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The Sanctuary Services

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 2, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 5.

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The Sanctuary Services

By M. E. Steward

Exodus 39; Leviticus 16 and 23

M. E. STEWARD
The tabernacle had three orders of ministers,—priests, Levites, and nethinim. The last were the Gibeonites and captives of war, who hewed wood, carried water, etc.
Work of the high priest:—
1. He alone went into the most holy place, and that but once a year, to make the atonement.
2. He was overseer of the other priests.
3. He was the chief man of the nation, and the final judge. Later he presided over the Sanhedrin.
The garments of the common priests:—
1. The robe of fine white linen, woven in one piece.
2. The girdle of the same material, wrought in blue, purple, and red.
3. A turban, or miter, also of white linen.
Vestments of the high priest:—
1. Of white linen, the same as those of the other priests.
2. A robe of blue, woven in one piece.
3. A shorter robe, called the ephod. His garments, “for glory and for beauty,” were richly embroidered with gold, blue, purple, and scarlet.
4. The breastplate, “the most sacred of his vestments. The border was formed of a variety of precious stones, the same that form the twelve foundations of the city of God. Within the border were twelve stones set in gold, engraved with the names of the tribes. . . . So Christ, the great High Priest, bears on his heart the name of every repentant, believing soul.”
5. “At the right and left of the breastplate were two large stones of great brilliancy. These were known as the urim and the thummim. When questions were brought before the Lord, a halo of light encircling the precious stone at the right was a token of the divine consent or approval, while a cloud shadowing the stone at the left was an evidence of denial.”
6. “Two onyx stones, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel,” were borne on his shoulders.
Object of the offerings:—
1. Sin-offerings were for both known and unknown sins.
2. Burnt offerings “expressed repentance and faith.”
3. Peace-offerings, free-will offerings, thank-offerings, and offerings for vows, were made.
First-fruits, firstlings, and tithes were offered in peace-offerings. The tithe was always the Lord’s, he having reserved the tenth of every one’s income to himself, to be applied for the support of his ministers. As it was then, so it is now.
The priests offered all the sacrifices. They were daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. The morning and evening sacrifice was a lamb; incense was offered at the same time. Sacrifices were also offered for individual sins, after the penitent had laid his hand on the head of the victim, confessed his sins, and slain the sacrifice himself. On the Sabbath two lambs were offered instead of one.
All males were required to attend three of the five yearly celebrations:—
1. The Passover, the “days of unleavened bread.” This feast looked back to the deliverance from Egypt, and forward to the sacrifice of Christ.
2. The Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover. It celebrated the close of the wheat harvest, and was the anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai.
3. The feast of tabernacles, a thanksgiving season, the end of the sanctuary year. It commemorated the sojourn of the Israelites in the wilderness, and typified the saints’ rest.
The feast of trumpets on the first day of the seventh month was the harbinger of the great day of atonement, which came on the tenth day of the same month. This was the most solemn day of the year; all were required to confess their sins, and make every wrong right. The Jews called it “the great day of judgment.” During the year, the sins of those who had brought their sacrifices had been transferred to the sanctuary, by means of the blood of the sin-offerings. On the day of atonement, the high priest went into the most holy place, bearing before him the incense, typifying Christ, and carrying the blood of the atonement, which he sprinkled on the mercy-seat and before the ark, which contained the law that condemned the transgressor. The sins were then taken by the high priest, and placed on the head of the scapegoat, which was sent away into the wilderness. This was the end of sins in the yearly typical service.
The holy fire:—
1. The golden candlestick had sevenlamps. Some of these were kept burning night and day.
2. God kindled the fire on the altar of incense, and it was never allowed to go out. The delightful perfume of the burning incense extended a long distance from the building on every side.
3. The fires on the altar of burnt offerings was likewise kindled by the Lord, and was always kept burning. Josephus thus describes it: ‘As the sacrifices lay on the altar, a sudden fire was kindled among them of its own accord, and appeared to the sight like fire from a flash of lightning, and consumed whatever was upon the altar.’
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