Us With Jesus: Ministry

UWJ|SYF5: The Sanctuary

5The Sanctuary

The sanctuary, as explained by Seventh-day Adventists from Scripture, is perhaps the denomination's key contribution to theology.

Revelation 1:12, 13

"Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man."

Here John describes Christ as walking among "the seven lampstands," which would have reminded his Jewish readers of the sanctuary imagery in Scripture. You'd be amazed at how people respond when you help them visualize the sanctuary and its profound meaning in the plan of redemption. In fact, it depicts the entire process of salvation by grace through faith.

I once pastored in a small town that seemed extremely resistant to the Bible truths taught by the Seventh- day Adventist Church. I asked the Lord to lead me to someone receptive, and that's how I met Mike. In our first conversation, he asked how the Old Testament and 30 New Testament were connected, and he also asked if I was an Old Testament or a New Testament Christian. I sketched out a diagram of the sanctuary and showed him how each part is directly connected to the ministry of Christ.

Mike's eyes filled with tears. "This is the most precious truth I've ever heard!" he said. He started attending church that next Sabbath and was baptized several months later.

I believe we should do everything possible to inspire discussions about this timely truth. Share the sanctuary with people by drawing a simple diagram while describing the service and its symbolism. Next, invite them to look up a series of New Testament texts, all of which show how Christ is pre-figured by each part of the sanctuary. Jesus Himself is the door to salvation, the sacrifice for our sins, the Bread and Water of Life, the Light of the world, and the perfect lawkeeper. This exercise immediately reveals the unity between the Old and New Testaments.

(On the next page you can see a simple version of the diagram and Bible verses I used with Mike. For a printable version, visit www.revivalandreformation.org, click on the Resources tab, and select Witnessing).

I even have t-shirts depicting diagrams of the sanctuary and all the dates of the 2,300-day prophecy, because you never know how the Holy Spirit will prompt a person's curiosity. God's way of witnessing to His people and surrounding nations was by use of the sanctuary and its symbolism. His form of witnessing still works today!

Sanctuary Diagram and Bible Study

The entrance and the outer court:

1. Jesus was the to the sanctuary (John 10:7-11).

2. Jesus was the of the sanctuary (John 1:29).

3. Jesus was the on the altar (1 Cor. 5:7).

4. Jesus was the in the laver(John 4:14).

The Holy Place:

1. Jesus was the of life (John 6:35, 48, 51).

2. Jesus was the of the world(John 8:12).

3. Jesus was the that represents His prayers on behalf of sinful humanity (Heb. 7:25; James 5:16).

The Most Holy Place:

1. Jesus, like the ark in the sanctuary (Deut. 10:4, 5), kept the (John 15:10).

2. Jesus describes Himself as the that was kept in the ark (John 6:54-58).

3. Jesus was the from the grave(1 Cor. 15:20).

Key: door, lamb, sacrifice, water, bread, light, incense, law, manna, firstfruits.