Seventh-day Adventists

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gb9

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2011
12,293
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113
This should put it all to rest.

LISTEN PEOPLE. We cannot live under two covenants at the same time. God works in covenants.

Stop at once. Its only confusing people mixing covenants and making a mess of the bible. Take your pick: New Covenant, with no MANDATORY (its ok to keep the sabbath) feasts or sabbaths or circumcision. Keep the law of Christ, love your neighbor, and love God.
OR the mosaic covenant with circumcision feasts and sabbaths, but if you choose this one, dont be one of these hypocrites that only keep the sabbath half-way, bring the animal sacrifices in too, bring in the levite high-priest and congregating in Jerusalem, do it properly.

As for me and my house, we will pick the new covenant. Thank you very much. IVE BEEN DOWN THE JUDAIZER PATH BEFORE. It brings no peace NOR salvation. Take my word for it.
this is true. one cannot pick and choose which covenant to be under.

one cannot pick parts of one and parts of another, shake and stir, and come up with a mixture of both.

in the O.T. , God says " with Israel " over and over. not the world. Israel only.
 

TMS

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2015
3,875
1,228
113
Australia
Two laws (and all the others, but we wont get complicated)
--one that is moral and constant.
--the other is a shadow and example.

By understanding these the bible makes sense.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
Have you ever been to Israel? Im asking because if you go to Tel Aviv you cant tell the difference between Sabbath and Tuesday. Israel is a secular country mostly. Contrary to what hebrew roots believers think, most jews couldnt care less about the Torah.

Jerusalem is definately more peaceful, particularly the west Jerusalem which tends to have more of an orthodox jewish population. The "newer" areas seem regular.
It depends where you go the amount of orthodox jews and then the rest secular jews even athiest jews. No I havent been to tel aviv. Some pockets of america have very orthodox populations, that I read about and they have strict observance of sabbath and boundaries of how far you can walk etc. you cant turn a light on you have to get someone else to do it for you. Women cant go without headcoverings. You need two sinks to separate dairy from meat. Etc. but like people that dont believe still celebrate christmas, even if most have no idea WHO thy are celebrating jews who dont believe still celebrate passover, when somene dies they sit shiva, and they still have bar mitsvahs. Its as much tradition and culture as religion.

I wouldnt say the current state of Israel is all believing but like any country has a mixture of beliefs, but the criteria for being jewish is circumcision and speaking hebrew it seems they have to be in the majority. Its all very complex.

I dont think you get in trouble for not observing its only if you belonged to any of those orthodox religious groups. Some would call them sects. But then, many people regarded christianity as a sect of judaism when it first began. After all Jesus was Jewish.
 

FlyingDove

Senior Member
Dec 27, 2017
1,267
432
83
Is there anybody who would like to ask a question about SDAs or who would just like to ask any Bible question. I am a SDA and so I will try to give everybody a Bible based answer
How do SDA reckon these verses. And PLEASE answer my "Quick Question & my 2nd question at the very end. Thx, in advance FD

Sabbath Day Ordinance's

Ex 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Ex 20:10 (A) the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work
(NOTE: NO work allowed)

Ex 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death:
(NOTE: Any of the The CHILDREN of ISRAEL that works on the Sabbath Day, you shall put to DEATH)

Ex 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death
(NOTE: Any of the The CHILDREN of ISRAEL that works on the Sabbath Day, you shall put to DEATH)

Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
(NOTE: The CHILDREN of ISRAEL shall observe this Sabbath ORDINANCE)

Ex 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
(NOTE: Any of the the CHILDREN of ISRAEL that works on the Sabbath Day, you shall put to DEATH)

Ex 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

NOTE: You shall kindle "NO FIRE" on the Sabbath. They couldn't even lite a candle!

Quick Question: For those promoting Sabbath keeping today. Do you DRIVE to your chosen place of worship? You may want to study-up on internal combustion = The BURNING of fuel.

More Sabbath Day Ordinance's

Look what happened to the guy that picked up some sticks on the Sabbath Day

Num 15:
17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

18 (A) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them
(NOTE: Speak to the CHILDREN of ISRAEL!)

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:
(NOTE: Vs 18-25 are about ORDINANCES! That God gives to Moses, to give to the: CHILDREN of ISRAEL! For sin offerings & sacrifices)

26 (A) And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel
NOTE: Forgiveness will be given to all the congregation of the: CHILDREN of ISRAEL!
NOTE 2: A sojourner was a temporary resident/stranger/traveler who was required to follow all the laws of the land = Mosaic Law.)

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
(NOTE: The CHILDREN of ISRAEL found a man gathered sticks upon the sabbath day).

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
(NOTE: The CHILDREN of ISRAEL brought the stick gather to Moses)

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
(NOTE: They didn't know what to do with him)

35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
(NOTE: The LORD tells Moses, this man must be put to DEATH!)

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
(NOTE: So, the congregation stones him to DEATH!)

Question 2: Does your congregation stone Sabbath violators to DEATH? If not, why not?
 
Sep 25, 2018
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How do SDA reckon these verses. And PLEASE answer my "Quick Question & my 2nd question at the very end. Thx, in advance FD

Sabbath Day Ordinance's

Ex 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Ex 20:10 (A) the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work
(NOTE: NO work allowed)

Ex 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death:
(NOTE: Any of the The CHILDREN of ISRAEL that works on the Sabbath Day, you shall put to DEATH)

Ex 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death
(NOTE: Any of the The CHILDREN of ISRAEL that works on the Sabbath Day, you shall put to DEATH)

Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
(NOTE: The CHILDREN of ISRAEL shall observe this Sabbath ORDINANCE)

Ex 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
(NOTE: Any of the the CHILDREN of ISRAEL that works on the Sabbath Day, you shall put to DEATH)

Ex 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

NOTE: You shall kindle "NO FIRE" on the Sabbath. They couldn't even lite a candle!

Quick Question: For those promoting Sabbath keeping today. Do you DRIVE to your chosen place of worship? You may want to study-up on internal combustion = The BURNING of fuel.

More Sabbath Day Ordinance's

Look what happened to the guy that picked up some sticks on the Sabbath Day

Num 15:
17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

18 (A) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them
(NOTE: Speak to the CHILDREN of ISRAEL!)

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:
(NOTE: Vs 18-25 are about ORDINANCES! That God gives to Moses, to give to the: CHILDREN of ISRAEL! For sin offerings & sacrifices)

26 (A) And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel
NOTE: Forgiveness will be given to all the congregation of the: CHILDREN of ISRAEL!
NOTE 2: A sojourner was a temporary resident/stranger/traveler who was required to follow all the laws of the land = Mosaic Law.)

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
(NOTE: The CHILDREN of ISRAEL found a man gathered sticks upon the sabbath day).

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
(NOTE: The CHILDREN of ISRAEL brought the stick gather to Moses)

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
(NOTE: They didn't know what to do with him)

35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
(NOTE: The LORD tells Moses, this man must be put to DEATH!)

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
(NOTE: So, the congregation stones him to DEATH!)

Question 2: Does your congregation stone Sabbath violators to DEATH? If not, why not?
As far as SDAs understand it, Sabbath is about resting from everyday and secular labor, and focusing on God. This is what God did when He finished His creation, and made some quality time to spend with His new children, Adam and Eve. However, when the Pharisees complained about how Jesus' disciples picked food on the Sabbath, and how Jesus healed on the Sabbath, Jesus was plain that acts of mercy (Matt. 12:12) and reasonable acts of necessity (Mark 2:23-28) are permitted on the Sabbath.

In the time of the Israelites, they were under a theocracy. The people also had just come out of Egypt and had a primitive view of spiritual matters, so God was very firm with them. After all the miracles they had seen Him do, it would be unthinkable for them to go against His express commands--yet some of them did. This could get into the argument about how our loving Heavenly Father could order executions, but the record of His mercy to the Israelites over their history helps clarify that God never wants to destroy us, but to save us (Ez. 33:11), and that everything He does is in the best interest of the universe as a whole.

Today we aren't under a theocracy, and Christians who steal and commit adultery are not put to death. Jesus also illustrated His justice mixed with mercy in the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8). Besides, it is the heart that God looks at, and many of us have already done evil in our hearts long before we did the act (Matt. 5:28).

As for the issue of kindling a fire--I believe that keeping the Sabbath is about principles. If I have the principle of doing no unecessary work on the Sabbath, then this includes house and yard work and a regular job (except for those directly keeping people safe, like nursing). However, while it would have been unecessary for the Israelites to kindle a fire in a warmer climate (and it would have been labor-intensive), in the northern climates a fire can be a necessary way of keeping warm. The same goes for cooking. My family does most of the cooking and food preparation on Friday, but we still warm up the prepared food on Sabbath. Pushing a button on a microwave is not difficult work, nor is starting a car.

It all comes down to this: is the task I'm doing going to help or hinder my connection with God, my worship of Him, or my keeping the Sabbath holy? God laid out guidelines throughout the Bible, but context has to be taken into consideration, and while Jesus never diminished the sanctity of the Sabbath, He pointed out the true spirit of it--it's about our relationship with God, not about all the little minutia of details that actually make the Sabbath more of a burden than a delight.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,558
17,027
113
69
Tennessee
I did read post #307 thanks.
It says that the SDA church is governed by a general conference.

That is completely different from a church that is governed by Jesus as the head.
No church on earth fits this description.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,558
17,027
113
69
Tennessee
That should be the least of your concerns. No doubt they are a denomination, hence a general conference.

But a few of theirs teachings are off kilter, particularly Christ's ministry in the heavenly Sanctuary and Sunday worship as being the Mark of the Beast.
Yes, they do teach those things. Regarding the Sunday worship only time will tell. To do this in the US the constitution would either have to be amended or totally discarded. Seems to me that most citizens of the US don't even go to church at all, Sunday or otherwise. I don't believe that the SDA is even remotely correct in regards to Sunday worship mandated by receiving the mark of the beast. Years ago, I attended an SDA seminar that was 8 weeks long, and met 3 times a week for 3 hours a meeting and most of it was related to this particular area of Revelation. Interesting seminar though. For the record I am a Catholic and not SDA but my wife is and I have attended many Sabbath day worship services and bible study.
 
Sep 25, 2018
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This should put it all to rest.

LISTEN PEOPLE. We cannot live under two covenants at the same time. God works in covenants.

Stop at once. Its only confusing people mixing covenants and making a mess of the bible. Take your pick: New Covenant, with no MANDATORY (its ok to keep the sabbath) feasts or sabbaths or circumcision. Keep the law of Christ, love your neighbor, and love God.
OR the mosaic covenant with circumcision feasts and sabbaths, but if you choose this one, dont be one of these hypocrites that only keep the sabbath half-way, bring the animal sacrifices in too, bring in the levite high-priest and congregating in Jerusalem, do it properly.

As for me and my house, we will pick the new covenant. Thank you very much. IVE BEEN DOWN THE JUDAIZER PATH BEFORE. It brings no peace NOR salvation. Take my word for it.
I think you're right that there is only one way of salvation, through God's covenant to put His law in our hearts: "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. " (Jer. 31:33).

My thought is, We can't have any part of God's law written on our hearts, except through Jesus. If we accept His righteousness in place of our own filthy rags, then we will desire to be a blessing to other people rather than hurting them (even though we fall short and have to repent sometimes). Also, we will want to honor God in all our ways. Our hearts will be changed to reflect the heart of Christ more and more "from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18). My only disagreement with the main-stream way of thinking about the law/covenants is that I believe that the Sabbath is part of honoring God and loving Him with all my heart. I don't see the Sabbath as exclusively for the Israelites, because God instituted it at Creation, and it is part of the Ten Commandments (along with the commands to have no other gods, and to not take God's name in vain). The Ten Commandments are part of God's character and the way His kingdom works, while the ceremonial laws were meant to point toward Jesus and His fulfillment of them. If keeping the Sabbath--and by that I mean the spirit of it, and not the plethora of Pharisaical regulations--is legalism, then so is being faithful to a spouse, or using God's name reverently. But I wouldn't do away with the details in the commandment, either. If I reason that it's all right to bow down to an engraved image of Jesus because I'm keeping the spirit of the 2nd commandment, I think I missed the mark somewhere. God knows what's best for our spirituality and mentality.

My point is that we can't keep any part of the law except through Jesus. If we're keeping the law--either the Ten Commandments, or any ceremonial or man-made regulations--in order to gain salvation, it will profit us nothing. The beauty of the new covenant is that we understand to a much greater degree how much we owe to Jesus our righteousness. "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. " (John 15:5). Our salvation isn't based on our keeping of the law, but if we love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves, then we will want to be as faithful to Him as possible. Faith and love lead to godly obedience and Christ-likeness, not toward human, carnal, selfish, or self-righteous ways.

Righteousness by faith is still a tough road to navigate, and I think we all have to go through our own experiences like Paul (Romans 6-8) and Martin Luther as we figure it out. I'm glad we can discuss it openly here, because it's a great topic to study into.
 
Sep 25, 2018
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I did read post #307 thanks.
It says that the SDA church is governed by a general conference.

That is completely different from a church that is governed by Jesus as the head.
I don't think it's wrong to have church organization--even the disciples delegated responsibilities in the early church (Acts 6), and during the dispute about circumcision in Acts 15, there was a large gathering of church leaders to make a decision on the issue: "And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. " (Acts 15:6)

I think the problem comes when we rely on a church, organization, pastor, or any human to make decisions for us regarding our consciences. We can't follow anyone else's opinions in regards to spiritual things; we have to study for ourselves what truth is, and no man-made institution has the right to dictate how we should relate to God.
 

FlyingDove

Senior Member
Dec 27, 2017
1,267
432
83
As far as SDAs understand it, Sabbath is about resting from everyday and secular labor, and focusing on God. This is what God did when He finished His creation, and made some quality time to spend with His new children, Adam and Eve. However, when the Pharisees complained about how Jesus' disciples picked food on the Sabbath, and how Jesus healed on the Sabbath, Jesus was plain that acts of mercy (Matt. 12:12) and reasonable acts of necessity (Mark 2:23-28) are permitted on the Sabbath.

In the time of the Israelites, they were under a theocracy. The people also had just come out of Egypt and had a primitive view of spiritual matters, so God was very firm with them. After all the miracles they had seen Him do, it would be unthinkable for them to go against His express commands--yet some of them did. This could get into the argument about how our loving Heavenly Father could order executions, but the record of His mercy to the Israelites over their history helps clarify that God never wants to destroy us, but to save us (Ez. 33:11), and that everything He does is in the best interest of the universe as a whole.

Today we aren't under a theocracy, and Christians who steal and commit adultery are not put to death. Jesus also illustrated His justice mixed with mercy in the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8). Besides, it is the heart that God looks at, and many of us have already done evil in our hearts long before we did the act (Matt. 5:28).

As for the issue of kindling a fire--I believe that keeping the Sabbath is about principles. If I have the principle of doing no unecessary work on the Sabbath, then this includes house and yard work and a regular job (except for those directly keeping people safe, like nursing). However, while it would have been unecessary for the Israelites to kindle a fire in a warmer climate (and it would have been labor-intensive), in the northern climates a fire can be a necessary way of keeping warm. The same goes for cooking. My family does most of the cooking and food preparation on Friday, but we still warm up the prepared food on Sabbath. Pushing a button on a microwave is not difficult work, nor is starting a car.

It all comes down to this: is the task I'm doing going to help or hinder my connection with God, my worship of Him, or my keeping the Sabbath holy? God laid out guidelines throughout the Bible, but context has to be taken into consideration, and while Jesus never diminished the sanctity of the Sabbath, He pointed out the true spirit of it--it's about our relationship with God, not about all the little minutia of details that actually make the Sabbath more of a burden than a delight.

If I understand your reply correctly, SDA'S don't keep the 4th commandment & it's God given ordinances as posted & written in scripture.

Here is a C&P from the SDA.org site:

The sites stated belief's differ from your reply. Here is a Copy & Paste from the SDA site:

Quote: "The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest"
(NOTE: The SDA sites stated belief say's God's UNCHANGEABLE LAW. Your reply change's the law. A DEATH sentence under Mosaic Law.

Here is another passage that disagrees with your reply:

Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
(NOTE: God gave Moses a Sabbath day commandment & a litany of ordinances to be followed as a perpetual covenant.)
 
Sep 25, 2018
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If I understand your reply correctly, SDA'S don't keep the 4th commandment & it's God given ordinances as posted & written in scripture.

Here is a C&P from the SDA.org site:

The sites stated belief's differ from your reply. Here is a Copy & Paste from the SDA site:

Quote: "The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest"
(NOTE: The SDA sites stated belief say's God's UNCHANGEABLE LAW. Your reply change's the law. A DEATH sentence under Mosaic Law.

Here is another passage that disagrees with your reply:

Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
(NOTE: God gave Moses a Sabbath day commandment & a litany of ordinances to be followed as a perpetual covenant.)
I think the disagreement comes from different views of what the unchangeable law is. SDAs believe that the "unchangeable law" is the Ten Commandments, which are a more detailed description of how we love God with all our hearts, and our neighbor as ourselves. These commandments have been a part of God's kingdom long before Mt. Sinai and Moses, as we can see when God blessed and sanctified the 7th day after Creation Week, and when He told Cain that it was wrong to kill Able. If there was no law, there would be no knowledge of sin, and no justification for judging the sinner (Rom. 2:12, 3:20).

The Mosaic laws of theocratic (referring to an exclusively God-governed society) rules and regulations were related to context, culture, and shadow-types of the coming Messiah. They were extra rules for keeping the Israelites on the right track, since they had lost sight of how to live like citizens of God's kingdom after years of sin and slavery. These rules were not the principles of God's everlasting kingdom, but just arrows pointing to them. Under a theocracy, defiant lawbreakers were put to death, even for stealing and coveting (as in the case of Achan in Joshua 7). However, Jesus showed a blend of both mercy and justice when He said to the woman caught in adultery, "Neither to I condemn you; go, and sin no more" (John 8:11).

Since we are no longer under a theocracy, we look at Jesus' example of displaying both truth and love, obedience and mercy. Hardly any Christians would decide to keep the Mosaic laws to stone people who committed adultery, but as followers of Christ, we can reflect His perfect righteousness by keeping the Ten Commandments out of love. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The Ten Commandments give us tangible ways of how to show love to God and mankind. The laws of Moses have changed, but God's eternal Ten Commandments have not. And I believe that we will still follow His commands in Heaven out of love for Him and one another--which can only be done through the blood of Christ, and His righteousness replacing our filthy rags of self-righteousness. Does that make sense?
 
Apr 9, 2022
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When John the Baptist saw Jesus for the first time...."Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29.
What did the prophet mean by those cryptic words? Why did he call Jesus a lamb, and how could He take away the sins of the world? To get the answers to those questions, we must leave the banks of the Jordan River and travel back hundreds of years in time to the banks of the Red Sea. If you study why the requirements for this temporary structure were so exacting, and why God command Moses to make it precisely after this pattern is important. The answer becomes self-evident as you understand the daily symbolic worship rites which were divinely ordained for every Israelite to carry out in that tabernacle.
Lambs were killed and sin offerings were given.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The priest then placed some of the blood on the horns of the altar in the outer court and ate a small piece of the meat, thus taking upon himself the sins of the individual worshippers. Afterward, the priest killed a sin offering for himself, and carried the blood into the holy place where it was sprinkled before the veil. Thus all sin, either directly or indirectly, eventually found its way into the sanctuary where it was recorded through the sprinkled blood.. Day by day, for an entire year, the sins accumulated in the sanctuary by the daily ministry of the priests in the holy place.

Then came the annual Day of Atonement when a final disposition was made of their record of sin in the sanctuary. It always fell on the tenth day of the seventh month and was called the "cleansing of the sanctuary." To this day, that solemn observance (Yom Kippur) is regarded by every Jew as a day of judgment. Symbolically a blotting out of the blood-recorded sins took place as the high priest, alone, entered the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood of a goat.
The high priest alone passed through the veil to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat and to cleanse all the record of sin from the sanctuary. When he emerged from the holy of holies, the final atonement had been completed and a symbolic judgment had been made concerning sin and its penalty.

Time does not permit us to examine the wealth of symbolisms in the desert tabernacle which illuminates almost every aspect of the great plan of salvation. Christ, the sacrificial Lamb, was foreshadowed in the bread, the incense, the lamps, the mercy seat. But most of all, He was represented by the high priest who carried the blood into the Shekinah presence of God. When you look at the book of Hebrews, all the earthly types had to be fulfilled by the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary. How and when Jesus entered that priestly work is the thrilling subject of Daniel's most impressive vision (Daniel 8 and 9).

The book of Hebrews assures us that all which was foreshadowed in the earthly sanctuary must be carried out in the heavenly sanctuary by the heavenly High Priest. "We have such an 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." Hebrews 8:1, 2.

Here is an important question: Did the prescribed services in the earthly sanctuary relate to the work Jesus would perform in the true temple in the heavens? Hebrews describes the Levite priests as those "who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God, when he was about to make the tabernacle: for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." Hebrews 8:5.

Here the inspired writer explains why God required Moses to carefully copy the pattern revealed in the mountain. The earthly was to serve as an "example and shadow" of the ministry of Christ before the Father. By observing the work of the priest in the two apartments here on earth, men would understand the special intercessory work of Christ after He ascended back to heaven. In Hebrews 9:1-10 we read in much detail how the daily service and the once-a-year cleansing service was conducted in the earthly sanctuary, which was an example and shadow of the heavenly. Here, after describing the solemn entry of the high priest into the most holy place on the Day of Atonement, Paul wrote: "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." Hebrews 9:8.

Clearly, this verse is saying that Christ's ministry in the true heavenly sanctuary would only begin after the earthly had fulfilled its typical role as an example and pattern. When He ascended, Jesus entered the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary as evidenced by John's description of Him walking among the candlesticks (Revelation 1:13). This fulfills the example of the holy place ministry on earth. When He entered into the heavenly holy place, He did not carry the blood of lambs or goats, "but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Hebrews 9:12.

But just as surely as He fulfilled the type of the daily ministry in the holy place, Christ also must fulfill the example of the most holy place mediation. Paul wrote: "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:25-28.
Do not overlook the connection of that word "judgment" with what Jesus does in the most holy place. He did not need to go in every year but only once "in the end of the world." His work of cleansing the heavenly sanctuary of the record of sin was absolutely necessary to fulfill the example and shadow of the earthly-type Day of Atonement. The biblical statement to this effect is unequivocal and undeniable. "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 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." Hebrews 9:22-24.

By understanding the day of atonement, you can understand what Jesus is doing in the most Holy place today.

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

i could have given many more texts and points but i tried to keep it short,,, sorry i failed.
You didn’t fail. That was very precise, well presented and very helpful. Thank you!
 

SirLOL

New member
Oct 15, 2018
1
0
1
I am very depressed. I've tried my entire life to do the right thing for the most part and I feel like it's been useless. The world is still an evil ugly place. And when I say depressed I mean to the point where it's bad enough where you can't understand. It's bad enough almost like a possession. I've been through a lot that most people wouldn't survive and nor do they care too. And this particular night at this particular time it seems to be really really bad. So bad that I can barely contain my own self control and that says a lot coming from me. I probably won't use this chat more than this. My eyes are failing and I need to speak to text. I don't really do Facebook so that's not really an option either. I'm trying to find a reason to want to live for the next day. Psychology has failed, counseling has failed authorities only make it worse because they lack understanding no matter how hard they try. They haven't been through what I've been through and most people that have either kill themselves or kill someone else and then kill themselves. I don't even have criminal record, I don't even have a driving record. I am tired and I wish I can just, sometimes, just turn my button off like as if I was a machine and rest. I do have a gamertag, and you can use the Xbox app to reach me if I ever remember to use it again, I really don't use my email and all the information connected to it it's pretty old and probably out of date. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. It would be nice to find a reason and motivation again. What I've lost so much and sometimes I just pray and wish that God would take me quickly. I'm a smart man and I have no answers and I've asked some of the best people about things and they do have no answers. And there's no Bible verse for any of this that I've gone through. Everything seems to fall ever so short. I am tired, and I pray that God would take me very quickly and mercifully before I lose myself. Amen gamertag is SirLOL.
 

lonelysummer

Active member
Nov 30, 2022
127
27
28
I have felt the same way at times in the past. I don't have an answer for you. I do have a question - not for you, but for people generally on this forum - why is it at times like this, God seems so far, so distant? So often when we need him, he seems far away. I wish it was all so simple as they try to tell you it is when you are a 'new born again'.
 
Nov 26, 2021
1,125
545
113
India
I think many Christians underestimate the importance of Holy Communion. It is Holy Communion that will renew your strength in the Lord from time to time. The Lord said: "the one who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me and I in him" and elsewhere "the one who abides in Me will bear much fruit". Personally, I don't care that much whether one has a communion service on Saturday on Sunday, I'm fine with going on either day.

Along with reading the Word, and Praise and Worship, receiving Communion is also important imo, along with the understanding God gives us Grace and strengthens us through His Son's Body and Blood. Sunday Worship, nor Sunday Communion, is the "Mark of the Beast", otherwise the disciples on the way to Emmaus also took the "Mark of the Beast", when Christ Himself broke bread for them on Resurrection Sunday (See Luk 24:1 and 13 - both were on the same Sunday).

See also: "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread." (Acts 20:7)

Was this the Mark of the Beast? Obviously not. That refers to something Anti-Christ will do in his 3.5 year reign. He will force people to worship him and take a Mark either in one's forehead or hand which one needs to buy and sell. Not Sunday Worship.
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,229
1,126
113
New Zealand
I am very depressed. I've tried my entire life to do the right thing for the most part and I feel like it's been useless. The world is still an evil ugly place. And when I say depressed I mean to the point where it's bad enough where you can't understand. It's bad enough almost like a possession. I've been through a lot that most people wouldn't survive and nor do they care too. And this particular night at this particular time it seems to be really really bad. So bad that I can barely contain my own self control and that says a lot coming from me. I probably won't use this chat more than this. My eyes are failing and I need to speak to text. I don't really do Facebook so that's not really an option either. I'm trying to find a reason to want to live for the next day. Psychology has failed, counseling has failed authorities only make it worse because they lack understanding no matter how hard they try. They haven't been through what I've been through and most people that have either kill themselves or kill someone else and then kill themselves. I don't even have criminal record, I don't even have a driving record. I am tired and I wish I can just, sometimes, just turn my button off like as if I was a machine and rest. I do have a gamertag, and you can use the Xbox app to reach me if I ever remember to use it again, I really don't use my email and all the information connected to it it's pretty old and probably out of date. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. It would be nice to find a reason and motivation again. What I've lost so much and sometimes I just pray and wish that God would take me quickly. I'm a smart man and I have no answers and I've asked some of the best people about things and they do have no answers. And there's no Bible verse for any of this that I've gone through. Everything seems to fall ever so short. I am tired, and I pray that God would take me very quickly and mercifully before I lose myself. Amen gamertag is SirLOL.
Thank you SirLOL for sharing. I've worked as a mental health support worker and have battled with anxiety and low mood in the past.

Counseling, mindfulness exercises, psychology theories... haven't had a lasting affect in giving deep peace.

They are usually not rooted deeply enough in Jesus Christ who is God the Saviour.

Usually it's all about self loving and not receiving God's love. God's love has to come first. Humbling ourselves to Him has to be first.

The pain though... if you lose a family or friend through death. I've had that.

If you lose a relationship.. I've had that.. my wife left me.

If you lose a job thru poor performance... I've had that.

If you lose good health and get a disability... I've had that.

If you get bullied or ignored at work or at church.. I've had that.

If you've been moved around alot living in different homes... I've had that.

If you've been persecuted for your faith.. I've had that.

Jesus has always... always picked me up again. Not by my efforts.. not by my strength.. but He always works a way thru it all for me.

I think most of the things I've put here many others will attest to also.

He will shine a light in your darkest places.. be there in your pain.. feeling it with you.
 

Ted01

Well-known member
May 14, 2022
1,055
447
83
I am very depressed. I've tried my entire life to do the right thing for the most part and I feel like it's been useless. The world is still an evil ugly place. And when I say depressed I mean to the point where it's bad enough where you can't understand. It's bad enough almost like a possession. I've been through a lot that most people wouldn't survive and nor do they care too. And this particular night at this particular time it seems to be really really bad. So bad that I can barely contain my own self control and that says a lot coming from me. I probably won't use this chat more than this. My eyes are failing and I need to speak to text. I don't really do Facebook so that's not really an option either. I'm trying to find a reason to want to live for the next day. Psychology has failed, counseling has failed authorities only make it worse because they lack understanding no matter how hard they try. They haven't been through what I've been through and most people that have either kill themselves or kill someone else and then kill themselves. I don't even have criminal record, I don't even have a driving record. I am tired and I wish I can just, sometimes, just turn my button off like as if I was a machine and rest. I do have a gamertag, and you can use the Xbox app to reach me if I ever remember to use it again, I really don't use my email and all the information connected to it it's pretty old and probably out of date. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. It would be nice to find a reason and motivation again. What I've lost so much and sometimes I just pray and wish that God would take me quickly. I'm a smart man and I have no answers and I've asked some of the best people about things and they do have no answers. And there's no Bible verse for any of this that I've gone through. Everything seems to fall ever so short. I am tired, and I pray that God would take me very quickly and mercifully before I lose myself. Amen gamertag is SirLOL.
Welcome and thanks for joining in.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
 
Dec 16, 2022
192
13
18
I am very depressed. I've tried my entire life to do the right thing for the most part and I feel like it's been useless. The world is still an evil ugly place. And when I say depressed I mean to the point where it's bad enough where you can't understand. It's bad enough almost like a possession. I've been through a lot that most people wouldn't survive and nor do they care too. And this particular night at this particular time it seems to be really really bad. So bad that I can barely contain my own self control and that says a lot coming from me. I probably won't use this chat more than this. My eyes are failing and I need to speak to text. I don't really do Facebook so that's not really an option either. I'm trying to find a reason to want to live for the next day. Psychology has failed, counseling has failed authorities only make it worse because they lack understanding no matter how hard they try. They haven't been through what I've been through and most people that have either kill themselves or kill someone else and then kill themselves. I don't even have criminal record, I don't even have a driving record. I am tired and I wish I can just, sometimes, just turn my button off like as if I was a machine and rest. I do have a gamertag, and you can use the Xbox app to reach me if I ever remember to use it again, I really don't use my email and all the information connected to it it's pretty old and probably out of date. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. It would be nice to find a reason and motivation again. What I've lost so much and sometimes I just pray and wish that God would take me quickly. I'm a smart man and I have no answers and I've asked some of the best people about things and they do have no answers. And there's no Bible verse for any of this that I've gone through. Everything seems to fall ever so short. I am tired, and I pray that God would take me very quickly and mercifully before I lose myself. Amen gamertag is SirLOL.
This place is a Test to see if you can choose His Will over your own. GOD isn't going to help you if your goal is to make your fallen life better. We are here to work for CHRIST, bringing other people into The Faith. Playing video games is not working for GOD. i've poured thousands of dollars into video games ...i don't play any of them anymore. i see these people talk about depression ...the Reborn don't go through that ...i was on paxil for over 10 years ...not anymore. i was a dead spirit back then only caring about myself. if you do a sin that you know is a sin ...you have let a fallen angel inside you ...i did. you have to stop giving your flesh worldly desires ...you have to fast ...and pray. Tell GOD you want to stop all forms of sin and do things His Way for now on.