The Biblical Institute
07 THE SANCTUARY
THE prophecy of Daniel 8:14 simply declares that at the end of the 2300 days the sanctuary shall be cleansed. The subject of the sanctuary thus becomes the central and controlling question in this prophecy. If we regard it as something which is to be cleansed only at the coming of Christ, then the 2300 days must extend to Christ’s coming. Many hold it in this light, and hence their continual efforts to re-adjust the prophetic periods, and set new times for the Lord to come. TBI 63.1
The word sanctuary occurs in the Bible 146 times, and both the definition of the word and its use, show it to mean a holy or a sacred place, and a dwelling place for God. This fact should guard any one against applying it to any object which will not bear this definition, or to which it is not applied in the Scriptures. TBI 63.2
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
1. What is stated in Daniel 8:14?
2. How does the subject of the sanctuary affect our views of the coming of Christ?
3. How many times does the word sanctuary occur in the Bible?
4. What is the definition of the word.
5. Why may not the earth be the sanctuary?
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The earth is not the sanctuary; for it is not a holy or sacred place; and the Scriptures never call it the sanctuary. TBI 63.3
The land of Canaan is not the sanctuary, for the same reasons. Neither can the term be applied to any limited portion of the land, as to Jerusalem, or Mt. Zion; for though these were spoken of while the Hebrew people maintained the favor of God, as holy, and a place where God would dwell, it is evidently because his temple was there, which he had caused to be erected for his habitation. For this reason Moses once speaks of the mountain of inheritance as the sanctuary, Exodus 15:17, just as David calls Judah in one instance, the sanctuary, Psalm 104:2, and in another instance, Mt. Zion; Psalm 78:68; but the tribe was not the mountain, any more than the mountain was the sanctuary; but the tribe possessed the mountain, and upon the mountain was the sanctuary “built”, says David, “like high palaces.” Psalm 78:69. However, Paul settles the question so far as pertains to the whole Mosaic dispensation, covered by the first covenant, and tells us emphatically that another object was the sanctuary during that time. Hebrews 9:1, 2. TBI 64.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
6. Why not the land of Canaan?
7. Can the term be applied to any limited portion of the land, as to Mt.Zion or Jerusalem, and why not?
8. What does David say of the tribe of Judah, and how is his language explained?
9. What does David say of the sanctuary in Psalm 78:69?
10. How does Psalm 78:54, 69, explain Exodus 15:17?
11. What bearing does Paul’s language in Hebrews 9:1, 2, have upon this part of the subject?
12. Is the church the sanctuary?
13. What can be said of Psalm 104:2?
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The church is not the sanctuary; for it is nowhere called such. One text, mentioned above, Psalm 104:2, is sometimes quoted to prove the church the sanctuary; but that has been already explained; and even if it was to be taken in its most rigidly literal sense, it would only prove that a particular tribe, and not the whole church was the sanctuary. But the statement quoted from Paul, Hebrews 9:1, 2, applies to this very time when Judah constituted a portion of God’s people, and he tells us that something else was then the sanctuary. And further, if the church ever constituted the sanctuary, even then it could not be the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14; for there the church is brought to view by the term “host” as an object entirely distinct from the sanctuary. TBI 64.2
But to return to Paul’s statement in Hebrews 9:1, 2. What is that which he says was the sanctuary during the continuance of the first covenant? Answer, The tabernacle built by Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, which was afterward embodied in the temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel and Herod. This is described in full in Exodus 25, and onward. This settles the subject of the sanctuary down to the time of Christ. The only question now to be decided is, Has there been a sanctuary since that time? and if so, what? TBI 65.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
14. If at any time the church was the sanctuary, could it be the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14, and why?
15. What does Paul say was the sanctuary of the first covenant? Reference.
16. Where is this described?
17. How much is settled by Paul’s language?
18. What question remains?
19. Has the new covenant a sanctuary?
20. When and by whom was the new covenant introduced and ratified?
21. Where does Christ perform his ministry?
22. While in Heaven of what is he a minister?
23. Where then is the new covenant sanctuary?
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These questions are definitely answered in the writings of Paul. He says that the second covenant has a sanctuary, the same as the first. The new covenant was introduced and ratified by Christ. He is its minister. His ministry is performed in Heaven. He is there a minister of the sanctuary, the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. Hebrews 8:1, 2. The sanctuary of this covenant is, therefore, where the minister is, in Heaven. The sanctuary of the first covenant was a type of the Heavenly sanctuary of the new. Moses, when he made the tabernacle, made it after a pattern. Exodus 25:9, 40; 26:30; Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5. That was made with hands (by men); Hebrews 9:24; the one in Heaven, not by men, but by the Lord, Hebrews 8:2; 9:11. The earthly sanctuary is twice called a figure, and once a pattern of the sanctuary in Heaven. Hebrews 9:9, 23, 24. The Heavenly sanctuary is called the greater and more perfect tabernacle, and the true, in comparison with the earthly. Hebrews 9:11, 24. TBI 65.2
But more than this, John in his vision of things in Heaven saw there the antitype of the golden candlestick, the altar of incense, the golden censer and the ark of God’s testament, all instruments of the sanctuary, the presence of which unmistakably proves the existence of the sanctuary where they were seen. And John also had a view of the sanctuary itself, which he brings to view under the name of “the temple of God in Heaven.” Revelation 4:1, 5; 8:3; 11:19. Thus it is called also by David and Habakkuk. Psalm 11:4; Habakkuk 2:20. It is called God’s “holy habitation” by Jeremiah and Zechariah. Jeremiah 25:30; Zechariah 2:13. TBI 66.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
24. What relation did the sanctuary of the first covenant bear to that of the new?
25. What was Moses commanded when about to make the tabernacle? References.
26. How is the earthly sanctuary spoken of in Hebrews 9:9, 23, 24?
27. What is the Heavenly sanctuary called in comparison with the earthly?
28. What was shown to John in vision? References.
29. What is the Heavenly sanctuary called by David and Habakkuk? References.
30. What by Jeremiah and Zechariah? References.
31. What was connected with the sanctuary?
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Having found the sanctuary, we now inquire, What is its cleansing? With the sanctuary there were connected instruments of service and a priesthood. The sanctuary contained two apartments, separated by a vail. The first was called the holy place, the second the most holy. In the holy place, were the candlestick with seven branches, the table of show-bread, and the altar of incense. In the most holy was the ark, containing the tables of the ten commandments. The cover of the ark, beaten out of a solid piece of gold with the figure of a cherub on either end, was the mercy-seat. In this sanctuary the priests ministered. This ministry is described in Leviticus 1 and onward. When a person had sinned, he brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle to the priest, laid his hands upon the head of his offering, and confessed upon him his sin, took his life, and the blood was taken by the priest into the sanctuary and sprinkled before the vail. His sin was thus transferred to the sanctuary. This went on through the year continually, sin all the while accumulating in the sanctuary till the tenth day of the seventh month, when the priest performed a special service in the most holy place, to close the yearly round of ministration, called the cleansing of the sanctuary. On this day two goats were brought and set apart by lot to the Lord and to Azazel. See Leviticus 16:8, margin. The blood of the goat for the Lord was taken and sprinkled by the priest upon the mercy-seat in the most holy place, to make atonement for the sanctuary, and for the sins of the people. Coming out he confessed over the scape-goat all the sins of the people and thus placed them upon his head. Leviticus 16:21. This goat was then sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. Thus the sanctuary was cleansed, and sin was put away from the people. TBI 66.2
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
32. How many apartments had the sanctuary?
33. What was the first called?
34. The second?
35. What was in the first apartment?
36. What in the second?
37. How was the cover of the ark made, and what was it called?
38. Who ministered in this sanctuary?
39. Where is this ministry described?
40. What was done by a person who had sinned?
41. What was done with the blood of the victim?
42. What effect did this have on the person’s sin?
43. How long did services like this go on?
44. What was meanwhile accumulating in the sanctuary?
45. When was the service changed?
46. Where was this special service performed?
47. What was it called?
48. To perform this service what did the priest first take? Leviticus 16:5, 7.
49. How and to whom were these goats set apart?
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But all this was a figure. That sanctuary, those offerings, the work of the priests, all were figures. Paul says of the priests that they “served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” Hebrews 8:4, 5. All looked forward to the greater and more perfect priesthood after the order of Melchisedec, performed, Paul says, by Christ in Heaven. Christ is at once the antitype of the offering and the priesthood. He first shed his blood and provided the offering. Then he entered upon his work as priest. What the earthly priests did in figure he does in fact. They transferred the sins of the penitent to the earthly sanctuary in figure. He transfers them to the Heavenly sanctuary in fact. We come to Christ for pardon, and this is the way we receive it. To deny this is to deny all that Paul has taught us in the book of Hebrews respecting the relation of the work of those ancient priests to the work of Christ as our High Priest in Heaven. TBI 68.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
50. What was done with the blood of the goat set apart for the Lord?
51. For what purpose was this blood sprinkled upon the mercy-seat?
52. On coming out from the sanctuary what did the priest do?
53. Where did this place the sins of the people?
54. What was then done with this goat?
55. In what condition did this leave the sanctuary and the people?
56. What was the nature of all this service?
57. Unto what did Paul say that these priests served?
58. To what did all their service look forward?
59. Of what is Christ the antitype?
60. What did he first provide?
61. Upon what work did he then enter?
62. What is the nature of his work compared with that of the earthly priests?
63. When we receive pardon from Christ what disposition is made of our sins?
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The Heavenly sanctuary must be cleansed for the same reason that the earthly was cleansed. This Paul expressly states. Hebrews 9:22, 23. Any who object to things being cleansed in Heaven, must settle that with the apostle. The cleansing, however, was not from physical uncleanness but from sin. When was this to be cleansed? At the end of the 2300 days in 1844. There was no other sanctuary then in existence but the Heavenly sanctuary of the new covenant; hence that is the one to which that prophecy applies. How is the cleansing in this case to be performed? Just as in the type, by a closing service in the most holy place. The high priest passes into the most holy which he enters only for this purpose, makes the atonement by the offering of blood upon the mercy-seat, and closes the round of sanctuary service. In the type this round was completed every year. In the antitype it is performed once for all. The type and the prophecy of the 2300 days hold us to the conclusion that in 1844 Christ entered upon his final work as priest in the second apartment of the sanctuary in Heaven. In the type, one day of the year was set apart to this work, and a portion of the day was actually employed in the service. In the antitype the time is indefinite, but it must be comparatively brief. TBI 69.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
64. Must the Heavenly sanctuary be cleansed, and why?
65. Where is this stated? 66. From what is it to be cleansed?
67. When was it to be cleansed?
68. What proof that the Heavenly sanctuary must be the one referred to?
69. How is its cleansing to be performed?
70. How often is a round of service performed in the antitype?
71. What must we conclude, therefore, took place in 1844?
72. In the type how much time was employed in this service?
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As this concludes Christ’s work as priest, with it probation ends, as there is no more mercy to be offered. And when that point is reached, all cases are decided for eternity. But this work of decision is a work of Judgment. It must be the first part of that three-fold work of Judgment solemnly declared in God’s word to await all mankind: first, to decide all cases; secondly, to determine the rewards or punishments; thirdly, to execute the sentence written. But Christ does not make his second advent till his work as priest is done. Therefore before the coming of Christ a portion of the work of Judgment transpires and probation ends. This accords with Revelation 22:11, 12: “He that is unjust let him be unjust still, ...and he that is holy let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly.” It accords also with the necessities of the case; for when Christ appears there is no time allotted for a work of Judgment, yet all the righteous dead are then raised, leaving the wicked to sleep on for a thousand years, and all the righteous living are changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. This conclusively shows that decision must have been rendered in their cases before the coming of the Lord. TBI 69.2
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
73. In the antitype, how much?
74. What ends with Christ’s work as priest?
75. What is this work of decision?
76. What part of the Judgment must it be?
77. What part of his work does Christ finish before his second advent?
78. What must therefore take place before Christ comes?
79. What scripture sustains this view?
80. How does it meet the necessities of the case?
81. What subject provides for this necessary preliminary work of Judgment?
82. What is the work of Christ during this time?
83. What does this involve?
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In the cleansing of the sanctuary we have just the time and place for this preliminary or investigative work of Judgment. This is the very nature of the work of Christ at this time to put away sin and so decide who are righteous. This involves an examination of the books of record containing the deeds of every man’s life; for all Judgment is rendered according to every man’s works written in the books. Revelation 20:12. Hence in the account of the opening of this scene in the most holy of the Heavenly sanctuary, as given in Daniel 7:9, 10, we read that “the Judgment was set and the books were opened.” This is before the coming of Christ; for it is before the destruction of the papal beast on account of the great words of the little horn. Verse 11. Here is where the Son of man is brought to the Ancient of Days, and receives his kingdom, which kingdom he receives before his return to this earth. Daniel 7:13, 14; Luke 19:12. TBI 70.1
Here sins, repented of and pardoned, are blotted out; Acts 3:19, 20; which work being ended, Christ is sent the second time to this earth. But if at this time a person’s sins are not in a condition to be blotted out, his name is blotted out of the book of life. Revelation 3:5. Here Christ confesses the names of his people before his Father, receiving of the Father acceptance of them through him. TBI 71.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
84. From what is all Judgment rendered? Reference.
85. What scene does Daniel 7:9, 10 describe?
86. What is said of the books at this time?
87. What shows that this is before the coming of Christ?
88. Where does the Son of man receive from the Ancient of Days his kingdom?
89. Does he receive his kingdom before his return to earth? Reference.
90. To what does Acts 3:19, 20, apply?
91. When will Revelation 3:5 be fulfilled?
92. What is the mystery of God? References.
93. What is the finishing of this mystery?
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This is the finishing of the mystery of God, brought to view in Revelation 10:7. The mystery of God is the gospel to all nations. Ephesians 3:3 compared with Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 1:9; 3:9; Romans 16:25, 26; Colossians 1:25, 27. The finishing of this mystery, must be the close of the gospel work which will cease when Christ’s work as priest is done. Therefore the cleansing of the sanctuary, the investigative Judgment, and the finishing of the mystery of God, are all one and the same work. TBI 71.2
The commencement of this work is marked by the end of the great period of 2300 days, and the commencement of the sounding of the 7th angel, the last of the series of the 7 trumpets. The angel of Revelation 10 announces the close of prophetic time. Verse 6. This must be prophetic time; for literal time, duration, continues in the days of the 7th angel subsequently mentioned; and probationary time continues in the announcement of another message of mercy. Verse 11. Prophetic time ends with the 2300 days, which is the longest prophetic period and reaches down to the latest point. Hence Revelation 10:6 brings us to the conclusion of the 2300 days. Then, said the angel to Daniel, shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Then, said the angel to John, shall the mystery of God be finished; which is the same thing. This he said would be in the days when the 7th angel should begin to sound; that it would occupy the first years of his sounding. And again John says, when the 7th angel began to sound, the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. Revelation 11:19. This introduces us into the second apartment of the Heavenly sanctuary; but the work in that apartment is the cleansing of the sanctuary, the investigative Judgment, the finishing of the mystery of God, which consequently commenced when the 7th angel began to sound. TBI 72.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
94. To what does Revelation 10:7 apply?
95. How is it shown that Revelation 10:6 applies to prophetic time?
96. With what does prophetic time end?
97. To what point does Revelation 10:6 bring us?
98. What did the angel say to Daniel and John would then take place?
99. Are these the same?
100. What trumpet marked the commencement of this work?
101. What event is given in Revelation 11:19 to mark the sounding of the 7th angel?
102. To what work does this introduce us?
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The sins being borne from the sanctuary in the type, were laid upon the head of the scape-goat, which was then sent away to perish. This was the shadow of some service in connection with the Heavenly sanctuary by which our sins are to be put away in fact forever. Upon whom could they more appropriately fall at last than upon the devil, the author and instigator of sin? Satan is the antitypical scape-goat. Azazel, Leviticus 16:8, margin, is held on good authority to mean the devil. True, Christ is said to have borne our sins; but that was upon the cross before he commenced his priestly work. He never after bears them except as priest; and the last he does with them is to lay them upon the head of their author, the devil, who is sent away with them to a land not inhabited. The account of this binding of Satan is found in Revelation 20:1-3. At the end of the thousand years, being loosed out of his prison by the resurrection of the wicked whom he then again has power to deceive, even to bring them up against the camp of the saints, Revelation 20:8, 9, he is, with them, forever destroyed by fire from God out of Heaven. Then comes the day of the execution of the Judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:7. Sins are then put away forever. Evil is destroyed root and branch. A new heavens and earth succeed the old. Verse 13. The saints enter upon their everlasting inheritance, and the universal song of jubilee goes up from a holy and happy universe to God and the Lamb. Revelation 5:13. TBI 73.1
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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON LESSON SEVEN
103. What was done with sins borne from the sanctuary?
104. Who is the antitypical scape-goat?
105. What does the word Azazel mean?
106. When did Christ bear our sins? and in what sense?
107. When does the scape-goat, or Satan, bear them?
108. Where is the account of the binding of Satan found?
109. What takes place at the end of the thousand years?
110. What day is this? Reference.
111. What follows?
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CLASS QUESTIONS ON LESSON VII. WITH ANSWERS
1. How could Christ be said to be within the vail in Paul’s day, as in the Old Testament that phrase applies to the most holy? TBI 74.1
ANS. This question assumes too much. Neither in the Old Testament nor the New, is the term “the vail”, confined to that vail which divided between the holy and the most holy place. The term is applied equally to the vail which constituted the door of the sanctuary and hung at the entrance to the holy place. The same term, both in Hebrew and Greek, is used to describe this vail, that is used in describing the other. Exodus 26:31, 36. Paul is careful to make a distinction between the two. In Hebrews 9:3, he speaks of the second vail, showing that there must be a first vail. And inasmuch as he has used the term second in speaking of that vail in this instance, the clearest principle of logic would compel us to understand him as referring to the other vail whenever in his writings this term is not used. In Hebrews 10:19, 20, he shows that we go within the vail when we go into the holy place. For the word “holiest” is, in the Greek, in the plural number, and should be rendered the holies, or holy places: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail.” Here the singular number is used in speaking of the vail, but the plural in speaking of the holy places, showing us that as he uses the term, we pass through “the vail” in entering the holy place, just as much as in entering into the most holy. Hence, when he says that Christ is entered within the vail in Hebrews 6:19, 20, he does not necessarily mean into the most holy place. TBI 74.2
2. Please explain Hebrews 10:20. How is Christ’s flesh the vail? TBI 75.1
ANS. It isn’t. The difficulty arises from this misunderstanding of the text. Verses 19 and 20 read as follows: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest (holies) by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh.” What is his flesh? Not the vail, but the way. A little transposition of terms will show more plainly this idea; thus, “By a new and living way, that is to say, his flesh, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail.” How is his flesh a way through the vail? Because it is by his offering of himself that we gain access there. Paul says, Hebrews 9:12, that “by his own blood he entered in once (Gr. once for all) into the holy place” (Gr. plural, holy places). And it is by his sacrifice, his blood, that we also find entrance there. With this understanding of the text it is consistent with other scriptures, and the figure is a beautiful one; but with the other view it is involved in unexplainable inconsistencies and difficulties; for we might well inquire, in the language of the question, how his flesh could be the vail; and, in that case, what is the new and living way? TBI 75.2
3. Does Christ actually use his blood in the work of cleansing the sanctuary? If so, how is it provided? If not, how could the earthly service be said to be a shadow of that service? TBI 75.3
ANS. We do not see how the work in the most holy would require the actual presence of Christ’s blood, any more than his work in the holy place, in order to be the substance of which the work of the earthly sanctuary was a shadow. The question then would be simply whether he has, during his eighteen hundred years of ministry, actually presented his blood in the sanctuary or ministered by virtue of its merits. In the case of Christ there would appear to be no necessity for the actual presence of his blood, as in the case of the earthly sacrifices; for in the latter there was no blood provided which had any merit independent of its actual presence. But as the blood of Abel and the martyrs is represented as crying unto God, so the great fact that Christ had died upon the cross and shed his blood for men, would be a sufficient response to every petition for pardon and forgiveness of sin. But Christ was himself the offering. He doubtless bears the marks of his crucifixion. Would not his presence therefore under these circumstances be the equivalent of the actual presentation of blood and even more? John represents Christ as presenting all the features of his offering before his Father in Heaven. “I beheld,” he says, “and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” Revelation 5:6. TBI 75.4
4. How can the sins of the people be conveyed into the most holy place, as the high priest went in there only once a year? TBI 76.1
ANS. The high priest stood as a representative of all the sins for which he had performed a ministration through the year. And this is doubtless the reason why a complete round of service was limited, in the type, to the short period of a year, so that the same person might minister in the most holy on the day of atonement, who had ministered through all the year in the holy place. Thus on the day of atonement all the sins for which offering had been made during the year, would be represented in him, and his offering in the most holy place, would have reference to them all. This would be emphatically true of Christ, who was himself the offering. When Christ appears before the ark, he appears both as our sacrifice and our priest, a representative in a double sense of all the sins which have been brought to him for pardon. TBI 76.2
5. If the sanctuary services were a type of the true, and the cleansing of the sanctuary is now going on, how can our sins be forgiven, as our high priest must now be within the vail? TBI 77.1
ANS. The service in the most holy availed for the sins of the people the same as the service on other days. We cannot suppose that there was one day in every year, under the type, during which there was no forgiveness of sin, such as was provided for that time. Nothing passed over to the next year’s account. And the efficacy of the work of atonement availed in individual cases according to their own action. They were to afflict their souls, or repent of their sins, even up to the moment when the atonement was made and the year’s work was done. Doing this their sins were borne away, otherwise they were left upon them. And in the greater and more perfect ministry of our Lord, it is still more apparent that there is pardon for sin while the service in the most holy, or the cleansing of the sanctuary, is going forward. Christ’s blood, when once shed, avails not only for sins committed in the past, but makes provision as well for the future. His blood, or which would be the same thing the merits of his sacrifice, are ministered in both apartments. And Paul says that we have boldness to enter into the holies, or both the holy and most holy places, by the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19. We enter into the most holy as well as the holy through that blood. But entering in there through the blood of Christ must mean simply obtaining the forgiveness of our sins through him. And that we do while he is in the most holy as well as while he is in the holy place. TBI 77.2
6. Was the sanctuary of the second covenant, as was seen by John, Revelation 4:5; 8:3, 4; 11:19, in existence at the time when God gave Moses a pattern of the tabernacle for the first covenant? TBI 78.1
ANS. We see nothing in the way of supposing that the Heavenly sanctuary was then in existence; but there was no priestly service performed in it till Christ commenced his ministry there. Paul says that the way into the holiest of all (holies, plural) was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. Hebrews 9:8. That is to say, the way into the true holy places, the Heavenly sanctuary, was not laid open before the world, the attention of men was not called to it, and there was no ministration there, while the first tabernacle stood and its services were effectual. These services then took the place of everything else. And when the time came for the shadow to give place to the substance, the work began in the temple in Heaven. TBI 78.2
7. Who was mediator between God and man while Christ was upon earth, and especially from the time of his death till the commencement of his ministry in Heaven? TBI 78.3
ANS. We understand that Christ has been the mediator between God and man ever since the plan of salvation was devised. Down to the cross the fact of a Redeemer to come was the great fact in reference to which men acted in approaching to God. They signified their faith from Adam to Calvary by the offering of the blood of beasts. Since Calvary the great fact has been a Redeemer already come, in whom we show our faith through the ordinances of the gospel. The time for decision to be made up in any case, with a few exceptions, does not come till the work of atonement in the closing up of the service of the Heavenly sanctuary. And the decision will be rendered in every case according to the faith manifested in that Redeemer, whether before or after Christ, as the evidence shall appear in the record of the books above. And whether or not Christ was in the presence of his Father, at the time such faith was manifested, would be immaterial. Man’s acts of faith would go on record as well while Christ was on earth as while he was in Heaven; as well while he was in the grave, as when among the living; as well at any time before he commenced his work of ministry in Heaven, as after. TBI 78.4
8. Was the daily round of service in the tabernacle performed on the day of atonement? TBI 79.1
ANS. The daily round of general sacrifices was performed on the day of atonement as upon other days, besides some special general offerings upon that day, as upon other feasts, and besides the specific offering of the atonement. Numbers 29:7-11. But while the work of atonement was going forward, the ordinary individual offerings at the door of the sanctuary could not be offered. There was no occasion for these, since all the people were represented in the offering which the priest was presenting in the most holy place. For a person at the same time to be offering at the door of the tabernacle would be to present two different offerings at once, which would be uncalled for, and manifestly improper; and what would be more objectionable still, it would divert to another service the attention which the Lord required all to fix upon the work of atonement. TBI 79.2
9. In the first tabernacle God’s glory was manifested between the cherubim over the ark in the most holy place. Can it be inferred from the type that that is also God’s position in the Heavenly sanctuary? But Revelation 4:5 shows us the throne of God in the holy place. How can this be reconciled? TBI 79.3
ANS. By not supposing that God or his throne is always confined to the same place or position. We do not understand the Scriptures to teach that the Lord was always in one place. Sometimes he met with Moses at the door of the tabernacle. Exodus 29:43. His throne is represented as a movable, living throne. Eze. chapters 1 and 10. When the scene of the cleansing of the sanctuary opened, the Ancient of Days, Jehovah, took a position which he had not before occupied. Daniel 7:9. On the change of the ministration from the holy into the most holy place, God’s throne was evidently moved from the one to the other. TBI 80.1
10. How can Christ be a sanctuary, and at the same time be administering as high priest in the same. Ezekiel 11:16; Isaiah 8:14? TBI 80.2
ANS. These texts can have no reference to the sanctuary in Heaven. They do not say that Christ should be the sanctuary, but “as a sanctuary”, and “for a sanctuary”. The word sanctuary is sometimes used to signify a place of refuge and defense. And Christ would be such to his people, while dispersed through the land of their captivity. But the word rendered sanctuary in the texts referred to is not hagion, the word used to describe the sanctuary of worship, both as type and antitype, but hagiasma, a sacred or consecrated place. TBI 80.3
11. Please give an explanation of the original of Romans 3:25. How can Christ be said to be the mercy-seat? TBI 80.4
ANS. He cannot. Those who make this assertion from Romans 3:25, as some of our opponents do, are simply misled by their ignorance of the language they try to handle. There is a neuter Greek noun, hilasterion, which means mercy-seat. There is another in the masculine gender, hilasterios, which means “one who makes expiation, a propitiator, or propitiatory sacrifice.” In the accusative singular this latter word takes the same form as the other, hilasterion. The construction of Romans 3:25 demands the use of the accusative case; and hence, this masculine noun being of the same form as the neuter noun, our friends have mistaken it for the neuter noun, and declare that Christ is the mercy-seat. They think thereby to break down the idea of the antitypical sanctuary, held by S.D. Adventists. But their attempt is wholly abortive; for the word is the masculine noun hilasterios, and means, a propitiator, or one who makes expiation. TBI 80.5
12. Romans 5:11. What does Paul mean by saying, “We have now received the atonement,” when the atonement did not begin until 1844? This is urged as an objection against our views of the Heavenly sanctuary. TBI 81.1
ANS. The whole difficulty lies in giving a wrong meaning to the word there rendered atonement. The word is katallagee, and simply means “reconciliation, restoration to favor,” never atonement. The words used in the Old Testament for atonement are exilasis, exilasma, and the verbs, exilaskomai, and exileoo. Reconciliation the church has all along received through Christ; but we receive the atonement only when it is made as the closing service of our Lord in the sanctuary above. TBI 81.2
13. Is the antitypical table of show-bread in the Heavenly sanctuary? What was it designed to typify? TBI 81.3
ANS. Inasmuch as the candlestick and altar of incense were seen in the Heavenly sanctuary, it would seem fair to infer that the table was not lacking though it seems nowhere to be brought directly to view. Its significance as a type may be perhaps inferred in a measure from its use in the earthly sanctuary. Bread was kept upon it before the Lord, a loaf for each tribe. New fresh loaves were placed upon the table every Sabbath, and the old were to be eaten by the priests in the holy place. The other instruments symbolized channels through which the blessings of the Lord come to us; as the candlestick, the Spirit of God; the altar of incense, the acceptance of our prayers with God; the mercy-seat, the way of pardon and peace; and when it is said in the Scriptures that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, does it not bring to view that which may fitly be illustrated by the show-bread which the priests were to eat? Does it not represent these words of the Lord by which we live, his grace and favor which continually sustain us? In the absence of positive testimony it becomes no one to do more than suggest; and these remarks are offered only as suggestions. TBI 82.1