The Sanctuary and the Twenty-three Hundred Days of Daniel 8:14

24 CLEANSING OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

A PORTION of the evidence was presented in the preceding chapter to show that our sins are transferred to the heavenly sanctuary through the blood of Christ. This is still further confirmed by 1 Peter 2:24: “Who [Christ] his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” On the cross, Christ bore our sins as a sacrifice. In this sense he bears them at no other time or place. Here he was set forth as “the Lamb of God that taketh [margin, beareth] away the sin of the world.” John 1:29. Here he was offered as the “propitiation for the sins of the whole world.” But how much is implied in these expressions, that he bare our sins on the tree, and that he is the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world? Simply that here a sacrifice was provided, the merit of which was sufficient to avail with God to cancel the guilt of the entire world; that here an offering was given, upon which all who would, might lay their sins. But if none had come or should come to Christ, his offering would have been in vain. Whether or not his sacrifice shall be of benefit in any individual case, depends on the action of that individual. STTHD 245.1

Having provided the sacrifice, Christ commences his work as priest in the sanctuary above, and the invitation is sent out to all the world, Come unto me for pardon and everlasting life. The way of our coming is described in Acts 20:21: “Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” We confess our sins to God through Christ as our sacrifice. As the penitent in the former dispensation laid his sins upon his victim, by confessing over him his transgressions, so we lay our sins upon Christ by confessing them to God through him. Thus the confession and offering of the sinner of old finds its antitype in our confession of sin to God through Christ. By the Mosaic offering, the sin was borne into the earthly sanctuary; by faith in Christ as our offering, and by our confessions through him, we transfer our sins to the sanctuary in Heaven, where he ministers for us. Thus the Lord carries forward the great work which he commenced when he bore the sins of the world at his death, by pleading the cause of penitent sinners through his blood shed in their behalf. And thus there is in this dispensation, as in the former, a transfer of sins; there in figure, here in fact. There is nothing strange or fanciful in this. Every one can easily understand it. Such was the service of the type, which was a shadow of the heavenly things; and such, therefore, is the heavenly ministration itself. STTHD 246.1

As, in the case of sins transferred to the earthly tabernacle, the question arose, What became of those sins? we have here the same question to answer respecting the sins transferred through Christ to the heavenly sanctuary: What is to become of these sins? Do they remain there forever? No; they will be removed, just as they were in the type; for the heavenly sanctuary is to be cleansed even as was the earthly. STTHD 247.1

That sins are transferred to the sanctuary, is evident from the fact that there exists a necessity for its cleansing; and there can be nothing there but the presence of sin to render such a work necessary. We look to the type. A work of cleansing was performed every year in the most solemn manner by divine appointment. Why was this? What was there to render the cleansing of that sanctuary necessary? Into the most holy no man entered but the high priest, and he but once a year. In a place so sacredly guarded,, could there have been anything physically impure? By no means. And yet that sanctuary, the most holy as well as the holy, had to be cleansed. Again we ask the reader, and especially the objector, to ponder well the question, Why? But one answer can be returned. The sins of the people were represented there; and from their presence it must be freed. And this work of cleansing, as we have seen, was not a purification from material uncleanness, but simply a ceremony by which imputed sins were removed and borne away forever. STTHD 247.2

So in the antitype. There is nothing literally impure or unclean in the heavenly sanctuary. But the sins of all those who have sought pardon through the merits of Jesus have been transferred there; and these must be removed. This is its cleansing. No other is brought to view. In reference to no other act or ceremony is the expression, “cleansing of the sanctuary,” ever used. No mind can fail to understand this, and none need to revolt at the idea. STTHD 248.1

We have already referred to Paul’s testimony in Hebrews 9:22-24, which forever settles this point. We scarcely need repeat that the burden of Paul’s argument is remission, which is the removal of sin. He shows in these verses that the earthly sanctuary had to be cleansed because sin was to be remitted, and that it must therefore be accomplished with blood. He then explicitly states that it was necessary for the same reason that the heavenly sanctuary should undergo a cleansing of the same nature, and by the same means, only that now the sacrifice was infinitely better, being the blood of Christ, instead of the blood of beasts. On this point we need not longer dwell. No statement is needed to add to such a plain declaration by the apostle, no additional light is called for to help the rays of the noon-day sun. STTHD 248.2

It would seem that no one can now fail to understand the nature of the cleansing of the sanctuary. It is accomplished by blood, not by fire. It is a part of Christ’s work as priest, not as king. It is the ministration performed in the most holy place to complete the round of service, and end the work. STTHD 249.1

This, then, is what was to take place at the end of the 2300 days, when the sanctuary was to be cleansed. But some still cling to the idea that the sanctuary of which this is said, the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14, must be the very sanctuary that Daniel had in view, in the land of Palestine, not a sanctuary in Heaven. In reply we point the objector to the fact that there is no sanctuary now in Palestine. There was none there when the 2300 days ended, in 1844. And how can a sanctuary be cleansed that does not exist? They must first show a sanctuary there, before they can talk of its cleansing. STTHD 249.2

Still they ask, If a man should promise to cleanse a meeting-house in Battle Creek which had become defiled, and then should go and cleanse one in Detroit, would that be fulfilling the promise? Such a question betrays at once their utter misapprehension of the question. In the first place, the cleansing of the sanctuary is not made necessary by its being trodden under foot. It has reference to another feature of the question entirely. In the answer to the question, enough was given for us to know; namely, the time when the closing scene in its work should commence, which after a brief but indefinite space of time would bring us to the end. Secondly, the sanctuary in Palestine, and the sanctuary in Heaven, are not like two meeting-houses, one in Battle Creek and the other in Detroit, having no connection with each other. These are counterparts of each other. They stand as type and antitype. When one had fulfilled its design, it gave place to the other, which thenceforward became the sanctuary. The first was given to lead us to the second, and instruct us in reference thereto. Therefore whatever is said in reference to the sanctuary which applies to the former dispensation, has reference to the sanctuary of that dispensation; and whatever applies to this dispensation, has reference to that which is the sanctuary of this dispensation, namely, the sanctuary in Heaven. But as we have shown, the 2300 days reach far down into this dispensation; and consequently the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of those days is the sanctuary of this dispensation, the tabernacle on high. STTHD 250.1

This is illustrated by what is said of the host. The host was to be trodden under foot the whole length of time covered by the vision. Who were the host, the people of God, when Daniel wrote? The Jews. But the vision reaches over into this dispensation, and who are the host, the people of God, now? The Jews? No; but Christians who are called in by the gospel. When the dispensation changed, the Jews were no longer recognized as the host, but Christians are now such, and to them Daniel 8:13 now applies. So, likewise, when the new covenant was introduced, the sanctuary of the vanished dispensation was no longer recognized as the sanctuary of the Bible, but the true sanctuary in Heaven, which then took its place. And to this, Daniel 8:14 now applies. STTHD 251.1

To return to the illustration of our opponents: If it was arranged that a meeting-house in Battle Creek should be the meeting-house of a certain society for ten years, and then it should be destroyed, and give place to a meeting-house in Detroit which should thenceforward for ten years be the meeting-house of that society, and at the end of twenty years the meeting-house of that society should be cleansed, to which would it apply? To the meeting-house in Battle Creek, which had been destroyed? or to the meeting-house in Detroit, which was the meeting-house of the society at that time? To the one in Detroit, of course. This would be an illustration adapted to the subject of the sanctuary; for this is just what the Bible asserts in relation to it. It said that while the former dispensation lasted, the earthly sanctuary should be the sanctuary connected with God’s worship; that then that sanctuary should be destroyed and give place to the true tabernacle and sanctuary in Heaven, which the Lord pitched, and not man, which should thenceforward be the sanctuary of God’s worship and of this dispensation; and finally, that at the end of 2300 days, 1813 years and six months down in this dispensation, the sanctuary should be cleansed. What sanctuary? The earthly one, which had served its purpose, been destroyed, vanished away with the system to which it belonged, and had given place to the new? No; but the sanctuary of this dispensation, of course. It is only when thus stated that this is a fair illustration of the subject. But thus stated it is taken out of the hands of the objector; for it sets forth just the points which we maintain. The sanctuary in Heaven is therefore the one to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days. STTHD 252.1

Striking about for some other pretext to object to our conclusion, our opponents next assert that the language, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” means that the cleansing should be finished at the end of the 2300 days, whereas we assert that then it just begins. The answer to this is not long nor difficult. The cleansing of the sanctuary, as we have seen, occupies a space of time; and in speaking of such events, the Bible brings us to the beginning of the work, not to its close. It does not say, Then shall the sanctuary have been cleansed, but, Then shall it be cleansed. When the Scriptures speak of accomplished events, they so express it; as of the two witnesses, Revelation 11:7: “When they shall have finished their testimony,” or of Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:24: “When he shall have delivered up the kingdom.” But when they say, “Then shall be great tribulation,” Matthew 24:21, it means that it shall then begin, and continue; and when they say, “Then shall that Wicked be revealed,” 2 Thessalonians 2:8, it means then shall begin the period during which he will stand revealed before the world. So, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” simply refers to the time when the work shall commence. STTHD 253.1

Therefore are we held inevitably to the conclusion that at the end of the 2300 days, in the autumn of 1844, the ministration of the sanctuary above was changed from the holy to the most holy place. Then the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. Revelation 11:19. There the Ancient of days then placed his throne, and “did sit,” as the prophet Daniel saw. Daniel 7:9. Then, escorted by the retinue of holy angels, Christ, our priest and mediator, moved into the inner temple to receive from his Father the result of his long work of mediation for man. Daniel 7:13, 14. Then opened the solemn Judgment scene of verses 9, 10 of Daniel 7. Then the seventh angel sounded, and the work of finishing the mystery of God began. Revelation 10:7. These are the sublime events involved in the cleansing of the sanctuary which then commenced. In the scene now presented before us, we behold the climax of the grandeur, glory, and solemnity that center in this great subject. STTHD 254.1