The Sanctuary Cleansed by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · May 1, 1879

The Sanctuary Cleansed.

By Editor

WE have been accustomed to look upon Eld. Wm. Sheldon as one of the ablest of first-day Adventist writers. Where he has labored personally he has not been considered the most devotional or spiritually minded, but has generally been regarded as among the first in clear reasoning and sound argument. We do not by any means agree with him in very many of his conclusions, but where there is a serious defect in his argument it is mostly because of a weakness in his premises,—of unsoundness in his general position. From this recommendation, as far as it goes, we must except some of his writings against "the law," in which he has shown the weakness common to those who set themselves in opposition to the moral precepts of Jehovah.

Mr. Sheldon has been writing a series of articles in the World's Crisis on the periods in the prophecy of Daniel. One article speaks of "the sanctuary to be cleansed," to which we call attention. He most clearly shows that the earth or Palestine is not the sanctuary, as many first-day Adventists have claimed. Thus he commences:—

"What sanctuary is meant? Or, what is meant by 'the sanctuary'? "1. Not Heaven, or a sanctuary in Heaven, as maintained by some; for just as truly as we can make out that the upper sanctuary has been trodden down at all in some accommodated sense, so truly it has been trodden down much longer than the time specified—thousands of years."

As he gives no proof on this point, we pass it for the present to notice his argument.

"2. Not the whole earth, as affirmed by others; for this is only assumption. "3. Not Palestine, as claimed by others; for not a text quoted in support of this claim gives it the least support, but all fairly negate the assumption. Let us see. The first text claimed is Ex. 15:17—'Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.' Here the sanctuary is not made to include more than the mere 'mountain'—Mount Moriah—instead of including all Palestine. The second text is Ps. 78:54—'He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain.' So Mt. Moriah is the 'border' of the sanctuary, containing its outskirts; thus forbidding the claim that the sanctuary takes in all the land of Palestine. "The third text is Eze. 42:20, and 45:2—'He measured it by the four sides; it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.' 'Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about, and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. And of this measure thou shalt measure the length of twenty-five thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand; and it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place.' This text, even if rightly applied, would not only fail to show that Palestine is the sanctuary, but would positively restrict it to a limited and meagre portion thereof. This text, however, only relates to a conditional programme, which has been forfeited; but it shows the Bible view of the sanctuary. "Primarily the sanctuary was connected with the tabernacle, but subsequently with the temple, located on Mt. Moriah—so in process of time that small piece of ground came to be called the sanctuary—the container being put for the contained. That is the sanctuary where once the glory of God was manifested to men. It needs cleansing. The mosque of Omar covers it to-day."

His proof texts do prove just that for which he quotes them, namely, that neither the earth nor Palestine is the sanctuary. But that Mt. Moriah is the sanctuary he offers no proof. His argument is entirely negative. He proves what is not the sanctuary, and then affirms, without any proof, what is the sanctuary. We will let him speak, however, of its desolation:—

"The casting down and treading down of the sanctuary by the Roman horn is thus recorded: 'He magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary [the Prince's sanctuary] was cast down.' Dan. 8:11. 'Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. . . . He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation.' Dan. 9:26, 27. 'And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles till the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.' Luke 21:24. 'Behold, your house is left unto you desolate [the temple].' &c."

Is there any proof that "the container was put for the contained," in Dan. 8:14? Is there any proof that "the cleansing of the sanctuary" refers to the spot of ground where the sanctuary stood, instead of to the sanctuary itself which stood thereon? Let us look more closely to the prophecy. The angel said the people of the prince that shall come "shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." We have proof that it was so destroyed. Mr. Sheldon says "the sanctuary was connected with the tabernacle, but subsequently with the temple located on Mt. Moriah." This is true; and he has very aptly quoted the words of the Saviour concerning the desolation of the sanctuary, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

In connection with the proof given by Mr. Sheldon that the whole earth is not the sanctuary, and that Palestine is not the sanctuary, let us turn to another prophecy of the destruction of the sanctuary, exactly parallel to that of Daniel, for the two prophecies were fulfilled in the same event. See Ps. 74:7,—"They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground."

So here we have a prophecy, parallel to that of Daniel, which makes a clear distinction between the sanctuary and the ground on which it stood. And we leave it to the judgment of any candid reader that Mr. Sheldon has proved no point in his argument respecting the earth and Palestine, more clearly than this proves that Mt. Moriah—"the ground"—is not the sanctuary.

Now notice a few Scripture points.

God's dwelling place was the sanctuary which the people of Israel built. Ex. 25:8.
This, as Mr. Sheldon says, was first connected with the tabernacle, and afterward with the temple on Mt. Moriah.
The sanctuary was destroyed by fire—was burned "to the ground." Dan. 9. Ps. 74.
The cleansing of the sanctuary was the work of the high priest, with the blood of the sin offering. Lev. 16.
Both the high priest and that sanctuary were typical of Christ and the sanctuary in Heaven. Heb. 8.
The blood of bulls and goats, which was offered in the earthly sanctuary could not take away sin. Those animals were inferior to man, and could not meet the just demand of the holy law of God. Heb. 9 and 10.
The sanctuary in Heaven is cleansed by the blood of our "perfect sacrifice," even the blood of Christ, which "cleanses from all unrighteousness." Heb. 9; 1 John 1.
The earthly sanctuary was defiled by "the uncleanness of the children of Israel," not by any contact with the children of Israel themselves, but by the high priest bearing their sins into the dwelling place of God. Even so our High Priest takes our sins into the presence of God, which makes it "necessary" to cleanse "the heavenly themselves" with the "better sacrifice" of his own blood. Lev. 16; Heb. 9:23.
As the prophecy of Dan. 8 and 9, reaches down to the last days, and the typical sanctuary was destroyed ages ago, it is certain that Dan. 8:14 must refer to the heavenly, or antitypical sanctuary.
The atonement, or the cleansing of the sanctuary, was effected by applying the blood in the most holy place, over "the ark of the testament." Lev. 16:15-19.
When the 2300 days of Dan. 8:14 expired, and the seventh angel sounded, then "the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." That is, the time then was come to "cleanse the sanctuary" in the antitype,—in the service of our High Priest in Heaven. And this indicates also that "the hour of His judgment is come."
And this proves, also, that now is the time to proclaim the last message preparatory to the coming again of our blessed Lord, of "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

How wonderful are the ways of God; how great his goodness to the children of men; how beautiful and harmonious his precious truth given to us in these last days. Oh, that we might better appreciate our privileges, and give more honor and praise to God for a sanctifying message which is given to preserve us from the seven last plagues, and fit us to meet our precious Saviour when he shall come in his glory.

If any person yet thinks that there is any proof that any piece of ground or any part of this earth is the sanctuary to which Dan. 8:14 refers, we will be happy to consider the evidence when it is offered.