[Bates’ Pamphlet #3] An Explanation of the Typical and Anti-typical Sanctuary by the Scriptures

Revelation 3

And to the Angel of the church in Philadelphia, write: ... He that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth. 7th verse. BP3 137.1

I know thy works, behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it. 8th verse. BP3 137.2

This open and shut door spoken of here by our great High Priest in Heaven, (Hebrews 4:14; 8:1.) is the same of which was shown Moses in the pattern. Exodus 36:33, 36. [See Chart.] Paul says, second vail, meaning of course two: first and second. Hebrews 9:2, 3. BP3 137.3

The door in 20th verse, is the door of the heart. The meaning is this: After the door is shut and the one in the holiest open which no man can shut; Jesus rebukes, chastens and counsels the Laodiceans to repent and turn back to the open door set for the Philadelphia Church, from which they separated in the Spring of 1845. BP3 137.4

In the second and third chapter of Revelation, the Church is divided into seven parts or states, during the Gospel dispensation. The charge of Jesus is very emphatic and peculiar to them all, and can only apply to them in their organized state. The fifth state of the Church is Sardis: Revelation 3:1-6; out of which the great body of the second Advent believers came in 1843 and ‘44. - 4th and 5th verses. BP3 137.5

The sixth state of the Church is Philadelphia. It was made up or organized by second Advent believers principally from the churches in the fifth or Sardis state. BP3 137.6

The seventh state is the Laodicean, organized by those who left the Philadelphia after the 2300 days, the appointed time, had ended. Hosea describes all their converts, v. 7. This is the state which the great head of the church is laboring to disband and dissolve: 3:14-21; see particularly 19th verse. Repent (and turn to the Philadelphia) for there is no other state of the Church since 1844, where the new commandment can be kept: John 13:34, 35. Bible definition shows it to be the state or church of brotherly love. BP3 137.7

Bring to remembrance things in 1844. Comparisons for that time are beyond our reach - past, present and future. The rushing from the sectional, sectarian branches of the nominal church (or Sardis state,) at that time, has no parallel. All, all was tending to a state of brotherly love. It was the noblest, and most mighty and glorious work ever performed by the church on earth. “The vision spoke.” Habakkuk 2:3. Here then, at the close of this cry at midnight, this going out to meet the Bridegroom, was the point of time when the Philadelphia church was organized. This, I believe, is beyond dispute. Here, then, is where the language of Jesus applies, viz: opens one door and shuts another. Are not these the two doors in heaven, of which Moses received the pattern? [See Chart.] BP3 138.1

Again. Is it not plain that the Laodicean, the seventh state, is organized after the sixth state? Yes. Then after the door is shut the Laodiceans organize, and not before. BP3 138.2

The seventh state of the church has been organized about five years. It is in vain to say this is not so, and yet look for the second advent of Jesus. These three last states of the church will be here when Jesus comes. They all exist now. The scripture is not to be found, nor an argument from it framed, to prove that the shutting and opening a door in the text is not to be until the second Advent. Then is it not plain and conclusive, that the door was shut when this Philadelphia church was organized in the fall of 1844. BP3 138.3

“And the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen the Ark of his Testament or Covenant:” Revelation 11:19. John, in his vision, speaks of this temple of God several times and as familiarly as of the temple which was in old Jerusalem, where he formerly worshipped, before it was destroyed. The Ark of the Covenant seen here is the same as in Paul’s holiest of all: Hebrews 9:3. “The temple in heaven was opened.” None but Jesus the master of the house, did this. How clearly this accords with his testimony to the Philadelphia church: 3:7. The great object for opening this temple was to cleanse the sanctuary at the end of the 2300 days, the appointed time, and in its season corresponding with the type, viz: 10th day of the 7th month. This door was shut during the 1813 years that the other was open. Now this is open and the other shut. While Jesus is pleading for the house of Israel in the holiest no third person is there: See the type, Leviticus 16:17. As soon as the day of atonement is ended, seven angels come out of the temple with the seven last plagues, 15:5,6. This is the duration of the third angel’s message in Revelation 14:9-13. BP3 138.4

A great voice from the temple directs them to go and pour out the vials of wrath, and when the seventh is poured out, a great voice from the temple, from the throne, saying, it is done: 16:1,17. This is the voice of God. BP3 139.1

The third angel in Revelation 14:9-13, continues his message and cry, until Jesus leaves the temple and is seated on the great white cloud. He begins as soon as the 2300 days end, and the door in the temple opens, for here is where he gets his message. Hear him - “Here is the patience of the saints, here are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Why cry this? Because he sees inside of the door of the temple, [see Chart,] the Ark of the Covenant containing the ten original commandments, of which Moses received a copy, pattern or type, and placed it in the typical sanctuary here on earth. BP3 139.2

This is God’s Covenant with man. See with what sacred strictness and attention he required it to be guarded, viz. 22,000 sanctified Levites to pitch around about and guard it “that no wrath come on the people.” Numbers 1:53; 3:38: besides the 600,000 armed men on each quarter, on the outside. Is there any less attention in guarding the original Covenant in heaven? No. There it is deposited in the Ark, covered with the Mercy Seat. A Cherubim on each end covering it with their wings; the water of life flowing out from under it. Since the door was opened in 1844, our great High Priest stands before it, and God between the Cherub Wings above, with his all-seeing eye upon it. Ten thousand times ten thousand angels for an outside guard. BP3 139.3

God gave the pattern in charge to Moses and forbids him to add or diminish from it. BP3 139.4

God says, “My Covenant will I not BREAK, NOR ALTER the WORD that is gone out of my mouth,” at Mount Sinai. BP3 139.5

Now we are told by one class of people that the fourth commandment in this Covenant was changed or altered at the resurrection of Jesus, while another in all their zeal declare they were all abolished at the crucifixion of Jesus. Neither of these two classes of people can produce one single text from Genesis to Revelation to prove their assertion. BP3 140.1

He has said he will not BREAK NOR ALTER! God cannot lie! Why continue to charge him with folly! His commandments are as holy, pure and binding to-day, as ever they were, and it is not in the power of man to prove them otherwise. BP3 140.2

Why this third angel’s loud cry about the commandments of God, because the fourth one, which had been trodden down for many generations, is to be restored and kept as the commandment requires. The second angel’s message and voice from heaven required God’s people to leave the churches. The seventh-day Sabbath could not, nor can not now be restored there. It is to be done in the Philadelphia state of the church, and no where else. This is the present truth in the commandments in the Ark of his Testimony. The present truth in this is: That the master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and now stands beside the Ark containing the commandments. The “Present Truth,” then, of this third angel’s message is, T H E S A B B A T H A N D S H U T D O O R. See the picture on the Chart. BP3 140.3

To prove this I have adduced the following Scriptures in order: BP3 140.4

1. The appointed time for it, unto 2300 days. Daniel 8:13, 14. BP3 140.5

2. Daniel’s night visions in the night. 7:9, 10, 13. BP3 140.6

3. Parable of the virgins and their history. Matthew 1-12. BP3 140.7

4. Paul’s commentary to the Hebrews 8, 9. and 10. BP3 140.8

5. Second Advent Message and Mystery finished. Revelation 10. BP3 140.9

6. Begetting strange children since 1844. Hosea 5:7. BP3 140.10

7. Philadelphia state of the church. Revelation 3:7, 8 and 11:19. BP3 140.11

The Ark of the Testimony from which comes the Sabbath commandment, could not be seen until Jesus shut the first door and opened the second. Hence the door is shut before the Sabbath is given in the Message. JOSEPH BATES, Fairhaven,Mass. BP3 140.12