Refuting The Heavenly Sanctuary?

Have you heard about the Heavenly Sanctuary? Perhaps an Adventist friend of yours has been trying to convince you that this is where Christ is interceding on your behalf this very day?

I've looked at their Sanctuary evidence more than once while walking away being profoundly confounded by the information they provide.

It seems their first main point is that the earthly sanctuary of Moses was a "type" of the Heavenly sanctuary. A "type" of something is a representation of it rather than the entity itself.

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Jonah was a "type" of Christ because he spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a whale.
Baptism is a "type" of death because it represents the entire "being made new" process.

This alone could and perhaps should lead to it's own article and may do exactly that one day soon. For the mean time we will accept their definition of "type" as being relevant and venture further into this discussion on heaven's sanctuary.

According to the way their teachings go the sanctuary consists of 3 main parts.

1.] The Courtyard (Exodus 27:9-13)
2.] The Holy Place (Exodus 25:10-22)
3.] The Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33)

*** THE COURTYARD ***

This is where they say animals were sacrificed and the priest would was their robes in the laver afterwards. Venturing further into the sanctuary before this is done would not be possible.

Problem is, what high priest has made the sacrifice so that they may enter further into the sanctuary to atone for our sins?

Hebrews 9:28
so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Also… Hebrews 9:26-17 and 10:1 & 10

If we agree that Christ is that sacrifice then this problem is resolved. Given that He also had no sin He is free to enter the next part of the sanctuary, which is the Holy Place.

*** THE HOLY PLACE ***

Here you find a seven-branch candlestick, the table of shewbread, and the altar of incense. The candlesticks represent the message that was taken to the seven churches mentioned in Revelation. The table of shewbread would be representative of communion. And the altar of incense would be where Christ would intercede for humanity.

A further study of this part of the sanctuary would clearly show that their has been seven distinct periods of the church as well as explaining how important communion services are. I'd refute any position of this if I could, but it simply makes sense.

*** THE MOST HOLY PLACE ***

Many have wondered where the Ark of the Covenant is hiding. According to the premise of Adventism it is in the Heavenly sanctuary. In the heart of the ark you will find the 10 commandments according to their teachings. In 1844 Christ entered The Most Holy Place and is there now judging people who have gone before you and I.

I would refute this point if I could; the problem is it seems to line up quite nicely with Scripture. The very next event to take place would thus be Jesus returning to gather up His people from the four corners of the earth. Not in a rapture, but rather a resurrection event. If that is true, and I believe it is these are extremely exciting times we are currently living in today.

My own personal conclusion is that Christ is indeed in the heavenly sanctuary today and we need to be ready for His soon coming return.