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

18 MINISTRATION OF THE SANCTUARY

SO far as the object itself is concerned, we have now before us the sanctuary of the Bible in its entirety. It consists, first, of the earthly sanctuary as embodied in the tabernacle of Moses, and the temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod, and, secondly, of the more perfect tabernacle, temple, and sanctuary in Heaven, which the Lord pitched, and not man, and which took the place of the former when the typical dispensation gave place to the true. The Bible nowhere recognizes any other objects as the sanctuary of the Lord, and these cover both dispensations. Whatever, therefore, is said of the sanctuary which has its application in the former dispensation, refers to the sanctuary of that dispensation; and whatever has its application in this dispensation, refers to the sanctuary of the present dispensation, the sanctuary in Heaven. This is a self-evident conclusion from the premises already proved. STTHD 197.1

Another conclusion as speedily follows; namely, that the declaration of Daniel 8:14, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” has its application in this dispensation, and hence refers to the sanctuary in Heaven. For it has been before shown that only 490 years of the 2300 belonged to the Jews and the earthly sanctuary. There remain 1810 years, extending far down into this dispensation, even to 1844. There the 2300 days terminated, and there we come to the cleansing of the sanctuary, the sanctuary, of course, of this dispensation. STTHD 197.2

Gabriel himself showed this, before he completed his instructions to the prophet Daniel. He showed him, first, that the earthly sanctuary would be destroyed shortly after the rejection of the Messiah by his people, and that it would never be rebuilt, but be desolate until the consummation. Daniel 9:26, 27. Secondly, he brought to view the new covenant: “He [the Messiah] shall confirm the covenant [the new covenant] with many for one week.” Verse 27. Thirdly, he brought to view the new-covenant church, or host, namely, the “many” with whom the covenant was to be confirmed. Fourthly, he brought to view the new-covenant sacrifice, namely, the cutting off of the Messiah, but not for himself. Fifthly, he brought to view the STTHD 198.1

Mediator of the new covenant, who should cause the sacrifices and services of the former to cease. Verse 27. See also Daniel 11:22; Hebrews 12:24. And sixthly and lastly, he brought to view the new-covenant sanctuary when he said that seventy weeks were cut off .... “to anoint the most holy.” Verse 24. This brings to view an act which was performed preparatory to the commencement of the ministration of the sanctuary, which was to anoint both the holy places and all the sacred vessels. Exodus 40:9-11. On this point the Advent Shield, No.1, p.75, contains the following:— STTHD 199.1

“And the last event of the seventy 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 Hebrews 6, 7, 8, 9; Exodus 30:22-30; Leviticus 8:10-15.” STTHD 199.2

In this utterance, the Shield was not far from the kingdom of God; and it seems almost marvelous that any upon whose minds the truth had begun to dawn so clearly, should not have followed on to the full light on this glorious subject. No doubt, certainly, can remain concerning the object which the angel had in view when he said, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” STTHD 199.3

But it is at once objected that this application cannot be correct, and this cannot refer to any sanctuary in Heaven; for there is nothing there that needs cleansing; nothing there impure, to which such language can apply. And in some minds this mole-hill becomes magnified into a mountain, which they forever try in vain to surmount, and which eclipses from their minds all the strength of proof and array of evidence which may be brought upon this question from any other quarter. STTHD 200.1

It is not strange that upon the first introduction of this subject, this thought should arise as a seeming objection. But it can, upon a little thought, be fairly met and fully disposed of. It would be anticipating to enter at length upon the question here, inasmuch as it involves an examination of the ministration and cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, where it will receive due consideration. Suffice it to say at this point that this cleansing is not a cleansing from any physical impurities. It is not accomplished with water, soap, sand, mops, and brushes. It is a cleansing accomplished with blood. But the use of blood is for the sake of remission or forgiveness of sin, nothing else; hence the cleansing is a cleansing from sin; and Paul testifies that such a cleansing does pertain to both the earthly and the heavenly building. He says, Hebrews 9:23: “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” That is, to paraphrase and express more fully the meaning of this language, “It was therefore [because there is no remission or forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood, verse 22] necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens [that is, the earthly sanctuary] should be purified [or cleansed] with these [the sacrifices of calves and goats, verse 19, with which the earthly sanctuary each year was cleansed]; but [it was necessary for the same reason that] the heavenly things themselves [the true sanctuary in Heaven, should be cleansed] with better sacrifices than these [even with the precious blood of Christ].” STTHD 200.2

We confidently submit, to every one capable of understanding the meaning of language, that this is the exact idea which Paul here expresses; and this being so, Paul affirms in the clearest manner that the sanctuary in Heaven must be cleansed. Consistent or inconsistent, this is what Paul says. We leave the objector to settle the matter with the apostle. STTHD 201.1

We wish to know what this cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary is, which is predicted in Daniel 8:14; for this is the great event to which the prophecy points us. To learn this, we must acquire an understanding of the ministration of that heavenly sanctuary; but we can learn of this only from the ministration of the earthly sanctuary; for Paul says that the priests who here ministered, served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” Hebrews 8:5. We therefore go backward in history thirty-three hundred years, to that law which was given to lead us to Christ, through which there was spread out here upon earth a shadow of heavenly things, and inquire into the services and ceremonies connected with its sanctuary, how they were performed, and what they signified. STTHD 202.1

The ministration of the earthly sanctuary was accomplished by the Levitical order of priesthood, and consisted of two great divisions: first, the daily ministration in the first apartment, or holy place, which went forward through the entire year, with the exception of, secondly, a special service in the second apartment, or most holy place, into which, says Paul, the high priest went once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the errors of the people. This yearly day of service in the most holy place was called the day of atonement, and fell each year on the tenth day of the seventh month. Leviticus 23:27. STTHD 202.2

The daily ministration embraced the regular morning and evening burnt-offering, Exodus 29:38-43, the burning of sweet incense on the golden altar of incense every morning when the high priest dressed the lamps, and every evening when he lighted them, Exodus 30, the additional work appointed for the Sabbaths of the Lord, and the annual sabbaths, new moons, and feasts, Numbers 28, 29, besides the particular work to be accomplished for individuals as they should present their offerings throughout the year. STTHD 203.1

This latter was the larger and more important part of the service. It consisted of several impressive and solemn steps, chief among which were the following: When a person had sinned, he procured for himself such a victim as the law prescribed,, which was to be put to death in his stead. This victim he brought to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle. He then laid his hand upon the head of the victim, and confessed over him his sin, through which act his sin was considered as transferred to the victim. With his own hands he then took the life of his offering, a most striking confession that through his sin he was worthy of death; and the priest took of the blood, and dipping his finger therein, sprinkled it seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary, as near as he could approach to the ark till the great day of atonement. Thus was the sin transferred, first to the victim, and then through its blood to the sanctuary itself, and the transgressor went free. STTHD 203.2

In this manner went the typical service forward through the year. Day after day, week after week, month after month, we behold this round of service performed, the victims coming in solemn procession to the sanctuary, the work of confession going on, the crimson tide of expiation flowing, and the solemn-visaged priests in ceaseless service sprinkling this token of forfeited life before the broken law. There was thus a continual transfer of sins from the people to the sanctuary through the year. What became of these sins? STTHD 204.1