The Heavenly Sanctuary & Our Body Temple and God’s Health Evident Health Reform Message

September 27, 2025

This recording is a Sabbath church presentation by Dr. Janie Unruh (with introductions and prayers by the pastor and worship interludes). Dr. Unruh’s talk ties the biblical sanctuary theme to the idea of the human body as God’s temple and presents the Seventh‑day Adventist health reform as a prophetic, spiritual, and practical message — not merely a set of health tips. Below are the key points, organized for clarity.

Main thesis

The biblical “sanctuary” motif appears throughout Scripture (Genesis to Revelation) and is central to understanding salvation, God’s dwelling among people, and how God deals with sin.
The human body is described in Scripture as a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16–17). Therefore health, diet, and lifestyle have spiritual significance.
The Adventist health message is not just a good idea for physical well‑being. It is prophetic and part of God’s restorative plan stretching from Eden to the New Earth — a “health reform” that helps prepare God’s people for the last‑day events.

Sanctuary imagery and its applications

Dr. Unruh highlights multiple “temples” in Scripture (the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, Ezekiel’s vision, Zerubbabel’s Temple, the individual body, the collective people of God, Jesus as the Cornerstone, and the New Jerusalem). From this she draws parallels between sanctuary features and Christian life:

Patterned construction: The sanctuary was built exactly following God’s pattern. Likewise our bodies and lives are to follow God’s design (including dietary guidance given in Genesis).
Surrounding white linen (righteousness): Represents Christ’s righteousness imputed to believers.
Holy furnishings (gold, pure materials): Speak to holiness, purity and the quality of what we put into and upon the temple (our bodies).
Altar and sacrifice (daily): Symbolize daily consecration, dedication, and the need for constant spiritual cleansing and confession.
Priestly washing: Signifies purification and ongoing conversion (spiritual “baptism” of cleansing by the Word and Spirit).
Lampstand: God’s people should be a light to the world; holiness affects witness.
Table of showbread: Connection to daily dependence on God (Matthew 4:4 — “Man shall not live by bread alone”) and to clean, pure nourishment.
Altar of incense: Symbolizes prayer rising to God continually (spiritual life breathed toward God).
Ark (Ten Commandments, manna, Aaron’s rod): Dr. Unruh points out typological links — the Ten Commandments (moral law), manna (Christ as Bread of Life), and the budding rod (the power of God’s life/Spirit, and reminders of rebellion against God’s dietary guidance).

Repeated biblical theme: diet and obedience

Genesis 2:16–17 (the tree of life and the forbidden tree) is presented as God establishing an original diet in Eden (plant‑based), and the command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil is taken as a clear, authoritative dietary test.
Dr. Unruh emphasizes that diet appears repeatedly as a test or sign across Bible narrative and prophecy:
- The Flood: Noah’s obedience, the ark as God’s means of preservation.
- Exodus/ wilderness manna: God provided a simple plant‑based food (manna) to test Israel’s dependence and obedience.
- Daniel and friends: Daniel and companions refused the king’s rich fare in favor of simple plant‑based food and were blessed for it — a model of principled restraint.
- Day of Atonement and ritual fasting: Biblical fasts and afflictions of soul as signs of repentance and consecration; these rites point toward moral and physical temperance.
- Daniel’s visions and Revelation: Sanctuary cleansing and end‑time restoration are connected to disciplinary, spiritual, and practical reforms (including temperance).

Health reform: spiritual and prophetic

Dr. Unruh frames the health message as “self‑evident” — meaning it should be obvious from Scripture and natural law; it’s not an optional nicety but a God‑given pattern with moral, physical, and prophetic implications.
The health message is presented as one element of the “last great effort” to prepare people for Christ’s return; it is linked to medical missionary work, pastoral care, and evangelism.
Ellen G. White’s writings (Counsels on Diet and Foods, Ministry of Healing, etc.) are referenced as supporting the idea that the original Edenic diet and later reform movements are part of the progressive unfolding of truth.
The message is not an ultimatum that “meat eaters are unsaved.” Rather, it’s a progressive call to transformation: God calls people to move step by step toward His original design (whole, unrefined plant‑based diet as the ideal).

Practical and pastoral emphases

Motive matters. The aim is not legalistic checklist‑keeping (e.g., “if I don’t eat X, I earn heaven”), but loving obedience from a heart changed by Christ. Dietary change should flow from relationship with Jesus and desire to honor God with our bodies.
Change is gradual and personal. Individuals are at different points in their spiritual and lifestyle journeys; each person must be led gently and lovingly, not judged or shamed.
Health reform should always be integrated with spirituality. Nutrition and lifestyle programs without Christ risk making “healthy people” but not spiritually converted people; gospel and health reform must go together.
Practical encouragement: start where you are, take steps, pray for true surrender and transformation (submit appetites to Christ), and let the Holy Spirit guide taste, habit, and heart.

Illustrative stories & personal testimony

Dr. Unruh shares parts of her own testimony: a radical conversion experience after years as an atheist and a nurse/medic, a practical journey from convenience foods toward whole food choices, and the transformation she has seen in patients and program participants (examples include diabetes reversal and marked health improvements within short periods).
She stresses the real power and joy in seeing people regain health, reduce medications, and become freer physically and spiritually.

Warnings and pastoral cautions

Avoid judgmentalism: Don’t set health reforms up as a test for church membership or spiritual superiority. Love, tact, and humility are necessary.
Beware of presumption: Scripture recounts tragic examples where irreverence toward God’s rules brought judgment (e.g., Nadab & Abihu, Uzzah, incidents involving the Ark). Dr. Unruh uses these to remind listeners that God’s commands are to be taken seriously out of reverence and love.
Health reform is not “works righteousness.” Salvation is always a free gift; works are the fruit of faith and Spirit‑wrought change.

Takeaway applications

Recognize the body as God’s temple and give careful attention to diet and lifestyle as part of spiritual obedience and witness.
Combine practical health programs (nutrition, hydrotherapy, temperance practices) with prayer, Bible study, and surrender to Christ.
Make incremental, sustainable changes under the Spirit’s leading; avoid legalism, condemning others, or expecting instant perfection.
See health reform as part of the church’s mission and a preparation for the final proclamation of the gospel.

The Heavenly Sanctuary & Our Body Temple and God’s Health Evident Health Reform Message