Sabbath School - Meat In Due Season Advanced Commentary - SS25-Q3-L10

Sabbath School - Meat In Due Season Advanced Commentary

SS25-Q3-L10-The Covenant and the Blueprint

August 30-September 5, 2025

Sabbath Afternoon–August 30, 2025

Scripture Reading for the Week:

Exod. 24:1-18; 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Lev. 10:1-2; Ezek. 36:26-28; Exod. 25:1-9; Exod. 31:1-18

Thought for Meditation

"Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses." "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." Isaiah 43:10-12; 42:6, 7. {AA 10.1}

"In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.

Memory Verse

"So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has said we will do’" {Exodus 24:3}

🔎 Purpose of the Lesson

The purpose of this week’s study is to understand God’s everlasting covenant as revealed in the experience of Israel at Sinai, and to discern its prophetic significance for His church today. The covenant is not merely a legal agreement, but a blueprint of redemption and divine order—a pattern of God’s dwelling among His people, their calling to obedience, and their role as witnesses to the nations.

From Exodus 24 and 25, we see that God ratified the covenant with blood, symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice, and gave Israel the sanctuary blueprint as the visible token of His presence and government. The Spirit of Prophecy affirms that “God’s people are His witnesses to make known His law and His salvation to the world” (AA 10.1), and that Christ Himself is given “for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6). This covenant therefore carries both a redemptive promise and a missionary commission.

The Present Truth message clarifies that the blueprint of the sanctuary and the covenant obligations are not ancient relics, but prophetic patterns for the final church. Just as ancient Israel was called to covenant faithfulness before entering Canaan, so modern Israel is called to covenant loyalty and purification before entering the Kingdom. The sanctuary services and Sabbath covenant (Exod. 31) point to the sealing, the judgment, and the final establishment of God’s government among His people. The covenant is thus both a divine pledge of salvation and a prophetic charter of God’s kingdom on earth.

Therefore, the purpose of this week’s lesson is to lead us to:

Recognize the covenant as God’s plan of redemption and government.
Understand the blueprint of the sanctuary as the prophetic pattern of salvation and church purification.
Embrace our identity as covenant witnesses—called to obedience, to holiness, and to a worldwide testimony of God’s truth before the final gathering into His Kingdom.

Outline of the Study
The Covenant
Sunday-August 31, 2025

The Blood of the Covenant (Exodus 24:1-6, 8) - The Book and the Blood

Exodus 24:1-8; John 12:32; Genesis 1-2.

Monday-September 1, 2025

The Fulfillment of the Covenant (Exodus 24:7) - Seeing God
Exodus 24:9-18; Luke 5:30; Matt. 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-25, 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Lev. 10:1-2, 9.

Tuesday-September 2, 2025

The Covenant Meal (Exodus 24:9-18) - Power to Obey

Ezekiel 36:26-28; Exod. 19:8; Exod. 24:3-7; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Josh. 24:19; 2 Cor. 12:10; Ezekiel 36:24-30; Phil. 2:13.

The Model

Wednesday-September 3, 2025

The Purpose of the Model (Exodus 25:1-9) - In the Midst of His People

Exodus 25:1-9, 10-27:21; Acts 7:47-50; 1 Kings 8:27; Exod. 25:9-40; Exod. 26:30; Heb. 8:1-2; Heb. 9:11; Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38.

Thursday-September 4, 2025

The Preparation of the Model (Exodus 31:1-18) - Filled with the Spirit of God
Exodus 28; Exodus 29; Exodus 30; Exodus 31:1-18; Ezek. 20:12; Gen. 2:2-3; Deut. 5:15; Mark 2:27-28; Exod. 31:18; Exod. 31:18, Deut. 9:9-11; Exod. 25:21.

Friday-September 5, 2025

Prophetic Insights and Further Study

The Covenant
Sunday-August 31, 2025

The Blood of the Covenant (Exodus 24:1-6, 8) The Book and the Blood

Exodus 24:1-8; John 12:32; Genesis 1-2.

Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.’ ” (Exodus 24:8)

The Covenant Sealed with Blood

At Sinai, God entered into a solemn covenant with Israel. Moses read the Book of the Covenant before the people, who pledged, “All that the Lord hath said will we do” (Ex. 24:7). This verbal commitment was then ratified by blood: “Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you’” (Ex. 24:8).

The Book represented God’s revealed Word—His requirements and promises—while the Blood represented the sacrificial atonement through which obedience and reconciliation were made possible. Without the Book, the covenant lacked divine authority; without the Blood, it lacked life. Together, they formed a complete charter of salvation and relationship with God.

The Covenant Rooted in Creation

The Sinai covenant was not a new invention, but a restoration of God’s original purpose in Eden. In Genesis 1–2, God established humanity’s relationship with Him through life, law, and Sabbath. When sin entered, the covenant had to be ratified by blood. Thus, Sinai was a divine renewal of Eden’s blueprint: God dwelling among His people, binding them by Word and Sacrifice, and preparing them to reflect His image.

The Eden–Sinai–Calvary line shows continuity:

Eden – The covenant of life and dominion.
Sinai – The covenant of law and blood pointing to redemption.
Calvary – The everlasting covenant sealed by the blood of Christ.

Christ the Fulfillment of the Covenant

Jesus declared: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32). At Calvary, He became the true Lamb, His blood ratifying the eternal covenant (Heb. 13:20). What Moses enacted symbolically at Sinai, Christ fulfilled literally.

Ellen G. White affirms:

“The blood of Christ is the eternal bond that unites the believing soul to God”
The love of Jesus, with its constraining power, is to be kept fresh in our memory. Christ has instituted this service that it may speak to our senses of the love of God that has been expressed in our behalf. There can be no union between our souls and God except through Christ. The union and love between brother and brother must be cemented and rendered eternal by the love of Jesus. And nothing less than the death of Christ could make His love efficacious for us. It is only because of His death that we can look with joy to His second coming. His sacrifice is the center of our hope. Upon this we must fix our faith. {DA 660.1}
“The covenant made with Abraham was a covenant confirmed by God in Christ, the very same gospel which is preached to us”
As the Bible presents two laws, one changeless and eternal, the other provisional and temporary, so there are two covenants. The covenant of grace was first made with man in Eden, when after the Fall there was given a divine promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. To all men this covenant offered pardon and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised them eternal life on condition of fidelity to God's law. Thus the patriarchs received the hope of salvation. {PP 370.2}

This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Genesis 22:18. This promise pointed to Christ. So Abraham understood it (see Galatians 3:8, 16), and he trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness. The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God's law. The Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said, "I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect." Genesis 17:1. The testimony of God concerning His faithful servant was, "Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Genesis 26:5. And the Lord declared to him, "I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee." Genesis 17:7. {PP 370.3}

Thus, the Sinai covenant points beyond itself to Christ, who is both the Mediator of the covenant and the sacrifice that upholds it.

Covenant as Prophetic Blueprint

The inspiration, stresses that the Sinai covenant is a type of the final covenant experience of God’s people before entering the Kingdom:

The Book of the Covenant represents God’s ever-unfolding truth—present truth revealed for each generation.
The Blood of the Covenant points to both the atoning sacrifice of Christ and the purification of God’s church, necessary before the people can inherit the Kingdom.
Just as ancient Israel confirmed the covenant before entering earthly Canaan, so must modern Israel confirm the covenant by obedience and cleansing before entering the antitypical Canaan—God’s Kingdom on earth prior to the new heaven and new earth.

The sprinkling of blood upon both the altar (representing God) and the people shows that the covenant is mutual: God pledges salvation and presence, while His people pledge faithfulness and obedience.

Prophetic Application Today

The Blood of the Covenant teaches us that:

God still calls His people into covenant relationship by His Word (the Book) and by the Sacrifice of Christ (the Blood).
The final generation must enter into this covenant experience in reality, not mere profession, for only a purified, obedient people can stand as God’s witnesses.
The covenant points forward to the sealing of the 144,000, who, having been cleansed by the blood and sealed by the Spirit, will become the first-fruits of the Kingdom.

Consider the Following
❖ The Blood of the Covenant (Exodus 24:1-6, 8)

— God recognized Israel as a people (12 columns); He especially valued the young; and He committed himself to each person individually (sprinkling His blood on them).

— God desires a relationship with us, individually and as a community of believers.

Summary Thought

The Book and the Blood are inseparable witnesses of God’s covenant. The Book declares His law and promises; the Blood secures forgiveness, cleansing, and power for obedience. At Sinai it was a type; at Calvary it was fulfilled; in the last days it will be consummated in the purification and sealing of God’s covenant people, preparing them to enter the eternal inheritance.

Monday-September 1, 2025

The Fulfillment of the Covenant (Exodus 24:7) - Seeing God
Exodus 24:9-18; Luke 5:30; Matt. 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-25, 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Lev. 10:1-2, 9.

“Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, ‘We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.’ ” (Exodus 24:7)

The Covenant Confirmed by Word and Obedience

When Moses read the Book of the Covenant to Israel, the people responded with one voice: “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient” (Ex. 24:7). This response marked not only their agreement but their consecration as a covenant people. The covenant was thus confirmed by:

The Word – the Book of the Covenant (law, statutes, judgments).
The Blood – ratification through sacrifice.
The Oath of Obedience – the people’s pledge.

This triple witness established the covenant foundation: Word, Blood, and Faithful Obedience. Yet Israel’s history would show that human promises alone cannot sustain covenant loyalty without God’s Spirit.

Seeing God – Covenant Fellowship

After the covenant was ratified, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascended the mount and “saw the God of Israel” (Ex. 24:10). This extraordinary event was a foretaste of divine fellowship made possible only through blood-ratified covenant. God revealed Himself not in unapproachable glory, but in a form of covenant nearness, allowing them to eat and drink in His presence (Ex. 24:11).

This sacred meal was both a sign of peace with God and a prophetic type of the Lord’s Supper. In the New Testament, Christ fulfilled this fellowship by offering bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood (Matt. 26:26–28). Thus, the Sinai covenant pointed forward to the communion table, where believers, under the new covenant, behold Christ by faith and enter fellowship with God through His sacrifice.

The Danger of Presumption – Lessons from Leviticus 10

Though the covenant grants access to God, it also warns against approaching Him carelessly. Nadab and Abihu, who once saw the God of Israel on the mount, later offered “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1–2) and perished. Their failure reveals that covenant fellowship must be approached in holiness, sobriety, and obedience, not presumption. Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 11:27–29, warning that to eat the Lord’s Supper unworthily is to invite judgment.

Thus, the covenant both opens the way to God and sets boundaries for reverent obedience. To see God is both privilege and responsibility.

Spirit of Prophecy – Covenant Fulfillment in Christ

Ellen White explains that the covenant at Sinai was intended to lead Israel to Christ:

“The covenant that God made with His people at Sinai is to be our refuge and defense. What was then required of the people of God was required of us. That covenant is just as binding upon us today as it was upon them” (Letter 126, 1901).

She further writes:

“In the night of His betrayal, Christ instituted the sacramental service that was to take the place of the Passover. … This was the fulfillment of the covenant that had been foretold”
Christ was standing at the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of God, was about to present Himself as a sin offering, that He would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand years had pointed to His death. As He ate the Passover with His disciples, He instituted in its place the service that was to be the memorial of His great sacrifice. The national festival of the Jews was to pass away forever. The service which Christ established was to be observed by His followers in all lands and through all ages. {DA 652.2}

The Passover was ordained as a commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God had directed that, year by year, as the children should ask the meaning of this ordinance, the history should be repeated. Thus the wonderful deliverance was to be kept fresh in the minds of all. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper was given to commemorate the great deliverance wrought out as the result of the death of Christ. Till He shall come the second time in power and glory, this ordinance is to be celebrated. It is the means by which His great work for us is to be kept fresh in our minds. {DA 652.3}

Thus, every communion service today is a continuation of Sinai’s covenant meal, fulfilled in Christ, binding the believer to God through His sacrifice.

Covenant as Prophetic Pattern

The Shepherd’s Rod emphasizes that the fulfillment of the covenant is a type for the last days:

Just as ancient Israel vowed obedience before entering Canaan, so modern Israel must vow loyalty and purification before entering the Kingdom.
The covenant meal represents the final spiritual feast of present truth, by which God’s people are strengthened for judgment and sealing.
To “see God” typifies the future when the 144,000, after purification, stand in His presence and serve as His living witnesses.

The failure of Nadab and Abihu prefigures the fate of those in the last church who approach God presumptuously, disregarding present truth and divine order. Their destruction warns that the covenant is not secured by profession but by obedience to advancing light.

Prophetic Application Today

The covenant is being fulfilled in Christ’s ongoing mediatorial work. Each communion is a renewal of our covenant bond with God.
To “see God” today means to discern His presence in His Word, His Spirit, and His unfolding truth.
God is preparing a purified people who, like the elders on Sinai, will behold His glory—but unlike them, will never turn back to rebellion. This is the final covenant community, the first fruits who will enter the Kingdom and stand as witnesses before the nations.

Consider the Following

❖ The Fulfillment of the Covenant (Exodus 24:7)

— In complete sincerity, the people committed themselves to keeping the covenant. This commitment was short-lived (Ex. 32:8).

— The next generation also committed to keeping the covenant (Josh. 24:18b). But Joshua clearly warned them: “You will not be able to serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:19).

— What prevents us from obeying God, despite our good intentions?

— By nature, we are disobedient (Rom. 7:18), and we can do nothing to change our tendency. (Rom. 7:24).

— But if we allow Him, God can change our nature (Ezek. 36:26-27). He cleanses, takes away, gives, and sets so that we can obey Him. Only He makes us strong (2 Cor. 12:10)

Summary Thought

The Fulfillment of the Covenant is both historical and prophetic: at Sinai, Israel vowed obedience and saw God in covenant fellowship; at Calvary, Christ sealed the new covenant with His blood; in our day, the covenant reaches its climax in the purification and sealing of God’s end-time people. To “see God” is to live in covenant loyalty, partaking worthily of His Word and His sacrifice, preparing to behold His glory in the soon-coming Kingdom.

Tuesday-September 2, 2025

The Covenant Meal (Exodus 24:9-18) - Power to Obey

Ezekiel 36:26-28; Exod. 19:8; Exod. 24:3-7; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Josh. 24:19; 2 Cor. 12:10; Ezekiel 36:24-30; Phil. 2:13.

“Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu , and seventy of the elders of Israel went up; […] and they saw God, and they ate and drank” (Exodus 24:9, 11b)

Eating and Drinking in God’s Presence

At Sinai, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascended the mountain and “saw the God of Israel, and they ate and drank” (Ex. 24:9–11). This was no ordinary meal—it was the covenant meal, signifying peace and fellowship with God after the covenant was ratified by blood. Sharing a meal in Scripture is the symbol of acceptance and communion (cf. Rev. 3:20). Here, Israel’s leaders partook of a prophetic type of the spiritual feast that God offers to His covenant people: life, grace, and strength through His presence.

The Promise and the Human Weakness

Earlier, Israel had promised, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do” (Ex. 19:8; 24:3, 7). Yet Joshua 24:19 reminds us: “Ye cannot serve the Lord… for He is an holy God.” Human promises are frail. Fellowship with God requires more than a vow; it requires a new heart and Spirit (Ezek. 36:26–27). The covenant meal thus points to the power to obey, which does not come from human resolve but from divine indwelling.

Paul affirms this truth: “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10), and “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). The covenant meal was a type of the divine enabling grace that transforms weakness into obedience.

Spirit of Prophecy – The True Source of Obedience

Ellen G. White emphasizes:

“The same covenant obligation rests upon God’s people today. We are under solemn pledge to serve Him with heart and soul, to be His obedient children, walking in all His ways and keeping all His commandments”
Another compact--called in Scripture the "old" covenant--was formed between God and Israel at Sinai, and was then ratified by the blood of a sacrifice. The Abrahamic covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and it is called the "second," or "new," covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant. That the new covenant was valid in the days of Abraham is evident from the fact that it was then confirmed both by the promise and by the oath of God--the "two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie." Hebrews 6:18. {PP 371.1}

But she clarifies that man cannot obey in his own strength:

“The only way in which He could set and keep men was to make Himself visible to their eyes and audible to their ears, so that He might communicate to them His will. … The Spirit was to be imparted to them to give them power to obey”
God brought them to Sinai; He manifested His glory; He gave them His law, with the promise of great blessings on condition of obedience: "If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then . . . ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." Exodus 19:5, 6. The people did not realize the sinfulness of their own hearts, and that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep God's law; and they readily entered into covenant with God. Feeling that they were able to establish their own righteousness, they declared, "All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient." Exodus 24:7. They had witnessed the proclamation of the law in awful majesty, and had trembled with terror before the mount; and yet only a few weeks passed before they broke their covenant with God, and bowed down to worship a graven image. They could not hope for the favor of God through a covenant which they had broken; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. Now by faith and love they were bound to God as their deliverer from the bondage of sin. Now they were prepared to appreciate the blessings of the new covenant. {PP 371.4}

Thus, the covenant meal foreshadows the gift of the Holy Spirit, who makes obedience possible.

The Covenant Meal and Present Truth

The Shepherd’s Rod highlights that the covenant meal typifies the spiritual nourishment of God’s people through present truth. Just as the elders of Israel ate in God’s presence, so the end-time church is called to feast on the advancing Word of God. This feast is not mere formality but power imparted through truth and Spirit, preparing a people to live in holiness and obedience.

The covenant meal points to the antitypical Passover—the Lord’s Supper, which renews the covenant in Christ’s blood and nourishes the believer for obedience.
It also points forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), when the faithful covenant people will eat and drink in the Kingdom.
The failure of Nadab and Abihu, though they once ate in God’s presence, warns that covenant fellowship must be sustained by reverence and obedience to advancing light, not presumption or formalism.

Prophetic Application Today

The covenant meal teaches that fellowship with God provides the power to obey. Our promises are weak, but God’s Spirit empowers us to keep His covenant.
Every communion service today is a renewal of this experience: eating and drinking with Christ in faith, receiving grace to obey His Word.
God is calling His remnant to feast on present truth, which is the “meat in due season” (Matt. 24:45) for preparation in the sealing time. Only thus can the 144,000 overcome and stand as covenant witnesses.

Consider the Following
❖ The Covenant Meal (Exodus 24:9-18)

— As we see in the example of Jacob and Laban, in the ancient East the ratification of a covenant included a meal shared by both parties (Gen. 31:44-54).

— At Sinai, God offered a “covenant meal” to 74 people: Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 elders, representing all the people (Ex. 24:9-11).

— When Jesus instituted the new covenant, he also did so by sharing his meal with the 12 apostles (Mt. 26:26-28).

— Every time we partake of the Lord's Supper, we renew our covenant with God. By partaking of the bread and wine, we celebrate the forgiveness and salvation we have in Jesus (1 Cor. 11:26).

— Despite their ultimate rejection of salvation, neither Nadab , nor Abihu , nor Judas were excluded from this “covenant meal.”

Summary Thought

The covenant meal at Sinai symbolized fellowship with God and the impartation of grace to obey. Israel pledged obedience, but God promised power through His Spirit. In Christ, this is fulfilled at the communion table, where His people eat and drink with Him by faith, receiving not only pardon but strength. In the last days, the covenant meal points to the spiritual nourishment of present truth and the coming marriage supper of the Lamb, where the covenant will reach its eternal fulfillment.

The Model

Wednesday-September 3, 2025

The Purpose of the Model (Exodus 25:1-9) - In the Midst of His People

Exodus 25:1-9, 10-27:21; Acts 7:47-50; 1 Kings 8:27; Exod. 25:9-40; Exod. 26:30; Heb. 8:1-2; Heb. 9:11; Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38.

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8)

The Sanctuary – God’s Dwelling Among Men

When God commanded Israel, “Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8), He revealed the central purpose of redemption: God with us. From Eden, where God walked with Adam and Eve, to Sinai, where His glory rested on the mount, His desire has always been to dwell with His people. The sanctuary was not merely a place of worship but the model of God’s government and plan of salvation.

This earthly sanctuary, constructed “according to the pattern” (Ex. 25:9, 40), was a miniature of heavenly realities. It demonstrated that the Holy One could abide in the midst of a sinful people—through sacrifice, mediation, and cleansing.

The Sanctuary and the Heavenly Reality

The earthly sanctuary was a copy and shadow of the heavenly (Heb. 8:1–2; 9:11). Though Solomon later acknowledged, “the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27), yet God chose to localize His presence to teach the reality of His dwelling in the true heavenly temple.

At Christ’s death, when the veil was torn in two (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38), the earthly type gave way to the heavenly reality. Christ, our High Priest, entered the heavenly sanctuary to minister on behalf of His people (Heb. 8:1–2). Thus, the sanctuary model was both didactic (teaching the way of salvation) and prophetic (pointing to Christ’s ministry in heaven).

Spirit of Prophecy – The Sanctuary as God’s Heartbeat of Redemption

Ellen G. White makes the sanctuary central to understanding God’s covenant:

“The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth”
Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour's mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to gain seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful study of the word of truth. The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to face. How important, then, that every mind contemplate often the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, when, with Daniel, every individual must stand in his lot, at the end of the days. {GC 488.2}

She further explains:

“In the temple of heaven, the dwelling place of God, His throne is established in righteousness and judgment. In the sanctuary above, the covenant between God and His people is confirmed by the ministry of Christ, our great High Priest” The heavenly temple, the abiding place of the King of kings, where "thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him" (Daniel 7:10), that temple filled with the glory of the eternal throne, where seraphim, its shining guardians, veil their faces in adoration--no earthly structure could represent its vastness and its glory. Yet important truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the great work there carried forward for man's redemption were to be taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services. {PP 357.2}

After His ascension, our Saviour was to begin His work as our High Priest. Says Paul, "Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." Hebrews 9:24. As Christ's ministration was to consist of two great divisions, each occupying a period of time and having a distinctive place in the heavenly sanctuary, so the typical ministration consisted of two divisions, the daily and the yearly service, and to each a department of the tabernacle was devoted. {PP 357.3}

The sanctuary, then, is not just about ritual—it reveals God’s nearness, His holiness, and His plan to restore humanity into His presence.

The Model as Prophetic Pattern of the Church

The Shepherd’s Rod highlights that the sanctuary model is also the blueprint for God’s people, His church:

Just as God dwelt in the tabernacle, so He desires to dwell in the midst of His church, both corporately and individually.
The sanctuary service prefigures the stages of redemption: justification at the altar, sanctification in the holy place, and judgment/purification in the most holy place.
The sanctuary also symbolizes the purification of the church. The type demands that before God’s permanent dwelling in the Kingdom, His earthly church must be cleansed—just as the earthly sanctuary was cleansed on the Day of Atonement.

Thus, the “model” teaches not only Christ’s heavenly ministry but also the prophetic destiny of the church—purified and prepared as His dwelling place on earth.

Prophetic Application Today – God in the Midst of His People

The purpose of the model is deeply relevant today:

Individually – Believers are to be living sanctuaries: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).
Corporately – God’s last-day church must reflect His holiness, becoming the place where His glory resides. This demands cleansing and order according to the divine pattern.
Eschatologically – The sanctuary model points forward to the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth, when He will again tabernacle with His people (Rev. 21:3).

Consider the Following

❖ The Purpose of the Model (Exodus 25:1-9)

— As a guarantee that he would fulfill his part of the covenant, God decided to go and live among the people.

— But God's physical presence would mean immediate death for all of them (Ex. 33:20). Therefore, he commanded them to build a sanctuary where he could manifest his presence. This presence was manifested in symbols, since God does not physically dwell in any earthly temple ( Acts 17:24 ).

— Moses was shown the model and given specific instructions for its construction. The people were asked to contribute the necessary materials (Ex. 25:2-7).

— Both the sanctuary and the temple that Solomon built were a model of the sanctuary built in Heaven (Heb. 8:1-2; 1Ki. 8:27, 30).

— When an Israelite entered the sanctuary, he entered—symbolically—into the very presence of God… until the veil was torn when Jesus died.

Summary Thought

The sanctuary model is God’s covenant blueprint: a dwelling place among His people, a shadow of heavenly realities, and a prophetic pattern for the purification and restoration of His church. From Sinai to Calvary, from the heavenly sanctuary to the final Kingdom, the sanctuary reveals God’s purpose—to dwell with His people in holiness, forever in their midst.

Thursday-September 4, 2025

“See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills” (Exodus 31:2-3)

The Divine Appointment of Bezalel – God’s Sovereign Choice

When God commanded Moses to build the sanctuary, He did not leave the work to human ingenuity. Instead, He chose Bezalel and filled him with the Spirit of God. This reveals an important principle: spiritual work requires spiritual endowment. The sanctuary was not merely an architectural masterpiece but a prophetic model of salvation. Its construction had to reflect heavenly realities (Ex. 25:40; Heb. 8:5).

The Spirit of God here is manifested not only in prophecy and preaching, but in wisdom, skill, and craftsmanship. God sanctifies not only pulpit work, but also the practical labors that uphold His worship. This reminds us that the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-11) extend beyond verbal ministry to every capacity that contributes to God’s kingdom.

The Sanctuary – A Model of Redemption

The sanctuary was to be the earthly shadow of the heavenly sanctuary. Every part—the priesthood (Ex. 28–29), the anointing oil (Ex. 30), the Sabbath sign (Ex. 31:12-17)—pointed to Christ’s redemptive work.

Priestly Garments (Ex. 28): Christ our High Priest clothes His people with righteousness (Isa. 61:10).
Consecration of Priests (Ex. 29): Holiness unto the Lord is essential before ministry can be effectual.
Anointing Oil (Ex. 30:22-33): Symbol of the Holy Spirit, teaching that no service is acceptable without divine unction.
Sabbath (Ex. 31:12-17): God’s perpetual covenant sign, memorializing creation (Gen. 2:2-3), redemption (Deut. 5:15), and sanctification (Ezek. 20:12).

The Spirit’s filling of Bezalel to construct the tabernacle foreshadows the Spirit’s role in building the living temple—the church (Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:5).

The Sabbath and the Spirit – A Seal of Sanctification

Placed at the conclusion of the sanctuary instructions (Ex. 31:12-17), the Sabbath emerges as the seal of the covenant and the final test of loyalty. Just as Bezalel could not build without the Spirit, so God’s people cannot be sanctified apart from Sabbath rest in Him.

Christ confirmed, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). It is the divinely appointed sign that man is not saved by works but by entering into God’s finished work.

Ellen White affirms:

“The Sabbath given to the world as the sign of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the Sanctifier.”
From the pillar of cloud Christ declared concerning the Sabbath: "Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." Exodus 31:13. The Sabbath given to the world as the sign of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the power that re-creates the soul in His own likeness. To those who keep holy the Sabbath day it is the sign of sanctification. True sanctification is harmony with God, oneness with Him in character. It is received through obedience to those principles that are the transcript of His character. And the Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the fourth commandment will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through obedience. {6T 350.1}

To us as to Israel the Sabbath is given "for a perpetual covenant." To those who reverence His holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God recognizes them as His chosen people. It is a pledge that He will fulfill to them His covenant. Every soul who accepts the sign of God's government places himself under the divine, everlasting covenant. He fastens himself to the golden chain of obedience, every link of which is a promise. {6T 350.2}
(Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 350).

The Sabbath thus seals the work of the Spirit in God’s people, preparing them as the final model of His character to the world (Rev. 14:12).

The Spirit of God and the End-Time Model

In the Shepherd’s Rod message, emphasizes that just as Bezalel was chosen and Spirit-filled to construct the tabernacle, so in the last days God will raise up a Spirit-filled people to prepare the antitypical tabernacle—the purified church:

The sanctuary foreshadows God’s dwelling place in His purified people (Zech. 6:12-13).
The Spirit equips them with “wisdom” (truth), “understanding” (spiritual discernment), and “knowledge and skill” (practical ability to carry forward the gospel work).
As the ancient tabernacle was built by Spirit-directed craftsmen, so the end-time church will be “built up a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5), a living demonstration of God’s character.

Houteff stresses the Sabbath’s role as the “sign of deliverance and sanctification,” linking the Spirit-filled work of Bezalel to the Spirit-filled remnant who receive the seal of God (SRod, Vol. 1, pp. 147-148).

Warning Against Strange Fire

The Spirit’s filling stands in sharp contrast with Nadab and Abihu’s presumption (Lev. 10:1-2). While Bezalel worked under divine inspiration, they attempted to worship by human invention. Their fate warns us that no ministry, no matter how zealous, is acceptable if it lacks God’s appointed way and Spirit’s anointing.

Paul later warns that those who partake unworthily of the Lord’s table eat and drink condemnation (1 Cor. 11:27-29). The preparation of the model is not simply ceremonial—it demands holiness, obedience, and Spirit-dependence.

Prophetic Application – God’s End-Time Work

Just as Bezalel was endowed to complete the tabernacle before God’s glory filled it (Ex. 40:34), so the Spirit is poured upon God’s remnant church to complete the work before the latter rain and the loud cry. The preparation of the model is, therefore, the preparation of a Spirit-filled church.

Exodus 31:18 records God giving Moses the tablets of testimony, written with His own finger. The law in the ark becomes the heart of the covenant. In the end-time, the same law will be written in the hearts of the 144,000 (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; Rev. 14:1-5).
The sanctuary model anticipates the “church triumphant,” a Spirit-filled body, clothed in Christ’s righteousness, sealed by the Sabbath, and entrusted with the last warning message to the world.

Consider the Following

❖ The Preparation of the Model (Exodus 31:1-18)

— Although God gave Moses very detailed instructions regarding the construction, He didn't tell him every detail. What should the bronze laver, the cherubim, the priests' mitres, etc. look like? This gave the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work with the builders' gifts.

— In the midst of the instructions for building the sanctuary, there is special mention of the Sabbath (Ex. 31:12-17). What does the Sabbath have to do with all of this?

— Holiness is the key. To approach the Holy God, we must be holy like Him. The Sabbath is that sign of that holiness (Ex . 31:13; Ezek. 20:12, 20).

✨ Conclusion

The preparation of the model teaches that God’s work cannot advance by human might or power, but only by His Spirit (Zech. 4:6). Bezalel’s calling reminds us that every believer, filled with the Spirit, has a role in constructing God’s final dwelling place. The Sabbath, the law, the sanctuary, and the Spirit unite to reveal the ultimate model of redemption—the purified church, prepared to receive the glory of God and to finish the gospel work.

“In the last days, God will have a people who are wise with heavenly wisdom, skilled with divine knowledge, and filled with His Spirit, to build His final temple—the church that will stand forever as His dwelling place.” (cf. SRod, Vol. 2, p. 266).

Friday – September 5, 2025

Prophetic Insights and Further Study

The lessons drawn from Exodus 31 bring us to the profound reality that God Himself is the Architect, the Builder, and the Finisher of His dwelling place among His people. The preparation of the earthly sanctuary and the calling of Bezalel, filled with the Spirit of God, foreshadow the preparation of a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5) where every believer must be fitted, consecrated, and sanctified for divine service.

The Sabbath as a Perpetual Sign of Creation and Redemption

Bible: God explicitly tied the building of the tabernacle with the Sabbath (Exodus 31:12-17). Just as He sanctified the seventh day after creation (Genesis 2:2-3), so the sanctuary was to be sanctified by obedience to the Sabbath. The Sabbath thus stands as the seal of His creative power and the sign of His redemptive authority (Deuteronomy 5:15; Mark 2:27-28).
SOP: Ellen White affirms that “the Sabbath is a sign of the relationship existing between God and His people, a sign that they are His obedient subjects” (6T 349). It is both a memorial of creation and a token of sanctification, proving that it remains central in the preparation of a holy people.
“The Sabbath of creation is a perpetual covenant sign between God and His people… To break the Sabbath command is to reject the very seal of His authority” (SRod, Vol. 2, p. 161). Thus, the Sabbath is not merely ritual but prophetically binding, sealing God’s true Israel in the final harvest.

The Spirit-Filled Craftsman and the End-Time Church

Bible: God filled Bezalel and Oholiab with wisdom, understanding, and skill to prepare the sanctuary (Exodus 31:2-6). This points to the Spirit’s work in equipping the church today with diverse gifts for the edification of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
SOP: Ellen White notes, “The Lord calls for craftsmen who will use their skill in His service, for men and women who will consecrate the ability they have received from Him to advancing His work” (RH, December 1, 1904). This shows that both spiritual and practical gifts are Spirit-given for kingdom building.
The Rod interprets this preparation as a type of the final purification of the church—“As in the days of the Exodus, the Lord chose and filled men with His Spirit to prepare a dwelling for His presence, so now He chooses and seals the 144,000 to be His living temple” (1SR 233; 5TR 84). The Spirit is not given for self-glory but for modeling the final structure of God’s government on earth.

The Tables of Testimony – Foundation of Divine Authority

Bible: Exodus 31 closes with God giving Moses the two tablets of testimony, written with His own finger (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10-11). The sanctuary could not stand apart from the Ten Commandments. The covenant blood and the sanctuary structure find meaning only in the eternal law of God.
SOP: Ellen White explains, “The law of God, enshrined in the ark, was the great standard of righteousness, and by it all mankind is tested” (PP 349). Thus, the preparation of the model sanctuary points directly to the final judgment standard.
“The law written by God’s finger remains the centerpiece of the sanctuary service, symbolizing the eternal government of God… The restoration of His law in the hearts of His people is the final work of atonement” (2TG 37:14). Hence, the tables of stone anticipate the sealing of God’s people under the new covenant promise (Jeremiah 31:33).

Prophetic Summary

The preparation of the earthly sanctuary under Moses typifies the final preparation of God’s spiritual temple—a purified, Spirit-filled, Sabbath-keeping people sealed by His law. Bezalel’s Spirit-anointed craftsmanship foreshadows the 144,000, chosen and equipped to be the “firstfruits” of the final harvest (Revelation 14:1-5). The Sabbath stands as the eternal sign of loyalty, while the law remains the immutable foundation of God’s throne.

The sanctuary model is thus prophetic:

Creation (Sabbath) + Redemption (Blood) + Law (Covenant) = God’s final government among men.
It reveals that the end-time church must be Spirit-filled artisans of holiness, modeled after Christ, the Chief Cornerstone.

From the Pen of Inspiration

“In the building of the sanctuary as a dwelling place for God, Moses was directed to make all things according to the pattern of things in the heavens. God called him into the mount, and revealed to him the heavenly things, and in their similitude the tabernacle, with all that pertained to it, was fashioned.

So to Israel, whom He desired to make His dwelling place, He revealed His glorious ideal of character. […] But this ideal they were, in themselves, powerless to attain. The revelation at Sinai could only impress them with their need and helplessness.” EGW (Education, p. 35-36)

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