Homeward Bound: From the Earthly to the Heavenly Temple, October 27

 The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.—Matthew 27:51.

By virtue of His death and resurrection He [Jesus] became the minister of the “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Hebrews 8:2.) Human beings reared the Jewish tabernacle; mere mortals builded the Jewish temple; but the sanctuary above, of which the earthly was a type, was built by no human architect. “Behold the Man whose name is The Branch; . . . He shall build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne.” (Zechariah 6:12, 13.)

The sacrificial service that had pointed to Christ passed away; but the eyes of humanity were turned to the true sacrifice for the sins of the world. The earthly priesthood ceased; but we look to Jesus, the minister of the new covenant, and “to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” “The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: . . . but Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, . . . by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 12:24; 9:8-12.)

“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25.) Though the ministration was to be removed from the earthly to the heavenly temple; though the sanctuary and our great high priest would be invisible to human sight, yet the disciples were to suffer no loss thereby. They would realize no break in their communion, and no diminution of power because of the Saviour’s absence. While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth. He is withdrawn from the eye of sense, but His parting promise is fulfilled, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20.) While He delegates His power to inferior ministers, His energizing presence is still with His church.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, . . . Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. . . . Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16.)—The Desire of Ages, 165, 166.