Third Quarter 2003 Adult Sabbath School Lessons:
"Sanctuary Themes"

Insights to Lesson 1:
Jesus and the Book of Hebrews

June 28-July 4, 2003

(Produced by the Editorial Board of the 1888 Message Study Committee)

For the faithful Advent believers following the great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, the book of Hebrews played an integral role in reestablishing their confidence in the time prophecy of Daniel 8:14 and the cleansing of the sanctuary. They were assured that the "cleansing" of Daniel 8:14 was not of the earth by fire, but referred to the heavenly sanctuary on the Day of Atonement, which indeed did commence on October 22, 1844. The typology of the earthly sanctuary service in the book of Leviticus, combined with the book of Hebrews' antitypical heavenly sanctuary service and Priesthood of Christ beginning at His ascension, convinced these disappointed Advent believers that they were now living in a unique time of earth's history—the Day of Atonement at the "time of the end" (Daniel 8:17; 12:4).

Likewise the book of Hebrews should reestablish the confidence of contemporary Advent believers that Jesus, our High Priest and Mediator, is able to accomplish something never before seen in the history of the fallen race, namely a corporate body of believers who stand without fault before the throne, prepared for translation at His coming. The idea of perfection permeates the book of Hebrews. Jesus Himself became perfected through sufferings (Heb. 2:10; 5:8-9) and "He is able to save to the uttermost" (7:25) those that are willing to "go on to perfection" (6:1).

"Perfection" could never come through the Levitical priesthood (7:11), but by His offering, He is willing to perfect continually those who are willing to be sanctified (10:14). Those who embrace the sacrifice of Christ and His Day of Atonement ministry will allow "sin to be put away," leading to perfection prior to His coming (9:26-28). It is the blood of the everlasting covenant ministered in the "more perfect tabernacle" (9:11) that is able to make us "perfect for every good work to do His will" (13:20-21).      When we close this "insight" discussion, we will examine evidence from the book of Hebrews which authenticates Christ's two-apartment heavenly ministry and confirms Daniel's idea that "unto 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." But first let us examine some other morsels of truth from Hebrews.

Every priest must be taken from among men because he himself is beset by weaknesses like those to whom he ministers (5:1-2). But Hebrews makes clear that our High Priest is unique in that He possesses full deity and is Creator of the worlds (chapter 1). Moreover our High Priest is fully human, but not altogether like ourselves in that He is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (7:26). In what way is He separate from sinners? He was separate in that He never consented to sin or succumbed to His own will (John 5:30). Nevertheless He partook fully of the seed of Abraham and was made in all things like His brethren (2:16-17), having come in the likeness of sinful flesh infected with all the tendencies of a race affected with 4000 years of degeneracy. Therefore he was tempted in all points like we are, but without sin (4:15). "He began life, passed through its experiences, and ended its record with a sanctified will" (Signs of the Times, October 29, 1894). He was distinct from us in that His inherent divinity qualified Him to be united with His Father as He began life. We must respond to God's call through Christ to begin life anew with a sanctified will. It is encouraging to note that He exercised no power in His own behalf that is not freely offered to the sinner (The Desire of Ages, p. 24). It follows therefore that we may begin life anew in Christ and end its record with a sanctified will.

Hebrews also teaches a universal redemption of mankind. He tasted death for all (2:9; 9:12). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law and gave Himself a ransom for all (Galatians 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:6). The law itself holds the sinner captive under the curse and will be satisfied with nothing but the appropriate ransom; and that ransom is the redemption price, which is the death of the fallen race of men. In Christ all men died in one Man and the law was supremely magnified at the cross. A verdict of acquittal was granted to the human race by virtue of the righteous act of One Man, the Just for the unjust (Romans 5:16-18). Nevertheless, everyone must choose how they will respond to this magnetic love, revealed through the incarnation and death of the Son of God. So the author of Hebrews asks, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation" (2:3)?

The unique biblical truth of a heavenly Day of Atonement is taught by only one group on the face of the earth—Seventh-day Adventists. They are indeed peculiar because they keep (regard or cherish) the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus and have the testimony of Jesus. They are peculiar because they believe they are living in a time of emergency, a time of God's judgment before the imminent return of Christ (9:27-28). They are peculiar because they exercise every ounce of energy to cooperate with their heavenly High Priest in the cleansing of the sanctuary in order to vindicate His name by the final proclamation of the everlasting gospel and by preparing for translation at His coming.

If Daniel 8:14 is a fundamental pillar of scripture pointing to the cosmic Day of Atonement and 1844, we might expect to see some allusion to a specific point in time in Hebrews confirming the underpinnings of Daniel 8:14. Few Bible students dispute that Hebrews teaches the existence of a sanctuary in heaven, but some do dispute a two-apartment ministry of Christ and the commencement of the Day of Atonement in 1844 at the conclusion of the 2300-day prophecy.

In Hebrews 9:1-10 Paul uses the reality of the two-apartment ministry of the earthly ritual to teach the reality of the two-apartment ministry of Christ in the heavens. He sets forth the distinction between the earthly first and second apartment priestly ministry in a four-fold repetition:

1. In Hebrews 9:1-5 the contrast of the two apartments and their furniture is described.

2. In 9:6-7 the priestly duties in the two apartments of the earthly sanctuary are contrasted (notice Paul's repeated use of "first tent" corresponding to the "first tent" of the earthly sanctuary in 9:1-8).

3. In 9:8 Paul contrasts the purpose ("the way," hodos in Greek) of the first/second apartments of the earthly sanctuary where the purpose of the holies (second apartment of the earthly sanctuary) is not evident while the "first tent" or apartment still functions.

4. Finally, in 9:9-10, Paul uses the earthly sanctuary as a parable to contrast the heavenly two-apartment ministry in Paul's "present time." The first apartment of the earthly sanctuary is a symbol or parable for Paul's present time of Christ's first-apartment ministry "until the time" (some future time specified by the prophetic time clock) when the earthly second apartment will be symbolic or a parable for the still future (in Paul's day) heavenly Day of Atonement and Christ's second-apartment ministry. This idea is enfolded in the phrase: "until the time of setting right" or reformation in verse 10 (di-orthosis is equivalent to sadaq, to "set right" or "cleanse," in Daniel 8:14) "being imposed" by prophetic time terminating in 1844 at end of the 2300 days.

In other words, just as the purpose of the most holy place was not revealed in the earthly service while the first apartment still functioned until the Day of Atonement, so the same insight is now true with the coming of the heavenly reality. The time of "setting right" in Hebrews 9:10 (where di-orthosis literally means to restore to the original condition or set right) is equivalent to the Hebrew word sadaq in Daniel 8:14, which literally means "to restore" or "set right;" it also encompasses the idea of "cleanse." But that time, the time of the end, was far distant in Paul's day. Since the book of Daniel was sealed until the time of the end, Paul gives a subtle, but explicit allusion to Daniel 8:14. Thus we see in Hebrews 9:9-10 the future termination of the 2300 days with the first-apartment service no longer being imposed and the commencement of the second-apartment ministry of Christ and the cleansing of the sanctuary according to God's prophetic time clock. In the remainder of chapter 9, Paul focuses on the reality of the dedication and the now "on-going" heavenly ministry of our true High Priest in the "more perfect tabernacle" (9:11). The serious Bible student may refer to the attachment for further explanation Hebrews 9:1-10.

This quarter's lessons promise rich rewards as we discover the realities of perfection, the heavenly sanctuary, the Day of Atonement and the cleansing of the sanctuary, the divinity and humanity of Christ, and the everlasting gospel in the book of Hebrews.

Special Notice: Read online or print out a study by John W. Peters, "The Stupendous Truth of Daniel 8:14: Does It Appear in the New Testament?" This carefully thought-out study is good news for Seventh-day Adventists.

 Read the study notes for lesson 2