The Plan of Salvation

LESSON 2

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on The Plan of Salvation. The topic for this study is the same as the topic for the entire series: The Plan of Salvation. In our previous study, we noted how mankind failed to obey the express command of God in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:1-6). Heaven was filled with sorrow for the penalty of death that awaited the human race. But unknown to the angelic hosts, infinite love had earlier thought about the possibility of man's disobedience, and drafted a plan of salvation for him (see 1 Peter 1:18-20; Revelation 13:8).

It is interesting to learn that before God pronounced the terrible consequences of transgression upon our first parents, He gave them the following words of hope: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (review Genesis 3:15). In these words, Adam and Eve were assured of a plan of salvation from the serpent, who is also called the Devil and Satan (see Revelation 12:9). This plan was to redeem the human race from the fear of death, and the slavery of sin. In the end, the plan of salvation was to restore mankind into his former standing with God.

Adam and Eve were filled with horror when God unveiled the main detail of the plan of salvation to them. In their place, their beloved Creator and Friend, the One who was even equal with God was to die so they could be brought back in harmony with the Divine (see John 1:1-3; Philippians 2:5-8). Our first parents were soon given an object lesson of the plan of salvation when God instructed Adam to make an offering for sin. From the pen of inspiration, we read the following in relation to this point: "When Adam, according to God's special directions, made an offering for sin, it was to him a most painful ceremony. His hand must be raised to take life, which God alone could give, and make an offering for sin. It was the first time he had witnessed death. As he looked upon the bleeding victim, writhing in the agonies of death, he was to look forward by faith to the Son of God, whom the victim prefigured, who was to die as man's sacrifice" (SR 50.1; reflect also on Genesis 3:21). Through the shedding of animal blood, the sins of the human family were to be atoned for as they waited in anticipation for the manifestation of the coming Redeemer; the Saviour who would overcome Satan, and restore unto them the joy of paradise (review Genesis 3:15). Besides the shedding of animal blood, no other way of salvation was to be accepted as valid before God. This is because the shedding of animal blood, first and foremost, served as a type of the actual plan of salvation for the race of Adam. Moreover, it showed that the sinner exercised faith in God for his salvation instead of a reliance on his own works of righteousness.

In fact, it was as a result of these reasons that God accepted Abel's offering of a slain lamb, and rejected Cain's offering made up of the fruits of the field (see Genesis 4:3-7). God's attitude towards the sacrifice of Abel and Cain was to serve as a serious object lesson for the rest of the human race; that without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sins (see Hebrews 9:22); and that everyone who wanted to approach God would come only through the merits of Christ (see John 3:16).

It is comforting to learn that Adam and his descendants who feared the Lord practiced, and kept the divine plan of salvation ever before them. The patriarch Adam died with the hope of the coming Redeemer (see Hvn 77.1; GrH_c 47.6). After several generations from Adam, God decided to unveil the full details of the plan of salvation to His chosen people. The Scripture records that as God's people journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land, the Lord commanded Moses the following: "25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it."

(Exodus 25:8-9) Beloved, in this sanctuary that God commanded the people of Israel to raise in the wilderness was contained the fullest revelation of God's plan of salvation for the human race (see Psalm 77:13). Everything about the sanctuary, being the animal offerings for sacrifices, the various articles of furniture and their designated functions, the feasts at their appointed times, and the sacred work of the priesthood were all types or shadows that pointed forward to the life, death and high priestly ministry of the Redeemer to come (see Colossians 2:14-17).

Through the sanctuary ministration, the people of God were led once again to look forward by faith in the merits of the Redeemer to come. As the people of Israel settled on the Promised Land, they continued to observe the ordinances of God as provided them through the sanctuary. Now as the time of the Redeemer's advent drew near, God moved upon His prophets to prophesy concerning this great event in the plan of salvation. The amazing prophecies given by God's prophets concerning the Redeemer kindled hope in the hearts of God's children who earnestly yearned to be fully reconciled with the Divine.

Exhortation: From the pen of inspiration, we come across the following beautiful insights in relation to God's plan of salvation for the human race: i) "Sorrow filled heaven, as it was realized that man was lost, and that world which God had created was to be filled with mortals doomed to misery, sickness, and death, and there was no way of escape for the offender. The whole family of Adam must die. I saw the lovely Jesus and beheld an expression of sympathy and sorrow upon His countenance. Soon I saw Him approach the exceeding bright light which enshrouded the Father. Said my accompanying angel, He is in close converse with His Father. The anxiety of the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with His Father. Three times He was shut in by the glorious light about the Father, and the third time He came from the Father, His person could be seen. His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity and doubt, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as words cannot express. He then made known to the angelic host that a way of escape had been made for lost man. He told them that He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give His life a ransom, to take the sentence of death upon Himself, that through Him man might find pardon; that through the merits of His blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God, and be brought into the beautiful garden, and eat of the fruit of the tree of life." -- (ST January 30, 1879, par. 1) ii) "The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave Themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption. In order fully to carry out this plan, it was decided that Christ, the only- begotten Son of God, should give Himself an offering for sin." -- (CH 222.2) In our next study, we will consider the topic: The Prophecies of the Messiah's First Advent. The Bible Study references for this study are Luke 24:27 and John 5:39. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

NB: For a detailed study on the sanctuary, please request for our 9-Part Series on the sanctuary captioned: His Way is in the Sanctuary through any of the WhatsApp lines below. Do stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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