Moving from the Holy to the Most Holy
1. Introduction
The 2300 Days prophecy of Daniel Chapter 8 is an extremely important prophecy that identifies end time events (see study: ’The 2300 days prophecy’). Such is the importance of the prophecy that it was delivered by the very highest angel: Gabriel (Daniel 8 verse 16), who took Lucifer’s place next to God (Lk 1:19). The prophecy identifies the year 1844 AD (see study: ’The 2300 days prophecy’,4) as the start of the time of the end in Heaven when Christ began His final atoning work in the Most Holy (inner compartment) in the Sanctuary in Heaven.
Here we address in detail the preparatory events that occurred in Heaven in 1844 AD: the movements of the Father and the Son.
Throughout this study it is important to remember that the events in the earthly Sanctuary represented the form and the events of the Heavenly Sanctuary (Ex 25:9; He 8:1,2,5) - indeed, this was the purpose of the earthly Sanctuary, to reveal the Ministry in the true Sanctuary in Heaven.
2. The Holy (outer compartment) of the Sanctuary in Heaven
We first need to understand the location of Christ and the Father in the Heavenly Sanctuary prior to the 1844 AD preparatory events.
2.1 Christ in the Holy in Heaven
Re 1:10-13 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last...
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
In study: ’The Sanctuary on Earth’,5.3 we see that the Holy (outer compartment) on Earth contained the Menorah, the seven-branched golden candlestick.
Correspondingly, the golden candlesticks seen by John the Revelator were in the Holy of the Sanctuary in Heaven.
Christ was ‘in the midst’ of the candlesticks - therefore, Christ was in the Holy in Heaven.
Note. The Lord’s day here (v10 above) is the seventh day Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment (see study: ‘The Sabbath’,5).
Christ’s Ministry in the Holy
Establishing that Christ was in the Holy in Heaven prior to 1844 AD confirms that after His ascension Christ entered the Holy in the Heavenly Sanctuary - not into the Most Holy, as is commonly believed (see study: ‘The Sanctuary in Heaven’,3.2).
Whilst in the Holy in Heaven, Christ conducted His ‘continual’ ministry. This was typified by the Daily ministry in the Sanctuary on Earth (see study: ’The Sanctuary on Earth’,2.2,3.1).
2.2 God (the Father) in the Holy in Heaven
Re 8:2-4 And I saw the seven angels which stood before [Strong's G1799, in the face of] God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before [Strong's G1799] the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before [Strong's G1799] God out of the angel's hand.
Note. Strong's G1799 is also translated 'in the presence of' seven times (e.g. Lk 1:19). In study: ‘The Sanctuary on Earth’,5.1 we see that the golden altar of incense was located in the Holy of the earthly Sanctuary. The golden altar in the Heavenly Sanctuary is thus in the Holy.
The golden altar in Heaven is ‘before (in the presence of) God’ and ‘before (in the presence of) the throne’, which means that God (the Father) was then seated on His Throne in the Holy in Heaven.
3. The Most Holy (inner compartment) of the Sanctuary in Heaven
In the Sanctuary on Earth, on the annual Day of Atonement, the High Priest completed the mediatorial work for the year. This was conducted in the presence of the Father, in the Most Holy.
Correspondingly, to complete His mediatorial work, Christ, our true High Priest (He 4:14), must enter the Most Holy in Heaven. This work must be conducted in the Father’s presence, who thus must also enter the Most Holy.
3.1 A door opens in Heaven
Re 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven…
Re 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
In study: ’The Sanctuary on Earth’,4.1 we see that in the earthly Sanctuary the Ark of the Covenant (i.e. the Ark of the Testimony - Ex 25:22) was located in the Most Holy (Ex 26:34), and thus ‘the Ark of His Testament’ is in the Most Holy in Heaven.
Thus the opening of the Temple of God in Heaven was the opening up of the Most Holy, by means of the opening of the ‘door’ that separated the Most Holy from the Holy.
This corresponds to the opening of the Most Holy on Earth, when the High Priest entered ‘within the veil’ on the Day of Atonement.
3.2 The Father enters the Most Holy in Heaven
Now we must turn to the prophetic book of Daniel, which together with the book of Revelation, gives a comprehensive account of end time events.
Daniel chapter 7 portrays the ‘Ancient of days’ in the end time:
Da 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down [Strong’s H7412, throw, set], and the Ancient of days did sit...
Here we see thrones being set in place. As we have seen the Most Holy in Heaven has been opened; thus the thrones have been ‘set’ in the Most Holy in Heaven. One throne is occupied by the ‘Ancient of Days’, i.e. God the Father.
We see a parallel in Revelation chapter 4
Re 4:2,10,11 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Here, ‘the one’ on the throne is worshipped, and is therefore the Father.
Thus Daniel and Revelation together give us a full account of the Father entering the Most Holy in the Heavenly Sanctuary.
3.3 Christ enters the Most Holy in Heaven
Christ, to complete His saving work in the presence of the Father, had to enter the Most Holy in Heaven:
Da 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
The ‘Son of man’ (Christ) followed the Father into the Most Holy in Heaven, escorted by the
‘clouds of heaven’. Thus Christ must have been in the Holy. The clouds are the Heavenly angels (see study: ’The Second Advent of Christ’,8.1).
Christ then occupied the throne next to the ‘Ancient of Days’:
He 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;
Note. Wherever the Father’s throne is set, Christ’s throne (Re 3:21) is set next to Him, at the Father’s right hand.
In both compartments of the Sanctuary in Heaven, Christ our High Priest has always remained at the right hand of the Father, Thus Christ’s entire ministry for fallen mankind has been/is being conducted in the very presence of the Father.
At this moment, Christ is conducting the completion of His saving ministry in the Most Holy in Heaven.
4. Summary
The events in the true Heavenly Sanctuary are prefigured by the events in the earthly Sanctuary. Thus Christ, after His ascension, first joined the Father in the Holy in Heaven, where Christ conducted his ‘daily’ ministry in the very presence of the Father.
In 1844 AD the Father and The Son moved from the Holy in the Heavenly Sanctuary into the Most Holy. Once in the Most Holy, Christ began the final phase of His saving work, again in the very presence of the Father. This work is in progress now.
By this work the penitent amongst mankind are restored to God, fully and completely, while those found unrepentant are forever condemned.