Did the Atonement of Christ Begin or End with His Sacrifice?

 The Sacrifice of Christ The Atonement
INVESTIGATIVE JUDGEMENT Re-examined.

Did the Atonement of Christ Begin or End with His Sacrifice?

(part two of six)

Reconciling Hebrews ...

Even some Seventh-day Adventist’s suggest that the book of Hebrews contradicts their church's teachings on the Sanctuary Message/ Investigative Judgment and the work of Christ as our High Priest in heaven. Some critics say that some of these Bible text prove that the heavenly sanctuary does not contain two apartments but only one the Most Holy Place. Others say that the atonement was completed at Calvary and that Christ then went to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father not into a heavenly sanctuary but that the most holy place is heaven itself. Hebrews 10: 12 is one Bible text used to support these theories: "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God." Another text, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews. 12: 2. While I do agree with these Bible texts, of course we cannot take only these texts to the exclusion of others on the same subject matter. The Bible does not contradict itself if studied correctly.

We need to allow the Bible to interpret itself line upon line, precept upon precept here a little there a little... If we do so, we will discover that in these bible text were Christ is sitting not standing at the right hand of the throne of God. He is sitting as King and that this is to say He is sitting on the throne of Grace and we will see that at times this throne of grace is represented as being in both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place or Hollies of Hollies in heaven. It is a transportable throne with wheels of fire and it can move from one place to another or where ever God chooses.

And also we will discover that when it says Christ is standing at the right hand of the throne of God. He is standing not sitting because He is acting as High Priest and Mediator and not just the King and that is why He is standing. When Christ is sitting, He is sitting as ruler as King and not standing as High Priest Mediating before the Father God. About three and half years after Christ ascension to heaven Stephen saw Christ standing in the Holy place as mediator. “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Acts 7:55-56 Why was Christ seen standing here by the throne of God on His right side and not sitting? Because here three and half years after his coronation as King where He sat on the throne? He was well into His ministry as High Priest in the Holy Place standing and mediating before the throne of God the Father in behalf of sinners.

Inauguration as King took place upon His ascension to heaven and then His Anointing in Heaven took place also and then shortly after that within the three an half years before 34 A.D when Stephen saw Him in vision, He was standing as High Priest Mediating for sinners. And this was after the seventy weeks of Daniel 9:24 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." I believe that God the Father and the Holy Spirit Anointed Christ and the Holy and Most Holy Place of the Sanctuary in Heaven and all that was there in, just like Moses did in the type on earth. And I believe this took place before 34 AD as pointed out in Dan. 9: above and only then did Christ enter into the Holy Place which was the first apartment in the earthly type. I believe that Christ did not go into the Most Holy Place until after the 2300 years of Daniel. 8:14 was fulfilled.
And this last week of the seventy, the seven years began when John the Baptist announced Christ as the Lamb of God the sin offering in 27 A.D. at His baptism. Then in the midst of the week Christ was cut off/crucified in 31 A.D. and then anointed in heaven at the end of the last three and half weeks of the seven completing the seventy week prophecy He and the heavenly sanctuary were anointed and all that is there in...including His true followers in heaven and on earth. Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen

In Type on earth of the sanctuary it says, "And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them." We know that we are talking about types here, symbolism of the true in heaven. So Lev.8 and in verse 10 here. Who does Moses represent? We know he was not the Priest of the Sanctuary. Aaron and his sons were only appointed the Priest by God of the Levites for all Sanctuary Services. So in type Moses is representing the Father God. And then that fits with the Anointing-Inauguration of Christ in Heaven when the Father Anointed Him upon His ascension. If Christ is the High Priest and we know that He is, He did not Anoint Himself. The Father God did the Anointing with the Holy Spirit assisting. So God the Father Anointed Christ and the Heavenly Sanctuary and all that is there in and sanctified them. But Christ did not enter the Most Holy Place in heaven, until after His Anointing and Inauguration too place in about 1800 years after he completed His Priestly work in the Holy Place first.
The Bible clearly does teach that the earthly sanctuary was a type of the heavenly sanctuary and that type would meet anti-type in Christ. The Apostle says, Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.Heb 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Christ was not only the Lamb of God on Calvary the sin offering represented in the outer court of the earthly sanctuary, but also the High Priest and King. What Christ did on Calvary was to present the sin offering as the Lamb of God/Himself. This represented the sanctuary work that took place in the outer court/with out the camp out side of the sanctuary in the earthly type. Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Why would Paul repeatedly refer to the typical pattern and order of the sanctuary service if it was not relevant and important? Calvary was the outer court out side of the sanctuary and Christ was not officiating as High Priest until after His Sacrificial Offering was accepted by the Father. At that time He was Ordained and Anointed /Inaugurated as King of Glory-Son of God. And then He began His High Priestly work for us sinners only after His Inauguration services in heaven as King took place first.

But first here are some excellent relevant thoughts by one of our SDA pioneers on the topic.

1. If the atonement was made on Calvary, by whom was it made? The making of the atonement is the work of a Priest? but who officiated on Calvary? - Roman soldiers and wicked Jews.
2. The slaying of the victim was not making the atonement: the sinner slew the victim, Leviticus 4:1-4, 13-15. etc., after that the Priest took the blood and made the atonement. Leviticus 4:5-12, 16-21.
3. Christ was the appointed High priest to make the atonement, and he certainly could not have acted in that capacity till after his resurrection, and we have no record of his doing any thing on earth after his resurrection, which could be called the atonement.
4. The atonement was made in the Sanctuary, but Calvary was not such a place.
5. He could not, according to Hebrews 8:4, make the atonement while on earth. "If he were on earth, he should not be a Priest." The Levitical was the earthly priesthood, the Divine, the heavenly.
6. Therefore, he did not begin the work of making the atonement, whatever the nature of that work may be, till after his ascension, when by his own blood he entered his heavenly Sanctuary for us.
Let us now examine a few texts that appear to speak of the atonement as passed. Romans 5:11; "By whom we have now received the atonement," (margin, reconciliation). This passage clearly shows a present possession of the atonement at that time the apostle wrote; but it by no means proves that the entire atonement was then in the past.

My comments here: I believe that the Christ did not begin His work as High Priest in the Holy Place until after His Inauguration as King, after He sat down as King on the right hand of God . After receiving the Glory as Son of God that was His before the world began and after being celebrated by all heaven as King and Prince sitting at the right hand of God. Only after this at the end of the probationary period for the Jewish Nation at the end of the seventy weeks or 490 years of Daniel chapter nine He became the Anointed High Priest and began His work in the Holy Place as Priest. And I believe that He never entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary until after the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14 prophecy was fulfilled and I believe that the holy scriptures will support this.

(continuing with this statement by Crosier...)

When the Saviour was about to be taken up from his apostles, he "commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father," which came on the day of Pentecost when they were all "baptized with the Holy Ghost." Christ had entered his Father's house, the Sanctuary, as High Priest, and began his intercession for his people by "praying the Father" for "another Comforter," John 14:15, "and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost," Acts 2:33, He shed it down upon his waiting apostles. Then, in compliance with their commission, Peter, at the third hour of the day began to preach, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins," Acts 2:38. This word remission, signifies forgiveness, pardon or more literally sending away of sins.
Now put by the side of this text another on this point from his discourse at the ninth hour of the same day, Acts 3:19, "Repent ye therefore; and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Here he exhorts to repentance and conversion (turning away from sins); for what purpose? "That your sins may be (future) blotted out." Every one can see that the blotting out of sins does not take place at repentance and conversion; but follows, and must of necessity be preceded by them. Repentance, conversion, and baptism had then become imperative duties in the present tense; and when performed, those doing them "washed away" (Acts 22:16) remitted or sent away from them their sins. (Acts 2:28); and of course are forgiven and have "received the atonement;" but they had not received it entire at that time, because their sins were not yet blotted out. How far then had they advanced in the reconciling process? Just so far as the individual under the law had when he had confessed his sin, brought his victim to the door of the tabernacle, laid his hand upon it and slain it, and the priest had with its blood entered the Holy and sprinkled it before the veil and upon the altar and thus made an atonement for him, and he was forgiven. Only that was the type, and this the reality. That prepared for the cleansing of the great day of atonement, this for the blotting out of sins "when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus." Hence, "by whom we have now received the atonement" is the same as "by whom we have received forgiveness of sin." At this point the man is "made free from sin." The Lamb on Calvary's cross is our victim slain; "Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant" "in the heavens" is our interceding High Priest, making atonement with his own blood, by and with which he entered there.

The essence of the process is the same as in the earthly type or "shadow".
1st, Convinced of sin;
2nd, Repentance and Confession;
3rd, Present the Divine sacrifice bleeding. (In the Holy Place not the MHP)

This done in faith and sincerity we can do no more, no more is required.
Then in the heavenly Sanctuary our High Priest with his own blood makes the atonement and we are forgiven. 1 Peter 2:24; "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." See also Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4-12. His body is the "one sacrifice" for repenting mortals, to which their sins are imparted [imputed], and through whose blood in the hands of the living active Priest they are conveyed to the heavenly Sanctuary. That was offered "once for all," "on the tree;" and all who would avail themselves of its merits must through faith, there receive it as theirs, bleeding at the hands of sinful mortals like themselves. After thus obtaining the atonement of forgiveness we must "maintain good works," not the "deeds of the law;" but "being dead to sin should live unto righteousness." This work we all understand to be peculiar to the Gospel Dispensation.” O.R.L. Crosier-The Day Star Extra-Feb. 7,1846- The Sanctuary part 3 of 4.

Some are called to be priest of God and they are to understand all the particulars of the Sanctuary Services and what is taken place in both apartments and when, and why. They are trusted to give the message of Revelation 14:6 Fear God and give Glory to Him for the hour of His judgment has come. So some whom God has appointed as priest with Christ in His heavenly work are to understand more completely all the duties of Christ in His role as High Priest and all the works taken place to complete the atonement in heaven with His own blood in the Heavenly Sanctuary and to complete the work of Judgment.1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Hebrew 8:1: says, “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. Heb 8:4 : For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

In Hebrews 8:1 Paul is telling us that Christ was the King and equal with God and is set at the Father’s right hand. And that He is also our High Priest and minister of the Heavenly Sanctuary also. Paul was emphasizing that Christ was not only the Lamb and and the Lion of the Judah, son of God, King of Glory, but He is also our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. Some bible text also show us clearly that Christ was sitting on the throne at the right side of the Father as King, but when He is standing He is mediating as High Priest. We will discover more about this later, when He is standing before God’s throne not sitting, it is this time when He is in the heavenly sanctuary officiating as our High Priest. The thrones are movable and one throne is the throne of grace and the other the throne of glory as we will discover.

In the Old Testament books of Leviticus, Exodus, and Daniel we find a complete harmony of the prophecies related to Christ and His work as the Lamb of God, High Priest, Savior and King as the Son of God as presented in the New Testament books of Hebrew and Revelations. The Apostle Paul points outs these facts in Hebrews 8:1-4 as we just read and also in Hebrews 9: He shows us the importance and relevance of a two apartment Sanctuary: “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:1-12

Some professed Christians believe that Christ sacrifice on Calvary's tree was the full and completed atonement. They believe only in what Christ has already done on Calvary in forgiving our sins or Justification for us sinners. But they fail to understand how Christ sacrifice also brings us Sanctification which is a freedom from sin, victory over sin and self, and a love for the Law of God enabling us to Love as He does.

 As we already noted that Christ sacrifice was just the beginning of the atonement not the complete end of it. His sacrifice of Himself for us sinners was perfect, full and complete in itself but it was just the beginning of His Atoning work as our Saviour and High Priest. His sacrifice was represented in the earthly type by the burnt offering/sin offering made out side of the gate/camp of the sanctuary. The Word of God says: Hebrews 13:11-12 "For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." But in this earthly type the blood of the lamb was taken into the Holy Place daily by the High Priest to atone for the sins of His people and then once a year into the Most Holy Place as well to symbolically cleans the sanctuary of all the sins transferred by faith there.

What was the sanctuary service all about? It was a sanctuary to remove sin and free sinners from the condemnation that sin brings with separation and the wrath of God. Why was a sacrifice even needed? It was needed because of sin. God made a way to redeem sinners and and restore a relations with Him in harmony with His law.

What is the biblical definition of sin. The Bible says: "sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. What law? The devout Hebrew understood the law to be the first five books of Moses. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Also known as the Torah. The Torah/Law included all the Ten Commandment Laws of God and the Laws of Moses known as the "Book of the Law" covering the sacrificial, ceremonial and civil laws. It was these laws of Moses in the "book of the law" (not the Ten Commandment Laws) that were nailed to the cross because type has met anti-type, God provided a better covenant taking away the old and the need of animal sacrifices. Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. The handwriting of ordinances that were against us were in the "book of the covenant/book of the law of Moses and not the Ten Commandment laws that is very clear. The Apostle Paul said,Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

The Hebrews also knew the significance of both. They knew the the Ten Commandments were written by God Himself and kept in God's presence in the Most Holy Place of the earthly sanctuary in the ark of the covenant because they are everlasting. And they also knew that the book of the law was placed along side of the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place and not in the ark. They knew that the book of the law was written by Moses and not God and it was not equal with the T.C. Laws within the ark of the covenant, and that it was symbolical of a greater covenant of salvation and that the earthly sanctuary was just a type. They understood the importance of the Ten Commandments, that were placed in the ark of the covenant. They understood that the whole sacrificial service was needed because of the transgression of these Ten Commandment Laws. If there were no Ten Commandment Laws, there would be no sin and no needed of a sacrifice for sin/or saviour. There would be no need of the lamb or the Lamb of God/Christ. But because the law of the Ten Commandments are eternal and kept in God's presence and unchangeable, they understood the need for the blood sacrifice to atone for sin. The wages of sin is death. And without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin. So God instructed Moses to build a sanctuary and gave him all the particulars of the sanctuary service and the work of the High Priest. Moses was told to make it after the pattern shown him in the mount...a copy and shadow of the true sanctuary in heaven. So if the sin offering in type in the earthly was made out side of the sanctuary without the gate/camp. And then the blood brought into the holy place of the sanctuary and then once a year into the most holy place. Where and how in the anti-type was all this accomplished at the sacrifice on Calvary?

We do not want only forgiveness of sin we want a freedom from it, a removing of sin and a complete atonement that would bring us in to a oneness with God and a complete destruction of sin and satan. And all this was accomplished symbolically in the earthly type by the work of the high priest in the holy and most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. If we neglect the sanctuary message and its anti-type in heaven, we are rejecting sanctification and the removal and complete destruction of sin and satan the originator of sin. God wants a complete removal of sin in His universe and that is what Christ is going to accomplish as the Lamb of God and High Priest and Mediator in the Heavenly Sanctuary.

Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.