August 25, 2022 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Hello, friends. Today we will consider the question more deeply, “What is Jesus doing in heaven right now?” as we look further into our Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Belief #24, “Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary,” as outlined on the adventist.org website shown at the bottom of the screen.
First of all, is there really a sanctuary in heaven? The answer is, Yes! The Bible tells us in Hebrews 8:2 that Jesus is “a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.”
There was also an earthly sanctuary, that was a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (Heb. 8:5). It was modeled after the heavenly sanctuary, which was shown to Moses, so we could learn about what happens in heaven. For you see, the various elements of the earthly sanctuary service pointed forward to the amazing gift and work of Jesus Christ.
To understand Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary, it is helpful to look at earthly sanctuary and the work that was carried on there.
The earthly sanctuary was set in the middle of the camp of the Israelites, with a cloth border separating it from the rest of the camp. When one entered through the open gate, he came into the courtyard, where the Altar of Burnt Offering was located. This is where the morning and evening sacrifices were offered. It was the place where people brought their lambs to sacrifice for their sins. All of these sacrifices pointed forward to Jesus, the perfect Lamb. This symbolism is reinforced in the New Testament, when John the Baptist saw Jesus and cried out, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
In the courtyard of the earthly sanctuary, you would also find the Laver. This was a huge basin of water, used for the cleansing and purification of the priests.
Throughout the Bible, water is used as a symbol for life and purity. Jesus’ ministry offers us cleansing, healing, and hope through the waters of baptism, just like the psalmist prayed, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Ps. 51:2).
The earthly sanctuary itself was a special tent-like structure, with two compartments—the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. Only the priests could enter the sanctuary.
Inside the Holy Place were three pieces of furniture. The Table of Shewbread had two stacks of bread, with six loaves in each stack. This bread was made new each week, and symbolized Jesus, who is “the Bread of Life.” Today, Christ gives us this “bread of life” through His Word, the Bible. He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).
The second piece of furniture was the Golden Candlestick. There were seven lights on this candlestick, which were always filled with oil for burning. Again, this symbolized Jesus, the “Light of the world” (John 8:12). His ministry brings joy and hope to us, and His light can shine through us to give light to others.
The Altar of Incense was close to the veil separating the Holy from the Most Holy Place. Incense burned on this altar and filled the sanctuary with fragrance, representing the prayers of God’s people. “Let my prayer be set before You as incense,” prayed David in Psalm 141:2.
On the other side of the veil was the most sacred part of the tabernacle–the Most Holy Place. There was only one piece of furniture in that small room: the Ark of the Covenant, also called the Ark of the Testimony. On top were two golden angels, looking down from either side of the ark, their wings spread over the sacred box.
Inside the ark were the two tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments. The law shows us God’s will and helps us to realize how much we need Him. In Psalm 19:7, 8 we read: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. . . . The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” Jesus’ ministry in the heavenly Sanctuary gives us wisdom to see why humanity needs a foundational law that tells us what is right and wrong.
Also inside the ark was a pot of manna, the food God rained down from Heaven to feed the Israelites in the wilderness. This is a reminder of how God promises to take care of us, even when our situations seem impossible.
One more item inside the ark was Aaron’s rod that miraculously flowered when the tribes questioned who God had chosen to serve as priests, and God gave a very clear answer.
God promised that the Ark of the Covenant was where His presence would be. “And there I will meet with you,” God told Moses. “And I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony” (Ex. 25:22).
Only the High Priest could come into the Most Holy Place where God’s presence was. This happened once each year, on the Day of Atonement–a very important, solemn day to “make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary” (Lev. 16:33).
This was also known as “cleansing the sanctuary,” for you see, all year long, the sins of the people were symbolically transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of animals, but on this day, these sins were cleaned out of the sanctuary.
This cleansing of the sanctuary has special prophetic significance, as we read in Daniel 8:13, 14—”Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, ‘How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?’ And he said to me, ‘For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
This prophetic passage is filled with significance and, as we will see in our next video, is directly linked with Christ’s ministry today in the heavenly sanctuary.
In closing, let us thank the Lord for giving us a wonderful picture of His work of redemption symbolized in the earthly sanctuary, and of the reconciliation that is now taking place through His work in the heavenly sanctuary. As it says in Amos 3:7—”Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
Let’s pray together just now. Father in Heaven. Thank you for the amazing, beautiful truths and symbols that come from the study of the Heavenly Sanctuary and the earthly sanctuary, the earthly sanctuary being a pattern or copy of what is in heaven. And thank you that we can understand better how Christ Ministry is so pervasive and so powerful. He is the wonderful cleansing power, the water of life that can come to us through Him. He is the bread of life. He is working through the Holy Spirit to bring us the power of the Holy Spirit. In the candle light, understanding and in the beautiful aspect of the altar of incense and the prayers that ascend, that you understand and hear all that we share and Lord, the wonderful arc of the Testament which helps us to truly understand you are the all powerful God with your beautiful Ten Commandments, which are foundational in the love of God. So, Lord, we thank you for all these beautiful understandings, our blessings, as we understand further about the investigative judgment and about how soon we can be with you in heaven. For you are coming quickly. Thank you for hearing us in Jesus name. Amen.