The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

III. Sanctuary Service Is Heart of Typical System

1. SANCTUARY OF NEW COVENANT IS IN HEAVEN

Under the section “The Sanctuary,” Crosier declares the sanctuary provision “the heart of the typical system.” There God manifested His glory and communed with His people, as well as holding converse with the high priest “relative to the welfare” of His people. They had ordinances of divine service and a “worldly sanctuary” (Hebrews 13:1). And the sanctuary had two apartments, a court, and vessels of ministry. But Christ, after His death, resurrection, and ascension, became the ministering priest of the true sanctuary of God in heaven, which is the sanctuary of the “better,” or “new,” covenant (Hebrews 8:1, 2). ⁵ Then Crosier states: PFF4 1229.5

“The Sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days is also the Sanctuary of the new covenant, for the vision of the treading down and cleansing, is after the crucifixion. We see that the Sanctuary of the new covenant is not on earth, but in heaven.” ⁶ PFF4 1230.1

2. Two SANCTUARIES CONNECTED WITH TWO JERUSALEMS

A careful argument is built up by Crosier to prove this connection of the heavenly sanctuary with the new covenant and the New Jerusalem. Crosier consistently maintains that the new-covenant sanctuary is connected with the heavenly Jerusalem, like the sanctuary of old with the old Jerusalem. So the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 is emphatically not the earth or Palestine. PFF4 1230.2

3. HEAVENLY SANCTUARY CAST DOWN BY ECCLESIASTICAL ROME

And now follow the paragraphs constituting the heart of Crosier’s entire Day-Star Extra presentation. The sanctuary that was “cast” or “trodden” down and “polluted” was identified, and the daring deeds of the desecration enumerated and declared. This is vital to his argument. PFF4 1230.3

“‘And the place of his Sanctuary was cast down;’ Daniel 8:11. This casting down was in the days and by the means of the Roman power; therefore, the Sanctuary of this text was not the Earth, nor Palestine, because the former was cast down at the fall, more than 4000 years, and the latter at the captivity, more than 700 years previous to the event of this passage, and neither by Roman agency. PFF4 1230.4

“The Sanctuary cast down is his against whom Rome magnified himself, which was the Prince of the host, Jesus Christ; and Paul teaches that his Sanctuary is in heaven. Again, Daniel 11:30, 31, ‘For the ships of Chittim shall come against him; therefore shall he be grieved and return, and have indignation [the staff to chastise] against the holy covenant [Christianity,] so shall he do; he shall even return and have intelligence with them [priests and bishops] that forsake the holy covenant. And arms (civil and religious) shall stand on his part, and they [Rome and those that forsakee the holy covenant] shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength.’ What was this that Rome and the apostles of Christianity should jointly pollute? This combination was formed against the ‘holy covenant’ and it was the Sanctuary of that covenant they polluted; which they could do as well as to pollute the name of God; Jeremiah 34:16; Ezekiel 20: Matthew 1:7. This was the same as profaining or blaspheming his name. PFF4 1230.5

“In this sense this ‘politico religious’ beast polluted the Sanctuary, (Revelation 13:6,) and cast it down from its place in heaven, (Psalm 102:19; Jeremiah 17:12; Hebrews 8:1, 2) when they called Rome the holy city (Revelation 21:2) and enstalled the Pope there with the titles, ‘Lord God the Pope,’ ‘Holy Father,’ ‘Head of the Church’ &c., and there, in the counterfeit ‘temple of God’ he professes to do what Jesus actually does in his Sanctuary; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8. The Sanctuary has been trodden underfoot (Daniel 8:13,) the same as the Son of God has; Hebrews 10:29.” ⁷ PFF4 1230.6

Continuing, Crosier says: “It is manifest that both Moses and David had prophetic visions of the New Jerusalem with its Sanctuary and Christ, the officiating Priest.” And each one of the fifty texts concerning the sanctuary are then examined, and the conclusion is repeated that Christ’s sanctuary is not in Palestine, but in heaven. PFF4 1230.7

4. CHRIST’S PRIESTHOOD HAS Two GRAND DIVISIONS

Crosier’s next subdivision is “The Priesthood of Christ,” for the new covenant sanctuary likewise has its heavenly Priest, Christ Jesus, who is after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:3). As the earthly sanctuary had its service, so must also the heavenly (Hebrews 8:1, 2), just as the shadow of the old has its substance in the ministry of Christ. And as “the features of the substance always bear a resemblance to those of the shadow,” so the writer of Hebrews divides the service into two grand divisions, or classes—the daily in the holy place, and the yearly in the holy of holies. Concerning these two services Crosier adds: “The daily service described was a sort of continual intercession; but the making of atonement was a special work for which special directions are given.” ⁸ PFF4 1231.1