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Sanctuary
173
At the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844, no sanctuary had ex-
isted on earth for many centuries; therefore the sanctuary in Heaven
must be the one brought to view in the declaration, “Unto two thou-
sand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
But how could a sanctuary in Heaven need cleansing? Turning again
to the Scriptures, the students of prophecy learned that the cleansing
was not a removal of physical impurities, for it was to be accom-
plished with blood, and therefore must be a cleansing from sin. Thus
says the apostle: “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of
things in the Heavens should be purified with these [the blood of
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animals]; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices
than these [even the precious blood of Christ].” [
Hebrews 9:23
.] To
obtain a further knowledge of the cleansing to which the prophecy
points, it was necessary to understand the ministration of the heav-
enly sanctuary. This could be learned only from the ministration of
the earthly sanctuary; for Paul declares that the priests who offici-
ated there served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.”
[
Hebrews 8:5
.]
The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two di-
visions: the priests ministered daily in the holy place, while once
a year the high priest performed a special work of atonement in
the most holy, for the cleansing of the sanctuary. Day by day 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 to the innocent sacrifice. The animal
was then slain, and the blood or the flesh was carried by the priest
into the holy place. Thus the sin was, in figure, transferred to the
sanctuary. Such was the work that went forward throughout the year.
The continual transfer of sins to the sanctuary, rendered a further
work of ministration necessary in order for their removal. On the
tenth day of the seventh month the high priest entered the inner
apartment, or most holy place, which he was forbidden, on pain of
death, to enter at any other time. The cleansing of the sanctuary then
performed completed the yearly round of service.
On the great day of atonement, two kids of the goats were
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brought to the door of the tabernacle, and lots were cast upon them,
“one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scape-goat.” The goat
upon which fell the lot for the Lord was to be slain as a sin-offering