“Apart from the shedding [outpouring] of blood there is no remission of sins. It was needful therefore that the copies of the things in heaven should be cleansed in this way, but that the heavenly things themselves should be cleansed with more costly sacrifices” (Hebrews 9:22, 23, Weymouth).
Here inspiration presents the cleansing of the sanctuary in shadowy type and heavenly reality. Whereas the earthly tabernacle was cleansed with the blood of animals, the temple above must be cleansed with better sacrifices, even Christ’s precious blood. Notice that the apostle says it is “needful,” or essential—it must be done, for this is the goal of the entire sanctuary service.
But how could anything in heaven need cleansing? As we study the types of the Mosaic tabernacle we can understand something of the answer. In our last chapter we learned that Jesus is not only the Lamb who died for us but also the Priest who lives for us. Having given His life on the cross as a sacrifice for sin, “by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place” (Hebrews 9:12).
In the type, the priest sprinkled the blood of the substitute on the horns of the golden altar. Thus the penitent found forgiveness as the priest symbolically transferred his sin to the sanctuary. That sprinkled blood spoke of pardon, of covering. But God desires not only to cover sin but also to blot it out, which He does in the services of the Day of Atonement, the climax in the round of ministration dealing with sin (see Leviticus 16; GC 418-420).
On the morning of the Day of Atonement two goats were presented at the door of the tabernacle. The priest cast lots, one for the Lord, the other for Azazel (Satan). After preliminary services, the high priest killed the Lord’s goat and carried its blood into the most holy place. Covered with a cloud of fragrant incense, he approached the mercy seat and sprinkled the blood directly over the law which Israel had transgressed. Thus final atonement was made for the sins which had been brought into the sanctuary day by day in the services of the court and the holy place.
After sprinkling the blood on the mercy seat, the high priest touched the blood to the horns of the golden altar and of the brazen altar, thus completely cleansing the entire sanctuary. When he had made “an end of reconciling,” the high priest placed his hands on the live goat and confessed Israel’s sins, “putting them upon the head of the goat” (Leviticus 16:21). An appointed man led this goat far off into the desert, and at the close of the Day of Atonement God had a clean sanctuary and a clean people.
In the heavenly service Christ appears for us in the temple above, first in the holy place and finally in the most holy place. In the ancient tabernacle, the priests repeated the round of service year after year. But Christ’s ministry is “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). Once for all He died upon the cross. Once for all He carried on His priestly ministry in the holy place. Once for all He entered the most holy, there to remain until His purpose is accomplished “to put away sin,” “to do away with sin,” “to abolish sin” (Hebrews 9:26, KJV, Weymouth).
Certain questions come to mind: What is the difference between the sprinkled blood in the holy place and the sprinkled blood in the most holy place? The first provides for the covering of sin, the second for the blotting out of sin. What is the difference between covering and blotting out? Covering means a provisional pardon. Final pardon waits until the Day of Atonement.
Why does not God blot out sins as soon as sinners confess their transgressions? God has given us the power of choice, and He respects our exercise of this choice. If we choose to leave our sins in the sanctuary, Jesus will blot them out in the closing work of the judgment. On the other hand, if we wish to return to a life of sin, God will not forcibly prevent us. e sins we have given up we can take again if we choose.
Can Christ give a person victory over any sin? Can He deliver from an evil temper, from lust, from covetousness, from indulgence of appetite? Yes, Christ’s ministry in the sanctuary will accomplish it. “What was done in type in the ministration of the earthly sanctuary is done in reality in the ministration of the heavenly sanctuary” (GC 420). At the close of the antitypical Day of Atonement, Jesus will have a clean sanctuary in heaven and a clean people on earth. Then He can close the sanctuary and come for His waiting people who welcome Him with joy. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28). Notice that He was offered once “in sacrifice in order that He might bear the sins of many” (Weymouth).
In an earlier chapter we discussed Jesus as the sin-bearing lamb. Then in the holy place we beheld Him as the sin-bearing priest. Now we understand that He must bear this burden until the final blotting out. But when He comes the second time, He no longer bears sin. He appears “the second time without sin.” His sacrifice has accomplished its purpose. His ministry as Priest is over. He has “put away sin by the sacrifice of himself ” (Hebrews 9:26).
Let us think of some practical implications. The sanctuary service will not run on forever. There will come an end to its ministry, and we call that event the close of probation. You can see that in order for sins to be brought out of the sanctuary they must first be carried into the sanctuary. Before God can blot out our sins, He must first pardon and cover them. The first work is to get the sins into the sanctuary. The second is to get them out. Let me illustrate.
Suppose in your community you have only one laundry. Day by day the work goes on, getting the clothes in and then getting them out. Now let me say it reverently: The sanctuary is God’s laundry. “Christ...loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Now suppose the next time you take a load of clothes to your city laundry you see a big sign: “This laundry will close December 31.” I can imagine people as they see the sign exclaiming, “What in the world will we do? We’ve always had a laundry. We’ve never known anything else! What will we do? There is no other laundry in town.”
Then suppose we notice a second sign: “Classes are now being held daily in how to keep your clothes clean so that you won’t need a laundry.” Would you attend? You would if you believed the sign—unless you didn’t care whether you had dirty clothes or not!
Sad to say, some people will never clean up. And concerning them God will soon have to declare, “He which is filthy, let him be filthy still” (Revelation 22:11). Yes, the laundry is going to close. But classes are now being held at the heavenly sanctuary. Jesus wants to teach us now how to get clean and keep clean. It can be done. It will be done. I would hate to think that our blessed Lord must stand there forever taking care of the sins that people keep sending in. There must come an end to the defiling stream if the sanctuary is ever cleansed.
In the type, while Aaron ministered in the most holy place making the final atonement, the people gathered at the sanctuary to search their hearts and to pray. And what Israel did in type we are called to do today. As our High Priest engages in His last mediatorial work, shall we send Him the word that we are heart to heart with Him in His longing to make an end of sins? Shall we by faith come to the sanctuary, where He lifts His wounded hands for us at the mercy seat? Our response will cheer His heart.
“Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole; I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
“Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat; I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet,
By faith, for my cleansing; I see Thy blood flow; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” R&R WDF
