Worshiping God in His Sanctuary

TEXT: "Worship the Lord in his glorious sanctuary" (Ps. 29:2, margin).

Part I. Worship and Cleansing for Ancient Israel

INTRODUCTION.

At our last meeting we traced the greatest prophetic period (2300 years). This prophecy brings us to 1844, the time for "the cleansing of the sanctuary." What is the significance of this wonderful prophecy? How does it concern and affect us?

I. THE SERVICE OF THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY.

1. How did God encourage worship in Israel's day? (EL 25:8.)
2. Why were His people to build a sanctuary? (Heb. 9:9.)
3. Besides the court, of how many apartments did this sanctuary consist? (Ex. 26:33.)
4. What does the Bible reveal about its furnish­ings? (Heb.
5. Who ministered in these apartments? What was the ministry for each? (Heb. 9:6-10.)

II. DAILY SERVICE IN BEHALF OF THE SINNER.

1. What was the duty of an Israelite who had sinned? (Lev. 4:27-29.)
2. What happened to the blood of the offering? Who had to minister? (V. 30.)
3. After the sin was thus figuratively carried into the sanctuary, what was the relationship be­tween the sinner and God? (Lev. 10:17, 18; 4:26, 31.)

III. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT-A WORSHIP OF CLEANSING.

1. What great event took place on the 10th day of the 7th month each year? (Lev. 16:29, 30.)
2. How did the cleansing of the sanctuary take place? and how did the people dispose of their sins? (Vs. 5-8, 15, 16.)
3. What was the final act of this solemn cere­mony? (Vs. 20-22.)

Part II. Worship and Cleansing for Modern Israel

I. THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY ANTITYPE OF THE EARTHLY.

1. What was the significance of the earthly sanc­tuary? (Heb. 9:9.)
2. Who is the high priest of a "better" sanctu­ary? (Heb. 8:2.)
3. Whose blood was typified by the blood of these sacrifices? (Heb. 9:12.)
4. When did type meet antitype? How did God signify this event? (Matt. 27:50, 51.)

II. CLEANSING OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY.

1. Where do we find evidence that the sanctuary above will be "cleansed"? (Heb. 9:23.)
2. What decree will Christ issue after having finished His priestly and mediatorial work above? (Rev. 22:11.)
3. What event is immediately tied in with this atonement? (Rev. 22:12.)
4. How long, therefore, will the atonement con­tinue? (Heb. 9:28; Dan. 8:14.)

III. APPEAL TO THE REMNANT.

1. Today, in the day of probation, let us purify our souls in obeying the truth. (Heb. 4:7; 1 Peter 1:22.)
2. Possible only through full acceptance of Je­sus' blood and righteousness. (1 John 1:9; Isa. 1:18; Rev. 3:18.)
3. Let us draw near to our blessed High Priest by living in His presence till He comes. (Heb. 10:19-24.)
4. Have you personally brought your sins to Christ? Are you resting in the assurance of His forgiveness? Are you looking for His soon return?

[EDITORIAL NOTE-The foregoing Bible study is slanted toward true worship. Heart worship em­braces soul cleansing. It was so in ancient Israel, and it is equally necessary today. The preceding study, on the 2300 days, stressed making an "end of sin" (Dan. 9:24). The Bible instructor here uses texts which emphasize the efficacy of the blood offering. The study is valuable where prejudice con­cerns itself with the charge that Seventh-day Ad­ventists are legalists. Here Christ is made the center of the study. Too often Bible studies on the sanc­tuary lose point by stressing the tent and its equip­ment more than the significance of its services. There may be nothing new about Werner Staven­hagen's study, but its climaxing thought that true worship must include heart cleansing is to the

L.C.K.