TOWARD the end of the nineteenth century one of the burning issues of the day was bimetallism. A number of countries were involved in crucial debates as to whether gold alone or gold and silver would be the foundation of their currency. In America the 1896 Presidential election focused on this issue. William Jennings Bryan, politician and orator, became one of the Presidential candidates. His panacea for the country's problems was "free silver." In his celebrated speech that championed the cause of bimetalism he declared, "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."
The whole world was astir, and especially America, over this financial controversy. Since the "love of money" is the root of all evil, it doesn't take too much imagination to picture the excitement occurring in the hearts of all, from politician to factory employer to farmer.
Ellen White sent a message to the 1897 General Conference, written on December 27, 1896. The entire text is found in Testimonies to Ministers, pages 331-340. Using the confusing currency crisis as a spring board, she developed a theme that clearly illuminates the course of action our ministers are to take when upheavals of this nature occur. Evidently some Adventist preachers were quite excited over these developments with their political, economic, and social overtones. Note carefully the emphasis given by inspiration:
I. Satan's Program Is One of Diversionary Tactics to Keep Our Minds Busy With Anything and Everything Except Salvation.
1. "Worldly plans and devisings and strange sentiments and principles will be put forth by the prince of the power of the air, which are directly opposed to the law of God."
2. "Here is the working of satanic agencies to bring in confusion, to bewitch the minds of old and young."
3. "All this excitement and unrest is placing the mind where it will not dwell on the truth."
4. "If the eyes of many could be opened in their heedless march, they would see a mighty procession of people of all classes, all kinds, all nations, passing in the same ranks, classing themselves as the companions of demons, rapidly moving on in a continually swelling procession to certain ruin."—Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 334, 335.
II. The Burden of Preaching Is Not Politics, but Christ and Him Crucified.
1. "Would we know how we may best please the Saviour? It is not engaging in political speeches, either in or out of the pulpit. ...
2. "Where the people assemble to worship God let not a word be spoken that shall divert the mind from the great central interest—Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3. "The third angel's message is to be our burden of warning. The side issues are not for us to meddle with. . . .
4. "The saving of souls is to be our personal work, from which nothing is of sufficient moment to divert the mind. . . .
5. "I was surprised as I saw men who claim to believe the truth for this time all excited in regard to matters—which relate to the Lord Jesus and eternal interests? No; but they seemed to be wonderfully excited in regard to the currency. Some ministers were distinguishing themselves by weaving these subjects into their discourses."
6. "He who feeds the flock of God must himself first eat of the bread which came down from heaven. . . . He will not venture to come before the people until he has first communed with God. . . . He has a word that touches the case of all, not worldly, confusing ideas. He has no right to introduce the worldly perplexities. The bread of life will satisfy every soul hunger."—Ibid., pp. 331, 332, 340.
Moths Fluttering to Flames
Satan's diversionary tactics are multiplied. The human race, like a huge cloud of moths, flutters from one flame of cur rent issue to another only to be burned and confused. Whether it be the stock market, Vietnam, moon landings, racial problems, or air pollution, the evil one gleefully manipulates and creates situations whereby the attention of people is on everything and anything but Christ, His ministration in the heavenly sanctuary, and His coming.
Ministers are undoubtedly Satan's special objects of attack. He aims to get us to thinking, talking, and preaching on subjects that have little or no bearing on God's special message for these final hours.
Ask yourself the question, When was the last time I preached on the subject of Christ's high priestly work in our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary? If "the sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ's work in behalf of men" (The Great Controversy, p. 488), surely our people need to be fed with thoughts centering on this subject. If "the intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross" (ibid., p. 489), then there should be a far greater emphasis on the ministration of Christ than ever before. If it is impossible for us to exercise a quality of faith that is essential at this time unless we have a knowledge ourselves of the position and work of our great High Priest (see The Great Controversy, p. 488), then surely subjects related to our High Priest's ministry should have first claim on our brains and vocal cords.
God graciously instituted a system of ceremonies and rites that dramatically appealed to both man's emotions and intellect in Old Testament days. We cannot revive the actual practice of the sanctuary services without denying the One to whom they pointed. But the lessons of the sanctuary are at the heart of our message, for they reveal the intervention of Christ on the sinner's behalf.
As ancient Israel participated in the services, it was God's design for them to sense that the sacrificial offering revealed the love of God in sending Christ to be our substitute—Christ the innocent One who would be made sin for us. This concept, if properly grasped and understood, would then "create in every heart a love for the law of God, which is the law of His kingdom" (Selected Messages, book 1, p. 233).
Adventists stand virtually alone, not because we choose to, in proclaiming a special interpretive message of the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary. God desires that this message should give a broad inspiring view of the ministration of our Lord. The central theme is that we have a "high priest . . . who is holy, harmless, undefiled" (Heb. 7:26) and One who is "able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (verse 25).
No wonder that "over and over again the Holy Spirit has in a marked manner endorsed the preaching of this doctrine" (Evangelism, p. 224). The whole point of Christ's death is to save men from past condemnation and present evil. Nothing can hold the attention or command the devotion of the mind as much as a concept of Christ's intercessory work for repentant sinners.
Misuse or Disuse
Satan is determined to blot the sanctuary service concepts from our minds either by misuse or disuse. Our past disuse of sanctuary themes in our preaching is partially responsible for the present misuse of this subject by some. The time has come for a revival of study and preaching on the sanctuary doctrines within the framework of solid exegesis, and not speculation and theorizing which can only cause heartbreak, splintering, and fragmentation among us.
De-emphasis Caused by General Impoverished Spiritual Condition
Could it be that a general impoverished condition among us as ministers is causing us to de-emphasize the sanctuary truths? In Old Testament days when the sanctuary system was held in respect, God's people prospered. When it was despised, God's people were in serious trouble. Much of the horrible record during the time of the judges can be traced to a lack of respect for the sanctuary services. The blame lay not entirely with the people, but the spiritual leaders were corrupt.
When Samuel was first called as a boy, "the services of the sanctuary were held in contempt" (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 609). Why? In this particular case the corrupt course of Hophni and Phineas, sons of Eli, who "knew not the Lord" (1 Sam. 2:12) was the reason. Their greediness, their crookedness, their immorality, caused the people to abhor "the offering of the Lord" (verse 17).
To study the sanctuary truth without a corresponding revival in our own souls can only lead to argument. Your General Conference Ministerial Association leaders pray that the articles in this issue dealing with the sanctuary message may cause you to plan for Spirit-filled presentations of the gospel as revealed in the symbolism of the sanctuary and its services.
