HOLINESS - ABIDING IN HIS PRESENCE

THE MOST HOLY PLACE IN THE SANCTUARY -- WHERE CHRIST ABIDES

MOST HOLY PLACE Next is the Most Holy Place, representing the final sealing and glorification; man fully restored to the very presence of his God, able to see His face and live. Behind a most beautiful red, blue and purple curtain, all full of golden pictures of angels, was the Most Holy Place. This place represented God’s throne room in heaven. Inside was an ark, which is a Bible word that means a box. It was a beautiful golden box. Inside were three things; the two stones with the Ten Commandments on them, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a pot of Manna. Over top of this box was a pure gold lid called the Mercy Seat. It represented the very throne of God and two angels made of gold, stood, one on each end, just like the angels that are near God’s throne in heaven. Their heads (325) were bowed reverently, and they looked towards God’s Law in the ark, which had been written by the finger of God. In the sanctuary on earth there was a bright, beautiful light called the Shekinah Glory there above the Mercy Seat. Do you know what that light really was? It is such a wonderful thing! It was the very presence of Jesus. When Christ died, the inner veil was rent in twain from top to bottom; this showed that the way to the Most Holy Place was now open. No human priesthood is now needed, as Christ our Mediator and High Priest stands interceding for us, pleading the merits of His blood before His Father. We are to enter by faith, trusting only in that merit. The Ancient Sanctuary (326) [Daniel and the Revelation] “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….Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14, 16 The Ark of the Covenant, like the Table of Showbread and the altar of incense was wood, covered by gold which represents the union of humanity with Divinity in Christ. It is covered by a solid gold mercy seat where the glory of God is to be seen brooding over His Law of Love, the foundation of universal government. It contains the Tables of the Law, the Pot of Manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded. Many spiritual lessons are seen here: the Manna shows God’s willingness and ability to provide all our needs. Aaron’s rod, a dead walking stick which came to life and in one night leafed, budded and brought forth almonds, shows us God’s willingness and ability to take the sinner, dead in trespasses and sins and restore him to life, recreate him and make him fruitful. In the earthly service, only once a year the High Priest would enter the Most Holy on the Day of Atonement, the Day of Judgment. Now in this great antitypical Day of Atonement, we are called to be a part of the vindication of God’s character and government before the universe. Satan has accused God of having a law which man cannot obey, which would show Him to be a cruel tyrant. It is our privilege to allow God to work His complete restoration in us, restoring man to holiness and happiness. The end result of the restoration process is for man to be restored to the very presence of the Holy God; to see Him in the beauty of holiness, and live! When we are fully surrendered and abiding in Him, we will naturally bring forth fruit unto holiness, the Power all coming from Him. Then comes the pruning, He takes off from us whatever He sees we don’t need, or that interferes with our spiritual development. The true Christian walk is a long trail of dropped habits, indulgences and worldly en (327)[The Ancient Sanctuary] tanglements. The life is simplified, the affections channeled heavenward. It is only this way that we can bear more fruit. Sometimes the pruning knife is most unpleasant to us and if we decided to pull out of the vine and stop abiding, we can always do so. But if we do, we begin to wither and die, first spiritually and eventually physically. The Sanctified life is a movement, a walk with God, not a social club or a place to sit and be entertained. Jesus said “Follow Me”; this movement ends only when we leave this earth. “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him, all the earth.” Psalms 96:9 The Hebrew here means ‘in holy adornment’. This has to do with what we put on both physically and spiritually. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:3, 4 Nothing should be put on or done to direct people’s attention to ‘self’. Our Redemption has been purchased at a great price to God! It is our transformation that He is working for. We are to Worship Him; it means to bow down, admire and adore Him and submit to Him. Then He fills us with power to resist sin and Satan; we win by surrendering. “Educate the soul to cheerfulness, to thankfulness, and to the expression of gratitude to God for the great love wherewith He hath loved us . . Christian cheerfulness is the very beauty of holiness.” Child Guidance pg 146 If our life is oriented to performance, to rules and regulations, it is not joyful, but if the focus is on following Jesus, then the joy just radiates from that life. “I am the Vine,” said Christ; “ye are the branches.” The closest possible connection is here represented. Engraft the leafless twig upon the flourishing vine stock, and it becomes a living branch, drawing sap and nourishment from the vine. (328) [Daniel and the Revelation] Fiber by fiber, vein by vein, the sapling clings, until it buds and blossoms and bears fruit. The sapless twig represents the sinner. When united to Christ, soul is joined to soul, the feeble and finite to the holy and infinite, and man becomes one with Christ. 5 Testimonies p. 591 “Religion is not to be confined to external forms and ceremonies. The religion that comes from God, is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship. It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit…” Desire of Ages p. 189 Some try to say this obedience is Legalism, but the redeemed do what they do out of Love for their Redeemer, who gave His life for them. This is Love, not Legalism. True Love obeys! Our Redemption has been purchased at a great price to God! It is our transformation that He is working for. A religion of externals is of no value to Him, only character matters. True worship must be in Spirit and Truth; it must be compatible with God. We can’t bring in our carnal packages and then call that Worship. What happened when two rebellious priests decided to ‘do their own thing’ in the sanctuary and brought in ‘strange fire’? They perished before the Lord! The principles of God’s truth must be applied to the heart or our worship is in vain. We must always keep in mind the Great Controversy in which we are all involved, the whole thing about the seal and the mark is about worship; Who and how will you worship. Will it be God and His Law, or self and man’s laws? “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” Psalm 77:13