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Lesson #5 Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary April 28 – May 4/5

Memory Text:“God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9, 10, NIV) .

Talking about Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary, the book of Hebrews says: “where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”(Heb. 6:20, NKJV).

Scripture, especially the New Testament, is so clear about Christ’s role as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary — a role He took after He completed His work as our sacrifice here on earth (see Heb. 10:12).

This week we will explore the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.His intercessory work is crucial to the preparation of His people to be ready for the end time. So, we have been given this crucial admonition: “The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill”. — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 488.

What is Christ doing for us in the heavenly sanctuary, and why is it so important for us to understand it in the last days especially?

SundaySupreme SacrificeApril 29

Studying the supreme sacrifice of Christ does so much to prepare believers for the end time. Often humans look to the goal ahead of them, and that makes sense. But it is also good to realize that the goal is behind them. We speak of Calvary. The goal, reached here by Jesus for us, is irreversible, final, and gives certainty to the goal ahead, as well.

ReadRomans 8:3, 1 Timothy 1:17, 6:16, 1 Corinthians 15:53. Why did God send His Son into the world?

Romans 8:3For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, Goddidby sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,3. What the law could not do. Literally, “the impossible thing of the law.” The article is present with “law” in the Greek also (see on ch. 2:12). The Greek construction is difficult and has been much discussed. However, Paul’s meaning in this verse seems clear. God has accomplished what the law has been unable to do. He has condemned sin, and thus it is possible for the Christian to overcome its power, and to live a triumphant life in Christ. Weak through the flesh. This cause of failure has already been explained in ch. 7:14–25. The law can point out the right way, but it cannot enable weak, fallen man to walk in it. Paul continues to vindicate the law (see ch. 7:7, 10, 13, 14), ascribing its apparent weakness not to any defect inherent in the law itself but rather to the impotence of man’s nature, corrupted and enfeebled by sin. It is not the function of law to pardon and to restore to obedience. Law can only reveal transgression and righteousness and command obedience (chs. 3:20; 7:7). Therefore, the law of God cannot be blamed or despised for not accomplishing results for which it never was designed. Our failure to render perfect obedience must be blamed upon ourselves. His own Son. The word “own” emphasizes the close relationship between the Father and the Son (see v. 32). In Col. 1:13 Christ is described as “his dear Son,” literally, “the Son of His love.” There is sometimes a tendency to attribute greater love and self-sacrifice to Christ than to the Father. It is well to remember that it was because God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9). In order to save fallen man, He sacrificed Himself in His Son (see 2 Cor. 5:19; cf. DA 762). Christ came to reveal the limitless love of His Father (John 14:9; cf. Matt. 5:43–48). Sinful flesh.The Son of God came to this earth with His divinity veiled in humanity, so that He could reach the fallen race and commune with us in our weakened, sinful state. If He had come clothed with His heavenly brightness, we could not have endured the glory of His presence (see PP 330). Therefore, in His great love and His divine purpose to save man, Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:6, 7, RSV; see DA 22, 23). See Vol. V, pp. 917, 918. It was also Christ’s purpose in assuming our humanity to demonstrate to men and to the whole universe that sin and Satan may be successfully resisted and that obedience to the will of God may be rendered by human beings in this life (see AA 531; DA 761, 762). Ever since the fall of Adam, Satan had pointed to man’s sin as proof that God’s law was unjust and could not be obeyed. Then Christ came to redeem Adam’s failure. He was made like unto His brethren in all things, He suffered and was tempted in all points like as we are, yet He did not sin (see Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:15). And for sin. Or, “and concerning sin.” The “and” indicates the connection with the preceding phrase. God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin. “For sin” is from the Gr. peri hamartias, which may also be rendered “as a sin offering.” Peri hamartias is frequently used with this sense in the LXX. In Leviticus alone there are more than 50 such occurrences (see Lev. 4:33; 5:6, 7, 8, 9; 7:37; etc.; cf. Ps. 40:6). The phrase also occurs with this meaning in the NT in Heb. 10:6–8, where Ps. 40:6–8 is quoted. Consequently, a number of English versions have favored the translation “as an offering for sin” (see RV; Moulton; Goodspeed; RSV, footnote).

On the other hand, however, the context may indicate that the phrase should be understood in a more general sense. Paul’s purpose in this passage is to explain that the Christian may now have victory over sin. The law was powerless to give him such victory, but God, by sending His Son, has now made the necessary power available. Christ came not only to bear the penalty of sin in His death but also to destroy its dominion and to remove it from the lives of His followers. This entire purpose of His mission may be included in the words “and for sin.” He came to deal with sin and to provide its remedy. He came to atone for sin, to destroy sin, and to sanctify and save its victims.[1]

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: God sent his son into the world to meet humanity’s need of being saved from sin, self and Satan and the realization of God’s original purpose for humanity. Based on this verse... A) He came to condemn sin, and thus making it possible for the Christian to overcome its power, and to live a triumphant life in Christ. B)The Son of God came to this earth with His divinity veiled in humanity, so that He could reach the fallen race and commune with us in our weakened, sinful state. C) Christ came to reveal the limitless love of His Father. D) Christ came not only to bear the penalty of sin in His death but also to destroy its dominion and to remove it from the lives of His followers. E) He came to demonstrate that it is possible for human beings to overcome sin and to please God.

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise,behonor and glory forever and ever. Amen.17. King eternal. Literally, “the King of the ages,” an expression that occurs only here in the NT. It sets forth the eternal character of God’s universal kingdom (see Rom. 16:26). Perhaps in his reference to God as “King” Paul may be thinking of the utter contrast between Him and the infamous emperor Nero, who would soon put the apostle to death. But in the everlasting kingdom Paul, with all the redeemed, would possess a life that could not be taken away from him (see 1 Tim. 6:11–16).Immortal. Gr. aphthartos, “imperishable,” “incorruptible,” “immortal.” Compare the use of aphthartos in 1 Cor. 9:25; 15:52; 1 Peter 1:4, 23.Invisible. Or, “unseen” (see Heb. 11:27; see on Col. 1:15). 1 Timothy 6:16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whombehonor and everlasting power. Amen.16. Immortality. That is, God alone inherently possesses endless life. All created beings are mortal and must comply with certain conditions if this life is to be maintained.Light. As the essence of God (see on James 1:17; 1 John 1:5) and as His figurative garment (see Ps. 104:2).Approach unto. Sin separated man from God (Isa. 59:2), and in his mortal state man cannot live in the divine presence.Whom no man hath seen. See 1 Tim. 1:17; see on Col. 1:15. Paul here particularly refers to the first person of the Godhead.To whom be honour. That is, these qualities are forever the attributes of God, and it is the highest joy of the Christian to ascribe these honors to God. 1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortalmustput on immortality.53. This corruptible must. Or, “it is necessary that this corruptible.” It is essential that a change take place in the bodies of the saints. And this will take place either by their dying and being raised from the dead in immortal, incorruptible bodies (v. 42), or by their being changed to that state without seeing death; for they cannot enter heaven as they now are (v. 50).Put on. Gr. enduō, “to put on oneself,” as a garment, etc. This points clearly to the maintenance of individual, personal identity when this change of body takes place. Each one of the redeemed will retain his own individual character (see COL 332, 361; 2T 266, 267; 5T 215, 216; EGW Supplementary Material on 1 Cor. 15:42–52). Mortal. That is, subject to death. The gift of immortality will be received only by those who accept God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, and this gift will be theirs when Jesus comes again (see John 3:16; Rom. 2:7; 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:4).

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: God sent his son into the world to enable us to “see” the father as in being able to exist in His presence ... to reveal the perfections and glory of the Father... to bring honor to the Father andenable us to partake of the immortality He originally intended for us to have.

God sent Christ to be a sin offering, in order to condemn sin in the flesh. What does this mean? As an immortal Being, Christ could not die. Therefore, the Lord became a human, taking our mortality upon Himself so that, indeed, He could die as our substitute.

Though divine, and though in nature God, Jesus took on “human likeness”, and He humbled Himself “by becoming obedient to death” on the cross (Phil. 2:6-8, NIV) . In a way known only to God, the divinity of Christ did not die when Jesus died on the cross. In some way beyond human comprehension, the divinity of Jesus was quiescent during the nine months in the womb and in the days in the tomb, and Jesus never used it to aid His humanity during His life and ministry here.

ReadLuke 9:22. What does this tell us about the intentionality of Christ’s death?

Luke 9:22saying,“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: Luke tells us that the intentionality was of divine origin. In order to realize the larger goal in the entire great controversy (salvation of man and the vindication of God’s character and government), the immediate experience enunciated in the verse was necessary and a predicator. The wordage “ must suffer” parallels Matthew 16:21’s “it is necessary for him”; that is, in the sense that it was necessary for Him to do so in order to fulfill the plan for His life while on earth. There was no way in which He could accomplish His mission but by the way of the cross.

Christ was born to die. We can imagine that there was never a moment in eternity when He was free from thoughts of the mocking, the flogging, the beatings, and the heart-breaking crucifixion that He would face. This is unparalleled love, never witnessed before and not fully understood.

What can we humans do in the face of this kind of love but fall down and worship in faith and obedience? A POSSIBLE ANSWER: Nothing, really but respond in kind. What does the reality of the cross tell us about the worthlessness of human merit?A POSSIBLE ANSWER: It tells us that the human merit is so worthless that anything of human origin or composition, possessed or derived over any portion of time, could not or would not suffice in saving us or altering our bleak destiny apart from Christ.

MondayThe Lamb of GodApril 30

ReadJohn 1:29, Revelation 5:12, 13:8. What is the one image that these texts have in common, and what is the importance of that image in helping us to understand the plan of salvation?

John 1:29 The Lamb of GodThe next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!Lamb of God. That is, the Lamb provided by God... John the Baptist introduced Jesus as “the Lamb of God” to John the evangelist (see on John 1:35, 36), and for the disciple this title must have held deep significance. The figure, which stresses Jesus’ innocence and perfection of character, and thus the vicarious nature of His sacrifice (Isa. 53:4–6, 11, 12; see on Ex. 12:5), is reminiscent of the paschal lamb of Egypt, which typified deliverance from the bondage of sin. “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). By the figure of a lamb John identifies the suffering Messiah as the one in whom the sacrificial system of OT times reaches reality and has meaning. In the divine foreknowledge and purpose He was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8)... Taketh away. Gr. airō, “to lift up,” “to bear away,” “to remove.” Only by virtue of the fact that the Lamb of God was without sin (Heb. 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22) could He “take away [Gr. airō] our sins” (1 John 3:5). Because the burden of sin was too heavy for us to bear, Jesus came to lift the load from our shattered lives.

Revelation 5:12saying with a loud voice:“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”(From verse 6...)Lamb. Gr. arnion, a word used 29 times in the Revelation, and only once elsewhere in the NT (John 21:15)... John has just heard Christ called a lion and a conqueror, but as he looks he sees a lamb Such a dramatic contrast may suggest that Christ’s victory is not one of physical force but of moral excellence, for above all things else He is declared to be “worthy” (see on Rev. 5:2). It is the vicarious sacrifice of His sinless life, symbolized by that of a spotless lamb, rather than any demonstration of force, that has gained for Him the victory in the great controversy with evil. As it had been slain.John probably sees the Lamb with His death wound still bleeding, as a lamb slain for sacrifice in the sanctuary service. The word “as” indicates that this is a symbol. John is not saying that a slaughtered lamb really stands before the throne of God in heaven. Rather, he is describing what he sees in symbolic vision. Since this is apparently true of the Lamb, it follows that other features of this vision, the seven lamps (ch. 4:5), the four living creatures (ch. 4:6), and the book (ch. 5:1) are also symbolic (see on Eze. 1:10; Rev. 4:1). The form of the verb translated “had been slain” implies that the act of slaughter had taken place in the past, and that its results remained. Thus, though Christ’s death is historically in the past, its results for mankind are ever fresh and availing.

Revelation 13:8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: 1) The image of a ‘lamb’.2) The importance is seen in the fact that it reveals that in order for God to save us, ‘ONE” who was equal with God had to come, live a sinless life as a human being, vicariously die in our stead to pay the penalty of sin and have that sacrifice make an atonement for sin and the wrath of God towards, not the sinner, but sin.

When John the Baptist called Jesus the “Lamb of God”, he was making an unmistakable reference to the sanctuary. Even more directly, he was making a reference to Christ’s death for sin as the one and only fulfillment of all the lambs (and every other sacrificial animal in the Hebrew sanctuary ritual) that had ever been slain as a sacrifice for sin. Indeed, the four Gospels, whatever else they teach, ultimately tell the story of what Jesus did in His role as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.