In connection with the presentation of the sanctuary question it is shown from the scriptures of truth that the sanctuary on earth was only a type or shadow of the real sanctuary that is in heaven; in this shadow upon earth there was the holy and the most holy places; and in the most holy place was the ark that contained the law of God, the Ten Commandments engraven on the enduring tables of stone. And furthermore the engraving was done by the finger of God Himself. In describing the sublime and solemn scenes of the final judgment of the great day of Jehovah one scripture says: “There was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in His temple the ark of His covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Rev. 11: 19.
The verse immediately preceding the foregoing quotation tells of “the time of the dead to be judged,” showing that the judgment scenes were passing before the prophet’s mind. And right while viewing these judgment scenes, his attention is attracted to the temple in heaven, and the “ark” of God’s “covenant” in that temple. As already shown in these sanctuary studies, the High Priest went into the most holy place of the typical or earthly sanctuary but once a year—on the great day of atonement. This day of atonement was for the typical blotting out of sins, and was consequently a type of the final judgment day, when the real blotting out of sin takes place in the holy of holies of the true tabernacle that is in heaven. It is significant that in connection with the judgment scenes the prophet was permitted to behold, he was allowed to see inside the temple and to view the ark of God’s testament that contains the original of the Ten Commandments. These commandments that the wise man says contain the whole duty of man, these commandments that the psalmist says were inscribed in the heart of the Master as He came to earth to do His Father’s will among sinful men, these commandments that are so infinite in spiritual breadth and meaning, are the standard by which every man is to be tried. Since, then, it is such a plain Bible doctrine that the Ten Commandments are the standard to which every life must come in the great judgment day, is it not essential that every one of us should carefully examine the divine law to see just what it says? We should study every one of its precepts carefully, asking God to give us the divine enlightenment that will enable us to see the depth of the spirituality that His law possesses. That law, as recorded on the tables of stone and as it was in the ark of the covenant of the earthly sanctuary, reads as follows: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
“Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing loving-kindness unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.
“Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto Jehovah thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
“Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
“Thou shalt not kill.
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.
“Thou shalt not steal.
“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.” Ex. 20: 3-17.
These commandments will reveal every secret of the life in the great judgment day. For doth not the word say: “This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12: 13, 14.
God Himself “will bring” into the judgment “every work” “with every hidden thing,” and all will be tested by the commandments that contain the whole duty of man. Each commandment should be studied carefully by itself, and the question should be conscientiously asked as each is studied, Is my life in harmony with that law? Am I doing what that command says? Knowing the great importance of the law9of God and that it is to be the rule by which men’s lives are judged before the tribunal of the Great King, Satan has ever tried to pervert that law. He has tried to have its precepts changed or made of none effect thru the traditions and practises of men. Hence the greater necessity of studying each commandment closely to see if we are living in harmony with what it says. It will not do for us to take what men may say in regard to God’s law and make these human sayings our guide. We must take the law as God gave it and as Christ and prophet and apostle taught it, and not as it may be perverted by the ideas and sayings of men. Man has no right to change or set aside the law of God or any of its parts. It is the rule in the judgment, and we must meet it just as it reads in the Book of books.