The Heavenly Sanctuary is at the center of the attacks of modern ecumenical theology. No wonder, because it is the fundamental principle of the path of salvation for man, established by God.
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A crude idea
In addition to the numerous points of attack against the truth of the Gospel, such as the distribution of miserable Bible editions (Info), the so-called Heavenly Sanctuary is the focus of critics who can be compared to scoffers. According to one thesis, the Heavenly Sanctuary is a crude special doctrine of the Protestant Seventh-day Adventist Church. Is that actually the case?
First understand the principle
Basically, it must first be understood that God never changes. This applies in particular to His laws (10 commandments) as well as to the path He made possible to the redemption of fallen man. The question always arises as to how the people of the Old Testament were able to receive their salvation when Jesus Christ only appeared much later. The answer is very simple: exactly the same way as today. By faith.
The only difference is that people before Jesus Christ believed in a then future Messiah and today we look back on a former Messiah. Abraham already knew of the appearance of a then-future Savior, as Jesus Christ himself testified, John 8:56:
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.“
The Tabernacle
Moses was commissioned by God to build a tabernacle. Not according to discretion, but according to precise specifications. In rough outline: in the east a forecourt, followed by a curtain for the entrance to the sanctuary and then another curtain as a separation from the Holy of Holies (Info). Later, the “portable temple” of Solomon was built in stone.
This tabernacle, the associated rules (bylaws) for priests and sacrificial services, were all a picture of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. A symbol. The blood of animal sacrifices could not literally take away the sins of men (Hebrews 10:4). Instead, people believed in the symbol of the self-sacrifice of the then future savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ brought realization
It is precisely those laws concerning festivals and sacrifices (Statutes, ceremonial laws – Info) that represented the saving work of Jesus Christ and were abolished with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. With the death of Jesus, the veil of the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem was torn completely from top to bottom. The sacrificial rituals were over because Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, sacrificed himself and a symbol was therefore no longer necessary.
The “better” New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant, not because the Old Covenant was bad, or because a completely new way of salvation was established, but because Jesus Christ effected atonement with His own blood. The “original” is always better than the “copy”. The earthly sanctuary was obsolete. After His resurrection, Jesus Christ worked for another 40 days, ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of the Father. Since then, Jesus Christ has been the High Priest of us all.
What does a high priest do?
The high priest ensured that the sacrificial blood was brought into the sanctuary. This is exactly what Jesus Christ is doing today. However, He does not bring in animal blood, but His own blood. Earthly priests (according to Aaron) were imperfect because they were themselves sinners and needed an atonement for themselves. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is spotless, without sin, and therefore the perfect High Priest (according to Melchizedek).
Jesus Christ made the way into the sanctuary possible, Hebrews 10:19-20:
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;“
Bible confirms Heavenly Sanctuary
Which sanctuary? The earthly sanctuary is obsolete and Jesus Christ, our High Priest, is in heaven. Hence, the Heavenly Sanctuary! The “original” which was symbolized by the tabernacle. That Heavenly Sanctuary described in Hebrews 9:11-12:
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 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.“
This heavenly sanctuary is the model of the former tabernacle, Hebrews 9:23-24:
“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. For 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:“
No fantasy – even essential
It’s obvious. The claim that there is no Heavenly Sanctuary is based on ignoring or concealing the biblical descriptions of it. It is not even an unimportant anecdote, but rather the extremely important principle of salvation.
The principle of the Heavenly Sanctuary, or its image as a tabernacle, clearly shows that the forgiveness of sins is not simply poured out across humanity and that everyone can simply continue their old (sinful) life as before. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is not a clean bill of health (Hebrews 10:26). Simply saying “sorry” for a sin you have committed, without real repentance, is trampling on the court (Isaiah 1:12 –> Revelation 11:2).
Believers are called to follow Jesus Christ wherever He may go. He is in the Heavenly Sanctuary, even in the Holy of Holies (since 1844 – Info). His work comes shortly before the event that was called the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament (Yom Kipphur). Anyone who was not present on that day was removed from the people. This is equivalent to the loss of this human sanctuary
Therefore: Follow Him!
The Heavenly Sanctuary is by no means a crude, crazy idea, but rather the fundamental, all-decisive principle of the path to salvation.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:27
Bible verses from King James Version (1611)
