The Sanctuary Service and Christianity
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The ancient Hebrew Sanctuary service has everything to do with Christianity because it is all about Jesus.
The Sanctuary and all the services associated with it were designed to illustrate the ministry of Jesus. The whole system was in effect prophecy of the life, death, and ministry of Jesus acted out by the Priests. Or if you will, it was a year-round passion play.
A Walk Through the Sanctuary
Since the Israelites were nomads in the Sinai desert at the time God gave the instructions for building the Sanctuary (or Tabernacle) He designed a Sanctuary for them that was portable – made of cloth like a tent. If you were to drop back in time and visit this Sanctuary, the first thing you would notice is that the tabernacle sat in the middle of a large and empty square defined by the tents of the Israelites. The distance from the nearest tents, which would be those of the priests, to the tabernacle was somewhat over a half mile. This meant that nobody could approach the tabernacle without being seen. If you went to the tabernacle with your sacrifice you did so in the full light of day in the sight of all. There were no secret worshipers, and as there was only a single gateway into the courtyard, there was no slipping in by the back way.
Once you passed through that gateway you would then find yourself in a large enclosed courtyard. In this courtyard the first object you would see is the Alter of Burnt Offerings. Just beyond the Altar of Burnt Offerings was a laver of water.
Next you would come to the Sanctuary itself. Stepping inside you would see a large chamber called the Holy Place with three pieces of furniture inside it. To your left hand would be a seven branched lamp. To your right would be the Table of Shew Bread. And straight ahead just in front of a thick curtain, the Altar of Incense.
If you passed beyond that curtain you would enter the innermost chamber of the Sanctuary called the Most Holy Place. In here you would see but a single piece of furniture, the Ark of the Covenant. It is in the Ark of the Covenant that the stones bearing the 10 Commandments were kept. On the Ark of the Covenant was a cover (or lid) which was called the Mercy Seat, indicating that justice and mercy were blended together at this place.
Overlooking the Mercy Seat were two cherubim or angels with wings stretched out over the mercy seat. And it was here, above the Mercy Seat, between the two angels, that the Shekinah Glory, the literal visible presence of God on earth dwelt.
Each of these three divisions of the Sanctuary and their particular pieces of furniture and the rites performed within them, are symbolic and prophetic of various aspects of Christ’s ministry for us sinners. And the one overriding theme of it all was: “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).
Behold the Lamb of God
Now what follows is a somewhat simplified overview of the Sanctuary service and its relation to Christ’s ministry to us today
Leviticus 5:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
When a person sinned in ancient Israel, they took an animal, (and for simplicity sake, I will use a lamb in my examples throughout this discussion) and took it to the entrance of the courtyard of the Sanctuary. There they laid their hand on the head of the lamb and confessed their sins over the lamb. By this act their sins were symbolically transferred from themselves to the innocent lamb. Thus, by faith, they confessed their sins upon Jesus the Lamb of God, who bore the sins of the whole world in his own body. Then with their own hands they had to slay the innocent lamb, signifying both their own guilt and their acceptance of Christ’s death on their behalf. By these acts they looked forward to a promised Messiah.
Beyond this point the sinner could do no more. At this point the priest took over and placed the body of the slain lamb on the Altar of Burnt Offerings. The priest then took some of the blood of the lamb and took it into the Sanctuary and sprinkled it in front of the veil, that is, the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Thus, symbolically transferring the confessed sins of the sinner from the lamb to the Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary was the place where the sinner found forgiveness of sins. The work of the Sanctuary was the work of the removal of sin from the sinner. The Sanctuary was the center of redemptive activity. Anything that has to do with the plan of salvation focused on the Sanctuary.
A Shadow of Heavenly Things
This work of sacrifice was performed for the sinner every day; thus it, this entire service, was known as the ‘daily’ or the ‘continual’ because it never ceased but continued 24 hours a day, every day, year around, symbolizing the fact that God’s amazing grace is always available day and night.
The Israelites did not design the Sanctuary themselves. The entire design of the Sanctuary and everything that was associated with it was given them by God.
Exodus 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
Exodus 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
The Sanctuary Moses built was not the original. The earthly Sanctuary was but a copy, an imitation, of a greater original. And what was the original which the earthly Sanctuary was patterned after? Of this the apostle Paul wrote;
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
This text is very significant. Most people look at the ancient Hebrew sanctuary service as a ritualistic observance that has little if any relevance to Christianity. But the Old Testament sanctuary services, “serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” In the Sanctuary and its services God is trying to communicate heavenly things to us concerning our salvation. In the Sanctuary and its services God is trying to illustrate to us great truths about the plan of salvation – and of things that are taking place in heaven itself on our behalf.
Jesus, Our High Priest
Hebrews 8:1-5 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man for every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Thus, we see that the ancient Israelite sanctuary service has everything to do with Christ’s heavenly ministry on our behalf.
The testimony of the Bible is clear – there are two sanctuaries: One, the original and true tabernacle in heaven; and second, a copy of the heavenly original on the earth that serves as an illustration of what happens in the heavenly sanctuary.
It is through understanding the significance of the earthly Sanctuary and its services that we can understand the work that is going on in the heavenly Sanctuary. If you don’t have a truly Christ-centered understanding of the earthly Sanctuary, the services of the heavenly Sanctuary will forever remain a mystery. And note that I said a Christ-centered understanding. Every day, every year, the people and the priests acted out in broad outline God’s plan of salvation for a sinful world. Some of the richest testimony of Christ that is to be found in the Old Testament is to be found in the Old Testament Sanctuary services.
Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Jesus is the high priest (our high priest) ministering on our behalf in the heavenly Sanctuary. And if we would know something of the nature of his work in the heavenly Sanctuary, and just exactly what it is that he is doing for us there, then we need only to study the earthly illustration that God has so graciously given us.
Hebrews 4:14, 16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God … Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The Plan of Salvation in Types and Symbols
The ministry of Jesus is illustrated by the Hebrew Sanctuary service – and Jesus is the fulfillment of those services.
To briefly review – When the OT sinner came to the sanctuary to receive forgiveness for his sin, he stood in front of the Altar of Burnt Offerings and placing his hands on the head of the lamb, confessed his sins over the lamb. Thus, symbolically transferring his sins from himself to the lamb. And the Hebrews did understand that this transfer of sin was only symbolic. They understood that it was not by the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats that they were saved. In Hebrews 10:4 Paul tells us “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
Turning to the Old Testament we find this truth clearly understood.
Psalm 51:16-17 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Micah 6:6-8 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Not by the blood of bulls, calves, lambs, or goats, but by the blood of Jesus we are saved. The bulls, calves, lambs, and goats of the earthly Sanctuary service served as symbols of Christ. When the sinner confessed his sins over the head of the lamb, in actual reality it was upon Christ that he laid his sins. And it is Christ who has born all our sins on the cross.
The Cross of Jesus Christ
John 1: 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Apart from an understanding of the Old Testament sanctuary service, that phrase “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” would have no real meaning. It is the sanctuary service that gives meaning to John’s statement.
When the sinner came with his sacrifice, and stood before the Altar of Burnt Offerings, he was in actual reality standing before the cross of Jesus Christ.
And in the earthly Sanctuary — this Altar of Burnt Offerings (symbolic of the cross of Jesus Christ) stood directly between the sinner and the Ten Commandment law in the Ark of the Covenant.
It was not possible for anyone other than the priests of Israel to come nearer to the Ten Commandments than the Altar of Burnt Offerings. Here they had to stop. Here they could go no further. From here, before this altar which represented the cross of Jesus Christ, the people had to trust to the ministry of the priests. And these priests were themselves symbolic of Jesus, who is our great heavenly High Priest.
Likewise, once we have confessed our sins, there is no more that we can do on our own behalf. From that point on we must trust implicitly on Jesus Christ, our heavenly High Priest. It is He, Jesus, and it is His cross, that stands directly between us and the law we have broken. It is impossible for us to come any nearer to the law than Christ Jesus and Him crucified.