“But while Jesus, as a “new creature,” was thus within the “Holy,” enjoying the light of the golden candlestick, fed by the bread of truth, and offering acceptable incense to Jehovah, let us look out into the “Court,” and yet farther out, beyond the “Camp,” and see another work progressing simultaneously. We last saw the bullock dead, in the “Court,” representing the man, Jesus, consecrated at thirty years of age, at his baptism. Now the fat of it has been placed upon the “Brazen Altar” (Verse 25, compare with Lev 4:8–10, 19, 31, 35; 16:25) and with it the kidneys and various life-producing organs. They are burning furiously, for a bullock has much fat. A cloud of smoke, called a “sweet savor to God,” rises in the sight of all who are in the “Court,” the Levites–the household of faith, believers.

This represents how Jesus’ sacrifice appeared to believing men. They saw the devotion, the self-sacrifice, the loving zeal (fat) ascending to God as a sweet and acceptable sacrifice, during the three and a half years of our Lord’s ministry. They well knew that with him the Father was ever well pleased. They knew from what they saw in the “Court” (in the flesh) that he was acceptable, though they could not see the sacrifice in its full grandeur and perfection as it appeared in Jehovah’s sight (in the “Holy“), a sweet incense on the “Golden Altar.”

And while these two fires are burning (in the “Court” the “fat,” and in the “Holy” the “incense,” and their perfumes ascending at the same time) there is another fire “outside the camp.” There the body of flesh is being destroyed. (Verse 27) This represents Jesus’ work as viewed by the world. To them it seems foolish that he should spend his life in sacrifice. They see not the necessity for it as man’s ransom-price, nor the spirit of obedience which prompted it, as the Father saw these. They see not our Lord’s loving perfections and self-denials as the believers (in the “Courtyard” condition) see them. No, nor did they in his day or since see in him their ideal hero and leader; they saw chiefly only those elements of his character which they despise as weak, not being in condition to love and admire him. To them his sacrifice was and is offensive, despised: he was despised and rejected of men, and as it were they blushed and hid their faces from him, as, in the type the Israelite’s turned disgusted from the stench of the burning carcass.

We see, then, how Jesus’ life for three and a half years filled all three of these pictures: His sacrifice of perfect manhood was, in the sight of the world, foolish and detestable; in the sight of believers, a sacrifice acceptable to God; in the sight of Jehovah, “a sweet incense.” They all ended at once–at the cross. The bullock was entirely disposed of, the fat fully consumed, and the incense all offered, when Jesus cried, “It is finished!” and died. Thus the man Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all. (T 57, 58)

All the trials and difficulties which the Master underwent in laying down of his life preceded him as a sweet incense, a precious perfume, beyond the veil, into the Most Holy, as shown in the type.” (R 5712)

Many students of God’s Word have erroneously assumed that the Apostle’s statement found in Heb 9:27 viz., “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this [to face] judgment” is in reference to the world’s judgment to come, following their death, thus many have been left to believe that death ends all probation, believing that if one does not except Christ prior to their death they are eternally damn, that their next waking thought will be the time of their judgement (krima), however a careful examination of the context reveals the true intent of this statement, it has nothing whatsoever to do with mankind’s future judgment, but was in regards to the judgment which came upon the high priest when he entered the ‘Most Holy’.

“Each time a priest went into the ‘Most Holy’ on the Day of Atonement he risked his life; for if his sacrifice had been imperfect in any way he would have died as he passed the ‘second veil’, he would not have been accepted into the ‘Most Holy’ himself, nor would his imperfect sacrifice have been acceptable as an atonement for the sins of the people, hence any failure meant his death, and the condemnation of all for whose sins he attempted to make reconciliation, [this was the judgment mentioned in Heb 9:27,28].” (T 87)

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 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.”

“And so the antitype was fulfilled, our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus passed under the antitypical second veil, when he died at Calvary; and had his sacrifice been in any manner or degree imperfect he would never have been raised out of death, the ‘judgment’ of justice would have gone against him. But his resurrection, on the third day proved that his work was perfectly performed, that it stood the test of the divine judgment.” (T 87, 88)

“Any interpretation of this text, which [attempts to apply] it to the common death of humanity in general, is thoroughly contradicted and disposed of by the context.” (T 88)

“For he has set a day (a future day, a thousand year day) when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)

“The incense from the `Golden Altar’ having preceded him (into the ‘Most Holy’) and been satisfactory, the High Priest passed under the second `vail’ into the `Most Holy.’ So with Jesus; having for three and a half year’s offered acceptable incense in the `Holy,’ the consecrated and spirit begotten condition, he passed beyond the `Second Vail,’ death.

For three days he was under the `Vail’ in death; then he arose in the perfection of the divine nature beyond the flesh, beyond the vail, `the express image of the Father’s person.’ He was `put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) in spirit,’ `sown a natural (human) body, raised a spiritual body.’ Thus our Lord reached the `Most Holy’ condition, the perfection of spirit being, at his resurrection.—1 Pet 3:18; 1 Cor 15:44.” (T 57, 58)

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