The Burnt Offering: ”The burnt offering primarily was typical of Jesus life and His experiences on this earth. But as we shall see it has a secondary and wider application in the life of each one of us………” The “daily” burnt offering denotes our relationship with God.
Our personal relationship with God is so important that any breaking or weakening of that relationship is described by Jesus as:
“the abomination of desolation” Matthew 24:15 ESV We look for some grand conspiracy as the fulfillment of that when
really its fulfillment lies in our own hearts and minds.
Any system of religion that weakens and diminishes our personal relationship with God is truly the work of the anti-christ.
This can take the form of religious procedure, legalism, or outright judgmentalism. (Job 8:1-6; John 8:1-11)
There is only one way. John 15:5 ESV
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
The book of Daniel speaks over and over of the relationship between the ‘abomination of desolation’ and the ‘daily’ burnt offering.
(Dan. 8:11-13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11)
The Purpose of The Law: ”When Lucifer rebelled in heaven, he didn’t set out to be a lawbreaker. He was overawed at his own beauty and intelligence and he wanted to be like the Most High…….He would begin to ever so subtly undermine the authority of God. His jealousy he would disguise and express as concern. He would be seen as a benefactor………….”
The Sabbath: “Paul is the main writer in the New Testament dealing with the gospel, the ‘new covenant’. In all his letters he does not mention the Sabbath except to compare it to the rest of Christ when addressing his fellow countrymen. Doesn’t his silence on the subject speak volumes to the honest reader?…………..”
The Scapegoat:“Could this little goat, perfect in every way, represents, not the devil, but God’s last generation of Christians who go forth into the furrow of this world’s needs and give their lives willingly into service for their fellow man. Could this be a truth that Satan wants to keep hidden. The strength of the children of God is truly in their humility…..The typical message of the scapegoat is teaching us not to stand aloof and think in some way we are superior, but to identify with – take upon ourselves even, the weakness and suffering of those around us, as the Holy Spirit leads. To be a ‘scapegoat’ is in reality a state of mind. It isn’t a spirit of pride, aloofness, or superiority. It is a spirit of genuine humility, forbearance, and unfailing courtesy. Who of us can measure up to such a thing? But it is a basic principle of the New Testament. [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Phil.2:3“
Thoughts on the Book of Job To add further evidence that this book is indeed about intercession we find that the very last chapter also mentions this topic. The Lord was not pleased with the three friends of Job and told Job to pray and intercede for them. Once again this was represented by the offering of seven bullocks and seven rams as a burnt offering presented on behalf of his three friends.
There is a strong hint of this theme in an easily overlooked verse. Job 21:19 Here Job himself says, “God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.” This, in the King James version doesn’t appear to say a lot at first glance. But, and this is where modern versions come into their own, some later versions give it more meaning. The Amplified Version says, “You say, God lays up [the punishment of the wicked man's] iniquity for his children. Let Him recompense it to the man himself, that he may know and feel it.” So in this Amplified version a different shade of meaning begins to come out. Kenneth Taylor in his paraphrase, The Living Bible, recognized this original meaning, and brings it out perhaps even more clearly. ‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children! But I say that God should punish the man who sins, not his children! Let him feel the penalty himself. Yes, let him be destroyed for his iniquity. Let him drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty. vs.19,20 Isn’t this talking about a man interceding, standing ‘in the gap’, for his family? Maybe God is showing us here that in standing for and praying for others we are leaving ourselves open and vulnerable to attacks from the enemy. This is precisely what happened to Job. If, in standing on behalf of others we are spiritually attacked and assaulted, we ought not question that oppression. It’s part of the process for their ultimate redemption.
Thoughts on 2 Maccabees 12 – While we await The Blessed Hope. 45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin. 2 Maccabees 12:39-45 NRSV
It would be easy to relegate this passage to the ‘too hard’ basket or even the ‘heresy’ basket if it wasn’t for the fact that the apostle Paul shares very similar thoughts. Like the writer of Maccabees, Paul is here associating this concept of prayers, or “baptism” for the dead with the resurrection.
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptised on their behalf? 1 Cor.15:12,29
Roman Catholics have no problem with these passages of Scripture. In the Catholic tradition those who do not go immediately to heaven or hell go to a place called purgatory. There they can be prayed for. This is the long standing Catholic tradition.
Protestants on the other hand do not believe in purgatory. Most believe that the immortal soul (conscious entity) of a person at death goes to either the presence of God – Heaven – or eternal separation from God – Hell. This can be a damning teaching, fraught with fear.
What of Protestants who believe that death is a sleep until the resurrection morning? - that the soul of man is not inherently immortal – that God only, has inherent immortality – and that immortality is a gift only through Jesus Christ.
These Bible professing protestants should have a fresh and open view of these verses of Scripture which appear to give hope to those who are ‘asleep’. Seventh-day Adventists who are more at liberty to grasp the meaning of these verses seem reluctant to step out from under this cloud of protestant accord. Of all people SDA’s should be at the forefront of helping souls find freedom and redemption with their enhanced understanding of the character of God through their understanding of the sanctuary service and the true Sabbath rest that that leads to. Notwithstanding their preoccupation with the law it is in this area of the immortality of the soul and the sanctuary that they should step up and be counted.
Because it has always been the teaching of this church that the hour of God’s judgement has come and that the Second Coming is imminent.
This is the teaching of Seventh-day Adventists. And I believe this to be correct. They were raised up for this very hour. Not to preach the law which would have the apostle Paul concerned. But to preach the majesty of salvation through faith alone which is to come into even more sharp focus at this time in the world’s history. In fact it was Ellen White who wrote, “Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, ‘It is the third angel’s message in verity.’ ” —Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.
The Sabbath and Death as a Sleep. Two very important issues. God is waiting with infinite patience for his people to find genuine Sabbath rest in the context of correct theology. Which brings us to another stark truth.
This website differs from mainstream Protestantism on one main issue – the teaching of the immortality of the human soul and hellfire. Most Protestants subscribe to this view. This website then is out of favour with most Protestants with their belief in the inherent immortality of the human soul. This teaching is seen as depicting God as a cruel tyrant, punishing people for eternity in a cruel abyss of torment. I have endeavoured to do a study on this subject in the article, When we “Go to Sleep”.
I am just a lay person. However the truth about this teaching is presented by others who have far greater ‘credentials’ than me. The following presentations illustrate this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gJnovGkYZM
https://youtu.be/mOJmQNCPKhs
So it can be seen that not too many SDA’s nor too many Protestants will render accolades to this website. Much of what is presented flies in the face of beliefs many hold dear. However, truth has never been popular. That’s just how it is. God is not looking for those who follow the crowd. He is looking for those who seek truth and are prepared to follow it. ….willing to live in the risky faith-embrace of God’s action for them, the way Abraham lived…. Rom.4:12 The Message Bible
Surely these two errors must be addressed before Jesus comes. There has to be, ..one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Eph.4:5
So it is interesting that what I have said about the Sabbath would be agreed upon by most Protestant Christians. And what I have said about the state of man in death would be agreed with by most Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Sincere good people on both sides of the divide. Correct these two errors and you may bridge the divide and create one powerful movement that will fulfill its divine purpose. The true body of Christ – the spiritual church without walls and without borders.
Melchizedek: “The fact that this subject of righteousness by faith is mentioned in Genesis in the same context as Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek is interesting…………”
God has so many branches of His work active today – all enraging the enemy of mankind to a greater or lesser extent. When these forces are marshaled under one banner – the banner of Melchizedek, King of Salem, without father or mother, without fear of failure, without precedent, there will be such a work performed in this world that will devastate the forces of evil and open the way for the second wonderful coming of Jesus in power and great glory.
Intercessors: ”In our personal prayers, the pleading of the blood of Jesus over an individual and the consequential workings of the Holy Spirit in that persons life can save a soul for eternity. Brow beating a person with doctrine with the aim of getting them ‘into the church’ can be counter productive and actually work against that persons salvation while a quiet surrendering on behalf of someone can effect the seemingly impossible. After all, we are all sinners saved by grace – no one is any ‘better’ than another. God’s gift is for all…….,”
The Changing of the Garments on the Day of Atonement: “If we are to look at some of the procedures of the Old Testament sanctuary service it is not with the intention of becoming bogged down in spiritual or legalistic minutae. If our study of the OT doesn’t have relevance with our Christian experience today it is worthless. Our walk with God, our experience with God, our knowing God as a friend is not a means to an end……It is an end, a fulfilment in itself. Any study that doesn’t enhance our knowledge and our friendship with God is of little value…….”
A Message For Sabbath Keepers: “In the mid nineteenth century when the golden calf of the modern era (evolution) would be presented to the world, God raised up a people who would stand true as steel to His truth. While creation was under attack by this false god of evolution these people were given a knowledge of the Sabbath which upholds God as the creator.”
Isaiah 53. In the book Desire of Ages we read the following statement: “Of all the blessings that Heaven can bestow, fellowship with Christ in his sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honour”.
This should introduce us to a degree of closeness with God that has not been commonly realized. It takes us back to a time when Jacob wrestled with God on behalf of his family. (Gen.32:25-30) Jacob didn’t really know what he was doing but he wrestled intently with this person. This has been referred to as the time of “Jacobs trouble”. It was actually a painful time for Jacob but actually a time of great reward.
Thoughts on Last Day Events and the Mark of the Beast Just as its host nation was not without major blemishes, it would be almost naive to think that the SDA church would be the last bastion of truth from its inception till the end of time. God gave Seventh-day Adventists a schoolroom. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Gal.3:24,25 He has been inviting them to come out of that schoolroom ever since their inception in the mid nineteenth century. One of their foundational truths, the Sabbath, has become nothing more than a clinging to the law. Our true Sabbath rest is in dying to self so that our humanity is consumed and we rise in newness of life. When the church grasps that principle she will go forth, “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” Song of Sol. 6:10
Daniel 7:25 and 1844 Daniel 7:25 is a turning point that can lead us to embrace either legalism or a genuine experience with God. The contextual evidence (Dan.8:11) seems to favour the latter view.
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