Would you believe that nearly 3,500 years ago, in a desert just east of Egypt, God demonstrated with graphic visual aids His entire plan of salvation to over two million slaves who had just been freed?
Would you believe that about 2,500 years ago God referred to these visual aids as foundation material when in a vision He announced to His exiled prophet in Iran, the date for the judgment to begin?
Would you believe that in the book of Revelation God reveals that one way His church for today can be identified is that it will be announcing to the world the date for the judgment to begin?
It all seems incredible, doesn’t it? Yet, it is true, and more than this, the subject is so important that Jesus refers to it directly or indirectly at least fifty times in the book of Revelation. Make no mistake about it: in this lesson we consider a topic of life and death import. It will touch upon several extremely significant Bible themes which are interrelated, and which are weighty beyond description. We will need to seek explanations outside of Revelation for this subject. We will look especially at the book of Daniel, which covers several of the same prophecies as does Revelation. The books of Daniel and Revelation explain each other. May the Holy Spirit guide us in our study!
THE SANCTUARY – SYMBOL OF SALVATION
1. In Moses’ day God freed His people from slavery in Egypt and led them into the desert where He explained His plan of salvation to them through visual aids. What was the most important visual aid called? Exodus 25:8
Ans: “And let them make me a _____________________________________”.
NOTE: The sanctuary was the portable temple where God met His people for worship and sacrificial offerings.
2. How would Moses know how to build this sanctuary? Exodus 25:40
Ans: God showed him a __________________________________________
3. Where is the original sanctuary that God used for the pattern? Hebrews 9:23, cf 8:1-5
Ans: The earthly sanctuary was a pattern of the sanctuary in _________________________
NOTE: The original sanctuary is located in heaven.
4. Why is it important to understand the sanctuary? Psalm 77:13
Ans: “Thy________________, O God, is in the __________________________”.
NOTE: God’s way or His plans for the salvation of man are revealed in the sanctuary.
DESCRIBE THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY AND ITS SERVICES (see Exhibit 14:1)
5. What happened in the earthly sanctuary or temple when Jesus died? Mark 15:37-38
Ans: “The ________________ of the ____________ was rent in ________________”.
NOTE: The temple veil (as thick as the palm of your hand) was torn in two from top to bottom by unseen hands, and the Most Holy Place was thrown open to view. No one but the High Priest saw inside the Most Holy Place, and he waw it only annually, on the Day of Atonement. The earthly sanctuary services had come to an end with Jesus’ death. He is the true Passover, 1 Corinthians 5:7, Revelation 5:6-14 to which the sacrificial system pointed. The law of sacrifices was to last only until Jesus’ death, Galatians 3:16, 19. From that moment the HEAVENLY sanctuary began to serve God’s people, and the EARTHLY sanctuary, and its services, were nullified by God, Hebrews 8:1-5, 9:24.
JESUS OUR HIGH PRIEST
6. When Jesus began to serve as our priest in the heavenly sanctuary, after His ascension, in which apartment or section was He working? Revelation 1:12-13
Ans:” I saw … in the midst of the seven ___________ one like unto the ___________ of man”.
NOTE: He began His ministry as our priest in the HOLY PLACE where the seven candlesticks are.
See Exhibit 14.2
CHRIST’S GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES
7. When Jesus sent His disciples to preach, where did He tell them: a. not to go, and b. to go? Matthew 10:5-6
Ans:
a. “Go ___________ into the way of the ___________”.
b. “Go rather to the lost ___________ of the house of _______________”.
NOTE: He told His disciples not to work among the Gentiles but to go only to the Jews or Israel. The reason is clear: the Jews’ probationary time as God’s people did not end til 34 A.D. They were to be given first opportunity.
8. Stephen was stoned and general persecution was launched against the church about 3½ years after the cross – in 34 A.D. What did the apostles later say which indicated probation had closed for the Jews as God’s chosen people? Acts 13:46
Ans: “It was __________________ that the ____________ of God should _____________ have been spoken to ______________; but seeing ye put it _______________ you, and _______________ yourselves _______________ of everlasting ____________, lo, we _______________ to the ___________________________”.
9. In Matthew 21:43 Jesus warned plainly that He was taking the kingdom from the Jews and giving it to another nation. To what nation did He refer? Galatians 3:7,29, Romans 2:28-29, 1 Peter 2:9.
Ans: “They which are of _______________, the same are the children of _____________ “ … “If ye be _________________, then are ye Abraham’s ____________ and ______________”.
NOTE: The chosen nation referred to in Matthew 21:43 is SPIRITUAL Israel, Galatians 6:15-16. Every servant of Jesus from every race, world-wide, is part of God’s “holy nation”, 1 Peter 2:9, to which the promises made to Israel of old now apply in a SPIRITUAL sense. In Luke 21:24 Jesus said, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled”. The time of the Gentiles reaches to the coming of the Lord, Matthew 24:14. Earthly Jerusalem will never again be accepted as God’s chosen city. His chosen city is the new Jerusalem, Revelation 3:12. The prophecies of Revelation have very special meaning for the “nation” of spiritual Israel. This is why we have this Bible study of the Revelation.
10. Since Jesus only lived 3½ years of the last seven given to the Jewish people how could he confirm His covenant for the entire “week” or seven years as promised in Daniel 9:27? Hebrews 2:3.
Ans: “Salvation, which at the _____________ began to be ___________ by the Lord, and was __________ unto us by _____________ that ____________ Him”.
NOTE: The disciples confirmed it for the last 3½ years.
Virtually ALL Bible scholars agree that the first 69 weeks of Daniel 9 end with the baptism of Jesus (27 A.D.). But many take the last week of the 70-week prophecy and put it down to just before the Lord’s return. No other Bible prophecy is divided thus.
11. Can you think of any SCRIPTURAL reason for doing this?
Ans: _______________________________________________________
SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION THEORY
12. The teaching that projects into the future the last seven years of Daniel 9:24-27 is not in the Bible. Where did it come from? Mark 7:13
Ans: “Making the word of God of none effect by your ____________________”.
You can read more about this in Exhibit 14.3
GOD GIVES JUDGMENT DATE
13. When did Daniel say the sanctuary in heaven would be cleansed? Daniel 8:14
Ans: “Unto two __________ and three ___________ days; the shall the ______________ be __________________”.
NOTE: Daniel is here saying that 2300 days (2300 years, using the Bible rule) into the future the sanctuary in heaven would be cleansed. That is, the JUDGMENT or DAY OF ATONEMENT would begin.
Both Daniel 8 and 9 deal with the 2300-year prophecy. Daniel 9 explains the date for the beginning of the time prophecy of Daniel 8. The 490 years allotted to the Jews begins at the same time as the 2300 years. The chart below completes the 2300-year time prophecy diagram.
14. When did the judgment begin in heaven?
NOTE: It is most sobering to realize that the judgment has been in session in heaven for well over 100 years.
15. When the judgment began in heaven, in which apartment of the sanctuary did the prophet John see Jesus? Revelation 11:15-19
Ans: (vs. 19) “And there was ___________ in His temple the ______________”.
NOTE: The prophet saw Jesus in the second apartment, the Most Holy place, where the ark is located in the sanctuary.
GOD’S PEOPLE PREACH JUDGMENT
16. What must God’s last day church be preaching world-wide today as part of the gospel? Revelation 14:6-7
Ans: “Fear _______, and give_________ to Him; for the ___________ of his ________ is come”.
NOTE: God’s church for today MUST be teaching that the heavenly judgment is NOW in session. It began in 1844, and when it ends, the horrible problem of sin will be ended forever. Because of this grand fact all should give glory to God!
17. How many will join in praise to Jesus, the Lamb, at His throne? Revelation 5:11
Ans: (vs. 11) “Ten thousand times ten thousand and ____________________ of thousands”.
18. What touching words are found in Daniel 9:26 in connection with Jesus’ sacrifice?
Ans: Shall Messiah be cut of but ________________________”.
NOTE: Touching, indeed. When Jesus died it was not for Himself. He died for our sins because He loves us dearly and beyond our comprehension.
Jesus was crucified, “but not for Himself”.
19. All Jesus asks in return for giving His life for us is that we accept Him as our loving Father and Friend, and let Him recreate us into His image, so He can take us into His new kingdom. What a wonderful Lord and Saviour! He longs for you to way the word of acceptance now, so He can write your name in His book of life. Will you do it?
Ans: __________________________________________________________