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Lesson 7

"Salvation and the Sanctuary"

We have already established the fact that all of the Holy Bible is inspired; (see 2 Timothy 3:16). This is very important because many today claim to be "New Testament Christians." There is no such thing! We must accept all of the inspired writings of the Bible, or we are not Christians at all! Remember that when this verse was written only the Old Testament existed. The verse was actually written with the Old Testament in mind, not the New.

 

Of course we must accept the New Testament now too. Along with the Old Testament, many churches want to discard what they consider to be relics of the old covenant. Christianity suffers today because of this disregard for God's truth. Malachi 3:6 tells us: "For I am the LORD, I change not." This fits perfectly with the teachings of the New Testament, for Hebrews 13:8 it says: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

God has appointed the sanctuary system as His teaching tool for His people. It reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ in the greatest of detail, and yet, all around us are churches which claim to teach the gospel, but they are well nigh completely ignorant of the truths of the sanctuary message. Don't forget to ask God right now, to give you help and understanding as you study this lesson!

1. What does David exclaim about God? Psalm 77:13

2. What did David say in Psalm 77:12

David points us to the Sanctuary in verse 13, but he tells us in verse 12 that his meditation would be on all of Christ's work. Here we find a real problem in the churches today. Without a doubt, the most important happening of all history was when Jesus died for you and me on the cross of Calvary, but this is the only work, of Christ, that most Christians ever consider. David says to meditate on all of Jesus' work in our behalf. Is it possible, that there is more to God's great plan of salvation than what took place on the cross? We must go to the Sanctuary system and find out!

3. What was Moses to make the Tabernacle or Sanctuary after? Exodus 25:9 & 40

4. What does Paul say that Moses made this pattern to serve unto the example and shadow of? Hebrews 8:5

The earthly sanctuary or tabernacle was made after the pattern of the sanctuary which exists in heaven. The things that were done in the earthly sanctuary, were to show us what would happen in the heavenly sanctuary. Look at the similarities: We are going to see that there were three phases to the sanctuary service. These three parts give us a complete picture of the plan of salvation. In all three of the phases, Jesus is the object of the emblem.

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5. What was the guilty sinner commanded by God to bring to the sanctuary?    Leviticus 4:27, 28, 32

6. What was he to do with it? Leviticus 4:29

7. What else was the sinner to do concerning his sin? Numbers 5:6-7

8. Whom does the Lamb represent? 1 Peter 1:19

Did you notice that the lamb was killed by the guilty sinner? We usually think in terms of the Roman soldiers having killed Jesus on the cross of Calvary, but in fact, it was the burden of our sins that killed the Savior! He died because of my sins and yours; so we are guilty of His death and the shame of the cross.

9. Can we continue to crucify Jesus today? Hebrews 6:6

When we continue to sin, even after God has forgiven us of our past life of sin, it is as if we nail Jesus to the cross all over again and put Him to open shame before the whole world. If we love Jesus, we will not do this! Think about what we have learned so far. When a person committed a sin, they would bring their best lamb to the sanctuary. This lamb had to be perfect because it represented Jesus and He was perfect. The guilty sinner would lay his hands upon the head of the lamb and confess his sins upon it. The lamb would then bear the sin for the sinner. Then he would slay the lamb and the priest would catch the blood in a basin. After using the lamb for a burnt offering, the priest would poor the blood at the base of the altar. The
priest would then eat of the flesh of the lamb. The purpose of the sanctuary system was to remove the sin. This is the same purpose for the plan of salvation; to remove sin from our lives.

 

The sin passed from the sinner, to the lamb, and then to the priest by way of the shed blood. Next we will see that the sin was transferred to the sanctuary itself.

10. Where did the priest put the blood, when he ministered inside the holy place or first apartment of the sanctuary? Leviticus 4:6

The sins of the people came to rest before the veil of the sanctuary. This veil separated the holy place from the most holy and the mercy seat.

11. In this second phase of the sanctuary service, whom did the priest represent? Hebrews 4:14

The first two parts of the sanctuary service were carried out every day so that the members of the congregation of Israel were able to continually receive forgiveness for their sins. Because of this we refer to this as the daily ministration. These things were done daily to signify that the process of salvation is a continual work that is going on.

12. How often did the service of the second apartment take place? Hebrews 9:7

This final phase of the sanctuary service is referred to as the yearly ministration because it took place only once a year. As the daily represented a continual work, the yearly represents a one time work that Christ will do to make a final end of sin. This day was called the Day of Atonement and is referred to as the cleansing of the Sanctuary.

13. Who only could enter into the Most Holy place of the sanctuary? Hebrews 9:7

14. What did Aaron, the high priest, present before the Lord, on the Day of Atonement? Leviticus 16:7

15. What did Aaron do with the goats next? Leviticus 16:8

One goat was selected to represent Jesus and the other represented Satan.

16. What was done to the Lord's goat? Leviticus 16:9

Jesus was the great sacrifice which made the plan of salvation possible. This goat was used to represent that great sacrifice.

17. What was done with the scapegoat or Satan's goat? Leviticus 16:10

Many Christians do not realize that Satan, the originator of sin, will bear the sins that have been forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. God commanded that this goat was to be brought alive, where the high priest would confess all the sins of the redeemed upon him.

 

It says that this goat would bear all the sins. Then he was lead out into the burning desert wasteland and left there to wander, until he eventually died.

18. What happens to Satan in fulfillment of this symbolism? Revelation 20:2

19. What are the redeemed by Christ, who are raised in the first resurrection, doing during this 1,000 year period of Satan's being bound? Revelation 20:4 (last part)

The first time the gift of tongues was displayed, it was done so that the disciples could break the language barrier and preach the gospel to the devout Jews from every corner of the earth. The second time, it was to convince these prejudiced Jews that God had poured out His Holy Spirit on the Gentiles just as He had done to them. Most of the Jews were of the opinion that Gentiles were unclean and unsavable. They thought that they had a monopoly on God and salvation. But God gave them this miracle as a sign that the Gentiles were to be accepted into the faith.

So we have two distinct reasons for the gift of tongues: 1] to bridge the language barrier, 2] as a sign. -- As we go through these verses, notice that these are the only two reasons for the gift of tongues, and that each and every time the gift of tongues is mentioned, one of these two reasons will apply.

20. What about the rest of the dead? Revelation 20:5

21. What is it, that the Bible says, has no power over the redeemed? Revelation 20:6

22. What exactly is the second death? Revelation 20:14

23. Who will have part in this second death? Revelation 21:8

In the sanctuary service, the lamb was slain to make atonement for sin in the outer court. It is important to note, however, that this was not the end of the service. Jesus was crucified on the cross in fulfillment of that lamb. This took place in the outer court, or this world, but the plan of salvation did not stop there. Jesus went on to the heavenly sanctuary, where He fulfilled the office of the intercessory priest in the first apartment, and He is now fulfilling the office of the High Priest in the cleansing of the sanctuary.

The final end of our sin does not come until it has been cleansed from the veil of the sanctuary and then placed upon the head of Satan for him to bear. This study has just been the very basics of the sanctuary service. There is a wealth of knowledge about what our Lord and Savior has done and is doing in our behalf. Remember Psalm 77:12 "I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings."

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"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." -- John 1:29

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