The scripture which above all others had been both the
foundation and the central pillar of the advent faith was
the declaration: "Unto two thousand and three hundred
days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Daniel 8:14.
These had been familiar words to all believers in the Lord's
soon coming. By the lips of thousands was this prophecy
repeated as the watchword of their faith. All felt that upon
the events therein foretold depended their brightest expectations
and most cherished hopes. These prophetic days had
been shown to terminate in the autumn of 1844. In common
with the rest of the Christian world, Adventists then held
that the earth, or some portion of it, was the sanctuary. They
understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary was the purification
of the earth by the fires of the last great day, and that
this would take place at the second advent. Hence the
conclusion that Christ would return to the earth in 1844.
But the appointed time had passed, and the Lord had not
appeared. The believers knew that God's word could not
fail; their interpretation of the prophecy must be at fault; but
where was the mistake? Many rashly cut the knot of difficulty by
denying that the 2300 days ended in 1844. No reason
could be given for this except that Christ had not come at the
time they expected Him. They argued that if the prophetic
days had ended in 1844, Christ would then have returned to
cleanse the sanctuary by the purification of the earth by fire;
and that since He had not come, the days could not have
ended.
To accept this conclusion was to renounce the former
reckoning of the prophetic periods. The 2300 days had been
found to begin when the commandment of Artaxerxes for
the restoration and building of Jerusalem went into effect,
in the autumn of 457 B.C. Taking this as the starting point,
there was perfect harmony in the application of all the events
foretold in the explanation of that period in Daniel 9:25-27.
Sixty-nine weeks, the first 483 of the 2300 years, were to reach
to the Messiah, the Anointed One; and Christ's baptism and
anointing by the Holy Spirit, A.D. 27, exactly fulfilled the
specification. In the midst of the seventieth week, Messiah
was to be cut off. Three and a half years after His baptism,
Christ was crucified, in the spring of A.D. 31. The seventy
weeks, or 490 years, were to pertain especially to the Jews. At
the expiration of this period the nation sealed its rejection of
Christ by the persecution of His disciples, and the apostles
turned to the Gentiles, A.D. 34. The first 490 years of the 2300
having then ended, 1810 years would remain. From A.D. 34,
1810 years extend to 1844. "Then," said the angel, "shall the
sanctuary be cleansed." All the preceding specifications of
the prophecy had been unquestionably fulfilled at the time
appointed.
With this reckoning, all was clear and harmonious, except
that it was not seen that any event answering to the cleansing
of the sanctuary had taken place in 1844. To deny that the
days ended at that time was to involve the whole question
in confusion, and to renounce positions which had been
established by unmistakable fulfillments of prophecy.
But God had led His people in the great advent movement;
His power and glory had attended the work, and He
would not permit it to end in darkness and disappointment,
to be reproached as a false and fanatical excitement. He
would not leave His word involved in doubt and uncertainty.
Though many abandoned their former reckoning of the
prophetic periods and denied the correctness of the movement
based thereon, others were unwilling to renounce
points of faith and experience that were sustained by the
Scriptures and by the witness of the Spirit of God. They
believed that they had adopted sound principles of interpretation
in their study of the prophecies, and that it was their
duty to hold fast the truths already gained, and to continue
the same course of Biblical research. With earnest prayer
they reviewed their position and studied the Scriptures to
discover their mistake. As they could see no error in their
reckoning of the prophetic periods, they were led to examine
more closely the subject of the sanctuary.
In their investigation they learned that there is no Scripture
evidence sustaining the popular view that the earth is the
sanctuary; but they found in the Bible a full explanation of
the subject of the sanctuary, its nature, location, and services;
the testimony of the sacred writers being so clear and ample
as to place the matter beyond all question. The apostle
Paul, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, says: "Then verily the
first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a
worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the
first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the
shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the
second veil, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all;
which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant
overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot
that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables
of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing
the mercy seat." Hebrews 9:1-5.
The sanctuary to which Paul here refers was the tabernacle
built by Moses at the command of God as the earthly
dwelling place of the Most High. "Let them make Me a
sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8),
was the direction given to Moses while in the mount with
God. The Israelites were journeying through the wilderness,
and the tabernacle was so constructed that it could be removed
from place to place; yet it was a structure of great
magnificence. Its walls consisted of upright boards heavily
plated with gold and set in sockets of silver, while the roof
was formed of a series of curtains, or coverings, the outer of
skins, the innermost of fine linen beautifully wrought with
figures of cherubim. Besides the outer court, which contained
the altar of burnt offering, the tabernacle itself consisted
of two apartments called the holy and the most holy
place, separated by a rich and beautiful curtain, or veil; a
similar veil closed the entrance to the first apartment.
In the holy place was the candlestick, on the south, with
its seven lamps giving light to the sanctuary both by day and
by night; on the north stood the table of shewbread; and
before the veil separating the holy from the most holy was
the golden altar of incense, from which the cloud of fragrance,
with the prayers of Israel, was daily ascending before
God.
In the most holy place stood the ark, a chest of precious
wood overlaid with gold, the depository of the two tables of
stone upon which God had inscribed the law of Ten Commandments.
Above the ark, and forming the cover to the
sacred chest, was the mercy seat, a magnificent piece of
workmanship, surmounted by two cherubim, one at each
end, and all wrought of solid gold. In this apartment the
divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between
the cherubim.
After the settlement of the Hebrews in Canaan, the tabernacle
was replaced by the temple of Solomon, which, though
a permanent structure and upon a larger scale, observed the
same proportions, and was similarly furnished. In this form
the sanctuary existed--except while it lay in ruins in Daniel's
time--until its destruction by the Romans, in A.D. 70.
This is the only sanctuary that ever existed on the earth, of
which the Bible gives any information. This was declared
by Paul to be the sanctuary of the first covenant. But has
the new covenant no sanctuary?
Turning again to the book of Hebrews, the seekers for
truth found that the existence of a second, or new-covenant
sanctuary, was implied in the words of Paul already quoted:
"Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine
service, and a worldly sanctuary." And the use of the word
"also" intimates that Paul has before made mention of this
sanctuary. Turning back to the beginning of the previous
chapter, they read: "Now of the things which we have
spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who
is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle,
which the Lord pitched, and not man." Hebrews 8:1, 2.
Here is revealed the sanctuary of the new covenant. The
sanctuary of the first covenant was pitched by man, built by
Moses; this is pitched by the Lord, not by man. In that
sanctuary the earthly priests performed their service; in this,
Christ, our great High Priest, ministers at God's right hand.
One sanctuary was on earth, the other is in heaven.
Further, the tabernacle built by Moses was made after a
pattern. The Lord directed him: "According to all that I
show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern
of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." And
again the charge was given, "Look that thou make them after
their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount." Exodus
25:9, 40. And Paul says that the first tabernacle "was a figure
for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts
and sacrifices;" that its holy places were "patterns of things
in the heavens;" that the priests who offered gifts according
to the law served "unto the example and shadow of heavenly
things," and that "Christ is not entered into the holy places
made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."
Hebrews 9:9, 23; 8:5; 9:24.
The sanctuary in heaven, in which Jesus ministers in our
behalf, is the great original, of which the sanctuary built by
Moses was a copy. God placed His Spirit upon the builders
of the earthly sanctuary. The artistic skill displayed in its
construction was a manifestation of divine wisdom. The
walls had the appearance of massive gold, reflecting in every
direction the light of the seven lamps of the golden candlestick.
The table of shewbread and the altar of incense glittered
like burnished gold. The gorgeous curtain which
formed the ceiling, inwrought with figures of angels in
blue and purple and scarlet, added to the beauty of the scene.
And beyond the second veil was the holy Shekinah, the
visible manifestation of God's glory, before which none but
the high priest could enter and live.
The matchless splendor of the earthly tabernacle reflected
to human vision the glories of that heavenly temple where
Christ our forerunner ministers for us before the throne of
God. The abiding place of the King of kings, where thousand
thousands minister unto Him, and ten thousand times
ten thousand stand before Him (Daniel 7:10); that temple,
filled with the glory of the eternal throne, where seraphim,
its shining guardians, veil their faces in adoration, could
find, in the most magnificent structure ever reared by human
hands, but a faint reflection of its vastness and glory. Yet
important truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the
great work there carried forward for man's redemption were
taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services.
The holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented
by the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. As in vision
the apostle John was granted a view of the temple of God in
heaven, he beheld there "seven lamps of fire burning before
the throne." Revelation 4:5. He saw an angel "having a
golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense,
that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne." Revelation 8:3.
Here the prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment
of the sanctuary in heaven; and he saw there the "seven
lamps of fire" and "the golden altar," represented by the
golden candlestick and the altar of incense in the sanctuary
on earth. Again, "the temple of God was opened" (Revelation
11:19), and he looked within the inner veil, upon the
holy of holies. Here he beheld "the ark of His testament,"
represented by the sacred chest constructed by Moses to
contain the law of God.
Thus those who were studying the subject found
indisputable proof of the existence of a sanctuary in heaven.
Moses made the earthly sanctuary after a pattern which was
shown him. Paul teaches that that pattern was the true
sanctuary which is in heaven. And John testifies that he saw
it in heaven.
In the temple in heaven, the dwelling place of God, His
throne is established in righteousness and judgment. In the
most holy place is His law, the great rule of right by which
all mankind are tested. The ark that enshrines the tables of
the law is covered with the mercy seat, before which Christ
pleads His blood in the sinner's behalf. Thus is represented
the union of justice and mercy in the plan of human redemption.
This union infinite wisdom alone could devise and infinite
power accomplish; it is a union that fills all heaven
with wonder and adoration. The cherubim of the earthly
sanctuary, looking reverently down upon the mercy seat,
represent the interest with which the heavenly host contemplate
the work of redemption. This is the mystery of mercy
into which angels desire to look--that God can be just while
He justifies the repenting sinner and renews His intercourse
with the fallen race; that Christ could stoop to raise
unnumbered multitudes from the abyss of ruin and clothe them
with the spotless garments of His own righteousness to unite
with angels who have never fallen and to dwell forever in
the presence of God.
The work of Christ as man's intercessor is presented
in that beautiful prophecy of Zechariah concerning Him
"whose name is the Branch." Says the prophet: "He shall
build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory,
and shall sit and rule upon His [the Father's] throne; and
He shall be a priest upon His throne: and the counsel of
peace shall be between Them both." Zechariah 6:12, 13.
"He shall build the temple of the Lord." By His sacrifice
and mediation Christ is both the foundation and the builder
of the church of God. The apostle Paul points to Him as "the
chief Cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: in whom
ye also," he says, "are builded together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit." Ephesians 2:20-22.
"He shall bear the glory." To Christ belongs the glory of
redemption for the fallen race. Through the eternal ages, the
song of the ransomed ones will be: "Unto Him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins in His own blood, . . . to Him
be glory and dominion for ever and ever." Revelation 1:5, 6.
He "shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a
priest upon His throne." Not now "upon the throne of His
glory;" the kingdom of glory has not yet been ushered in.
Not until His work as a mediator shall be ended will God
"give unto Him the throne of His father David," a kingdom
of which "there shall be no end." Luke 1:32, 33. As a priest,
Christ is now set down with the Father in His throne. Revelation
3:21. Upon the throne with the eternal, self-existent
One is He who "hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,"
who "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin," that He might be "able to succor them that are
tempted." "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father." Isaiah 53:4; Hebrews 4:15; 2:18; 1 John 2:1. His
intercession is that of a pierced and broken body, of a spotless
life. The wounded hands, the pierced side, the marred feet,
plead for fallen man, whose redemption was purchased at
such infinite cost.
"And the counsel of peace shall be between Them both."
The love of the Father, no less than of the Son, is the fountain
of salvation for the lost race. Said Jesus to His disciples before
He went away: "I say not unto you, that I will pray the
Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you." John
16:26, 27. God was "in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself." 2 Corinthians 5:19. And in the ministration in
the sanctuary above, "the counsel of peace shall be between
Them both." "God so loved the world, that He gave His
only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
The question, What is the sanctuary? is clearly answered
in the Scriptures. The term "sanctuary," as used in the Bible,
refers, first, to the tabernacle built by Moses, as a pattern of
heavenly things; and, secondly, to the "true tabernacle" in
heaven, to which the earthly sanctuary pointed. At the death
of Christ the typical service ended. The "true tabernacle" in
heaven is the sanctuary of the new covenant. And as the
prophecy of Daniel 8:14 is fulfilled in this dispensation, the
sanctuary to which it refers must be the sanctuary of the new
covenant. At the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844, there
had been no sanctuary on earth for many centuries. Thus the
prophecy, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then
shall the sanctuary be cleansed," unquestionably points to
the sanctuary in heaven.
But the most important question remains to be answered:
What is the cleansing of the sanctuary? That there was such
a service in connection with the earthly sanctuary is stated in
the Old Testament Scriptures. But can there be anything in
heaven to be cleansed? In Hebrews 9 the cleansing of both
the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary is plainly taught.
"Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and
without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore
necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be
purified with these [the blood of animals]; but the heavenly
things themselves with better sacrifices than these" (Hebrews
9:22, 23), even the precious blood of Christ.
The cleansing, both in the typical and in the real service,
must be accomplished with blood: in the former, with the
blood of animals; in the latter, with the blood of Christ. Paul
states, as the reason why this cleansing must be performed
with blood, that without shedding of blood is no remission .
Remission, or putting away of sin, is the work to be accomplished.
But how could there be sin connected with the
sanctuary, either in heaven or upon the earth? This may
be learned by reference to the symbolic service; for the
priests who officiated on earth, served "unto the example
and shadow of heavenly things." Hebrews 8:5.
The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two
divisions; the priests ministered daily in the holy place, while
once a year the high priest performed a special work of atonement
in the most holy, for the cleansing of the sanctuary.
Day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the
door of the tabernacle and, placing his hand upon the
victim's head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them
from himself to the innocent sacrifice. The animal was then
slain. "Without shedding of blood," says the apostle, there is
no remission of sin. "The life of the flesh is in the blood."
Leviticus 17:11. The broken law of God demanded the life
of the transgressor. The blood, representing the forfeited
life of the sinner, whose guilt the victim bore, was carried by
the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil,
behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner
had transgressed. By this ceremony the sin was, through the
blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary. In some cases
the blood was not taken into the holy place; but the flesh was
then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the sons of
Aaron, saying: "God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of
the congregation." Leviticus 10:17. Both ceremonies alike
symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the
sanctuary.
Such was the work that went on, day by day, throughout
the year. The sins of Israel were thus transferred to the
sanctuary, and a special work became necessary for their removal.
God commanded that an atonement be made for each of the
sacred apartments. "He shall make an atonement for the holy
place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and
because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall
he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth
among them in the midst of their uncleanness." An atonement
was also to be made for the altar, to "cleanse it, and
hallow if from the uncleanness of the children of Israel."
Leviticus 16:16, 19.
Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest
entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary.
The work there performed completed the yearly round of
ministration. On the Day of Atonement two kids of the
goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle, and lots
were cast upon them, "one lot for the Lord, and the other lot
for the scapegoat." Verse 8. The goat upon which fell the
lot for the Lord was to be slain as a sin offering for the people.
And the priest was to bring his blood within the veil and
sprinkle it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
The blood was also to be sprinkled upon the altar of incense
that was before the veil.
"And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the
live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children
of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,
putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him
away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the
goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not
inhabited." Verses 21, 22. The scapegoat came no more into
the camp of Israel, and the man who led him away was
required to wash himself and his clothing with water before
returning to the camp.
The whole ceremony was designed to impress the Israelites
with the holiness of God and His abhorrence of sin; and,
further, to show them that they could not come in contact
with sin without becoming polluted. Every man was
required to afflict his soul while this work of atonement was
going forward. All business was to be laid aside, and the
whole congregation of Israel were to spend the day in solemn
humiliation before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep
searching of heart.
Important truths concerning the atonement are taught by
the typical service. A substitute was accepted in the sinner's
stead; but the sin was not canceled by the blood of the victim.
A means was thus provided by which it was transferred to
the sanctuary. By the offering of blood the sinner acknowledged
the authority of the law, confessed his guilt in transgression,
and expressed his desire for pardon through faith
in a Redeemer to come; but he was not yet entirely released
from the condemnation of the law. On the Day of Atonement
the high priest, having taken an offering from the
congregation, went into the most holy place with the blood of
this offering, and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat, directly
over the law, to make satisfaction for its claims. Then, in his
character of mediator, he took the sins upon himself and bore
them from the sanctuary. Placing his hands upon the head of
the scapegoat, he confessed over him all these sins, thus in
figure transferring them from himself to the goat. The goat
then bore them away, and they were regarded as forever
separated from the people.
Such was the service performed "unto the example and
shadow of heavenly things." And what was done in type in
the ministration of the earthly sanctuary is done in reality
in the ministration of the heavenly sanctuary. After His
ascension our Saviour began His work as our high priest. Says
Paul: "Christ is not entered into the holy places made with
hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."
Hebrews 9:24.
The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the
first apartment of the sanctuary, "within the veil" which
formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer
court, represents the work of ministration upon which Christ
entered at His ascension. It was the work of the priest in the
daily ministration to present before God the blood of the sin
offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of
Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before the Father in
behalf of sinners, and present before Him also, with the
precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of
penitent believers. Such was the work of ministration in the
first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven.
Thither the faith of Christ's disciples followed Him as He
ascended from their sight. Here their hopes centered, "which
hope we have," said Paul, "as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made
an high priest forever." "Neither by the blood of goats and
calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
Hebrews 6:19, 20; 9:12.
For eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued
in the first apartment of the sanctuary. The blood of Christ,
pleaded in behalf of penitent believers, secured their pardon
and acceptance with the Father, yet their sins still remained
upon the books of record. As in the typical service there was
a work of atonement at the close of the year, so before Christ's
work for the redemption of men is completed there is a work
of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This
is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At
that time, as foretold by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest
entered the most holy, to perform the last division of His
solemn work--to cleanse the sanctuary.
As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed
upon the sin offering and through its blood transferred, in
figure, to the earthly sanctuary, so in the new covenant
the sins of the repentant are by faith placed upon Christ
and transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctuary. And as
the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by the
removal of the sins by which it had been polluted, so the
actual cleansing of the heavenly is to be accomplished by
the removal, or blotting out, of the sins which are there
recorded. But before this can be accomplished, there must be
an examination of the books of record to determine who,
through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled to
the benefits of His atonement. The cleansing of the sanctuary
therefore involves a work of investigation--a work of judgment.
This work must be performed prior to the coming of
Christ to redeem His people; for when He comes, His reward
is with Him to give to every man according to his works.
Revelation 22:12.
Thus those who followed in the light of the prophetic
word saw that, instead of coming to the earth at the termination
of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most
holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing
work of atonement preparatory to His coming.
It was seen, also, that while the sin offering pointed to
Christ as a sacrifice, and the high priest represented Christ
as a mediator, the scapegoat typified Satan, the author of
sin, upon whom the sins of the truly penitent will finally be
placed. When the high priest, by virtue of the blood of the
sin offering, removed the sins from the sanctuary, he placed
them upon the scapegoat. When Christ, by virtue of His
own blood, removes the sins of His people from the heavenly
sanctuary at the close of His ministration, He will place them
upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must
bear the final penalty. The scapegoat was sent away into a
land not inhabited, never to come again into the congregation
of Israel. So will Satan be forever banished from the
presence of God and His people, and he will be blotted from
existence in the final destruction of sin and sinners.