February 18  New Light On The Sanctuary-5

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Heb. 9:23, 24, RSV.

Given the importance of Daniel 8:14's teaching about the cleansing of the sanctuary at the end of the 2300 days to shut-door Adventism, it isn't surprising that we find more than just Hiram Edson, O.R.L. Crosier, and F. B Hahn concerned with the identity of the sanctuary and the cleansing and with what happened at the completion of the 2300-day prophecy.

Other published students of the topic include Emily C. Clemons, who edited a periodical in mid-1845 graphically entitled Hope Within the Veil, and G. W. Peavey, who was teaching in April 1845 that Christ had "closed the work typified by the daily ministrations previous to the 10th day of the 7th month, and on that day went into the holiest of all."

Peavey also saw an interrelationship between Daniel 8:14, Hebrews 9:23-24, and Leviticus 16, and concluded that the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary needed purification by Christ's blood in the antitypical day of atonement. He believed, however, that the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary had taken place on October 22, 1844, whereas Crosier and his friends regarded the atonement as an unfinished process that had begun on that date. It was Crosier's understanding that would eventurally find its way into Sabbatarian Adventism.

Ellen Harmon's early visions also touched upon the topic of the sanctuary. In early 1845 she reported a vision during which she "saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down," at the beginning of the second phase of Christ's heavenly ministry(EW 55).

While her vision harmonized with the Bible-based conclusions of Crosier and others, we must remember that she had no prominence or authority in Adventism at that time. She was basically unknown to the major palyers in the developing sanctuary theology. To them she was merely a 17-year-old girl claiming to have visions amidst the conflicting voices of a shut-door Adventism literally overrun by a multitude of individuals claiming charismatic gifts.

Thank you, Father, that You are willing to guide our minds as we seek knowledge of Your great plan of redemption.