THE SANCTUARY, ITS SERVICE, ETC.
(Lesson 14.—Sabbath, April 10) 1. AFTER ascending from the earth, what position did our Saviour take? "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." Heb. 4:14. See also Heb. 8:1. 2. What service does he perform there? "A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8:2. 3. How had this heavenly sanctuary been typified? "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law; who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." Heb. 8:3-5. Read also 9:1-5. 5. How many sacred apartments had this sanctuary? Heb. 9:1-3. 6. What did each of these apartments contain? "For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second vail, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly." Verses 2-5. 7. What similar things have been shown in the heavenly sanctuary? "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in Heaven; and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in Heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting; clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne." "And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." Rev. 4:1-5; 8:3; 11:19. 8. What purpose was served by the worldly sanctuary? "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." Heb. 9:9. 9. What significance had the service of the priests in the worldly sanctuary? Heb. 8, last part of verse 4 and first part of verse 5. 11. By what ceremonies was it cleansed? Lev. 16. 12. Why was so much importance attached to the blood? Because it represented the life of the victim. Lev. 17:11. 13. What was signified by the sprinkling of the blood upon the mercy-seat? That the law beneath the mercy-seat demanded the life of the one who had transgressed it. 14. What were all these ceremonies meant to impress upon the minds of men? That by disobeying God, they had forfeited all right to eternal life; and their only hope of salvation was in the promised Redeemer, who would make an atonement for them. Eze. 18:4; 1 John 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:21. 15. Who bears the sins of penitent believers? "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24. 16. How long will he continue to bear them? Till they are blotted from the books of record, and laid upon the head of Satan. 17. By what evidence are men to be judged? "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20:12. Also see Dan. 7:9, 10. 18. What must constitute a part of the cleansing of the sanctuary? The blotting out of the sins recorded there. 19. What must take place before they can be blotted out? They must first serve their purpose in the Judgment. 20. What follows from this? That the cleansing of the sanctuary must include an examination of the books, to see who of those that have once entered the service of God are entitled to have their sins blotted out. 21. Whose names will be retained in the book of life? "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." Rev. 3:5. 23. What will constitute the complete cleansing of the sanctuary? The blotting out of sins, and the subsequent laying of them upon the head of Satan, the antitypical scape-goat. 24. What will be done with the sin records that are not blotted out? They will be reserved, to be examined during the Judgment of the thousand years, that sentence may be rendered accordingly, and will confront the sinner when his day of perdition and execution comes. 2 Pet. 3:7; Rev. 20:12-15.