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rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of Christ was near； they
had walked； as it were； by sight。 But now； bowed down by disappointed hopes；
they could stand only by faith in God and in His word。 The scoffing world
were saying： 〃You have been deceived。 Give up your faith； and say that the
advent movement was of Satan。〃 But God's word declared： 〃If any man draw
back； My soul shall have no pleasure in him。〃 To renounce their faith now；
and deny the power of the Holy Spirit which had attended the message； would
be drawing back toward perdition。 They were encouraged to steadfastness by
the words of Paul： 〃Cast not away therefore your confidence；〃 〃ye have need
of patience；〃 〃for yet a little while； and He that shall come will come； and
will not tarry。〃 Their only safe course was to cherish the light which they
had already received of God； hold fast to His promises； and continue to
search the Scriptures； and patiently wait and watch to receive further
light。
（409）
Chapter 23
What is the Sanctuary？
The scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the
central pillar of the advent faith was the declaration： 〃Unto two thousand
and three hundred days； then shall the sanctuary be cleansed。〃 Daniel 8：14。
These had been familiar words to all believers in the Lord's soon coming。 By
the lips of thousands was this prophecy repeated as the watchword of their
faith。 All felt that upon the events therein foretold depended their
brightest expectations and most cherished hopes。 These prophetic days had
been shown to terminate in the autumn of 1844。 In common with the rest of
the Christian world； Adventists then held that the earth； or some portion of
it； was the sanctuary。 They understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary
was the purification of the earth by the fires of the last great day； and
that this would take place at the second advent。 Hence the conclusion that
Christ would return to the earth in 1844。
But the appointed time had passed； and the Lord had not appeared。 The
believers knew that God's word could not fail； their interpretation of the
prophecy must be at fault； but where was the mistake？ Many rashly cut the
knot of difficulty by denying that the 2300 days ended in 1844。 No reason
could be given for this except that Christ had not come at the time they
expected Him。 They argued that if the prophetic days had ended in 1844；
Christ would then have returned to
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cleanse the sanctuary by the purification of the earth by fire； and that
since He had not come； the days could not have ended。
To accept this conclusion was to renounce the former reckoning of the
prophetic periods。 The 2300 days had been found to begin when the
commandment of Artaxerxes for the restoration and building of Jerusalem went
into effect； in the autumn of 457 B。C。 Taking this as the starting point；
there was perfect harmony in the application of all the events foretold in
the explanation of that period in Daniel 9：25…27。 Sixty…nine weeks； the
first 483 of the 2300 years； were to reach to the Messiah； the Anointed One；
and Christ's baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit； A。D。 27； exactly
fulfilled the specification。 In the midst of the seventieth week； Messiah
was to be cut off。 Three and a half years after His baptism； Christ was
crucified； in the spring of A。D。 31。 The seventy weeks； or 490 years； were
to pertain especially to the Jews。 At the expiration of this period the
nation sealed its rejection of Christ by the persecution of His disciples；
and the apostles turned to the Gentiles； A。D。 34。 The first 490 years of the
2300 having then ended； 1810 years would remain。 From A。D。 34；
1810 years extend to 1844。 〃Then；〃 said the angel； 〃shall the
sanctuary be cleansed。〃 All the preceding specifications of the prophecy had
been unquestionably fulfilled at the time appointed。
With this reckoning； all was clear and harmonious； except that it was not
seen that any event answering to the cleansing of the sanctuary had taken
place in 1844。 To deny that the days ended at that time was to involve the
whole question in confusion； and to renounce positions which had been
established by unmistakable fulfillments of prophecy。
But God had led His people in the great advent movement； His power and glory
had attended the work； and He would not permit it to end in darkness and
disappointment； to be reproached as a false and fanatical excitement。 He
would not leave His word involved in doubt and uncertainty。
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Though many abandoned their former reckoning of the prophetic periods and
denied the correctness of the movement based thereon； others were unwilling
to renounce points of faith and experience that were sustained by the
Scriptures and by the witness of the Spirit of God。 They believed that they
had adopted sound principles of interpretation in their study of the
prophecies； and that it was their duty to hold fast the truths already
gained； and to continue the same course of Biblical research。 With earnest
prayer they reviewed their position and studied the Scriptures to discover
their mistake。 As they could see no error in their reckoning of the
prophetic periods； they were led to examine more closely the subject of the
sanctuary。
In their investigation they learned that there is no Scripture evidence
sustaining the popular view that the earth is the sanctuary； but they found
in the Bible a full explanation of the subject of the sanctuary； its nature；
location； and services； the testimony of the sacred writers being so clear
and ample as to place the matter beyond all question。 The apostle Paul； in
the Epistle to the Hebrews； says： 〃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 mercy seat。〃
Hebrews 9：1…5。
The sanctuary to which Paul here refers was the tabernacle built by Moses at
the command of God as the earthly dwelling place of the Most High。 〃Let them
make Me a sanctuary； that I may dwell among them〃 （Exodus 25：8）； was the
direction given to Moses while in the mount with God。 The Israelites were
journeying through the wilderness；
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and the tabernacle was so constructed that it could be removed from place to
place； yet it was a structure of great magnificence。 Its walls consisted of
upright boards heavily plated with gold and set in sockets of silver； while
the roof was formed of a series of curtains； or coverings； the outer of
skins； the innermost of fine linen beautifully wrought with figures of
cherubim。 Besides the outer court； which contained the altar of burnt
offering； the tabernacle itself consisted of two apartments called the holy
and the most holy place； separated by a rich and beautiful curtain； or veil；
a similar veil closed the entrance to the first apartment。
In the holy place was the candlestick； on the south； with its seven lamps
giving light to the sanctuary both by day and by night； on the north stood
the table of shewbread； and before the veil separating the holy from the
most holy was the golden altar of incense； from which the cloud of
fragrance； with the prayers of Israel； was daily ascending before God。
In the most holy place stood the ark； a chest of precious wood overlaid with
gold； the depository of the two tables of stone upon which God had inscribed
the law of Ten Commandments。 Above the ark； and forming the cover to the
sacred chest； was the mercy seat； a magnificent piece of workmanship；
surmounted by two cherubim； one at each end； and all wrought of solid go