The next time someone speaks about the Sanctuary or the Sanctuary message, before you think about mathmatical calculations, choreography, or architecture, just think about it being the place from which God sends help to God’s people.
This full post is located on my blog. The Sanctuary is not primarily about math or celestial architecture. It is the base of God’s operations on behalf of humanity.
A long while back I applied Henry Mitchell’s Soul Theology to fundamental Adventist Doctrines and created a document. Here is a piece of that document, the only changes I make is to make it Gender Inclusive.
Sanctuary
This belief has some application to providence, justice, omniscience, grace of God, and perseverance of persons. Providence – Here the Sanctuary must be seen as the center of God’s work on behalf of humanity. In the Old Testament, the sanctuary was where God did God’s work on behalf of man. God’s justice and grace come from there. The Sanctuary is God’s place from where he takes care of business.
Justice – Good can only win in the end when justice is served. Justice is an important concept in African American thought as well as other oppressed peoples.
Grace of God – God’s grace can be seen in that the judge is your defender. Much can be made of God’s grace in allowing us to go to God. God’s grace can be seen, as the sanctuary is the center of God’s forgiveness. We know of the lamb and we know of forgiveness. Christ is a symbol of the High Priest on our side and the lamb on our side.
Finally Perseverance – One could emphasize Christ as your brother who came as we are so he knows what we are going through (Omniscience). Not just from his Godship, but also his experience. You can make it! In fact how can you not make it with the Father, Son, and his Holy Spirit working on your behalf from the Sanctuary above and on the earth beneath.
The Sanctuary message can be presented using doctrines that are already deeply held by most Christians and have helped Black folk make it through their problems.