Tuesday: The Sanctuary Motif in Revelation
Besides the two major divisions, Revelation also has another structural layer, one built around the Hebrew sanctuary. This sanctuary motif is not confined to either of the two major divisions but goes through them both.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing from GoodSalt.com
In the earthly sanctuary one begins in the courtyard, at the altar of burnt offering, where the animals were slain. After the death of the animal, symbolic of the Cross, the priest would enter into the first apartment of the sanctuary, which was a model of what Jesus did in the heavenly sanctuary after His ascension. This is represented by Jesus’ walking among the lampstands (Rev 1:13).
Read Revelation 4:1-2. What does the open door represent? Where is this scene located? See also Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 10:12-13; Ps. 110:1; Rev. 12:5.
Soon after His ascension, Christ was inaugurated in the Holy Place of the heavenly temple, through this first open door. When Christ first appears in the book of Revelation, He is standing before the lampstands of the first apartment in the heavenly sanctuary (see Rev. 1:10-18).
Read Revelation 11:19. What is the significance of the fact that as the heavenly temple was opened, John could see the ark of His covenant, which sat in the second apartment of the earthly sanctuary, appears (see Lev. 16:12-14) ?
The image of the ark of the covenant in the heavenly sanctuary is an indisputable reference to the Most Holy Place, or second apartment of the heavenly. In the book of Revelation, we can see not just Jesus’ two-apartment ministry but the crucial and comforting fact that events in heaven and earth are linked. Even amid the trials of history and the last days as depicted in the book of Revelation, we can have the assurance that “all heaven is engaged in the work of preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord’s preparation. The connection of heaven with earth seems very close”. — Ellen G. White, My Life Today , p. 307.
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The sanctuary presented to us in Exodus but the sanctuary is the throne room of heaven. Jesus is the mediator of us in the heavenly sanctuary.
"Does Satan plead loudly against our souls, accusing of sin, and claiming us as his prey, the blood of Christ pleads with greater power."
Mount of Blessings page 9
the correct understanding of the sanctuary will give us the true meaning of how we were saved at the cross.
This opening of the temple and revealing of the Law contained in the "ark of His testament" follows the close of probation as we read in the previous verses in Revelation 11. The 7th trumpet blows, which signifies the final judgment against the enemies of God and His people by the 7 plagues and the 2nd coming of Jesus in glory to bring with Him all the redeemed of the earth as promised(John 14:1-3), which will prove fatal for the lost. I believe that Jesus 2nd coming IS the 7th plague.
While I believe there is a sanctuary motif in Revelation, the use of Revelation 1:13 to establish this may probably not the right or best interpretation of that verse.
The lesson uses the presence of seven lamp stands and equates that with the seven branched lamp stand in the first compartment. Miss this and we may miss the point of what this verse is about. John was on Patmos and heard Jesus' voice behind him walking among the seven lamp stands. In chapter 4 he is invited to come up and looks through the open door into the throne room. If John was in heaven in chapter one why would he be asked to come on up? If we let the Bible interpret itself a few verses later Jesus says the seven lamp stands represent the seven churches. Jesus doesn’t imply that this is simply a different representation of the seven branched lamp stand in the heavenly sanctuary, but tells us what and where He is. Perhaps there is much Jesus means for us to glean from Him being dressed as a high priest and with the churches on earth.
The Revelation first and foremost had meaning to 1st century Christians and I believe Rev 1:13 could have had some of the following meaning to them. The early Christians may have taken great comfort that Jesus, their high priest and redeemer, would be with them as they are going through their experiences as outlined in the descriptions of the seven churches. They might well remember that He said where two or three are gathered he would be with them. Those Christians as well as we gather strength and encouragement from Jesus walking amongst us through all of our life here on earth.
While I believe in the sanctuary motif I don’t believe this text can be used as a supporting text and more importantly it doesn’t provide the support to Christians that Christ is with them here and now every step of the way whether in the first or 21st or whatever centuries may come.
I do not understand how the verses provided(Ephesians 1:20 etc) that point to Christ being caught up and being at the right hand of the throne of God could mean that he is in the Holy place and not the most Holy when the throne of God is the most Holy place . Please assist maybe i missed an interpretation.
Linda that is a good question, I was just wondering that myself. I was thinking, is the right hand of God located in the Holy place?
Because Christ is pleading still for us in the Holy place, but all those verses say that He has been raised to the right hand of God. I'm trying to put 1 and 1 together. Holy place = right hand of God.
This is me questioning not answering.
The writer of Revelation uses figures of speech to emphasize ideas. Being at the right hand of the throne of God is not about heavenly geography but about relationships. We also use the notion of someone being our right-hand person, to mean someone we cannot do without. That is a relationship idea and is not meant to be interpreted in a geographic sense.
The reference to Christ being seated at "the right hand of heavenly places" should be seen as stressing the close relationship between the Father and the Son.
Linda and Benjamin.
An excellent question to ask - and one that was asked by an Adventist theologian many years ago (along with others).
Maurice, and excellent answer and one which I believe would be supported by reputable scholars.
Benjamin, I am interested in your reference to Christ "pleading still for us". Could you elaborate on who Christ is pleading to and why. Thanks
Phil,
Alms G. Lamin also answered, but Christ is in the Holy Place. When He ascended that's where He went. And He is pleading for humanity. Yes, the atonement is complete, the work of redemption done. But We still need to be sanctified. Hebrews 4:14 Says HE is our Great High Priest, and that is what High Priests do. Read the rest of Hebrews, verses 14-16 as well.
Thanks Benjamin.
I have read your and Alms replies. You have said Christ is pleading for humanity - but I and am still wondering who Christ is pleading to.
Well, Phil there is only one He could be pleading to. And that is God in the Most Holy Place.
It seems to me that our understanding of the heavenly judgment process may have become distorted by the adversarial nature of the modern western system of justice. When we think of a court session here, we don't normally think of the judge being *for* the defendant. But that's how I understand it was in the Hebrew system of justice. The judge's job was to do his best to find the accused innocent of the accusations against him/her. Thus the Hebrew people looked forward to judgment - a time when they would get the justice they yearned for.
In other words, to consider both the Judge and the "Advocate" to be *for* the accused is the usual biblical scenario.
I don't think it helps our understanding a lot to draw to close an analogy to our modern western justice system, but I do think there are some parallels, such as the parallel between an earthly jury and the inhabitants of the universe. Paul tells us that we are like a "spectacle" (i.e. stage play) to heavenly beings. 1 Cor 4:9
The Bible does tell us that Satan is the accuser who accuses God's people "day and night." Rev 12:10
So then we have God as the judge who will judge in righteousness (Ps 98:9) and will do His best to judge in favor of the accused and Christ as Advocate who also pleads (legal term) for the accused. (God is working to restore sinners. While He cannot change the Law, which is a transcript of His character, He can take the consequences of breaking the Law on Himself in the person of Jesus. That's why the judgment is such *good news* to those who put their trust in Christ. But the parallels can't be drawn too closely because Luke appears to say that judgment will be done by Christ Himself. Acts 17:31)
Thus I think that questions such as asking who Christ is pleading to are not helpful, because to the modern mind that brings up an image of a lawyer begging a hostile judge - which is wholly unlike the heavenly reality.
Thank you for your responses Benjamin and Inge
I raise this question because it is one that people do (silently) wonder about. And so I think that your comment on the topic is very helpful Inge and hopefully something that will provide a different perspective to what many people currently see. I hope that such a perspective may be raised in many Sabbath School classes this coming Sabbath and thus facilitate positive discussion on this 'silent' point that is of relevance to many people.
Thanks again.
Understand that the earthly sanctuary was a very limited look at certain realities that are not carried out in the exact manner of this type. The work of salvation was presented in forms, but the reality in heaven is more about Christ's work than His physical presence in some specific "place". It teaches us about His work, not His exact whereabouts. Being on the "right hand of God" is a position of authority that can be exercised from anywhere. Jesus isn't simply standing next to God's throne, but is exercising that position of power no matter where He might physically be.
The most holy place represents a specific work being done, not a mere place being occupied. We don't know exactly how this is being carried out in heaven, but it will not be in the confining manner as typified in a small tent in the middle of the Sinai desert or temple in Jerusalem. Remember, the earthly sanctuary was patterned after the realities of heaven, and not the other way around. It taught what God does, not specifically how He does it. Jesus is not wearing the same garments as the high priest on earth did, but they represented His character and purpose. Jesus is not bringing any physical blood into some room. He offers no incense, but presents His righteousness which the incense on earth represented. There is no oil in lamps in heaven, there is the Holy Spirit in the church on earth.
A very good perspective Robert and consistent with what Inge was saying above. If these points and perspectives can be constructively raised and discussed in this week's Sabbath School classes, I believe that people could go away with a greater sense of understanding, confidence and assurance in the salvation process and, hence, in their salvation - which will have benefits to their desire to share this with others.
Christ Jesus our high priest in charge of the heavenly Court, and place of sacrifices pleading for Humanity.
Everything that is happening in today's world is depicted in Rev. You can see the signs now. I believe, and I hope everyone IS READY for the 2nd coming. I AM.
When Jesus went to heaven he went into the Holy place.
We need to look at the sanctuary made by man as instructed by God to Moses The Priests did the sacrifices daily all year. but, once a year the High priest ( the Day of Atonement ) entered the Most Holy PLace. We take that all this forward symbolically to the heavenly sanctuary and look at the duties of the priests Jesus is now our HIGH Preist to do the work of atonement for us
OUR SDA MESSAGE tells us in 1844 Jesus entered the Most-Holy Place and will not come out until it is finished.
We need to know all this as it is our message and is the very center pillar of our faith. Please find and read the book Christ in his Sanctuary by EGW this is the meat or very center of our message. this book can be found at ABC bookstore or online here is a link.
For me, this is a slavanic message to know what and where Jesus is doing for us today
Prayerfully hope this helps
https://egwwritings.org/?ref=en_CIHS.1¶=12119.2
Here is a Quote that should help to clarify
“ It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits. {GC 479.3}
As to the interpretation of Revelation 1:12 over against Revelation 4:5, the follwoing tentative thoughts came to my mind: In Revelation 1:12 John is taking up the same words used in Exodus 25:31 where Moses is told to make a golden candlestick out of pure gold (lychnion ek chrysion katharou). John sees seven condlesticks (hepta lychnias chrysas) as a symbolical representation of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20): in a local as well as continual historical sense entailing the flow of church history from the early church up to the last church experiencing the second coming of Christ. John is shown the candlesticks existing on earth with the risen Christ watching over all the churches (candlesticks). Although in realtiy the candelsicks are later seen within the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary (Revelation 4:5), the vision in Revelation 1:12 is a vehicle to convey the assurance that Christ, far from just pushing a button from way off in heaven to care for his churches, He, as Highpriest is ever and at any time very near all of his churches.
In Revelation 4:1 John sees a door opened in heaven with "seven lampadas" (seven lamps) in view, which is a synomym word denoting the seven candlesicks seen before. (Revelation 1:12; 4:5) There, within the holy place, Christ, after having been invited to come up hither, He is taking care of the seven candlesticks, this time explained secondary as the seven Spirits of God (the fullness of the Holy Spirit) obviously operating on earth where the seven churches are existing. (Revelation 4:5) The juxtapositon or relation of heaven and earth is repeated there.
Due to the movability of the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:19-21; Daniel 7:9) there is a dynamic movement to be seen when another door is opened, that of the Most Holy Place with the ark of the covenant ushering in the eschatolgical (endtime) heavely Day of Atonemet (Revelation 11:19). The meaning of which is taken for granted inasmuch as the readers are supposed to be famliar with the description of the Day od Atonemet in Leviticus 16. As far as the earthly and the heavenly ssnctuaries are concerned, I do believe in earthly and heavenly material realities within the context of divine and human relationships within thoes material realities in preparation for the second coming of Christ. The New Jerusalem is asmuch a material realty as the heavenly sanctuary is.
Winfried Stolpmann
Hi Winfried
Can you expand (and give an illustrative example perhaps) on what you mean by "...I do believe in earthly and heavenly material realities within the context of divine and human relationships within those material realities..." as I can't quite yet clearly grasp what you are saying - and I would like to be able to do so.
Thanks
Thanks for your reply. What I do not believe and what I do believe. I do not believe that eternity exists in souls hovering over clouds and singing hymns. In platonic philosophy there are only ideas in heaven. I even came across the argument within adventist intellectual circles that there is no such thing as a wooden hut in heaven with skins of animals as in the desert tabernacle of Moses, even making fun of the idea that there is a sanctuary in heaven as a divine matter and realtiy.
I do believe, as Scripture clearly reveals, that the heavenly sanctuary is the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man" (Hebrews 8:2) and that the heavenly sanctuary is "a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say, not of this creation". (Hebrews 9:11) As God`s own creation, the heavenly sanctuary is a visible and tangible structure with two apartments (candlestick, altar, ark of his covenant) and thus a material reality. "When the saints go marching in..." ---- where will they be mariching in?
Christ is our High Priest interceding for us in that material reality sanctuary. In this context communication takes place now. As to the future, Christ said, in his Father`s house are many mansions und that he will prepare a place for us.(John 14:1-2) Communication now and in eternity exists within heavenly material realtiies.
Denying divine realities occured even in docetism. They believed, Christ had only the appearance of man denying his real humanity, matter considered to be evil. John was writing against such ideas classifying those teachers as antichrists. (1 John 4:2-3)
If I have argued in favor of heavenly realities and communicaction within these realities, it is against this background of anti matter ideology in heaven --- not to be misunderstood as materialism turning matter into some kind of God as seen in the idea of evolution or pantheism (Kellog)with God in nature, in matter, failing to make a difference between matter and God, between creation and the creator.
There would be need of further study differientiating between the realtiy of the heavenly sanctury and material realities of that sanctuary used as secondary symbols. (Revelation 4:5; 4:8) This is not to be misues as an exegetical tool to dissolve the heavenly sanctuary reducing it to a mere symbol with a secondary meaning of some kind.
Sorry for the delayed answer.
Winfried Stolpmann
And I John saw the New Jerusalem descend out of Heaven. Revelation 21:2. I also believe in the sancaturary message: massiahsmansion.com. Has details. Isaiah depicts the material realities of the New Earth after the Holy City has decended, after the thousand years we spend in Heaven. After the second death which Christ has spared us from. After the cleansing of the New Earth, while we are safe inside. Isaiah 65:19. Isaiah 65:21. Material reality: Hebrews 11:1. Hebrews 11:14-16. I dig it, “a better country” oh the wounders God has prepared for us. I believe Phil, Winfrieds last thoughts are detailed in Adventist Review and Sabbath Herald. April 19, 1860, page 173.10 to 173.23. My prayer is, we feed His lambs, not just recite recipes. John 21:17.