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The Heavenly Things Purified, July 19
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and
without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore
necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be
purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 9:22, 23
.
What is the cleansing of the sanctuary? That there was such a service
in connection with the earthly sanctuary, is stated in the Old Testament
Scriptures. But can there be anything in heaven to be cleansed? In
Hebrews 9
the cleansing of both the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary
is plainly taught....
The cleansing, both in the typical and in the real service, must be
accomplished with blood: in the former, with the blood of animals; in
the latter, with the blood of Christ.
The cleansing was not a removal of physical impurities, for it was
to be accomplished with blood, and therefore must be a cleansing from
sin.
But how could there be sin connected with the sanctuary, either in
heaven or upon the earth?
As the sins of the people were anciently transferred, in figure, to
the earthly sanctuary by the blood of the sin offering, so our sins are, in
fact, transferred to the heavenly sanctuary by the blood of Christ. And
as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by the removal
of the sins by which it had been polluted, so the actual cleansing of the
heavenly is to be accomplished by the removal, or blotting out, of the
sins which are there recorded. This necessitates an examination of the
books of record to determine who, through repentance of sin and faith
in Christ, are entitled to the benefits of His atonement.
Then [in the great day of final award] by virtue of the atoning blood
of Christ, the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the books
of heaven.
He [Christ] asks for His people not only pardon and justification,
full and complete, but a share in His glory and a seat upon His throne.
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