9 - PATTERN-CONTRAST AND THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT
Hebrews
8 and 9
Edited March 24, 2018
Seventh-day Adventists use
pattern-fulfillment to explain why the Day of Atonement did not occur at
Calvary, but, instead, began in 1844. Rather than agreeing with Miller's final
admission and most early Adventists that nothing happened in 1844, a very small
group re-defined the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 from their first guess of earth
itself to the “heavenly” sanctuary. Not knowing Hebrew, they equated the KJV
word, “cleansed” (tsa-daq), in Daniel 8:14 with the “cleanse” (ta-heer)
in Leviticus 16:19, 30. Instead of Christ coming to judge the wicked by
destroying the earth with fire, they decided that He only moved from the Holy
Place to the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to only begin judging
the lives of professed believers in order to determine whom to recreate from
annihilation.
Since, until 1844, Christians
everywhere (including SDAs) had believed that Jesus had entered the Most Holy
Place as High Priest at his ascension, then justification was needed for this
completely different explanation. While ignoring pattern-fulfillment for every
other aspect of the sanctuary, the new explanation demanded the use of
pattern-fulfillment concerning the Day of Atonement in 1844.
GC417: [Ellen G. White] But the most
important question remains to be answered: What is the cleansing of the
sanctuary? That there was such a service in connection with the earthly
sanctuary is seated in the Old Testament scriptures. In Hebrews 9 the cleansing
of both the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries is plainly taught. “Almost all
things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no
remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the
heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these” (Hebrews 9:22-23), even the precious blood
of Christ.
GC418: But how could there be sin
connected with the sanctuary, either in heaven or upon earth? This may be
learned by reference to the symbolic service; for the priests who offered on
earth, served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” Hebrews
8:5.
GC420: And what was done in type in the
ministration of the earthly sanctuary is done in reality in the ministration of
the heavenly sanctuary.
Applying SDA Pattern-Fulfillment: Even
before her statements in GC417-420, The Great Controversy stated that
Christ only ascended into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary by
quoting Revelation 4:5 and 8:3 (GC414-415). Next, a brief statement about
Daniel 8:14 says that it “unquestionably refers to a sanctuary in heaven.”
Moving back to Hebrews 9:23-24, the reality of the “patterns” requires that the
heavenly things be purified with the blood of Christ (GC417). The new “light
from God” was in their “discovery” that the cleansing is necessary because Christ’s
sacrificial blood had “transferred sin” to the sanctuary and defiled it with the
atoned sins of God's people (GC418-420). This was because the sin had not
been canceled by the blood of the sacrifice (GC420). Their pattern-fulfillment
then moved away from Calvary to 1844 to the second coming because the removal
of sin from the heavenly sanctuary must still be occurring “in reality in the
ministration of the heavenly sanctuary” (GC420). Since the sins of the saints
still remain on the books of record in heaven, they must be removed before
Christ can return. This removal began in 1844 (GC421).
The Truth about Pattern-Fulfillment
In context, the book of Hebrews does NOT
teach that the Old Covenant sanctuary service provided a must-follow “pattern,”
“example,” “copy,” “shadow” or blueprint for New Covenant Christians. In fact,
in context, many texts in Hebrews and almost every text in chapters 8 and 9
teach pattern CONTRAST. Hebrews teaches that the Old Covenant sanctuary patterns
ended at Calvary by replacing the Old Covenant shadows with a new better
New Covenant purified blueprint.
For example, the following list
contains descriptions of Christ from Hebrews 1:1 to 7:28. With one exception
(4:15 to 5:4), all are contrasts to the Old Covenant high priest -- not
pattern-fulfillment. There are seven (7) separate references to Christ's High
Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek who was not even an Israelite.
Contrast, not pattern-fulfillment, is clearly taught. Unlike the old pattern,
as high priest Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Majesty (1:3); worshiped
by angels (1:6); called “God” by the Father (1:8); personally anointed by God
(1:9); called Creator by the Father (1:10); called Eternal by the Father (1:12);
all things are subject to him (2:8); dies for all men (2:9); his person made
reconciliation for the sins of the people (2:17); is an Apostle (3:1); is
greater than Moses and is the son of God (3:3, 5, 6); is a house builder (3:3,
4); provides rest (Moses and Aaron did not) (4:3); is the Great High Priest in
the heavens (4:14); commands believers to approach the throne of grace with
confidence; was appointed High Priest by God’s oath (5:5); is after the order
of Melchizedek (1st time) (5:6); is the author of eternal salvation (5:9); is after
the order of Melchizedek (2nd time) (5:10); is a sure, steadfast, anchor of the
soul (6:19); is after the order of Melchizedek (3rd time) (6:20); blessed
Abraham (7:1); received tithes from Abraham (7:2); is the called King of
Righteousness (7:2); is the King of Peace (7:2); is an eternal priest (7:3); is
not related to the Levitical priests (7:6); received tithes from Levi (thus
Aaron) (7:9-10); is after the order of Melchizedek (4th time) (7:11); His High
Priesthood demands the Law be changed (7:12); if from Judah, not Levi (7:13-14);
is after the order of Melchizedek (5th time) (7:15); His Priesthood is based on
eternal principles (7:16); is after the order of Melchizedek (6th time) (7:27);
necessitated the annulment of laws governing the Levitical priesthood (7:18); proved
that laws concerning the Levitical priesthood could not perfect anything (7:19);
is a better hope providing all direct access to God (7:19); became a priest
through God’s oath (7:20); is after the order of Melchizedek (7th time) (7:21);
is the guarantor of a better covenant (7:22); has one unchangeable eternal
priesthood with no death (7:23-24); is an eternal intercessor (7:25); is holy,
innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens
(7:26); offered one sacrifice (7:27); is perfected rather than weak (7:28).
Again, none of these was seen in Aaron; contrast, not
pattern-fulfillment is the theme.
Aa mentioned earlier, Seventh-day
Adventists are not really interested in teaching pattern-fulfillment except
when it involves their own view of the Day of Atonement. Even then they fail to
follow their own once-a-year Day of Atonement pattern and make it over 170
years already. In order for all pattern-fulfillment requirements to be true for
New Covenant believers, the heavenly sanctuary would have (1) many Aaronic
priests and Levites, (2) daily evening and morning sweet savor offerings, (3)
weekly Sabbath-day offerings, (4) monthly new moon offerings, (5) yearly
Passover, Pentecost and the Day of Atonement offerings, (6) regular replacement
of the 12 loaves of bread, (7) daily refilling of the candlestick oil, (8)
daily burning of incense, (9) a laver for washing and many other comparable
pattern-fulfillments and (10) utensils and animal skinners. Therefore, the
following statement in GC420 actually causes more problems than it solves –
“What was done in type in the ministration of the earthly sanctuary is done in
reality in the ministration of the heavenly sanctuary.”
When Hebrews 9:9, 23; 8:5; and 9:24
(from GC417-418) are studied in order and in context, Hebrews 8 and 9
also clearly teach that the patterns only lasted as long as the Old Covenant
sanctuary and have no continuing relevance to New Covenant believers. They were
only “a figure for the time then present” (Heb 9:9).
Heb 8:1 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;
Contrast: Chapters 1 through 7 are
summed up in 8:1. The high priest pattern-functions which cycled from one year
to another have ended with the Melchizedek high priesthood of Jesus who, unlike
Aaron, has sat down in heaven. This is pattern ending.
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary,
and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Contrast: Nobody sat
down in the earthly sanctuary.
Heb 8:3 For every high priest is
ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this
man have somewhat also to offer.
Contrast: When SDAs teach that Christ's
ministry from His ascension to 1844 was that of ordinary priests (GC421), they
miss the point. He had already fulfilled His once-for-all-sins-for-all time
High Priestly Day of Atonement pattern and was already in the very Presence of
the Father. That is why he is seated.
Heb. 8:4 For if he were on
earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that
offer gifts according to the law.
Contrast: The Law ended at Calvary.
Christ was not required by Law to follow the sequence of sanctuary events
required by the Law. This verse teaches “pattern-dissolution,” not
“pattern-fulfillment.” (1) Christ was “out of Judah [not Levi] of which tribe
Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood” (7:14). (2) Since Christ was after
the order of Melchizedek, it was “far more evident” that he was not following
the Aaronic law-pattern (7:15). (3) Christ's priesthood came into existence
specifically “NOT after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of
an endless life” (7:16) --- meaning that it was NOT patterned “according to the
law.” As long as the Law was in place, Christ (from Judah) and Melchizedek (not
even a Hebrew) could not be in place.
Heb. 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, he said, that you make all things
according to the pattern shown to you in the mount.
Contrast: Christ was NOT a priest “who
offered gifts according to the Law” (8:4). Neither was He a priest “who serve
unto the example and shadow of heavenly things” (8:5). It is wrong to quote 8:5
and act as if 8:4 and 8:6 did not exist. Yet SDAs quote 8:5 to prove that the
heavenly New Covenant sanctuary must also follow the same pattern given to
Moses for the Old Covenant sanctuary. The priests were still serving even while
these words were being written. Heavenly things refer to “according to the Old
Covenant Law” (8:4). The example and pattern were only while the Law lasted.
Galatians 3:19 says that the “law” was “added” “til the seed should come.”
Heb. 8:6 But now he has obtained
a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better
covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Contrast: Jesus was never the
“mediator” of the Old Covenant Law. Four strong inspired pattern contrasts must
mean something important: “but now,” “more excellent ministry,” “better
covenant” and “better promises.”
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant
had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Contrast: Again, the pattern was only
for the “first covenant” --- for the “time then present” (9:9). Since God would
not allow a faulty covenant to be repeated in heaven, its patterns, or
blueprint” must be changed, or purified. As early as David's Psalm 110:4
prophecy stated that the Aaronic Law-pattern would end with a high priesthood
after the order of a non-Hebrew, Melchizedek.
Heb. 8:8 For finding fault with them,
he said, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah (Jer 31:31).
Contrast: It was to be “new” – not the
“old” reworded. The quotation in Hebrews
8:8-13 is from Jeremiah 31:31-34. While the only part of the Old Covenant which
did NOT change was is primary application to the “house of Israel” and the
“house of Jacob, SDAs reject this and replace national Israel with their own
remnant SDA church. The New Covenant church exists because it thrives off the
“crumbs” which Israel has temporarily rejected (Mt 15:26; 21:42; Mk 7:28;
12:10). Also, see Matthew 23:39. The new covenant does not follow the pattern
of “faulty” Israelites failing to obey it (Heb 7:11, 12, 18, 19; 10:1-10).
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead
them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I
regarded them not, saith the Lord (Jer 31:32).
Contrast: The new covenant was
explicitly “NOT according to” the [old] covenant (8:9). How much clearer
can God teach pattern-dissolution! The New Covenant would NOT follow the
pattern of the Old.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will
put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me a people (Jer 31:33).
Contrast: God moved the focus of His
Law from the Most Holy Place of the Old Covenant and placed it inside every
believer. Jesus came as Second-Israel and fulfilled the Law by living a sinless
life (Heb 10:4-10).
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every
man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all
shall know me, from the least to the greatest (Jer 31:34).
Contrast: The teaching ministry of the
Old Covenant priests and Levites has been replaced by the indwelling Holy
Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13).
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to
their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no
more.
Contrast: This is probably the
strongest text that the O.T. patterns ENDED at Calvary. While the one-day Day
of Atonement pointed to the one-day of Calvary in which God would “remember
sins no more,” Ellen G. White says this will not occur until the close of
probation before Christ returns (GC485, 1st para). (1) SDAs do not
follow their own day-for-a-year pattern for the Day of Atonement (170 years +
already. (2) Since the Investigative Judgment is all about God remembering sin
and having to cleanse His sanctuary of those defiling sins, SDAs definitely do
not teach that God does not remember atoned forgiven sin (GC417-422)!
When Hebrews 10:3 says “in those
sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year,”
it is referring to the entire repeating cycle, “For the law having a shadow of
good things to come” (10:1). The Day of Atonement was the time that Israel
“remembered” their residual unconfessed sins once a year (Lev 23:29). The
“shadow” of the Day of Atonement met its “reality,” not in 1844, but at
Calvary! Even Arminians teach that, at the very least, previously confessed,
forgiven and atoned sins of believers have already been forever washed away by
the blood of Jesus Christ, never to be remembered again. Yet SDAs apply the
final fulfillment of this promise to the end of the Investigative Judgment immediately
before Jesus returns when He has completed cleansing the heavenly sanctuary
(which He defiled by transferring atoned sins into it) (GC418-422, 485).
Heb. 8:13 In that he says, A new covenant,
he has made the first old. Now that which is decaying and waxing
old is ready to vanish away.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new
covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is
ready to vanish away.
Contrast: The patterns and blueprint
for the Old Covenant ended at Calvary, not 1844. Though the new covenant began
at Calvary, the unbelieving Jews continued its pattern until the Temple was
destroyed in A. D. 70 (Mt 26:28). Therefore, the SDA argument for exact
pattern-fulfillment ignores the context of 8:1-13 and only partially quotes 8:5
out of context.
Contrast: Hebrews 9:1-7 describes the
old covenant sanctuary with past tense verbs. It continues pattern-dissolution,
as contrasted to SDA pattern-fulfillment. It continues contrasting Christ's New
Covenant ministry in heaven with the Old Covenant ministry in the entire
earthly sanctuary. While verses 2 and 6 describe the daily ministry in the
outer holy place, verses 3, 4, 5 and 7 describe ministry inside Most Holy Place
of the Old Covenant.
Heb. 9:8 The Holy Spirit this
signifying, that the way into the holiest of all [toon hagioon] was not yet
made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.
Contrast: The continuing activities at
the first (old) covenant tabernacle were “signifying” that the way into
the “holiest of all,” the entire heavenly sanctuary, was not yet ready until the
Law and Old Covenant ended (8:4; Gal 3:19). From God’s perspective these
activities ended at Calvary (Mt 27:51; Mk 15:38; Lk 23:45). At His ascension
Christ’s New Covenant ministry in the heavenly sanctuary began (Ps 110:1; Acts
2:33-34).
Heb. 9:9 Which was a figure for
the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices,
that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the
conscience.
CONTRAST: This is an extremely
important text. The patterns given from heaven concerning the (old) covenant
sanctuary were only “a figure for the time then present.” They were NOT “a
figure for the future.” They do not depict reality in heaven. Contrast GC418-422.
Heb. 9:10 Which [time then present] stood
only in food and drink, and various washing, and carnal ordinances, imposed on
them until the time of reformation.
Contrast: “Until the time of
reformation” must refer to the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ (Gal
3:19). The O. T. worship “ordinances” ended when the “time of reformation”
arrived.
SDAs part with the majority of Christians
at Hebrews 9:9-10. The truth is that all of the patterns, examples and shadows
given to Moses in the Law were only temporary blueprints of Old Covenant
pre-Calvary reality! (Gal 3:19, 23-25).
In order to establish their Investigative
Judgment doctrine of the 1844-beginning of the Day of Atonement, Seventh-day
Adventists would have us believe that heaven itself has “reality counterparts”
for many blood-ministering priests, twice-daily whole burnt offerings, daily
animal sacrifices, grain offerings, drink offerings and ritual washings.
Heb. 9:11 But Christ being come an high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not
made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.
Contrast: Christ came as a High Priest
from Judah after the king-priest rank of Melchizedek (Heb 7:11-18). He did not
come as an Old Covenant Aaronic High priest from Levi who was required to
follow the Law-patterns.
Heb. 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place [ta
hagia], having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Contrast: “Neither … but” is contrast,
not pattern fulfillment. In its context “entered once” does NOT refer to the
Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. It refers to Christ’s inauguration of the New
Covenant when He entered it after Calvary (per 9:19-21).
“The holy place” is literally “the
holies” or “the holy places” in Greek. (1) If the phrase only refers to the
outer Holy Place, then “goats and calves” is meaningless because the high
priest daily entered the outer Holy Place with blood from both. And (2) if the
phrase only refers to the Most Holy Place on the annual Day of Atonement, then
the SDA argument fails because Christ entered into the Most Holy Place at His
ascension.
Heb. 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and
of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the
purifying of the flesh:
Note: Again, the blood of bulls and
goats and sprinkling with the ashes of a red heifer were part of the daily
ritual. The ashes of a heifer were not part of the Day of Atonement ritual.
Heb. 9:14 How much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Contrast: As long as the (old) covenant
ritual kept repeating itself year after year, the worshipper had no clear
conscience that his/her sins had truly been atoned. The contrast is between shadow
(old) covenant animal blood purifying the flesh and reality New Covenant Christ's
blood purifying the conscience. Hebrews 9:19-21 will clearly places 9:13 in the
context of the inauguration of the (old) covenant in Exodus 24:3-8 and not the
Day of Atonement.
Contrary to SDA theology, the
“cleansing of the sanctuary” is not about removing sin from the sanctuary per
the old covenant pattern. Rather it is about a new pattern which cleanses the
believer with the sinless blood of Christ. While the Old Covenant inauguration and
ministration only “purified [cleansed] the flesh” through shadow animal
sacrifices (9:13), the New Covenant inauguration and ministration with the
blood of Christ is much more effective. Not only does it purify [cleanse] the
flesh, but it also “purges your conscience from dead works” (9:14). The
“conscience” of believers is purged (cleansed) – not the heavenly sanctuary!!!
When the (old) covenant was inaugurated
in Exodus 24:7-8 half of the blood was sprinkled on the congregation. This is
obviously not a law-pattern fulfillment from the Day of Atonement!
Heb. 9:15 And for this cause he is the
mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption
of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are
called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (also Rom. 3:25)
Contrast: Although Christ is “the lamb
slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev 13:8), because of its repetition
the (old) covenant ministry could not convince the worshipper that his/her
confessed sin had actually been “cleansed” (Heb 10:1-11). Their conscience was not clean. However, that
blemish is not carried over into the New Covenant. Christ has already redeemed
every daily sin and every Day of Atonement residual sin confessed in the Old
Testament (and also the New Testament). This makes Ellen White's often-repeated
“but he was not yet entirely released from the condemnation of the law”
nonsense. Every sin mediated in the Old Covenant was unconditionally forgiven
because of the future perfect sacrifice of the sinless Lamb of God. SDAs teach
that the first application of Christ's blood conditionally atones and a second
application finally atones after one’s life record has been reviewed and
approved (GC423-432, 479-491).
Heb. 9:19 For when Moses had spoken
every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of
calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled
both the book, and all the people,
Heb. 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of
the testament which God has commanded you.
Heb. 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with
blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Contrast: Caution! Hebrews 9:19-21
refers to the inauguration of the Old Covenant in Exodus 24:3-8, It does not
refer to the inauguration of the 2-room Hebrew sanctuary nor to the Day of
Atonement ritual.
Ex. 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of
the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice,
and said, All the words which the LORD has said will we do.
Ex. 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose
up early in the morning, and built an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars,
according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Ex. 24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel,
which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the
LORD.
Ex. 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in
basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Ex. 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in
the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD has said will we
do, and be obedient.
Ex. 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the
people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made
with you concerning all these words.
The “cleansing of the sanctuary” in
Hebrews 9 fulfilled all shadows and types of the (old) covenant sanctuary in its
ONE DAY inauguration day --- including the Day of Atonement! Israel had agreed
to enter into the (old) Covenant stipulations with God (Ex. 24:3). Since this
was before the first sanctuary had been built (Exodus 30), it had no connection
with the Day of Atonement. Moses had erected a temporary altar (24:4) and made
burnt offerings and peace offerings (24:5). Those who were ritually clean
within the camp were sprinkled with the blood (24:6). Those who had been
ritually unclean outside the camp were sprinkled with the ashes of the red
heifer (Heb. 9:13, 22).
Heb. 9:22 And almost all things are by
the law purged [NAS, NIV: cleansed] with blood; and without shedding of blood
is no remission.
This text brings the discussion from
8:1 to 9:22 to its goal. The Law required almost every ritual to be made with
cleansing blood. This is not the Day of Atonement cleansing; it is every-day
cleansing. The “almost” refers to exceptions such as the ashes of the red
heifer and grain offerings allowed for the poor which were not performed on the
Day of Atonement.
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary
that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified [cleansed] with
these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these
Important Note: This verse, Hebrews
9:23, is the most important SDA proof text that the heavenly sanctuary is
defiled and requires pattern cleansing. SDAs totally ignore the many
pattern-dissolution texts of chapters 8 and 9 and they also totally ignore the
consequence of their teaching that makes Jesus Himself the defiler of the
heavenly sanctuary by transferring sin into it. This faulty logic actually
makes Jesus the worst defiling Anti-Christ little horn of Daniel 8:9-14.
Contrast: The first “these” of 9:23
refers to the old covenant blood of bulls, goats and the ashes of a heifer from
9:13. Such were sufficient to “purify” the “patterns” which were only “figures
for the time then present (9:9). The second “these” in 9:23 refers to the
perfect sinless once-for-all atoning blood of Jesus Christ when He inaugurated the
New Covenant in heaven itself.
Notice that it was necessary to
“purify” the “patterns” of heaven (its old covenant blueprints) --- not heaven
itself! Up until Calvary God’s blueprint of correct worship for Israel was the
Law with its sanctuary service (9:1-7). “These” were based on strictly old
covenant patterns (blueprints) and “signified” that “the way into the holiest
(temple in heaven) was not yet manifest” because they were only “a figure for
the time then present” (9:6-9).
At Calvary “these” ended (Rom 10:4; Gal
3:19, 23-25). The “patterns, “blueprints, needed to be “purified,” “cleansed,”
or revised to change their (old) covenant application into their New Covenant application.
SDAs greatly err when they force 9:23
to refer to the Day of Atonement which only began in 1844 and has already
lasted over 170 years. That which happened on Earth was only a “figure for the
time then present.”
Heb. 9:24 For Christ is not
entered into the holy places [hagia] made with hands, [which are] the
figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God for us.
Contrast: “Christ is not” is contrast,
not pattern fulfillment. Since Christ is the veil (Heb 10:20), there are no
separate “rooms” in God's dwelling place. Whatever “figures of the true” means,
no sane person would quote this text to prove that God lives in a 2-room house
in heaven. The “now” of 9:24 means first century, not 1844. The “presence of
God” means exactly what it literally says. Also contrary to the Old Covenant
pattern, God's throne room in Revelation contains a rainbow, 24 elders, 7
Spirit-lamps of fire before the throne, a sea of glass and 4 creatures
surrounding the throne --- all in contrast with the O. T. patterns (Rev 4:2-8).
The 1844 theology of two rooms is pure nonsense (Heb 9:24).
Again, “now” means first century A. D. ---
not 1844. The Old Covenant sanctuary had already been replaced by “heaven
itself.” The Aaronic priesthood had already been replaced with the non-Hebrew
Melchizedek priesthood (Heb. 7:11-18). The everyday shadow rituals of the
literal altar of burnt offering, the water laver, the loaves, the candlestick,
and the altar of incense had all ended in the reality of Christ.
1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold,
the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house
that I have built?
Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the
heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in.
Heb. 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer
himself often, as the high priest entering into the holy place every year with
blood of others.
Contrast: “Nor yet” completes 9:24.
Since Christ is already “now” in the Presence of God (9:24), “neither” (nor
yet) does He need to further fulfill the Day of Atonement yearly ritual.
Contrast: Unlike Aaron, Christ became a
High Priest-King after the order of Melchizedek of which the Law and the Old
Covenant pattern said absolutely nothing (7:12-19)! The “sum” from 8:1
is that Christ is now seated (not standing) at the right hand of God in
heaven itself because He had finished His atonement. What did it take to place
him there? It took completely replacing the law-patterned priesthood with an
eternal Melchizedek priesthood patterned after eternal principles (7:16,
19-22). It was “necessary to change” the law-pattern and to bring in a
newer better covenant (7:12; 8:7).
New Covenant believers need to stop
thinking about the New Covenant using Old Covenant terminology. “Christ is not”
in a tiny building in heaven that has compartments like that of the Old
Covenant. “Christ is not.” Again, He “is not.” He is “in heaven itself.” Since
the first century He is “now” already in the “presence of God for us” –- in the
Most Holy since his ascension to the right hand of God.
Heb. 9:26a For then he must have often
suffered since the foundation of the world ...
Contrast: “For then he must” --- if
Christ had not ended the patterns, then he must repeat them! If Christ
did not end the daily sacrifices, then he must still die daily. If Christ did
not end the yearly sacrifices (Day of Atonement), then he must still die
yearly.
Heb. 9:26b ... but now once in the end
[consummation] of the world [ages] he has appeared to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself.
Contrast: “Now” refers to the first
century, not 1844 --- as also does “he has appeared.” On the one hand the Old
Covenant inauguration needed to be fulfilled by a better inauguration sacrifice
in order to bring in a New Covenant. On the other hand, Christ did exactly that
and “now” (since Calvary) ministers using "new" covenant principles.
The one important pattern-fulfillment carried over from the Old to the New
Covenant is that remission is only obtained through the shedding of blood
(9:16-22).
Contrast: “But now -- once -- in the
end of the combined ages” is contrast, not pattern fulfillment. In a one-time
event which occurred about 2000 years ago, all sacrificial ends (sun-teleo)
of all the ages were brought together and fulfilled by Jesus Christ. This
includes the daily, monthly, seasonal and yearly Day of Atonement sacrifices!
As far as believers are concerned, the patterns of sacrificial-blood time from
Adam's first sin until the last daily morning sacrifice before Calvary have all
ended in the “now” over 2000 years ago. Christ’s sacrifice of Himself at Calvary
reached from the “foundation of the world [kosmos]” to the “end of the
world.” “The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your
enemies your footstool” (Ps. 110:1).
“The LORD has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest
for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4). These are Calvary events
which forever ended the Old Covenant patterns.
Hebrews 9:25-26 clearly tell everybody
(except SDAs) "now” Christ “cleansed” all of the heavenly things (not in
1844), but at His death, ascension and enthronement.
When 9:25 says “as the high priest
entered into the holy place every year,” there can be absolutely no doubt that
it is referring to the “every year” in the Most Holy Place on the Day of
Atonement. Ta hagia, translated “holy place” in the KJV can also be
translated “the holies” and is translated “Most Holy Place” in both the New KJV
and the NIV.
While SDAs proclaim 1844 as the
heavenly Day of Atonement and as a last day event warning about the nearness of
the end of the age, they ignore 9:26b which clearly places the event at the
“now” of Calvary. This same “end of the age,” “fullness of time” and “these
last days” application of Calvary is also found in Acts 2:17; First Corinthians
10:11; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10; Hebrews 1:2 and First Peter 1:20 --- and
none of these refer to 1844.
Heb. 9:27 And as it is appointed unto
men once to die, but after this the judgment [krisis].
Heb. 9:28 So Christ was once offered to
bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the
second time without sin [not to deal with sin: RSV] unto salvation.
At death the souls of unbelievers immediately
go to Hades-Hell because they have rejected the gospel and are guilty (Lk
16:23; Jn 3:16-21; Phil 1:23; Heb 12:1). They have an appointment at the Great
White Throne to stand before God in order that the entire Universe will know that
God is just. Afterwards Hades will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:11-13).
Contrast: On the other hand, for
believers, Jesus Christ, the Melchizedek High Priest-King, ended the
law-pattern and died “once.” He did not die daily as a whole burnt offering,
sin offering or trespass offering; neither will He again die yearly as the
Passover lamb or Day of Atonement goat. He died once!!! This is still
all-inclusive terminology which began in verse 25. The “end of the age” judgment”
appointment for un-believers in verse 27 is missing in verse 28 because the
believers’ sins were judged in Christ at Calvary. The “judgment” for
believers was brought forward from the end of literal time to the “end” of
salvation-time at Calvary. Since only the sins of believers were involved in
the sanctuary ministry, Christ's death at Calvary fulfilled the one-day Day of
Atonement for believers.
Final Thoughts:
This is also the meaning of John 3:16.
The judgment decree of “eternal life” brings the decree from the end of literal
time forward to the moment one “believes.” In John 4:14 Jesus promised that
believers would “never thirst” again for salvation. In John 5:24 Jesus said “He
that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, [already] has everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation [krisis: judging process] but has
passed [already] from death unto life.” Romans 8:1 says “There is therefore now
no condemnation [kata-krima: contrary judgment sentence] to them which
are in Christ Jesus.” There is no room in these texts for an 1844 new judgment
phase.
Contrast: According to First
Thessalonians 4:13-17 and First Corinthians 15:51-55, believers were looking
for Christ to return even in the first century. With such expectation, there is
also o room for an 1844 judgment phase. They did not foresee a delay because
Christ had not begun to read the books of heaven in 1844. Jesus had already
completely dealt with their sins at Calvary, had applied His atonement at the
moment they accepted Him as Lord and Savior and, under the New Covenant terms,
had claimed the promise that “their sins and iniquities will I remember no
more” --- forgotten even in the first century.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
www.tithing-russkelly.com/sda
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