the coming of Christ might not rather mark the beginning of this period which was immediately to precede His coming . Having given the warning of the judgment near , they felt that their work for the world was done , and they lost their burden of soul for the salvation of sinners , while the bold and blasphemous scoffing of the ungodly seemed to them another evidence that the Spirit of God had been withdrawn from the rejecters of His mercy . All this confirmed them in the belief that probation had ended , or , as they then expressed it , " the door of mercy was shut ."
But clearer light came with the investigation of the sanctuary question . They now saw that they were correct in believing that the end of the 2300 days in 1844 marked an important crisis . But while it was true that that door of hope and mercy by which men had for eighteen hundred years found access to God , was closed , another door was opened , and forgiveness of sins was offered to men through the intercession of Christ in the most holy . One part of His ministration had closed , only to give place to another . There was still an " open door " to the heavenly sanctuary , where Christ was ministering in the sinner ' s behalf . Now was seen the application of those words of Christ in the Revelation , addressed to the church at this very time : " These things saith He that is holy , He that is true , He that hath the key of David , He that openeth , and no man shutteth ; and shutteth , and no man openeth ; I know thy works : behold , I have set before thee an open door , and no man can shut it ." Revelation 3:7 , 8 .
It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the atonement who receive the benefits of His mediation in their behalf , while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of ministration are not benefited thereby . The Jews who rejected the light given at Christ ' s first advent , and refused to believe on Him as the Saviour of the world , could not receive pardon through Him . When Jesus at His ascension entered by His own blood into the heavenly sanctuary to shed upon His disciples the blessings of His mediation , the Jews were left in total darkness to continue their useless sacrifices and offerings . The ministration of types and shadows had ceased . That door by which men had formerly found access to God was no longer open . The Jews had refused to seek Him in the only way whereby He could then be found , through the ministration in the sanctuary in heaven . Therefore they found no communion with God . To them the door was shut . They had no knowledge of Christ as the true sacrifice and the only mediator before God ; hence they could not receive the benefits of His mediation .
The condition of the unbelieving Jews illustrates the condition of the careless and unbelieving among professed Christians , who are willingly ignorant of the work of our merciful High Priest . 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 .
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