patriarchs and prophets-第66章

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temple　of　God　was　opened〃　（Revelation　11：19）；　and　he　looked　within　the　inner
veil；　upon　the　holy　of　holies。　Here　he　beheld　〃the　ark　of　His　testament〃
（Revelation　11：19）；　represented　by　the　sacred　chest　constructed　by　Moses　to
contain　the　law　of　God。

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Moses　made　the　earthly　sanctuary；　〃according　to　the　fashion　that　he　had
seen。〃　Paul　declares　that　〃the　tabernacle；　and　all　the　vessels　of　the
ministry；〃　when　completed；　were　〃the　patterns　of　things　in　the　heavens。〃
Acts　7：44；　Hebrews　9：21；　23。　And　John　says　that　he　saw　the　sanctuary　in
heaven。　That　sanctuary；　in　which　Jesus　ministers　in　our　behalf；　is　the　great
original；　of　which　the　sanctuary　built　by　Moses　was　a　copy。

The　heavenly　temple；　the　abiding　place　of　the　King　of　kings；　where　〃thousand
thousands　ministered　unto　Him；　and　ten　thousand　times　ten　thousand　stood
before　Him〃　（Daniel　7：10）；　that　temple　filled　with　the　glory　of　the　eternal
throne；　where　seraphim；　its　shining　guardians；　veil　their　faces　in
adorationno　earthly　structure　could　represent　its　vastness　and　its　glory。
Yet　important　truths　concerning　the　heavenly　sanctuary　and　the　great　work
there　carried　forward　for　man's　redemption　were　to　be　taught　by　the　earthly
sanctuary　and　its　services。

After　His　ascension；　our　Saviour　was　to　begin　His　work　as　our　High　Priest。
Says　Paul；　〃Christ　is　not　entered　into　the　holy　places　made　with　hands；
which　are　the　figures　of　the　true；　but　into　heaven　itself；　now　to　appear　in
the　presence　of　God　for　us。〃　Hebrews　9：24。　As　Christ's　ministration　was　to
consist　of　two　great　divisions；　each　occupying　a　period　of　time　and　having　a
distinctive　place　in　the　heavenly　sanctuary；　so　the　typical　ministration
consisted　of　two　divisions；　the　daily　and　the　yearly　service；　and　to　each　a
department　of　the　tabernacle　was　devoted。

As　Christ　at　His　ascension　appeared　in　the　presence　of　God　to　plead　His
blood　in　behalf　of　penitent　believers；　so　the　priest　in　the　daily
ministration　sprinkled　the　blood　of　the　sacrifice　in　the　holy　place　in　the
sinner's　behalf。

The　blood　of　Christ；　while　it　was　to　release　the　repentant　sinner　from　the
condemnation　of　the　law；　was　not　to　cancel　the　sin；　it　would　stand　on　record
in　the　sanctuary　until　the　final　atonement；　so　in　the　type　the　blood　of　the
sin　offering　removed　the　sin　from　the　penitent；　but　it　rested　in　the
sanctuary　until　the　Day　of　Atonement。

In　the　great　day　of　final　award；　the　dead　are　to　be　〃judged　out　of　those
things　which　were　written　in　the　books；　according　to　their　works。〃
Revelation　20：12。　Then　by　virtue　of　the　atoning　blood　of　Christ；　the　sins　of
all　the　truly　penitent　will　be　blotted　from　the　books　of　heaven。　Thus　the
sanctuary　will　be　freed；　or

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cleansed；　from　the　record　of　sin。　In　the　type；　this　great　work　of　atonement；
or　blotting　out　of　sins；　was　represented　by　the　services　of　the　Day　of
Atonementthe　cleansing　of　the　earthly　sanctuary；　which　was　accomplished　by
the　removal；　by　virtue　of　the　blood　of　the　sin　offering；　of　the　sins　by
which　it　had　been　polluted。

As　in　the　final　atonement　the　sins　of　the　truly　penitent　are　to　be　blotted
from　the　records　of　heaven；　no　more　to　be　remembered　or　come　into　mind；　so
in　the　type　they　were　borne　away　into　the　wilderness；　forever　separated　from
the　congregation。

Since　Satan　is　the　originator　of　sin；　the　direct　instigator　of　all　the　sins
that　caused　the　death　of　the　Son　of　God；　justice　demands　that　Satan　shall
suffer　the　final　punishment。　Christ's　work　for　the　redemption　of　men　and　the
purification　of　the　universe　from　sin　will　be　closed　by　the　removal　of　sin
from　the　heavenly　sanctuary　and　the　placing　of　these　sins　upon　Satan；　who
will　bear　the　final　penalty。　So　in　the　typical　service；　the　yearly　round　of
ministration　closed　with　the　purification　of　the　sanctuary；　and　the
confessing　of　the　sins　on　the　head　of　the　scapegoat。

Thus　in　the　ministration　of　the　tabernacle；　and　of　the　temple　that　afterward
took　its　place；　the　people　were　taught　each　day　the　great　truths　relative　to
Christ's　death　and　ministration；　and　once　each　year　their　minds　were　carried
forward　to　the　closing　events　of　the　great　controversy　between　Christ　and
Satan；　the　final　purification　of　the　universe　from　sin　and　sinners。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　31

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Sin　of　Nadab　and　Abihu


After　the　dedication　of　the　tabernacle；　the　priests　were　consecrated　to
their　sacred　office。　These　services　occupied　seven　days；　each　marked　by
special　ceremonies。　On　the　eight　day　they　entered　upon　their　ministration。
Assisted　by　his　sons；　Aaron　offered　the　sacrifices　that　God　required；　and　he
lifted　up　his　hands　and　blessed　the　people。　All　had　been　done　as　God
commanded；　and　He　accepted　the　sacrifice；　and　revealed　His　glory　in　a
remarkable　manner；　fire　came　from　the　Lord　and　consumed　the　offering　upon
the　altar。　The　people　looked　upon　this　wonderful　manifestation　of　divine
power　with　awe　and　intense　interest。　They　saw　in　it　a　token　of　God's　glory
and　favor；　and　they　raised　a　universal　shout　of　praise　and　adoration　and
fell　on　their　faces　as　if　in　the　immediate　presence　of　Jehovah。

But　soon　afterward　a　sudden　and　terrible　calamity　fell　upon　the　family　of
the　high　priest。　At　the　hour　of　worship；　as　the　prayers　and　praise　of　the
people　were　ascending　to　God；　two　of　the　sons　of　Aaron　took　each　his　censer
and　burned　fragrant　incense　thereon；　to　rise　as　a　sweet　odor　before　the
Lord。　But　they　transgressed　His　command　by　the　use　of　〃strange　fire。〃　For
burning　the　incense　they　took　common　instead　of　the　sacred　fire　which　God
Himself　had　kindled；　and　which　He　had　commanded　to　be　used　for　this　purpose。
For　this　sin　a　fire　went　out　from　the　Lord　and　devoured　them　in　the　sight　of
the　people。

Next　to　Moses　and　Aaron；　Nadab　and　Abihu　had　stood　highest　in　Israel。　They
had　been　especially　honored　by　the　Lord；　having　been　permitted　with　the
seventy　elders　to　behold　His　glory　in　the　mount。　But　their　transgression　was
not　therefore　to　be　excused　or　lightly　regarded。　All　this　rendered　their　sin
more　grievous。　Because　men　have　received　great　light；　because　they　have；
like　the　princes　of　Israel；　ascended　to　the　mount；　and　been　privileged　to
have　communion　with　God；　and　to　dwell　in

360

the　light　of　His　glory；　let　them　not　flatter　themselves　that　they　can
afterward　sin　with　impunity；　that　because　they　have　been　thus　honored；　God
will　not　be　strict　to　punish　their　iniquity。　This　is　a　fatal　deception。　The
great　light　and　privileges　bestowed　require　returns　of　virtue　and　holiness
corresponding　to　the　light　given。　Anything　short　of　this；　God　cannot　accept。
Great　blessings　or　privileges　should　never　lull　to　security　or　carelessness。
They　should　never　give　license　to　sin　or　cause　the　recipients　to　feel　that
God　will　not　be　exact　with　them。　All　the　advantages　which　God　has　given　are
His　means　to　throw　ardor　into　the　spirit；　zeal　into　effort；　and　vigor　into
the　carrying　out　of　His　holy　will。

Nadab　and　Abihu　had　not　in　their　youth　been　trained　to　habits　of
self…control。　The　father's　yielding　disposition；　his　lack　of　firmness　for
right；　had　led　him　to　neglect　the　discipline　of　his　children。　His　sons　had
been　permitted　to　follow　inclination。　Habits　of　self…indulgence；　long
cherished；　obtained　a　hold　upon　them　which　even　the　responsibility　of　the
most　sacred　office　had　not　power　to　break。　They　had　not　been　taught　to
respect　the　authority　of　their　father；　and　they　did　not　realize　the
necessity　of　exact　obedience　to　the　requirements　of　God。　Aaron's　mistaken
indulgence　of　his　sons　prepared　them　to　become　the　subjects　of　the　divine
judgments。

God　designed　to　teach　the　people　that　they　must　approach　Him　with　reverence
and　awe；　and　in　His　own　appointed　manner。　He　cannot　accept　partial
obedience。　It　was　not　enough　that　in　this　solemn　season　of　worship　nearly
everything　was　done　as　He　had　directed。　God　has　pronounced　a　curse　upon
those　who　depart　from　His　commandments；　and　put　no　difference　between　common
and　holy　things。　He　declares　by　the　prophet：　〃Woe　unto　them　that　call　evil
good；　and　good　evil；　that　put　darkness　for　light；　and　light　for　darkness！　。
。　。　Woe　unto　them　that　are　wise　in　their　own　eyes；　and　prudent　in　their　own
sight！　。　。　。　which　justify　the　wicked　for　reward；　and　take　away　the
righteousness　of　the　righteous　from　him！　。　。　。　They　have　cast　away　the　law
of　the　Lord　of　hosts；　and　despised　the　word　of　the　Holy　One　of　Israel。〃
Isaiah　5：20…24。　Let　no　one　deceive　himself　with　the　belief　that　a　part　of
God's　commandments　are　nonessential；　or　that　He　will　accept　a　substitute　for
that　which　He　has　required。　Said　the　prophet　Jeremiah；　〃Who　is　he　that
saith；　and　it　cometh　to　pass；　when　the　Lord　commandeth　it　not？〃　Lamentations
3：37。　God　has　placed　in　His　word　no　command　which　men

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may　obey　or　disobey　at　will　and　not　suffer　the　consequences。　If　men　choose
any　other　path　than　that　of　strict　obedience；　they　will　find　that　〃the　end
thereof　are　the　ways　of　death。〃　Proverbs　14：12。

〃Moses　said　unto　Aaron；　and　unto　Eleazar　and　unto　Ithamar；　his　sons；　Uncover
not　your　heads；　neither　rend　your　clothes；　lest　ye　die；　。　。　。　for　the
anointing　oil　of　the　Lord　is　upon　you。〃　The　great　leader　reminded　his
brother　of　the　words　of　God；　〃I　will　be　sanctified　in　them　that　come　nigh
Me；　and　before　all　the　people　I　will　be　glorified。〃　Aaron　was　silent。　The
death　of　his　sons；　cut　down　without　warning；　in　so　terrible　a　sina　sin
which　he　now　saw　to　be　the　result　of　his　own　neglect　of　dutywrung　the
father's　heart　with　anguish；　but　he　gave　his　feelings　no　expression。　By　no
manifestation　of　grief　must　he　seem　to　sympathize　with　sin。　The　congregation
must　not　be　led　to　murmur　against　God。

The　Lord　would　teach　His　people　to　acknowledge　the　justice　of　His
corrections；　that　others　may　fear。　There　were　those　in　Israel　whom　the
warning　of　this　terrible　judgment　might　save　from　presuming　upon　God's
forbearance　until　they；　too；　should　seal　their　own　destiny。　The　divine
rebuke　is　upon　that　false　sympathy　for　the　sinner　which　endeavors　to　excuse
his　sin。　It　is　the　effect　of　sin　to　deaden　the　moral　perceptions；　so　that
the　wrongdoer　does　not　realize　the　enormity　of　transgression；　and　without
the　convicting　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　he　remains　in　partial　blindness　to
his　sin。　It　is　the　duty　of　Christ's　servants　to　show　these　erring　ones　their
peril。　Those　who　destroy　the　effect　of　the　warning　by　blinding　the　eyes　of
sinners　to　the　real　character　and　results　of　sin　often　flatter　themselves
that　they　thus　give　evidence　of　their　charity；　but　they　are　working　directly
to　oppose　and　hinder　the　work　of　God's　Holy　Spirit；　they　are　lulling　the
sinner　to　rest　on　the　brink　of　destruction；　they　are　making　themselves
partakers　in　his　guilt　and　incurring　a　fearful　responsibility　for　his
impenitence。　Many；　many；　have　gone　down　to　ruin　as　the　result　of　this　false
and　deceptive　sympathy。

Nadab　and　Abihu　would　never　have　committed　that　fatal　sin　had　they　not　first
become　partially　intoxicated　by　the