MRS. S. N. HASKELL by Mrs. S. N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 3, 1904

MRS. S. N. HASKELL

By Mrs. S. N. Haskell

The Sanctuary—No. 3

MRS. S. N. HASKELL

The service in the typical sanctuary on the day of atonement in an especial sense represented the work of Christ and mankind in carrying out the plan of salvation.

Before the opening of this day’s service every sin was confessed. But if a soul rested upon that fact, saying, There is no need of my afflicting my soul to-day, for my sins are all confessed, he was cut off from among his people. Lev. 23: 27-31.

The work done by the high priest in the temple did not save the individual, unless he co-operated in the work by carrying out faithfully the part given him to do upon that day.

We are living in the antitypical day of atonement, and our salvation depends upon our co-operating with our great High Priest; and while he, in the heavenly sanctuary, pleads his blood before the Father in our behalf, he expects us to do the work typified by the work required in the shadowy service. If we fail to do this, we shall be cut off just as surely as the individual was cut off in the type.

Four things were required of the individual on the typical day of atonement:—

There was to be a holy convocation.
He was to afflict his soul.
He was to offer an offering.
All work was to be suspended.

No one who in his heart believes that we are living in the hour of judgment will neglect the holy convocation. We are admonished not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Heb. 10: 25. If we have no taste for the religious assembly, it is because our spiritual eyesight is blinded, and we do not see the day approaching.

In “Great Controversy,” page 420, we are told that afflicting the soul consisted in “prayer, fasting, and deep searching of heart.” Any one who realizes that the judgment is set in the heavenly sanctuary, and that one by one all who have ever named the name of God will pass through the close scrutiny of that court, will spend much time in prayer and deep heart searching, that every sin may go beforehand to judgment.

But why this fasting? For twenty-four hours they partook of no food. The appetite was held in complete control. There was no question as to which was the master. The individual in the type who afflicted his soul was the master of his appetite; for he partook of no food whatever on that day. If he failed to be the master of his appetite, he was cut off. If this means anything to us, it must mean that during the antitypical day of atonement the individual who allows his appetite to control him will lose his place with the people of God.

In Luke 21: 34-36, when the Saviour was speaking of the time when the faithful would be “accounted worthy” to escape those things which are coming on the world, he admonished all to take heed to themselves lest they be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. Surfeiting refers to the quantity of food partaken of, while drunkenness refers to the quality.

Some may say, “I know my sins are confessed, and that Christ intercedes for me, but I have no faith in preaching health reform. A man’s religion is not affected by what he eats and drinks.” In the type it meant death to disregard this instruction. In the antitype the soul who disregards the plain instruction given by the Lord in regard to eating and drinking, will find that, too late, he is cut off from among God’s people.

Other offerings besides the regular sin offering of the day of atonement were made on the tenth day of the seventh month. Num. 29: 7-11. We are to present our offering, the precious Lamb of God, and through his blood gain the victory over every besetment, every sin.

In the type the day was a sabbath, all work was laid aside for a fit type of the admonition given by the Saviour to those living in the time of the judgment: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged . . . with cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Our business is to be held secondary, and the work of God occupy the first place in our heart’s affection.