Lesson 5, April 28-May 4
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Romans 8:3, John 1:29, Revelation 5:12, Hebrews 7:1-28, 9:11-15, Leviticus 16:13, Hebrews 9:20-23.
Memory Text: “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9, 10, NIV) .
Talking about Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary, the book of Hebrews says: “where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:20, NKJV).
Scripture, especially the New Testament, is so clear about Christ’s role as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary — a role He took after He completed His work as our sacrifice here on earth (see Hebrews 10:12).
This week we will explore the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. His intercessory work is crucial to the preparation of His people to be ready for the end time. So, we have been given this crucial admonition: “The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill”. — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 488.
What is Christ doing for us in the heavenly sanctuary, and why is it so important for us to understand it in the last days especially?
