What might not seem like a huge deal in the Christian world is actually quite substantial within the framework of Seventh-Day Adventist theology—and that’s the concept of there being a literal, physical sanctuary building in Heaven, that was identical to what was on earth only larger in scale, and Jesus only entered into the holy place apartment of this building at His ascension to then move into the Most Holy Place in 1844. This is central because of their teaching on the investigative judgment. The common biblical appeal they use to support a physical heavenly temple is Hebrews 8:1-5 and sometimes Revelation 1:12.
But when looking at the book of Hebrews, and scripture in total, we see what the author of Hebrews is actually saying. Before examining the issues this presents, it’s important to understand where this is coming from.
In one of her early alleged visions, Ellen G. White claimed to be shown what took place on October 22, 1844 after the Great Disappointment:
I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus’ countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father’s person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, “If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist.” Before the throne I saw the Advent people—the church and the world. I saw two companies, one bowed down before the throne, deeply interested, while the other stood uninterested and careless. Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers and look to Jesus; then He would look to His Father, and appear to be pleading with Him. A light would come from the Father to the Son and from the Son to the praying company.
Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son, and from the Son it waved over the people before the throne. But few would receive this great light. Many came out from under it and immediately resisted it; others were careless and did not cherish the light, and it moved off from them. Some cherished it, and went and bowed down with the little praying company. This company all received the light and rejoiced in it, and their countenances shone with its glory. I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down. Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and the most of those who were bowed down arose with Him. I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after He arose, and they were left in perfect darkness.
Those who arose when Jesus did [the Little Flock of Millerites], kept their eyes fixed on Him as He left the throne and led them out a little way. Then He raised His right arm, and we heard His lovely voice saying, “Wait here; I am going to My Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to Myself.” Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came to where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot and was borne to the holiest, where the Father sat. There I beheld Jesus, a great High Priest, standing before the Father. On the hem of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to Him in the holiest, and pray, “My Father, give us Thy Spirit.” Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace.
Ellen G. White, Early Writings, pg. 55 (EW 54.2)
In response to the Great Disappointment in 1844, some Millerites refused to accept that they were wrong. This band became known as the Little Flock who eventually incorporated in 1863 as the Seventh-Day Adventists. Ellen White allegedly received a vision regarding the Little Flock and what actually happened in 1844 which supposedly confirmed what other individuals had theorized and speculated—that in 1844 Jesus wasn’t returning to the earth, but moving from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place of a sanctuary building in heaven and this was to begin his “second phase of atonement ministry.”
This is to say that from the ascension until 1844, they claim Jesus only entered into the Holy Place compartment of this building where he was doing an analogous work to the Levitical priests, only in heaven, using his own blood, not the blood of bulls and goats. And in 1844 He and the Father transitioned into the Most Holy for Jesus to begin the “Day of Atonement” ministry work—the investigative judgment.
You’ll also notice she claims to have seen Jesus wearing the Levitical priesthood garments which contained a “bell and a pomegranate” on the hem. Exodus 28:43 is clear that these vestments were distinct to the Levites and were to be worn in accordance with what God had commanded to avoid incurring guilt and death. Jesus is not a priest in the order of the Levites (Hebrews 6:20) which is only one of the many errors in Ellen White’s “vision.”
It’s also important to note that SDA scholars have given answers to some of these issues but are not unanimous. SDA professor, Roy Gane, for example, popularized the theory that the veil in heaven that Ellen saw Jesus enter was purely symbolic and there isn’t even a literal veil in the heavenly sanctuary. He put this same hypothesis forward regarding the issue of the Levitical priesthood vestments Ellen allegedly saw Jesus wearing, too. Both the curtain and the vestments were imagery, he claims, that indicated a change of Jesus’s ministration, not literal realities.
So much for the claim that what is in heaven is identical to what was on earth, only larger in scale, then. Nevertheless, this theory of a physical building in heaven, identical to what was on earth, breaks down for a number of reasons:
1. God’s presence was never in the Holy Place, only the Most Holy
If what was on earth was an identical copy of what is in heaven, only scaled down, then God’s presence would need to have been manifested in the Holy Place, not the Most Holy alone. Because the author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus entered into the presence of God at His ascension (Hebrews 9:24). Yet according to the SDA Church, Jesus at His ascension only entered into the Holy, not the Most Holy.
Which would mean that what’s in heaven is only an identical copy in so far as they need it to be.
2. The earthly sanctuary did not have a throne
The author of Hebrews makes it clear in multiple places, including Hebrews 8:1-5 that Jesus entered into the presence of the Father and sat down on the throne after presenting His perfect accomplished work. The earthly tabernacle did not have a throne because the Levites were not kings and never sat down because the work of dealing with sin was never finished.
But unlike them, Jesus is after the order of Melchezidek who was simultaneously both a priest and a king (Hebrews 7:1) which is exactly what Jesus is. And unlike the Levites who offered repetitious sacrifices in a work of dealing with sin that never finished (Hebrews 10:1-3), Jesus offered for one time His single sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12), put sin away at the cross (Hebrews 9:26), was able to perfect those for whom it was made (Hebrews 10:14), and then entered into the presence of God, heaven itself (Hebrews 9:24), and sat down on His throne to rule and reign until all of His enemies are made a footstool (1 Corinthians 15:25, Hebrews 10:13) and mediate on behalf of His people (Hebrews 12:24).
So if the earthly was an identical copy of the heavenly, meaning there is a building in heaven with multiple compartments, etc. then there should have been a throne in the earthly tabernacle. This throne should have been in the Holy Place as well as the Most Holy Place because in Ellen White’s vision she claimed to see Jesus and the Father on a throne in the Holy Place.
3. Jesus entered “holy places not made with hands”
The author of Hebrews states in chapter 9 that the “holy places” Jesus entered, in contrast to the earthly sanctuary, was not made with hands. Buildings are made with hands, human structures, but the author tells us, not only that Jesus entered into heaven itself (Hebrews 9:24), but into “holy places” not made with hands (Hebrews 9:11-12)—making a contrast between the earthly which was a building and heaven itself.
The SDA Church also teaches that God has a physical, tangible body by nature which also poses problems because if there’s a building in heaven like what was on earth, and God has hands, then the building in heaven would have been made with hands like the earthly—just not human hands.
4. Jesus is the antitypical temple, not a building
All of the imagery in the tabernacle pointed to Jesus, even the tabernacle itself. The true showbread is Jesus, the Bread of Life, the true Manna that came down from Heaven (Exodus 16, Psalm 78:24, John 6:35). The true menorah/lampstand and Light is Jesus (John 8:12; Revelation 21:23). The true veil/curtain is Jesus’s own flesh (Hebrews 10:19-20), the true Door for us to enter into God’s presence (John 10:7). The same goes for the tabernacle building itself. Jesus is the antitypical tabernacle, the temple where the fullness of God’s presence dwells (John 1:14, 2:18-22; Colossians 2:9; Revelation 21:22).
Commenting on the book of Hebrews in one of his homilies, Charles H. Spurgeon explains this quite well:
There is a true house of God, a real temple of the Infinite, a living abode of the Godhead. The epistle to the Hebrews speaks of “the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” There is still a trysting-place where God doth meet with man, and hold fellowship with him. That place is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, “in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The manhood of Christ is become to us the anti-type of that tent in the centre of the camp. God is in Christ Jesus; Christ Jesus is God; and in his blessed person God dwells in the midst of us as in a tent; for such is the force of the original in our text. “The Word was made flesh, and tabernacled, or tented, among us.“
That is to say, in Christ Jesus the Lord dwelt among man, as God of old dwelt in his sanctuary in the midst of of the tribes of Israel. This is very delightful and hopeful for us : the Lord God doth dwell among us through the incarnation of His Son. But the substance far excels the shadow; for in the wilderness the Lord only dwelt in the abode of man, but now his approach to us is closer, for He dwells in the flesh of man. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
Charles H. Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, pg. 530
The true temple of God is Jesus Christ himself, where God dwells. God’s presence permeates all of heaven and is not relegated to a compartment in a building like it was on earth. The SDA Church will claim that the earthly building was to teach about a heavenly reality, and this is absolutely correct. But they, unfortunately, miss the greater reality and substance—Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:22)—and then place him within a building in heaven to do a work He has already accomplished (Hebrews 9:26-8) which throws off their entire system.
Without 1844, the SDA Church collapses. Be prepared to understand why SDAs will defend this tooth and nail when engaging with them.
