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

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 18, 1904

MRS. S. N. HASKELL

By Mrs. S. N. Haskell

The Sanctuary—No. 1

MRS. S. N. HASKELL

THERE are three sanctuaries brought to view in the Bible. The heavenly sanctuary is the dwelling-place of the eternal God (Ps. 102:19), where he sits enthroned in glory beyond the conception of mortal minds. 1 Tim. 6:16.

We have the blessed assurance that the faithful, beyond the reign of sin and death, shall behold his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads. Rev. 22:4; Matt. 5:8. They will then dwell in his presence.

When the children of Israel came out of the darkness of Egyptian bondage, they were unable to comprehend the exalted work of God and Christ in man's behalf in the heavenly sanctuary. In order to lift them above this low plane,

God directed that an earthly sanctuary be built after the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary (Ex. 25:8, 9), and that men divinely appointed by God officiate as priests in this shadowy temple. Heb. 8:4, 5. He also directed that the life of innocent animals be taken, illustrating the death of the Lamb of God.

The Lord's presence was manifested in this structure by the bright light overshadowing the mercy-seat. Ex. 25:22. Before this visible presence of God, the priests presented the blood of the offerings in type, illustrating how our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary would plead his blood before the Father in man's behalf.

The work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and the work of the priests in the earthly temple, had one end in view,—that fallen man would open his heart to the gentle knocking of the Saviour, and let the Spirit of Christ enter and sit enthroned in the soul temple of the human body. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.

We are under just as much obligation to glorify God in our body as in our spirit. In order to do either we must recognize the fact that we are not our own; but that we are bought with the precious blood of Christ. One can not be a Christian and deny the fact that God, when the individual surrenders to Christ, requires the body temple as his dwelling-place. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1.

This work can only be accomplished by a heart surrender to God. A wicked person can not be the dwelling-place of God. “He that hath the Son hath life” (1 John 5:12), but no “murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:15. He that hungereth and thirsteth after righteousness will be filled. It is the one who, hearing the voice, opens the door, whose body becomes the temple, or dwelling-place, of the God of heaven.