SYNOPSIS OF THE PRESENT TRUTH.
By Uriah Smith
(THE SANCTUARY, CONTINUED.) THIS "more perfect tabernacle," this "true Sanctuary" which the Lord pitched and not man, is the great antitype of the earthly building. The word of God declares it; and we therefore believe it. There is one declaration of Paul's to which we would call particular attention. Speaking of the priests that ministered in the earthly tabernacle he says: "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. 8:5. Paul here declares that the priests served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things; and how does he prove it? By a reference to the building and the command that Moses had to make it according to the pattern. His argument is this: The priests served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, just as the tabernacle, built according to the pattern shown to Moses, was a shadow and example of heavenly things; and just as this tabernacle was a shadow of the heavenly building, just so the priests served unto the example of heavenly things. Here, then, Paul calls the tabernacle erected by Moses, a shadow of heavenly things. One distinguishing feature of this tabernacle was that it had two apartments, a holy and a most holy place. The heavenly Sanctuary therefore has the same; for a Sanctuary in Heaven with only one apartment would not cast a shadow upon earth with two. And if the pattern had but one holy place, and Moses erected a building with two, he did not follow the pattern; for there would then have been a great dissimilarity. But Moses did build it according to the pattern. Accordingly we hear Paul speaking of the holy places (plural) of the heavenly Sanctuary. See Heb. 9:8, 12; 10:19. The word rendered, holiest, or holy place, in each of these texts is in the original in the plural, and is correctly rendered in many translations, holy places. But Paul makes use of expressions still stronger on this point. Speaking of the earthly tabernacle and its instruments of service, he says: [Heb. 9:23,] It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these; that is with the blood of calves and goats. What was cleansed by these? The two apartments of the earthly Sanctuary, and the altar. See Lev. 16. And Paul explicitly tells us that these were patterns of things in the Heavens. But there is a still stronger expression which yet remains to be noticed. "For Christ," says Paul, "is not entered into the holy places made with hands [the earthly Sanctuary] which are figures of the true." It is in view of such plain testimony as this that we reject those fantastical notions which would make all Heaven but the second apartment of the Sanctuary, and all earth the first, or which would make the two apartments of the earthly building typify the two dispensations, Jewish and Christian. The Bible teaches us, if language is capable of doing it, that there is in Heaven a greater and more perfect tabernacle, a true Sanctuary which the Lord pitched and not man, of which the earthly was a correct and true shadow, type, or figure. When the old covenant gave place to the new, then the typical Sanctuary was succeeded by the true. The type cannot reach beyond its antitype; the shadow ceases when the substance comes. The offering of goats and calves was no longer serviceable when the great offering for the world had died on Calvary. Christ declared to the Jews as he departed from the temple, "Behold your house is left unto you desolate." Matt. 23:38. And when amid the terrific scenes that attended the crucifixion of Christ, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, it was a solemn demonstration that its services were forever finished. The blood was then shed that was to be ministered for us in the heavenly Sanctuary, and there from thenceforth, the world was to look for salvation and pardon. The way into the heavenly holy places, says Paul, "was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing." Heb. 9:8. That is, God did not during the typical dispensation, lay open the true tabernacle, but gave to the people a figure or pattern of it. But when the time came that the services of the worldly Sanctuary ended, when the dying Saviour cried with a loud voice, It is finished; and darkness overspread all the land, and the earth quaked, and the rocks rent, then the way of the temple of God in Heaven was laid open. The true church has had since that time neither Sanctuary nor priesthood in old Jerusalem, but it has had both in Heaven. We have before shown that only 490 years of the 2300 belonged to the Jews and the earthly Sanctuary. Gabriel, in his instructions to Daniel concerning the events to transpire at that time, shows him, first, that the earthly Sanctuary should be destroyed shortly after their rejection of the Messiah, and never be built, but be desolate till the consummation. Dan. 9:26, 27. Second, he brings to view the new covenant: "He (the Messiah) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week." Verse 27. Third, he brings to view the new-covenant church, or host, namely, the "many" with whom the covenant is confirmed. Fourth, he brings to view the new-covenant sacrifice, namely, the cutting off of the Messiah, but not for himself. He brings to view also the Mediator of the new covenant. Verse 25; 11:22; Heb. 12:24. And, fifth, he brings to view, lastly, the new-covenant Sanctuary; viz., "to anoint the Most Holy." Verse 24. This has reference, doubtless, to an act preparatory to the commencement of the ministration of the Sanctuary, which was, to anoint both the holy places and all the sacred vessels. Ex. 40:9-11. On this point we quote the following from the Advent Shield, No. 1, p. 75:— "And the last event of the 70 weeks, as enumerated in verse 24, was the anointing of the 'Most holy,' or the 'Holy of holies,' or the Sanctum sanctorum.' Not that which was on earth, made with hands, but the true tabernacle, into which Christ, our High Priest, is for us entered. Christ was to do in the true tabernacle, in Heaven, what Moses and Aaron did in its pattern. See Heb. 6; 7; 8; 9; Ex. 30:22-30; Lev. 8:10-15." So far, we trust, the subject is clear to all minds. There can be no doubt concerning the object which the angel had in view when he said, "Unto 2300 days, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed." What this cleansing is, and how it is to be accomplished, be assured the Bible will not withhold from the honest inquirer.
U. S.