is left unto you
desolate."(714) Looking down to the last days, the same Infinite Power
declares, concerning those who ""received not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved," "For this cause God shall send them strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."(715) As they reject
the teachings of His word, God withdraws His Spirit, and leaves them to
the deceptions which they love.

But Christ still intercedes in man's behalf, and light will be given to
those who seek it. Though this was not at first understood by Adventists,
it was afterward made plain, as the scriptures which define their true
position began to open before them.

The passing of the time in 1844 was followed by a period of great trial to
those who still held the advent faith. Their only relief, so far as
ascertaining their true position was concerned, was the light which
directed their minds to the sanctuary above. Some renounced their faith in
their former reckoning of the prophetic periods, and ascribed to human or
satanic agencies the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit which had
attended the Advent Movement. Another class firmly held that the Lord had
led them in their past experience; and as they waited and watched and
prayed to know the will of God, they saw that their great High Priest had
entered upon another work of ministration, and following Him by faith,
they were led to see also the closing work of the church. They had a
clearer understanding of the first and second angels' messages, and were
prepared to receive and give to the world the solemn warning of the third
angel of Revelation 14.

25. GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE.

[Illustration: Chapter header.]

"The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple
the ark of His testament."(716) 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 atonem