One of the key words in the Book of Hebrews is "better". The book opened by declaring that God the Father has spoken to us by His Son, the Lord Jesus. The writer continued by showing that the things which believers have now are better than the things which those who lived under the First or Old Covenant had.
Jesus Christ is better than the angels. Jesus Christ as the Son of man is better than Moses and Joshua. The rest which Jesus gives is better than the rest which they gave. Jesus Christ as the High Priest is greater than Aaron the high priest. The priesthood of Jesus Christ after the order of Melchisedec is better than the priesthood after the Levitical order. The New Covenant is better than the First or Old Covenant.
Chapter 9 presents a detailed contrast between the Old Covenant sanctuary (tabernacle) and the New Covenant sanctuary. Jesus Christ our great High Priest now ministers in the heavenly sanctuary. The contrast presented shows that the New Covenant sanctuary is better, superior, to the Old Covenant sanctuary (Verses l1-12).
Hebrews 9:11-12: KJV 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to
come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to
say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his
own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
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redemption for us.
The readers were reminded that the regulations and practices of the Old Covenant tabernacle were ordained of God. If there were any inferiority in the tabernacle services, it was not because God had not established the ritual. While the Old Covenant was in force, the ministry of the priests was ordained of God and was perfectly proper.
Note these areas of inferiority.
IT WAS AN EARTHLY SANCTUARY Verse l
This means it was made by man (Verse l1; Hebrews 8:4-5) and was pitched by man (Hebrews 8:2).
The Jewish people generously brought their gifts to Moses, and from these materials the tabernacle was constructed.
Hebrews 8:4-5: KJV 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing
that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the
example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when
he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things
according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Hebrews 8:2: KJV 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which
the Lord pitched, and not man.
Then God gave spiritual wisdom and skill to Bezaleel and Aholiab to do the intricate work of making the various parts of the tabernacle and its furnishings (Exodus 35-36).
After the construction was completed, the sanctuary, tabernacle, was put in place and dedicated to God (Ex. 40). Even though the glory of God moved into the sanctuary, the tabernacle was still an earthly building, constructed by humans out of earthly materials.
Being an earthly building, it had several weaknesses. It would need a certain amount of repair over the years. It was limited geographically. If it was pitched in one place, it could not be in another place at the same time. It had to be dismantled and the various parts carried from place to place. It belonged to the nation of Israel and not to the whole world.
IT WAS A TYPE OF SOMETHING GREATER Verses 2-5
The writer listed the various parts and furnishings of the tabernacle because each of them carried a spiritual meaning. They were "patterns of things in heaven" (Verse23).
Hebrews 9:23: KJV 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in
the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these.
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The phrases "the first" (Vs2) and "the second" (Vs7) refer to the first and second divisions of the tabernacle. The first was called the "holy place" and the second was called "the holies of the holy".
Each of these divisions had its own furnishings, and each piece of furniture had its own special meaning.
In the holy place stood the seven-branched golden candlestick (Exodus 25:31-40; 27:20-21; 37:17-24). "Lampstand" would be a better term to use rather than "candlestick" because the light was produced by the burning of wicks in oil, not by the use of candles which we know today. Since there were no windows in the tabernacle, this lampstand provided the necessary light of the priests'
ministry in the holy place.
Exodus 25:31-40: KJV 31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of
beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls,
his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 32 And six branches shall come
out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and
three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 33 Three bowls made like
unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made
like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches
that come out of the candlestick. 34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls
made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 35 And there shall
be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the
same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches
that proceed out of the candlestick. 36 Their knops and their branches shall be
of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37 And thou shalt make
the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give
light over against it. 38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall
be of pure gold. 39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in
the mount.
Exodus 27:20-21: KJV 20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that
they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn
always. 21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before
the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before
the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of
the children of Israel.
Exodus 37:17-24: KJV 17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten
work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops,
and his flowers, were of the same: 18 And six branches going out of the sides
thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three
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branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof: 19 Three bowls made
after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls
made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the
six branches going out of the candlestick. 20 And in the candlestick were four
bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers: 21 And a knop under two
branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop
under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it. 22
Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work
of pure gold. 23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his
snuffdishes, of pure gold. 24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the
vessels thereof.
There was also a table in the holy place with twelve loaves of bread on it. It was called the table of showbread (Exodus 25:23-30; 37:10-16; Leviticus 24:5-9). On each Sabbath, the priests would remove the old loaves of bread and put fresh loaves on the tables. The old loaves would be eaten.
Only the priests could eat this bread, and they were required to eat it in the sanctuary. It reminded the twelve tribes of God's presence that sustained them.
Exodus 25:23-30: KJV 23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two
cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit
and a half the height thereof. 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and
make thereto a crown of gold round about. 25 And thou shalt make unto it a
border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to
the border thereof round about. 26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold,
and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. 27 Over
against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. 28
And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that
the table may be borne with them. 29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and
spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure
gold shalt thou make them. 30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before
me alway.
Exodus 37:10-16: KJV 10 And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was
the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the
height thereof: 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown
of gold round about. 12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth
round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about. 13
And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that
were in the four feet thereof. 14 Over against the border were the rings, the places
for the staves to bear the table. 15 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and
overlaid them with gold, to bear the table. 16 And he made the vessels which were
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upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover
withal, of pure gold.
Leviticus 24:5-9: KJV 5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes
thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 6 And thou shalt set them in two
rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 7 And thou shalt put
pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial,
even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in
order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by
an everlasting covenant. 9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall
eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD
made by fire by a perpetual statute.
The golden altar stood in the holy place just in front of the veil that divided the two parts of the tabernacle. This is the altar of incense, a picture of prayer ascending to God.
Psalm 141:2: "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting
up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."
The holy of holies contained only the ark of the covenant. On the top of this ark was a beautiful
"mercy seat" made of gold, with a cherub on each end. The cherubim faced each other with their wings spread up toward heaven. This was the throne of God in the tabernacle.
Psalm 80:1: "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a
flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth."
Psalm 99:1: "The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the
cherubims; let the earth be moved."
Exodus 25:17-22: KJV 17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
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On the Day of Atonement, the blood was sprinkled on this mercy seat which covered the tables of the Law within ark. God did not look at the broken Law. He saw the blood. Christ is our "mercy seat." The Greek word "hilasterion" translated "mercy seat" in Hebrews 9:5 is the same Greek word "hilasterion" which is translated "propitiation" in Romans 3:25. In 1 John 2:2 and John 4:10, the word "propitiation" appears and comes from a different Greek word "hilasmos". This word refers to Jesus Christ as the sacrifice which secures mercy for the believer. In Romans 3:25, the word "propitiation" refers to Jesus Christ as the place where mercy is extended to the believing sinner, corresponding to the "mercy seat."
Romans 3:23-25: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (hilasterion) through faith in His
blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God."
1 John 2:1-2: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous: And He is the propitiation (hilasmos) for our sins: and not for ours
only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 4:10: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and
sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." The blood of Jesus does not just
cover our sin; it takes away sin.
IT WAS INACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE Verses 6-7
The priests and Levites were permitted to go into the tabernacle precinct, but the people from the other tribes were not allowed to enter into it. Although the priests ministered in the holy place day after day only the high priest entered the holy of holies, and that was only one day a year. When he did, he had to offer a sacrifice for his own sins as well as for the sins of the people. In contrast, the heavenly tabernacle is open to all of the people of God and is open at all times (Hebrews 10:19-25).
Hebrews 10:19-25: KJV 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the
holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an
high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith
without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and
so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
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IT WAS TEMPORARY Verse 8
As long as the priests were ministering in the holy place, the way had not yet been opened into the presence of God. But when Jesus died on the Cross, the veil in the temple was torn from the top to bottom, and the way was opened into the holy of holies.
Matthew 27:50-51, "Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded
up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent."
There was no longer any more need for either the holy place or the holy of holies on earth, because now believing sinners could come into the presence of God.
ITS MINISTRY WAS EXTERNAL, NOT INTERNAL Verse 9-10
The sacrifices offered and the blood applied to the mercy seat could never change the heart nor the conscience of a worshipper. All of the ceremonies associated with the tabernacle had to do with ceremonial purity, not with moral purity. They were "carnal ordinances" that pertained to the outer man but that could not change the inner man. The ministry of the old sanctuary was a figure or an illustration of good things to come.
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