THE OLD TESTAMENT SANCTUARY
AND ITS SERVICES 2
1 . What Is to he cleansed at the end of the 2300 days? Daniel 8:14
The Sanctuary.
2. What was the purpose of the ancient Jewish sanctuary? Exodus 25:8
"Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them
NOTE: In interpreting the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 we must clearly understand what Daniel understood by the term "sanctuary."
3. What was the sanctuary called In the Old Testament? Exodus 26:1
The Tabernacle
NOTE: Since the Israelites were nomads in the Sinai desert at the time God gave the tabernacle to them, He designed a sanctuary for them that was portable, made of cloth like a tent. The making of this sanctuary is described in intricate detail in Exodus 25 through 40.
The Old Testament sanctuary consisted of three sections:
1) the courtyard
2) the holy place
3) the most holy place
In the courtyard was the altar of burnt offering and the laver. In the holy place was the table of shew bread, the seven-branched candle-stick and the altar of incense.
In the most holy place was the ark of the covenant, containing the Ten Commandments.
Above the ark was the cover, which was called the mercy seat, that indicated that justice and mercy were blended together.
Overlooking the mercy seat were two cherubim, and between the cherubim was the Shekinah glory, the literal presence of God on earth. (Remember, JESUS is GOD)
Please notice the diagram below.
4. When a person sinned In ancient Israel, what was he to bring to the sanctuary? Leviticus 5:6
A female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
NOTE: When an individual in ancient Israel sinned, he brought a lamb to the sanctuary. The sanctuary was the place where forgiveness of sins was obtained for the people. The sinner confessed his sin over the lamb. Then the lamb was slain on the altar of burnt offerings.
The priest took the blood of the lamb and sprinkled it before the veil by the altar of incense, symbolically transferring the sin from the sinner to the lamb to the sanctuary.
One point must be made very clear: the sanctuary is the place where the sinner found forgiveness of sin in the Old Testament. The work of the sanctuary dealt with the removal of sin. This work of sacrifice was performed for the sinner everyday; thus it was known as the "daily."
THE FULFILMENT OF THE SANCTUARY
5. How did Moses design the tabernacle? Exodus 25:9, 40
"�make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount."
NOTE: Moses did not originate the Old Testament sanctuary; he made it according to the pattern shown him by God while he was on Mount Sinai.
6. Of what was the Mosaic sanctuary a pattern? Hebrews 8:5
".....the example and shadow of heavenly things"
NOTE: Moses was to make his sanctuary according to the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary.
7. How many sanctuaries are there In Scripture? Hebrews 8:1-5.
"A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the LORD pitched, and not man."
NOTE: Hebrews clearly indicates that there are two sanctuaries: an earthly and a heavenly. The earthly sanctuary was made after the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary. One sanctuary was pitched by the Lord (heavenly), the other by Moses (earthly).
8. Who Is the high priest of the heavenly sanctuary? Hebrews 4:14
"JESUS the Son of GOD."
NOTE: The earthly sanctuary had earthly priests who ministered according to the Old Testament ceremonial system. But in the heavenly sanctuary there is only one priest, and He is Jesus Christ. He is our great high priest.
9. How many mediators are there between God and people In New Testament times?
1 Timothy 2:5,6
"There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man JESUS CHRIST 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
NOTE: In New Testament times there is no need for an earthly priestly system. After Jesus died on the cross, the high priestly ministry of Jesus was inaugurated. There is therefore no other mediator between people and God except Jesus Christ.
JESUS FULFILS THE SANCTUARY SERVICE
The ministry of Jesus Christ fulfils this ancient Jewish sanctuary service. When the Old Testament sinner came to the sanctuary to receive forgiveness for his sins, he stood in front of the altar of burnt offering and confessed his sins over the Lamb. In the most holy place in front of him were the Ten Commandments. Sin is the transgression of the law. The sinner had broken that law. He confessed his sin over the lamb. The lamb was slain and its blood spilled before the veil behind the altar of incense, symbolically transferring the sin from the sinner to the lamb to the sanctuary.
Two altars stood in direct line between the sinner and broken law: the altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense. The priest must perform a work at both of these altars to cleanse the sinner of his sins. Thereby the sinner was cleansed, forgiven and restored. The only way the sinner could be forgiven was for the priest to perform the work at the altar of sacrifice and the altar stood in direct line between the sinner and the broken law. The three parts of the sanctuary -the courtyard, the holy place, and the most holy place- indicate three phases in the ministry of JESUS CHRIST. In other words, one phase of HIS ministry is symbolised by the Courtyard, a second phase is symbolised by the Holy Place and a third phase of HIS ministry is symbolised by the Most Holy Place.
1 . What Is to he cleansed at the end of the 2300 days? Daniel 8:14
The Sanctuary.
2. What was the purpose of the ancient Jewish sanctuary? Exodus 25:8
"Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them
NOTE: In interpreting the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 we must clearly understand what Daniel understood by the term "sanctuary."
3. What was the sanctuary called In the Old Testament? Exodus 26:1
The Tabernacle
NOTE: Since the Israelites were nomads in the Sinai desert at the time God gave the tabernacle to them, He designed a sanctuary for them that was portable, made of cloth like a tent. The making of this sanctuary is described in intricate detail in Exodus 25 through 40.
The Old Testament sanctuary consisted of three sections:
1) the courtyard
2) the holy place
3) the most holy place
In the courtyard was the altar of burnt offering and the laver. In the holy place was the table of shew bread, the seven-branched candle-stick and the altar of incense.
In the most holy place was the ark of the covenant, containing the Ten Commandments.
Above the ark was the cover, which was called the mercy seat, that indicated that justice and mercy were blended together.
Overlooking the mercy seat were two cherubim, and between the cherubim was the Shekinah glory, the literal presence of God on earth. (Remember, JESUS is GOD)
Please notice the diagram below.
4. When a person sinned In ancient Israel, what was he to bring to the sanctuary? Leviticus 5:6
A female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
NOTE: When an individual in ancient Israel sinned, he brought a lamb to the sanctuary. The sanctuary was the place where forgiveness of sins was obtained for the people. The sinner confessed his sin over the lamb. Then the lamb was slain on the altar of burnt offerings.
The priest took the blood of the lamb and sprinkled it before the veil by the altar of incense, symbolically transferring the sin from the sinner to the lamb to the sanctuary.
One point must be made very clear: the sanctuary is the place where the sinner found forgiveness of sin in the Old Testament. The work of the sanctuary dealt with the removal of sin. This work of sacrifice was performed for the sinner everyday; thus it was known as the "daily."
THE FULFILMENT OF THE SANCTUARY
5. How did Moses design the tabernacle? Exodus 25:9, 40
"�make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount."
NOTE: Moses did not originate the Old Testament sanctuary; he made it according to the pattern shown him by God while he was on Mount Sinai.
6. Of what was the Mosaic sanctuary a pattern? Hebrews 8:5
".....the example and shadow of heavenly things"
NOTE: Moses was to make his sanctuary according to the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary.
7. How many sanctuaries are there In Scripture? Hebrews 8:1-5.
"A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the LORD pitched, and not man."
NOTE: Hebrews clearly indicates that there are two sanctuaries: an earthly and a heavenly. The earthly sanctuary was made after the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary. One sanctuary was pitched by the Lord (heavenly), the other by Moses (earthly).
8. Who Is the high priest of the heavenly sanctuary? Hebrews 4:14
"JESUS the Son of GOD."
NOTE: The earthly sanctuary had earthly priests who ministered according to the Old Testament ceremonial system. But in the heavenly sanctuary there is only one priest, and He is Jesus Christ. He is our great high priest.
9. How many mediators are there between God and people In New Testament times?
1 Timothy 2:5,6
"There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man JESUS CHRIST 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
NOTE: In New Testament times there is no need for an earthly priestly system. After Jesus died on the cross, the high priestly ministry of Jesus was inaugurated. There is therefore no other mediator between people and God except Jesus Christ.
JESUS FULFILS THE SANCTUARY SERVICE
The ministry of Jesus Christ fulfils this ancient Jewish sanctuary service. When the Old Testament sinner came to the sanctuary to receive forgiveness for his sins, he stood in front of the altar of burnt offering and confessed his sins over the Lamb. In the most holy place in front of him were the Ten Commandments. Sin is the transgression of the law. The sinner had broken that law. He confessed his sin over the lamb. The lamb was slain and its blood spilled before the veil behind the altar of incense, symbolically transferring the sin from the sinner to the lamb to the sanctuary.
Two altars stood in direct line between the sinner and broken law: the altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense. The priest must perform a work at both of these altars to cleanse the sinner of his sins. Thereby the sinner was cleansed, forgiven and restored. The only way the sinner could be forgiven was for the priest to perform the work at the altar of sacrifice and the altar stood in direct line between the sinner and the broken law. The three parts of the sanctuary -the courtyard, the holy place, and the most holy place- indicate three phases in the ministry of JESUS CHRIST. In other words, one phase of HIS ministry is symbolised by the Courtyard, a second phase is symbolised by the Holy Place and a third phase of HIS ministry is symbolised by the Most Holy Place.