Studies in the Gospel Message
The first seven verses of the first chapter of Daniel are the basis of the Sabbath-school lesson for July 26. In taking up the study of a portion of the book of Daniel, it may be profitable to consider the principles involved in the experiences of the captivity, and the personal lesson which we are to learn from the study of this book. A connected reading of the first nine chapters of Daniel, and a brief consideration of their contents as a whole, will make it clear that the temple, or sanctuary, and its significance in the worship of God constitute the real theme which is dealt with. This may not seem so apparent in some chapters as in others, especially if we deal merely with names rather than with principles; but our studies from week to week will help us follow the theme both in the historic and in the prophetic portions of the book. But first we ought to see clearly what is the real principle involved in this question of the sanctuary. Evidently the sanctuary and its service proclaim the provision which God has made to cleanse our conscience “from dead works to serve the living God.” This is set forth with clearness in that divine commentary on the sanctuary question, the epistle to the Hebrews. A few verses in the ninth chapter will emphasize this fact. After a brief description of the tabernacle, its furniture and its services, has been given, we read as follows: “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while as the first tabernacle is yet standing; which is a parable for the time now present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation. But Christ [the Messiah] having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanliness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ [the Messiah], who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Heb. 9:8-14, R. V. The tabernacle, and the temple as well, with its furniture and its services, was a parable. It was constantly setting forth the coming of the Messiah, the gift of himself in behalf of man, the shedding of his blood for the remission of sin. Its message was, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” “The whole worship of ancient Israel was a promise, in figures and symbols, of Christ [the Messiah]; and it was not merely a promise, but an actual provision, designed by God to aid millions of people by lifting their thoughts to him who was to manifest himself to our world.” “That temple, erected for the abode of the divine presence, was designed to be an object lesson for Israel and for the world. From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and defiled by evil, the heart of man no longer revealed the glory of the divine One. But by the incarnation of the Son of God, the purpose of heaven is fulfilled. God dwells in humanity, and through saving grace the heart of man becomes again his temple. God designed that the temple at Jerusalem should be a continual witness to the high destiny open to every soul.” Thus the heart of the sanctuary question is found in the great truth that it is God’s purpose to dwell with flesh, and that this is accomplished through the incarnation of the Son of God. The fulfillment of this purpose is recorded in these words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.” This is that union of divinity and humanity which constitutes the mystery of the gospel, the mystery of godliness. It is described in such expressions as these: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts6by faith;” “Christ liveth in me;” “Christ in you, the hope of glory;” “Ye are the temple of God;” “Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.” It is plain enough that when Christ our righteousness dwells in the heart by faith, making the flesh his temple, we have the actual experience of righteousness by faith. It follows then that the central thought in the sanctuary question is righteousness by faith, or justification by faith. This is the real meaning of the temple and its services. When this meaning was lost sight of, the appointed services became a mere round of ceremonies without power or efficacy for anybody. It was because of their failure to apprehend this truth, and the consequent fact that they lost the indwelling presence of God from their own hearts, that the Jews were taken to Babylon as captives. Their temple service had degenerated into ceremonialism. They had ceased to reveal to the world the gospel truth that God dwells with flesh. They had changed the law of faith into the law of works. They could no longer proclaim to the world the fundamental doctrine of the gospel,—justification by faith. Under these circumstances they went down to Babylon as captives. But Daniel and his companions had retained the purity of their religious experience. They had apprehended the real truth of the sanctuary question, and were prepared to reveal it to others, and God used them in Babylon for this very purpose. The record of their experiences in Babylon teaches the same truth to us as was taught in Babylon by the experiences themselves, and this truth is justification by faith. And the prophetic portions of the book reveal the triumph of this great truth in the setting up of the kingdom of God in the earth. Thus it is that the real theme of the book of Daniel is the temple and its significance in the worship of God, which is simply the concrete form of the truth of justification by faith. And this is why the book of Daniel should be earnestly studied in these last days; for the fundamental gospel doctrine, justification by faith, has been lost from our experience to such an extent that there needs to be a new reformation through which the real gospel of faith instead of works, of grace instead of ceremonialism, may be restored to God’s professed people. Our future studies will bring out with greater fullness what has here been presented in outline.