The Expo-Sanctuary, which took place November 14-15 in Brasília, Brazil, was an educational plan which sought to strengthen the biblical meaning of the sanctuary for thousands of people. The week before, in a program coordinated by the Adventist Church in the Central Plateau region, a week of sermons was delivered virtually on the theme of sanctuary doctrine. The Expo-Sanctuary, titled “A Real Representation of the Tabernacle of God” and held at Asa Sul Adventist College, sought to lead people to greater spiritual reflection.
It is a traveling exhibition that seeks to reproduce the structure and function of the ancient Israeli sanctuary. The tabernacle, as it is also known, became part of the history of the Hebrew people shortly after their departure from Egypt. The idea of this exhibition is to familiarize people with the meaning of each part of the sanctuary, which is theologically linked to Christ's atoning ministry (death and intercession), according to the biblical books of Leviticus, Daniel, Hebrews, and Revelation.
The program to launch the exhibition took place at the Central Church of Brasilia on Saturday morning, with a sermon by pastor Max Schuabb, the leader of the Adventist Church of the Central Plateau. During the program, four people were baptized. To conclude Saturday morning activities, a replica of the Ark of the Covenant was introduced to the church as a moment of encouragement for the worship participants.
Expo-Sanctuary
Following security protocols for the ongoing pandemic, people lined up to participate in the exhibition. Many of them were thrilled because of the significance of the symbolism of the sanctuary to Christians and other students of the Holy Bible. During the Expo-Sanctuary, the more than 1,500 participants took a trip through the biblical stories of the Tabernacle of God.
Pastor Esteban Griguol, director of the Spirit of Prophecy area for Brasília and the surrounding area, describes the event as a day of reflection and personal prayer. For him, it is also a moment of revival and personal reform.
“This is a special opportunity to hear God's voice and respond to the Holy Spirit's call to our hearts,” he says. “In other words, the Expo-Sanctuary is a personal, living experience of salvation, restoration and healing.”
Reflection stations
The sanctuary had ten stations. Groups of five people entered at a time, and each station offered two activities that lasted three to five minutes. The last station, that of the priestly blessing, provided people with contact with a person dressed as a priest. This “priest” prayed with participants and gave each person an interest card for spiritual strengthening. If desired, the card was filled in and returned so event organizers could contact individuals and families later, offering Bible studies and spiritual support.
Griguol recalls that it was God who instituted the earthly sanctuary as an excellent educational resource. In his view, it is a didactic, interactive, and practical tool. A major advantage is helping people to properly understand the biblical principle of conflict between good and evil and the plan of salvation.
“As human beings, we understand better when we see illustrations and interact, as this further increases the learning process,” he adds.
This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site