10. What phase of Christ's ministry Is symbolized by the work of the courtyard with its altar of burnt offering? Hebrews 9:26; John 1:29

"He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself!' "Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world!'

NOTE: Jesus, by His death upon Calvary's cross, fulfilled the Old Testament sanctuary's courtyard. He became the sinner's sacrifice. He became the Lamb of God. No longer do people need to offer a lamb to God when they sin. Jesus, the Lamb of God, has died for our sins. The courtyard symbolizes Christ's work of sacrifice, and the altar of sacrifice symbolizes the death of Jesus Christ. The sanctuary was God's pictorial presentation of the plan of salvation for Israel.

Most importantly, JESUS' blood upon the Mercy Seat is the testimony that HE died for us. Another name for the Ark of the Covenant is 'the Ark of the Testament.' JESUS pleads the merits of HIS blood to the Father while in Heaven for the forgiveness of our sins. HIS blood was spilt while HE was here on this planet. HE pleads the merits of HIS perfect Sacrifice in Heaven. The earthly Ark of the Covenant is not just a replica of the Heavenly, it is the throne of GOD upon the earth. Exodus 25:8. When JESUS told us about a New Testament in HIS blood, HE didn't mean that the Ten Commandments were done away with. HE meant that the Old ordinances were no longer necessary. Ephesians 2:15.

11. How does Jesus fulfill the ministry of the Holy place? Hebrews 9:24

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of GOD for us."

NOTE: Upon His ascension, Jesus Christ entered into the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where He intercedes for us. Hebrews 9:24 says He appears in the presence of God for us. The work of the holy place symbolizes Christ's work of perfect intercession. The altar of incense in the holy place represents Christ's life of perfect righteousness. His perfect life is added as precious incense to the prayers of the saints as they ascend to heaven (Revelation 8:3,4)

The courtyard represents Christ's work of sacrifice, the holy place His work of intercession. The altar of sacrifice represents the death of Christ; the altar of incense, the life of Christ. Again, notice that the two altars stood in direct line between the sinner and the broken law. What we actually see is that Jesus Christ stands between the sinner and the broken law. The sinner is reconciled to God through the death of Christ and saved by His life.

12. How does the apostle Paul Indicate that Individuals are restored to a right relationship with God? Romans 5:10.

"... reconciled to God by the death of his Son.... Son.... saved by his Life."

NOTE: These two aspects of the ministry of Christ as foretold in the sanctuary have been fulfilled by Jesus. He is the only one who can fully restore a person to a right relationship with God.

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

While the work in the courtyard and the holy place was performed every day, the work of the most holy place was performed only once a year. Thus, while the former was known as the "daily," the latter was known as the "yearly." The work of the Day of Atonement in the most holy place symbolizes the third and final phase of the ministry of Jesus Christ. Let us examine the events of this, the most solemn day in the life of ancient Israel.

13. What happened at the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement? Leviticus 16:29, 30.

". . . shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you."

NOTE: The purpose of the Day of Atonement was to cleanse both sinner and sanctuary.The cleansing of the sanctuary was achieved through the work of the most holy place.

14. Now many goats were chosen on the Day of Atonement? Leviticus 16:5.

"Two."

15. Who were the two goats for? Leviticus 16:5.

a. The LORD,

b. scapegoat.

NOTE: One goat was chosen to be offered to the LORD, the other was to be a scapegoat, or as the margin reads, it was for "Azazael." Azazael was another name for Satan. Thus, on this particular day two goats were chosen, one for the Lord and one to represent Satan.

Some searchers for truth, may, at first find it difficult to think of JESUS in the figure of a goat, but remember that HE has taken the punishment due to the repentant sinners who would have been counted among the goats. During the Passover feast, a lamb can refer to a young goat. Exodus. 12:5.

16. What happened to the LORD'S goat? Leviticus 16:9.

"Offer him for a sin offering."

NOTE: The Lord's goat Was sacrificed on the altar of burn offerings.

17. Where did the priest sprinkle the blood of the Lord's goat? Leviticus 16:15.

"Upon the Mercy Seat."

NOTE: The mercy seat was located in the most holy place. (Please notice that this is the one time each year when the high priest went into the holy of holies.) Rather than sprinkle this blood upon the altar of incense, this blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. 18.

The sprinkling of the blood of the Lord's goat on the mercy seat was to make atonement for what part of the sanctuary? Leviticus 16:16.

"The Holy place."

NOTE: Note again, that the high priest is in the most holy place, but he is making an atonement for the holy place.

19. Why does the holy place need to he cleansed? Leviticus 16:16.

"Because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins."

NOTE: The reason the high priest went into the most holy place was to cleanse the holy place because of all the sins of the children of Israel that had been transferred there all year long through the work of the holy place.

20. What happened to the live goat when the work of cleansing the sanctuary was complete? Leviticus 16:20, 21.

The sins that were removed from the sanctuary were confessed over him and he was sent away into the "wilderness."

NOTE: Please note that the live goat is never slain. The live goat only enters the picture when the work of the sanctuary is complete. Thus it is shown to Israel that Satan is finally responsible for sin. This removal of sin from the sanctuary is the final act of the sanctuary service. Now it is shown that Satan is the responsible agent in sin. Notice that Satan's goat is never slain. Only Christ bears the penalty for sin.This service simply shows that Satan is the final responsible agent in sin. In order for Christ to remove sin from the sanctuary, a work of judgment was needed. That is why this service in ancient Israel was known as the day of judgment/atonement. It was the most solemn day in the history of Israel, because the Israelites knew that their sins were being removed from the sanctuary.

The sanctuary has symbolized for us three phases in the ministry of Christ:

1. His work of sacrifice completed on the cross.

2. His work of intercession begun when He ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of God and continuing until He comes the second time.

3. His work of final judgment, dealing with the removal of sin. This is symbolized by the work of the most holy place, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. Thus the cleansing of the sanctuary refers to Christ's final work of judgment in the heavenly sanctuary.

21. When does Christ perform this final phase of His ministry, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary? Daniel 8:14.

"At the end of the 2300 days."

NOTE: At the end of the 2300 days, or in 1844, Christ began that final phase of His ministry, the judgment. This judgment must occur before the second coming of Christ for three reasons:

a. It is only logical that judgment occur before Christ comes, because when He comes He divides the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31?34) . How could Christ perform judgment after He had already come and taken people to heaven?

b. In the Day of Atonement service in the ancient Jewish sanctuary, if someone happened to remember some sin that he had not confessed, he could still bring that sin to the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement, and it could be sent into the sanctuary and removed that very day (Lev. 16:4,23-25). This indicates that grace was to still be available to the sinner while Christ's final phase of ministry was going on. c. At the end of the work of the Day of Atonement, the live goat was sent into the wilderness. Later we will study Revelation 20, where we discover that Satan is sent into the wilderness for 1,000 years following the second coming of Christ. The pre-advent judgment is all over when Satan is sent into the wilderness.

If you emial me, I can give you greater details of this pre-advent judgment that began in 1844.

Thus, since 1844 Christ has been conducting the final phase of His ministry as taught in the ancient Jewish sanctuary - His work of final judgment. While Christ conducts the judgment, He still intercedes for us; He still continues the work of the Holy Place even while He conducts the final judgment.

Praise God, our High Priest is not only our Judge, but also our Intercessor - He stands for us (1 John 2:11).

Are you happy that God has provided the wonderful plan of salvation pictured for us In the ancient sanctuary service?

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