Sunday: The Heavenly Sanctuary
Daily Lesson for Sunday 19th of May 2024
Read Exodus 25:8-9,40 and Hebrews 8:1-6. What two sanctuaries are outlined in these verses?
As the early Adventist believers pored over the Scriptures in the months following 1844, they understood that there are two sanctuaries mentioned in the Bible—the one Moses built and the great original in heaven. The term “sanctuary,” as used in the Bible, refers, first, to the tabernacle built by Moses, as a pattern or “type” of heavenly things; and, second, to the “true tabernacle” in heaven, to which the earthly sanctuary pointed. At the death of Christ, the typical service lost its importance.
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
The “true tabernacle” in heaven is the sanctuary of the new covenant. And as the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 is fulfilled in this era, the sanctuary to which it refers must be the sanctuary of the new covenant.
“At the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844, there had been no sanctuary on earth for many centuries. Thus the prophecy, ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,’ unquestionably points to the sanctuary in heaven.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 417.
The sanctuary in the wilderness was a scale model or pattern of the heavenly sanctuary. The services in the earthly sanctuary foreshadowed God’s divine plan of salvation. Every sacrifice offered represented Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross of Calvary (see John 1:29). Through the sacrifice of Christ, we are free from the condemnation of sin. Forgiveness is ours. Our guilt is gone as we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf and confess our sins (1 John 1:9). Jesus is not only the Lamb who died for us but also the Priest who lives for us.
Hebrews 7:25 explains: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (NKJV). He removes the guilt of sin and saves us from the power of sin (Romans 8:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ ministry in heaven’s sanctuary is for us. As a result of His intercession, the grip of sin on our lives is broken. We are no longer under bondage or enslaved to our sinful natures. In Christ we are free—free from sin’s condemnation and free from sin’s control. As we hold on to Christ by faith, we have the assurance of salvation.
What does it mean for you to know that Jesus is in heaven ministering in your behalf, meaning that He is there mediating for you? Why do you need a Mediator in your behalf? Why is this truth good news?
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It's evident that the termination of of the long prophetic year strand is in 1844, and, immediately comes the cleansing of heavenly sanctuary, surely, what filth dirtied the heavenly sanctuary now that it's a holy place?
I love the explanation given
A great question the answer is that christ in the heavenly sanctuary stands as our meditor before his father he pleads on our behalf with his own blood. Just as the High priest in the earthly tabernacle for the children of isreal. So he does for spiritual isreal. There is the entering of names into the lmabs book of life and the removal of names.
Confused about the meaning of Christ's "mediation" on our behalf in Heaven--l don't doubt it--just need help reconciling John 3:16, 17; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; John 16:26,27 with Christ's heavenly ministry. Advance Thanks for your help.
What I do know is, even though we tend to be new creations in christ and with all the references you stated. We still falter in one way or the other. Know that sin has come to stay with us and we can have perfection hence the essence of continuous plead for forgiveness. What I'm I driving at? Sometimes or most often in our prayer we do not say the right words hence the prayer itself may tend to spot the throne of God so the essence of a mediator to correct and present our petition to our creator. My little understanding, hope it helps.
Christ's death made the provision for our sins to be forgiven. Our sins were not forgiven at the cross. Christ is now in heaven applying the benefits of what He accomplished at the cross. When we confess and repent of our sins His shed blood makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven.
When I taught atomic structure in Chemistry classes at highschool, I used to draw pictures showing the electrons occupying concentric rings around the nucleus of the atom. The first ring could contain just 2 electrons, the second 8 elctrons, the third 18 electrons, and so on. It was a simple diagram, elegant and understandable, but wrong. It was a working model for students who had no idea about particle-wave properties, probability distributions, energy levels, Schrodinger equations, and all the other bits and pieces that make chemistry exciting. And to be honest, even those of us who know those things, realise that these too are only our descriptors of the reality of atoms.
At the outset of this study we should really understand that the desert Sanctuary, Solomon's Temple, and the post-exilic Temple and their services were only teaching models of the heavenly plan of salvation. We sometimes argue the other way around that the heavenly is just like a big version of the teaching earthly model. The earthly model is only a shadow of reality.
The book of Hebrews is really hammering this message home and it is worth taking the time to read it this week to understand its importance. And if the Hebrew Christians had a lot to learn, we should probably ask ourselves where we are on learning curve too.
Thanks as always for your insight.
Considering the state of the world, I'm glad the lesson is focusing on the importance of Christ's work as our High Priest. I often wonder if we fully understand what is transpiring in the heavenly sanctuary. I pray that we will take a closer look and give thanks daily for the work of our High Priest.
"What does it mean for you to know that Jesus is in heaven ministering in your behalf, meaning that He is there mediating for you?"
I am drawn to Christ, I lay my sins at the foot of the cross by asking for forgivness, immediately they are forgiven. By the power of the Holy Spirit, my life is transformed. I look at the earthy sanctuary and realize that at Christ death He became my High Priest taking me before our Father and saying John is cleansed by My blood, because John has allowed the Spirit to transform him to be white as snow. The prayer on his lips is: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10. John is joyous with what we have done for him.
Knowing what took place in the earthly sanctuary really helped me understand the importance of the heavenly sanctuary, also by the messages found in Hebrews. Thank God for the Holy Spirit. Thank God for giving us His Son to live, die, and be resurrected as our High Priest. You now see, the sanctuary message ties in with the Gospel of Christ.
It is marvelous gift of God through his son Jesus Christ that saved me. I'm honoured and humbly accept the fact that he carries my burden to God to hear and accept me.
It is a true good news because God offer his love and accept us through his son who knew no sin.
I was asking myself why would he have to enter in the sanctuary in 1844?! Was He not there before?!
- Then i heard a voice say to me, "His life on earth, his sacrifice on the cross" give us not only a ticket to heaven (forgiveness of sin) but also give him the right to be our high Priest.
I mean on the cross, here on earth (when He was here) JESUS was fighting for two things on our side 👉 1) Paying the debt of our sin 2) Becoming the right priest (mediator) for us!!!
Be blessed
I am thankful for Jesus Christ our High Priest and mediator in Heaven at the right hand of our Father God. He is our attorney as well as our judge.
Our hope isn't just the fact that Jesus entered into the Most Holy place in 1844, but what He is doing there.
Our message to the world today is the judgement hour message of Revelation 14:6-12. When Jesus comes, His reward is with Him. The books are opened; the investigative judgement has begun. (1844) Our Righteous Judge is pouring over the books, beginning with those that have been in the grave since the beginning of time on this earth until our probation on this earth closes just before His second coming. THE LORD IS COMING, ARE YOU READY? Let us each one prepare for His coming now. He is preparing a place for us. John 14:1-3.
How wonderful it is to have a high priest who died for us and still intercedes for us.Praise God .
How does the Lamb of God take away the sins of the world? – John 1:29. Was it done through a mere physical sacrifice on par with the sacrificial lamb offered at the altar for the forgiveness of sins, or was this accomplished by/through Jesus’ faith and willingness to not preserve his body but give it up to be the testimony to the Jews first, and then to the whole world to demonstrate the power vested in Faith, Love, Grace, and Trust in the Father to raise Him to everlasting life? – John 6:39-40.
What was the purpose of the earthly sanctuary having been modeled after the heavenly sanctuary? When considering the spiritual aspects of the by God established sacrificial rituals and laws, it appears to me that all of them focus on changing and forming anew man’s spiritual ability to commune with our God and worship Him in 'Spirit and Truth' - John 4:24.
Most of the people of Israel were not able to find this personal, spiritual closeness with the God they worshiped; though they followed the rituals and, as much as they were able to, believed in them to bring about their cleansing from sin and so remain in fellowship with their God.
But now we know better – ‘forgiveness is ours’ through Grace! Now we know that rituals or works do not establish nor maintain our relationship with our heavenly Father; only our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can do that by interceding for us.
Righteousness is needed for man to enter Eternal Life! Jesus became the first fruit and demonstrated to all mankind that through faith - because He loved God with all His heart and trusted Him explicitly - life after death is possible for those who place their trust in Him. As we live in Him by faith as we follow the Holy Spirit, He will cover us with His Righteousness.
Just a few questions I am hoping some who understand the sanctuary doctrine can help me answer:
“I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.” Revelation 21:22 NASB1995. What is the implication of this statement in the context of Exodus 25:8-10,16?
A temple is seen in heaven (Revelation 3:12; 7:15; 11:1,19; 14:15,17; 15:5-8; 16:1,17). Of what is this temple composed?
In Revelation 15:5, the temple in heaven is opened and the Sacred Tent is seen in it. What is the significance of seeing the Sacred Tent in the heavenly Temple? Is this the same Sacred Tent of Exodus? If not, what Tent is it?
In Revelation 11:19, the temple in heaven is opened and the Ark of his Covenant (Covenant Box) is seen in it. What is the significance of seeing the Covenant Box in the heavenly Temple? Is this the same Covenant Box of Exodus? If not, what is it?
What on earth does the above have to do with us?
Hi Richard, The temple is in heaven. Not the new Jerusalem. John saw the Temple in heaven, but there was no temple in the new Jerusalem when it comes down to earth.
Hello William,
Thanks for the response. There is a temple in the New Jerusalem: "I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb." (Revelation 21:22.) The temple in the New Jerusalem is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.
So if ultimately the temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, exactly what "pattern" was used for the Mosaic sanctuary? Is the Mosaic sanctuary a metaphor or is it an exact representation of the temple in heaven? If it is a metaphor what is being represented?
Hi Richard,
My comment is meant to supplement what William wrote. You wrote:
The Lord has given us a small glimpse in Revelation of a throne room from which the universe is governed. The Lord Himself is on the throne and myriads of angels surround Him, as symbolized by the angels intricately woven into the curtains of the Hebrew sanctuary. When you ask, "Of what is this temple composed?" you may as well ask "Of what is heaven composed?"
We read in Isaiah 57:15 "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Unfortunately we humans seem unable to comprehend the dual nature of God's "habitation." But the Bible has plenty of references to God's habitation in heaven and habitation on earth. The Hebrew sanctuary symbolized His desire to the "with" His people. Christ Himself was called "Immanuel," God with us. When we read of the "temple" or the "sanctuary" we need to read with Spirit-enlightened eyes to understand the primary emphasis of the passage. God has promised to supply wisdom, if we ask for it.
And, by the way, the dual nature of the temple/sanctuary also means that the "cleansing of the sanctuary" has a dual application. There is a real cleansing of human hearts from sin, and this cleansing also removes the stain of sin from the heavenly sanctuary. (I see it as God being justified as the whole universe recognizes that He is not responsible for sin.)
I understand we will be studying the plan of salvation for eternity, and, even now, we have not yet learned all we could learn from the Hebrew sanctuary and its services, which functioned as an acted-out drama of the plan of salvation.
You wrote:
I'm not sure that "the Sacred Tent" is seen in it, though it is possible that God preserved a copy of the earthly tabernacle as sort of a museum display. The KVJ translation reads thus:
Since the "of the" is translated from the word ho that is usually translated as the article "the" (the other two instances in this text are translated as "the"), I read the "tabernacle of the testimony" as an appositive to "the temple." In other words, the text says that the heavenly temple, represented by the earthly "tabernacle," is opened in heaven. (One translation of "tabernacle" is "habitation.") (I use the BlueLetterBible to ferret out the details of the original languages.)
You wrote:
Again, I think John was allowed a glimpse into the throne room of the universe, and seeing the "Ark of the Covenant" there was to emphasize that the Law contained in the sanctuary "ark" represented the Law that governs the universe. Jesus summarized it as supreme love to God and loving our neighbors as ourselves. He lived out the Law in His life, demonstrating it to be a law of self-renouncing love. That law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for the universe. That law is in contrast to the law of self-serving by which this world operates under the dominion of Satan.
You wrote:
That should be clear from the above. 😊 Christ is waiting with longing desire to see His character reproduced in His people. He has made every provision that it can be so. All of heaven is interested in and involved in assuring our salvation. We are the only "wild card." Will we allow Him to be Lord of our lives, or will we not?
Hello Inge,
Just a few comments and questions to add to yours.
Revelation 15:5-8 is an allusion to Exodus 40:33-34. (There are many allusions in Revelation to the old testament.) When Moses had finished setting up the sanctuary for the first time on the first day of the new year, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and no one could enter it. This occurred right after the covenant was renewed after the golden calf incident.
Is it just a coincidence that this allusion is made in Revelation to the Tabernacle of the Testimony at the point where the song of Moses and Lamb is sung by the Redeemed? Just before the Seven Plagues begin? What import does this have on the “Sanctuary Message”?
Revelation 11:19 is an allusion to Exodus 19-20. This is where God made his Covenant with the people he had delivered out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. The Covenant Box is the container for the Covenant that God wrote with his finger on tablets of stone. It is not so much the Box, but what the Box contains that is the essence. This is the time when the people redeemed out of Egypt promised, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” This is where the Lord applied the corrective that the One who had delivered them would write his law on their heart: to love the Lord and to love their neighbour.
The question on my mind is what is God revealing at this point in his Revelation? Since this is an obvious referent to his Covenant with his people (and thinking ahead to Revelation 14), what import does this have on his “Sanctuary Message”? Since this Revelation occurs right after the Two Witnesses and just before the Great Sign in Heaven of Revelation 12, what understanding of the “Sanctuary Message” does Revelation open to God’s people at this time in earth’s history?
Hence my question: What on earth does this have to do with us? How does this define his “Sanctuary Message” that we are called to proclaim?
Richard
Hie William may you please explain why the heavenly sanctuary needed to be cleansed.
Hi Norma, I believe the cleansing of the earthly and heavenly sanctuary is actually symbolic of the cleansing that is to be going on in our hearts. It is our own hearts that are the sanctuaries that need to be cleansed.
Amen and how awesome it is to be reminded of the good news of the sanctuary on earth n the sanctuary in heaven.
1. Earthly sanctuary is a type of the heavenly sanctuary. A model of what the services of the heavenly sanctuary like.
2. Heavenly sanctuary is the is the true tabernacle.
- At the death of Christ the typical service lost its importance. (No more animal sacrificial offerring).
- Through the death of Christ we are free from condemnation of sin. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:9).
- We can go boldly before the throne of grace with confidence in asking for forgiveness of our sins to our advocate or mediator Jesus Christ our Saviour.
- We are no longer under the bondage of sin but grace in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.