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The Great Controversy 1888
said Paul, “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and
which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for
us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever.” “Neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into
the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” [
Hebrews
6:19, 20
;
9:12
.]
For eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued in the
first apartment of the sanctuary. The blood of Christ, pleaded in behalf
of penitent believers, secured their pardon and acceptance with the
Father, yet their sins still remained upon the books of record. As in the
typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year,
so before Christ’s work for the redemption of men is completed, there
is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This
is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time,
as foretold by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the most
holy, to perform the last division of his solemn work,—to cleanse the
sanctuary.
As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed upon the
sin-offering, and through its blood transferred, in figure, to the earthly
sanctuary, so in the new covenant the sins of the repentant are by faith
placed upon Christ, and transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctu-
ary. And as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by
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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. But, before this can
be accomplished, there must be 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. The cleansing of the sanctuary
therefore involves a work of investigation,—a work of judgment. This
work must be performed prior to the coming of Christ to redeem his
people; for when he comes, his reward is with him to give to every
man according to his works. [
Revelation 22:12
.]
Thus those who followed in the light of the prophetic word saw,
that, instead of coming to the earth at the termination of the 2300
days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly
sanctuary, to perform the closing work of atonement, preparatory to
his coming.