The Sanctuary Study Pt. 6

Sanctuary Study Continue-
(II Chron. 6:18)
'But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!'
A Sanctuary on earth can't contain God, and yet His way is in the Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary He gave to His chosen people signified so much. As with a lot of things we only see the surface layer. How many people used the Sanctuary service of old bringing their sacrfices to repent and ask for forgiveness of their sins and only did so because it was expected of them and not because it had any real meaning to them?
How many people live that way? How many go through the motions? How many never delve under the surface to see what is there?
With the Holy Spirit's guidance we are endeavoring to dig under the surface into the Sanctuary and it's meanings. We know that no earthly Sanctuary can contain God, and yet he's in so many aspects of it in so many ways that we have to strive to understand all we can.
Continuing our study with the aid of William Grotheer's thought paper, where we find within his entreaty for us to use our Bibles with everything he says, checking, searching, comparing, seeking, may God bless us and aid our earnest desire not only for a better understanding of Him, but that in learning of Him we learn of His Son and His Son will learn and come to know us too.
1989 Special 1 -- Light From the Throne -- Part 1 (Thought Paper)
A Comparison and a Contrast -- The wilderness tent was 30x10x10 cubits. See Exodus 26, and the explanation in the SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 640. The Temple built by Solomon was 60x20x30 cubits. (II Chron. 3:3; 1 Kings 6:2). The extra 10 cubits in height can be explained by the size of the cherubim for the most holy place which "stood on their feet" rather than made a part of the mercy seat. (I Chron. 3:10-13) Besides this enlargement, a moulten sea was made - ten cubits across - in which the priests washed. Then ten lavers were formed for the washing of the sacrifical offerings. Instead of one candlestick and one table of shewbread in the holy place, there were ten of each in the Temple of Solomon. (II Chron 4:1-8) The text states that "Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God." (II Chron 3:3) This instruction came from David of "the pattern ... that he had by the Spirit." (I Chron. 28:12)
{28:12}And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courtsof the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers roundabout, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of thetreasuries of the dedicated things:
Thus in each instance, the two sanctuaries were built from divinely revealed patterns, and each structure when completed was filled with the visible glory of God. (Ex. 40:33-35; 11 Chron. 7:1-3)
{40:33} And he reared up the courtround about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up thehanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.{40:34} Then a cloud covered the tent of thecongregation, and the glory of the LORD filled thetabernacle. {40:35} And Moses was not able to enter intothe tent of the congregation, because the cloud abodethereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
{7:1} Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burntoffering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filledthe house. {7:2} And the priests could not enter into thehouse of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD hadfilled the LORD'S house. {7:3} And when all the childrenof Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of theLORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with theirfaces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped,and praised the LORD, [saying,] For [he is] good; for hismercy [endureth] for ever.
Why the difference, and each constructed from a divine blueprint?
Each was adapted to the time then present.
In the wilderness a structure that would be mobile was required; but made permanent in the established kingdom.
By contrast, the Heavenly Sanctuary in size, even in the Most Holy Place, accommodates an angelic host numbering "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." (Rev. 5:11; Dan. 7:9-10)
{5:11} And I beheld, and I heard the voice of manyangels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders:and the number of them was ten thousand times tenthousand, and thousands of thousands
{7:9} I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and theAncient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white assnow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne[was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.{7:10} A fiery stream issued and came forth from beforehim: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and tenthousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgmentwas set, and the books were opened.
Even in the articles of furniture, there is a contrast between the "shadow" and the reality. The golden candlestick of the Mosaic structure was a single column with six branches topped by bowls to hold oil for light. (Ex. 25:31-32) The representation of the heavenly as seen by John is declared to be "seven torches of fire burning before the throne." (Rev. 4:5 Greek)
{4:5} And outof the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings andvoices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning beforethe throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
What is all of this saying?
The earthly models were "not the exact image"; but the services performed in each were a "delineation" (hupodeigma) of the reality.
delineate (dî-lîn´ê-ât´) verb, transitivedelineated, delineating, delineates1. To draw or trace the outline of; sketch out.2. To represent pictorially; depict.3. To depict in words or gestures; describe. See synonyms at represent.
Excerpted from The American Heritage®
The emphasis is on the priests "who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things." (Heb. 8:5) Even in their service, there were the "shadowy" sacrifices which could not "make the comers thereunto perfect." (Heb. 10:1)
What is it not saying?
1) It does not deny the reality of "a Heavenly Temple." (Rev. 11:19)
{11:19} And the temple of God was opened inheaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of histestament: and there were lightnings, and voices, andthunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Heaven is not the sanctuary, no more than the earth was when so taught by William Miller. There is in the Heaven of Heavens a sanctuary.
2) Neither is it denying a movement of God's throne from one apartment to the other as the ministry of Jesus, the High Priest, changes.
At the time of judgment, thrones were placed, "and the Ancient of days did sit." (Dan 7:9) The place where God is pictured enthroned in Revelation 4, is not the place described when "the temple of God was opened in heaven."
(Compare Rev. 4:5 with 11:19) The "movement" of God and Christ in the heavenly ministration is from the "throne of grace" on which Christ sat at the Father's right hand upon entering His high priestly ministry to "the throne of judgment" before which He appears to receive His kingdom. (Heb. 4:14-16; Dan. 7:13-14)
{4:14} Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that ispassed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us holdfast [our] profession. {4:15} For we have not an high priestwhich cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] withoutsin. {4:16} Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne ofgrace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help intime of need.
{7:13} I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one]like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, andcame to the Ancient of days, and they brought him nearbefore him. {7:14} And there was given him dominion, andglory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, andlanguages, should serve him: his dominion [is] aneverlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and hiskingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
Then following the judgment, "shall He sit upon the throne of His glory." (Matt. 25.31),
{25:31} When the Son of man shall come in his glory,and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon thethrone of his glory
and "He shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11.15)
{11:15} And the seventh angelsounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, Thekingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of ourLord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever
***
Going to pause here.
There is so much to take in, there really is. How many people think of a heavenly sanctuary? And yet the earthly was modeled after the heavenly. It's something we need to think about and this study is truly helping us to understand things a little better.
Just thinking about Jesus ministering in the Heavenly Sanctuary on our behalf is awesome.
We do have a High Priest ministering on our behalf, we need to know our High Priest and for Him to know us. It stands to reason that in type a High Priest ministering for someone needed to know them, right? We really have to contemplate this aspect of Christ knowing us, making ourselves available for Christ to know.
May the Lord bless and keep us now and forever, by His grace and mercy. Amen.