Tag Archives: earthly sanctuary

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 13

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Hebrews 9:1-8 NIV
[1] “Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. [2] A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. [3] Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, [4] which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. [5] Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. [6] When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. [7] But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. [8] The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.”

Next, our writer reminds his Jewish readers of the origin and function of their religious system. This setup points to two important facts…

First, that God was using human activities to illustrate spiritual truths. Our writer has already reminded his readers that Moses was instructed to construct the tabernacle with its paraphernalia and functions exactly as God had shown him in the mountain.

Hebrews 8:5 NIV
[5] “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Since humans have never been to heaven nor can we imagine heavenly realities, God gave them, in earthly picture form, a pattern of the heavenly to follow.

Second, the people were bound to this system until the types and shadows, which pointed to the spiritual reality had been fulfilled. Let me illustrate…

A soldier leaves home to participate in warfare far from his home country. He takes with him a photograph of the one he loves. In the heat and danger of warfare, he keeps the picture close to his heart, reminding himself of one waiting for him back home. The day comes when he returns to his family and is reunited with his beloved. Will he need the photograph to remind him of her existence? No! He no longer needs the picture since he and she are together in person.

So, since Jesus has come and has done everything the picture was intended to show His people; the types and shadows have become redundant. It would be foolish of them to continue to gaze at the picture of Jesus in the tabernacle worship when He was with them in person, having fulfilled all the obligations of true worship.

Hebrews 9:9 NIV
[9] “This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.”

One thing is clear. The tabernacle system of worship with all its paraphernalia and rigmarole was incomplete. There was no conclusion to its activities. Day after day, the priests did the same thing, offered sacrifices, burnt incense, tended the lamp in the sanctuary, and…and… Costly and repetitive! Did anyone ever ask, “When will this ever end?”

And, worst of all, everything they did in obedience to God’s instructions, made no difference to their guilty consciences. Sin in their lives remained a stark reality. They still disobeyed God in their personal lives and relationships. So, what was the point of it all?

Hebrews 9:11-14 NIV
[11] “But, when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. [12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. [13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [14] How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

Thank God for the” but”! Jesus made all the difference in this hopeless situation.

He offered sacrifice to the Father, not on earth but in heaven, opening heaven to us by His own blood.

He offered Himself as a perfect lamb, not an animal that had no power to deal with sin.

His sacrifice atones for the sin of our souls, not just failure to obey the ceremonies of the law.

His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness and changes our hearts from rebel to son.

Hebrews 9:15 NIV
[15] “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

Jesus, then, is the mediator of this new covenant. He fulfilled all the requirements of God’s holy law. He redeemed us from sin by His blood. He opened heaven for us to access the Father and to receive all the blessings and benefits of our promised inheritance, eternal life. He ratified this new covenant, once for all, by His own blood.

Our need for a mediator between us and God, a high priest to be our advocate to represent us to the Father, and a sacrifice to atone for our sin are all rolled into one and fulfilled in Jesus.

Hebrews 9:24-28 NIV
[24] “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. [25] Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. [26] Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [28] so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

To crown everything Jesus has achieved for us in His own person, He is coming again to complete His great work of salvation. ” It is finished!” So He announced from the cross with His last breath, and so it is!

To be continued…

The Earthly Tabernacle

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THE EARTHLY TABERANCLE

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.  A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant, This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail here (Heb. 9:1-5).

Every detail of the earthly tabernacle was symbolic and had meaning. Each part and the arrangement of each part was intended to teach God’s people about Him – His nature, His holiness and His requirements; and about man and sin, the gulf between man and God which could only be breached by blood. Each piece of furniture in the two compartments of the tabernacle was symbolic.

Like the writer’s comment, we cannot discuss every feature of the tabernacle in detail here. Let’s look at the overview.

The tabernacle was a tent, a portable sanctuary which was erected in the centre of the Israelite camp. God wanted them to understand His place among them. His desire was to dwell with His people but He demanded to be in the centre of their lives. Everything they did was to revolve around Him. He wanted to show them how to live lives that worked, in their relationship to Him and to each other.

The tabernacle had several coverings which protected the interior from the elements but also obscured the Israelites’ view of the inside. No one but the priests saw what was inside, and no one but the high priest was allowed access to the Most Holy Place, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement.

The tent was divided into two unequal rooms, the Holy Place where the priests ministered and the Most Holy Place which was a perfect cube, where the symbolic presence of God resided. The Holy Place was lit by the candelabra called the menorah – a seven-branched oil lamp which the writer did not mention here, which stood on the left side of the Holy Place. The lamp was fed with olive oil and kept burning day and night. The lampstand represented the light of God – the Torah, God’s teaching.

On the opposite side of the Holy Place stood the gold table of sacred bread – twelve loaves baked from the manna God provided, representing the twelve tribes, which were replaced with fresh bread weekly. Just as the lampstand provided light, so the bread provided nourishment and strength for the way. God’s teaching was both light and bread for His people.

The third item of furniture in the Holy Place stood directly in front of the heavily embroidered curtain which covered the entrance to the Most Holy Place. It was a gold-covered altar on which incense was burned, representing the prayers of God’s people which were to be offered to Him as sweet incense. The writer of this letter put the incense altar inside the Most Holy Place. This was unlikely because the priests had to offer incense on it daily, which would have been impossible for them had it been inside the Most Holy Place since they were not permitted into the Holy of Holies.

The inner shrine, the Most Holy Place had no artificial light. It was lit by the Glory – the radiant light of God’s presence that shone above the lid of the gold box called the Ark of the Covenant. The box was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold, beaten so thin that it became transparent and reflected like a mirror.

The contents of the box were highly symbolic. The first was the tablets of stone on which were written God’s marriage covenant with His people, the Ten Commandments. The stone tablets were a replacement for the ones Moses smashed in anger when he saw his people worshipping a golden calf. The rod of Aaron which supernaturally budded and bore blossoms and fruit overnight also had a place in the ark. A pot of manna which remained supernaturally fresh, completed the items in the ark.

Each of these had symbolic significance, especially in the relation to the lid of the box which was called “the atonement cover”. The stone tablets represented the people’s rejection of God’s word. They broke the covenant by worshipping an idol. The rod of Aaron represented their rejection of God’s authority. They challenged the leadership God had appointed. Through the budding of the rod, God showed them supernaturally who was in charge. The pot of manna represented their rejection of God’s provision. They rebelled against the manna and were severely disciplined for their complaining.

All three items were inside the box, under the atonement cover upon which the high priest sprinkled the sacrificial blood every year, symbolising God’s forgiveness of their sin for another year.

However, as beautiful as these symbols were, they were only temporary, and only pictures at best. Animal blood could never atone for the people’s rebellion against God.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.