Article 18
'Let them make me
a sanctuary that I may dwell among them", Exodus 25:8.
Under Moses' supervision, a portable tabernacle was built in the wilderness.
The articles of furniture and the services connected with it, all pointed
to Jesus.
An example would be
the table of showbread and the golden candlestick. He is the Bread of
life and the Light of the world. Christ is both the Sacrifice and the
Priest who administers the Sacrifice.
Instructions were
given for individuals to bring a certain type of offering when they sinned.
However, every morning and every evening a lamb was offered for the people.
The smoke of these burnt offerings could be seen from every section of
the camp. Each Hebrew knew that a sacrifice had been made for him.
These lambs were to
be offered "... day by day continually..." to be "... a
continual burnt offering...," a DAILY SACRIFICE, Exodus 29:38, 42.
The DAILY SACRIFICE
was FOR the people. While on their way to Mt. Moriah, Isaac asked his
father Abraham, "... where is the lamb for a burnt offering?".
The answer was, " ... God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt
offering...", Genesis 22:7, 8.
Yes, God provided
His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. The very essence of
the gospel is found in figure, in shadow, in type in the DAILY SACRIFICE.
In this way, the gospel was preached unto them, the children of Israel,
Hebrews 4:2.
Unfortunately, the
little horn power (anti-Christ) would take away the DAILY SACRIFICE, Daniel
8: 11, 12. In other words, the evil one of Daniel 8 would take away the
gospel.
... and by him the
daily sacrifice was taken away...', verse 11.
Not only was the gospel
to be taken away, but "... and (they) shall take away the daily sacrifice,
and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate', Daniel 11:31.
'And from the time
that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up...", Daniel 12:11. The true gospel is taken
away. A false gospel is put in its place.
Jesus himself said,
'When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of
by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (Jerusalem), whoso readeth,
let him understand," that the end is near, Matthew 24:15.
In Luke 21, He says,
'When you shall see Jerusalem (the holy place, the church) compassed with
armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh', verse 20.
Just as the Roman
armies at Jerusalem were a sign of its soon fall, when we see the Roman
gospel in the church (the holy place) know that the end is near.
The abomination of
desolation is the Roman gospel.
The false Roman gospel
makes man acceptable to God (Justified) because of man's decision for
Christ, because of man's new nature, and because of man's personal Christian
experience.
The true gospel makes
man acceptable to God (Justified) because of Christ's decision for man,
"not my will but thine be done", because of Christ's human nature,
and because of Jesus' experience of a perfect life and atoning death.
We became sinners
because of what Adam did. We become righteous because of what Jesus did,
an experience completely outside of us. It is because of what God has
done FOR US that we are justified, and not because of what is done IN
US.
Our focus should always
be on God and His work of grace in Jesus Christ.
The preaching and
teaching in the church today which has its main focus on man and what
is taking place in him, tells us that the Abomination of Desolation is
standing in the Holy Place.