The Bible In Your Hand

Revelation Speaks

Chapter 6

Jesus the Lamb and High Priest

This chapter is based on Revelation Chapter 5

Before we begin, Welcome to Revelation Speaks Lesson series. I am glad you have chosen to study the book of Revelation with us. If this is the first time you have seen this series, then I invite you to review the other lessons before completing this lesson. With each lesson building on what has been taught in previous lessons it is important to start at the beginning. You can click here and it will take you to the introduction page and previous lessons. At the end of this lesson I have my email listed so you can submit additional questions on this lesson or any previous lesson. Now let us begin!

In the Old Testament, God desired to live among his people. So he had Moses instruct the people on how the Tabernacle should be constructed and the design of the structure and the court yard.

As time passed, this temporary structure was replaced with Solomon’s Temple. It is at this temple I want to first direct out attention. Although the structure changed, the arrangement of the furnishings remained the same from the original Tabernacle to the temple that Solomon built.

A careful study of the Old Testament would lead us to a better understanding of what is taking place in Revelation, chapters 4 and 5. In Revelation 4 it is clear we are in a Throne Room and it is also very evident that the scene is taking place in the heavenly Sanctuary.   More on this in a moment.

As we learned last time, the Altar of Bunt Offering in the outer court represents, Christ, the Lamb of God’s sacrifice of dying on the Cross. The Laver represents Christ Burial in the tomb after the crucifixion.

Now John is invited up to heaven to witness the events taking place within the open door. John was not the only Bible writer that had been invited to look in upon the heavenly throne room. Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel and in the New Testament, Stephen, one of the seven deacons of the early Christian church was given a glimpse of the heavenly throne room as he was being stoned. Paul was also granted this view. And now, John was invited to view through the open door the events that are about to take place upon the earth and in heaven.

However for us to assume that all these events referred to in Revelation 4 and 5 were soon to take place is not quite the case.   For the Enthronement and Coronation that John saw take placed had already happened. More on this in a moment.

Scattered throughout the pages of I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, along with I and II Chronicles you will find several references to Coronation and Enthronement celebrations that took place when a new king came into power.

One of the more vivid descriptions takes place in II Kings 11:12-19 and II Chronicles 23:11-20.

¹¹ Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house. ¹² And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”^[1]

Moses in the book of Deuteronomy gives us even more detail. Deuteronomy 17:18 ¹⁸ “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. ¹⁹ And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, ²⁰ that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.^[2]

Per the instructions of God through Moses, when a King was coroneted, they were given a copy of the Law. This coronation ceremony took place in the temple and so it was in the temple that a copy of the law was given as a testimony to the newly enthrone king.

Some believe this to be the 10 commandments and others say this is the law that governed the worship of God. We would call this the Ceremonial Law. Whatever it was the king was given a copy and they were expected to write out a copy for himself and as it says, so that they would learn of the Love of God and that his heart may not become proud.

After this the earthly ceremony moved to the earthly palace, where the newly enthrone king would sit upon his throne and begin his reign over the people where he would judge the people.

In heaven the heavenly Sanctuary is both temple and palace.

Perhaps some of the most mystifying and misunderstood practices of the people living in the Old Testament times were their ritual requiring the sacrificing of animals.

Why did these people shed the blood of innocent beasts? Was it some form of heathen idolatry? Was it just a pagan ritual practiced by the superstitious people to appease a wrathful god? Or could it be that centuries before Christ came and died on the cross, God devised, in advance, a method of teaching the way of Salvation through a sinless Redeemer – a dramatized prophecy of the saving work of Christ?

After the exodus of the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, God expanded the sacrificial system by including the ceremonies and sacrifices connected to the sanctuary worship services. This would be a visual aid in teaching the people the details of His plan to save mankind. God asked Moses to build a sanctuary, or tabernacle, that He might dwell among them.

In this lesson we will learn about this earthly Sanctuary, which was a replica or copy of the heavenly sanctuary. John was shown in vision the sanctuary in heaven. Let’s take a look at this sanctuary and its services.

1.  What was John shown in the very first part of the Book of Revelation? Revelation 1:12, 13 

Answer: Seven Golden Lampstand – Jesus Standing in the Midst

2.  Where did John see the seven golden candlesticks? Revelation 4:5  

Answer: Sanctuary – Before the Throne

NOTE: The candlesticks were not only given to light the sanctuary but were to be a type of the glorious light the Holy Spirit would bring into the lives of God’s people to illuminate their way to the Kingdom. Pictured here in this verse is the throne room of God or the heavenly sanctuary.Answer: Sanctuary – Before the Throne

3.  Where do we find the first of the seven angels with the seven trumpets standing as he ministered for God? Revelation 8:3, 4 

Answer: Alter of Incense 

NOTE:  The censer and the incense were to represent the prayers of God’s people ascending to God. 

4.  Earlier in the book of Revelation we find another vision of the altar. What do we find happening there? Revelation 6:9-11     

Answer: The souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and their testimony.  They ask how long till you judge and avenge our blood.

NOTE: The vision of those who had been martyred for the cause of God once again reminds us that the altar of incense John sees in the heavenly sanctuary, or temple.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: In verse 10 of Revelation 6, let’s read this again. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on earth.’ Let me ask a question, If these were true followers or servants of God. People who had given their all for service of God, would they truly want to see vengeance upon others if they truly reflected God’s love in their lives?             

No, The martyrs do not seek vengeance for themselves; they seek, instead, the vindication of God’s name See Romans 12:19 and Revelation 5:13. How is it that they can be singing praises to God and to Christ and still want vengeance for themselves. Instead, they seek that God’s name be vindicated.

Vindicated means.

1. to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like: to vindicate someone’s honor.
2. to afford justification for; justify Subsequent events vindicated his policy.
3. To uphold or justify by argument or evidence: to vindicate a claim.
4. To assert, maintain, or defend (a right cause,) against opposition.

• Obsolete meaning is: to deliver from or liberate.

• And who of us here doesn’t want to be liberated from the bondage of sin.

5.  What else was John shown that proves that the temple of God is an exact pattern of the sanctuary that Moses build? Revelation 11:19

Answer: Ark of the Covenant

NOTE: It is interesting to note what was placed in the Ark of God here on earth. The first article God commanded Moses to place in the Ark was the perfect law of liberty which God wrote with His own finger on tables of stone. This was placed under the mercy seat, which represented the throne of God. His holy law is the foundation of His righteousness government. See Exodus 40:20

6.  When the Israelites were in the wilderness, why did God want them to build Him a sanctuary? Exodus 25:8 

Answer: To tabernacle or dwell with us

NOTE: Great care was taken to prepare a fit dwelling place for the presence of God. Exodus chapter 24 through 40 describes the building of the earthly sanctuary. The entire book of Leviticus describes it services and the book of Hebrews explains its beauty and significance. God set up a judicial department on earth in temporary quarters to meet the problem of sin until Jesus could come and die on the cross as the true sacrifice.

7.  Where did Moses get the blueprints for the sanctuary he was to build? Exodus 25:9, 40.

Answer: On the Mount From God – A Pattern of the heavenly Sanctuary

8.  Who were appointed to care for the sanctuary and its services? Numbers 3:5-8; Numbers 18:1-7. 

Answer: Levites – Aaron and Sons were to be Priests

NOTE: “In the earliest times every man was the priest of his own household. In the days of Abraham the priesthood was regarded as the birthright of the eldest son. Now instead of the first-born of all Israel, the Lord accepted the tribe of Levi for the work of the sanctuary. . . . The priesthood, however, was restricted to the tribe of family of   Aaron and the sons Aaron were to minister before the Lord; the rest of the tribe were entrusted with the charge of the tabernacle and its furniture.”

9.  What were the two apartments, or rooms, called that were separated by the curtain? Exodus 26:33

Answer:  Holy Place and Most Holy Place

10.  What was in the Holy Place, or the first apartment?  Hebrews 9:2 – 4 

Answer:  The Seven Golden Candlesticks, Table of Shew Bread, The Golden Censer.

Although mentioned in connection with the Most Holy Place the Golden Censer is actually located in the Holy Place right in front of the curtain or veil that separated the Holy from the Most Holy Place.  The reason in Hebrews chapter 9 its associated the Function of the altar of incense with the Most Holy Place, because daily on this altar was burning special incense intended for the Most Holy Place where god manifested Himself. (see Exodus 30:7-10; Exodus 30:34-38 and compare with Leviticus 16:12, 13)

11.  What was in the second room, or the Most Holy Place?  Hebrews 9:3 – 5.  

Answer: Ark of the Covenant

12.  How often did the priests minister in the Holy Place? Hebrews 9:3 – 5.

Answer: Daily

13.  If a person sinned, what was he to do to receive forgiveness? Leviticus 4:2, 3, 13, 23, 27, 28. 

Answer: By placing his hand on the sacrifice and confessing their sin.

NOTE: The repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle, and placing his hand upon the victim’s head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring the sins from himself to the innocent sacrifice. By his own hand the animal was then slain and the blood was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil.   By this ceremony the sin was through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary.[i]

14.  What is necessary before sin can be forgiven? Hebrews 9:22 

Answer: “Shedding of Blood”  For sins to be forgiven something has to die, blood has to be shed

NOTE: We read in I John 1:7, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” It is Christ’s blood that cleanses from sin, not the blood of animals but this was man’s way of showing his faith in the fact that Christ would come and shed His own blood as a sacrifice for mankind. Only his blood could make atonement for man’s sin.

15.  How often did the high priest go into the Most Holy Place? Hebrews 9:7.  

Answer: One Time a Year

NOTE: “Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest entered the Most Holy Place for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The work there performed completed the yearly round of ministration.”[i]

This service was centered in the second apartment and was the exclusive personal ministry of the high priest. Every Israelite was required to be present at the Day of Atonement service. If a person refused to participate or voluntarily absented himself, he was cut off from the congregation. They Day of Atonement was viewed as a yearly day of judgment and is still regarded so by the Jews.

16.  After the High Priest had presented the blood of the sacrificed goat and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat, what did he do with the live goat, or the scapegoat? Leviticus 16:10, 21  

Answer: Sins were transferred to the Goat and the Goat was led into the wilderness.

NOTE: Please read the entire chapter of Leviticus 16

The term used is Azazel an evil spirit of the wilderness to which a scapegoat was sent by the ancient Hebrews in a ritual of atonement.  Azazel was the Hebrew name or Satan and the sins of the people that had been confessed and collected in the sanctuary were placed upon Azazel and then the goat was lead into the wilderness.

When Probation closes in Heaven, Jesus our High Priest will come out of the sanctuary and announce, He that is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still.  The sins that have collected into the heavenly sanctuary are transferred to Satan and Satan will be bound on this earth for a 1000 years while those whose names have been written in the book of life will be heaven.

17.  What happened to the veil, or curtain, in the temple when Christ died on the cross? Matthew 27:50, 51

Answer: Veil was torn from top to bottom

NOTE: Suddenly the curtain is torn from top to bottom by an unseen hand, leaving the Most Holy Place open to the gaze of all! The trembling priest drops the knife, and the lamb escapes. The glory of the Lord had departed from the temple. No longer did men need to offer lambs, for the Lamb of God had just been sacrificed on Calvary. All the ceremonies and ordinances connected with the sacrificial system were nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). These had pointed forward to the time when Christ would shed His blood for the sins of mankind. That sacrifice had now been accomplished.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: See II Corinthians 3:13-18 and Hebrews 10:19-21. Moses after having been upon Mount Sinai and in the very presence of God returned to the camp of Israel. His face shone with such radiance or brightness that the people required to veil their face from them (see Exodus 34:33-35) Now Paul in II Corinthians is making the point that rituals and practices of the sacrificial system veiled the true glory of the wonderful gift that would be given. God veiled the glory from the people, but because he was attempted to deprive them of anything but because they were separated from Him because of sin. After the cross the gulf between mankind and God was partially repaired which now gives us direct access to the glory and power of God the Father through His Son, Christ Jesus. All through the Old Testament this veil was in place, but with the coming of the New Testament in John 1:14    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The writer of Hebrews is making this incredible point that we can now come before Christ with boldness which he consecrated for us, through the veil that is His flesh. As our High Priest Christ stands as our advocate and askes that we draw near in faith.

18.  How do we know that the earthly sanctuary build by Moses was only a copy of the great original sanctuary in heaven? Hebrews 9:23, 24  

Answer: V. 24, “Christ did not enter into a copy made with human hands”

NOTE: No earthly sanctuary could possible reveal the vastness and glory of the heavenly sanctuary. “Yet important truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the great work there carried forward for man’s redemption were to be taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357. The earthly sanctuary was but a miniature model of the one in heaven, but it helps us understand how the heavenly sanctuary services are conducted. For a description of the heavenly sanctuary, read Hebrews 9: 11, 12

Hebrews 9:11, 12; are such wonderful verses as it says; ¹¹ But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. ¹² Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

19.  When did the ministry begin in the heavenly sanctuary? Hebrews 8:3-5; Hebrews 9:11–14; Hebrews 10:12.   

Answer: After the sacrifice, Jesus is called out High Priest

I like adding verse 24 to above verse in Hebrews 7. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

At the time Hebrews was written Jesus our High Priest and King had not yet entered into the Most Holy Place.  We see that this is brought out in Hebrews 9:24 where it states For Christ has not entered into the Holy Places made with hands which are copies. Christ Jesus carries out his duties of the High Priest first in the Holy Place, where he was made High Priest and King in the ceremony we saw in both chapter 4 and 5 of Revelation.   But there is a time when Christ will move from the Holy Place into the Most Holy Place. Our next question gives us information on when this event will take place..

 20.  When was the sanctuary to be cleaned in heaven? Daniel 8:14   

Answer: At the end of the 2300 day prophecy which happened in 1844

NOTE: A remarkable prophecy is found in Daniel foretelling the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. Below is a diagram showing the primary dates involved in this Prophecy.

The details of this great prophecy will be the focus of chapter 11 – “The Truth About the Time of the End,” The timeline below gives a brief look into this time line.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: As a brief introduction to the 2300 day prophecy. We will learn that a day in prophetic time is equal to 1 literal year. This is based upon Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34; and Leviticus 25:1-8.

Although the children of Israel had been allowed to leave Babylon three separate times after their 70 literal years of captivity were up, it is in Ezra 7:11-26.  This was the decree by King Artaxerxes in the seventh year of his reign.  In a future lesson on the 2300 days we will learn that it took 49 years to finish rebuilding Jerusalem.

21.  When Christ finishes His priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary, what decree goes forth? Revelation 22:11  

Answer: “He who is unjust, let him be unjust a still and he who is righteous, let him be righteous still.” Probation Closes

NOTE: Probation is closed! No longer is there a mediator, or advocate to make atonement for man’s sin – every case is settled! So you see, the sanctuary service instituted in the wilderness was actually a gigantic telescope by which people before Cavalry could gaze across the centuries to the cross and to the final cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and Christ’s second coming. We have salvation and forgiveness, just as did the ancient Hebrews. We must take the same steps: We must come to Jesus, our High Priest, confess our sins, and claim forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus the True Sacrifice.

Once we have come before our High Priest asking forgiveness to our sins, we must then ask Him into our Hearts making Him our King and Saviour.

My Response

ð Knowing that my sins played a part in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on the cross, I choose to let Him have control of my life and to follow Him with my whole heart.

 ð I want Jesus to be my High Priest and make atonement for my sins.

SUPPLEMENTAL READING: God Cares Vol. 2, pp. 147 – 173; Revelation of Jesus Christ pp.163 – 216;  Unfolding Revelation pp. 48 – 59)

Hope you both enjoyed and learned from this and past lessons. If you should have any question regarding this lesson or pervious lessons, please email me at: pastor.lester.bentley@gmail.com.   Please put in the subject line Revelation Speaks and in the email from what lesson your question from. I will do my best to answer in a timely manner. I hope you will continue to enjoy this series.

Thanks You,

Pastor Lester

[i] Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 354.

All Scripture texts are from the New King James Version of the Bible. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, INC. Used by permission. All rights reserved.