The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 344
The European Union in Prophecy
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.
Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them.
A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah's day, and their salvation
depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected
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