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Open Mystery of the Sanctuary
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the Lord. In that sanctuary earthly priests performed their service;
in this, Christ, our great High Priest, ministers at God’s right hand.
One sanctuary was on earth, the other is in heaven.
The tabernacle built by Moses was made after a pattern. The
Lord directed: “According to all that I show thee, after the pattern
of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even
so shall ye make it.” “Look that thou make them after their pattern,
which was showed thee in the mount.” The first tabernacle “was a
figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and
sacrifices”: its holy places “patterns of things in the heavens.” The
priests served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.”
“Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for us.”
Exodus 25:9, 40
;
Hebrews 9:9, 23
;
8:5
;
9:24
.
The sanctuary in heaven is the great original of which the sanctu-
ary built by Moses was a copy. The splendor of the earthly tabernacle
reflected the glories of that heavenly temple where Christ ministers
for us before the throne of God. Important truths concerning the
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heavenly sanctuary and man’s redemption were taught by the earthly
sanctuary and its services.
The Two Apartments
The holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented by
the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. John was granted a
view of the temple of God in heaven. He beheld there “seven lamps
of fire burning before the throne.” He saw an angel “having a golden
censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne.”
Revelation 4:5
;
8:3
. Here the prophet beheld
the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven; and he saw there
the “seven lamps of fire” and the “golden altar,” represented by the
golden candlestick and the altar of incense in the sanctuary on earth.
Again, “The temple of God was opened,” and he looked within
the inner veil upon the holy of holies. Here he beheld “the ark of
his testament,” represented by the chest constructed by Moses to
contain the law of God.
Revelation 11:19
.