p. 4 | THE SANCTUARY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 25, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 43.

THE SANCTUARY

1. THAT God might dwell with Israel, He instructed them to build Him a sanctuary.

"Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." Ex. 25:8. (See as to the building and particulars, chapters 25 to 31 and 36 to 40.)

2. That sanctuary was divided into the holy and the most holy places, in the first of which were the table of the presence bread, the golden candlestick, and the altar of incense; in the most holy place the chief object was the ark of the covenant crowned with the mercy-seat, in which were the tables of the Decalogue.

"For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein were the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the Holy Place. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies; having a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant." Heb. 9:2-4. See also Ex. 26:31-35.

3. All these were made from a pattern which God gave to Moses.

"And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been showed thee in the mount." Ex. 26:30. See also Heb. 8:5.

4. The earthly sanctuary, its priesthood and services, were not the true; they were types and examples of the true in heaven.

"Now in the things which we are saying the chief point is this: We have such a High Priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man." "Who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to make the tabernacle; for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount." Heb. 8:1, 2, 5.

5. The daily ministration in the sanctuary was in the holy place throughout the year.

"Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services." Heb. 9:6. See also Num. 28:3, 9.

6. The ministration in the most holy place, the cleansing of the sanctuary, came on the very last day of the yearly ministration.

"But into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people." Heb. 9:7. See also Lev. 16:2-22.

7. This was called the Day of Atonement, the yearly judgment day of Israel.

"Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah. And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people." Lev. 23:27-29. See also verses 30-32.

8. This yearly round of services, which occurred in their full once each year on account of the short lives of the priests, typified Christ's entire work as priest once for all.

"And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing." "But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, entered in once for all into the holy

place, having obtained eternal redemption." Heb. 7:23; 9:11, 12.

9. These holy places where Christ ministers "once for all," are in heaven, where John saw the altar of incense (Rev. 8:3), the golden candlestick (Rev. 4:5), and the ark of the covenant (Rev. 11:12), seen only in further opening of the temple.

10. At the end of the 2,300 year-days of Dan. 8:14 (See article, "The Closing Work of Our High Priest"), the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary from its record of sin begins (Heb. 9:23-28); the great antitypical Day of Atonement is upon the world; the solemn hour of God's judgment has begun (Rev. 14:6, 7; 1 Peter 4:17); and it will soon be determined whose names are blotted out of the book of life (Rev. 3:5); whose sins are blotted out (Acts 3:19); who are "accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection out from among the dead" (Luke 20:35), and then Christ will come. The subject is all-important.