Cleansing the Sanctuary, Pt. 2

We've all heard of atomic clocks. Invented about 75 years ago, these time pieces are incredibly accurate. For example, the celsium fountain clock located in Boulder, Colorado, which is responsible for official timekeeping in the USA, will only lose or gain less than a second in over a 100 million year span. You can even buy a real atomic clock of your own if you've got a few thousand dollars lying around. I don't know why, but now engineers have even developed a more accurate timekeeping apparatus, the optical lattice clock. It involves trapping cooled atoms within an optical lattice, resulting in such precision, it takes 15 billion years to lose a single second. Did you know we can find amazing time accuracy in the spiritual realm, as well? For example, the Bible's longest time prophecy predicted the exact time the Messiah would appear, and when he would die for our sins and ascend to heaven, where he now intercedes as our high priest. So join me now as we explore this fascinating topic.

There is a prophecy that you'll find, there's actually a couple of prophecies, in Daniel chapter eight and Daniel chapter nine. We're going to be looking at the longest time prophecy in the Bible tonight. And I want to remind you, this is so important because it tells us the antichrist power is going to be sitting in the temple of God, showing himself he is God, and much of the world has been confused about what is that temple that the antichrist power sits over. A magician uses something called slight of hand and diversion. And what he'll do is they direct your attention over here, and they're just so good at getting people to focus on something here that nobody's paying attention to what's happening in their other hand or in another spot. They always get you to focus on something they want you to focus on. The devil's got a lot of the world focusing on a distraction, and they're missing what's really going on right under their noses. And we'll be unveiling more of that in this seminar as we proceed.

And this leads us into our study for tonight, which is called Cleansing the Sanctuary. Here you go. All right, everyone awake? One of the most important prophecies in the Bible. When I first understood this, I literally jumped up and down. I'll try not to do that tonight. "70 weeks are determined for your people." Who are Daniel's people?

- [Congregant] The Jews.

- The Jews. And for the holy city, about 70 weeks, how many days in a week?

- Seven.

- Seven days in a week. 70 weeks is how many days?

- [Congregation] 490.

- 70 times seven, 490. Did Peter once say, "Jesus, how often shall I forgive my brother, seven times?" And Jesus said, "Not seven times, but 70 times seven." How much longer was God going to bear with the Jewish nation to fulfill their destiny? Their destiny was to introduce the Messiah to the world. That's what happens in this book. "For the people, for your holy city, "to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, "to make reconciliation for iniquity." Lots happening here. "To bring in everlasting righteousness." This is the mission of Jesus. "To seal up the vision." To complete the vision that we study. "To anoint the Most Holy." Who is the Most Holy that was anointed?

- [All] Jesus.

- This prophecy's telling us when Christ would begin his ministry and be anointed with the Holy Spirit. The word Christ, Christos, you've heard of christening a ship, it's anointing. The word in Hebrew is Messiah, they both mean anointing. It means he was filled and flooded and saturated with the Holy Spirit. God in man is what you have in Jesus. It says 70 weeks. So the overall prophecy is 70 weeks. A day in prophecy equals what?

- [Congregation] A year.

- A year, we'll give you the verses on that in just a moment. "Know therefore and understand." I'm in verse 25. "That from the going forth of the command," here's the starting point for the vision, "from the going forth of the command "to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince, "there will be seven weeks and 62 weeks." That's a total of 69. "And the street will be built again, "and the wall, even in troublesome times." He's foretelling what happened in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah when they were rebuilding the temple and the streets and the walls. "And after the 62 weeks," and after this time period, it says, "the Messiah is cut off, but not for himself." Messiah was cut off for who? For you and me. "And the people of the prince who will come "shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."

He's talking about when the Romans came. This next power was the Romans, and they would destroy Jerusalem and the temple. This broke Daniel's heart. And the end will be with a flood, meaning a lot of people or armies would sweep over. "Until the end of the war desolations are determined." Going back to Messiah in verse 27, "He will confirm the covenant with many for one week, "but in the middle of the week, "he will bring an end to sacrifice and offerings." Who caused the sacrifice and the offering to cease? When Jesus died on the cross and the veil was rent in the temple, do we sacrifice lambs anymore? The Jews don't even sacrifice lambs anymore. "And on the wing of abomination "shall one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, "which is determined, shall be poured out on the desolate."

So you got the abomination of desolation identified here, you've got the coming of the Messiah. I'm going to give it to you again, if that was fast. "At the beginning of your supplications "the command went out, and I've come to tell you." So the angel comes to explain this vision in Daniel chapter nine, and it's going on with the vision of Daniel chapter eight. What was the starting point for the 2,300-day and the 70-week time prophecies? We've got two prophecies that overlay each other, they got one starting period given in both chapters. It says, "Know therefore and understand." This is Daniel 9:25. "From the going forth of the commandment "to restore and build Jerusalem. "Until the Messiah the Prince, "there will be seven weeks and 62 weeks."

So, you got a starting point. How in the world are we going to find in history the starting point for this command to restore and build Jerusalem? In Ezra chapter seven, the decree of King Artaxerxes, the Persian king, is given, and it's a very easily established date in history, it is 457 BC. So here's our starting point, but we've got to just reiterate, when it says 490 days, in prophecy a day is a year. You can look here in Ezekiel 4:6, "I have laid on you a day for each year." Numbers 14:34, "Each day for a year." Another prophecy in Luke chapter 13. The enemies of Jesus came and said, "King Herod, he's killed John the Baptist, "you better be careful, you might be next." Jesus said, "Go tell that fox, I teach, do cures. "cast out devils today, tomorrow, "and the third day I will be completed or perfected."

Jesus made that statement about six months in his ministry when John the Baptist was killed, he did not preach for three more days, he preached for three more years. Even Jesus used the day for the year principle in his prophecy. So don't be thinking literal days because nothing significant happened 2,300 days after Daniel got this prophecy. The angel said that if you were to count 69 weeks from 457 BC, you would come to the Messiah the Prince. Does it happen? Look at this, you can read in Acts 10:37, "That the word you know, after the baptism, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit "and with power." Who went about doing good and healing, all who were oppressed of the devil, Jesus was anointed.

You remember when he was baptized and he came up out of the water and the heavens were open. The Holy Spirit came down like a dove. Christ does no miracle before his baptism, nothing recorded. And he begins his public ministry, from that point on. Meets with the devil in the wilderness and defeats him and Jesus then taught for three and a half years.

Here's a chart, and then there's a ton of stuff that you're going to see on the screen up here. So if you go from 457 BC, go 483 years, it comes to AD 27 the very time when Jesus was baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit and he began his ministry, but we haven't gotten the whole 490 yet, we just get the beginning of that 483 years. There's still one week left. It says in the midst of that last week, he causes the sacrifice to cease. Jesus preaches for three and a half years, he dies on the cross, the veil in the temple is rent, he causes the sacrificial system to be fulfilled in him. That's all nailed to the cross. Well, why is there another three and a half years?

All right, go with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter seven, Acts chapter seven. Not only did Jesus preach three and a half years, Jesus then exclusively preached three and a half years to the Jewish nation. And here we're going to find the story where Stephen is stoned. Go to verse 57. After Stephen presents the gospel to the Jewish Supreme court, the Sanhedrin, he says that we've crucified our savior. They plug their ears, they don't want to hear it. They gnash their teeth, they run upon him. What does it mean? If a Supreme Court of a nation plugs their ears? It's not good for the nation. They cried out with a loud voice, they stopped their ears, they ranted him with one accord, they cast him out of the city and they stoned him. Jesus was brought out of the city, he prayed for the forgiveness of those that executed him, just like Stephen. It says that they laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul, tells us that they divided Jesus' clothing.

The same thing that happened to Jesus, happens to the first Christian martyr, Stephen, three and a half years later, Stephen dies. And Paul is there at the execution, Paul is converted, he becomes the apostle to the Gentiles. Now the gospel goes to everybody. You realize until the stoning of Stephen, the apostles were only preaching to Jews. This is in the lesson here. I'm going to give you some revision of that again, to help remember it. 483 years, plus 457 goes to AD 26, but keep in mind, there's still one more year you add between the year 1 BC and 1 AD, there is no year zero, that adds up to 27 AD. This is when Jesus was baptized. What was to take place next in the prophecy? After the 62 weeks, you got the seven weeks and the 62 weeks, that's 69, Messiah would be cut off. Can that be misunderstood? Messiah is who?

- Jesus.

- Jesus. In his prime, the average person lives three score and 10 years, Jesus died 33 and a half. In his prime, he lays down his life in his best for you and me. "He'll confirm the covenant with many for one week; "but in the middle of the week, "he'll bring to end the sacrifice and the offering."

Now friends, this is a verse that we can't get wrong. Let me just tell you, I've got a lot of evangelical friends, they say the one who confirms the covenant is the anti-Christ. I'm telling you, and a lot of other Protestant scholars are saying, it's not the anti-Christ, it is Jesus. Where in the Bible do you find that the anti-Christ makes a covenant with anybody? There's no salvation covenant. Does God have a covenant with his people?

- [Congregation] Yes.

- Did Jesus come to confirm that covenant?

- [Congregation] Yes.

- He is the fulfillment of the covenant God made with Abraham that through his seed, all the nations would be blessed. The covenant of salvation by faith is confirmed through Jesus for three and a half years, half of a week in the midst of that last seven, he dies. Well, but how does he continue to confirm the covenant after he's died? Good question, it's in the Bible. Look in Hebrews chapter two, you go to Hebrews chapter two. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, "which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord," first three and a half, "and was confirmed." The covenant was confirmed through Jesus. "And was confirmed to us by those who heard him." For another three and a half years, he confirmed the covenant just to the Jews, through the apostles. Christ said to the apostles, "As the father has sent me, so I send you, "you need to complete the work that I've started. "And even though the Jewish nation "has officially rejected me, I am long suffering, merciful, "I want you to continue to preach the gospel to the Jews." And many were converted.

When 3,000 were converted at Pentecost, what was their religion? Jewish, they were devout Jews out of every nation under heaven. 5,000 converted a few days later, what were they? Jews, the Bible tells us in Acts, many of the priests, even Pharisees and Sadducees, people like Nicodemus and Joseph were converted. He said, "I'm going to give you first chance." The gospel comes, it says to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. And so he confirmed the covenant for that last seven years of the 490 years with the Jewish nation.

Don't go anywhere friends, in just a moment we'll return for the rest of today's presentation. Believe it or not, understanding the ancient Hebrew sanctuary can give you a better grasp of the plan of salvation while also providing a deeper understanding of how he can break the power of sin in your life and bring you ultimate healing and victory. We have a compelling, free resource we'd like to share with you that explains Jesus' ongoing ministry for us in the heavenly temple. I think you're going to find it to be a blessing that will strengthen your faith and give you hope for the future. To get your free copy, call the phone number on your screen and ask for offer number 130, or visit the web address. And after you read this incredible resource, make sure and share it with a friend. Well, let's get back to today's program and learn more amazing facts from the word of God.

In the middle of that last seven years, Christ dies on the cross, he causes a sacrifice to cease. You remember where it says, the veil in the temple was ripped from top to bottom? On the Passover, no less. The real Passover lamb was dying on the cross, outside the city. Now, even after Jesus died and ascended to heaven, the Jews tried to revamp the sacrificial system, but I'll tell you, after that event there in AD 31, nothing was ever the same. And people who are looking for the Jews to rebuild the temple today, I hear Christians and evangelicals talking about it, but you talk to Jews, I don't meet Jews anywhere. Like I said, I come from a Jewish family. They're not talking about rebuilding the temple. I don't know any Jews anywhere that are saying, I wish we could start sacrificing lambs again. I wish we could build the temple to house the 10 commandments and we don't know where they are. There might be a few ultra-orthodox Jews that are saying that, but that's not the temple that needed cleansing, it's us now. Jesus already took care of that a long time ago in the other temple, "Because the veil is taken away in Christ." That veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place, now through faith, you and I can boldly go before the father through Jesus. We have a high priest in his presence, Amen.

- [Congregation] Amen.

- Jesus told his disciples to preach first to which group of people? This is review of what I just read. "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, "but go rather," where? To the lost sheep of the house of Israel. I mean, I thought Jesus wanted them to go everywhere to... No, no, he said, don't go everywhere yet. The Jews have the first opportunity because they've got the whole foundation in the scriptures. And if you can convert the Jews and then send them out as evangelists, then you'll really reach people, but first reach them. What warning did Jesus give to his chosen people? "The kingdom of God will be taken from you "and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it."

Remember Jesus cursed a fig tree because it didn't bear fruit. It was kind of like the Jewish nation at that time where they had all the trappings of religion, but they didn't have the fruits of the spirit. And Jesus cursed that fig tree and said, "No man will ever eat fruit from you again." So now the blessings were to go to whosoever will. Everyone really becomes a spiritual Jew when we accept Christ.

So what is this other nation spoken of by Jesus, which would become his chosen people? Now God still has a heart for the Jews, don't misunderstand, but the Bible is clear, in Christ now, Galatians tells us there is neither Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, we are all one in Christ. Christ is not restricting it, he's expanding the promises that he gave Abraham and Isaac and Jacob to everybody. That's why Jesus said many will come from the east and the west and sit down in the kingdom with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and some of the natural kingdom, children of the kingdom will be in outer darkness. We can't be trusting our DNA for salvation, it's based on faith. "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed."

Now how many of you would say, I am Christ's? Have you accepted Jesus? Shalom, you become a spiritual Jew. The Gentiles are grafted into the stalk of Israel. There is no new covenant made with Gentiles, it is made with the house of Israel. We become at least spiritual Jews, when we accept Jesus. "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly," Romans 2:28, "but he is a Jew who is one inwardly." It's not physical circumcision, it's circumcision of the heart now.

So let's review the 490 year prophecy very quickly. You go from 457 to 27 AD, Jesus is baptized and that's the first 483 years that we saw. Then you go three and a half years from Christ's ministry, he dies on the cross. He tells the disciples, "Wait for the outpouring of the spirit, "and when you're filled with the spirit, "do not go to the Gentiles, begin in Jerusalem and Judea, "then go to Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth." And that's exactly what they did. They preach first to the lost of the house of Israel. He confirmed the covenant in person for three and a half years, then he did the last three and a half through those who walked with him. And even the enemies of the apostle said, "We can tell they had been with Jesus." They'd spent so much time with Jesus, they sounded and acted like Christ.

This is the full 490 year prophecy. You know what this means? Christ came right on time, as Daniel foretold, he did exactly what he said, that what happened with the nations happened exactly. This is what made me jump up and down years ago in the cave when I read this in my Bible, I thought that means, he said, "I'm coming again." He's going to come again just like he promised too, Amen.

- [Congregation] Amen.

- The time prophecies in the Bible never fail. This has stumped the critics. At the end, 34 AD, Stephen is stoned, Paul is converted. The gospel, it says, "A persecution arose in Jerusalem, "scattering the disciples everywhere, "preaching the gospel to Jew and Gentile." And that happens in chapter nine Paul is converted, in chapter 10 Peter preaches to the first Gentiles at the house of Cornelius in Caesarea. And so all of it happened exactly as Daniel said in his prophecy. According to the angel who spoke with Daniel, what would happen at the end of the 2,300 years? Oh, that's right, Doug, we started out in Daniel 8, said the sanctuary would not be cleansed for 2,300 years. What's talking about there? "For 2,300 days," and a day is what? A year, "Then the sanctuary will be cleansed."

So if you go from 457 and you go 2,300 years, that comes to when? 1844, that was a very interesting year in history. I had a whole list of things that happened in 1844. I do remember the first electronic message, the first text was in 1844. You've heard of Samuel Morris, he sent the first Morse code message. You know what it was? Scripture, "What hath God wrought?" Very interesting, that changed communications of the world. Whose cases are being considered in this pre-advent judgment? You realize that some judgment takes place before Jesus comes. Follow me.

When Jesus comes, is he giving rewards? Does he know who's saved and lost? The Bible says he'll come and reward every man, according to his works. Does it make sense to you that some judgment must take place before he comes? "Judgment must begin at the house of God." And if it begin at us, what is the end of those that obey not the gospel? What will be examined in this first phase of the judgment? "The dead were judged according to their works, "by the things that are written in the books." Goes on and says, in Ecclesiastes 12:14, "God will bring every work into judgment, "including every secret thing." And then finally, what's the criteria in that judgment? "Who will be judged by the law of Liberty."

So before the Lord comes, there's going to be a revival of truth. God is going to be cleansing his sanctuary. There's a cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven. All through the ages, people have said they're Christians, but the books are going to be opened before Christ comes and evaluate who were truly genuinely converted. Talks about this judgment in Daniel chapter seven, when the books are open, the ancient of days is there, it's all portrayed in the Bible.

There's also a cleansing of the sanctuary on earth. How many sanctuaries are there? Two, what's a sanctuary on earth? You are the temple of God. What did the sanctuary on earth need cleansing from? The truth was tasked to the ground. In 1844, God began a movement where the Bible truths that had been lost on a number of subjects, salvation by faith, that you're not supposed to pray to idols, the Sabbath truth, and many other things, a restoration began to take place. And that movement right now is spreading around the world, it's one of the fastest growing Protestant groups in the world today. And in this cleansing, is God done cleansing his church on earth?

- [Congregation] No.

- No, he'd be here if he was. When Michael stands up, when a judge stands up, it means case is closed, he issues decree. When Michael stands up and this great time of trouble comes, it's over. He's still cleansing the sanctuary in heaven, he's still cleansing the sanctuary on earth. You want to be part of that group, you want to be part of that sanctuary, his people, those living stones in the last days. Who is my accuser in this final judgment? "That serpent of old, called the devil "was cast down to the earth." The Bible says, "He is the accuser of the brethren "who accused them before our God day and night." The devil is there perpetually accusing. He tries to point out our sins. You can see him in the book of Job, he's accusing Job. And you can see in the book of Zachariah, he's accusing Zachariah or Joshua, the high priest. And you think the devil, he's got all the goods. The devil will tempt you to sin, and then he'll turn you in for sinning.

So how can we survive this judgment when the devil's got all this evidence against us? He's the prosecuting attorney. Good thing is you've got a great defense attorney, that's Jesus. Must I stand alone in this pre-advent judgment? No, the Bible promises John 2:1, "And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father, "Jesus Christ the righteous." First on two verse one, "My little children, "these things are right to you so that you may not sin. "And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father, "Jesus Christ the righteous." In the Jewish year, all year long, the high priest went through the daily sacrifices.

Now when Christ first ascended to heaven, he went into the Holy of Holies, he was enthroned, he activated the heavenly sanctuary. He was coronated, you might say, received his kingdom, at least in heavenly his ministry was approved, then he began his work as our high priest. But in the Jewish economy at the end of the year, the high priest went into the Holy of Holies to do a cleansing process, to cleanse the people from their sins permanently. When Christ comes again, the Bible says, "He is coming without sin unto salvation."

Is Jesus going to be burying our sins forever? At some point, is sin going to be eradicated from the universe? Revelation's very clear, there'll be no more sin, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain and Christ says, the books are being evaluated. You read in Ezekiel chapter nine, it talks about this in judgment. And it says, "Begin with the ancient men "before the sanctuary." A judgment in the house of God. There's going to be a cleansing of God's people. When Jesus went into that sanctuary with his cord and said, "Take these things hence; "my father's house is to be a house of prayer." He not only wants that for his church, he's cleansing the sanctuary from the sins that have been stored in heaven. There's a judgment going on, but he wants to cleanse your temple. Would you like him to come in and do his work?

- [Announcer] Don't forget to request today's life-changing free resource. Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, you can download a digital copy straight to your computer or mobile device. To get your digital copy of today's free gift, simply text the keyword on your screen to 40544, or visit the web address shown on your screen and be sure to select the digital download option on the request page. It's now easier than ever for you to study God's word with amazing facts, wherever, and whenever you want and most important, to share it with others.

- [Announcer] Deep within the pages of the Bible, stories of great heroes, heroes of great deeds, great love and great sacrifice. But behind them is another hero, hidden in plain sight, amid the shadows. He was there from the beginning and He'll be there until the end. Discover the golden thread of a Savior, woven throughout the entire Bible tapestry, "Shadows of Light: Seeing Jesus in All the Bible" a new book by Doug Batchelor. Get your copy today by calling 800-538-7275 or visit AFbookstore.com. Once again, to purchase your copy of "Shadows of Light," call 800-538-7275.

- [Announcer] Don't forget to request today's free offer, it's sure to be a blessing. And thank you for your continued support as we take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. We hope you'll join us next week, as we delve deep into the word of God to explore more amazing facts. This presentation was brought to you by the friends of the Amazing Facts Ministry.