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1 The Sanctuary Message in the Context of Seventh-day Adventist Doctrines and Beliefs Elias Brasil de Souza This paper offers a reflection on the correlations between the sanctuary and the other Seventh-day Adventist doctrines and beliefs. As most SDAs would immediately acknowledge, the sanctuary is one of the most crucial pillars of the Adventist message. Discovered by the Adventist pioneers after painstaking study of the Bible, the sanctuary has become a foundational aspect of SDA theology and its most distinctive belief vis à vis other Christian denominations.1 Therefore, we must devote time and attention to study, preach, and constantly explore the multifaceted aspects of the sanctuary truth in order to make it alive and relevant for our congregations. Although "Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary" appears as belief 24 in the sequence of SDA Fundamental Beliefs, from its degree of importance and and its place in the biblical grand narrative the sanctuary belongs to a position much earlier in the 28 Fundamental Beliefs (FB). For the sake of convenience, this is the full text of FB 24 as voted by the General Conference in session: There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle that the Lord set up and not humans. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. At His ascension, He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His intercessory ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the holy place of the earthly sanctuary. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent. (Lev. 16; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13,14; 9:24-27; Heb. 1:3; 2:16,17; 4:14-16; 8:1-5; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; Rev. 8:3-5; 11:19; 14:6,7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:11, 12.)2 1 Fernando Canale, "Seventh-Day Adventist Vision and Mission," Perspective Digest 23, no. 2 (2018): 1–27. 2 Ministerial Association General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day 2 In an programmatic statement, Ellen G. White asserted the importance of the sanctuary: The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844. It opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, showing that God's hand had directed the great advent movement and revealing present duty as it brought to light the position and work of His people.3 As Ellen G. White describes it, the sanctuary was the key that opened the minds of our pioneers to understanding biblical truths. From a biblical-theological perspective, the implication may be drawn that the sanctuary functions as a unifying center where the main themes of the Bible converge and intertwine. Taking this cue from White, this paper explores the interconnections between the sanctuary and the six main theological doctrines under which the 28 Fundamental Beliefs are organized. Methodologically, the discussion focuses on both the earthly sanctuary and the the heavenly sanctuary of which the earthly sanctuary was a type and shadow. As we proceed, we hope to show that that the main biblical doctrines affirmed by Seventh-day Adventists are connected and unified in the sanctuary.4 The reflections that follow are divided into six sections as presented in the tome Seventh-day Adventists Believe: A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrine: the doctrine of god, the doctrine of humanity, the doctrine of salvation, the doctrine of the church, the doctrine of the christian life, the doctrine of last things. The Doctrine of God It does not require much effort to realize the tight connection of the doctrine of God with the sanctuary. After all, God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle so that it could serve as God's dwelling amidst the covenant people (Exod 25:8). In the sanctuary, Adventists Believe: A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrine (Silver Spring, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2018), 351. 3 Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, 423. 4 A close look at the tome Seventh-day Adventists Believe: A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrine shows that our 27 FBs are categorized under major six theological doctrines (in bold below), under which stand the 28 Fundamental Beliefs: The Doctrine of God: (1) The Word of God; (2) The Godhead; (3) God the Father; (4) God the Son; (5) God the Holy Spirit. The Doctrine of Humanity: (6) Creation; (7) The Nature of Humanity. The Doctrine of Salvation: (8) The Great Controversy; (9) The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ; (10) The Experience of Salvation; (11) Growing in Christ. The Doctrine Of The Church: (12) The Church; (13) The Remnant and Its Mission; (14) Unity in the Body of Christ; (15) Baptism; (16) The Lord's Supper; (17) Spiritual Gifts and Ministries; (18) The Gift of Prophecy. The Doctrine of the Christian Life: (19) The Law of God; (20) The Sabbath; (21) Stewardship; (22) Christian Behavior; (23) Marriage and the Family. The Doctrine of Last Things: (24) Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary; (25) The Second Coming of Christ; (26) Death and Resurrection; (27) The Millennium and the End of Sin; (28) The New Earth. 3 the LORD manifested His presence through the shekinah–glory upon the ark of the covenant. So to reflect on the tabernacle is to reflect on the person and works of God inasmuch as various aspects of God's character and nature are revealed and articulated in and from the sanctuary. By dwelling in the sanctuary God realized His intention to entertain a close relationship with His people. Therefore, the Sanctuary (and later on the Temple) was not just a piece of human construction but the supreme realization of God's covenantal presence among His people. From a cosmic perspective, it should be noted that Scripture presents the heavenly sanctuary as the place of God's dwelling (e.g., 1 Kgs 8:30; Ps 11:4) Turning to the fundamental beliefs under the Doctrine of God, it is instructive to note that the "Word of God" comes first. This conveys the understanding that God cannot be known apart from His Revelation. It is through the Word of God that we receive the truth about God in order to experience salvation and have a relationship with Him. Of course, in nature, we can perceive facets of God. Looking at the stars, the sky, the sea, we can infer that these things have a Creator (Rom 1). However, it is in His word that God provides the information humans need to know His character and to enjoy His offer of grace and salvation. Interestingly, the Word of God appears in a most concrete way in the the sanctuary. Written in tablets of stone, the Ten Commandments given by the LORD to Moses on Mount Sinai were stored inside the ark of the covenant and the book of the law was placed beside the ark. So it is not without significance that the Ten Commandments and book of the law--were enshrined in the most holy place (Exod 25:16, 21–22; Deut 31–24–25; 1 Kgs 8:9).5 Amid all the ritual, symbols, and services of the sanctuary, God's words occupied a place of prominence. So, already in the sanctuary we have this interconnection of biblical teachings about God that are so important: the Word of God and the very presence of God in the sanctuary, revealing itself through the whole system of sacrifices, offerings, rituals and ceremonies established there. All of this was intended to draw the attention and devotion of God's people--not to the Sanctuary, primarily--but to the God who dwelt there. It should never be overlooked that the importance of the sanctuary lies in the fact that God dwelled there. Without God's presence the sanctuary has no purpose. In the years that preceded the destruction of Jerusalem, Ezekiel received a vision that showed God departing from the temple (Ezek 1). As predicted, the Babylonians came and 5 Ellen G. White, Life Sketches (Pacific Press, 1915), 95–96, reports a vision in which she saw the ten commandments in heaven: "But the Lord gave me a view of the heavenly sanctuary. The temple of God was open in heaven, and I was shown the ark of God covered with the mercy seat. Two angels stood one at either end of the ark, with their wings spread over the mercy seat, and their faces turned toward it. This, my accompanying angel informed me, represented all the heavenly host looking with reverential awe toward the law of God, which had been written by the finger of God. Jesus raised the cover of the ark, and I beheld the tables of stone on which the ten commandments were written. I was amazed as I saw the fourth commandment in the very center of the ten precepts, with a soft halo of light encircling it. Said the angel, "It is the only one of the ten which defines the living God who created the heavens and the earth and all things that are therein." 4 destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem.6 So without God, the sanctuary has no meaning. A study about the sanctuary types and symbols is ultimately a study about God, which is the deepest and most sublime subject upon which that the human mind can reflect. In the sanctuary we glimpse the truth about God, His character, His love, His word. The sacrificial system announced in types and symbols the infinite sacrifice of God's only Son for the redemption of the human race. At the same time, the sanctuary reveals that God will solve the problem of evil. As the goat for Azazel was dispatched to the wilderness in the Day of Atonement (Lev 16), so Satan will be put in a circumstantial prison during the Millennium and eventually eliminated (Rev 20). The problem of evil is one of the major challenges to the human mind today. Most people know that there is something wrong with the world, but not many know what went wrong and how to resolve it. The sanctuary shows that only God can solve humanity's problem (cf. Ps 73). Through the lenses of the sanctuary, we can better understand what God has accomplished in and through Jesus Christ for the benefit of the world. Through the study of the sanctuary, we can have a glimpse of God's character, his love for us, and his determination to rid the world from sin and evil. The Doctrine of Humanity The sanctuary also provides insightful glimpses into the doctrine of humanity which encompasses the beliefs related to creation and humanity. Although not obvious at first glance, it bears noting that the sanctuary evokes creation and yields significant insights about the human condition. For instance, the tabernacle and subsequently the temple display interesting connections with creation in both the narratives about their construction and their respective architectonic configurations. Significantly, the construction of the tabernacle, as reported in Exodus 25–31, consists in a sequence of seven introductory formulas or "quotative frames"7--"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying" (Exod 25:1; 30:11; 30:11; 30:22; 30:34; 31:1; 31:12)--which culminates with the seventh quotative frame issuing a reiteration of the Sabbath commandment (Exod 31:12-17).8 Similarly, the narrative of the construction of the tabernacle (Exod 40:1–16) 6 William H. Shea, Selected Studies on Prophetic Interpretation, ed. Frank B. Holbrook, Revised Edition., vol. 1, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1992), 15–21; Michael P. Middendorf and Mark Schuler, "Luke/Acts," in Called by the Gospel: An Introduction to the New Testament, ed. Rhoda Schuler, revised edition, vol. 2, Called by the Gospel (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2009), 236; Chris McKinny, "The Location of Pentecost and Geographical Implications in Acts 2 (Acts 2:1–41)," in Lexham Geographic Commentary on Acts through Revelation, ed. Barry J. Beitzel, Jessica Parks, and Doug Mangum, Lexham Geographic Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019), 92. 7 As Daniel C. Timmer, Creation, Tabernacle, and Sabbath: The Sabbath Frame of Exodus 31:12–17; 35:1–3 in Exegetical and Theological Perspective, Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments 227, edited by Dietrich-Alex Koch, Matthias Kockert, Christopher Tuckett, and Steven McKenzie (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2009), 31, observes, "The quotative frames introduce seven sections within chapters 25–31 which correspond to the seven days of creation as described in Genesis 1–2." 8 See Peter J. Kearney, "Creation and Liturgy: The P Redaction of Ex 25-40," 5 climaxes with a sequence of seven sections. Each section concludes with a clause using the verb ṣiwwâ ("command"), which asserts that Moses had done as the Lord had "commanded" him.9 These seven sub-sections that comprise the construction of the tabernacle may in fact point back to the creation account. Significantly, the last line, which says that "Moses finished (waykal) the work (mĕlāʾkâ)" (Exod 40:33) recalls Genesis 2:2, in which God "finished" (waykal) "his work" (mĕlaʾktô) on the seventh day. In the same vein, the temple narrative says that Solomon took "seven years" to build the temple until it "was finished (kālâ) in all its details" (1 Kgs 6:38). Such verbal conceptual connections between the tabernacle/temple narratives and the creation account may well indicate that the tabernacle/temple typify God's plan to bring creation back to its rightful state. Through the sacrifices and rituals that pointed to the Messiah and by means of God's dwelling presence upon the mercy seat, the tabernacle/temple anticipated the time when creation would be rid of sin and God's presence would be enjoyed by every redeemed sinner. So, we have a lot of evidence, both from the point of view of the text and from the point of view of the images, of the decoration of the sanctuary, that he pointed to creation. Because they disobeyed the Lord and ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden of Eden and could no longer enjoy unmediated fellowship with God. But through the sacrificial system a means of access to God was provided. Subsequently, God established a covenant with Israel and commanded the construction of a sanctuary for Him to dwell among the covenant people. Some of the decorative elements of the sanctuary such as the vegetable and angelic imagery that were part of its curtains and furniture are evocative of the Garden of Eden. In other words, it is as if through the tabernacle, God returned Eden to Israel. But of course, the reality of sin prevented God's people from having unfettered communion with Him. Therefore, the sanctuary service with its sacrifices and priesthood became necessary to bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful human beings. So the ministrations of the sanctuary not only pointed back to the sinful condition of humanity but also pointed forward to the ultimate mediator, the Son of God who would come to make the connection between repentant sinners and God. Eventually, as a fulfillment of the sacrificial system Christ came to give us direct access to God's presence in the heavenly sanctuary. Thus, the sanctuary points back to creation and reminds us that God's ultimate plan is to restore creation to its original design. At the same time, the sanctuary reminds us of our sinful condition which prevents us from having unimpeded access to God. So, in the sanctuary we learn both about creation and about the human condition that Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 89 (1977): 375-87. 9 1. "Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded [ṣiwwāh] him, so he did" (Exod 40:16) 2. " . . . as the Lord had commanded Moses" (Exod 40:21) 3. " . . . as the Lord had commanded Moses" (Exod 40:23) 4. " . . . as the Lord had commanded Moses" (Exod 40:25) 5. " . . . as the Lord had commanded Moses" (Exod 40:27) 6. " . . . as the Lord had commanded Moses" (Exod 40:29) 7. " . . . as the Lord had commanded Moses" (Exod 40:32). 6 requires the gracious intervention of a mediator. And this leads us to the next point, which concerns the doctrine of salvation. The Doctrine of Salvation This is one of the fundamental teachings of the Bible. Without the doctrine of salvation, none of the other doctrines would make sense. We study the Bible to learn about the sanctuary because we believe in salvation and want to be saved ourselves.10 The sanctuary with its ministries and ritual reveals a God who loves us and thus has made provision to save us. So, as we accept the provision of salvation offered in and by Jesus Christ, we have eternal life (John 3:16). This is the gospel in a nutshell and there should be no doubt that this is the core of the gospel. I submit however that when we look into the gospel message through the lens of the sanctuary, the beauty the gospel message shines with powerful radiance. The sanctuary reveals the terrifying consequences of sin and the need for a substitute. Only by means of a substitutionary sacrifice can a sinner obtain forgiveness. In the sanctuary the God who hates sin and death takes upon Himself the sins of His people symbolically transferred to the sanctuary through the sacrificial blood. A close look at the sanctuary the truth of salvation is explained and illustrated. And at this juncture a most significant observation bears noting. In the sanctuary certain aspects of the work of Christ for us becomes clear. One of the theological challenges the doctrine of salvation face today concerns the substitutionary dimensions of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.11 There is a trend in contemporary theology to overlook, ignore, or deny the biblical notion that in the cross Christ took our place and died for our sins. It seems more in tune to contemporary culture to present Christ's death on the cross as an act of solidarity with the human race and God's ultimate manifestation of God's love as an invitation for humans to love Him back. Although there is some truth is such claims, the notion of Christ's substitutionary death cannot be bypassed if one takes seriously the typification of the plan of salvation realized in the sanctuary. A close look sanctuary system as whole shows that it was predicated on the notion of substitution (Lev 17:11). In other words, without blood there is no remission of sin (Heb 9:22). One of the fundamental points of the sanctuary is that when a sinner takes his offering, his sacrifice to the sanctuary/temple, that sacrifice works as a substitute for the sinner.12 That is, the sinner deserves to die because of his sin. But because a lamb dies in his place, he is now free and can go home forgiven. The same teaching was already anticipated in the experience of Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 22). Although Abraham was ready to offer his son in sacrifice, that sacrifice did not take place because God provided a substitute, a lamb was sacrifice so that Isaac could live. Two millennia later the Son of God gave His life for us on Calvary. Jesus died in our place. Without this understanding the doctrine of salvation loses its biblical force. 10 George W. Reid, "Salvation and the Sanctuary," Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 3, no. 1 (1992): 97–104. 11 Norman R. Gulley, Systematic Theology: Creation, Christ, Salvation (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2012), 625–636. 12 This concept is developed in Angel M. Rodriguez, Substitution in the Hebrew Cultus (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1979). 7 Ellen White, it should be noted, make very clear in her writings the idea that Christ died in our place. As she so clearly expressed in one of her most beautiful statements to this effect; "Christ was treated as we deserve that we may be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. 'By His stripes we are healed."13 The more we examine the sanctuary, the more we understand that salvation requires substitution. All the ministries and rites that were performed there point to depth of God's love for us in providing substitute for us. In the sacrificial animals and priestly services, the notion was being taught that sinners need a substitute animal to die in their place and substitute priest to represent them before God. But ultimately, through the Old Testament sanctuary and its service, it was God Himself who acted as the definitive substitute for sinners inasmuch as the sanctuary system pointed forward to the cross. Therefore, our understanding of the sanctuary and its services enriches our understanding and appreciation for what Christ realized on the cross. But in addition to the doctrine of salvation, the sanctuary has profound implications for the doctrine of the church, to which we turn next. The Doctrine of the Church The doctrine of the church has more connections with sanctuary than one can can imagine at first glance. To begin with, the very word "church" comes from the Greek ekklēsia ("assembly") which occurs in the Septuagint as a translation of the Hebrew word qāhāl— a term often used to designate the congregation of the people of Israel14 (Exod 12:6). In some usages the word occurs in connection with the people gathered at mount Sinai (Deut 5:22) and at the sanctuary/temple (Lev 4:13; 1 Kgs 8:55; 2 Chr 30:13). Thus, the New Testament use of the word ekklēsia not only establishes continuity between Israel and the Church15 but also associates the imagery of God's people with the sanctuary. So the word church (ekklēsia) belongs to the associative field of sanctuary and alludes to the relationship between God's people and the sanctuary.16 But even more significant is the fact that the New Testament--by means of conceptual and verbal connections--conceives of the Church as God's special dwelling place on earth. For instance, the founding event that inaugurated the Church and set it in motion to accomplish the mission of the risen Lord evokes, though in a subtle way, sanctuary imagery. As reported in Acts 2:1–4: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared 13 Ellen G. White, Desire of Ages, 25. 14 K. L. Schmidt, Ἐκκλησία, in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1965), 3:527–529. 15 Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994), 215. 16 For the notion of "associative fields," see Tetiana Nedashkivska and Lesia Kushmar, "Associative Way from Perception to Understanding: Associative Field vs Lexical-Semantic Field," Journal of Modern Education Review 7, no. 1 (2017): 44–50 8 to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. God's choice of "tongues, as of fire" to signal the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the believers did not take place by happenstance. As some commentators have pointed out, the tongues of fire siting upon the believers evoke the presence of God in the shekinah-glory indwelling the tabernacle.17 God's manifestation of the day of Pentecost also evokes God's glory filling the tabernacle on the occasion of its inauguration18 (Exod 40:34; cf. 1 Kings 8:10–11; 2 Chr 5:14). So, the Church, like the Israelite tabernacle, is filled with God's Glory-Spirit at the occasion of its inauguration. Moreover, it should be noted that from a salvation-history perspective the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church coincides with Christ's inauguration of the heavenly sanctuary (Dan 9:24). That being the case, the outpouring of the Spirit happened as an earthly reverberation of a heavenly event--that is, Christ's anointing of the heavenly sanctuary to officiate there as our High Priest19 The conception of the Church as a sanctuary temple receives further elaboration in subsequent New Testament writings. In 1 Corinthians 3:9–17 Paul refers to the believers collectively as the "the temple of God," whereas in 1 Corinthians 6:17–20, the apostle regards the metaphor to the individual believer "the temple of the Holy Spirit."20 In another passage Paul calls the church "the house of God" (1 Tim 3:15), which is tantamount to portray the church as a temple. As one scholar stated, "Christ is at the throne of God in the heavenly temple and resides through the Holy Spirit in the church temple, and in His followers as temples of the living God."21 17 David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009), 133. 18 Stephen Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah: On Acts of the Apostles 1–15 (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2002), 51; Frank D. Macchia, Justified in the Spirit: Creation, Redemption, and the Triune God, ed. James K. A. Smith and Amos Yong, Pentecostal Manifestos (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2010), 214. Cf. Meredith G. Kline, Images of the Spirit (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 1999), 69–70; 99–100. 19 Whereas Christ spent 40 days with his disciples before ascending to heaven, the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost took place 50 days after the resurrection. This leaves a gap of about ten days between Christ's ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit according to an inclusive reckoning. The question may be asked about what Christ was doing in heaven during the intervening days. Although the Bible does not address this issue, it is intriguing to note that the rites of inauguration of the earthly sanctuary was an eight-day celebration (Lev 8–10). A detailed exposition of this point of view is offered by Henderson Hermes Leite Velten and Juarez Rodrigues de Oliveira, A Astronomia e a Glória do Adventismo: Um Estudo sobre a Precisão do Cálculo Profético de Daniel 8:14 e 9:24–27 (Vitoria, ES, Brazil: Luz do Mundo, 2018), 337–343. 20 As Norman R. Gulley, Systematic Theology: God as Trinity (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2011), 31, stated: "Human beings were created to be temples for the indwelling of God (1 Cor. 3:16). Christ's work, both in heaven's sanctuary and in human temples, is based upon Calvary, applying the results of that sacrifice for and in humans. So the application of Calvary is made in the heavenly sanctuary by Christ and in human temples by the "Spirit of Christ." 21 Norman R. Gulley, Systematic Theology: Creation, Christ, Salvation (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2012), 413. 9 However, it is in Ephesians 2:19–22 that Paul offers the loftiest depiction of the Church as a temple. Here the apostle employees the metaphor of a building, having Jesus Christ as the cornerstone: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Significantly, as the foundation or cornerstone, Christ is part of the building. But this does not diminish Christ because "'only the choicest stones were used for cornerstones, and pride of place was given to the one laid at the determinative corner of the building, which was naturally the first one laid. Christ is thus the beginning of the church." By being part of the building, Christ also has a close relationship to the believers - 'Christians are joined primarily to Christ and secondarily to one another.'"22 The Church as a sanctuary also appears in 1 Peter where sanctuary imagery may be inferred from the depiction of the believers as a "a royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9–10). In another passage, Peter evokes Old Testament temple imagery (1 Pet 4:12–19) as he writes to the church in Asia Minor to fortify them to endure sufferings. To make his point, Peter states that "the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God" (1 Pet 4:17). Although some versions may suggest that the metaphor comes from the family or household, the phrase "house of God" points to the temple.23 Indeed, in the Septuagint "house of God" (tou oikou tou theou) always translates phrases that designate the temple.24 Thus most likely the the phrase "house of God" here intends to portray the Church as a temple. From this perspective, the reference to the "fiery trial" (v. 12) that would befall the Church may be understood from a slightly different perspective. Probably the Greek word pyrōsis, which translates "fiery trial," carries a more literal meaning of "a setting on fire, burning."25 Thus, by applying the metaphors of temple and fire to the reality and experience of the Church, respectively, Peter seems to allude to the prophecy of Malachi. This prophet speaks about the Lord coming to "His temple" to act "like a refiner's fire (pyros) and like launderers' soap" to "purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness" (Mal 3:1–3). Although with a slightly different vocabulary, Peter adopts the imagery and the sequence of eschatological events depicted in Malachi. In Malachi the judgment moves 22 Amy Beange, "The Church as the Temple of God in Corinthians." (M.A. thesis, Providence College and Seminary, Canada, 2003), 98. 23 The following paragraphs follow the basic line of argumentation set forth by Dennis E. Johnson, "Fire in God's House: Imagery from Malachi 3 in Peter's Theology of Suffering (1 Pet 4:12-19)," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 29, no. 3 (1986): 284–294. 24 Goetzmann, "House, Build, Manage, Steward," ed. Lothar Coenen, Erich Beyreuther, and Hans Bietenhard, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986), 2:247–248. 25 Franco Montanari, The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek, ed. Madeleine Goh and Chad Schroeder (Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2015). s.v. πῠ́ρωσις. 10 from the the purification of the Levites to the judgment and destruction of those who have utterly rejected the Lord (Mal 3:5–6). Likewise, in Peter, the judgement starts with the house of God and then moves to the ungodly.26 As the place of God's dwelling among His people, the earthly sanctuary/temple functions as an apt metaphor for the Church--the locus of God's special presence on earth. Although the New Testament applies also other images to depict the church,27 the sanctuary concept brings our understanding of the Church into sharp focus. That is, understood from the perspective of the sanctuary, the Church emerges as the special locus of God's presence on earth, functioning in close connection with the heavenly sanctuary. Ellen G. White states: His [God's] church is to be a temple built after the divine similitude, and the angelic architect has brought his golden measuring rod from heaven, that every stone may be hewed and squared by the divine measurement and polished to shine as an emblem of heaven, radiating in all directions the bright, clear beams of the Sun of Righteousness. The church is to be fed with manna from heaven and to be kept under the sole guardianship of His grace. Clad in complete armor of light and righteousness, she enters upon her final conflict.28 In view of the high standing granted to the Church, its members are to live accordingly. And this takes us to the doctrine of the Christian life to be examined next. The Doctrine of the Christian Life The Doctrine of the Christian Life is also a fundamental aspect of the sanctuary. A proper understanding of the sanctuary must reckon with the ethics and lifestyle of those who live around the it.29 To better grasp this aspect, let us keep in mind that major sections at the core of the Pentateuch, that is, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers are devoted to the sanctuary theme. Exodus, after relating the liberation of Israel from Egypt, focuses on the covenant and the construction of the sanctuary. Leviticus in turn provides instructions about the services of the sanctuary with its sacrificial system and priestly ministry. Numbers depicts the people of God encamped around the sanctuary according to a layout established by God. But Gods presence among His people entailed an absolute injunction: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (Lev 19:2; cf. 11:44; 45; 20:7; 21:8; Deut 23:14). God's deliverance of Israel and His presence among them has profound implications for ethics and lifestyle. God's holy presence in the sanctuary must be matched by holy living on the part of His people. This may explain why the the 26 D. E. Johnson, "Fire in God's House: Imagery from Malachi 3 in Peter's Theology of Suffering (1 Pet 4:12–19)," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 29 (1986): 288. 27 Paul S. Minear, Images of the Church in the New Testament, ed. C. Clifton Black, John T. Carroll, and Beverly Roberts Gaventa, The New Testament Library (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004). 28 Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers (Pacific Press, 1923), 17. 29 David L. Stubbs, Numbers, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2009), 156. 11 sanctuary narratives are punctuated with legislation related to various areas of life. For instance, the 10 Commandments (Exod 20) are followed by a series of laws, the so-called covenant code (Exod 21–23). Subsequently, the ritual instructions for the operation of the sanctuary (Lev 1–16) are followed by the so-called holiness code with its long lists of instructions to guide God's people in holy living (Lev 17–27). And finally, the book of Deuteronomy, after reiterating the 10 Commandments (Deut 5) offers a long section of laws prescribing ethical living in the promised land (Deut 12–26). A close look at the sanctuary services and its related legislation shows that although the ceremonial aspects of the sacrificial system was fulfilled by Jesus on the cross, the principles taught by the old system remain valid and are therefore applicable to the Christian life. One case in point is the principle that the best belong to the Lord. For instance, the most valuable materials of the sanctuary were those closet to God's presence in the most holy place. That is, while the furniture of the courtyard was made of bronze those of the most holy place were of pure bronze. Likewise, while the outer curtains that cover the tabernacle were made of simple hair and animal leather, the inner curtain made of fine cloth with sophisticated embroidery.30 In the same vein, fat was off limits for priests and people alike (Lev 3:16–17; 7:22–25). A number of reasons may have lie behind this rule, but one significant explanation points out that "fat was associated metaphorically with what was best and most nourishing in foodstuff, such as the produce of the land (Gen 45:18) or wheat (Deut 32:14) or grain and olive oil and wine (Num 18:12). Just as the choice parts of an animal were reserved for an honored guest, so these parts were reserved for God as the host of this sacred banquet."31 In other words, the lesson was being taught that the best belongs to God. As the Israelites went about their daily lives, the sanctuary and its attendant legislation reminded them that the best belongs to God and they are to live accordingly. A number of regulations, some of them rather idiosyncratic from a modern perspective, also convey important lessons about lifestyle. For example, a leper was barred from approaching the sanctuary until he was declared clean by the priest (Lev 13:1–8), various conditions related to body fluids also made people unclean, until they were purified through a rite or the passage of time (Lev 15). Anyone who touched a corpse would be unclean and should go through a rite of purification involving the ashes of the red heifer (Num 19). A close inspection of these regulations in the context of the sanctuary system reveals that they were not arbitrary rules. Rather, they convey crucial lessons to the people of Israel. Leprosy and the other conditions mentioned above are evocative of death. Therefore, people bearing those conditions evocative of death are banned from the sanctuary until purification is accomplished. Such ritual laws conveyed the lesson that the God dwelling in the abhors death because He is the God of life. Death as a matter of principle is excluded from the sanctuary.32 And the Israelites would be 30 Philip Peter Jenson, Graded Holiness: A Key to the Priestly Conception of the World, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 106 (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1992), 89–114. 31 John W. Kleinig, Leviticus, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis, MO: Concordia, 2003), 89. 32 Hyam Maccoby, Ritual and Morality: The Ritual Purity System and Its Place in Judaism (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999), 207. But paradoxically the God of life must accept the sacrificial death of the animals, which typified the ultimate atonement to be provided by Jesus Christ. 12 often reminded of this fact as they went through the various purification rituals. Besides the ritual laws, the 10 commandments and other ethical instructions were a constant reminder that the Israelites were expected to live holy lives. But the principles and realities of the sanctuary not only had a bearing on the lifestyle of ancient Israel. Significantly, the injunction for God's people to be holy because God is holy reappears in the New Testament. Peter brings the holiness principle from the Old Testament sanctuary and applies it to the Church: "as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear" (1 Pet 1:14–17; cf. Matt 5:48). Thus the holiness principle of the earthly sanctuary also obtains with renewed emphasis in the context of the Church. As noted above, the Church as the earthly locus of God's presence functions in connection with the heavenly sanctuary where Christ ministers in our behalf. Therefore, the way we carry on our lives in the world should accord with our identity not only as a people that believe in the heavenly sanctuary but as a people that exist in the world as the special dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. As Ellen G. White, so nicely put: His [God's] church on earth is to assume divine proportions before the world as a temple built of living stones, each one reflecting light. It is to be the light of the world as a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid. It is built of stones laid close together, stone fitting to stone, making a firm, solid building. Not all the stones are of the same form or shape. Some are large, some are small; but each has its own place to fill. And the value of each stone is determined by the light that it reflects.33 Christ makes His church a beautiful temple for God. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name," He declared, "there am I in the midst of them," Matt. 18:20. His church is the court of holy life, filled with varied gifts, and endowed with the Holy Spirit. Appropriate duties are assigned by Heaven to each member of the church on earth, and all are to find their happiness in the happiness of those whom they help and bless.34 The Doctrine of Last Things Like the biblical doctrines related above, the doctrine of the last things receives profound illumination when perceived from the perspective of the sanctuary. Indeed, the sanctuary not only typifies the plan of salvation, but shows the resolution of the sin problem and the ultimate victory of God over Satan. The overview that follows outlines the broad contours of the last things as shown in the typology and reality of the sanctuary service. 33 Ellen G. White, Testimonies 8:173–174. 34 Ellen G. White, Our High Calling (Review and Herald, 1961), 164. 13 One aspect to be considered is the bi-phasic ministry of the earthly tabernacle. This means that the ritual service performed in the sanctuary consisted in two interrelated phases called daily service and annual service. As the name indicates, the daily service consisted of the daily sacrifices, offerings, and ministrations performed daily in the tabernacle. For the purpose of this reflections, the focus is placed on the sin offering as one significant aspect of the daily service. For instance, upon realizing that he had sinned, and Israelite would bring the sacrificial animal to the sanctuary, lay his hand on it, confess his sin, and slaughter the animal. From that point on, the priest at duty would collect the blood and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offerings. In some cases, the blood was brought inside the tabernacle, sprinkled before the veil, and then applied to the horns of the altar of incense. At any rate, the blood manipulation represented the transfer of sin from the sinner to the sanctuary. That is, the sinner was forgiven, but the sanctuary was contaminated. Ellen G. White thus explains the meaning of the sin offering: The most important part of the daily ministration was the service performed in behalf of individuals. The repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle, and, placing his hand upon the victim's head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice. By his own hand the animal was then slain, and the blood was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed. By this ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary. In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place; [...] but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the sons of Aaron, saying, "God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation." Leviticus 10:17. Both ceremonies alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary.35 Thus, by means of the daily services, sinners received forgiveness, but their sins were transferred to the sanctuary by means of the rites of blood manipulation. It should not be difficult to imagine that eventually the sanctuary would get so contaminated as to require a purification rite. For this reason, the Lord designated the 10th day of the seventh month as the day for the purification of the sanctuary. That day is designated Hebrew as "day of atonements"--the plural seems to convey the various atonement rites that were performed in that day--marked the annual service of sanctuary purification. Whereas in the daily service sins were transferred to the sanctuary, in the day of atonement sins were removed from there. Thus, the Day of Atonement was a day of purification and judgment.36 As we project the typical services of the earthly tabernacle on to the antitypical reality of the heavenly sanctuary, the following picture emerges. As the sins of Israel were transferred to the sanctuary during the daily services, so our sins are transferred to the heavenly sanctuary. By confession and trust in the blood of Jesus, our sins are transferred to the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus ministers in our behalf as typified in 35 Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Pacific Press, 1890), 354–355. 36 L. Michael Morales, Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of the Book of Leviticus, ed. D. A. Carson, vol. 37, New Studies in Biblical Theology (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 169. 14 the daily services of the tabernacle. As the earthly sanctuary needed purification once a year, so the heavenly sanctuary also needs purification (Heb 9:23). From a chronological perspective, the following overview can be helpful. Upon His ascension on AD 31, Jesus anointed the heavenly sanctuary and began to perform His intercessory ministry in the Holy Place; this aspect of Christ's work had been illustrated by the daily services of the sanctuary. In 1844, as predicted by Daniel 8:14, Christ entered the Most Holy place to perform the purification of the Heavenly Sanctuary, a work typified by the annual service or Day of Atonement. It should be noted however the activities of intercession that Christ had been performing until 1844 are carried over to the second phase of Christ's heavenly ministry; otherwise, the door of salvation would have been closed. In the typical system, which was a shadow of the sacrifice and priesthood of Christ, the cleansing of the sanctuary was the last service performed by the high priest in the yearly round of ministration. It was the closing work of the atonement--a removal or putting away of sin from Israel. It prefigured the closing work in the ministration of our High Priest in heaven, in the removal or blotting out of the sins of His people, which are registered in the heavenly records. This service involves a work of investigation, a work of judgment; and it immediately precedes the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; for when He comes, every case has been decided.37 Among the several rites that were carried out in the day of atonement, one deserves consideration. It is the ceremony related to the two goats. Early in the morning, the high priest set apart two goats, and by means of lots one was assigned to the Lord and the other to Azazel (Lev 16).38 The goat whose lot fell to the Lord was sacrificed and its blood was applied inside the sanctuary to effect purification, beginning in the most holy place, then in the holy place, and finally in the courtyard. By such blood manipulation the sanctuary was cleansed from the sins transferred to it through the daily services. After the cleansing of the sanctuary, a significant rite was performed on the live goat assigned to Azazel. This goat, it bears noting, was not sacrificed, but was kept alive near the altar while the High-Priest performed the purification rites. It clearly represents an entity that stands in opposition to the Lord, i.e., Satan, a notion that can be inferred from extra-biblical Jewish writings.39 To conclude the ritual actions related to the purification of the sanctuary, the high priest laid on his hands on the head of the live goat (Azazel) and thus transferred to it the sins that had just been removed from the sanctuary. Without further ado, the goat to Azazel of the congregation, was dispatched to the wilderness carrying the sins of the congregation. In this manner, the sins of Israel were carried away, and the entity that bore ultimate responsibility for sin and evil was removed. 37 Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, (Pacific Press, 1911), 352. 38 For a clear explanation about the Day of Atonement and the rituals related to the two goats, see Roy Gane, Leviticus, Numbers, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), 258–277. 39 See William H. Shea, "Azazel in the Pseudepigrapha," Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 13, no. 1 (2002): 1–8. 15 The rite involving the goat to Azazel typifies the elimination of sin and evil. By removing both the sin and the cause of sin from the Israelite camp, God demonstrates the perfection of His character and the justice of His government. What takes place after the cleansing of the sanctuary--the expulsion of of the live goat carrying the sins of the people to the wilderness--typified the fate of Satan after the purification of the heavenly sanctuary, when the archenemy of God will be imprisoned by a chain of circumstances during the Millennium before being forever obliterated (Rev 20). God's infinite love provided atonement for sin in the sacrifice of His Son, but because He is love, He will not condone sin forever. A day will come when God will eliminate sin and the cause of sin. And those who cling to sin will suffer the same fate. In the final act of the cosmic drama, the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven as the eternal capital of the New Earth. While the city's cubic shape evokes the most holy place of the temple, the throne of God and the Lamb inside the city reminds us of the shekinah-glory dwelling in the holy of holies (Rev 21–22). Thus, the grand biblical narrative comes to a climactic conclusion. What began with a garden-sanctuary concludes with a city-garden–sanctuary. But while the garden gates were shut to Adam and an Eve, the city gates will be forever open because sin and sinners will be no more. At this point the earthly sanctuary and its earthly counterpart are eternally merged in the everlasting communion between God and His people. Conclusion To conclude, the sanctuary message rests on a sound biblical foundation and provides an unifying perspective to the Seventh-day Adventist doctrines and beliefs. A close look into the sanctuary provides beautiful insights on the various biblical doctrines taught by Seventh-day Adventists. Through the lenses of the sanctuary our perception of God, humanity, and salvation becomes clearer and focused. In the same vein, the more we study the sanctuary, the more we understand church, the Christian life, and the last things. The sanctuary message has biblical, historical, and theological bearings on our identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Our existence as a denomination with a distinctive message based on the Bible emerges from a distinctive perception of the sanctuary truth revealed in Scripture. Of course, there is much more to reflect upon and investigate concerning so important a topic. The above reflections are just some preliminary considerations to lead us to deeper personal study and to a renewed commitment to instruct our congregations on the sanctuary truth. In doing so, we shall help our fellow-believers to understand that our doctrines—rather than an assemblage of bits and pieces—form a unified and integrated system of biblical truth. But above all, let us bear in mind that the importance of the sanctuary message lies in the fact that it emphasizes the love of God revealed and reflected in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
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