The Sanctuary

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 10, 1904

As far as I know, we are the only people in the world who believe that the sanctuary is in heaven. There are others who believe that the most holy place is in heaven. There are those who have some views concerning the sanctuary, but I do not know of any people in the world who believe that the sanctuary service in heaven is antitypical of the service that was carried forward in the sanctuary here upon the earth, except the Seventh-day Adventists, and, as I understand the question, a correct understanding of the sanctuary will rectify every error that may be brought to bear upon the people of God in these last days. In fact, a genuine Christian experience in connection with the work of God comes from the sanctuary question, whether you realize it or not; it comes from the sanctuary where God dwells.

Now, this I propose to show you by reading a few texts of Scripture. I can not give all the scripture that I would like, but will call your attention to a few things concerning the importance of the sanctuary question. When Satan came into the garden of Eden in the form of a serpent, Eve listened to him, and from her Adam also partook of the forbidden fruit, and both were taken captive. In every sense of the word they were taken captive; they saw as Satan saw, and they heard the words of Satan, they felt as he felt, or as he would have them feel. They were wholly under the control of the devil until the Lord put enmity in the heart of man against Satan. Christianity, or true conversion, is restoring that which was lost by the sin of Adam in the garden of Eden. I think all can readily see this. I will read you one expression that states the condition of man after he had partaken of the forbidden fruit: “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Gen. 3:3-5. Now notice: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes” etc., was it good for food? If it was, God was withholding something good from man. What made her see that it was good for food?—It was the devil in her; and she saw as the devil would have her see. “She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat;” and their eyes were opened. She was a captive, and Satan had her see as he saw, had her feel as he would have her feel; for he had perverted her judgment. Sin is an awful thing! When sin is harbored in the soul, it always pervert's a man's judgment. Satan enters the citadel of the heart, and perverts the judgment of man so he can not see any differently from what the devil would make him see; for the devil is in his heart. Is not that true? Is such a man the temple of the Holy Ghost?—No; he is the temple of the devil, and so is every man that harbors sin. God is seeking an entrance into every man's heart. If man opens his heart to Christ, and lets him enter, then he becomes the temple of the Spirit of God, and God takes possession of the citadel that was formerly occupied by the devil. I think everybody can see that.

I am going to read you some texts to show that all the strength that men have to overcome the devil comes from the sanctuary, also that all the intelligence, all the wisdom, men need to render acceptable service to God comes from the sanctuary where God dwells. He is the author of wisdom, knowledge, and life. It all emanates from him, and the devil hates the doctrine that reveals it. In Ps. 20:1, 2, we read, “The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.” Where will he get his help?—From the sanctuary. If we had no other text, it seems to me this would be sufficient to settle the question that all our strength and help come from the sanctuary. But turn to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. Eight times in that prayer, Solomon said, “Lord, hear thou in heaven.” Did you ever stop to think where they were to turn their faces when they prayed? They were to turn their faces toward old Jerusalem, to the sanctuary. If Israel, when in trouble or in need of help, said Solomon in his prayer, “shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name: then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.” 1 Kings 8:44, 45; 2 Chron. 6:38, 39. Do you see the lesson in that?

The sanctuary was built under the direction of God upon the earth, and when they were in affliction or needed strength or wisdom or any help from God, Solomon said in his prayer, Turn thy face toward this place. The old prophets did, and when they turned their faces toward Jerusalem and pleaded that promise, they always had victory. Read from the Bible where Jehoshaphat said, Lord, “when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence. . . . and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help,” and the Lord said, “Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” God wrought for them. 2 Chron. 20:5-25.

Turn to Ps. 68:24, “They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.” What are the “goings of God”?—The ways of God. Does it not show his character, his work, and what he does? Where did they find his character, his work, and the manifestation of his power? Where?—In the sanctuary. There is where God dwells. Again in Ps. 77:12, 13: “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” Now, we can not see the workings of God, but I want to tell you, dear friends, if we take the Bible for a guide, we shall find the ways and workings of God, the foundation of strength and wisdom, in the sanctuary. “Well,” says one, “we see them everywhere.” Not according to the Bible. The word “sanctuary” occurs one hundred and forty-seven times, and always refers to something that exists. God once is called a little sanctuary, and the people of God, but in every other instance it refers to some particular place where God dwells—his habitation (Ps. 33:13, 14), his dwelling-place. 2 Chron. 6:39.

I will give you another text, Ps. 73:13: “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. . . . Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” Where did the psalmist get that information?—In the sanctuary. Paul understood the strength in the sanctuary when he wrote, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” Heb. 6:19. Where are we to have our anchor cast?—Within the veil. Where is the veil? In the earthly sanctuary there was a veil at the outer door, and a veil at the inner door, dividing the holy from the most holy place. Christ has gone within the veil, and he is our anchor. Do you believe it? “Well,” says one, “I do not know anything about it.” Be careful that you do not find yourself swept away by and by. We need a knowledge of Christ, and of the nature of the work that he is doing for the human family, and in proportion as we understand the nature of his work and believe in it, we shall have a Christian experience. It is the devil's business to upset the faith of God's people, and to get them to believe in nothing in particular only that they must be good and have a sort of religion. There are thousands and tens of thousands of professed Christians to-day who hold simply to that view. They say, “God has forgiven me my sins.” Is it necessary to believe God has forgiven your sins? Of course it is, but there is something else also necessary. This idea of throwing away all the exhortations that God has ever given us simply because we profess to be a Christian is a great mistake. It is a trick of the devil. If God has given you judgment and a mind to comprehend, he wants you to understand something about the science of redemption, and that you have a Saviour who has gone into the heavens to intercede at the right hand of the Father for us. (To be continued)

The Sanctuary*

The Sanctuary