Information on the Different Areas of the Sanctuary Servic

Introduction

The aim of this research is to gather information on the different areas of The Sanctuary Service and look at each area in depth. The major areas that will be focused on are The Earthly and Heavenly Sanctuary, Scenes of the two apartments and Jesus as our High Priest in the Heavenly Sanctuary. I'll look at the first or holy apartment and how frequently it was used, the meaning and purpose of the symbols in the earthly sanctuary, the seven churches in revelation. The next area that will be focused on is the seven seals, the functions of the earthly priests, the eschatological implication of the seven last plagues, comparison between the priests in the heavenly and earthly sanctuary and the significance of the present functions of the heavenly priest. All these areas will be looked at in their entirety so as to give an understanding of their meanings and also to broaden your knowledge base where the sanctuary service is concerned.

EARTHLY BAND HEAVENLY SANTUARY

The first or holy apartment was for daily use.

Hebrews 9:6-"Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God."

The first, or holy, apartment had three articles of furniture: the golden candlestick with seven lamps (Exodus 25:37), the table of shewbread, and the altar of incense. The service here was daily. On the altar of incense, the priest burned incense morning and evening. A magnificent veil separated this apartment from the second.

For a description of the furniture of the first apartment, turn to Exodus 25:23-40; 30:1-6; 40:22-27.

2. The second, or most holy, apartment was entered only once a year.

Hebrews 9:7-"Into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people."

In the second, or most holy, apartment was the ark, the central figure of the entire sanctuary. In the ark were the Ten Commandments engraved on tablets of stone. All services centered in the fact that men had transgressed this holy, unchangeable law. All men needed mercy. So, above the law, as a covering of the ark, was the mercy seat, made of pure gold. On either end of the mercy seat were cherubim made of beaten gold. Their faces looked downward in reference to the holy law.

Above the mercy seat was the Shekinah, or the manifestation of the divine presence. The law decreed death upon the transgressor, but above the law was the mercy seat, overshadowed by the presence of God. Mercy and pardon were granted by virtue of the atoning blood.

For a description of the second apartment and its furniture, turn to Exodus 40:20-21; 25:10-22; Hebrews 9:3-4; Deuteronomy 10:4-5.

Meaning and purpose of the symbols in the earthly sanctuary

In dealing with the furniture of the tabernacle, God commenced with the Most Holy Place. The center of the great typical Day of Atonement was the Ark of the Covenant, or ark of the testimony, containing the Ten Commandments. This beautiful gold-covered chest was centrally located behind the second veil. Its top was referred to as the mercy seat, and it was cradled by the wings of two golden cherubim. For some time, Aaron's rod that budded and a golden pot containing God's manna for His people were also contained in the ark.

The Holy Place, twice the area of the Most Holy Place, contained three pieces of furniture--the table of shew-bread to the right, the seven-branched golden candlesticks to the left, and the altar of incense in the center (immediately before the veil dividing the two apartments).

On the table of shewbread, placed in two piles, were twelve loaves made of fine flour. These were replaced every Sabbath by the incoming priests. The outgoing priests, each week, removed the old loaves.

Apparently, the wine for drink offerings, kept in the Holy Place, was contained in bowls and also located on the table of shewbread.

"And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering," Numbers 28:7.

The pouring out of this wine represented the blood of Jesus which was to be poured out on Calvary for the sins of God's people. At the feast of the Passover, the bread and wine, pointing to Christ's death, were the center of significance. These foreshadowed the emblems of the Lord's Supper.

The seven-branched candlestick was made of pure gold. Each branch had a bowl which was shaped like an almond and contained the oil. Beside the candlestick, the snuffers and the snuff dishes were made of gold.

These candles (oil lamps) were the only light in the tabernacle, and were to burn day and night. The lights were never to be all extinguished at the same time.

The altar of incense occupied the central position within the holy place. About three feet high and one and a half feet square, overlaid with pure gold, this altar held a central role in the morning and evening services. Hot coals from the altar of burnt offering in the courtyard were placed upon the altar of incense. The smoke from the powdered incense poured on the hot coals permeated the two apartments of the tabernacle because the curtain that divided the holy from the Most Holy Place did not reach to the ceiling of the tabernacle. Further, the horns of this altar were touched by the priest for the whole congregation of Israel. On the Day of Atonement, the altar of incense was sprinkled with blood.

Two pieces of furniture were located outside the tabernacle within the courtyard: the laver and the altar of burnt offering. Both were intimately associated with the daily services. The altar of burnt offerings, probably five feet high and seven and a half feet square, was made of brass. Upon it was offered the sacrifices, and the horns of this altar were sprinkled with the blood of the victim.

The laver was a basin containing water. It was the duty of the priests to bathe their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle.

All the details that God gave Moses concerning the materials of the sanctuary had significance to God's people. The people, having now returned to the worship of God after the golden calf experience,