THE GREAT CLOCK OF TIME

Greetings, Army of Youth, we want to cover much ground today so we will get
right into our study.

We now understand the basic principles behind the sanctuary and the plan of
redemption. We realized that the whole plan of redemption is illustrated in the
sanctuary and its services. We saw that there are three parts to the sanctuary and
In heaven's council the this implies that there are three phases/parts to the plan of redemption represented
hour for the coming of by the work in the outer court, the work in the holy place and the work in the most
Christ had been deter- holy place.
mined. When the great
clock of time pointed to
that hour, Jesus was
born in Bethlehem. . . . The whole plan of redemption in type
Providence had directed
the movements of nat-
ions, and the tide of
human impulse and infl- 1
uence, until the world
was ripe for the coming 3 2
of the Deliverer. . . .
{AG 11.2} 2 2

Christ’s ministry in Christ’s ministry in

the most holy place. the holy place
Michael stands up 1844 – 2020 AD 31 Eden lost
and the close of Dan. 8:14 The fall of man
probation Dan.
12:1

I have tried to illustrate these three phases in the redemption plan. It is important
to note that each phase has an allotted time. In the sanctuary everything happens
on time. We will look more into that in our next study. I want us to understand
rather that when Christ died on the cross as “a Lamb” He ended His work in the
outer court and began His work in the holy place as our High Priest for 1810
years He ministered on men’s behalf until on the 22nd of Oct. 1844 he entered
upon His ministry in the most holy place and ended His intercession for men in
the holy place. This is important for us to understand because Christ cannot
minister in both apartments at the same time. This also means that we cannot be
Receive any blessing if we are still in the outer heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil,
court or in the holy place, to receive the grace "whither the forerunner is for us entered."
and blessing of Christ we have to be where He Hebrews 6:20. There the light from the cross of
is. Read this inspired statement on this point: Calvary is reflected. There we may gain a
“But while it was true that that door of hope and clearer insight into the mysteries of redemption.
mercy by which men had for eighteen hundred The salvation of man is accomplished at an
years found access to God, was closed, another infinite expense to heaven; the sacrifice made is
door was opened, and forgiveness of sins was equal to the broadest demands of the broken law
offered to men through the intercession of Christ of God. Jesus has opened the way to the Father's
in the most holy. One part of His ministration throne, and through His mediation the sincere
had closed, only to give place to another. There desire of all who come to Him in faith may be
was still an "open door" to the heavenly presented before God. {GC 489.1}
sanctuary, where Christ was ministering in the Friends do you know that the sacrifice made by
sinner's behalf.” {GC 429.2} Christ on the cross would be, itself, of none
“It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the effect if there was no ministration in the
great work of the atonement who receive the sanctuary above. The prophet says, “When
benefits of His mediation in their behalf, while Christ cried out, "It is finished," all heaven
those who reject the light which brings to view triumphed. The controversy between Christ and
this work of ministration are not benefited Satan in regard to the execution of the plan of
thereby.” {GC 430.2} salvation was ended.” {SDA Bible Commentary
vol. 5 1149.10}. By His death Christ was able to
Friends let us enter in within the veil, “whither begin His intercession for us before God. His
the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus” for death ended the controversy that was there
those that are translated and go through the time between Christ and satan in regards to the
of trouble, “follow the Lamb whithersoever he carrying out of the plan of redemption. Thus
goeth.” Heb. 6:20; Rev. 14:4. We need to go into Christ having won at the cross He had still work
that most holy place. to carry out in the two apartments of the
heavenly sanctuary in order to finish the work of
redemption.

We want to note the purpose of these two great

works. In Leviticus we read, “If there be yet
This leads us to the two great works in the plan many years behind, according unto them he
of redemption. Somebody says I thought there shall give again the price of his redemption out
were three phases, now there are two great of the money that he was bought for.” “For unto
works? Don’t get confused. Though there are me the children of Israel are servants; they are
three phases of Christ’s ministry there are only my servants whom I brought forth out of the
two great works. There is a work as a Lamb and land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” Lev.
a work as a Priest. Inspiration has this to say in 25:51, 55. I want us to notice two words here,
regards to this: “bought” and “brought.” In the type the children
“The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in of Israel were to be bought and to be brought.
the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan
of salvation as was His death upon the cross. This is the purpose of the works of Jesus. As a
By His death He began that work which after Lamb He has bought us, says the apostle Paul,
His resurrection He ascended to complete in “For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, weakened, his mental capacity was lessened, his
which are God's.” 1 Cor. 6:20. And as a Priest spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject
He we are to be brought. The question therefore to death. Yet the race was not left without hope.
is where are we to be brought? By infinite love and mercy the plan of salvation
had been devised, and a life of probation was
As day by day the sanctuary was polluted by the granted. To restore in man the image of his
sins of the people and there was made necessity Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in
for a cleansing of the sanctuary to blot out the which he was created, to promote the
sins that had polluted it so our sins were carried development of body, mind, and soul, that the
by Christ into the heavenly sanctuary by the divine purpose in his creation might be realized
sprinkling of His blood. The true tabernacle --this was to be the work of redemption. This is
being therefore polluted by our sins it was made the object of education, the great object of life.
necessary that a cleansing must take place and {Ed 15.2}
from the time in 1844 that cleansing has been
carried on in the heavenly sanctuary. From the Again she says this is the most powerful
type we can learn of the events that are now statement on this point:
taking place in the heavens. Moses was Those who believe on Christ and obey His
instructed of God saying, “And Aaron shall lay commandments are not under bondage to God's
both his hands upon the head of the live goat, law; for to those who believe and obey, His law
and confess over him all the iniquities of the is not a law of bondage, but of liberty. Every one
children of Israel, and all their transgressions who believes on Christ, every one who relies on
in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the keeping power of a risen Saviour that has
the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of suffered the penalty pronounced upon the
a fit man into the wilderness.” Lev. 16:21 transgressor, every one who resists temptation
and in the midst of evil copies the pattern given
At the end of the Day of Atonement the priest in the Christ-life, will through faith in the
was to take all the iniquities of the children of atoning sacrifice of Christ become a partaker
Israel, and all their transgressions in all their of the divine nature, having escaped the
sins. It is interesting to note that God repeats corruption that is in the world through lust.
Himself three times because iniquities, Every one who by faith obeys God's
transgressions and sins are the same thing. This commandments, will reach the condition of
was to teach us something that all of the sins of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his
the people were to be put on the head of the transgression. {ST, July 23, 1902 par. 14}
scapegoat. If all the sins of the children of Israel This friends, is the great object of life. This is
were put on the head of the scapegoat how many the reason for education. This is where we are to
sins would they be left with? They would be left be brought, to the same, “condition of
with none. In other words they will be less of sinlessness which Adam lived before the
sin. They will be sinless. This is the purpose of transgression.” Isn’t this wonderful.
the plan of redemption to take away the sins of
the people and make them sinless. Let’s read We are to understand that though there is a work
what inspiration says on this point: of redemption there is also a time of redemption.
The sinner had to confess his sins in order for
But by disobedience this was forfeited. Through them to be blotted out but he didn’t have forever
sin the divine likeness was marred, and well- to do that. If the sinner did not confess his sins
nigh obliterated. Man's physical powers were by the end of the day he was cast out of the
camp and stoned to death. So it is in the great limit beyond which He will no longer delay His
antitypical Day of Atonement. God has judgments.--Testimonies, vol. 4, pp. 166, 167.
determined a time for redemption and we cannot {ChS 44.1}
remain sinning until Michael stands up. He says
that he declares, “the end from the beginning, The flames that consumed the cities of the plain
and from ancient times the things that are not yet shed their warning light down even to our time.
done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will We are taught the fearful and solemn lesson that
do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:9). If we go back to while God's mercy bears long with the
the beginning we can be able to understand transgressor, there is a limit beyond which men
better the end of the plan of redemption. may not go on in sin. When that limit is
reached, then the offers of mercy are withdrawn,
When sin entered the world it introduced a limit. and the ministration of judgment begins. {CC
The bible says, “For the wages of sin is death…” 53.2}
so the world wasn’t to exist forever. Inspiration
is clear on this point: We could read quotation after quotation but
friends it suffices to know that there is a limit.
The world has become bold in transgression of We cannot continue to sin forever and Christ
cannot remain in the most holy place forever.
God's law. Because of His long forbearance,
We are told that, “In heaven's council the hour
men have trampled upon His authority. They for the coming of Christ had been deter-mined.
have strengthened one another in oppression and When the great clock of time pointed to that
cruelty toward His heritage, saying, "How doth hour, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. . . .
God know? and is there knowledge in the Most Providence had directed the movements of
High?" Psalm 73:11. But there is a line beyond nations, and the tide of human impulse and
which they cannot pass. The time is near when influence, until the world was ripe for the
coming of the Deliverer. . . .” {AG 11.2}
they will have reached the prescribed limit.
The same clock that determined the time of
Even now they have almost exceeded the bounds Jesus coming is still there in heaven and
of the long-suffering of God, the limits of His everything that God does He does it on time.
grace, the limits of His mercy. The Lord will Christ was born on time, baptized on time, died
interpose to vindicate His own honor, to deliver on time, He resurrected on time, he went into the
His people, and to repress the swellings of most holy place on time, and He has to come out
unrighteousness. {COL 177.5} on time but, “without sin unto salvation.” Heb.
9:28
The same danger exists today among the people
who profess to be the depositaries of God's law.
We will look more into this in our next study…
They are too apt to flatter themselves that the
regard in which they hold the commandments
will preserve them from the power of divine
justice. They refuse to be reproved for evil, and
charge God's servants with being too zealous in
putting sin out of the camp. A sin-hating God
calls upon those who profess to keep His law to
depart from all iniquity. Neglect to repent and
obey His word will bring as serious
consequences upon God's people today as did
the same sin upon ancient Israel. There is a