The Sanctuary Of The Bible

"Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." Hebrews 8:5

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John 1:29 says, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Why was Jesus called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world?

Because of SIN, which is transgression of God's immutable law, someone had to pay the ultimate penalty and the Bible says,

• Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

In the Old Testament and today, God's plan led people to believe that sin leads to death.

• Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We were at enmity with God and righteousness after breaking His law. Our sins separarated us from God.

• Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Thankfully, Jesus Christ reconciles us to God the Father, helping us to overcome sin and Satan and reunite with our merciful God. What more could God have given us than His Son to show His love?

• Jeremiah 31:3 "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

Thus, the true Gospel centers on Jesus Christ, NOT Buddha, Krishna, Confucius, Maitreya, or any other individual.

• Mark 1:1 says, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;”

Only Jesus of Nazareth reveals the Father's eternal love for you and me.

• Matthew 11:27 “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”
• John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• John 14:9 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

Jesus provided a way of escape by making an everlasting covenant with God the Father for the salvation of man.

• 2 Samuel 23:5 “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”
• Isaiah 45:17 “But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.”

When man chose to break God's law and commited sin, death was the punishment. But this penalty was not immediately executed because the Father allowed His only Begotten Son to offer Himself as a substitute to bear the penalty of death in our place. The Father and the Son entered into an everlasting covenant for our salvation. Jesus Christ lovingly choose to sacrifice His own life in place of our life! He choose to be slain and his blood to spill to provide fallen man a chance to be redeemed back to the Father. Thus, even Adam and Eve could be saved! So Jesus was basically "slain from the foundation of the world."

• Revelation 13:8 says, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

It implies that Jesus Christ existed before Adam and Eve sinned, as He offered His life to be slain for the punishment of sin from the foundation (or beginning) of the world.

• 1 Peter 1:20 “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

The truth is, Jesus created the worlds and all things!

• John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
• Hebrews 1:2 “(God) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

So, after Adam and Eve had sinned, this Gospel of salvation was preached to them, providing them a way out of impending death which was really good and glad tidings for them!

• Ephesians 1:13 says, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"

Plus, to emphasize the dreadful consequence of disobeying God's immutable law, God established a sacrificial system of an innocent lamb (symbolizing Jesus) to be slain and have its blood spilt every time God's law was broken.

Abraham erected altars wherever he travelled and offered sacrifices to God.

• Genesis 12:7 “And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.”
• Hebrews 11:17 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,”

This symbolic system symbolized Jesus' bloody sacrifice as a lamb for sin as our only hope of salvation.

God called Moses in the mountain after the Exodus and gave definite instruction concerning the sacrificial service. He intended His people to have a place to meet with Him regularly.

• Exodus 25:8 says, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”

• Exodus 25:40 “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”

Moses received the pattern of the sanctuary in heaven, thus the earthly tabernacle needed to be exact.

The sanctuary serves as the foundation of our faith and by studying this subject allows us to better understand the truth and prophecy. The Bible said,

• Psalms 77:13 “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?”
• Psalms 73:16-17, "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end."

Hebrews 9:1-5 says, "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat;"

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First, let's look at each piece of furniture and its meaning.

THE OUTER COURT IN THE COURTYARD

What does this altar of burnt offering represent?

• Revelation 5:6 says, "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

The altar of burnt offering symbolizes Calvary's ultimate truth. In short, Jesus Christ willingly died for us before He created the world and built the Sanctuary. For Revelation 13:8 says, "... the lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

Interestingly, this altar shows an important aspect. Revelation 6:9 says, "when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held." Notice? Prophetic symbolism shows that those killed for their testimony WERE UNDER THE ALTAR! The martyrs' blood is on the Heavenly Sanctuary's altar of burnt offerings. Their rock-hard faith in Jesus Christ cost their lives. Indeed, they followed the lamb wherever he led them.

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What does this symbolize? Why did the priests wash their hands and feet with water?

• Ephesians 5:25-26 "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,"
• Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

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The main building has two rooms or apartments: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies. A heavy, beautiful veil divided these two apartments.

The first apartment had a table of showbread, the golden seven-branched candlesticks, and the golden altar of incense.

The showbread was a perpetual offering. There were 12 cakes—one for each tribe—in 2 rows. This bread was always on the table. Thus, the bread symbolized our physical and spiritual dependency on God for food. Fresh bread was replaced every Sabbath. Even though we should eat spiritual nourishment every day, we should get the fresh bread of life at Sabbath services.

The 7 candlesticks represents Jesus Christ, the light of the world (John 8:12; John 9:5).

Day and night, the golden candlestick's lights shone. They symbolized the Holy Spirit's light, which shines into everyone's heart. The priest had to trim and burn the lamps both morning and night. Therefore, we must keep our lights shining so that others can see Christ in us. Letting our light fade could cause someone to stumble, fall, and lose heaven.

The beautiful golden altar of incense was in front of the veil.

The Incense symbolizes prayers of the saints. Daily sprinkllings of rotting blood on the temple veil represent our sins, which offend the Lord. The temple curtain is behind this incense altar, just a few steps from the "Most Holy Place." However, the earnest and sincere prayers of the saints, symbolized by sweet-smelling incense, eliminate the sinful fragrance in the "Most Holy Place." The Holy Spirit perfumes the repentant sinner's prayers to please God.

• Revelation 8:4 "And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."
• Romans 8:26-27, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

The priest ministered to transgressors in the Holy Place every day, but only the high priest may enter the most Most Holy Place beyond the veil once a year.

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The ark with the tables of God's law, the mercy seat, and the glory above symbolized God on His throne in heaven, with His law as the foundation. The mercy seat symbolized God's mercy in sending Jesus to die for our sins and transgressions against His law. The covering cherubim were in heaven's firestones. The cherubim, facing down and reverently staring at the ark, symbolized the heavenly host's reverence for God's law and interest in the plan of redemption.

• Jude 1:21 says, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
• 1 Peter 1:12 "Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."
• Psalms 103:20 “Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.”

Let's examine how these services in Tabernacle could forgive sins. When an Israelite sinned, he had to bring a spotless lamb, confess his sins, and kill it in that outer courtyard. The lamb symbolized Jesus, and the transgressor sacrificed the animal to warn us that sin causes death. He realized that his own sins caused Jesus' death on the cross by placing them on the animal. He agreed to Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and the priest brought the animal's blood into the sanctuary's first apartment. He sprinkled it before the veil, figuratively transferring that person's sins into the sanctuary's most holy place. Daily transgressions prompted the performance of this service. The sanctuary eventually held the people's sins, and each year they observed a special day of atonement. It was time for cleansing the sanctuary. Note these words.

• Leviticus 16:29-30 says, “29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.”

On this day, only the high priest stepped behind the veil into the most holy place to atone for the people's accumulated sins recorded there. That record of sins had to be blotted out or erased.

Let us look at how this works.

On the outer court, two goats were present for the throwing of lots. One would be the Lord's goat, and the other would be the scapegoat. The Lord's goat sacrifice atoned for the people's sins. Aaron entered the Most Holy Place through the veil and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat between the cherubim. While this happened, people prayed and fasted outside. It was judgment day for them.

Every Israelite who did not confess his sins by the end of that day of atonement would perish forever. Thus, we may see how solemn it was for them. Thus, we may see how solemn it was for them. The high priest atoned and reconciled when he sprinkled the blood that represented Jesus' blood on the mercy seat for forgiveness of sin. As he exited that most holy place, the high priest paused to make arrangements for those who came while he was ministering behind the veil. Now we must acknowledge that the Lord's goat blood has completely cleansed the people and enabled atonement.

Please note that the scapegoat did not atone for the sins of the people. The high priest did put his hands on the scapegoat's head later, symbolizing the people's sins. Why did he do this? Every sin includes shared blame. Let's say a man and woman in Israel committed adultery. Each of them would be responsible, and Satan would be guilty for tempting them. Each of the three parties to adultery must take responsibility for their sin. If the woman brings a lamb and confesses her fault before the sanctuary, the day of atonement that represents Christ will atone for her sin because she accepts a divine substitute and Jesus bears her transgression in his body. If the man fails to bring an offering to the sanctuary, he bears the punishment in his own body and loses access to the Saviour's substitute. Satan must pay for his own sin; thus, the scapegoat represents him, and his misdeeds are his share of all sins. He is unable to tolerate the people's confessed transgressions. Christ's reconciliation erased those sins. Their atonement is complete. The scapegoat is bloodless. A fit man released him. Perish alone, says the Bible:

• Leviticus 16:21-22 “21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. ”

Our sin bearer is Christ. Satan suffers his own sins and perish. God's great confessional system worked in Israel's camp year after year.

This shadowy preaching of the Gospel continued until Christ left the throne of His Father and His glorious home, laid off His crown and kingly robes, vacated His position of authority and honor in the heavenly courts, and came down to this dark world seared and marred by sin.

• Philippians 2:6-8 “6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

What a mystery! God's way is in the sanctuary!

• Psalms 77:13 “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?”

Jesus' crucifixion revealed the true Lamb of God. Everything in the Lord's sacrificial system foreshadowed Jesus, God's Lamb. Every sacrifice concluded with Christ's crucifixion and death. The shadow brought him into the tangible realm. Type met anti-type. Jesus' blood satisfied the world's sins without the need for animal blood. As Jesus died on the cross, the temple witnessed a strange and glorious event.

• Matthew 27:51 “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

The veil between the holy and the most holy place was torn in half, revealing the holy of holies. Animal sacrifices ended.

Now, let's ask a question: why did Jesus return to heaven? What does He do in the sanctuary above?

• Hebrews 8:1-2 “1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

Remember, God showed Moses a true pattern to build the earthly sanctuary, and Christ, as our high priest, has gone to that real or true heavenly tabernacle with His blood.

• Hebrews 9:11-12 “11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Jesus—our intercessor—did not enter into the holy places with animal blood. Our Lord pleads His blood to the Father. It's amazing that, right now, we have an advocate in front of God.

• Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”

Because of this, we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. As we accept his death in our stead and confess our sins in Jesus' name, why does Christ stand surety for us before the Father? Is there a connection between the earthly and heavenly sanctuary?

We know that the earthly was a copy of the heavenly. We also know that Christ entered the first apartment as He returned to heaven. John the Revelator saw Him there.

• Revelation 1:13 “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.”

Jesus would pass from the first to the second apartment to cleanse the sanctuary. Heaven would have an anti-typical day of atonement just like earthly services. Why does the heavenly sanctuary need cleansing?

• Hebrews 9:23 “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

So here we are told that the heavenly did need cleansing and purifying just as surely as the record of the people’s transgression was recorded in the sprinkle blood of the earthly, so the record of our sins are recorded in the books of heaven.

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The Sanctuary

THE eighth chapter of Daniel is a prophecy of wonderful interest; for it gives the prophetic history of the world from the rise of the Persian Empire till the final destruction of all earthly kingdoms by the God of Heaven. The succession of earthly empires was presented to the prophet under the symbols of a ram, a goat, and a little horn that became exceeding great. And when these had been shown to him, he was told by the angel Gabriel that the ram represented the kingdom of Media and Persia; and that the goat was the kingdom of Grecia; and the horn which became exceeding great, though not called by name, was identified by several decisive facts, among which are these: That it should be the great destroyer of the people of God, and that it should put to death the Prince of princes. These facts show that the Roman power is intended.

In connection with these symbols which represent the great empires that have since arisen, the prophet learned the duration of his vision. For he heard Gabriel ask Michael, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And Michael, who answered the question to Daniel, said: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Verses 13, 14.

Now, it is plain that the period of twenty-three hundred days cannot be understood to mean so many literal days; for this would not make quite seven years, and would cover only a very small part of the duration of one of the three great empires of this vision. But we should remember that in this vision the great empires of the world are represented by symbols, and thus are given on a scale which brings them distinctly before the eye of the observer. It is necessary that the time should be given on a scale that corresponds with this in order not to involve an absurdity. For the Persian, Grecian, and Roman Empires have in all continued between 2000 and 3000 years. Now when these empires were represented by beasts, if the time that the empires were to continue was given without a corresponding abatement, then we should have these beasts living a thousand years apiece! This would be absurd. But it would not be absurd to represent them as living and acting that number of days.

The days must therefore represent longer periods of time. If we compare spiritual things with spiritual, we shall find the key to the interpretation of these days. For the different inspired writers were all led by the same Spirit of truth. They were like so many workmen engaged in building a temple. If we can find the rule which governed one of them, we shall find that same rule governing all the rest in like circumstances. Now God gave this rule to Ezekiel in the interpretation of the symbols of his own vision: “I have appointed thee each day for a year.” Ezekiel 4:6. We shall find in Gabriel’s explanation of this vision of Daniel given in the ninth chapter, that the days in Daniel’s prophecy are so many years.

This period of two thousand and three hundred days was certainly given for the benefit of the people of God. But it cannot benefit them unless they are able to understand it. We have indeed ascertained that it must be two thousand and three hundred years. But if we do not know when this period commences, we shall be none the wiser for having the period given in Daniel’s prophecy. But there is a certain great event to take place when this period expires, and God designed to give his people knowledge of the time. The event is called the cleansing of the sanctuary. We shall find the subject one of very deep interest when we come to examine the Bible to learn what it teaches respecting the sanctuary and its cleansing.

But the date of this great period is not given in the eighth chapter of Daniel. In that chapter, however, the commandment is given by Michael thus: “Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.” Verse 16. And yet, in verse 27, he tells us that he “was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” The angel in explaining to him this vision set before him the destruction of the mighty and the holy people, and the cruel death of the Son of God. The prophet could bear no more, for he “fainted, and was sick certain days;” so Gabriel reserved the remainder of the explanation till another time.

But in the ninth chapter we find Daniel earnestly seeking God with reference to his sanctuary. Verses 3, 17. He seems to have connected his own vision of the sanctuary with that of Jeremiah respecting the desolation of the temple of Jerusalem. Verse 2. His mind was upon the subject of time. He knew that the seventy years of Jeremiah’s prophecy were just expiring, and he was intently studying that period, doubtless in connection with the period which Michael told him marked the cleansing of the sanctuary. It was necessary that he should now be made to understand the reckoning of the great period revealed to him in his vision of the eighth chapter.

And so while he was engaged in importunate prayer for the people of God and for his sanctuary, the angel Gabriel touches him, saying, “I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. Verse 22. And calling attention to the vision which he had been commanded to explain to him, he says: “Therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” Verse 23, compared with chapter 8:16.

Thereupon he gives to Daniel the key to the reckoning of his great period. “Seventy weeks,” says he, “are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,” etc. Verse 24. The worddetermined does not express the full sense of the Hebrew word used by the angel. The word spoken by the angel was “cut off.” The translators, not seeing the propriety of such a word in this place, for they did not note the fact that the ninth chapter is the key to the eighth, and so thought nothing of the long period in that chapter, could not understand how the seventy weeks could be said to be cut off, and so they departed from the literal meaning, and said that seventy weeks, were “determined,” that is appointed, upon they people and thy city. But with the prophet, the case was different. The angel had bidden him “consider the vision.” And nothing was more natural when told that seventy weeks were cut off than that he should recur to the long period revealed to him without a date in that vision.

This shorter period being cut off from that long period gives us the key to the reckoning of that period from which it is cut off. When we ascertain the date of the seventy weeks, we have also ascertained the point from which the twenty-three hundred days are to be reckoned. And this date the angel next gives us.

“Know therefore,” said Gabriel, “and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks.” Verse 25. The commandment for the restoration of Jerusalem, which city then lay in ruins, is the event which marks the commencement of this period. Cyrus gave the Jews permission to return and build the temple, but did not say anything respecting the city itself. Ezra 1. This decree Darius renewed when the Jews were hindered by their enemies, and he provided means for the expense of finishing the temple., Ezra 6. But Artaxerxes added to the work of Cyrus and Darius the full restoration of the city to its ancient privileges, and the re-establishment of the law of God as the law of the city; and he authorized the rebuilding of its walls. Ezra 7:11-26; 9:9. The commandment is the prophetic commandment of the God of Heaven (Isaiah 44:26-28; 45:13), and was carried into effect by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, whose successive action is recognized as the legal establishment of that commandment by the authority of the Persian Empire. Ezra 6:14. The decree of Artaxerxes, which marks the going forth of the commandment, was in the year B.C. 457 (see margin of Ezra 7), a date which has been established by the infallible testimony of many eclipses. Sixty-nine weeks, or 483 prophetic days, extend from this date to the Messiah, that is, to Christ. This period was fulfilled in exactly 483 years, which proves that we have made no mistake in reckoning Daniel’s days as years, nor in fixing their date at B.C. 457.

It was in the fall of A.D. 27, just 483 full years from the going forth of the commandment in B.C. 457, that our Lord began his ministry. And this was the announcement which he made: “the time is fulfilled.” Mark 1:15. He did in these words refer to the sixty-nine weeks which marked the commencement of his ministry, and he announced the fulfillment of that period. For the period extends not simply to the birth of the Saviour, but to his annointing, which took place at his baptism, the word Messiah signifying the anointed one. See John 1:41; Acts 10:40, 41; Luke 3:21, 22; 4:14, 21. The sixty-nine weeks did, therefore end with the beginning of our Lord’s ministry in the fall of A.D. 27. One week of the seventy remained in which the covenant was to be confirmed with many. Verse 27. In the midst of this week, the sacrifice and oblation were to cease. This must signify that he should take these away by becoming himself the great sacrifice for sin which these typified. Hebrews 10:1-13; Colossians 2:14-17. And so it was that our Lord preached during three years and a half, until the spring of A.D. 31, when he was crucified for the sins of men. This date, Dr. Hales, one of the moist distinguished of chronologists, establishes by conclusive evidence. See his “Analysis of Chronology,” second edition, vol. 1. pp. 94-100. There remained of the period which was specially assigned to the Jews three and a half prophetic days to complete the seventy weeks. The termination of this period in A.D. 31 marked the close of the exclusive work for the Jews, and the commencement of the work for the Gentiles in the conversion of Saul, who was at once commissioned to them. Acts 26:15-17. Here ended the seventy weeks which were cut off from the 2300 days. When these 490 days were finished, there remained 1810 days before the time should come for the cleansing of the sanctuary. As the 490 ended in the fall of A.D. 34, the remaining 1810 days ended in the fall of 1844.

In the great Advent movement under the preaching of William Miller and his fellow laborers, the evidence was brought out with great clearness that the 2300 days would end in 1844. He believed that the sanctuary to be cleansed is our earth. He found no testimony in the Bible that the earth is the sanctuary, but he did find that the earth is to be purified, by fire (2 Peter 3:7-13), and so he inferred that this was the sanctuary which Michael said should be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days. He therefore concluded that this period was given to mark the time of Christ’s coming. And as it was sufficiently evident from the several great lines of prophecy in Daniel and Revelation, and from the signs of the times, that the advent of Christ was at the doors, the time was preached in connection with the signs with very great solemnity and power.

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But though it could be clearly shown that the 2300 days actually ended in 1844, the Advent people were doomed to a great disappointment. The ending of the 2300 days was not the time appointed of God for the coming of Christ, nor for the burning of the earth. But the great Advent disappointment made it necessary that two important questions should be carefully studied.

• 1. What is the sanctuary of the Bible?
• 2. What is meant by the cleansing of the sanctuary?

The fact that the cleansing of the sanctuary is an event located in prophecy in the very conclusion of one of Daniel’s great prophetic chains, shows that it is an event of deep interest to mankind. And as we live at a time when the 2300 days are in the past, we are most deeply concerned to understand the nature of the work called the cleansing of the sanctuary.

The Bible is full of the subject of the sanctuary, and we shall find it a theme of intense interest if we give it careful study. The Bible doctrine of the sanctuary is this: That the sanctuary is the place where the High Priest stands to offer blood before God for the sins of those who come to God through him. The central subject in the sanctuary is the ark which contains the law of God that man has broken. The cover of this ark was called the mercy-seat, because mercy came to those who had broken the law beneath it, when the high priest sprinkled the blood of sin-offering upon it, provided they accompanied his work by repentance and faith. Last of all was the work of cleansing the sanctuary when the high priest by blood removed the sins of the people from the sanctuary into which they had been borne by the ministration of the priests before God. We now invite attention to the testimony of the Bible respecting the sanctuary.

• 1. There are two covenants; the first, or old covenant, extends from the time of Moses to the death of Christ; the second, or new covenant, begins at the death of Christ and extends forward to the consummation. Galatians 4:24-26; Hebrews 8:7-13; Luke 22:20.
• 2. The first covenant had a sanctuary, which was the tabernacle erected by Moses. Hebrews 9:1-7.
• 3. The new covenant has a sanctuary which is the temple of God in Heaven, into which our High Priest entered when he ascended up on high. Hebrews 8:1-5.
• 4. When Moses erected the tabernacle, he was commanded by God to make it according to the pattern which he showed to him; and this pattern must have been a representation of the temple of God in Heaven; for the earthly sanctuary is declared to be a pattern of the heavenly. Exodus 25:9, 40; Hebrews 8:5; 9:23.
• 5. The earthly sanctuary consisted of two holy places; the first of which contained the table of shew-bread, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the golden altar of incense; and the second contained the ark of God’s testament with the tables on which the ten commandments were written by the finger of God, and over which was the mercy-seat with the cherubim of glory overshadowing it.Exodus 40:18-28; Hebrews 9:1-5.
• 6. The temple of God in Heaven is not only spoken of as the original from which the earthly sanctuary was copied (Hebrews 9:23, 24;1 Chronicles 28:11, 12, 19), but it is also spoken of as consisting of holy places, in the plural. See Hebrews 8:2; 9:8, 12, 24; 10:19, in each of which verses the original is holy places, in the plural, and they are so rendered in various translations. The word sanctuary in the Bible, except in the few cases where it is used figuratively, refers always to the place where the high priest ministers before God for the sins of the people. It was first the tabernacle erected by Moses; then it was the temple built by Solomon, which was a more glorious structure than the tabernacle, but with the same two holy places; and when the typical sacrifices ended in the death of Christ, who is the true sin-offering, the earthly sanctuary, or holy places, ceased to be the center of God’s worship, and Christ entered the temple in Heaven as a great High Priest-the minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. The temple of God in Heaven is the sanctuary from which the psalmist says the Lord beheld the earth (Psalm 102:19), and which Jeremiah speaks of as being where the throne of God is found. Jeremiah 17:12; Revelation 16:17.

The ministration in the earthly sanctuary could not actually take away sins; for it had only the blood of bulls and goats to offer.Hebrews 10:4. It was ordained for the purpose of instructing men with reference to the work of Christ, and of encouraging them to look forward to his work. It is a shadow or representation of the service of Christ in the sanctuary of God in Heaven. Hebrews 8:5; 10:1; Colossians 2:17. It took one year to complete the round of service in the earthly sanctuary, at the end of which the cleansing of the sanctuary took place. The round of service was repeated each year, even as a shadow is renewed each day. But the ministration of Christ which casts this shadow fills out each part of the work once for all, and is not repeated. We shall therefore find the study of the service in the earthly sanctuary full of instruction as to the work of Christ in the sanctuary above.

The ministration in the first apartment occupied the entire year, with the exception of one day, which was devoted to work in the second apartment, or most holy place, to close up the work which had been wrought in the first apartment. The work in the first apartment was on this wise: When a man repented of his sin, he brought a sin-offering to the priest to the door of the sanctuary. Then he confessed his sin to the priest and put his hand upon the head of his offering to indicate the transfer of the guilt from himself to his offering. Then, the victim was slain because of that guilt thus transferred to it, and the blood, representing the life of the victim, was taken by the priest and carried into the sanctuary, and sprinkled there before God. This act was the offering of the life of an innocent victim in the place of the life of him who had broken the law of God, and it was the transference of that man’s guilt from himself to the sanctuary of God. See Leviticus 4 and the parallel scriptures. This was the most important feature of the work in the first apartment, and by it the guilt of the penitents was transferred from themselves to the tabernacle.

On the tenth day of the seventh month, which was called the day of atonement, the ministration was transferred to the second apartment, or most holy place. Leviticus 16. By God’s direction, the high priest on this day caused two goats to be brought to the door of the sanctuary. On these he was to cast lots. One was for the Lord, the other was for Azazel. The he slew the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and took his blood to present it before God as a sin-offering in the most holy place, sprinkling it upon the mercy-seat. He did this for two purposes: 1. To make atonement for the people. 2. To cleanse the sanctuary by removing from it the sins of the people of God. Leviticus 16:15-19.

The sanctuary being cleansed, the high priest comes out of the building, and having caused the other goat to be brought which was for Azazel, he lays both his hands upon his head, and confesses over him all the transgressions of the children of Israel in all their sins. These he puts upon the head of the goat and sends him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. And it is said that “the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited.” Verses 20-22.

The work of the high priest on this great day of atonement was for the purpose of completing the work which had been partially accomplished in the first apartment. By the work in that apartment, the sins had been transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of sin-offering. By the work in the second apartment, the sanctuary is cleansed and the sins of the people of God blotted out. Such was the work in the earthly sanctuary, and such was the cleansing of the sanctuary as set forth in the example and shadow of heavenly things.

The earthly sanctuary was only made as the pattern of the sanctuary in Heaven. Hebrews 8 and 9. Itself and its services pertained only to the first covenant. Hebrews 9:1. With the introduction of the new covenant came the real sanctuary of God, the tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. Hebrews 8:1, 2. While the first tabernacle stood, it signified that the way into the holy places of the heavenly temple was not opened. Hebrews 9:8. But when our Lord ascended on high, he became a great High Priest, and by his own blood he entered the temple of God. Verses 11, 12. The order of his ministration is clearly indicated by the service in the two apartments of the earthly sanctuary. Hebrews 8:5; 9:8-12; 10:1. And we are able to trace the ministration of Christ in these two apartments of the temple above in the New Testament.

Thus, when John looked into the temple of God in Heaven, he saw the Father sitting upon the throne, and before the throne were seven lamps burning. Revelation 4. In this place also he saw the Son of God. Revelation 5. Before the throne also stood the golden altar of incense. Revelation 8:3. These things do clearly mark the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and show that this was the place where our Lord began his ministration as our High Priest.

But there is a time when his ministration is to be within the second apartment. This is marked in John’s statement of the events under the seventh trumpet: “And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.”Revelation 11:19. The ark marks the second apartment as the seven lamps and the golden altar of incense mark the first. The second apartment is therefore opened under the seventh angel, and the days (or years) at the beginning of his voice constitute the period in which the mystery of God or work of the gospel for fallen man is finished. Revelation 10:7; Ephesians 3:4-6. It is certain therefore, that as there was a time each year devoted to the finishing up of the round of service in “the example and shadow of heavenly things” so is there such a period in the conclusion of Christ’s ministration, when once for all our High Priest finishes his work of priesthood; and as this work in the former dispensation took place in the second apartment, so also under the new covenant does this work find its accomplishment within the second vail by the ark of the ten commandments. The work in the second apartment of the earthly sanctuary does not therefore represent the work of the whole gospel dispensation, but only of that part of it devoted to the finishing of the mystery of God. The work within the second apartment was for the cleansing of the sanctuary, and this was performed by the high priest with blood, and when it was accomplished the sins of the people were blotted out. It was, therefore, an event of the greatest importance to the people of God. The heavenly sanctuary is to be cleansed, and for the same reason that the earthly sanctuary was cleansed. So Paul testifies in Hebrews 9:23. The same word which Paul uses to express the purification in this text is used in the Septuagint version ofDaniel 8:14, for cleansing. The prophecy of Daniel shows us that the sanctuary of God is cleansed in the last days of the new covenant dispensation. The sanctuary of the new covenant is in Heaven. Hebrews 8:1, 2. This heavenly sanctuary is to be cleansed; for Paul affirms it. Hebrews 9:23. The time marked for its cleansing is that fixed by John for the opening of the temple in Heaven and for the finishing of the mystery of God. Revelation 11:19; 10:7. The cleansing of the sanctuary is the removal from it of the sins of the people of God that had been borne into it by the High Priest, and their blotting out from the record that stands against the saints, preparatory to their being placed upon the head of the scape-goat, or Azazel.

Now this Azazel, as the word is in the original, or scape-goat, as some translations render it, can be no other than Satan. For the being that receives the sins of the righteous after the High Priest has finished his work in the sanctuary, can be no other than Satan, the author of sin. The word Azazel was understood by the ancient people of God to mean Satan. When, therefore, the goat was sent into a land not inhabited, it represents the fact that Satan at the conclusion of Christ’s work as priest shall be cast into the bottomless pit. Revelation 20.

The treading under foot of the sanctuary is not performed by literally trampling it in the dust. It is trodden under foot in the same manner that men are represented as treading under foot the Son of God who ministers in that sanctuary. Hebrews 10:29.

But does Daniel’s vision really take in the heavenly sanctuary? We know that the earthly sanctuary as understood by him was the temple of God. Daniel 9:17, 26. His view was in exact harmony with that of Paul in Hebrews 9:1-5. And ought we not to understand that the entire 2300 days belong to the temple in old Jerusalem? Such is the view taken by some, and yet it is not at all in harmony with the statement of Gabriel. The entire period of 2300 days does not belong to old Jerusalem; for Gabriel said, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city.” The words literally translated from the Hebrew are, “Seventy weeks are CUT OFF upon thy people, and upon thy holy city.” Daniel 9:24. So we have the highest authority for saying that only 190 of the 2300 days pertain to the earthly sanctuary. And it is worthy of notice that the actual transition from the earthly sanctuary to that of the new covenant, which is the heavenly, is in close proximity to the end of the 490 days.

And this is not all. Gabriel introduces the heavenly sanctuary itself, for the last event mentioned under the seventy weeks in the anointing of the most holy. In the Hebrew, this is the anointing of the body of holies. This cannot mean Christ, but must mean the sanctuary of God. It cannot mean the earthly sanctuary, for that was left of God at this very time (Matthew 23:38), and was, with all the typical system, here set aside. The anointing of the sanctuary was that which prepared the way for the ministration therein. Leviticus 8:10. The ministration in the earthly sanctuary was now finished, and that in the heavenly was about to commence. The sanctuary, therefore, which at this time was anointed was that which at this very point took the place of the earthly sanctuary. It was the temple of God in Heaven which Gabriel thus brings to Daniel’s view. The 2300 days do, therefore, embrace the closing period of the earthly sanctuary and the entire history of the ministration in the sanctuary of the new covenant. They ending the last days of the new covenant dispensation, and the cleansing of the sanctuary is the consummation of the work of our great High Priest therein.

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The nature of that work we will now briefly indicate. The work of the Judgment is divided into two parts. The first part is theinvestigative judgment, which takes place in the heavenly sanctuary, God the Father sitting in judgment. The second part is the execution of the judgment, and is committed wholly to Christ, who comes to our earth to accomplish this work. John 5:22-27; Jude 14, 15. It is while the investigative judgment is in session that the cleansing of the sanctuary takes place. Or, to speak more accurately, the cleansing of the sanctuary is identical with the work of the investigative judgment.

This part of the judgment is described in Daniel 7:9-14. God the Father sits upon the throne of judgment. Those who stand before the Father are the angels. Compare Revelation 5:11. It is not upon earth, for the Father does not come to our earth. It is before the second advent of Christ, for Christ comes to our earth as a king sitting upon his own throne (Matthew 25:31, 34; Luke 19:12, 15; 2 Timothy 4:1), but this tribunal of the Father is the very place where he is crowned king. Daniel 7:13, 14. It is the time and place where our Lord concludes his priestly office, and must, therefore, be in the second apartment of the sanctuary above. Revelation 10:7; 11:15, 18, 19.

When the Saviour comes, he gives immortality to the righteous dead. 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. The rest of the dead are left until the resurrection of the unjust. Revelation 20. But those who are thus made immortal were previously accounted worthy of that great salvation. Luke 20:35. There can be no examination afterward to ascertain whether they shall be saved or lost, for they are put in possession of eternal life at the moment when the trumpet sounds. And such, also, is the case with the living righteous. They are changed to immortality in the same moment with the dead in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. These are previously judged worthy of this great salvation (Luke 21:36), and can never afterward be subjected to trial for the determination of this point. The decision who shall have eternal life has, therefore, been made before Christ descends to execute the judgment.

The books are examined before the deliverance of the saints. Daniel 12:1. The opening of the books is described in Daniel 7:9, 10. The book of life shows who have ever set out in the service of God. Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3. The book of God’s remembrance shows the record of their faithfulness in his cause, and whether they have made clean work in overcoming. Malachi 3:16. Other books contain the record of men’s evil deeds. Revelation 20:12, 13.

As the object of this final work in the sanctuary is to determine who are worthy of everlasting life, no cases will come before this tribunal except those who have had their names entered in the book of life. All others are left out of this investigation as having never become partakers in Christ’s atoning work. The investigation will determine who have overcome their sins; and these will have their sins blotted from the record, and their names retained in the book of life. It will also determine who have not overcome; and these will have their names blotted from the book of life. Revelation 3:5, and their sins will be retained in the record, to be visited with retribution in the resurrection to damnation.

The righteous need a high priest until their sins are blotted out. They cannot be blotted out till the Judgment; for God has decreed to bring every work into judgment whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; 3:17. He certainly cannot bring any record into judgment, after he has blotted it out. The blotting out is therefore the last act of our High Priest, and is done when the Father has accounted each person worthy of this; which will only be when the High Priest has shown from the record in the book of God’s remembrance that he has actually overcome. The blotting out of sins (Acts 3:19) is therefore the great work which brings our Lord’s priesthood to a conclusion. As this is an individual work, it evidently begins with the first generation of the righteous, and so comes down to the last, that is, to those who are alive at the coming of Christ. It is the time of the dead that they should be judged. Revelation 11:18, 19. The first angel gives notice to the inhabitants of the earth that the hour of God’s judgment has come. Revelation 14:6, 7. The living are still on probation when this solemn announcement is made to mankind.

The proclamation of the third angel, which is made while Christ is closing up his work in the sanctuary, is designed to prepare the living for the decision of the Judgment. When the cases of the living are reached, probation closes up forever. The decree goes forth from the throne of God, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; ... and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11. The sins of the overcomers being blotted out, and the sanctuary cleansed, the Son of God is no longer needed as a great High Priest. He therefore ceases from the office forever and becomes a king for the deliverance and glorification of his people, and for the destruction of all transgressors. Daniel 7:13, 14. Satan, the author of sin, receives its dreadful burden when the work in the sanctuary is closed, and will bear it with him to the lake of fire.

It is of infinite consequence to us who live in the time when Christ is closing up his priesthood, that we understand the work which he is performing, and that we so walk in the light as to share in his great salvation.

J.N.A.

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No Literal Sanctuary in Heaven - Doctrine of Jesuitism and Mohammedanism   ^{NEW - 10/07/16}

"The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven." 11:4. Paul says to the Hebrews, "We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty, in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8:1,2. "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." Rom. 1:20. Paul tells the Hebrews how they may understand these invisible things, which he says are clearly seen. See viii.c.,5 v. "Shadow of heavenly things." For see, (saith he) that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." Now then, whenever we want to understand about the heavenly sanctuary, we must turn to Moses's description of the sanctuary in the wilderness, which he made after the pattern God gave him; which Paul says were shadows of heavenly things. How will a man dare (in the face of all this inspired testimony) to stand here on God's earth, and assert that the heavenly sanctuary with all that pertains to it is a F I G U R E, and spiritualize it away. It would be ten thousand times easier for him to spiritualize the old Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple, seeing the one that is to come as far exceeds the temple of Solomon or Nehemiah, (although, it is allowed, that nothing on earth ever exceeded them) as the most splendid palace of the king does the sentry box of his guard. Much safer would it be for him to teach that the rocks had never been rent, or as he passed the streets in the afternoon and saw the shadow of the buildings, should insist upon it that the shadows were real, but the buildings, which cast the shadows, were spiritual. Such doctrine should be ranked with Mohammedanism and Jesuitism, save their demoniac spirit; it comes from the "bottomless pit and will go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth will wonder." Rev. 17:8. But I wish to present further evidence of the real (not spiritual) coming of this heavenly sanctuary."
- Bate's Pamphlet #1, SANCTUARY, pages 28-29, Joseph Bates (1846)

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Links For further reading...

• The Sanctuary of the Creator God
• The Path to the Throne of God
• THE CROSS AND ITS SHADOW

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