The Sanctuary

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18. THE SANCTUARY Through the sanctuary, God intended to illustrate the plan of salvation. Its articles of furniture, rituals were and the feast connected to it were symbols and prophecies of Jesus and His work.

1. What does Sin Cause?

 Isaiah 59:2 Sin separates us from God. This is illustrated by the first sin ever committed by mankind: when Adam and Eve sinned in Eden, they fled from God’s presence.

2. What does Jesus Hate?

 Hebrews 1:9 The only thing that Jesus hates is sin. He loves everyone because His love is unconditional. Jesus hates sin because it separates Him from the object of His love, man.

This is God’s dilemma: what He hates, sin, is inside what He loves, mankind. And mankind loves what He hates, sin. God wants to separate the object of His hatred from the object of His love: sin from man. The sanctuary illustrates how God does it.

3. For Which Purpose God Made the Israelites Build Asanctuary?

 Exodus 25:8 God wanted to dwell among His people: the tabernacle was a tent that was in the middle of the tents of the Israelites’ camp.

The sanctuary was made up of 3 compartments: a courtyard and the tabernacle, which was divided in 2 apartments, the holy and the most holy place (see plan on page 5).

 The courtyard: The first article of furniture in the courtyard, beyond the door, was the altar of burnt offering; the animal sacrifices were burnt here. The second was the bronze laver with water in it; the priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering in the holy place.

 The holy place: there were 3 articles of furniture in the holy place. The table of showbread on which there were 12 breads arranged in 2 piles of 6 breads: the bread had to stay continually there and it was changed every Sabbath (see Exodus 25:30 and Leviticus 24:5- There was the 7-branched candlestick which was the source of light of the holy place; the 2 18. The Sanctuary – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 oil had to burn perpetually (see Exodus 27:20-21). Before the veil that separated the holy from the most holy place there was the altar of incense on which incense had to burn perpetually (see Exodus 30:7-8).

 The most holy place: beyond the veil there was the ark of the covenant which contained the 10 commandments (see Deuteronomy 10:4-5). God’s presence was above the mercy seat between two golden cherubims.

4. How Were the Israelites to Build the Sanctuary?

 Exodus 25:9,40 God showed Moses a model on Mount Sinai and the Israelites were to build the sanctuary according to the pattern.

5. What was the Model God Showed Moses?

 Hebrews 8:1-2,4-5; Hebrews 9:11-12 The earthly sanctuary was a copy and a shadow of a reality: the heavenly sanctuary. This was the pattern God showed Moses on Mount Sinai.

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He entered in the heavenly sanctuary, a sanctuary described as “the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man” (8:1), “the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” (9:11). The apostle John saw in vision the heavenly sanctuary and described several articles of furniture (see Revelation 4:5; 8:3; 11:19; 15:5-8).

When Jesus died the earthly sanctuary lost its purpose for the reality had met the symbol. The veil between the holy and the most holy place was rent from the top (see Matthew 27:50-51).

6. What Ritual did God Give the Israelites to Illustrate the Forgiveness of Sin?

 Leviticus 1:1-5 When convicted of sin in his conscience, an Israelite had to bring to the sanctuary an animal (a lamb, a bull, a goat, etc.) without physical defects. The sinner laid his hand on the head of the animal and confessed his sin, symbolically transferring the guilt of his sin on the animal (see Leviticus 16:21).

The sinner killed the animal (see Leviticus 4:22-24,27-29) that was accepted in his place to make atonement for him. The Hebrew word for atonement is kâphar, which literally means to cover and could be translated with appease, pacify, cleanse, purge, forgive, reconcile.

The guilt of the sinner was covered by the blood of a sacrifice, because without blood there is no forgiveness of sin (see Hebrews 9:22). The blood represented the life of a living being (see Leviticus 18. The Sanctuary – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 3 17:11). God wanted to teach that only the sacrifice of an innocent life could make atonement for sin.

Sin was transferred to the sanctuary in one of these ways: through the blood of the sacrifice which was sprinkled by the priest on the veil before the most holy place and put on the horns of the altar of incense as a record of the forgiven sin (see Leviticus 4:5-7).

Beyond that veil there was the law of God; the blood covered the transgression of the law. In other cases the priest put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of burnt offering (see Leviticus 4:25); then he ate the flesh of the sacrifice, transferring the sin into the sanctuary as he entered in it (see Leviticus 6:24-26,30 and 10:17-18).

God aimed to teach man the gravity of sin, which required the death of an innocent to be atoned.

Going back to his tent the sinner experienced the assurance to be at peace with God and sorrow for the sin he had done. He most probably did not want to commit that same sin again; God wanted to instill hatred for sin in the sinner’s heart.

7. Who was the Fulfillment of All the Sacrifices Performed in the Sanctuary?

 John 1:29 Jesus was identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God. All the sacrifices pointed to His sacrifice; every Israelite should have thought about the Son of God when he sacrificed an animal.

The blood of the animal sacrifices could not take away sin; in fact they had to be repeated over and over again. Jesus offered Himself once to secure an eternal salvation (see Hebrews 10:4,10-14).

God wanted to teach that He would have provided a Lamb for the sins of the world. To take away the sin (singular, to signify the sin problem) of the world, He took it on Himself. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, God has manifested His intention to reconcile the world to Himself providing atonement for our sins.

8. Who Symbolized the High Priest Who Took the Blood of the Sacrifice in the Sanctuary?

 Hebrews 2:17-18 Jesus is our High Priest. He first became a man, lived a perfect life and then offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb, shedding His precious blood for our sins. Then He became our High Priest, entering in the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood (see Hebrews 9:11-12).

The high priest was Israel’s representative before God and God’s representative before the people.

Jesus represented God to us on earth and represents us before God in heaven. To represent us as our High Priest, Jesus is both God and man (see 1 Timothy 2:5); He not only had to become like us, but He will retain the human nature forever, for He resurrected with a glorified human body (see Philippians 3:20-21). As a man, Jesus knew what temptation is; therefore He understands you and can help you. 4 18. The Sanctuary – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019

9. What does Jesus Offer You As Ah Igh Priest?

 Hebrews 4:14-16 Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of man. Our elder Brother passed through the heavens and sits on the throne of the universe.

As the Son of man, Jesus sympathizes with your weaknesses and understands your battles. He fought against temptation like you do and He overcame. As the Son of God, He empowers you to overcome temptation. All the strength and help you need you can find in Him as you approach by faith the throne of grace.

Appeal

Jesus is your ever-present helper in your time of need: do you choose to ask Him power to overcome your temptations? 18. The Sanctuary – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 5 The Tabernacle plan: