The Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary

LESSON 8

THE CLEANSING OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on His Way is in the Sanctuary. The topic for this study is: The Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary. In our previous study, we considered the passage of Daniel 8:9-14 in the light of how Satan attacked the spiritual significance of the various articles of furniture in the sanctuary, and how the Lord restored these spiritual ordinances through the reformers and the remnant church. In this study, we will consider another aspect of this same passage in light of the second and final phase of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. The lesson has been categorised in five sub-sections as follows:

1) THE CLEANSING OF THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY

In our previous lesson on the services of the sanctuary, we considered in detail the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary which occurred once in a year on the Day of Atonement. We noted how on the sacred Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary and atoned for the sins of the people of God. We understood that in performing this task of atonement, the high priest symbolically cleansed the sanctuary from all the sins that had been transferred therein through the repentant sacrifices of God's people throughout the year (see Leviticus 16). Moreover, we noted that the Day of Atonement was also a day of judgement for Israel. From the book of Leviticus, we read about this important feast of Israel: "23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.

23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people."

(Leviticus 23:27-29; see also Leviticus 16:29-31) As the passage above indicates, all those who failed to afflict their souls or make their hearts right with God during this day of judgement were cut off from God's people when the high priest left the Most Holy Place of the earthly sanctuary. Now, it is important for us to note that the feast of atonement, just like any of the Israelite feasts, was a symbol of what was to come later on in the future, in relation to the work of the coming Messiah. With this understanding, we are now prepared to delve into the second phase of Christ's work in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary.

2) THE CLEANSING OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

Just as the earthly sanctuary needed to be cleansed from the sins of the repentant people of Israel, so was it necessary for the heavenly sanctuary to be also cleansed from the sins of God's people which have been transferred therein through their penitent prayers to the Father through Jesus. In the book of Daniel, we read about the antitype of the yearly service of atonement of ancient Israel. This antitype (which is the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary) is captured within Daniel's vision of the 2,300 years prophecy. From Daniel 8:14, we read the specific words: "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed".

Even though the prophet Daniel knew that this time prophecy he had received in vision was very important, he could not understand it. In the latter part of Daniel 8, the prophet expressed his feelings in relation to this time prophecy in the following manner: "And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; AND I WAS ASTONISHED AT THE VISION, BUT NONE UNDERSTOOD IT" (Daniel 8:27; Capital Emphasis Added).

Confronted with such a perplexing situation, the prophet took the matter to God in prayer (see Daniel 9:1-20). While he was engaged in prayer, the following incident happened: "9:21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision."

(Daniel 9:21-23) From the verses 24 to 27 of Daniel 9, the angel Gabriel provided Daniel with important information that helped him to unravel the 2,300 days prophecy and its connection with the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. Now, before we proceed to consider Gabriel's explanation to Daniel, there is the need for us to understand a very important prophetic key that is utilised in explaining apocalyptic time prophecies of the Bible. This prophetic key is the "Day - Year Principle" of interpreting Bible prophecy.

This principle basically points out that in interpreting time prophecies of the Bible, one prophetic day should be interpreted as one literal year (see Ezra 4:6; Numbers 14:34). What this means is that the 2,300 prophetic days should be interpreted as 2,300 literal years, counting each day for a year. With this understanding, we will convert the various time calculations in Gabriel's explanation of the 2,300 days to literal years using the "Day - Year Principle" in reckoning apocalyptic time prophecies of the Bible.

3) GABRIEL'S INTERPRETATION OF THE 2,300 DAYS PROPHECY

With the background above, we will now go through Gabriel's explanation to Daniel in relation to the 2,300 days prophecy. As we go through Gabriel's explanation, I will also provide key explanations that will help us to understand the various prophetic figures that are spread out in the passage. Angel Gabriel began his explanation to the prophet Daniel concerning the 2,300 days prophecy as follows:

A) 9:24 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy."

Key Explanations:

i) In helping Daniel to understand the 2,300 days prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the angel Gabriel begins with an explanation of the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. Thus, it is clear from the angel Gabriel that the 70 weeks prophecy is the clue that unlocks the 2,300 days prophecy.

ii) According to the angel Gabriel, the first 70 weeks of the 2,300 days prophecy were cut out or separated for the Jewish people to get their acts right with God.

B) 9:25 "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."

Key Explanations:

i) In this text we are given a description of an event that will begin the 70 weeks, the first portion of the 2,300 days. This event is the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem.

ii) Beloved, there are four different commands by various kings in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah that deal with the restoration of the people of Israel from captivity. The first command was given by Cyrus in 538 B.C. (see Ezra 1:1-4); the second command was given by Darius 1 in 519 B.C. (see Ezra 6:1-12); the third command was given by Artaxerxes 1 in 457 B.C. (see Ezra 7:12-26), and the fourth command, which was actually a reauthorisation by Artaxerxes 1 in 444 B.C. for Nehemiah to continue with the rebuilding exercise that he commanded to be stopped (see Ezra 4:7-23; Nehemiah 1-2).

At this point in our study, a crucial question which begs for an answer is this: which of these four commands was the angel Gabriel referring to in Daniel 9:25? Now, in order for us to obtain the correct answer to this question, it is important for us to note that the event that begins the 70 weeks prophecy is a command to RESTORE AND BUILD JERUSALEM, not just the temple. You see friends, out of the four commands that sought to restore the Jewish people from captivity, only the command by Artaxerxes 1 in 457 B. C. was comprehensive enough to include the total restoration of the Jewish people (review Ezra 7:12-26), and the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem (review Ezra 4:7-23). The other three commands do not qualify to be used as the starting point of the 70 weeks prophecy; for the first two commands were primarily given in relation to the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem (review Ezra 1:1-4; Ezra 6:1-12), while the fourth command was only a reauthorisation by Artaxerxes 1 for Nehemiah to continue with an earlier command that he had given in 457 B. C. (review Ezra 4:7-23; Nehemiah 1-2). It is important for us to note that the accusation that was brought against the Jews in Ezra 4:7-23 does not say that the Jews built the city out of their own accord. This fact helps us to understand that the decree by Artaxerxes 1 in relation to the Jews in 457 B. C. included an opportunity for the Jews to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

iii) The command to rebuild the city of Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks (that is, 69 weeks). Now, let us convert this time period into days to make for easy explanation:

Seven weeks: 7*7 = 49 days

Threescore and two weeks: 62*7 = 434 days.

NB: A score is 20. Thus, threescore is 3*20=60.

Thus, seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks (69 weeks) will be: 49 days + 434 days = 483 days.

From the calculation above, it is clear that the command to restore and build Jerusalem (given in 457 B.C.) unto the Messiah the Prince shall be 483 days. Thus, when we count 483 days from 457 B.C., it brings us to the date 27 A. D. At this point, someone is likely to ask the question, how did you arrive at A.D. 27? In answering this question, there are two important steps to consider:

a) It is important to note that dates are counted upwards in A.D. but downwards in B.C. Now, counting dates in A.D. is quite simple. All you need to do is to count forward by adding one to the previous year. For instance, if this year is A.D. 5, next year will be A.D. 6 and so forth. However in B.C., the years are counted downwards. For instance, if this year is B.C. 5, next year will be B.C. 4 and the year that follows will be B.C. 3 and so forth.



b) It is important to note that in moving from B.C. to A.D., there is no zero year. And so from B.C. 3, we move to B.C. 2, then to B.C. 1, then to A.D. 1. There is nothing like a zero year.

With these two background points firmly in hand, I want us to try and see whether we can count correctly the 483 days from B. C. 457 and arrive at A. D. 27. Now, when we follow the normal arithmetic procedure by subtracting 457 from 483, we obtain 26 instead of 27. We are one year short of the desired year of A.D. 27 because the arithmetic calculation automatically factored in a zero year which reduced our counting by 1. To obtain the right figure, we just have to add 1 to 26 to neutralise the effect of the zero year. When we do this, we arrive at our ideal year of A.D. 27.



Fulfilment: As the prophecy predicted, the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem was completed within the 69 weeks. Moreover, it was during the year A.D. 27 that Jesus was anointed at His baptism by God to begin the work of redemption for the human race. It is interesting to learn that the title Messiah meaning the "anointed one" was utilised by the apostle Peter in reference to Christ. From Acts 10:37-38, we read the following from the apostle Peter: "10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the BAPTISM which John preached;

10:38 How God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

(Acts 10:37-38; Capital Emphasis Added) From the disciple Luke we also learn the following in relation to the time Christ was baptised: "3:1 Now in the FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that JESUS ALSO BEING BAPTIZED, and praying, the heaven was opened,

3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

(Luke 3:1, 21-22; Capital Emphasis Added) Friends, secular history makes it absolutely clear that the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar was A.D. 27, the exact time that the prophecy predicted that Christ will be anointed. Now, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, it is very clear that the Messiah showed up on the exact time to begin His work of redemption for the human race.

C1) 9:26 "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

Key Explanation:

After the threescore and two weeks (62 weeks), the Messiah was to be cut off. What this text is basically saying is that after the 69 weeks which brings us to A.D. 27, the Messiah was to be killed. We are also told that the Messiah was cut off not for himself. The prophet Isaiah echoed this fact in his prophecy of the Messiah: "53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? FOR HE WAS CUT OFF OUT OF THE LAND OF THE LIVING: FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE WAS HE STRICKEN."

(Isaiah 53:6-8; Capital Emphasis Added) C2) 9:26 "... and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

Key Explanation:

This part of the text refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Roman army. The prince in this text is used in reference to Titus who led the army. As the prophecy predicted, this event took place after the death of the Messiah in A.D. 70.

D1) 9:27 "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

Key Explanation:

Out of the 2,300 days, 70 weeks were cut out for the Jewish people to get their acts right with God. So far we have looked at the first 69 weeks which brought us to A.D. 27. The verse 27 of Daniel 9 above deals with the last week of the 70 week prophecy.

Now, when we add the last 1 week (which is, 7 years) to the earlier 69 weeks (which is, 483 years), we arrive at the total of the 70 weeks (which equals 490 years). Friends, we are told from Daniel 9:27 that the Messiah was to confirm the covenant with many during the final week of the 70 - week period. Moreover, the text makes it clear that within the middle of this week, the Messiah was to cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.

Beloved, just as the prophecy predicted, Jesus was crucified on A.D. 31, which is actually the middle of the final one week period of the 70 - week prophecy. His death brought an end to the sacrifice and oblations of the Hebrew sanctuary. From Matthew 27:50-51, we read about this incredible event: "27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent."

(Matthew 27:50-51) Friends, when Christ died, the Shekinah glory of Jehovah in the Most Holy Place of the earthly sanctuary was laid bare by an unseen hand; thus signifying the end of the sacrificial system of the Jewish sanctuary. It is encouraging to note that after the Jews had crucified Christ, He continued to confirm His covenant of grace with them through His disciples for 3 and a half more years. However, the Jewish leaders despised this covenant of grace by rejecting the gospel.

At the end of the 70 weeks (A.D. 34), the Jewish people fulfilled their complete rejection of the Messiah by stoning Stephen, a disciple of Christ, to death. This act of enmity against Christ and His church brought an end to their probation, and severed them from the covenant of grace that God had made with them to be His own peculiar people. The gospel was then taken to the Gentiles, and whoever believed in Jesus became a seed of Abraham and an heir of the promise of salvation in Christ Jesus (see Galatians 3:29).

D2) 9:27 "... and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

Key Explanation:

The latter part of Daniel 9:27 deals with the myriad of persecutions and desolations that was to come upon the Jewish people for their rejection of the Messiah. The explanations we have gone through so far have dealt with the 70 weeks which were cut out for the Jews out of the 2,300 days. This 70 - week period, as we have seen, ended in A.D. 34.

From A.D. 34, we must count 1810 more years before the 2,300 days will expire. Counting 1810 years from A.D. 34 will bring us to the year 1844. Thus friends, the entire timeline of the 2,300 days prophecy, which began from 457 B. C., actually ended in 1844. Now, from our key text in Daniel 8:14, we read that: "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed". Based on this text, it is clear that the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary began in the year 1844, the time when the 2,300 days prophecy ended.

4) THE HOUR OF GOD'S JUDGEMENT: 1844 AND BEYOND

When Christ ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He began an intercessory work for mankind at the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. From the apostle Paul, we read the following in relation to this work:

i)"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:24).

ii) "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:34).

iii) "1 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; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Hebrews 8:1-2).

In the year 1844, the time when the 2,300 days prophecy ended, Christ brought His intercessory ministry at the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to an end. And just as the high priest of the earthly sanctuary entered into the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement to cleanse the sanctuary, so did Christ also move from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844 to begin His final work of cleansing the heavenly sanctuary of the sins of God's people. As we have noted earlier, the cleansing of the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement was also a day of judgement for the people of God. Thus in 1844, Christ also began the investigative judgement to separate His penitent children from the wicked.

From Revelation 11:19, we read the following in relation to the movement of Christ from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place: "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail" (see also a parallel text to this in Daniel 7:13-14, 22). It is important for us to note that this text is referring to the opening of the door that lead to the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary; for it is at this place that the ark of the testimony of God is located. With this understanding, it is not surprising to note that the verse 18 that immediately precedes Revelation 11:19 talks about the judgement of the dead (see Revelation 11:18).

Beloved, from 1844, the year that the 2,300 - year prophecy ended, mankind has been living in the hour of God's judgement. It is the announcement of this judgement which took place through the loud voice of the first angel around 1843 and 1844 that we read as follows: "14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; FOR THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT IS COME: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

(Revelation 14:6-7; Capital Emphasis Added) 5) Friends, if there was a passage in Scripture which requires our undivided attention and study at this time of earth's history, it is Daniel 8:14. As this study has pointed out, this text helps us to know the sobering times in which we live and encourages us to order our lives aright. As I bring this study to a close, some important questions I want to ask you are these:

i) Is your heart right with God?

ii) Are you afflicting your soul just as the Israelites were expected to do during the feast of atonement?

You see beloved, just as the impenitent were cut off from Israel when the High Priest left the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement, so will the wicked be cut off when Christ leaves the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary and comes to earth to deliver His children (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 6:12-17).

Exhortation: Many people view the judgement as very bad news. For they shake at the thought of it. But beloved, if we give our hearts to Christ, we need not fear the judgement; for Christ who is our advocate today (see 1 John 1:8-10 up to 1 John 2:1-2), is the One to be our judge (2 Corinthians 5:10). From the pen of the prophet Daniel, we read the following encouraging news in relation to the judgement: "Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom" (Daniel 7:22).

In our next study, which happens to be the last in our series on His Way is in the Sanctuary, we will consider the topic: An Invitation to Enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary. The Bible study references for this study are Revelation 7:13-17, Revelation 3:12 and Revelation 3:21. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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