Discourse 2: THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL

 Compiled by Solomon Tweneboah

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).

Before his fall, the form of Lucifer was perfect. “You were the anointed cherub that covers, and I had put you in the holy height of God where you were; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:14,15). Lucifer, “son of the morning,” was first of the covering cherubs (angels) in Heaven, holy and undefiled (Isaiah 14:12; Ezekiel 28:16). He stood in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him. The Lord Himself gave to Lucifer his glory and wisdom, and made him a covering cherub, good, noble, and exceedingly lovely (The Signs of the Times, July 23, 1902).

Over Ambitious Desire of Lucifer

Satan was a beautiful, exalted angel, and would have remained so forever had he not withdrawn his allegiance from God. So why did Lucifer withdraw his allegiance from God, his Creator? The Bible says, “You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:15). There was a time when Lucifer was filled with love and joy in serving his Creator, until he began to think that his wisdom was not derived from God, but was inherent in himself, and that he was as worthy as God to receive honour and power. Little by little, Lucifer began to seek his own honour, and to employ his powers to attract attention and win praise to himself. He also gradually led the angels over whom he ruled to do him service, instead of devoting all their powers to the service of their Creator (The Spirit of Prophecy 4:317). Little by little, Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation. Though all his glory was from God, this mighty angel came to regard it as pertaining to himself. So Lucifer devised a plan in his heart and started to work it out. He did not reveal his secret and real intentions to anyone; he planned in his heart. Lucifer was unwilling to remain a covering cherub; he wanted to be as worthy as God to receive honour and power.

“How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart, I will go up to the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will go up above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:12-14). Lucifer’s plan to exalt his throne above the stars of God and sit on the mount of the congregation was a serious one. It was actually an ambition to take the position that was only reserved for the Creator (Psalm 74:2). He said, “I will be like the Most High.” The Most High is the Creator of the universe and there is only One Creator. How did he want to be like the Most High while he had no power to create? He was over-ambitious and egoistic, and that extreme want of unwarranted power (pride) led him to wage war.

Sin originated from Lucifer; his sinful desire led him on until his purpose resulted in an active revolt against The Creator. “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).

Was there not any possible way through which God could have prevented the rebellion of Lucifer? To God all things are possible (Matthew 19:16), therefore, there could be a way. And one way I can think of is – God should have created Lucifer and all other living beings as automated, robotic, programmed beings. In that circumstance, Lucifer wouldn’t have rebelled and humankind also wouldn’t have sinned. However, in 1John 4:8 the Bible says, “The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love”. How could God be love if created beings pay Him homage because they are automated? How could God be love if His subjects serve Him because they have no choice? Indeed, love gives freedom of choice and, above all, love gives guidance and caution against making a wrong choice. God created angels and man for friendship; so how can love and cordial relationship exist between God and His subjects and among the subjects if they are automated? God is love, therefore, He created every angel and man with an innate willpower; the willingness to love God and do His will or the choice to do otherwise.

Why did Satan direct his attack on the human race after his fall? Well, the war which Satan started in Heaven did not end when he was cast out of Heaven, and Satan still flatters himself he will eventually win. Following his defeat and expulsion, Satan determined to wage war against humankind since man was most dearly loved by God. And he did that by portraying that God is a wicked and a tyrant God. He succeeded in deceiving, defeating and capturing Adam and Eve. He took from them the dominion God gave them over this earth, making mankind his subjects; and having taken over this earth, Satan gained grounds to establish himself and his kingdom – the kingdom which he intended to establish in Heaven. With this kingdom it was Satan’s purpose to oppose the Kingdom of God. Therefore, whatever God commands, Satan overturns it and makes it appear unreasonable to man to follow. But this situation did not take God unawares; God knew sin would exist even before the world begun and he made a wonderful provision to redeem humanity, the seduced (Isaiah 46:9,10).

In the garden of Eden when God spoke these words to Satan, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15), Satan realized that his head was going to be bruised (crushed), and that he was going to die. And when he knew of the time he would die, it made him so much angry because he also got to know that he has but a short time (Revelation 12:12).

How did Satan know of the time his head would be crushed? Since the Bible was written, Satan seriously studied the book with much diligence noting every principle enshrined in it. When Satan went to Jesus in the wilderness, Satan quoted the Bible to back his argument; “and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He shall give His angels charge over you, and, in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone" (Matthew 4:6; Psalm 91:11,12). Satan quoted the scripture exactly as it is written. When God's written word was given through the Hebrew prophets, Satan studied it with diligence the messages concerning the Messiah. Carefully he traced the words that outlined with unmistakable clearness Christ's work among men as a suffering sacrifice and as a conquering king. The prophecies caused Satan to fear and tremble; yet he relinquished not his purpose to thwart, if possible, the merciful provisions of Jehovah for the redemption of the lost race. He determined to blind the eyes of the people, so far as might be possible, to the real significance of the Messianic prophecies, in order to prepare the way for the rejection of Christ at His coming (Prophets and Kings, 686.1).

Satan studies the scriptures and he well understands all its precepts, but he will not obey any command in it. When God gives a command on how to live, eat, dress, talk, worship, relate to others, etc. he won’t do it. Therefore, it is not enough to know whatever the scriptures say; it is not enough for Christians to study and know every Bible verse without doing what it says. Jesus says, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). “If you do ...” is a conditional statement. God gives everyone his free-will and does not force anyone to do His commandments; God is Love.

From the scriptures, Satan saw the sacrificial offerings which had been ordained by God to represent Christ as dying for the human race; and he tried in every possible way to so pervert them that the people would lose sight of their true meaning and significance. In the old covenant, God commanded His people to make a sanctuary for Him so that He would dwell among them (Exodus 25:8,9). God wanted the sanctuary and all its instruments to be made in a special way, so He showed a temple to Moses and commanded him to make the sanctuary according to the pattern he had seen. In the last book of the Bible, John saw the temple of God in Heaven, “Then the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple…” (Revelation 11:19). This temple shown to Moses is the temple in Heaven which was also shown to John. The sanctuary which Moses and the children of Israel made on earth (earthly sanctuary) was just a specimen, type or shadow of the real Heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:5). God used the earthly sanctuary to teach His people very great and important lessons from which Satan also learnt to know of the time his head was going to be crushed.

The Psalmist says, “Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God?” (Psalm 77:13). The sanctuary in heaven is the very centre of Christ's work on behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth. It opens to view the plan of redemption, bringing us down to the very close of time and revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and sin. When we go into the sanctuary of God then we will understand His wonderful provisions for us as well as the end of Satan (Psalm 73:17).

In Hebrews 9:1-5, the Apostle describes the earthly sanctuary as follows, “Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubims of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail” (Exodus 25:23,30-31; 26:1,35; 40:4; Le 24:5-6; 26:31,33; 40:3,21; 25:18,22; Leviticus 16:2; 1Kings 8:6-7).

The size of the earthly sanctuary was 150 feet (45m) by 75 feet (23m) and fenced around on all four sides, with only one entrance at the eastern side. The sanctuary building had two apartments (rooms) – the first parts called the Holy Place (tabernacle of congregation/meeting) and the second part called the Most Holy Place (Holiest of All). The entrance of the holy place had a veil (first veil), and the two apartments were separated by another veil (second veil). Outside the holy place was a courtyard called the outer court (forecourt). In the outer court were the altar of sacrifice and the laver.

   

Inside the holy place, there were three different furniture – the seven candlesticks at the centre left, the table of showbread at the centre right, and the altar of incense just in front of the second veil. Behind the second veil was the most holy place where the ark of the covenant or ark of the testimony was kept.

The sanctuary had only one entrance; only one way in or out. So also Christ is the only way, the only truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). The sanctuary and its services were shadows pointing to Christ’s work as the Lamb of God and as the High Priest. Talking about Jesus, Peter said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).

Daily sacrifices

“Now the LORD called to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of the livestock – of the herd and of the flock. If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD. Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. He shall kill the bull before the LORD; and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting’” (Leviticus 1:1-5).

For the forgiveness of sins, the children of Israel were commanded to sacrifice animals without blemish at their own free will. Only sacrifices offered from a willing heart was accepted by God, and God accepts us only when we willingly choose to come to Him. Every sin-offering was to be without blemish, typifying the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God; “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:19). Anytime a sinner went to the sanctuary with his sin offering and entered through the way, he would first come to the altar of burnt sacrifice. Then the sinner shall put his hand on the head of the animal, confess his sins upon the animal and then kill it before the LORD. The sinner, by putting his hand on the head of the animal and confessing his sins over it typified the transfer of the sinner’s sins to the innocent animal. The Bible says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). Therefore, the animal was killed and the blood was taken instead of the sinner’s to make atonement for him in ‘shadow’. The priests, Aaron's sons, collected the blood of the killed animal, and sprinkled it all around on the altar of burnt sacrifice. Then the body of the animal was cut and burnt on the altar.

In reality, Jesus – the Lamb of God shed His blood on the cross to make atonement (at-one-ment) for us. The continual killing of animals should have reminded Israel of the coming Messiah and prepared their minds for the redeemer, but Satan blinded the eyes of the people to the real significance of the Messianic prophecies, in order to prepare the way for the rejection of Christ at His coming. Hebrews 12:24 says, “to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” Presently, it is not the sons of Aaron, and not the blood of animals, but Jesus – the Mediator of the new covenant and His own precious blood that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Today, we need to go to God through Jesus with a contrite heart. We have to confess all our sins to Jesus and sacrifice every aspect of our life on the altar through faith in Christ. He will forgive and reconcile us to the Father. It does not matter how many sins we have committed or how deep we have sunk in iniquity, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9). He will cleanse us and take us out of all unrighteousness.

The blood of the animal was sprinkled on the four horns of the altar and also poured around the base of the altar. On other occasions, the blood was taken into the holy place and sprinkled on the second veil inside the sanctuary (Leviticus 4:6). In both situations, the sins committed by the sinner was transferred to the animal, and then transferred from the animal to the sanctuary. The Apostle says in Hebrews 10:20 that the veil is the flesh of Jesus; therefore, when we confess our sins and sacrifice them on the altar, they are transferred from us to Jesus and He takes the sins away. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

 

In the outer court, before the priests could go into the holy place, they had to wash their hands and feet with the clean water in the laver. The laver was located between the altar of burnt sacrifice and the door of the holy place. This washing typified cleansing the soul from sin in the blood of Jesus. Note that we, ourselves, cannot clean our soul from sin, it is the work of Christ – The High Priest; “… To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5). We need a renewal of mind and baptism in which Christ will wash us with His own blood and also give us His Holy Spirit.   

At the centre right of the holy place was the table of showbread. Always, there were twelve loaves of unleavened bread on the table and the showbread was to be eaten by the High priest and his sons in the holy place. The bread provided sustenance for the priests in ‘shadow’, but in reality, Jesus is the bread of life; the real food for the soul (John 6:33,35,48,51). By studying the Word of God and applying it in our lives, we eat the body of Christ – the bread of life.

 

At the centre left of the holy place was the lampstand with seven candlesticks. The lampstand was filled with oil, and the lit candles provided light in the sanctuary at all time. In reality, Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5) and we will never walk in darkness if we follow His lead. Also, if we allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we can reflect the light of Jesus to the world.

Just in front of the second veil, inside the holy place, was the altar of incense on which incense was offered to God every morning and evening by the priests. In reality, the aroma of the incense represents the prayer of the saints (Revelation 5:8). Each day in our lives must begin and end with prayer, for “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Prayer is a beautiful experience that draws the Christian into the very presence of God. Every sincere prayer is heard in Heaven; it ascends to the sanctuary above where Jesus ministers and He presents it to the Father.

Day by day, several tens, hundreds or thousands came to the sanctuary to confess their sins and offer sacrifices. On daily basis the priests worked in the outer court and in the holy place on behalf of the people and sins of all sorts were transferred to the sanctuary which represented Christ (Hebrews 9:6). But the sins did not remain on the sanctuary forever, there was a day on which all the sins were cleansed and removed from the sanctuary.

The Holiest of All (Most Holy place)

Behind the second veil, inside the most holy place (Holiest of All), was only one furniture – the ark of the covenant or the ark of the testimony. The ark was a golden box that contained the holy law of God written with God’s own finger on two tables of stone. This holy law was often referred to as the testimony or the covenant (the ten commandments). While the ten commandments, a pot of manna and Aaron’s rod that budded were inside the ark, other ceremonial laws written by Moses were placed on the side of the ark.

The ark was covered by a lid called the mercy seat. On top of the mercy seat were two angels of glory (cherubims), one at each ends, with their wings stretched forward to touch each other thereby overshadowing the mercy seat. The heads of the angels were bent down, and they were looking reverently towards the mercy seat. In between the two angels was the Shekinah glory (a supernatural bright light), the visible manifestation of the presence of God.  "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Indeed, God gave them a manifestation that He was dwelling with them (Exodus 25:16-22).

The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)

The worship on day of atonement occurred once in a year – on the 10^th day of the 7^th month. This special service was so sacred to the Jews (even until today) because it was intended to foreshadow the final day of judgement, therefore, all the people of Israel got up early in the morning. The day of atonement was the day on which the sanctuary was cleansed of all the accumulated records of sins transferred to it throughout the year. No other priest but the high priest performed all the sanctuary services on this day. “But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance;” (Hebrews 9:7). On this day the high priest wears his holy garments as ordained by God, and as he begins the service, he receives from the congregation of Israel two goats for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, and a bullock, which he presents before the Lord. Then the high priest shall cast lots on the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat (Azazel).

The high priest will then kill the bullock, and with it he makes atonement for himself and his household. In doing this, he ministers the blood of the bullock by sprinkling it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and then before the mercy seat he sprinkles the blood with his finger seven times. After making atonement for himself and his house, he takes the goat upon which the lot fell for the Lord, kills it and offers it as a sin offering on behalf of the people of Israel. He enters the most holy place again and sprinkles the blood of the goat with his finger, in the same manner as he had sprinkled the blood of the bullock, upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat seven times. In this also, he makes atonement for the most holy place, the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar; cleansing all the sanctuary from all sin.

The Duty of the Congregation

While this work of intercession is ongoing inside the sanctuary by the high priest, all the congregation of Israel had a solemn duty to perform on that day. “And it shall be a statute forever to you: in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, the native and the alien who is staying among you” (Leviticus 16:29). All Israel needed to abstain from work on the day of atonement and afflict (humble) their souls before the Lord throughout the day. Afflicting the soul is a voluntary self-denial the people went through on the day of atonement. Their diet, clothing, conversation, thoughts, attitude, etc. all changed on the day of atonement. Their relationship with God had to be perfect else they would suffer the consequence. “For whoever is not afflicted on this same day shall be cut off from his people” (Leviticus 23:29).

The old covenant had an earthly sanctuary and priesthood; the new covenant has a heavenly sanctuary and now Christ, our High Priest, is standing before the mercy seat inside the Holiest of All (Most Holy place) in Heaven, we also must afflict our souls; we must humble ourselves before God and give Him all our sins – for Him to take the sins away and cleanse our souls and make us perfect – after His own image and likeness. We should not waste any more time; we should submit our lives to Him “while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

Ending the Day of Atonement – Satan’s doom

And when the high priest has made an end of atoning for the most holy place, the holy place, and the altar, he shall present the live goat; and he shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man. The goat shall bear all the iniquities upon itself to a solitary land; and he shall let the goat go into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:20-22). Two great lessons are taught from this symbolism. First, this is exactly the point which made Satan fear and tremble. From this he got to know that when the day of atonement comes to an end, and the High Priest finishes His work of atonement, and comes out of the sanctuary, and all the iniquities, transgressions and sins cleansed and removed from the people and the sanctuary is put upon the head of the scapegoat. 

 

Satan understood clearly that the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord typified Christ whose blood was split to atone for man’s sin. His blood alone washes the sinner, cleanses him and gives him eternal life. He, Satan, also understood that the scapegoat who bears all the iniquities, transgressions and sins at end typified himself. And that all repentant sinners who readily give their iniquities, transgressions and sins to Jesus while He intercedes before the mercy seat above, will be cleansed and strengthen by Him, and eventually, He will put all the cleaned sins, transgressions and iniquities upon Satan’s head and this burden of sin will crush Satan’s head; just as Christ’s life was crushed to death on the cross because of sin. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

We must note that what actually killed Jesus on the cross was the burden of sin. When the Jews came to Golgotha to break the legs of the hanged people because of the approaching Sabbath, the two other people who were crucified with Jesus were still alive but Jesus was already dead (Matthew 19:31-33). His life was crushed out of Him because he carried the sin of the world in His body. This same sin which Jesus will cleanse from the sinner and the sanctuary will be put on Satan’s head and his head will be crushed. This is why Satan walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5:8). He employs every strategy with all sophistry that the people of God will keep on sinning; in that way he may save his head.

Satan is well aware that if you give your sins to Jesus and I give my sins to Him as well, he, Satan, will eventually carry all those sins on his head, therefore, he tempts us in all ways to continue in our sinful ways until we die sinners. But Jesus admonishes us, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Indeed, we can overcome Satan and sin through Christ who makes us righteous, if we let Him into our heart with prayer and self-denial. If we do not give Jesus our iniquities, sins and transgressions, then we will be cut off from the people of God and we will carry our own sins into destruction.

The second lesson is that, at the end of the day of atonement, the high priest confesses all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the scapegoat. So, at the end of the day of atonement all the people of Israel “had less of sin” – sinless; because all the sins, iniquities and transgressions were transferred to the scapegoat, and all those who did not afflict their souls (repent) were cut off. So year by year, God taught His people how he was going to make them sinless and perfect in the new covenant. Yes, before Jesus leaves the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary and comes back to earth to take His waiting, faithful ones to the place He is preparing for them, He will cleanse them of all sins, iniquities and transgressions.

“In the typical service the high priest, having made the atonement for Israel, came forth and blessed the congregation. So Christ, at the close of His work as a mediator, will appear, "without sin unto salvation," (Hebrews 9:28) to bless His waiting people with eternal life. As the priest, in removing the sins from the sanctuary, confessed them upon the head of the scapegoat, so Christ will put all these sins upon Satan, the originator and instigator of sin. The scapegoat, bearing the sins of Israel, was sent away into a land not inhabited; so Satan, bearing the guilt of all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit, will be for a thousand years confined to the earth, which will then be desolate, without inhabitant, and he will at last suffer the full penalty of sin, in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked (Revelation 20:1-3). Thus the great plan of redemption will reach its accomplishment in the final eradication of sin, and the deliverance of all who have been willing to renounce evil” (GC88 485.3).

This is the description of the mystery of iniquity which Satan set to pursue according to the Psalmist, “Behold, he labours in pain with iniquity, and he has conceived mischief, and has brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate” (Psalm 7:14-16).

Jesus invites you to be a partaker of His eternal kingdom. He has done all that is necessary for your salvation. He invites you to alert your family and friends to join this eternal kingdom. Invite your family and friends to share this everlasting gospel; print and share hard copies with those who have no access to the internet. Let this gospel reach everyone you know and care about. “For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the people of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall reveal her blood, and shall no more cover her dead”. “In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea” (Isaiah 26:21; 27:1).

Let us renew the faith in Jesus; believe only God’s Word, and continue praying for indwelling of The Holy Spirit. 

The LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His face to you and give you peace.

Shalom.