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    The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles
    The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles
    The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles
    Ebook444 pages7 hours

    The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles

    By Dennis Herman

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    Have you ever looked at how stories of Israel's and Judah's kings parallel the history of this world in its closing moments of time? There is an uncanny resemblance when we compare the sequence of each event. The common belief has been,Israel and Judah didn't have the separation of church and state we take for granted today. But is there really a separation today, and was there really a distinct separation in the time of the kings? The logical answer could only be, yes, to a degree. But no matter which way a king lead the nation, there was always a small group who opposed either the good or evil the king introduced.
    To get to the core of the spiritual lessons involved, we have to look at the personalities involved in the stories. How did they interact with the temple, its services, the people responsible for conducting those services, and the people God was using to draw those people closer to Himself? What did those kings do to prepare this world for the King known as God's Son.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLulu.com
    Release dateDec 14, 2017
    ISBN9781387444441
    The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles

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      The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary - Dennis Herman

      The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles

      The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles

      Written by Dennis Herman

      Copyright © 2017 Dennis Herman

      All rights reserved

      ISBN- 978-1-387-44444-1

      The Tabernacle, Temple, and Sanctuary: 2 Chronicles

      by Dennis Herman

      This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

      Or send a letter to:

      Creative Commons

      171 Second Street, Suite 300

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      Bibles:

      NLTse New Living. Translation®. SECOND EDITION Tyndale House Publishers, Inc

      KJV King James Version

      MKJV Modern King James Version Sovereign Grace Publishers

      Scripture quotations marked (NLT) (NLTse) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

      2 Chronicles Introduction

      Because this book centers on activity in and around the temple, which includes the history of the temple, we have to constantly look back at how previous kings looked at and treated the temple. That is a basic rule of Bible Study. If we skip that step, we will miss the spiritual side of the stories recorded in scripture. The same is true for the people involved. In most cases those people are kings. God chose to record the life stories of kings for a reason. Many people think the Bible contains stories about kings because that's the way it's supposed to be. Everyone does it. Scribes wrote about the lives of kings. Mostly their conquests and victories. If you want to find out about a king's set backs and defeats, you have to translate the records of the nation that defeated them. Right there is another spiritual lesson we have to pay attention to. The Bible is not a record book written by mortal men. The Bible is a book recorded at God's inspired directions. That is why it is arbitrary at times. God doesn't take sides. God cannot save this world by playing favorites. Although, not too many people teach about a fair, loving God who looks at mistakes with both eyes, from aspects and details we would never consider on our own. God looks back at what people were taught, who influenced them, what tools, knowledge, and wisdom they have to work with, which includes information pumped into them from both sides, the good and evil influences working in the background of this world.

      To get to the core of the spiritual lessons involved, we have to look at the personalities involved in the stories. How did they interact with the temple, its services, the people responsible for conducting those services, and the people God was using to draw the people closer to Himself? Kings were responsible for more than the nation they led. Those kings along David's family line were responsible for preparing this world for the King God told David would come after many generations. How do you prepare this world to receive God's Son? I doubt if many people could write an essay on that subject if you asked them to. Most people have been taught simple one line answers to explain Jesus' return. Have you ever thought about that? The King of the Universe is coming back to the planet that to a large degree rejected Him, and most people can't explain that grand event in more than a hand full of words. Whenever an important human dignitary visits a country, volumes are written about them. News crews and hundreds of security officials jump into action. Months are spent planning meals, speeches, events, and other matters. Everything has to be made perfect when an important earthly figure makes an appearance. But who has made any such preparations for the return of God's Son?

      Chapter 1 Solomon at the Tabernacle 2 Chronicles 1

      2 Chronicles 1:1-6 NLTse  (1)  Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.  (2)  Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel--the generals and captains of the army, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.  (3)  Then he led the entire assembly to the place of worship in Gibeon, for God's Tabernacle was located there. (This was the Tabernacle that Moses, the LORD's servant, had made in the wilderness.)  (4)  David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem.  (5)  But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was there at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD.  (6)  There in front of the Tabernacle, Solomon went up to the bronze altar in the LORD's presence and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it.

      Here we see Solomon at the Tabernacle. The author pointed out, the Tabernacle was still in Gibeon, and the bronze alter built by Moses was still in the courtyard. David already moved the Ark to the tent he prepared in Jerusalem. But what about the other articles inside the Tabernacle courtyard and tent?

      It seems rather strange when you think about it. What were the priests in Gibeon sacrificing to when the Ark was in Jerusalem? Only once a year the high priest took blood into the Most Holy, and sprinkled it on the Ark. But how could they conduct that service if the Ark was in another city?

      Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the LORD. Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle. He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the LORD and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the LORD. This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the LORD once each year. Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the LORD had commanded him. (Leviticus 16: 5-9, 34 NLTse).

      That was a rather obscure ceremony, but one of the most important. That ceremony pointed to one of the most important ministries Jesus conducted in the Heavenly Sanctuary. The event in the Heavenly Sanctuary is explained in the Book of Hebrews.

      So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood--not the blood of goats and calves--he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. (Hebrews 9:11-15 NLTse).

      Hebrews explained how Christ as High Priest ministers over all the good things to come. The once a year ceremony recorded by Moses pointed to a change in Heaven. Not a yearly change, but that yearly ceremony pointed to a one time event in Heaven. Hebrews explained why. The systems and symbols in the Tabernacle were conducted, maintained, understood, and explained by imperfect men. Few Christians look at or examine that ceremony in Leviticus chapter 16, or compare it to Hebrews chapter 9.

      There was a particular time Jesus entered the Heavenly Sanctuary, to serve a particular purpose. The book of Hebrews explained why Christ entered the Heavenly Sanctuary. With his own blood--not the blood of goats and calves--he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. What does that actually mean? When we think of Christ's blood, what purpose does that blood serve? Most Christians agree, Christ shed His blood to forgive the sins of this world. Since Hebrews defined Christ's entry into the Heavenly Sanctuary as a one time event, to secure our redemption, once and for all, we have to make sure we know what the word redemption means.

      REDEMPTION G3085 λύτρωσις  lutrōsis loo'-tro-sis

      From G3084; a ransoming (figuratively): - + redeemed, redemption.

      The word ransom tells us a price had to be paid for our sins. That is pretty basic Christianity, but few people give it the thought and consideration it deserves. When we look at separating the Ark, and the law it contained from the sacrificial alter, we can't help but see a light set upon mistakes Christianity made, and continues to make today. In modern Christianity, we have dozens of interpretations to Christ's ministry in Heaven. We could go on for days listing all the modern day beliefs. As a whole, mankind has tried to turn the ransom Jesus paid into a cliché.

      Is it right to separate the Ark, and the Law it contains from the sacrificial altar? Are we supposed to continue to follow that tradition, or modify it into an easier way to understand designed to make people feel good about themselves, and their religion? Or are we supposed to get back to the basics, look into the original plan, compare the symbols with the explanations provided in scripture, then determine what beliefs are man made substitutes, traditions, and doctrines? There has to be a way to find out exactly what God's original plan was.

      Many modern, wannabe prophets stick to so many details outside the spectrum of scripture, they wouldn't know truth if it ran them over, walked into their church, or prayer meeting. What is this subject we are looking at? If Jesus' ministry in Heaven is not recorded as prophecy, what is prophecy? But how many people today study it like a prophecy, or put as much time into prophecies about Jesus as they put into trying to guess what will happen in this world tomorrow?

      The fact of the matter is, Jesus' ministry, here on earth, and in Heaven has been recorded as prophecy. According to the law of context, every recorded prophecy has a recorded fulfillment. To examine this concept of what I refer to as parallel chapters, we have to compare both introductions to verify both chapters are covering the same subject.

      Leviticus 16:1-4 NLTse  The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, who died after they entered the LORD's presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him.  (2)  The LORD said to Moses, "Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark's cover--the place of atonement--is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.  (3)  "When Aaron enters the sanctuary area, he must follow these instructions fully. He must bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.  (4)  He must put on his linen tunic and the linen undergarments worn next to his body. He must tie the linen sash around his waist and put the linen turban on his head. These are sacred garments, so he must bathe himself in water before he puts them on.

      Hebrews 9:1-8 NLTse  That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth.  (2)  There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place.  (3)  Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place.  (4)  In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.  (5)  Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark's cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.  (6)  When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties.  (7)  But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.  (8)  By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

      Comparing the two chapters confirms, both are covering the subject centered on entering the Most Holy compartment in the Tabernacle, and Heavenly Sanctuary. Inside the Most Holy room is where the Ark of the Covenant is located. The introductions to these two chapters confirms beyond any shadow of doubt, they are explaining the same subject.

      To make certain we are looking at what used to be refered to as parallel chapters, we also compare summations, or the last few verses in the two chapters.

      Leviticus 16:30-34 NLTse  (30)  On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the LORD's presence from all your sins.  (31)  It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you.  (32)  In future generations, the purification ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments  (33)  and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation.  (34)  This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the LORD once each year." Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the LORD had commanded him.

      Hebrews 9:24-28 NLTse  For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.  (25)  And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal.  (26)  If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.  (27)  And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,  (28)  so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

      The summations verify these two chapters are explaining the same subject. We now have a prophecy and its recorded fulfillment in our presence. Now what do we do with them? Another rule of context is perfectly consistent throughout scripture. When we locate and combine parallel chapters, that is to study them together, the information is not doubled, like common man would think, but multiplied by a much higher factor, magnified beyond what man could hope to achieve through uninspired thinking, teaching, and writing.

      It does is little good to locate and identify parallel chapters if we don't compare and study those chapters as a whole. Allow me to bring up an example of tradition and how it rears its ugly head in Christianity.

      What are the most important days in Christianity? Most people would answer Christmas and Easter, which of course is the observance of Christ's birthday here on earth, and His resurrection. As A child who hadn't read a single verse in the Bible, I had to ask why people celebrate those two holidays by eating ham. Pigs are unclean animals. How do you honor Christ by consuming an unclean animal? Where did that tradition come from? From Satan of course.

      What about that day Christ entered the MOST HOLY In Heaven? Why don't we observe that day? Wouldn't that day be as important as a birthday, or Jesus' resurrection? What good would Jesus' resurrection be if He didn't eventually step into the presence of God's Law in Heaven to cover that Law with His own blood?

      The interesting thing is, Christians claim there is no way for us to know exactly what day Christ was born. We are assured of the exact date Christ rose from the grave. What about the day Christ entered the Most Holy Room in the Heavenly Sanctuary? Do we know that day, and is the information in the Bible confirming that date?

      To find the exact day of Jesus' resurrection, all we need to do is find the date Passover occurred on the Sabbath, and match it up with the list of kings recorded in scripture. That seems like a rather easy task. But how many people know how to go about verifying what we are told to believe?

      Finding the exact date Jesus entered the Heavenly Sanctuary is a bit more involved. But it is in scripture. In the mid 1800's William Miller and a handful of other people took on the task of conducting a chronological study of a series of dates and events that led to the day Jesus entered the Most Holy to cleanse the Heavenly Sanctuary foretold by the yearly ceremony recorded by Moses, and explained in Hebrews. You can read more about that study on your own. The only problem Miller had was, he looked at the event as the cleansing of the earth, not the Sanctuary in Heaven. The date was correct, but his interpretation of what was cleansed was not correct.

      That misinterpretation should have taught us a lesson. Not to allow one detail to slip through without proper verification. In Miller's case, everyone involved forgot to compare scripture about the cleansing with the introduction of the chapter, that clearly identified the Heavenly Sanctuary.

      My main intent is to explain a series of Bible Study methods so people can test any Bible Study over the past two thousand years. And to find the answer to the question raised in 2 Chronicles chapter 1, why the Ark was removed from the Tabernacle.  The introduction of a book in scripture sets the theme for the entire book. This seems rather unusual for a book such as Chronicles to cover a subject like the separation of the Ark from the Tabernacle. But what is the main theme in 2 Chronicles? What happened in the temple from the reign of one king to another? How did they use the temple, and how did the temple vacillate from worship of God to a variety of Pagan gods? How did the removal of the Ark from the Tabernacle contribute to those changes, and how does that relate to Christianity today?

      Looking at the introductions to Leviticus chapter 16 and Hebrews chapter 9, we'll look at how the information is magnified. The first sentence in Leviticus 16 is a rather strange way to introduce a new subject.  The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, who died after they entered the LORD's presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him. What does this tell us? On the physical level we see the loss of a good portion of the priesthood at that particular time. Why did two of Aaron's sons loose their lives? The Bible tells us, they offered the wrong type of fire in the LORD'S presence. What does that fire represent? A smart Bible student allows the chapter at hand to answer every question on a symbol. That eliminates all human guess work.

      In this case, we see how this chapter deals with the cleansing, or purification of the Tabernacle, in particular, the MOST HOLY room. Fire is used for purification in other stories in scripture, and fits in this story in no other way but to purify. The death of Aaron's sons showed, the right type of fire provides the right purification. There must be a wrong type of fire, Since there is reality no difference in physical fires, other than fuel and temperature, the death of Aaron's sons, and the fire involved must lead to a spiritual lesson.

      Aaron, the high priest was warned not to enter the MOST HOLY any time he wished, but to follow a specific process once a year. It was a rather long, detailed ceremony Aaron had to follow. If he didn't, Aaron, and all the high priests after him ran the risk of meeting the same fate his sons met with.

      How does that apply to Jesus' ministry in Heaven? Jesus had to follow a specific process to present Himself, and His blood. Jesus lived a sinless life on earth by following all of God's laws. It makes sense for Jesus to continue that trend in Heaven.

      The bull as usual was meant to remind Aaron of that golden calf, the false god he fabricated in the wilderness. The idea of that calf was borrowed from concepts and religious services learned in Egypt. That is another warning, related to the lesson about the wrong type of fire offered in God's presence. Bible authors presented similar lessons in a variety of ways.

      The services  Aaron performed were recorded in great detail. That detail included how the high priest was dressed. When we study the Sanctuary, and Christ's ministry, we find Christ dressed in particular ways. Other authors went to great lengths to record specific details. Those details help us determine what phase of ministry the author is describing. Like outdoor scenes, we can understand the season of Christ's ministry based on what Jesus was wearing in each story.

      Hebrews chapter 9 begins by explaining, one ministry passed away, and was replaced by a better, in fact perfect ministry. That tells us, mankind has little to nothing to do with that particular ministry, outside of sitting still and learning. Which may be the most difficult task for some people. When we compare that fact to warnings in Leviticus chapter 16, we see how serious this subject is.

      Hebrews chapter 9 is constructed in a rather obscure fashion. The chapter as a whole describes the Heavenly Sanctuary, but begins by describing the Tabernacle Moses constructed. The author went into elaborate details about what the Ark contained. Are items once found in the Ark, housed inside the Tabernacle, now in Heaven? What does Aaron's rod and the gold jar containing manna represent? Again, we will let the chapter explain their spiritual interpretations. We have to keep in mind, the author wrote, we cannot explain these things in detail now.

      We have another detail to consider. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. What time frame does that point to? Since many of those details could not be understood until the New Testament was completed, we have to assume the author was not pointing to the time period when David removed the Ark from the Tabernacle.

      One item in the Tabernacle was moved in the book of Hebrews. Place the incense altar just outside the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant, in front of the Ark's cover--the place of atonement--that covers the tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. I will meet with you there. "Every morning when Aaron maintains the lamps, he must burn fragrant incense on the altar. And each evening when he lights the lamps, he must again burn incense in the LORD's presence. This must be done from generation to generation. Do not offer any unholy incense on this altar, or any burnt offerings, grain offerings, or liquid offerings. (Exodus 30:6-9 NLTse).

      Originally, the incense alter was placed outside the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy room. When Jesus began His Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary, the incense alter was placed inside the Most Holy room in the presence of God and the Ark. Why is that detail important?

      Since it is our job to sit, listen, observe, and learn, that had to be represented by something. What better that the incense alter representing the prayers of the saints? This also emphasizes the point prayers originate in Heaven. Most people teach, prayers originate on earth, and go up into Heaven. But where does that incense burnt in the altar in Heaven come from, Heaven or earth?

      Looking at the summations, a few details jump out. The cleansing of the Tabernacle was a permanent law. Does that mean it ended, and we can forget all about it at some future date? Let's get serious. The Tabernacle is gone. Its been gone for generations. No one knows what happened to it. All we have to study the Tabernacle is a handful of books Moses wrote, and of course the Book of Hebrews. At best, we have a dim view at what the Tabernacle actually looked like. We have a general concept of the design, but not enough technical information to recreate an exact replica. We also know the Tabernacle Moses build was an exact replica of the Sanctuary he was shown in Heaven. Or at least the pattern God wanted Moses to build.

      Hence all those warnings about strange fire in the Tabernacle point to misrepresenting the Heavenly Sanctuary. We know how serious those warnings are when we look at the most predominant word repeated at the end of Leviticus chapter 16, purification.

      Take any example you can think of. If you have exact instructions to purify anything, a building, garment, or life, and skip a few steps in those instructions, do you have perfect purification? Based on the subject those two chapters cover, we know how serious the process of purification is.

      There are two things purified in Heaven, the Sanctuary, and us from our sins. Both have to be perfectly purified. When we look at the purification of the Tabernacle as a permanent law, but we don't have the Ark, or the Law, what is that pointing to? Go back to the incense altar which is now placed in the Most Holy room. The physical Tabernacle has moved from a physical to a spiritual level. We now moved from the passive role of observance, to an active role of observance by moving from the age when details could not be explained, to the age when we can, and should understand those symbols and their meaning. Purification also points to our understanding of the Heavenly Sanctuary. We can't afford to teach false and misleading concepts about the Heavenly Sanctuary. That is the unholy fire we should never even think of offering to God.

      The once a year ritual has been replaced by the single event when Christ entered the MOST HOLY compartment in Heaven. Christ didn't have to keep returning to earth, suffering on the cross, dying, being resurrected again and again every time someone sinned. Hebrews explained exactly why Christ entered into the MOST HOLY in Heaven.

      But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

      There are four details associated with the word once at the close of Hebrews chapter 9. Christ appearing in the MOST HOLY compartment, offering His blood as a ransom payment for sins, people dying only once, and judgment. Each of those happens only once.

      We have no choice but to consider each of those as a whole. We cannot allow ourselves to fall for misleading interpretations that separate one item in order to introduce man made interpretations. There is one time Christ will enter the MOST HOLY, one time He will offer His blood to cover the law for us, one time people will face death before the judgment, and one time we will all be judged. Jesus entered the MOST HOLY compartment in Heaven to begin the judgment process.

      The Two Goats

      Leviticus 16:5-10 NLTse  (5)  Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.  (6)  "Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the LORD.  (7)  Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle.  (8)  He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the LORD and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel.  (9)  Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the LORD.  (10)  The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the LORD. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the LORD.

      Hebrews 9:9-15 NLTse  This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them.  (10)  For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies--physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.  (11)  So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.  (12)  With his own blood--not the blood of goats and calves--he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.  (13)  Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity.  (14)  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.  (15)  That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

      Aaron had to follow a precise order of sacrifices. A bull for him and his family, a ram as a burnt offering, and two male goats, which appears a little complicated. It may be difficult to understand until we look at Hebrews chapter 9. This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them.

      The sacrifices, offerings, and services Aaron offered were an incomplete set of symbols pointing to Christ's perfect ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary. Those goats were incomplete sacrifices, so it didn't matter which was the sacrifice, and which was to carry sins into the wilderness. Those goats were only symbols. But God chose which goat filled which role, which shows us God's involvement and presence in the ceremony, as well as any study into this subject.

      Hebrews tells us about a New Covenant, a more perfect Covenant under Christ that will remove sins, for all time, something none of those animals could do. Since only one goat shed blood, who would that goat point to? The answer is explained in Hebrews. "Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God."

      If the one goat represented Christ, and the blood He shed, what does the other goat represent? The second goat was sent to a physical wilderness. Who was banished to a spiritual wilderness? Christ was sent to the wilderness in one story. Who did Jesus meet there? Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. (Matthew 4:1 NLTse). Is this the answer, or another clue? What does the devil have to do with the purification of the Heavenly Sanctuary? Where did sin originate?

      Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon--the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world--was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. (Revelation 12:7-9 NLTse).

      For war to be in Heaven, there must have been trouble that lead up to it. Satan was cast out of Heaven, so he must have been in Heaven before he was banished to this world. The Heavenly Sanctuary has to be purified of every trace of sin Satan left behind. What better way to clean those sins Satan established in Heaven than the blood of Christ, the One who defeated Satan, and threw him out of Heaven.

      Previous verses in Revelation 12 identified that wilderness. Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days. (Revelation 12:3-6 NLTse). The spiritual wilderness is this world.

      When will Satan be banished to that wilderness? Looking at that goat sent to the wilderness, sins were laid upon its head. When can sin be laid on Satan? Not until the trial is completed, Satan is found guilty, and of course all the sins Satan has to carry have been judged.

      Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon--that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan--and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while. (Revelation 20:1-3 NLTse).

      The word, then, tells us to look back at the previous event. Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his

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