SAM FROST: UP SIDE DOWN – #3
NO ENTRANCE INTO THE MOST HOLY PLACE
UNTIL THE JUDGMENT OF BABYLON
It is critical, as we continue Responding to the Critics, to realize that there would be no entrance into the Most Holy Place- no man could enter heaven– until the judgment of Babylon at the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be sure to read the previous article that established the definition of the Most Holy Place. The reader needs to understand that when Frost denies that the Most Holy Place (called the Debir) represented heaven, he is upside down in his theology. Consider the words of Andrea Spatafora, a recognized scholar and “expert” on the temple and its meaning:
“The Temple not only stood as a symbol of Mount Sinai, but was also a representation of the cosmos. If it represented God’s dwelling place on earth, then it was also a reflection of his dwelling in the heaven: ‘The hekal (Holy Place, DKP) represented the earth and the debir the heavens; between them was the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy (Exodus 26.33). The veil represented the boundary between the visible world and the invisible, between time and eternity. In the courtyard as the great bronze basin used for the ablutions which covered half the width of the temple. It was perceived to be the representation of the primeval waters of creation: ‘It was, significantly, called ‘the sea’ and probably represented the primeval waters in ritual. There was an established belief that the courtyard ‘was’ the sea surrounding the stable earth.’” (Andrea Spatafora, From the Temple of God to God As the Temple, A Biblical Theological Study of the Temple in the Book of Revelation, (Editrice Pontificia Universitia Gregoriana, Rome, 1997), 28f)
So, the reality is that in ancient Hebraic thought, in first century Jewish, priestly thought, the Most Holy Place represented heaven. Read again the previous article in which I cite Josephus on this. This brings Frost’s views into sharp contrast against Scripture, as we have seen. Look at those contrasts.
Frost – Billions of the righteous entered heaven – which was the MHP – before the coming of Christ, before the sacrifice of Christ, before the Law of Moses was ever given or removed.
Scripture – No man could enter the MHP until objective forgiveness came – (Hebrews 9:6-10), and there was no forgiveness under the Law of Moses.
Scripture – No man could enter the MHP as long as the Law of Moses remained valid (imposed, from epikeimai, Hebrews 9:6-1). The Law of Moses could never provide the forgiveness of sin (Acts 13). Consider what William Lane has to say on Hebrews 9:
“The Holy Spirit disclosed to the writer that as long as the front compartment of the tabernacle had cultic status, access to the presence of God was not yet available to the congregation.” “So long as the cultic ordinances of the Sinaitic covenant were a valid expression of God’s redemptive purpose and the front compartment exouses stasin, “had cultic status’, entrance into the MHP was not yet accessible. There can be access only after the front compartment has been set aside.” (William Lane, Word Biblical Commentary, Hebrews, Vol. 47b, (Dallas, Tx; Word, 1991), 223).
And yet, Frost affirms that there was entrance into the MHP long before Torah was even delivered and long before it was set aside. If therefore, Frost is right about the righteous entering the MHP before Christ came, then the testimony of Acts 13 and Hebrews 9 is false. This is literally Frost versus Scripture.
Scripture – No man could enter the MHP until the outpouring of the seven vials of God’s Wrath (Revelation 15:8).
Scripture – The seven vials of God’s wrath were poured out in the judgment of Babylon (Revelation 16:16f).
Now, if Frost is right in his now futurist eschatology, and posits the identity of Babylon as some present or future entity, that means that there cannot now be any entrance into the MHP– falsifying his claims. But, if there is not now any entrance into the MHP, there is no salvation, there is no kingdom (Revelation 19:1f) for those things came – or will come – with the Lord’s coming against Babylon. Either way, Frost’s eschatology is turned upside down.
In addition to this, consider the following:
Paul Ellingworth commenting on Hebrews 9, says that the MHP signified the “presence of God.” (Paul Ellingworth, New International Greek Testament Commentary, Hebrews, (Carlisle, PA; Paternoster, 1993)), 437). This patently true, as just seen.
Consider this: we can know one thing for certain, the Most Holy Place symbolized “the presence of God”:
For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:24).
So, ask yourself this question: Was the Presence of God within the Veil, in the Most Holy Place? To deny this would be the height of arrogance.
To reiterate the point from our previous article:
Christ entered into that which is within the veil– (Hebrews 6:20), into the MHP.
Christ entered into Heaven itself ( Hebrews 9:24).
Therefore, the Most Holy Place is heaven.
There is simply no way to avoid the truth of this without turning the Scriptures upside down, which is precisely what Mr. Frost does. So, once again:
Christ entered into that place within the veil (Hebrews 6:19f).
The MHP was “within the veil.”
He entered “the Presence of God” (Hebrews 9:24)- into the heavenly MHP which was symbolized by the earthly Temple (9:23).
He entered into “heaven itself” (Hebrews 9:24).
Therefore, the MHP represented heaven; it represented the Presence of God.
Thus, when Mr. Frost denies that the MHP of the earthly temple represented heaven, his claims are upside down – totally false.
If Frost is right, however, there was no need for the removal of Torah for man to enter the MHP. There was no need for the outpouring of the Wrath of God against Babylon for man to enter the MHP. In fact, there was no need for Christ to ever come and die, since men had faith in the Lord– which, per Frost, gave them entrance into the MHP before and without that sacrifice! Think of this. Frost says all of the saints who died before Christ’s sacrifice – which means they did not have objective forgiveness– could and did enter the MHP, the Presence of God- without forgiveness!
In spite of the emphatic, explicit and undeniable testimony of Scripture in regard to entrance into the MHP, Frost tells us that the faithful who lived and died before Christ, even those who lived under Torah (that could never give forgiveness), did enter the MHP. And he says that believers who now die, enter into the Most Holy Place.
Let me express Frost’s problem like this:
No man could enter the MHP – heaven – until the judgment of Babylon at the coming of the Lord- (Revelation 15-19).
Man today (the faithful) can and does enter the MHP – heaven- when they die– Sam Frost.
Therefore, the Judgment of Babylon and the coming of the Lord of Revelation 15-19 has been fulfilled.
Thus, if man today enters the MHP when we die, Frost cannot have a current or future Babylon!
Take note that this argument alone means that the coming of Christ as the King of kings, was not to be– and was not– the physical, literal, coming of Jesus as a 5′ 5″ man in a body of flesh, blood and bone descent out of heaven on a literal cloud! The NATURE of the parousia– and the RESURRECTION– is fully established and it turns Mr. Frost’s eschatology upside down.
The evidence presented above means that Babylon was in fact Old Covenant Jerusalem. It also means that Frost cannot identify any present or future city as Babylon without thereby destroying his claim that all the righteous who lived before Christ came, and before the fall of Babylon, entered heaven! After all, if no man could enter the MHP – heaven- until the judgment of Babylon, but Frost says man today can enter the MHP (heaven) then of logical necessity, Babylon has fallen!
If Babylon has been judged and if man can enter the MHP today, it means that salvation, glory, immorality and eternal life is now our’s (Revelation 19:1-2)! Israel’s salvation promises were completely fulfilled, and thus, the nations of the world are now free to enter!
If man today can enter the MHP, it means that Mr. Frost is totally upside down in his eschatology. Christ has come, the New Creation is here, resurrection life is for all those who are in Christ.
I discuss the issue of Babylon and entrance into the MHP in greater detail in my book, Who Is This Babylon? We will continue Responding to the Critics in our next and final installment of this series.