Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists

With His ascension soon after His death (Dan.
9:27)[25] Christ began His ministry as our high
priest and intercessor.
The Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary
Speaking of the cleansing of the heavenly
sanctuary, the book of Hebrews says, "Almost all
things are purged with blood, and without shedding
of blood there is no remission. Therefore it was
necessary that the copies of the things in the
heavens [the earthly sanctuary] should be purified
with these [the blood of animals], but the heavenly
things themselves [the heavenly sanctuary] with
better sacrifices than these"--the precious blood of
Christ (Heb. 9:22, 23).
Various commentators have noted this Biblical
teaching. Henry Alford remarked that "the heaven
itself needed, and obtained, purification by the
atoning blood of Christ."[26] B.F. Westcott
commented, "It may be said that even 'heavenly
things,' so far as they embody the conditions of
man's future life, contracted by the Fall something
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