Sanctuary 6 - House of God
Study given by W. D. Frazee - August 9, 1969
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; And having an High Priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" Hebrews:10:19-25.
Jesus is inviting us to enter in with Him into the holiest, the heavenly sanctuary. In the ancient service only the priest could enter into the holy place, and only the high priest could enter into the most holy place. But under the new covenant Jesus invites His people to come in with Him.
Notice that this is through the new and living way which He has opened for us - through the veil, His flesh. It was by giving His life on Calvary when His heart was broken that He opened up the way for us to have access to God. That is the way we come.
His blood is the offering which makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven, and for us to be accepted just as we have never sinned. No wonder He tells us to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. It is the privilege of everyone who meets the conditions to know his sins are forgiven, that he is accepted in the beloved, and treated as if he had never sinned.
Let's enter in. Why stay on the outside when reservations have been made for us within the veil.
Who is the High Priest? Jesus. We have been told that several times in Hebrews chapter four and eight. Hebrews 10:21 says He is the High Priest over the house of God. I wonder what the house of God is?
"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" 1 Timothy 3:15.
The church is the house of God. We have read it here in plain language. Jesus is the High Priest over the house of God, the church. In the typical service all Israel constituted the church (Acts 7:38). Church means the called out ones. Through all ages since sin began God has been calling His people out of the world of sin and reign of evil, and associating them with Himself and one another. Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees. Israel was called out of Egypt. Centuries later, when through apostasy they were in captivity, they were called out of Babylon. Today Jesus is calling His remnant out of Babylon into the true fold. So the church, the called out ones, is very appropriate.
Who is the head of this body? Jesus, the High Priest. What does over mean? He is the supervisor, the director, the ruler, the leader. He is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18).
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" Ephesians 2:19-22.
So the church is a temple. The ancient tabernacle Moses built was a copy of the temple in heaven. It also was a representation of the church. Notice this statement:
"The Jewish tabernacle was a type of the Christian church. The church on earth composed of
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those who are faithful and loyal to God, is the true tabernacle whereof the Redeemer is the minister. God and not man pitched this tabernacle on a high, elevated platform. This tabernacle is Christ's body, and from north, south, east, and west He gathers those who shall help to compose it. A holy tabernacle is built up of those who receive Christ as their personal Saviour. Christ is the minister of the true tabernacle, the High Priest of all who believe in Him as a personal Saviour" SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, page 931.
Don't misunderstand. This does not lessen the basic lesson that the Jewish tabernacle was a copy of the temple in heaven. There is no question about that at all. But that ancient taberna- cle was not only a copy of the temple in heaven, it was a type of the Christian church.
Since Jesus is the head of the church, and the High Priest over the family of God, let us draw near. I am so glad there is an organization in this world that has a divine head. I want you to think of what this means. This world has thousands of organizations. There are human governments - municipal, state, national. There are political organizations - political parties, trade unions. There are fraternal orders - lodges of various kinds, clubs of many kinds. And I might go on with a long list of organizations. As long as men behave themselves they have a right to form these different organizations. Every one of them is a human organization.
But there is one organization in this world that is entirely different. It is the church of the living God. It is the house of God. Paul isn't talking about the building. In the early century the church had practically no church buildings. They couldn't afford them. They were persecuted, and met in private homes. Sometimes in caves. Sometimes in the woods. But although they lacked buildings they did not lack organization. God had a house here on earth. When He forsook that temple in Jerusalem the time had come when God was to be worshipped all over this world in the assemblies of His saints. To them and among them Jesus manifested Himself.
The book of Acts is one triumphant story of the witness of the church with the indwelling Christ shining forth in all His glory as the Shekinah was manifested in the ancient sanctuary. It
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is a wonderful story. Is it all something that has passed away? Does Jesus have a house today? Does He have a family today? Does He have a church today? Is He the High Priest over the house of God today? Yes, thank God. In Revelation 12 we read the wonderful story of the church from the days of Christ right down through the Dark Ages of persecution. Then we read:
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" Revelation 12:17.
In the very remnant of time John sees this holy woman and her children representing the true church of Jesus Christ. They are known by keeping the commandments of God and having the testimony of Jesus Christ. He is witnessing to them and communicating with them and speaking through them. The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 19:10).
When in these latter days we find that remnant church which keeps the commandments of God and has the Spirit of Prophecy, we are finding the temple of which Christ is the High Priest. We are finding the family of which He is the head. We are finding the church that is more than a human organization, although it has human beings in it. It's head is divine.
The house of God is the church. Let's draw near. To what? Jesus. And if He is the head of the church, the High Priest over the house of God, in drawing near to Christ we draw near to His church. This is very important. The human body is a symbol of this. Could someone get very close to my head and still be a mile away from my body? It would be impossible, wouldn't it? But this is a closer union still. We are to be a part of the body of Christ.
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" 1 Corinthians 12:13.
Paul is writing here to the believers down in Corinth who have been called out of that vile, Grecian civilization of that hour. They had been called out of all that wickedness. What have they been called into? The body of Christ, the church of the living God. As God calls His children out of this world, and
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causes them to draw near to the sanctuary, they are baptized into this one body. And as the result they drink of one Spirit.
As we draw near to Christ, and this one body, we have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. Our sins are covered by the sprinkled blood, and our bodies are washed with pure water. This is the baptism we just read about. God wants a clean church. In token of that everyone who comes into the church is first washed.
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be bap- tized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" Acts 22:16.
Baptism shows our faith that the blood of Jesus covers all the sins we have given to Him, and we believe He will eventually finish what He has begun, and stand before Him at His appearing blameless.
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also 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; but that it should be holy and without blemish" Ephesians 5:25-27.
That is a wonderful picture. Here the apostle pictures the union between Christ and His church as close as the union between the husband and the wife. They two shall be one flesh. Christ and His church are joined together. This is a marriage forever, a union that nothing can sever.
The purpose of Christ in giving Himself for the church is that He might sanctify and cleanse it. Do you want to be cleansed? Jesus is in the business. We are baptized when we come into the church in token of our desire for that cleansing, and our faith. But this doesn't mean we are all through with it when we come in. Jesus gave Himself for the church that He might sanctify and cleanse it. Is the cleansing still going on? Does the church need more cleansing today? Yes.
I have thought about it. Suppose I look around me and see a brother who is not just what he ought to be, and a sister that says some things that would be better left unsaid. Suppose I say,
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I think I will get out of here.
Let's take the figure of washing. Here is a washing machine. It is one of those with a glass door so you can see what is going on inside. Those clothes are plunging around. Suppose there is a dirty shirt in there with the other dirty clothes. That shirt looks around and sees all those other dirty clothes in there and says, I think I am going to get out of here. I don't like all these dirty clothes. What would it accomplish? It would miss the opportunity of being cleaned up.
Some people seem to think that when they get into the church they will find perfection everywhere. They should in a sense. It would be nice if they would. But the church is a laundry in which Jesus is cleansing and purifying. What kind of things need cleansing? Dirty things. Jesus doesn't say you have got to stay out of the church until there is nothing left to be cleansed. In other words, you don't have to be perfect to come into the church. But you do need to be perfectly willing to turn loose of sin, and willing to associate with your brothers and sisters who are getting cleaned up also.
"And having an High Priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Let's get as close as we can to Jesus our High Priest, and as close as we can to the members of His body. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering." Steady. Not jumping around like a flea. Holding fast to the profession of faith, for He is faithful who has promised.
Has Jesus promised to cleanse us? Will He do it? Has He promised to forgive us? Will He do it? Has He promised to accept us? Amen.
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." Were you ever provoked? Did you ever provoke anyone else? Here is a provoking that needs to be done. It means to call out. There are some things you can do that will call out evil from people, but there are other things you can do that will call out good from them.
If you pinch a cat's tail it will probably provoke it. But Sanctuary 6 - page 6
if you stroke that same cat, you will hear it purr.
This is not to be accidental or incidental. We are to consider one another with this in mind. As I see my brother, I am to pray about it and think, How can I call out from him love. What can I do to encourage him in good works. If I keep busy in that I will not have a minute to provoke him to angry words. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is." Here is a clear reference to the visible church. How would you get an invisible church together? The purpose of assembling is to exhort one another. It isn't just to hear a sermon. It isn't just to hear some songs. It is to exhort one another. It means to express our own faith and help others to have faith. It means to express our courage and help others to have courage. If we see someone who is weak we are to bolster them up. If we see someone who is discouraged we are to put our arm around them and tell them to look where Jesus is in the sanctuary.
"And so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." What day is this? The coming of Jesus. When the apostle wrote these words they were important. But we are living right down here in the very toes of the image, the very last moments of time. To us these words must come with mighty force.
Do we see that day approaching? Oh, yes. A thousand things literally tell us of the coming of our blessed Lord. As a result of looking at these signs let us exhort one another, and so much more as we see the day approaching. Let's do it now.
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Continue by clicking on the study below
Study 1 The Holy Spirit & The Sanctuary - The Sacrifice
Study 2 The Holy Spirit & The Sanctuary - The Priest
Study 3 The Holy Spirit & The Sanctuary - Day of Atonement
Study 4 The Holy Spirit & The Sanctuary - Sanctuary Closed
Study 5 The Holy Spirit & The Sanctuary - Sprinkled Blood
Study 6 The Holy Spirit & The Sanctuary - House of God