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Have you discovered something new in Daniel and Revelation? The answer is really, no, it’s not new in that we bring in no different interpretations as to dates, beasts and such. But yes, it is rather new because, what we’ve been seeing in these prophecies is something we haven’t really seen stressed before. Both Daniel and Revelation are not built around beasts, but they are built around the sanctuary and Christ the minister of the sanctuary. They focus on what God is doing, while the beasts and evil forces roar below, and try to fight God’s plan of salvation.
To us it has been a startling thing. Now when people come and say, “you’re sanctuary doctrine is not Biblical. It was just something a bunch of disappointed people made up to save face after the disappoint”. I can only say, “Our sanctuary truths are the very foundation for understanding the gospel and the end times. It’s the very framework of Christ’s plan of salvation for each one of us. It’s the very undergirding of everything I read in the Bible. Yes, it is Biblical, very Biblical indeed!
I’ve often wondered why understanding the sanctuary has been said to be the very truth that will get us through the end times. Again people have ridiculed us and said, it’s Christ who will get you through, not the sanctuary. But as we have studied, it has become very apparent that understanding the sanctuary is understanding CHRIST, understanding the sanctuary is understanding how He works, and how He ministers, how He saves, Daniel and Revelation show how forces will array themselves to take us away from the real Christ and how He ministers . We understand all these things as we gain an understanding of the sanctuary which is a map of the plan of salvation offered to us by Christ.
I hope we will be able to share some of these insights with you throughout this week. My husband will be dealing mainly in the book of Daniel, whereas I’ll be jumping around a little more into other books of the Bible to reveal the ministry of Christ and the plan of salvation as shown in the sanctuary.
But first I would like to give you a quick overview of the sanctuary as found in Daniel.
Daniel's prayer presents that problem which each and everyone of us face.
I’m going to paraphrase this a little, but you will recognize it as Daniel’s prayer found in chapter 9:6-11:
O Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us belongs only confusion of face, as at this day; as all of us have sinned greatly, we are in bondage because of our trespasses which we have trespassed against you.
To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
Neither have we heeded your servants the prophets, who spoke in thy name to our leaders, to our fore fathers, and to all the people.
Yes, Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, because we have sinned against You.
Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Yea, all have transgressed your law, even by departing from it, trying to excuse ourselves from obeying your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, because we have sinned against him.
We then have the picture of Christ’s ministry in bringing these promises to fulfilment. The sequence is reversed here. We start in chapter nine and move into chapter eight and end with chapter seven when the saints finally take possession of the kingdom. Ole will explain this more later and show how the Hebrew people think from effect to cause rather than cause to effect. Thus chapter seven gives the effect, chapter eight is the intermediate phase and chapter 9 is the cause or beginning. So we will follow this reverse presentation of the great truths.
We will start with Daniel nine and simply look for Christ’s ministry in that chapter. The angel tells Daniel that the earthly sanctuary would be rebuilt and 490 years would be “taken from the 2300 years, and given to the Jews. In the last seven weeks Christ the Messiah would come. In the middle of those last seven years the Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself. It wasn’t for His sins that he was killed, nor was it for an immediate earthly kingship. It was for our sins that He died!
Compare this with Isaiah 53:.7,8
It was to renew the covenant with His people. To bring in the new covenant. He confirmed the covenant with His death, establishing the everlasting covenant with His own blood.
Now I want you to notice something that happens with frustrating consistency. Every time Christ is revealed fulfilling His sanctuary ministry, a counter attack is made to hide the truth from the people.
Someone once asked me, why, if the investigative judgement was so important, wasn’t it so plain that every child could pick it up on reading the Bible. Why do the majority of Christians not see it in the Bible? As I look back to Daniel nine and see that the MOST important part of the sanctuary story being prophesied concerning Christ’s death, it is shockingly apparent that for some reason this grand truth was even hidden from the Jewish people. Why didn’t the Israelites readily accept Christ as their Messiah when He came? Why didn’t they know He would die for their sins, not rescue them from the Romans? Why didn’t they know? As we will study the sanctuary this week we will see the gospel was plainly revealed to them, they should have know had they understood the sanctuary message. But the majority did not understand their own sanctuary message and thus they misinterpreted their prophecies.
Christ is the only ONE who can make a FIRM covenant! It was Christ's sacrifice which once and for all, and forever made an end to ceremonial sacrifices. For only His blood can wash away sins and restore the sinner. Only His sacrifice could make the covenant of promise sure and FIRM.
In Matt. 23.37,38 we see Christ weeping over Jerusalem:
John 19.14-16
Their prince came and destroyed the city and the earthly sanctuary; and this prince will continue to cause desolation until the time of the end.
The same choice faces the world today.
Who will we choose as our Prince? The King of kings, Jesus our Creator, Savior and Lord. Or the impostor prince?
And how could the Israelites have missed the truth? If they missed the truth, because they failed to understand the meaning of the sanctuary services, could we also miss the truth if we fail to understand the meaning of the sanctuary services.
Jesus, Himself said, in Matt. 26.28,
Why does desolation fall on Jerusalem, when the Redeemer of the World has just died for their sins?
For Daniel 9 shows us there are two princes. Messiah the Prince and another prince who works abomination and desolation.
Israel chose the wrong prince and turned their backs on the Prince of Heaven.
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified."
Chapter eight deals with Christ who begins his daily ministry for His people in the Holy Place. He is the Prince of the Host of Heaven, He is the One Who ministers continually (tamid), He is the TRUTH. But again the chapter reveals the counter-attack on earth. The people have the book of Hebrews in their hands, pointing them to Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. Telling them that is where they must look for forgiveness and for Christ’s strengthening presence and power.
But the counterfeit presumes to reach into heaven itself and pull these truths to the ground and apply Christ's ministry and authority to earthly authority, thus destroying people's knowledge, and confusing them on this subject, with the result that these great truths are hidden from the people.
A little horn comes up from one of the four winds. (grammar points to the winds, not four horns as the source of the little horn that arises) This horn does arise while the Grecian empire wanes, and it waxes very great. It gains not only political power but religious control as well and it makes war against the Prince of heaven Himself.
By him were the daily "sacrifices" taken away--most Bibles read.
Papal Rome presumed to take away from Christ, and appropriate to itself, the continual ministry Christ is providing in the heavenly sanctuary. They cast the truth down to the ground.
Again, remember, the word "sacrifice" is supplied in EVERY instance in Daniel 8. It is not in the original. The only word in the original is TAMID which means "continual". Translators have added the words sacrifice or burnt offerings etc. But this is not in the original. The original simply says the continuous - or Tamid--- and refers to Christ's continuous ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.
Christ, after His resurrection, ascended into heaven to enter into the heavenly sanctuary as our High Priest. Hebrews clearly tells us that Christ ascended into the heavenly temple, not built with hands to intercede there for us. He is ministering in a better temple, offering better blood, for the blood of animals could never atone for sin. This is a better Priest then any finite earthly priest. Yet this ministry of Jesus, the little horn tried to tamper with and offered a counterfeit substitute with its own system of earthly priests and earthly power over human conscience. They did this even after the great revelation of Christ on the cross and the book of Hebrews was placed in the hands of believers. Even after this magnificent revelation of the continuous ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary which He began after His crucifixion, using His own precious blood, this marvellous truth was almost completely lost sight of. For sinful human beings stood up and claimed the prerogatives of Christ in is work.
In the place of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary as outlined in the book of Hebrews, the little horn, the political minded medieval church, substituted it's own ritualistic sacrifice. It is rather interesting to note that, while the church cast aside the perpetual Sabbath of the Bible as "Jewish", they adopted the Jewish sacrifice system and Christianized it! Hebrews declares that Christ's sacrifice was ONCE AND FOR ALL. Christ does not have to die over and over again. Yet daily in mass, the Eucharist is celebrated in which the priest supposedly creates the body of the CREATOR of the universe and offers Him in a bloodless sacrifice over and over again.
No earthly priesthood, no earthly ministry, no earthly sacrifice or service in any earthly sanctuary can ever take away sin. It is only the priesthood and the ministry of Christ that can ever take away sin. Yet this little horn hid from the people's view the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary and focused their attention to earthly priests and powers. Rome claimed that ministry for itself, yet it CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY SIN.
"The place of His sanctuary was brought low."
"Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily and he cast truth to the ground."
Daniel 8.13
How long before the full message of the sanctuary will be understood? How long before people recognize the true ministry of Christ alone? How long will they neglect it "while transgression causes horror", and causes millions to be lost, because they can not find the true sanctuary where sin is forgiven and sinners are cleansed from their sins and set free from the power of sin!
This is a question which involves everyone! Every human being looking for salvation, no matter what denomination they belong to, needs to look to Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. All need to hear the message and understand. The sanctuary in heaven where Christ is ministering is not just for Adventists, it's for everyone! Everyone needs to hear and understand!
Daniel8.14
In prophetic reckoning where one day equals 1 year this means the sanctuary was to be cleansed in 2300 years! Since 490 years were given to the Jews, that means 1810 years would remain before the full sanctuary truth would be understood and Christ could commence with the cleansing of the sanctuary. The 490 years ended in 34 A.D. Thus 34 + 1810 = 1844. Yes, right on time! The sanctuary message was discovered and studied and taught. Now people had the knowledge and light on the subject and Christ.
"The sanctuary will be cleansed." The truth of Christ's sanctuary once again became known to Christians. God's law, the standard for cleansing, once again became known, and best of all, Christ's ministry in forgiving and cleansing His people became known once more. Now Christ can commence His work. Now a people can avail themselves of the full riches of Christ's ministry and develop the characters He would have them develop.
For instance the word tamid is also used in Leviticus 24:2 as the continuous presentation of the showbread. In Exodus 28:29 tamid refers to the high priest who continually wore the breastplate with the names of the children of Israel over his heart in his duties in the sanctuary.
The heavenly sanctuary was pulled back down to earth. People's eyes were no longer looking up to heaven for salvation, they were looking to a man made system for salvation.
An army of priests took control of people's conscience. Because people feel guilty for their sins and want to be forgiven, Papal Rome wielded enormous power over the people. All Rome had to do was threaten excommunication and whole kingdoms would bow at her feet. It was by taking over Christ's work in the sanctuary that Rome had such power. People seek forgiveness. People want freedom from guilt. People want to be saved. What awful power, to make merchandise of the grace and forgiveness of God, and use it as an arm of force to get people to bow to her authority.
Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily , and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
Notice the trend here.
Then Christ ascended to heaven and people were to go directly to Him as their High Priest for forgiveness of sins and for salvation. But a system arose that almost completely lost sight of this truth. Then finally in the Reformation it was again recognized, and amid much persecution brought forth.
Christ’s sacrificial ministry in the courtyard, that is this earth, where He was sacrificed for the sins of all people was a message that was almost completely lost sight of by the people who should have known. Christ was rejected and despised by the very people who should have understood the sanctuary message. But the sanctuary message had been lost, and the people didn’t recognize their Messiah. And even though they were religious, they faced destruction. Now we can’t understand this? But it happened. They did not understand the sanctuary truth and they rejected the true Messiah.
In Daniel 7 we see Christ move into the MOST HOLY PLACE to minister there.
Should we be surprised if once again this message is set aside for a more “earthly” message?
Daniel 7 once again gives us the sequence of history. We again see the “little horn” --it’s the same power that tried to cast Christ’s sanctuary ministry to the ground in chapter 8. It persecutes the saints and tries to change times and laws and blasphemies against God.
But in this chapter we see heaven’s action.
Vs. 8 and 11 talk about the little horn with it’s pompous words. Right in the middle, showing that the judgment is to deal with this “horn”, we see a heavenly judgment scene. The judgment scene is described again in verse 22 and 26.
This chapter vividly and graphically portrays the investigative judgment. The cleansing of the sanctuary, involves not only the removal of the forgiven sins of the penitent (another very important study) but also the cleansing of the sanctuary from the defilements of false religious systems and mere professions.
How often were religious earthly judgments made against God’s people? How often did religious leaders, assuming to speak for God, condemn the true followers of God? Now the whole universe will be able to se what the truth really is. Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand thousands will be witnesses at that court. Martyrs-consigned to hell by the earthly system will be vindicated by the heavenly court. Many so called “saints”, venerated by the earthly system, will be found to be not saints at all. God will be seen as just, fair and true. His ways are righteous. "Then will they discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not." (Mal. 3:18)
Every step of the way there is great opposition.
In 31 A.D. Christ died as the “Lamb” so vividly portrayed in the shadow types of the sanctuary. But the people didn’t recognize it and continued with their shadows.
Then the majority o Christians moved into adopting a version of the ceremonial system of priests and daily sacrifices (confessionals, mass etc.) and removed the focus of the people from the true ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.
During the Reformation the false was exposed and the people were again directed to Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. The way was opened for them to follow their high Priest from the Holy into the Most Holy Place. But again the enemy moved to obscure people’s understanding so they would not follow their priest in His work. Just as for 1260 years the enemy of souls well neigh succeeded in raising a counterfeit to obscure Christ’s work in the Holy Place, so he is now succeeding in obscuring Christ’s work in the Most Holy Place.
But the court shall be seated Dan 7:26 tells us. It is now seated. The dominion of the false systems will be taken away and destroyed forever. And judgment shall be made in favor of the saints of the most High, (vs 21) those whom Rev. 14:12 identifies as the ones who have both the commandments and the faith of Jesus.
Knowing this truth will give God’s people the assurance and strength to stand during the oppressive events ahead, when religious powers on earth try to enforce things that are against the commandments of God.
Christ’s way of salvation is revealed in the Sanctuary. And we want to be sure to be on the right path with Christ.
Daniel 8................... pictures Christ in the Holy Place as the mediator of His people.
Daniel 7....................pictures Christ in the Most Holy in the investigative judgment
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