificed the animals in the courtyard and took only the blood of the sacrifice into the Tabernacle to continue the sacrificial ministry. ----- Another reader responds: Specifically regarding why there was only one holy site. There are things that cannot and should not be copied. There can be no substitute. For example there is only one gospel (Galatians 1); there is only one Saviour (Acts 4). If you don't have the real thing really you have nothing. A "copy" only deceives yourself into thinking things are OK. The same thought with idols. God commanded us not to make any graven images. Many people say that images, something to look at enhances their worship, verses something they can't see. But God says don't do it; the enhancement is only a diversion from the real thing. As a generic statement the Jews as a whole never got beyond the fact that the sanctuary was a copy of the real sanctuary in heaven. They became preoccupied with the symbol and forgot the reality. They looked too much to the physical sacrifice in front of them instead to the real Lamb of God that would die for their sins. In my understanding the sanctuary and its services were only a kindergarten lesson to get the children of Israel onto the real thing. Unfortunately, they treated it as an end in itself. Their worship did not have to suffer and shouldn't have suffered because they didn't have a sanctuary anymore than we would suffer today because we don't have one. ----- A third reader responds: Thank you for including me in this study. I thought, as I was reading this, that this is a wonderful way to come together and "reason together" by His divine leading. I agree with most of your answer although I am a little more specific on some points. You wrote: " I do believe the Adventist church as a people is implicitly the one true church but there is no explicit requirement to be a member of an organization." I believe "as a people" favor toward this organization specifically ended in 1888. He causes the "rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike". I believe out of that rejection of truth in 1888 came individuals that stayed in the organization to carry forth the truth. EGW stated the church would look as about to fall but it doesn't. And that the "voice of God" no longer is with the Conference. They rejected present truth, and also were not to form a corporation with a president to lead them but remain under His guidance. But they chose to follow all the "other" organizations. This "church" was called "the Seventh Month Movement" in the beginning. If we understand "the church" as the SDA organization we lose sight of history and how it repeats itself, i.e. the rebellion and backslidings of the Israelites, the fall of the Reformers when they faltered over the Sabbath issue, the fall of Protestantism when they rejected the "three angels' message", the ecumenical movement of the present SDA organization with the "grasping the hands" with the Papacy and surrender to governmental rule by incorporating the denomination. These are all outward signs of the rejections, by the "organization", movement or "church", of the revelations brought to it by the Holy Spirit. But of these failures there is always His "remnant". Ellen also said that to start a new church at this time would be apostasy. This, I believe, is because we are in the very last stage of this great drama. PK 678 and Acts 3:21 tell us that every divine matter will be restored before His return. This great controversy is about who will we serve? Will we serve the Most Divine YAH and do it His way or serve His arch-enemy? As you pointed out, He would have us worship Him from the heart and there is no longer a need for a centralized worship location. But rather, as Mrs. White saw, we will, and indeed are, worshipping in small groups. The true church is not an organization but rather a people which carry the banner (faithfulness to and love) of Prince Emmanuel and live according to His standards (revealed in His law). This organization known as the SDAs is Laodicea from which many will awake to the truth. But the organization will not be "saved" as a whole as it has lost His favor. And as we are brought into light we are to separate from falsehood and unevenly yoked relationships. In regard to the replicated "sanctuaries" uncovered: they would have been an abomination because there would have been no need of them except to reenact sacrificial services just as the Jesuits plan to do at the "restored temple mount" in Jerusalem, very soon. "And the whole world followed after the beast". Islamic, Jew, Protestant, etc. are all joining rank and file with the papacy, this included the denomination of the SDA. Since 1948 Christian groups have supported Israel, many even among the SDA denomination believe the final action is to take place there. Bush and his company are in league with the papacy. Only it is not by the Pope that the ecumenical movement is being lead but rather the "Black Pope" (that is not a reference to skin color but rather to evil, the Jesuit man in charge behind the scene) that is leading the world into the final stage of apostasy. As Sister White said, we would have less to say about the papacy...because it is the Jesuit organization behind the scene that runs the show lead by satan himself. The plans are in the process of building this new "temple" and they will probably follow the blueprint of the Sanctuary once again...for the last and final time. But when they report "look, it is the Christ", His true followers will not "look" and be deceived, as the whole world will. You wrote: "I do believe that those seeking truth will eventually realize the conditional necessity of joining the organizational fellowship, as I did. I say conditional because there are many circumstantial factors to consider as an individual is led by the Holy Spirit." Frank, I believe we are coming to, and should have been in, the days of true spiritual revival when we (as individuals) will accept a spirit of "primitive godliness" powered by the Holy Spirit. A time when we, as individuals, will "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils" because, "freely" we have received, "freely" we are to "give". [Matthew 10:8 (KJV)] Baptism is an outward, public, sign of surrender to and acceptance of Yahushua the Anointed One as our Redeemer. As His true followers we have been commissioned to "heal", "cleanse", "raise the dead", "casts out devils" and also baptize in His precious name by the power of His Set-apart Spirit. We are commissioned to return to that state of primitive godliness once held by the Early Church. We, His true followers, will finally awake to a fullness of truth as it is in Him, because our faith will become as the size of a mustard seed and we will be doing these things in His name and thousands will be, in truth, baptized in a day. He is our Head and He will lead us. May we all strive to reach this goal, knowing that it is a high honor and privilege bestowed upon the true sons and daughters of the Most High as an awesome gift of His love for us, His true church...His bride. ----- May we strive for peace and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (Ee-uh-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God. Shabbat Shalom, Frank T. Clark Webmaster@IAUA.name www.IAUA.name Next: 2007-02-16 Calendar Symbolism

Revised 2007-02-16