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Vital lessons from the past. God expects leaders to be examples during this special time foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

By Robert H. Pierson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

 

Past events continue to cast their shadows upon our day. God's church today has much to learn from the lessons the Lord taught His people in the days of ancient Israel. As the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples : and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor. 10:11).

God's Word tells us that the Day of Atonement among ancient Israel was a day of heart searching, when people were to afflict their souls. "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy con vocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord" (Lev. 23:27). It was, indeed, a day of judgment when sinners in Israel who had not made the needed heart-and-life preparation were to be cut off from God's people.

Ellen White describes the preparation needed for this awesome day: "In the typical service only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the Day of Atonement." —The Great Controversy, p. 480.

Repentance, heart sorrow for sin, confession, and making things right with God and with men were all vital parts of the Day of Atonement. By faith in a Saviour to come, penitent sinners accepted cleansing from sin as they witnessed the sacrifice of the sin offering. The Day of Atonement was a day of judgment when God's people must stand before Him cleansed "not having spot, or wrinkle" (Eph. 5:27).

Today we live during the time of the investigative judgment in heaven—the antitypical day of atonement. When every case in the judgment has been decided, when the heavenly sanctuary has been cleansed, Jesus will return! It is an awesome day for God's people now as it was for ancient Israel.

"In the typical service, when the high priest entered the most holy place, all Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God, that they might receive the pardon of their sins and not be cut off from the congregation. How much more essential in this antitypical Day of Atonement that we understand the work of our High Priest and know what duties are required of us." —Ibid., pp. 430, 431.

"How solemn is the thought! Day after day, passing into eternity, bears its burden of records for the books of heaven. Words once spoken, deeds once done, can never be recalled. Angels have registered both the good and the evil. The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe. Though they may be forgotten by us, they will bear their testimony to justify or condemn." —Ibid., pp. 486, 487.

"While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth." —Ibid., p. 425.

Today God is preparing a people for His Son's imminent return. Those who meet Him with joy and gladness will be those who are with out spot or wrinkle. While the work of the antitypical day of atonement is going on in heaven there is a work that must be going on among God's people on earth. It is a "work of purification," a "work ... of putting away sin."

Those who are ready for the judgment or to meet their Lord at His advent must be overcomers of sin in their lives now. "Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ." —Ibid., p. 623. "It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us, through faith in the atoning blood of Christ." —Ibid.

Shall we not as workers and leaders in God's remnant church be first to come into line—true overcomers in our lives during this solemn judgment hour—and be the examples to the flock we should be? Our people have their eyes on us as their shepherds. They have a right to expect much of us that our words and actions are in harmony with the high standards of the message we bear.— Do we let them down sometimes? If they follow our example will they be in the kingdom? Time is short. So much is at stake both for us and for our people.

Think it over prayerfully, fellow leader. How is it in your life?


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By Robert H. Pierson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

April 1978

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