The Sanctuary of Marriage

“Education begins at home.” - The Elijah message is turning the hearts of the Father to their children and the hearts of their children to their Father.

“The Perfect Marriage.” - Marriage and Sabbath were the foundation institutions at creation and are testimonies of God’s love to His bride.

“Victorious” - He who has the son, has life. He who does not have the son, does not have life. At every point that we failed, God provides the victory.

The overarching theme to our talks this year is “Education begins at home.”

Make me a Sanctuary

The Sanctuary - Helping Women and Children in need

It’s amazing how humans have the ability to acclimatise to cold or heated temperatures. Our minds are malleable to adjust to overwhelming situations but it’s when we get comfortable that we begin to get in trouble.

I’d heard of this refuge while living in Brisbane. A couple of ladies at the church I use to attend supported this refuge and would sometimes solicit the help from church members. I remember their spiels when they would talk of this place and we’d hear about women being abused and mother’s and children having to relocate because of abuse. As a young man, I wasn’t aware that so many women were abused in a city like Brisbane or the Gold Coast. I’m nearly 40 years old, and I have since learned otherwise.

A couple of units I had to study at college were related to counselling. One of the topics I could choose to research was Domestic Violence and I remembered the Sanctuary. The most significant piece of information that stuck with me was that women who left their abusive boyfriend/spouse would either return to them or begin a relationship with another abuser. This made no sense to until learned from the Sanctuary and read how we have the ability to become so accustomed to our relationships that we would rather feel comfortable with what we’re familiar with then having to make a holistic makeover. But there’s hope for the abused women and children.

To this day. Kamiyah, who was the girl that was kidnapped visits Gloria in prison. In fact, the biological mother made mention in an interview last year that having her daughter home has caused some tension in the family. The biological mum doesn’t feel appreciated as the mother, and realises that she is unable to have the bond with Kamiyah that Kamiyah has with her kidnapper.

The holistic makeover may appear to overwhelming, but God is able to do the impossible. The Bible says in that in Christ, you become a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come! Get out of that relationship and enter into one where love and care from God is insurmountable!

How is it that humans have the ability to find comfort in an abusive relationship?

Christ stands out to be the total opposite of a manipulating and egotistical husband. In fact he initiates the reconciliation by offering to give up his life.

First thing God does is in . An animal sacrifice is made to demonstrate that God wants this relationship regardless of how much we love our former life.

2. The sacrificial system becomes a ceremonial ritual passed on from generation to generation until slavery in Egypt. , ,

After the Exodus. Moses is instructed to build the Sanctuary. “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”

The Sanctuary is where I want to focus this mornings message. The slogan I want you to remember is:

At present. Jesus offers us his sacrifice in order that we may believe that the Kingdom of Heaven is our true home. When we accept, we will be content to be at home with Him , John 14:1-3

In the gospel story, we see Christ being the initiator at every step. Jesus is desperate to ensure that

Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary - (KJV)

The Basic Structure of the Sanctuary

The temple services was not a unique ceremony for the Israelite people. They had been exposed to temple services for about 430 years in the kingdom of Egypt. Kingdoms such as the Canaananites had practiced temple worship. Christ had reached down to the Hebrew people in a language they understood. After four centuries of slavery, forgetting the sacrificial ceremony handed down from Adam and Eve, and working seven days a week shows the lowly state that the Hebrew people, now identified as Israelites were in. They had lost their sense of who they were, and yet Christ in His wisdom spoke to them in a language they understood.

He instructed Moses, - the leader of the Exodus to build a sanctuary so that He can live among his people.

I encourage you to read the book of Exodus to learn more of this interesting structure. In fact, if you really want to understand the underpinnings of Adventist Theology - our stance on what happens to people when they die, the importance of sabbath, why we believe that Jesus is returning, then the Sanctuary service in the Old Testament is the blueprint of all these things.

In reading the bible, you will find that the Israelites sanctuary service is unique than because it is moveable. . But most importantly, unlike the other kingdoms, the sacrifice wasn’t to appease their god or gods. The sacrifice was symbolic of a God who would come to be with His people, give his life, so that they would be willing to enter and stay in the relationship that was initiated in the garden of Eden.

The Sanctuary was made of three compartments:

The Outer Court - altar of sacrifice and the bronze laver/bowl

The Holy Place - the lampstand, shewbread and the altar of incense

The Holy of Holies - the ark of the covenant

The Sanctuary was always set up to face the West. Most other kingdoms worshiped the sun and faced their temples in the East. The Israelites believed that God’s presence was in the Holy of Holies. Perhaps it was also a reference to the direction that we go in rebellion. . Thus, we are compelled to make the return journey to God’s presence.

Thy way O God is in the sanctuary - (KJV)

What does this have to do with Jesus?

First of all. ,

2. The Altar of Sacrifice -

The Laver of Water -

The Lampstand -

The Shewbread -

The Altar of Incense -

Ark of the Covenant -

The purpose of the Sanctuary was for the people of Israel and those who joined them to acknowledge that God is faithful to His covenant.

Only once a year would the Holy of Holies be entered unto. . This day was called the day of Atonement.

When you’ve been summoned to give a report or an account of your thoughts and activities. What is your initial feeling? Why do you think you feel that way?

Day of Atonement

The whole purpose of the daily sacrifices was to lead up to this most sacred and important day when all the blood of symbolic sins was wiped and reset. It’s no wonder the people of God looked forward to this day. The Bible says that on this day, all of Israel were to “afflict their soul.”

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 6700 II. עָנָה

6700 II. עָנָה (ʿā·nā(h)): v.; ≡ Str 6031; TWOT 1651, 1652—1. LN 25.223–25.250 (qal) be afflicted, disturbed, oppressed, i.e., be in a state of feeling anxiety and distress (Ps 116:10; 119:67; Isa 31:4; Zec 10:2+), note: for a focus on the state of trouble itself, and not just the feeling, see also domain LN 22.1–22.14; (nif) afflicted, suffering, oppressed (Ps 119:107; Isa 53:7; 58:10+); (piel) afflict, oppress, mistreat (Ge 15:13); (pual) be afflicted, have hardships (Ps 119:71; 132:1; Isa 53:4+); (hif) afflict, oppress (1Ki 8:35; 2Ch 6:26; Ps 55:20[EB 19]+); (hitp) suffer affliction (1Ki 2:26; Ps 107:17+); 2. LN 88.51–88.58 (nif) humble oneself, i.e., pertaining to a state of unpretentious attitudes or behavior, often implying that the humble one has a proper awareness of one’s proper (lower) status before God or in society (Ex 10:3+); (pual) deny oneself (Lev 23:29+); (hitp) humble oneself, submit (Ge 16:9; Ezr 8:21; Da 10:12+); 3. LN 88.271–88.282 (piel)

Only the High Priest could enter on this day and it was a day that brought judgment upon all the people. This can seem intimidating and oppressing. But I wish we could see the good news in the significance of judgment. I want to compare the sanctuary service to the traditional courting to marriage process.

The Outer Court is a place where you are becoming familiar with Christ. You’ve entered in the courts, acknowledge the sacrifice of Christ and your exposing yourself to the word. Much like the courting process for a couple. It’s not serious, but it’ serious enough to start putting aside time for each other.

The Holy Place is of a more serious commitment. There is more time spent together and now there is the digesting of the word, the sharing of the word, and the communication of the word. Comparable to an engagement, a lover makes sure they listen, speak and share with others the love that they have found.

Holy of holies is the most sacred union that can be entered into with Christ. This is where everything is exposed in the relationship. Nothing is hidden from Christ. Comparable to the marriage. The consumation of the marriage on the bedchamber is most sacred. A gift that God has given to us to learn the significance of two becoming one and trusting Jesus with everything.

The Sanctuary had a curtain that separated the holy place from the holy of holies. The Bible says in that the moment that Christ died was the same time the curtain was torn. The traditional wedding would have the bride cover their face with the veil. And after the “I do’s” the veil is lifted and the officiating minister will say, “You may now kiss the bride.” The whole thing is symbolic of two flesh becoming one, and no longer a veil between.

reveals that Christ’s body is the curtain!

Christ as our High Priest is not limited to entering the Holy of holies once a year. In fact, a study of bible prophecy will reveal that we are living in the day of atonement. Today is the day of salvation! We are living in the solemn days of judgment and we should not be afraid.

So when Christ entered the holy of holies to perform the closing work of the atonement, He ceased His ministration in the first apartment. But when the ministration in the first apartment ended, the ministration in the second apartment began. When in the typical service the high priest left the holy on the Day of Atonement, he went in before God to present the blood of the sin offering in behalf of all Israel who truly repented of their sins. So Christ had only completed one part of His work as our intercessor, to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners. Christ In His Sanctuary p106

says that our advocate is Jesus Christ. And , tells us that identifies with everything we go through and tells us to come to him with confidence!

In the end of the sanctuary service, the High Priest would exit the sanctuary to the pleasure and celebration of the people.

English Standard Version Chapter 19

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

8 it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”

Will you come into the courts of Heaven with gladness?

Conclusion

The Sanctuary gives a hope everyday that we can live in a saving relationship with Christ and one that we can grow in by trust and obedience to our God.

Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary - Psalms 77:13

Story of the Woman who was abused and then got a new husband.

Discussion Questions

Why does the word judgement scare us?

How do you think our daily experience in the Holy of holies can change or lives?

3. Why is it so difficult to be in a more healthier relationship even when we know it’s good for us?

4.What will you do differently to have a more intimate relationship with Christ?

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