THE GREAT LESSON OF CHRIST
FROM THE HEBREW SANCTUARY

     A short review to encapsulate the significance and eternal value of all aspects of the sanctuary service under the Mosaic Law.

     First, the Law of Moses was placed on the side of the Ark of The Covenant. It was not placed inside of the Ark. Only the Tables of Stone: the Ten Commandments, “written with the finger of God” were to reside within the ark, beneath the mercy seat.

Without exception, every aspect of the service pointed to:

1. Christ’s Incarnation as a man
2. His humiliation and death
3. His victorious resurrection
4. His ascension to our Father in heaven
5. His heavenly priesthood interceding for the saints
6. Our resurrection from the “sleep” of death
7. And our ascension to heaven with Him to stand before the Father

The Steps of GOD’S Salvation

     The Creator of heaven and earth leaves the courts of heaven and is born among the fallen race, first begun when Adam sinned and bequeathed his death-sentence to his entire family as an inheritance. His mother, Mary receives the instruction: “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt.1:21. He learns as every Jewish child learns, of life’s lessons of being a Jew in GOD’S plan of salvation. And through His knowledge of his mother’s testimony, His growing up studying the Scriptures, and His deep abiding love for the GOD of salvation He discovers the prophecies concerning Himself and His purpose as “the Saviour of the world.”

     Jesus lives a perfect, sinless life as was prophesied (Ex.12:5; Jn.1:29). He is sacrificed by unruly, demon possessed men (Ps.22; Isa.53:7). He is raised victorious in resurrection (Ps.16:10), because death only has jurisdiction to hold sin; and Jesus Christ had none! So, the grave had to set Him free (Acts 2:24). And as the “Everlasting Father” of mankind (Isa.9:6) those who hear His Voice as “the good shepherd” follow Him (Jn.10:4). He then takes them from the camp outside of the courtyard of the sanctuary and leads them step-by-step to “the holy of holies.”

     He first leads us to the courtyard and the altar of burnt offerings. This is where repentance takes place. Fire is used to consume the sins of the transgressor. This is where the Innocent Christ stands in place of our penalty, bearing the shame and guilt of sin, and substituting Himself to bear the wages of our sins, that we not perish “into everlasting [destruction by] fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt.25:41). His substitution is complete to purge sin from the world, and there is nothing man can do to merit salvation outside of Christ: “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Heb.9:25; 10:12; Acts 4:12.

     Having faith in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, from the altar of burnt offerings, He then leads us to the laver of water baptism, where we publicly declare our faith in the sacrifice of Christ to wash us from our sins.

     And now, being washed, He leads us into “the holy place” of the sanctuary where there is seen to the left (or south) the menorah, and to the right (or north) “the table of shewbread.” The oil that lights the menorah is the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit Who draws our hearts through the urging tugs of love to the salvation freely offered by God. The table of shewbread has two stacks of unleavened bread: one representing the Father and the other the Son. Said Jesus of this bread: “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Jn.6:50,51. It is in “the holy place” that we learn of the truth of the character of GOD as revealed in His Word, the lessons of nature, and the revelation of contrasting our unholy character to that of His own holy character.

     Then, Jesus leads us to pray at “the altar of incense” where our prayers ascend to heaven where “the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Rom.8:26. And it is there that “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.” “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Heb.8:1,2; 4:15.

     The last phase of the sanctuary service leads to the 2nd Advent of Jesus Christ. It is “the day of atonement.” This day is prophetic of when the cleansing the sanctuary of the sins of men is completed, where the high priest enters “the holy of holies” to complete the ministration of the forgiveness of sin. This is the focus of the day of atonement, when the high priest completes his ministering for the sins of the people, who “afflict” their “souls” in searching their hearts for anything that brings disgrace to the GOD of their salvation. And GOD waits for men to forsake all known sin and complete the gospel commission of Christ (Matt.24:14). For not until then can Jesus leave the sanctuary and come for His bride. It is as Solomon declared: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Prov.28:13.

     This is where the end-time prophecies of Revelation, chapters 13-19 stands as the pinnacle of man’s life in a sinful world. The civilization of men will divide into two camps: “the seal of the living God” and “the mark of the beast.” The first have allowed Christ to cleanse the sanctuary of heaven of their sins, and thus free Him to come, for “his wife hath made herself ready.” Rev.19:7. While the second class believe they can bully their way into heaven, with no humility, no repentance from the sins that Christ suffered to bear on their behalf. “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?” Ps.50:16. This is the class of professing Christians who demand GOD receive them while living a life of sin. This is a technical impossibility. Scripture is clear on how sin on the throne of the heart separates the Spirit of GOD from the soul: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa.59:2. But to those who obey the leading of the Spirit, Paul promises: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Rom.8:11. It is only by the Indwelling Presence of GOD in the soul that fits a man for heaven. Therefore, faith and sin are not partners in salvation.

     In summation, either Christ bears our sins or we must bear them. And the standard for the last generation of Bible believing Christians who are translated from the living must meet the standard of Enoch and Elijah. Nothing short of this will pass the final test that will shut the accusing mouth of Satan forever who strives to keep men bonded with their sins and thus share his fate of death by fire!