We are in the antitypical day of atonement, and not only are we to humble our hearts before God and confess our sins but we are, by all our educating talent, to seek to instruct those with whom we are brought in contact, and to bring them by precept and example to know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. FE 272.1
O I so much wish that the Lord of heaven would open many eyes that are now blind, that they might see themselves as God sees them, and give to them a sense of the work to be done in the fields of labor. FE 272.2
What does the antitypical day of atonement mean practically? Think of the disciples. What were they like when Jesus called them to follow Him? They were unconverted, unconsecrated, full of pride, envy, jealously, anger, and without true love. What happened to them as a result of spending everyday with Him for three in a half years? They were transformed. And the major change didn’t come until after they witnessed His trial, condemnation, and crucifixion. Then in the upper room, as they prayed, they experienced true conversion; they were able to humble their hearts, receive God’s gift of repentance, confess their sins and only then be filled with the Holy Spirit. So, when we ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, the condition of our hearts need to be as the disciples’ in the upper room: yielded, humbled and surrendered. But how does that condition come? “All who learn the science of salvation must be submissive students in the school of Christ, that the soul temple may be the abiding place of the Most High. If we would learn of Christ we must be emptied of every proud possession, that He may imprint His image on the soul.” CT 496.4. In Fundamentals of Christian Education, it says we are to learn in His school daily. (FE260.2 and 277.1)
How do we learn in His school? We absolutely have to take this quote seriously, because it’s how the disciples learned: “It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” DA 83.4 The disciples saw Christ’s life every day; and when they saw the closing scenes of His life, this is when they were able to learn the lessons they needed most, penitence and humiliation. “When you look to his throne, offering up your penitence, praise, and thanksgiving that you may perfect Christian character, and represent Christ to the world, you abide in Christ, and Christ abides in you; you have the peace that passes all understanding. We need continually to meditate upon Christ’s attractive loveliness. We must direct minds to Jesus, fasten them upon him. In every discourse dwell upon the divine attributes.” RH December 13, 1892, par. 6
So, our work in this antitypical day of atonement is to do as the disciples did, behold Christ, especially the closing scenes, learning in His school daily. This will cause us to be naturally humbled, and lead us to want to confess our sins. We will see how wonderful, merciful, and loving He is that it will flow freely out of us. We will see ourselves as we truly are; it’s the real healing that we need more than anything else.
Then we will have practice as we go out from our times of mediation in our devotional exercises with Him, to interact with people. Now, we are, by precept and example, to show others what Jesus looks like so they desire to come to Him, learn of Him and become like Him. But how are we to truly show who Jesus is? How will people see the most beautiful aspects of His character? This is not an easy answer: it’s when people are acting the most unlovable towards us, and they see the most lovable Christian in response towards them, then they will be learning by precept and example how to be a consistent Christian, which is the most winning argument. “…one of the most effective ways of winning souls to Him is in exemplifying His character in our daily life. Our influence upon others depends not so much upon what we say as upon what we are. Men may combat and defy our logic, they may resist our appeals; but a life of disinterested love is an argument they cannot gainsay. A consistent life, characterized by the meekness of Christ, is a power in the world.” DA 141.5
When the disciples went out from that upper room, what kind of people did they have to share the gospel with? Kind, loving people? Oh no. We know how most of them ended up, as martyrs. Will it be any different for us? The family members in our own homes will be difficult, our co-workers will be difficult, our classmates will be difficult, our teachers, our friends, and those we seek to share the gospel with will be difficult; after we rise up from beholding Christ we will have plenty of opportunities to put into practice on how He dealt with difficult people. And we need to remember, that we are difficult people ourselves. We are no different than the people with which we have to deal with. And when we remember the same mercy, compassion, patience, forgiveness and love Christ has shown us by precept and example, it will help us to show it to others. “We should carefully consider what is our relation to God and to one another. We are continually sinning against God, but His mercy still follows us; in love He bears with our perversities, our neglect, our ingratitude, our disobedience. He never becomes impatient with us. We insult His mercy, grieve His Holy Spirit, and do Him dishonor before men and angels, and yet His compassions fail not. The thought of God’s long-suffering to us should make us forbearing to one another. How patiently should we bear with the faults and errors of our brethren when we remember how great are our own failings in the sight of God. How can we pray to our heavenly Father, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12) if we are … exacting in our treatment of others?” TMK 181.2
And what does God call this work? “It is the nicest work that was ever entered upon by the human agent, the dealing with human minds.” FE 277.1 Only by going to His throne of grace daily to receive help in time of need and learning of Him, can we feel the same.
The antitypical day of atonement and Pentecost are one because we are learning to be one with Christ by doing as the disciples did, spending time daily learning of Him, who is meek and lowly in heart, causing us to see ourselves as God sees us, so we can humble our hearts and confess our sins, which is the work we are supposed to be doing in this antitypical day of atonement, and then are we able to go out to shine our lights upon the pathway of others so they, too, can get ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. All of these events tie together, they go hand in hand. They are not separate entities, working on their own. The midnight cry, putting oil in our lamps, the antitypical day of atonement, Pentecost, the work of True Education, the sanctuary, the Sabbath, it’s so beautiful to see how they all work together! They’re work is to restore the image of God in us!
And you know what? When you enter this school, and you make up your mind not to drop out of this school, it is a guarantee from Jesus himself that you will not flunk. No one flunks out from this school if they choose to stay in it. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Phil 1:6 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Jude 1:24-25