Sabbath: Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 8:3, John 1:29, Rev. 5:12, Heb. 7:1-28, Heb. 9:11-15, Lev. 16:13, Heb. 9:20-23.
Memory Text: “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10, NIV) .
Talking about Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary, the book of Hebrews says: “where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 6:20, NKJV).
Scripture, especially the New Testament, is so clear about Christ’s role as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary — a role He took after He completed His work as our sacrifice here on earth (see Heb. 10:12).
This week we will explore the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. His intercessory work is crucial to the preparation of His people to be ready for the end time. So, we have been given this crucial admonition: “The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill”. — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 488.
What is Christ doing for us in the heavenly sanctuary, and why is it so important for us to understand it in the last days especially?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 5.
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The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest.
why?
Sanctuary by definition is a place of refuge or safety
Investigative Judgement - Weighing evidence for judgment
Place of refuge vs judgment and condemnation
Christ is interceding on our behalf is depicted by the sanctuary message.
Without this solid foundation of understanding, it will be impossible for us to endure the time of trouble.
Where in scripture are the words "Investigative Judgement" found?
Pete, you already know that there are many words we use today to describe aspects of salvation that are not used in Bible translations. What is clear is that a judgment is necessary before Jesus comes to determine who will go to heaven with Him. And this is taught in the OT sanctuary services and several of Christ's parables. You can call it what you like. Our pioneers used the term "investigative judgment" to distinguish it from the last judgment that metes out the consequences on the wicked.
I suggest you review the posts we published on the investigative judgment, particularly, 'Why the Investigative Judgment Doctrine is Sound," since this is not the best place to discuss it. (You can as questions under the appropriate posts.)
Inge, if you are talking about the parable of the "Wedding Feast," as being one (Or maybe the only parable) that supposedly speaks of an "Investigating Judgement," (maybe when the King comes in to view the guests? The wording used there about the King coming in is to view the guests and not to investigate them as some SDA theologians tend to propose. There is a huge difference between "viewing" and "investigating".
Pete, your view of the nuances of meaning in the English language is very narrow. There are several situations where "viewing" takes on the meaning of "investigating" in modern life. I witnessed one recently where a pen of goats on a local farm were being held for "viewing" by prospective buyers. The "viewing" involved an inspection by more than one vet. They were expensive goats and the buyers wanted to be sure they they were getting their money's worth.
I suggest that the viewing of the guests by the king was much the same. He viewed the guests and made a judgement that one of them should not be there. That is more than a casual view. A decision was made on the basis of the viewed evidence and the guest was cast out. That is judgement.
Pete, you are right to ensure that the meaning of a word or phrase includes the interpreted meaning, but we need to remember that the English language is a very fluid language and each word or phrase can contain a range of meanings. Context sets the meaning and in the case of the Wedding Feast parable, the meaning is clear. The man without the robe was "judged".
Ecclesiastes 12:14 is just one of many verses in support of an Investigative Judgment.
Before He returns to earth, Jesus will have made a decision regarding every soul on this earth since Adam, and will reward them according to their works of faith or unbelief(Rev 22:10-14). This is typified in the earthly sanctuary and it's day of atonement as God instructed Israel to observe it in Lev 16. Notice how the people were to observe this time, which is an illustration of how we are to be living in this time of Christ's finishing work, putting away sin by righteousness through faith. See also Rev 6:9-11 which refers to this work as well.
I would also point to one word in Genesis which reveals this very principle of "investigation" by God before He renders any judgment or executes sentence. Isn't this how any fair system of justice operates on earth? It's what God has always done out of being just, it is how He works, not for His own sake, but for all who are watching or who are involved in this great conflict that is nearly finished. That word is "raah", translated as "see" or "saw". It means to investigate to learn the facts. It it also shown, as already mentioned, in Matt 22, where the King comes to see the guests, and ejects the man who has not conformed to the requirements of all who would attend the wedding supper. Study these things to understand them for they are vital to this generation if they would not be found wanting in the end.
I think the this manner of working is best shown in Genesis 3, and how God came to Adam and Eve, "investigating" by asking questions first, which allowed them to condemn themselves, then rendering His judgment and executing the sentence, but not upon the sinners themselves. However, for all who do not receive Jesus as the Lamb of God, the sentence must in justice, fall upon them.
God also worked this way before the flood, the tower of Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, and many times with the nations, including Israel, sending first His prophets to warn them of judgments to come if they would not believe and repent of sin.
How will we fare in this time of being investigated by the Righteous Sovereign? Will we have that garment on or be cast into outer darkness?
But the word "Bible" doesn't appear in the Bible.
Psalms 77:13 KJV : Thy way , O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? All the plan to save the human soul is in the sanctuary that's why the devil doesnt want many to study it and understand it. Others dont even believe in the sanctuary mesge. Thank God that Christ is in the Heavenly sanctuary cleansing us frm all the unrighteousness but He will not do that work forever. It's today that we are to repent and our sins are blotted out and left in the sanctuary.
The sacrifice of Jesus would have been meaningless without the application to lives of the believers in every day living. But the intercessory work of Jesus is especially important as He prepares the final generation of saints to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator.
It is in the judgment Satan will be fully defeated (Dan. 7:21,22,26)and Jesus will seal His people with the latter. As Jesus intercedes on our behalf Satan, the accuser of the brethren, will not yield as he argues that the sins of God's people are too great for them to be saved. It is intercessory work ofJesus that will prove to Satan and to the on looking universe that the sins of the church have been taken care of because the church,those embraced the righeousness of Jesus, are safe to be saved. (Zech. 3:1-5). After they fully sealed with the Latter Rain the saints will be assailed by the tempter for them to soil their robe of purity. But they will overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony(Rev.12:11). This is one of the reasons why the sanctuary message is so important. Is it any wonder the devil is fighting it?
God help us to know what Jesus Christ is doing for us and value it as much as we can .
Psalm 119:33 Teach me Lord, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will keep it to the end.
I have a good question. It says that if we ask God for forgiveness of our sins, He will forgive them. So, if we make it to heaven, are our sins blotted out for good here on earth or are they still there? I am unclear.
Once you believe in God and ask for forgiveness, you are forgiven and God will not hold that sin against you in heaven.
I'm not quite sure of your question, but I do know what the Bible teaches regarding the disposal of the sin problem.
The Old Testament sanctuary services taught a symbolic transference of sin to the priests and the sanctuary in the practice of confession of sins over the sin offerings whose blood was sprinkled in the sanctuary unless its flesh was eaten by the priests.
Thus the sanctuary became symbolically contaminated with sin and needed cleansing. This cleansing was done once a year on the Day of Atonement, symbolizing the final cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the universe of the defilement of sin.
The final disposal of sin was symbolized by the scape goat which was sent to an uninhabited wilderness (far away from the people) to perish there. At that point, the whole camp (symbolizing the people of God) were free from sin.
In the heavenly reality, Christ as High Priest ministering in heaven in the behalf of sinners is involved with the sin problem. He covers those who take refuge in Him and cleanses them from sin. When He comes from heaven to take His people home, the record of their sins will no longer testify against them.
The redeemed then will have 1000 years to investigate God's handling of the sin problem, including why some of their loves ones are not with them, and when they are satisfied, God can finally cleanse the universe of sin and sinners so that it can be filled with the joy and gladness that was always meant to fill God's created worlds.
Does that satisfy your question?
1 John 1:9 states when we confess our sins, God then because of Jesus, forgives our sins and also cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Karen, read Isa 43:25. What this is saying is that God will never bring up our past which we have repented of, looking to Jesus as the Lamb of God that "takes away the sin of the world". The conditions are repentance, which will lead to sanctification, or, that transformation in the life that will lead us to be partakers of the Divine Nature(2 Pe 1:4 [edited]).
The only one who would remind us, and others, of our sin, would be the accuser of the brethren, but he will be exiled to "a place not inhabited", meaning, he will perish when sin and sinners are at last destroyed and cleansed from God's creation for eternity, as promised. With no accuser, our past sins, cleansed by Jesus' blood will be forever forgotten. IF we "die" to those things, they cannot live again. If they still live, we have not "died".
Sins are forgiven at confession (1John 1:9) but they are blotted out in the judgment (Acts 3:19;cf.Ecc.12:13,14). Sins are recorded at commission (Jer.17:1). In the judgment there will be a scrutiny,to reveal to the universe,that sins are confessed and forgiven or they not confessed. It is in the judgment that names are rejected or names are retained in the Lamb's book of life (Ecc.12:13,14). It behoves us now to have our faith grounded in a love relationship with Jesus (John 5:24;Rom.5:18;Rom.8:1). Our relationship with Him determines our rejection or acceptance in the judgment. All of this is related to the sanctuary. That is why it is crucial to understand the doctrine of the final atonement, the judgment and the intercessory ministry of Jesus.
Jesus completed His earthly duties and went back to his Father to sit on the right hand side of Him. Jesus is our High Priest who acts as a negotiator as a link between His Father, Our Heavenly Father, and Man. The same way the earthly sanctuary was presented by Aaron and his family of priests. Jesus represents the Heavenly Sanctuary in the same manner.
Jesus Christ our forerunner. We as Christians should not only focus on the time ahead far as, His second coming, but first take a look back at the act that Jesus performed for us at the Cross. Jesus Christ humbly step up and took on mans' sins of the world for their sake. A majority of people takes this for granted. O,how sad this must make God the Father, and Jesus Christ Spirit. In order to put sin to condemnation. He had to come as the sin bearer for this old mean and dark world.
All the sacrificial victims in the earthly sanctuary all led to Jesus Christ shedding His blood one day on the cross, but he endured the punishments and torments of the Israelite leaders and their people, as well as the Romans, and won the victory by raising from the dead.
That great gap that Adam and Eve, and Satan brought between God the Father and Man was not good with Jehovah, and His Son Jesus Christ, so Our Almighty Maker and God's Son who is our redeemer had to put their Plan of Salvation to work as time unfolded through the ages.
The day of atonement was put into action when Jesus Christ Shed His blood way back at Calvary. Again the earthly sanctuary was just a copy and a shadow of the heavenly sanctuary.
Jesus were the "lamb of God that was led to the slaughter during His time on earth, and since He's been back to heaven Jesus ministers as our High Priest, as well as His other Great Attributes. God's intention were to educate Israel of His Salvation,Sacrifice, Intercession, Judgement, and the Removal of Sin. Some of the people took heed and some people did not and evil still exist today the same Evil Spirits of years ago.