were　prepared　to　receive　and　give　to　the　world　the　solemn　warning　of　the
  third　angel　of　Revelation　14。
  （433）
  Chapter　25
  God's　Law　Immutable
  The　temple　of　God　was　opened　in　heaven；　and　there　was　seen　in　His　temple　the
  ark　of　His　testament。〃　Revelation　11：19。　The　ark　of　God's　testament　is　in
  the　holy　of　holies；　the　second　apartment　of　the　sanctuary。　In　the
  ministration　of　the　earthly　tabernacle；　which　served　〃unto　the　example　and
  shadow　of　heavenly　things；〃　this　apartment　was　opened　only　upon　the　great
  Day　of　Atonement　for　the　cleansing　of　the　sanctuary。　Therefore　the
  announcement　that　the　temple　of　God　was　opened　in　heaven　and　the　ark　of　His
  testament　was　seen　points　to　the　opening　of　the　most　holy　place　of　the
  heavenly　sanctuary　in　1844　as　Christ　entered　there　to　perform　the　closing
  work　of　the　atonement。　Those　who　by　faith　followed　their　great　High　Priest
  as　He　entered　upon　His　ministry　in　the　most　holy　place；　beheld　the　ark　of
  His　testament。　As　they　had　studied　the　subject　of　the　sanctuary　they　had
  come　to　understand　the　Saviour's　change　of　ministration；　and　they　saw　that
  He　was　now　officiating　before　the　ark　of　God；　pleading　His　blood　in　behalf
  of　sinners。
  The　ark　in　the　tabernacle　on　earth　contained　the　two　tables　of　stone；　upon
  which　were　inscribed　the　precepts　of　the　law　of　God。　The　ark　was　merely　a
  receptacle　for　the　tables　of　the　law；　and　the　presence　of　these　divine
  precepts　gave　to　it　its　value　and　sacredness。　When　the　temple　of　God　was
  opened　in　heaven；　the　ark　of　His　testament　was　seen。
  434
  Within　the　holy　of　holies；　in　the　sanctuary　in　heaven；　the　divine　law　is
  sacredly　enshrinedthe　law　that　was　spoken　by　God　Himself　amid　the　thunders
  of　Sinai　and　written　with　His　own　finger　on　the　tables　of　stone。
  The　law　of　God　in　the　sanctuary　in　heaven　is　the　great　original；　of　which
  the　precepts　inscribed　upon　the　tables　of　stone　and　recorded　by　Moses　in　the
  Pentateuch　were　an　unerring　transcript。　Those　who　arrived　at　an
  understanding　of　this　important　point　were　thus　led　to　see　the　sacred；
  unchanging　character　of　the　divine　law。　They　saw；　as　never　before；　the　force
  of　the　Saviour's　words：　〃Till　heaven　and　earth　pass；　one　jot　or　one　tittle
  shall　in　no　wise　pass　from　the　law。〃　Matthew　5：18。　The　law　of　God；　being　a
  revelation　of　His　will；　a　transcript　of　His　character；　must　forever　endure；
  〃as　a　faithful　witness　in　heaven。〃　Not　one　command　has　been　annulled；　not　a
  jot　or　tittle　has　been　changed。　Says　the　psalmist：　〃Forever；　O　Lord；　Thy
  word　is　settled　in　heaven。〃　〃All　His　commandments　are　sure。　They　stand　fast
  for　ever　and　ever。〃　Psalms　119：89；　111：7；　8。
  In　the　very　bosom　of　the　Decalogue　is　the　fourth　commandment；　as　it　was
  first　proclaimed：　〃Remember　the　Sabbath　day；　to　keep　it　holy。　Six　days　shalt
  thou　labor；　and　do　all　thy　work：　but　the　seventh　day　is　the　Sabbath　of　the
  Lord　thy　God：　in　it　thou　shalt　not　do　any　work；　thou；　nor　thy　son；　nor　thy
  daughter；　thy　manservant；　nor　thy　maidservant；　nor　thy　cattle；　nor　thy
  stranger　that　is　within　thy　gates：　for　in　six　days　the　Lord　made　heaven　and
  earth；　the　sea；　and　all　that　in　them　is；　and　rested　the　seventh　day：
  wherefore　the　Lord　blessed　the　Sabbath　day；　and　hallowed　it。〃　Exodus
  20：8…11。
  The　Spirit　of　God　impressed　the　hearts　of　those　students　of　His　word。　The
  conviction　was　urged　upon　them　that　they　had　ignorantly　transgressed　this
  precept　by　disregarding　the　Creator's　rest　day。　They　began　to　examine　the
  reasons　for　observing　the　first　day　of　the　week　instead　of　the　day　which　God
  had　sanctified。　They　could　find　no　evidence　in　the
  435
  Scriptures　that　the　fourth　commandment　had　been　abolished；　or　that　the
  Sabbath　had　been　changed；　the　blessing　which　first　hallowed　the　seventh　day
  had　never　been　removed。　They　had　been　honestly　seeking　to　know　and　to　do
  God's　will；　now；　as　they　saw　themselves　transgressors　of　His　law；　sorrow
  filled　their　hearts；　and　they　manifested　their　loyalty　to　God　by　keeping　His
  Sabbath　holy。
  Many　and　earnest　were　the　efforts　made　to　overthrow　their　faith。　None　could
  fail　to　see　that　if　the　earthly　sanctuary　was　a　figure　or　pattern　of　the
  heavenly；　the　law　deposited　in　the　ark　on　earth　was　an　exact　transcript　of
  the　law　in　the　ark　in　heaven；　and　that　an　acceptance　of　the　truth　concerning
  the　heavenly　sanctuary　involved　an　acknowledgment　of　the　claims　of　God's　law
  and　the　obligation　of　the　Sabbath　of　the　fourth　commandment。　Here　was　the
  secret　of　the　bitter　and　determined　opposition　to　the　harmonious　exposition
  of　the　Scriptures　that　revealed　the　ministration　of　Christ　in　the　heavenly
  sanctuary。　Men　sought　to　close　the　door　which　God　had　opened；　and　to　open
  the　door　which　He　had　closed。　But　〃He　that　openeth；　and　no　man　shutteth；　and
  shutteth；　and　no　man　openeth；〃　had　declared：　〃Behold；　I　have　set　before　thee
  an　open　door；　and　no　man　can　shut　it。〃　Revelation　3：7；　8。　Christ　had　opened
  the　door；　or　ministration；　of　the　most　holy　place；　light　was　shining　from
  that　open　door　of　the　sanctuary　in　heaven；　and　the　fourth　commandment　was
  shown　to　be　included　in　the　law　which　is　there　enshrined；　what　God　had
  established；　no　man　could　overthrow。
  Those　who　had　accepted　the　light　concerning　the　mediation　of　Christ　and　the
  perpetuity　of　the　law　of　God　found　that　these　were　the　truths　presented　in
  Revelation　14。　The　messages　of　this　chapter　constitute　a　threefold　warning
  （see　Appendix）　which　is　to　prepare　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　for　the
  Lord's　second　coming。　The　announcement；　〃The　hour　of　His　judgment　is　come；〃
  points　to　the　closing　work　of　Christ's　ministration　for　the　salvation　of
  men。　It　heralds　a
  436
  truth　which　must　be　proclaimed　until　the　Saviour's　intercession　shall　cease
  and　He　shall　return　to　the　earth　to　take　His　people　to　Himself。　The　work　of
  judgment　which　began　in
  1844　must　continue　until　the　cases　of　all　are　decided；　both　of
  the　living　and　the　dead；　hence　it　will　extend　to　the　close　of　human
  probation。　That　men　may　be　prepared　to　stand　in　the　judgment；　the　message
  commands　them　to　〃fear　God；　and　give　glory　to　Him；〃　〃and　worship　Him　that
  made　heaven；　and　earth；　and　the　sea；　and　the　fountains　of　waters。〃　The
  result　of　an　acceptance　of　these　messages　is　given　in　the　word：　〃Here　are
  they　that　keep　the　commandments　of　God；　and　the　faith　of　Jesus。〃　In　order　to
  be　prepared　for　the　judgment；　it　is　necessary　that　men　should　keep　the　law
  of　God。　That　law　will　be　the　standard　of　character　in　the　judgment。　The
  apostle　Paul　declares：　〃As　many　as　have　sinned　in　the　law　shall　be　judged　by
  the　law；　。　。　。　in　the　day　when　God　shall　judge　the　secrets　of　men　by　Jesus
  Christ。〃　And　he　says　that　〃the　doers　of　the　law　shall　be　justified。〃　Romans
  2：12…16。　Faith　is　essential　in　order　to　the　keeping　of　the　law　of　God；　for
  〃without　faith　it　is　impossible　to　please　Him。〃　And　〃whatsoever　is　not　of
  faith　is　sin。〃　Hebrews　11：6；　Romans　14：23。
  By　the　first　angel；　men　are　called　upon　to　〃fear　God；　and　give　glory　to　Him〃
  and　to　worship　Him　as　the　Creator　of　the　heavens　and　the　earth。　In　order　to
  do　this；　they　must　obey　His　law。　Says　the　wise　man：　〃Fear　God；　and　keep　His
  commandments：　for　this　is　the　whole　duty　of　man。〃　Ecclesiastes　12：13。
  Without　obedience　to　His　commandments　no　worship　can　be　pleasing　to　God。
  〃This　is　the　love　of　God；　that　we　keep　His　commandments。〃　〃He　that　turneth
  away　his　ear　from　hearing　the　law；　even　his　prayer　shall　be　abomination。〃
  1　John　5：3；　Proverbs　28：9。
  The　duty　to　worship　God　is　based　upon　the　fact　that　He　is　the　Creator　and
  that　to　Him　all　other　beings　owe　their　existence。　And　wherever；　in　the
  Bible；　His　claim　to　reverence　and　worship；　above　the　gods　of　the　heathen；　is
  presented；
  437
  there　is　cited　the　evidence　of　His　creative　power。　〃All　the　gods　of　the
  nations　are　idols：　but　the　Lord　made　the　heavens。〃　Psalm　96：5。　〃To　whom　then
  will　ye　liken　Me；　or　shall　I　be　equal？　saith　the　Holy　One。　Lift　up　your　eyes
  on　high；　and　behold　who　hath　created　these　things。〃　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord
  that　created　the　heavens；　God　Himself　that　formed　the　earth　and　made　it：　。　。
  。　I　am　the　Lord；　and　there　is　none　else。〃　Isaiah　40：25；　26；　45：18。　Says　the
  psalmist：　〃Know　ye　that　the　Lord　He　is　God：　it　is　He　that　hath　made　us；　and
  not　we　ourselves。〃　〃O　come；　let　us　worship　and　bow　down：　let　us　kneel　before
  the　Lord　our　Maker。〃　Psalms　100：3；　95：6。　And　the　holy　beings　who　worship　God
  in　heaven　state；　as　the　reason　why　their　homage　is　due　to　Him：　〃Thou　art
  worthy；　O　Lord；　to　receive　glory　and　honor　and　power：　for　Thou　hast　created
  all　things。〃　Revelation　4：11。
  In　Revelation　14；　men　are　called　upon　to　worship　the　Creator；　and　the
  prophecy　brings　to　view　a　class　that；　as　the　result　of　the　threefold
  message；　are　keeping　the　commandments　of　God。　One　of　these　commandments
  points　directly　to　God　as　the　Creator。　The　fourth　precept　declares：　〃The
  seventh　day　is　the　Sabbath　of　the　Lord　thy　God：　。　。　。　for　in　six　days　the
  Lord　made　heaven　and　earth；　the　sea；　and　all　that　i