The Veil of Humanity: Sanctuary Coverings and Christ's Nature

The heavenly sanctuary and its earthly counterpart cannot be accurately likened to a step-down transformer; rather, the earthly sanctuary is a literal "figure," "shadow," and "correct pattern" of the true tabernacle in heaven where Christ ministersDAR 160.2+3. The relationship is one of type to antitype, where the earthly service was designed to lead the mind to the reality of the heavenly ministrationDAR1909 191.4+1.

The True Nature of the Sanctuary

The sanctuary is defined as a holy or sacred place and a dwelling-place for the Most HighDAR 160.2. While some have mistakenly claimed the earth is the sanctuary, it possesses no such holy characteristics and is instead a planet marred by sinDAR 160.2. The true sanctuary, or "true tabernacle," is located in heaven and was pitched by the Lord and not man Hebrews 8:2TTHDS 14.1+1.

Type and Antitype

The earthly sanctuary was a model intended to teach us about the work of salvation.

• The Pattern: Moses was strictly charged to build the earthly tabernacle according to the fashion shown to him in the mount Exodus 25:40+1ARSH July 7, 1853, page 26.11+1.

• Two Apartments: Just as the earthly sanctuary had two holy places, the heavenly sanctuary contains two literal holy places where Christ performs his high priestly ministryARSH July 7, 1853, page 26.11+2.

• The Transition: The earthly service served as a shadow until the death of Christ, which marked the dividing point between the two dispensations and opened the way into the heavenly sanctuaryARSH February 3, 1853, page 146.8+2.

The Cleansing of the Sanctuary

The process of "cleansing" also follows this pattern of type and antitype.

• Earthly Cleansing: The earthly sanctuary was cleansed from the sins of the people through the offering of animal blood Leviticus 16:15-19LIFIN 193.1+1.

• Heavenly Cleansing: The heavenly sanctuary is cleansed by the blood of Christ, which is a better sacrifice Hebrews 9:23TTHDS 14.1+1.

• Timing: This cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary began at the end of the 2300-day prophecy in 1844, marking the commencement of the investigative judgment Daniel 8:14ARSH August 19, 1851, page 13.17+2.

The Law as the Foundation

The sanctuary houses the most sacred object in the universe: the law of God.

• The Ark: In both the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries, the Ten Commandments are kept within the ark Revelation 11:19ARSH April 21, 1851, page 67.3+1.

• The Throne: The Ten Commandments form the very foundation of God’s throne in the heavenly templeSITI March 11, 1886, page 152.2+1.

• Unchanging Standard: This law is the absolute rule by which all men’s actions are measured for eternity Matthew 12:36-37+1SSP 193.1.

Rather than being a mechanism to reduce power or glory, the sanctuary and its "coverings" represent the organized system through which God dwells with His people and mediates the plan of redemption through the blood of His Son Revelation 21:3DAR 160.2+2. 🕊️

Jesus’ human nature is more accurately understood as a veil or a "flesh and blood translation" that combined divinity with humanity to reveal the Father's love without consuming usTDOC 48.2+1. Rather than simply stepping down divine power, Christ clothed His divinity with humanity so that He could hold in check the forces of Satan and meet the powers of darkness on our behalf23LtMs, Ms 95, 1908, par. 9.

The Combination of Two Natures

The incarnation is the union of the finite with the infinite, a mystery that will remain unexplained to mortals7ABC 448.2+1.

• Humanity and Divinity Combined: Christ did not exchange His divinity for humanity; instead, He combined the two natures into one personSpTA07 24.2.

• The Medium of Revelation: In Christ, a divine person made human nature the organ of a life of perfect obedience and now uses it as the organ of universal sovereigntyTDOC 48.2.

• Accessibility to Man: By taking the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of men, the eternal Son of God accepted all human limitations to reach us Philippians 2:7TDOC 48.2.

The "Flesh and Blood Translation"

Jesus served as a living guidebook that allowed fallen humanity to understand the holy will of GodTDOC 46.3+1.

• A Readable Example: His life was a "flesh and blood translation" of God's will, making it possible for even those who "run" to read and understand itTDOC 46.3.

• A Living Way: This human nature is described as a "veil" through which a new and living way has been consecrated for us to enter the presence of God Hebrews 10:20.

• Connecting Earth and Heaven: The incarnation was the link that bound earth to heaven, acting as the ladder Jacob saw in his vision, which connects finite man with the infinite GodRH January 4, 1912, Art. A, par. 22+1.

The Mystery of God Manifest in the Flesh

While we can study the life of Christ, the mechanics of how He was tempted in all points yet remained without sin is a mystery hidden with God7ABC 448.2+1.

• Avoid Presumption: We are warned to avoid questions regarding Christ's humanity that might lead to the impression that He had an inclination to corruption or was "altogether human" like ourselves7ABC 448.2.

• The Purpose of the Incarnation: The primary goal was to demonstrate that the divine and human nature combined constitutes a sufficiency for all, enabling man to become a partaker of the divine nature1SM 342.2+1.

• The Result of the Union: Because He took our nature and was tempted as we are, He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and act as a sympathetic friend and advocate Hebrews 4:15ARSH June 16, 1859, page 26.10.

Practical Application for Believers

The manifestation of God in the flesh was not intended to end with Jesus; it is to be completed in the lives of His followersGCB/GCDB 42.8.

• Christ in You: The "finishing of the mystery of God" occurs when God is manifest in the flesh of each individual believer, so that only God is seen in every act of their lifeGCB/GCDB 42.8+1.

• Service in Our Nature: We are not called to serve God as if we were angels, but to serve Him in the redeemed human nature we possess, through the righteousness of Christ6MR 342.3.

• Restoration of Character: Through this union, the character of God is to be reproduced in the life, showing the world a copy of the divine character9LtMs, Lt 26, 1894, par. 8. 🛡️

The most appropriate illustration of Christ’s human nature is that of a veil or a garment that clothed His divinity, allowing the invisible glory of God to be revealed in a visible formCOL 17.1+1. This mysterious combination allowed the unknown nature of God to be illustrated by the known nature of man, making the character of the Father accessible to a fallen racePaM 194.3+1.

The Veil of Humanity

Just as a symbol might obscure a direct manifestation of glory, Christ’s human form served as a shadow that foreshadowed His mission to the worldYI December 20, 1900, par. 3.

• Cloaking Divinity: In His mission, Christ took our nature and dwelt among us, revealing divinity through humanityCOL 17.1.

• The Invisible Made Visible: The invisible glory of the Father was manifested in a visible human form so that men could learn of the unknown through the knownVSS 276.3+1.

• A Garment of Humility: He laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, choosing instead to wear the garb of humanity and the "garments of mercy" to associate with sinful men5BC 1130.6+2.

The Bridge and the Ladder

Christ’s human nature is also illustrated as the link that connects two worlds, bridging the gulf that sin createdHM October 1, 1897, par. 1.

• The Link to Heaven: The incarnation was the link that bound earth to heaven, providing a door of access to God that no man can shutYI September 6, 1894, par. 2+1.

• Humanity Touching Humanity: In His person, humanity touched humanity while His divinity laid hold upon the throne of the InfiniteHM October 1, 1897, par. 1+1.

• The Ladder of Progress: He is the One above the ladder of human progress; those who fix their eyes on Him can ascend step by step toward perfection of characterCW 167.2+1.

The Mirror of the Father's Mind

Through His parables and His physical presence, Christ functioned as a mirror, reflecting the true character of God to a world in darknessRH October 2, 1900, par. 11.

• Illustrating Divine Truths: Christ drew illustrations from nature and household ties—things the people were most familiar with—to reveal sacred and divine truthsVSS 106.2+1.

• A Living Representation: He was the embodiment of the law of God, showing in His life and character a perfect transcript of the Father's attributesST November 15, 1899, par. 2.

• The Word Made Flesh: As speech is to thought, so Christ’s human life was the expression of the invisible God to man John 1:14ST November 15, 1899, par. 2.

The Perfect Specimen and Pattern

Christ's human nature serves as a "specimen" or "pattern" of what humanity can become through union with the divine9MR 238.3+1.

• The High Standard: He lived a pure, noble, and perfect life in human nature, setting an example that all may safely followCT 488.2+1.

• The Overcomer’s Model: By successfully resisting temptation in the flesh, He proved that man can keep the law of God through divine strengthST July 18, 1878, par. 19+1.

• A Daily Study: Every feature of this "great Example" should be studied with care so that our defective characters may be transformed into His imagePaM 282.1+1.

The Mystery of Godliness

While these illustrations help us understand His mission, the exact nature of the union between the divine and the human remains an unfathomable mystery5BC 1133.4+1.

• A Fathomless Plan: Finite intelligences are baffled when seeking to penetrate how the Creator of worlds could be manifest in a helpless babe5BC 1133.4+1.

• A Holy Ground: We are cautioned to avoid questions that make Christ "altogether human" or imply an inclination to corruption, for His incarnation will ever remain a mystery5BC 1128.5+1.

• The Hope of the Race: It is in this mysterious union—God and man becoming one—that the fallen race finds its only hope of restorationST July 30, 1896, par. 3+1. 🛡️

The invisible glory of God was made visible through Christ’s humanity just as the sacred glory of the inner sanctuary was enshrouded by various coverings and veils to allow man to draw near to the Divine without being destroyedHLv 99.2+1. These concepts are deeply linked by the theme of divine condescension, where the Infinite One veils His majesty in humble forms so that finite, sinful human beings can behold His character and live17MR 30.2+1.

The Veil of Flesh and the Temple Veil

The most direct connection is found in the physical nature of Christ's body, which served as a medium of access to God’s presence.

• Humanity as a Veil: The human nature of Jesus is explicitly described as a "veil," specifically his flesh, which opened a new and living way for us to enter the holiest presence of God Hebrews 10:2012LtMs, Ms 138, 1897, par. 39.

• Cloaking Divinity: In the earthly temple, a strong fabric composed of rich drapery separated the Holy from the Most Holy Place, hiding the Shekinah glory and the mercy seat from common view12MR 409.2+2.

• The Rending of the Veil: When Christ’s physical "veil"—His human body—was broken at the cross, God’s unseen hand rent the temple veil from top to bottom, signifyng that the invisible God was now accessible to all through the merits of a personal Saviour12MR 409.2+2.

Enshrining the Infinite in Humble Coverings

Both the sanctuary and the incarnation demonstrate God's method of using external "garbs" or "coverings" to reveal internal truths.

• The Sanctuary Coverings: The tabernacle was protected by four sets of curtains, ranging from beautiful inner linen with cherubim to outer sealskins, hiding the solid gold interior from the outside worldCIHS 37.1.

• The Savior’s Guise: Similarly, Christ enshrouded His divine form in the "garb of humanity," appearing as a man with no remarkable charms to attract attention, yet inside Him dwelt "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"5BC 1130.6+2.

• The Hidden Glory: Just as the gold and beautiful colors of the sanctuary reflected the light of the candlestick to create a glory beyond description within the curtains, Christ's divinity occasionally "flashed through humanity," revealing the King in His beauty beneath the humble disguise4aSG 8.2+2.

The Goal: God Dwelling in Humanity

The ultimate purpose of making the invisible visible through these coverings is the restoration of God's presence in the human heart.

• A New Temple: The temple was designed as an object lesson to show that every created being should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator; through the incarnation, God dwells in humanity againHLv 99.2.

• Removing the Shadow: While Satan seeks to cast a "hellish shadow" to hide the Savior, God works to "rend away the veil" of our spiritual blindness so we can see the beauty of the inner temple—the character of Christ—reflected in our own lives6MR 7.1+1.

• The Final Revelation: We are currently standing with the "veil removed" in the holy place of sacred things, nearing the time when the invisible world will be fully revealed and we shall see Him in His own glory and the glory of His Father18MR 22.2+2. 🕊️