We should bear in mind that in comsidering the ministry of our Lord in the heavenly sanctuary, we cannot discuss dimensions of places. It is true that the Lord told Moses, when He instructed Him in regard to the building of the sanctuary, that he should erect the building according to specified dimensions. But we are in no position to consider dimensions in regard to the holy places in heaven. Imagine if you can how large a space is necessary for the assembling of hundreds of millions of angels who surround God's throne. Rev. 5:11. What the Lord desires men to recognize is the actual ministry being conducted in heaven by the Saviour in our behalf. Says the apostle Paul: "We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8 h, 2. The ministry of the Saviour is an actual service He is performing for poor lost sinners. Through the centuries, from the time Jesus ascended to heaven, following His resurrection, He has been officiating before the Father as high priest and intercessor for poor lost sinners. This ministry He conducted in the holy place in heaven.
Intercession in Most Holy Place
When our Lord entered His ministry in the holy place in heaven, announcement was made under the inspiration of God through the apostles on the day of Pentecost. The apostle Peter declared that Jesus who was crucified was exalted at the right hand of God. "Unto you first," he said to the Jewish brethren, "God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." Acts 3:26; 2:32, 33. The blood of the divine Sacrifice was now efficacious for the forgiveness of sins.
The ministry of the earthly sanctuary was conducted in the first apartment every day of the year, until the Day of Atonement, when the concluding typical ministry ended for that year. Whatever one's attitude had been during the year, while the priest ministered in the first apartment of the sanctuary, this was not held against him, provided he availed himself of the offer of mercy extended to him on this most sacred day of days, while the high priest executed his priestly office in the most holy place. If any Israelite had been steeped in sin during the year, and had not followed the counsel of God to receive forgiveness through the offering of the shed blood of the sacrifices, if he were alive on the Day of Atonement and accepted the commands of God for this day, he would be included in the ministry of the priest while the sprinkled blood of the Lord's goat was ministered in the most holy place.
The blood of the sin offering on this day was efficacious for all Israel, as may be seen from the following scripture: "On that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord." Lev. 16:3o. This Day of Atonement was the typical cleaning-up day. Man was given his last opportunity on this day. This day offered to the sinner the final call of mercy. So comprehensive was the ministry on this most sacred of all days, that the scripture includes the following: "He shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people." Verse 33. On the Day of Atonement the stranger also was included. It is written :
"This shall be a statute forever unto you : that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you." Verse 29.
Every person in the camp of Israel, whether Israelite or heathen, who availed himself of this final offer of mercy on this last day of the year of sanctuary ministry, was forgiven. His sins for that year were blotted out, and he was accepted with God. The person in the camp who did not harmonize with this gracious offer, was cut off from the congregation of Israel, as it is written:
"Whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people." Lev. 23 :29, 30.
The close of the Day of Atonement found a clean camp. Either a man was cleaned up, or else he was cleaned out. The sins which finally were brought out from the sanctuary at the close of this day, when the high priest had completed his ministry for the year in the most holy place, were placed on the head of Azazel, the scapegoat. (Lev. 16:20-22.)
This Azazel, or scapegoat, did not have placed upon him the sins of sinners; on him were placed the sins of those whose sins had been confessed, forgiven, and blotted out of the sanctuary. Azazel represented the originator of sin, who caused the people to commit sins; and made it necessary to bring constant offerings for the forgiveness of their sins. That Azazel had no part in the atonement ministry during the exercises of this most sacred day is clear from the following summary of the case as found in "Messiah and His Sanctuary," p. 72:
1. On the Day of Atonement the lot is cast, and Azazel is chosen. The choice is made at the direction and by the authority of the Lord. (Lev. 16 :7, 8.)
2. Azazel has no part in the sanctuary ministry on the Day of Atonement.
3. The life of Azazel is not taken, nor is his blood needed for sacrificial purposes.
4. Azazel is caused no suffering during this holy day because of the sins of others.
5. The live goat has no part during the affliction of the congregation.
6. Since Azazel's blood has not been shed, he cannot be used for remission of sins, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Therefore Azazel makes no propitiation for sin.
7. Azazel is not used as man's substitute, as is the Lord's goat, the sin offering.
8. Azazel is given no consideration in the exercises of the Day of Atonement till the services are completed in the holy of holies.
9. After the ceremonies are officially at an end, Azazel is brought alive to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
10. Atonement has already been made for the sins which are placed upon the head of Azazel by the high priest.
11. hese sins have been brought out of the sanctuary.
12. Azazel does not die that day.
When our Lord finished His ministry in the holy place in heaven, He entered upon His final ministry in the most holy place at the close of the twenty-three hundred days which terminated in 1844. This took place in the seventh Bible month (in our month October) of that year which marked the beginning of the antitypical Day of Atonement. He began the ministry in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, and He will continue His ministry in this most sacred apartment until the last sinner has been given the opportunity to accept the final offers of mercy. This is why the third angel's message must go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. For the nations and kindreds are given this opportunity to receive in this antitypical Day of Atonement the last overtures of mercy from a long-suffering God and a most merciful Saviour and High Priest, before the close of human probation.
When this antitypical Day of Atonement is ended, and the last appeal has been made through the ministry of the Spirit of God to the savage, the cannibal, the heathen, and to all others, Our great High Priest will have a clean church, purified by the Saviour's most precious blood. Human probation will have ended, and our Lord will return for His pure and holy people. The transgressions of those whose sins have been blotted out through the intercession of our great High Priest will be placed upon the head of the original Azazel, Satan, who has been the cause of the trouble and perplexities of the people of God, as they endeavored to follow in the footsteps of their Lord.
