The Heavenly Sanctuary by M. E. Steward

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 9, 1911

The Heavenly Sanctuary

By M. E. Steward

M. E. STEWARD

“It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Heb. 10:4. But “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

THE earthly and heavenly sanctuaries alike:—

1. God gave Moses a pattern with explicit directions about making the earthly sanctuary. Ex. 25:40. We know that Moses performed his commission faithfully, because the Lord accepted the work when it was completed. Ex. 40:33, 34.

2. The service in the earthly was a shadow of that in the heavenly. Heb. 8:5.

3. The earthly was the ministration of the blood of animals, and “carnal ordinances.” In the heavenly sanctuary is ministered the blood of Christ. Heb. 9:10, 11.

Things in the heavenly which correspond with the earthly: Seven lamps of fire (Rev. 4:5); the altar of incense (Rev. 8:3, 4); and the ark. Rev. 11:19.

The lamps (the candlestick with seven lamps) and the altar were in the holy place; the ark belonged in the most holy place. Since the two sanctuaries are alike, there are two places in the heavenly sanctuary.

Office of Christ:—

1. He is our high priest.

2. He is the head of all the work and workers in saving man. Eph. 1:22.

3. Christ is the final judge. John 5:22. Having lived this earthly life, he will be a just and merciful judge. Heb. 4:15.

Kinds of offerings:—

1. By Christ, our sin-offering, we are justified. Rom. 5:9.

2. He is our burnt offering, by which we are sanctified. Heb. 10:14.

3. We may make three kinds of offerings: (1) Offerings to God (Heb. 13:15); (2) offerings for vows and tithes (Mal. 3:8-10); (3) free-will offerings to the needy. Heb. 13:16.

Important considerations:—

1. All the sins which were taken into the earthly sanctuary by the sacrifices, went beyond into the heavenly. Heb. 10:4. All the sins confessed since the fall of Adam have gone to the sanctuary on high.

2. As the earthly had to be cleansed from this ceremonial defilement, so the heavenly must be freed from imputed sins. Heb. 9:23.

3. A year’s round of service on earth typified the ministration of Christ, from his ascension to his second coming, first in the holy, and then in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.

The antitypical day of atonement:—

1. With his blood Christ enters into the most holy place, at the close of his ministry in the holy place.

2. An investigative judgment takes place. Dan. 7:10. Beginning at Adam, the case of every one who has ever begun to serve the Lord, and whose name is consequently in the Lamb’s book of life, is critically examined. Names are accepted, names rejected. The sins of those whose names are accepted are blotted out of the book. Acts 3:19. The names of all who are rejected are blotted out of the book of life. Rev. 3:5. This draws the final dividing line between the righteous and the wicked.

3. God’s people “are not in darkness” that they will not know when Christ is coming in the clouds of heaven. 1 Thess. 5:4. But no one will know when his name will be called in the investigative judgment, and his case decided for eternity.

The closing work:—

1. After the last case has been decided, and Christ has finished the work of atonement, he comes out of the temple, the heavenly sanctuary, which is “filled with smoke,” signifying that probation is passed. He then places the sins of his people, which he has taken from the sanctuary, on the head of Satan, who is the antitypical scapegoat, because he was the cause of these sins.

2. This closes the sanctuary work. There is no further need of its ministry, since all who will accept salvation are eternally saved. Therefore, the temple no longer exists. Rev. 21:22. Henceforth, “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple;” they are the center of worship, which the sanctuary had been.

3. During the thousand years, as the scapegoat, Satan suffers intensely, in his confinement in the bottomless pit. Rev. 20:3. At the end of this period the fate of our fearful enemy is forever sealed in the lake of fire.

Sanitarium, Cal.