Sabbath Afternoon - January 29
Memory Text:
“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” KJV — Hebrews 7:26
“Christ as the great high priest, making a perfect atonement for sin, stands alone in divine majesty and glory. Other high priests were only types, and when he appeared, the need of their services vanished. ‘But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.’” RH March 17, 1903, par. 3
Sunday - January 30
A Priest on Behalf of Human Beings
Hebrews 5:1-10
What assurance does Christ’s appointment as High Priest give us?
“‘In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.’ RH May 4, 1911, par. 1
“Jesus Christ alone is qualified to act as our High Priest and Saviour, because, however difficult it may be to understand, he only has passed through such experiences of test and trial as enable him to know how to meet the needs of every tempted soul.” RH May 4, 1911, par. 2
“Christ glorified not Himself in being made High Priest. God gave Him His appointment to the priesthood. He was to be an example to all the human family. He qualified himself to be, not only the representative of the race, but their Advocate, so that every soul if he will may say, I have a friend at court. He is a High Priest that can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.” 12LtMs, Ms 101, 1897, par. 20
“Christ Appointed to the Priesthood—Christ glorified not Himself in being made High Priest. God gave Him His appointment to the priesthood. He was to be an example to all the human family. He qualified Himself to be, not only the representative of the race, but their Advocate, so that every soul if he will may say, I have a Friend at court. He is a High Priest that can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities (Manuscript 101, 1897).” 7BC 930.7
“Those who belong to “this generation,” which “shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled,” must meet an issue which involves strong temptations. But we may be assured that our perfect Saviour and Pattern has met and triumphed over similar temptations.” RH May 4, 1911, par. 3
Monday - January 31
According to the Order of Melchizedek
Genesis 14:18-20
Who was Melchizedek?
“God has never left Himself without witness on the earth. At one time Melchizedek represented the Lord Jesus Christ in person to reveal the truth of heaven and perpetuate the law of God. Jethro was singled out from the darkness of the Gentile world to reveal the principles of heaven. God has ever had appointed agencies and has ever given abundant evidences that these agencies were heaven appointed and heaven sent.” 20LtMs, Lt 190, 1905, par. 2
Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, Who has neither beginning nor end of days, typifies Christ our High Priest and His eternal work, and that Aaron, a high priest in the Jewish dispensation, typifies Christ our High Priest and His temporary priestly work.
Tuesday - February 1
An Effective Priest
Hebrews 7:11-16
How effective is Christ work as Priest?
“Christ is spoken of as walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks. Thus is symbolized His relation to the churches. He is in constant communication with His people. He knows their true state. He observes their order, their piety, their devotion. Although He is high priest and mediator in the sanctuary above, yet He is represented as walking up and down in the midst of His churches on the earth. With untiring wakefulness and unremitting vigilance, He watches to see whether the light of any of His sentinels is burning dim or going out. If the candlesticks were left to mere human care, the flickering flame would languish and die; but He is the true watchman in the Lord's house, the true warden of the temple courts. His continued care and sustaining grace are the source of life and light. AA 586.1
“Christ is represented as holding the seven stars in His right hand. This assures us that no church faithful to its trust need fear coming to nought, for not a star that has the protection of Omnipotence can be plucked out of the hand of Christ.” AA 586.2
Wednesday - February 2
An Eternal Priest
Hebrews 7:16, 22
What is understood by Christ being an eternal Priest?
The sacrificial service that had pointed to Christ passed away; but the eyes of men were turned to the true sacrifice for the sins of the world. The earthly priesthood ceased; but we look to Jesus, the minister of the new covenant, and “to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” “The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: ... but Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, ... by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 12:24; 9:8-12. DA 166.1
Thursday - February 3
A Sinless Priest
Hebrews 7:26
What made Christ a sinless Priest?
“These words faithfully described the corrupt and self-righteous inhabitants of Jerusalem. While claiming to rigidly observe the precepts of God's law, they were transgressing all its principles. They hated Christ because his purity and holiness revealed their iniquity; and they accused him of being the cause of all the troubles which had come upon them in consequence of their sins. Though they knew him to be sinless, they had declared that his death was necessary to their safety as a nation. “If we let him thus alone,” said the Jewish leaders, “all men will believe on him; and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.” [John 11:48.] If Christ were sacrificed, they might once more become a strong, united people. Thus they reasoned, and they concurred in the decision of their high priest, that it would be better for one man to die than for the whole nation to perish.” GC88 27.2
Friday - February 4
Further Study
In erecting the second temple, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied and strengthened the hands of the people by the Word of God. The writings of both prophets bear evidence in every line, that the perfect fulfillment of their prophecy is to be realized in the last days of this world’s history. As they have interwoven these predictions with the construction of the second temple, it is obvious that the literal model of the stately edifice has a spiritual meaning for the church in the closing work of the gospel. Zechariah, looking forward to the time of the spiritual temple (the last section of the church) and its construction, says: “Behold the man whose name is the branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.” (Zech. 6:12, 13, 15.)
“He shall bear the glory.” To Christ belongs the glory of redemption for the fallen race. “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.… to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” (Rev. 1:5, 6.) He “shall sit and rule upon His throne, and He shall be a Priest upon His throne.” (Zech. 6:13.) “Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth.” (Rev. 1:5.) “He shall be a Priest upon His throne.” It is obvious that the time predicted is some time after the crucifixion and before probation has closed; for He is “a priest.” Christ, “the branch,” “shall grow up out of His place”; that is, He was to spring up from the Jewish nation, “and He shall build the temple of the Lord.” Therefore, the temple that “He shall build” could not have been the literal temple in ancient Jerusalem, for it was a temple that He is to build after His birth. “And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord.” As this was untrue with the literal temple, the words must apply to the anti-typical one. At that time the prophet says: “And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people.” (Zech. 2:11.) “In that day;” that is, in the time of the “Loud Cry,” a great multitude shall be converted to the church. In Zechariah 13:8, it is stated that one-third of the inhabitants will “come,” and they are the ones who shall “build in the temple of the Lord,” of which the literal one was a type.