THE SANCTUARY

The beautiful illustration of Sanctuary, seen in the lower central portion of the Chart, is, as the reader will at once understand, a floor view; though the furniture is represented in perspective. At the left as we pass the entrance or door, stands the golden candlestick with its seven lamps. Opposite that on the other side of the building stands the table of shew-bread. Further on in the center of the Holy Place, we see the golden alter of incense. Beyond that the second vail divides the Holy from the Most Holy Place. Passing in through this vail, we behold as the furniture of the second apartment the ark of God’s testament, so called because in it were deposited the tables of stone, on which were written the ten commandments. The cover of the ark was called the mercy-seat. On either end of the mercy-seat were two small cherubim of beaten work of solid gold. And when the Sanctuary was incorporated into the temple of Solomon, large cherubim, overlaid with pure gold, were placed on each side of the ark, as shown in the illustration. A full description of the Sanctuary and its instruments, is found in Ex. chapters 25-31. We present here only a brief synopsis of the arguments and scriptures which show what constitutes the Sanctuary, and the important place it occupies in the great plan of redemption.KPC 29.1

1. Sanctuary is defined to be a holy or sacred place. (Cruden, Walker, Webster.) It is a dwelling-place for the Most High. Exodus 25:8.KPC 29.2

2. It cannot therefore be the earth; for the earth will not bear one of the above definitions; and of the 146 times of the occurrence of the word sanctuary in the Bible, it is not once applied to the earth.KPC 29.3

3. It is not the land of Canaan. Substitute “the land of Canaan”for “the earth,” and read the above. See also Joshua 24:26. For an explanation of Exodus 15:17, see Psalm 78:53, 54, 69.KPC 30.1

4. It is not the church; if it is, who are the “host” or worshipers, that are invariably connected with it; Daniel 8:13. Compare Daniel 9:26, with Matthew 16:18.KPC 30.2

5. It was built by the children of Israel. Exodus 25:8, 9;35-40; 2 Chronicles 20:8.KPC 30.3

6. It had two apartments - the Holy Place and the most Holy Place. Exodus 26:33, 34; Leviticus 16:2. In the first apartment were the candlestick, the table of shew-bread, and the altar of incense. In the second, were the ark which contained the tables of the covenant, and the cherubim. Hebrews 9:1-5. That the covenant here referred to is the ten commandments, see Exodus 31:18; 32:15, 16; 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 9:9-11; 10:4.KPC 30.4

7. In this Sanctuary the priests ministered. Exodus 28:41, 43; 29:30; 35:19; Leviticus 4:6, 7, 16, 17; 16:2-9; Hebrews 9:6, 7; 13:11,etc.KPC 30.5

8. The transgressor confessed his sin over the head of his victim, thus transferring his guilt to it. The victim was slain, and the blood bearing that guilt was sprinkled by the priest within the Sanctuary had to be freed once a year; and this service was called its cleansing. Leviticus 1:4, 5; 4:6; 16:16, 33; Hebrews 9:7; Ezekiel 45:18.KPC 30.6

9. This cleansing was performed with blood. Leviticus 16:15, 16, 18, 19, 32, 33; Exodus 29:36, 37; Ezekiel 45:18-20; Hebrews 9:22, 23.KPC 30.7

10. This Sanctuary was not an original building, but was made after the pattern of a greater and more perfect tabernacle, which must therefore be the great antitype of this earthly building, and must take its place when the latter has served its purpose. Exodus 25:9, 40; 26:30; Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5. When the tabernacle of Moses gave place to the temple of Solomon, it was still according to the pattern. 1 Chronicles 28:10-13, 19.KPC 31.1

11. This was the Sanctuary of the first covenant, Hebrews 9:1, and was destroyed by Titus in A.D.70. Daniel 9:26. For a historical record of this event, see Josephus’ Wars, book vi, chap.4,sec.5.KPC 31.2

12. This was a type or figure of the Sanctuary of the New Covenant, WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. Hebrews 8:1-5; 9:23, 24; Psalm 102:19.KPC 31.3

The heavenly Sanctuary resembles the earthly in that,KPC 31.4

1. It has two holy places. Hebrews 9:24. See also, verses 8 and 12, and chap 10:19, in each of which texts the words rendered “holiest,” and “holy place,” are plural in the original, and should be so rendered, holy places, as they are in many translations. Compare, also, Exodus 26:31-35, and 30:1, 6, with Revelation 4:1, 2, 5; 8:3-5; 9.KPC 31.5

2. It contains the law (covenant or testament). Revelation 11:19. Here is brought to view the ark, in the temple or Sanctuary in Heaven; and the ark was used as the depository of the tables of the covenant or ten commandments. Exodus 25:21, 22; 26:33, 34; 40:20, 21; 1 Kings 8:6-9; Hebrews 9:1-4.KPC 31.6

3. It has a service of priesthood. Hebrews 6:19, 20; 8:1-5; 9:24; 10:19-21.KPC 31.7

4. Christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree [Pet.ii,24]; and through his ministration our sins, when we confess them to him, are transferred to the Sanctuary above, rendering it in this sense only, impure. Nothing less can be argued from the type.KPC 32.1

5. It is therefore to be cleansed. Daniel 8:14. This text must refer to the heavenly Sanctuary; for the earthly was destroyed only 526 years after the 2300 commenced. This cleansing of the heavenly Sanctuary is accomplished with blood. Hebrews 9:11, 12, 23, 24.KPC 32.2

6. When the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, or temple, in the type, there was no ministration. Exodus 40:34, 35; 1 Kings 8:10, 11. So it will be in the antitype. Revelation 15:8.KPC 32.3

7. The most holy place in the type was entered only on the day of atonement. Leviticus 16:2, 12-15, 29, 30; Hebrews 9:7. So is is in the antitype. Revelation 11:19. Cleansing the Sanctuary, and making the atonement, are identical works.KPC 32.4

And what could be more befitting than that a work of such momentous importance, the last ministration of mercy by our great High Priest, the closing up of the work of salvation for the world, should be introduced by the termination of a great prophetic period? What point of more thrilling interest and importance could be made known than the commencement of the great, though brief period of examination and decision of the characters of men? When this is finished the great decree of Revelation 22:11, will go forth: “He which is filthy let him be filthy still, and he that is holy let him be holy still.KPC 32.5