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THE LAW OF GOD

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 13, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 18.

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THE LAW OF GOD.

Extent of the Law's Jurisdiction.

(Continued.)
(Lesson 6.—Sabbath, May 29.)
1. Did the law exist before it was spoken from Sinai? Give proof.
2. Can you prove that its claims are binding on Gentiles as well as Jews?
3. Over what part of the earth has the law jurisdiction? Proof.
4. How many apartments were in the tabernacle built by Moses?
"And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony; and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy." Ex. 26:33.
5. What article of furniture was in the most holy place?
"And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place." Ex. 26:34.
6. Why was it called "the ark of the testimony"?
"And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee." Ex. 25:16.
7. What was this "testimony"?
"And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." Ex. 31:18.
"And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly; and the Lord gave them unto me. And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me." Deut. 10:4, 5.
8. Of what was this earthly tabernacle a pattern?
"The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing; which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For 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." Heb. 9:8, 9, 23, 24.
9. Was the furniture of the tabernacle, as well as the tabernacle itself, made according to this heavenly pattern?
"According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." "And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount." Ex. 25:9, 40.
10. Is there a real temple in Heaven?
"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8:1, 2.
11. What article of furniture is specially noted as having been seen in it?
"And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." Rev. 11:19.
12. Since the ark was called the "ark of the testimony" because it contained the tables of the law, what must be in the ark in the real temple in Heaven?
In Ex. 31:18 we read that the Lord "gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." In Deut. 5:22 we learn that it was the ten commandments that were written on the two tables of stone; and from Deut. 10:4, 5 we learn that the tables were placed in the ark. Therefore we know that the ten commandments are the "testimony;" and when John says (Rev. 11:19) that in the temple of God in Heaven he saw the "ark of his testament," we must conclude that the ten commandments are in that ark. And, further, since the earthly tabernacle and its furniture were "patterns of things in the Heavens" (Ex. 25:9, 40; Heb. 9:23, 24), we must also conclude that the ten commandments which were on the tables of stone in the tabernacle which Moses built, were but a copy of the ten commandments in the temple in Heaven.
13. Then what relation did the tables which Moses placed in the ark bear to those in the temple in Heaven? See above.
14. Where is the Lord's throne?
"The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in Heaven; his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." Ps. 11:4. (Continued on page 286.)
(Continued from page 286.) "But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." Hab. 2:20.
15. Between what beings is his seat?
"Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth." Ps. 80:1. "The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble; he sitteth between the cherubim; let the earth be moved." Ps. 99:1.
16. In the earthly tabernacle, from between what figures did the Lord speak to the people?
"And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Ex. 25:22.
17. Then of what was the ark in the earthly sanctuary a representation?—Of the throne of God in the temple in Heaven.
18. What was within the ark, and underneath the cherubim?
"And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee." "And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Ex. 25:16, 22. "And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." Rev. 11:19.
19. Then what relation do the commandments sustain to the throne of God?—They are underneath it, forming its foundation.
20. Can you quote any texts of Scripture that directly support this conclusion?
"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne; mercy and truth shall go before thy face." Ps. 89:14. "Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." Ps. 97:2. Compare Ps. 119:172.
21. How extensive is the authority of God's throne?
"The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all." Ps. 103:19.
22. Then how extensive must be the jurisdiction of the ten commandments?
23. Must they not, then, be the rule of conduct in Heaven as well as on earth?
"Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word." Ps. 103:20.