The Great Controversy -- Study Guide

Chapter 23 — What is the Sanctuary?

1. Were Miller and his associates alone responsible for the misunderstanding regarding the meaning of the “sanctuary” as used in Daniel 8:14, which led to its cleansing being regarded as associated with the Second Advent? 409:1 [467:1]
  GC-SG 46.1

2. The importance of this fact should not be overlooked. Because of the mistake, critics of the movement claim that opposition to it was justified by the Christian world. But the fact remains that the attacks on Miller’s position were altogether on other grounds, which were unscriptural, and that none of his opponents saw or pointed out this fundamental misconception. In His wise providence, God left the discovery of the sanctuary truth to form the heart of the message to be proclaimed to the world by the remnant church. GC-SG 46.2

3. How were the Advent believers, after the disappointment, divided into two schools of thought regarding their experience and the prophetic periods? Into what study were those led who still believed that God had guided them? 409:2-410:3 [468:1-469:1]
  GC-SG 46.3

4. To what New Testament epistle were their minds directed? What evidence did they find that the heavenly is the antitype of the earthly sanctuary? 411:1-413:3; 417:1 [469:2-471:4; 475:1].
  GC-SG 46.4

5. What features of the heavenly temple and its services were seen in vision by Daniel and by John? 414:2, 3 [472:2, 3]
  GC-SG 46.5

6. Through the study of the sanctuary, how were the Bible students led to new conceptions of the sacredness of God’s law? 415:2 [473:2]
  GC-SG 46.6

7. What Old Testament prophecies point to Christ as an intercessory priest in the heavenly sanctuary? 415:3-416:4 [473:3-474:3]
  GC-SG 46.7

8. What was the cleansing agency in the sanctuary service? What Scripture shows that even in heaven, there is need for a “cleansing”? In what two ways were sins transferred from the penitent sinner to the earthly sanctuary? 417:2-418:1 [475:2.-476:1]
  GC-SG 47.1

9. That was the purpose of the special service on the day of atonement. The blood of what sacrifice was then brought into the most holy place? After thus cleansing all that pertained to the sanctuary, what disposition was made of the sins that had been confessed during the year? 418:2-420:1 [476:2-479:1]
  GC-SG 47.2

10. Some have questioned how blood could be both an agency for defiling and for cleansing? This will be seen possible when it is noted that the blood of the sin-offering was through the transfer of sin, defiled. No sins were confessed over the head of the goat on the day of atonement. It takes both offerings to represent Christ as the sin-bearer, and Christ as the sinless one. Because no iniquity was found in Him, He is able to cleanse from all impurity.

GC-SG 47.3

11. When did Christ enter upon His work as High Priest, and what time covers His ministry in the first apartment? 420:2-421:2 [479:2-480:2]
  GC-SG 47.4

12. Further Scriptural evidence is found for the beginning of the service and Christ’s ministry after His ascension in (1) the prophecy of the anointing of the “most holy” in the seventy week period (Daniel 9:24), the Hebrew word here refers only to a holy “thing,” never to a person; (2) the necessity to Christ to become a member of the race whom He was to represent, and thus to have the necessary “compassion,” —the fellow-feeling; (Hebrews 4:15-5:2); (3) the offering of the sacrifice must precede the ministry of the blood (Hebrews 8:3); (4) Christ was made High Priest by the oath of the Father (Hebrews 4:5); and that oath was “since the law,” (Hebrews 7:28). GC-SG 47.5

13. There were two vails in the sanctuary. Moses distinguishes them by calling the first a “hanging” (Heb. Masak) and the second a “vail” (Heb. paroketh) Yet these were both hung in the same manner, were made of the same material, and served the same purpose, as a door. Paul in the Hebrews does not make the distinction by using a different word, but when he refers to the inner curtain calls it the “second vail,” Hebrews 9:3. There could not be a second without a first, and it is not illogical to understand that in Hebrews 6:20, he is referring to the first vail, rather than the second. This understanding brings the passage in harmony with other Scriptures, and with the conclusions reached by the pioneers after the disappointment, which were confirmed by the Spirit of prophecy. GC-SG 47.6

14. What further light was seen in reference to the cleansing of the sanctuary and future events as prefigured by the “scapegoat”? 421:3-422:2 [480:3-481:2]
  GC-SG 47.7