Editor’s note: It is clear that the evangelical Christian world does not understand the services of the Jewish Temple, and how they symbolized and prefigured Christ. If they did, we would not be seeing evangelicals promoting the re-building of the temple. They would understand that they are blasphemously denying that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who fulfilled all the temple services, and that they are rejecting the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross of Calvary by helping to re-instituting animal sacrifices.
Clearly, many calling themselves Christians desperately need more knowledge of how the Old Testament teaches about Jesus Christ.
Among the early Adventists, none was a better student of the temple services than Stephen N. Haskell (1834-1922). In a book published one hundred and ten years ago, in 1914, “The Cross and Its Shadow,” Haskell notes that the sanctuary service “was the most wonderful object lesson given to mankind.”
Drawing widely on Scripture, Haskell gives a clear, concise explanation of how the Old Testament sanctuary encompasses the entire theme of the gospel and represents the work of Christ in our behalf today. “In the sanctuary, the cross of Christ is the great center of the whole scheme of human redemption. Around it clusters every truth of the Bible.”
Author’s Preface:
ETERNITY can never fathom the depth of love revealed in the cross of Calvary. It was there that the infinite love of Christ and the unbounded selfishness of Satan stood face to face. The entire system of Judaism, with its types and symbols, was a shadow of the cross, extending from Calvary back to the gate of Eden, and contained a compacted prophecy of the gospel.
The person who comes to the study of the New Testament through the interpretive lens of the types and symbols of the Levitical services finds a depth and richness in the study that are found in no other way. It is impossible to have an exalted view of Christ's atoning work if the New Testament is studied without a previous knowledge of the deep, bloodstained foundations in the Old Testament gospels of Moses and the prophets.
“In every sacrifice, Christ's death was shown. In every cloud of incense His righteousness ascended. By every jubilee trumpet His name was sounded. In the awful mystery of the holy of holies His glory dwelt.” Desire of Ages, p. 211.
In the light shining from the sanctuary, the books of Moses, with their detail of offerings and sacrifices, their rites and ceremonies, usually considered so meaningless and void of interest, become radiant with consistency and beauty.
There is no other subject which so fully unites all parts of the inspired word into one harmonious whole, as the subject of the sanctuary. Every gospel truth centers in the sanctuary service, and radiates from it like the rays from the sun. Every type used in the entire sacrificial system was designed by God to bear resemblance to some spiritual truth.
The value of these types consisted in the fact that they were chosen by God Himself to shadow forth the different phases of the complete plan of redemption, made possible by the death of Christ. The likeness between type and anti-type is never accidental, but is simply a fulfillment of the great plan of God.
In “The Cross and Its Shadow,” the type and the anti-type are placed side by side, with the hope that the reader may thus become better acquainted with the Savior. It is not the intention of the author of this work to attack any error that may have been taught in regard to the service of the sanctuary, or to arouse any controversy, but simply to present the truth in its clearness.
The book is the result of many years of prayerful study of the types and symbols of the sanctuary service, and is sent forth with a prayer that the reading of it may arrest the attention of the thoughtless, give the Christian new views of Christ's character, and lead many into the sunlight of God's love.
Chapter 1: Light in the Darkness
To every voyager on the storm-tossed sea of life, the Lord has given a compass which, if rightly used, will safely guide him into the eternal haven of rest. It was given to our first parents at the gate of Eden, after they had admitted sin into this beautiful earth as well as into their own lives, as God spoke these words to Satan:
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.” (Gen. 3:15.)
Although our planet had fallen under the sway of Satan, God did not leave us in a condition of total depravity; God implanted within us all an enmity to Satan which, if heeded, will lead to righteousness and eternal life. Any man, whatever his station or rank in life, who will absolutely follow that divine compass placed in his heart will acknowledge the sin in his own life, accept Christ as his Savior, and be led out into the sunlight of God's love and approval. (John 1:9)
As the result of our first parents' eating of the forbidden fruit, over all the earth hung the gloom of the divine decree, “In the day that thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die.” (Gen. 2:17) The marks of death and decay were soon seen in the falling leaves and withered flowers. There was no escaping the decree, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
But a ray of light pierced the darkness when God spoke the following words to Satan: “It (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” (Gen. 3:15) These words revealed the fact that for those who would cherish that enmity against Satan and evil which God had placed in the heart, God had provided a way of escape from death. They would live, and Satan would die; but before his death Satan would bruise the heel of the seed of the woman. It was necessary for the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, to die in order that the death of Satan might be made sure, and that mankind might escape eternal death. (Heb. 2:14)
Before mankind was even created, the love of the Father and the Son for him was so great that Christ pledged His own life as a ransom if man should be overcome by the temptations of Satan. Christ was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Rev. 13:8) This wonderful truth was made known to our first parents in the words spoken by the Lord to Satan:
“It (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”
In order that man might realize the enormity of sin, which would take the life of the sinless Son of God, he was required to bring a spotless, innocent lamb, confess his sins over its head, then with his own hands take its life, typifying how Jesus Christ, “the lamb of God” (John 1:29) would die not for his sins but for ours (1 John 2:2; 4:10). This sin offering was burned, typifying that all sin would finally be destroyed in the fires of the last day. (Mal 4:1-3; Rev. 20:14)
It was difficult for man, surrounded by the darkness of sin, to comprehend these wonderful heavenly truths. The rays of light which shone from the heavenly sanctuary upon the simple sacrifices, were so obscured by doubt and sin, that God, in His great love and mercy, had an earthly sanctuary built after the divine pattern, and priests were appointed, who “served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” (Heb. 8:5) This was done that man's faith might lay hold of the fact that in heaven there is a sanctuary whose services are for the redemption of mankind.
The prophet Jeremiah grasped this great truth, and exclaimed, “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” (Jer. 17:12)
David knew of God's dwelling place in heaven, and when writing for the generations to come, he said, “He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth.” (Ps. 102:19) The faithful ones have always understood that when they sought God with all the heart, “their prayer came up to His holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven.” (2 Chr. 30:27)
All the worship in the earthly sanctuary was to teach the truth in regard to the heavenly sanctuary. While the earthly tabernacle was standing, the way into the heavenly tabernacle was not made manifest (Heb. 9:8); but when Christ entered heaven to present His own blood in man's behalf, God revealed through His prophets much light in regard to the sanctuary in heaven.
To John, the beloved disciple, were given many views of that glorious temple. He beheld the golden altar, on which, mingled with fragrant incense, the prayers of earthly saints are offered up before God. In vision he saw the candlestick with its seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God. The veil into the most holy was lifted, and he writes, “The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament.” (Rev. 11:19) It is in this “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man,” that Christ pleads His blood before the Father in behalf of sinful men. (Heb. 8:2) There is the throne of God, surrounded by myriads of the angelic hosts, all waiting to obey His commands (Ps. 103:19, 20); and from there they are sent to answer the prayers of God's children here on earth. (Dan. 9:21-23)
The heavenly sanctuary is the great power-house of Jehovah, from where all the help necessary to overcome every temptation of Satan is sent to each one who is connected with it by faith. The cable car, with its slender arm reaching up to the cable above, through which it receives strength from the power-house miles away, is a fitting illustration of the Christian. As long as the connection is unbroken, through the darkest night, the car runs smoothly up and down hill alike, not only shedding light on the immediate track ahead, but casting its bright rays of light into the darkness far and near. But the instant the connection is broken, how great is the change! The car remains in darkness, unable to go forward.
So it is that Christ, our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, reaches His hand down to clasp the hand of every one who will reach up by faith and take hold of the proffered help. The one whose faith lays hold of that help, can pass securely over the steepest hills of difficulty, his own soul filled with light while diffusing light and blessing to others. As long as he by faith keeps a firm hold of God, he has light and power from the sanctuary above; but if he allows doubt and unbelief to break the connection, he is in darkness, not only unable to go forward himself, but a stumbling-block in the way of others.
The one who allows nothing to break his connection with heaven becomes an earthly dwelling-place for the Most High; “for thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” (Isa. 57:15) He who separates from sin and puts it far from him, becomes a temple of the Holy Ghost. (1 Cor. 6:19, 20) God loves to dwell in the hearts of His people (Eph. 3:17-20), but sin cherished in the heart prevents His Spirit from abiding there (1 John 3:15). Christ knocks at the door of every heart, inviting all to exchange sin for righteousness, that He may come in and abide with them. (Rev. 3:20)
There are three temples brought to view in the Bible: 1) the heavenly temple, the dwelling-place of the Most High, where Christ intercedes in our behalf; 2) the temple of the human body, where God's Spirit rules and reigns; and 3) the earthly temple, with services designed to teach mankind how to receive divine pardon and power from the great storehouse above, so that God can honor them by abiding with them continually.
The earthly sanctuary with its types and symbols is like the powerful lenses of the telescope, which make it possible to view heavenly bodies that otherwise would be invisible. To the eye of the ignorant, those wonderful lenses appear like ordinary glass; but the astronomer, who longs to know the wonders of the heavens, is filled with rapture as he gazes through them.
In like manner the Christian who will study the typical service of the earthly sanctuary, not as a collection of dry, lifeless relics of ancient worship, but as a wonderful art gallery, where, by the hand of a master-artist, the different parts of the marvelous plan of redemption are portrayed, will be astonished at the beauty revealed. The figures fairly-speak to him, as it were, from the canvas. They tell the beautiful story of the Saviour's love until his very soul is filled with rapture as he gazes upon them.
He sees the vivid picture of the priest in snow-white robe leading the red heifer out to the rough uncultivated valley, there to offer it as a sacrifice for sin. He sees him sprinkle its blood on the rough stones of the valley, to teach that Christ died for the most worthless, for the veriest outcast. Who can gaze on that picture without having his heart filled with love for such a compassionate Redeemer?
Again he views a picture of the destitute sinner, longing to be free from sin; and beholding his wealthy brethren pass with their lambs for sin-offerings, the poor ones with their pigeons and doves, he sinks back into despondency, for he has no living thing to offer. Then the light of hope springs into his face as one tells him, “Only a handful of flour will answer.” And as the sinner watches the priest offer the crushed wheat as an emblem of the blessed body to be broken for him, and hears him say, “Thy sin is forgiven,” his heart leaps for joy, as did the heart of the poor man by the pool of Bethesda, who had no one to help him, when the blessed Master told him to take up his bed and walk. (John 5:2-9)
If the one who longs to know more of Christ and His infinite love will study the types and symbols of the earthly sanctuary, connecting each type with its glorious anti-type, his soul will be filled with rapture. Like the lenses of the telescope, they reveal, wondrous beauties in the character of our blessed Redeemer, beauties that are revealed in no other way.
There is a separate and distinct heavenly lesson taught by each of the different types and symbols of the earthly sanctuary service; and when they are all viewed together, they form a wonderful Mosaic of the divine character of Christ as none but a heavenly artist could portray it.
Names given the heavenly sanctuary by different Bible writers:
“Thy dwelling-place” . . . . . . . . . . . . .Solomon . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Chron. 6:39
“His holy temple” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalm 11:4
“Temple of God” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rev. 11:19
“Habitation of Thy holiness” . . . . . . . Isaiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isa. 63:15
“True tabernacle which the Lord pitched” . . Paul . . . . . . . . . . . Heb. 8:2
“My Father's house” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . John 14:2
“Place of His habitation” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David, . . . . . . . . . . Psalm 33:14
“His holy habitation” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremiah . . . . . . . . Jer. 25:30
“Holiest of all” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul . . . . . . . . . . . Heb. 9:8.
Names given the earthly sanctuary:
“A worldly sanctuary” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heb. 9:1
“The first tabernacle” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heb. 9:8
“A figure for the time then present” . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . Heb. 9:9
“Patterns of things in the heavens” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heb. 9:23
“A shadow of the goods things coming, not the reality” . Heb. 10:1
“Holy places made with hands, a copy of the true” . . . . . . Heb. 9:24
“The temple” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Cor. 9:13
The body of the Christian is called the temple:
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. . . He spake of the temple of His body.” John 2:19-21.
“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?” 1 Cor. 6:19.
"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. " 1 Cor. 3:17.