Path Through The Sanctuary: Jesus Went Twice
By Carlton Foster – May 2021
The path the Priest took through the Sanctuary is the same path Jesus took and humans are taking; however, Jesus is the only one who has taken the path twice. The High Priest symbolically took this same path once a year. What is this path? Exodus 25:8 said, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” The Lord our God organized a sanctuary to show, as an example, the way to salvation. He said in Psalm 77:13, “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” Thy way is the way leading fallen humanity from sin to a most Holly-er place: from the Brazen Altar to the Most Holy place. Each person who has decided to enter that same path will go through the spiritual significance of each article and furniture of service.
The path starts when a person makes the decision to enter the path.
| Furniture | Path | Normal Path for everyone – Sanctuary Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Sanctuary | Step 1 | The decision is the first step; that is when the person, outside of the sanctuary, willingly accepted God’s providence in his or her life and decided to follow him (Matthew 9:9, 16:24). |
| Brazen Altar | Step 2 | The next step for that person is to relinquish the things or thoughts that would impede his or her way in the sanctuary. He or she must make personal sacrifices to start on the path (Matthew 18:8-9). |
| Laver | Step 3 | Next, the person must spiritually and symbolically cleanse by washing away the stains of sin and get the mind ready for God’s three daily services in the Holy place (Matthew 3:13&15) |
| Table of Showbread | Step 4 | In the Holy Place, the person actively participate in the three daily activities. These activities are the continuous sanctification processes. 1st God will give guidelines, instructions, and inspirations to the person from the Bread of Life, and the person also pray to receive those instructions (Matthew 4:4). |
| Altar of Incense | Step 5 | The next step is to pray to God by interceding for fallen humanity, the work of evangelism, and for God’s will to be done (Acts 6:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). |
| 7-Candlesticks | Step 6 | The Candlestick is the next step; this is where the person goes into the field to proclaim the message of God by using the guidance, instructions, and inspirations he or she received from the Showbread experiences. Here is where their godly light must shine. Their Personal Ministry has begun! (Matthew 4:13-17) |
| Most Holy | Step 7 | The Holy Room services will continue until the last step, which is to go home to God – the Most Holy Place, and experience the glory of His presence (Revelation 20:4-6, 21). |
Each person must personally go through these steps spiritually. Jesus is the only person who spiritually went through this path twice. Jesus was born in Jerusalem and grew up with his brothers and sisters. At the age of 12, he decided to enter the path in the sanctuary:
| Furniture | Path | Jesus 1st Path – Sanctuary Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Sanctuary | Step 1 | His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, so when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him and after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have sought You anxiously.” Jesus said to them, “Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business? (Luke 2)”. He made up his mind to enter the ministry, but he was too young, so many years later, while worshiping with the Jews, Jesus stood up in the church to read this message from the scripture, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” This is the beginning of step 1. |
| Brazen Altar | Step 2 | Jesus was in his hometown when he read that passage. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. He said, “many in Israel had leprosy in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.” When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way (Luke 4). That was the sacrificial step of relinquishing his association with his family and hometown people. |
| Laver | Step 3 | The next step is to follow God’s directives to symbolically cleanse, Exodus 29:4 (NLT) “Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water”. If Jesus can die even though he has no sin, he can also be cleanse even though he has no sins. So Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, but John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him and a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”(Matthew 3). He was anointed for service. |
| Table of Showbread | Step 4 | The next step is to experience the Showbread, so Jesus was then led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and prayed and received guidances, instructions, and inspirations from His Heavenly Father. |
| Altar of Incense | Step 5 | The next step is the Altar of Incense where Jesus will pray for the fallen humanity, so Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you (John 17). |
| 7-Candlesticks | Step 6 | The next step is to experience the activities of the candlesticks so he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.” From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near (Matthew 4). These three Holy Place services continue in a circle until the final step. |
| Most Holy | Step 7 | The final step in Jesus’ first path through the sanctuary took place when Jesus was with his disciples, he said, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrives in great power!” Then some days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him (Mark 9)”. Jesus symbolically experienced on earth the Most Holy place when he was transfigured on the mountain top. |
That was the first path Jesus took through the sanctuary as the “Son of Man”. The second time was as the “Son of God”. The second path started when Jesus was with the disciples for the Passover meal.
| Furniture | Path | Jesus 2nd Path – Sanctuary Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Sanctuary | Step 1 | On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” He answered and said, “As you go into the city, you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house. (Matthew 26)” This first step continues when Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Matthew 26).” Jesus was about to go to the first article of furniture in the sanctuary – the Brazen Altar. |
| Brazen Altar | Step 2 | This step started while Jesus was on the Cross, roundabout noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart (Matthew 27). Jesus sacrificed his body for the sins of the world. |
| Laver | Step 3 | The step for the Laver started when he was resurrected and ready to start his ministry as Son of God. Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lain. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matthew 28). Jesus is preparing the disciples to be part of the ministry of the Son of God, so he met the disciples on a mountain and said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28). While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven (Luke 24:51). The next set of steps took place in heaven. |
| Table of Showbread Altar of Incense 7-Candlesticks |
Step 4-6 | John, the last of the living disciples was on the island of Patmos on the Lord’s Day, worshiping when he heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. The Word said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” When he turned to see who was speaking to him, he saw seven golden lampstands. and standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. His face was like the sun in all its brilliance. The person said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen in the future (Revelation 1)”. This person is Jesus Christ. He was dressed like a priest and was seen in the Holy place in heaven. The three steps for the ministry of the Showbread, Candlesticks, and the Altar of Incense were being performed by Jesus in collaboration with the Angels and the Saints on Earth (the daily activities of the Outer Court). These activities will continue until the start of the final step. |
| Most Holy | Step 7 | Since John was also shown activities that will happen in the future, he also saw the Most Holy place. He said, “The Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm (Revelation 11:19)”. This future step is after the wicked world is destroyed with Satan, the Beasts, the wicked people, and the false prophets. Jesus will reign forever in the New Jerusalem city. |
This path through the sanctuary must be followed by all who freely want to reach and experience the glory of the Most Holy place. As we journey on the path, we will spend most of our time in the activities of the Holy place. We will only move from the Holy place to the Most Holy place when Jesus comes for us in the First Resurrection. Therefore, we must remain on the path because God said His salvation way is in the path of the sanctuary