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The Book of Hebrews Chapter 9 http://www.lipanhousechurch.org
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1Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. |
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Notice the use of the word "had" when speaking of the first covenant. This means that the first covenant is dead or past. But there is a more interesting idea inferred here. We see that that first covenant 'had' regulations of of divine worship but our author starts his sentence in English with "even." The New Covenant has regulations of divine worship also. The message then is there is a pattern we must follow in Christian worship since the larger context of this goes back to the pattern Moses saw on the Mountain. |
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2For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lamp stand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. 3Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. |
The Earthly Sanctuary: 2-5
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(hagios) Holy compared to hagion 1. holy from (hazomai) to have veneration and awe. (hagos) is reverence and the object of it, hence (hagios 40) is what belongs to the same, and denotes holy, sacred. As that could not be sacred which was polluted, purity becomes part of the meaning. hagios 40) is that which is sacred, and that only can be sacred which is not unclean. [Holiness was taught to the Jews by a series of comparisons, in which purity pervaded all the ceremonies of the Law.
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(hagia
hagiōn) holiest of all |
The Purpose of this section is to tell us that God has prepared a better way to approach him for those under the New Covenant. The Earthly Sanctuary was divided into the outer court (called the Holy) and the inner Sanctuary (called the Most Holy). Notice above in the two blocks. There is no way from the Holy to the Most Holy.
In Verse One:
There is no doubt that the particular sanctuary our author speaks about is the one built in the wilderness or the Mosaic Tabernacle. We are introduced to the Tabernacle in Exodus Chapter 25ff. and immediately after that the Law/covenant was inaugurated (Exodus 24.ff). But I think the point of our author choosing the Tabernacle as compared to the Temple of Solomon was to expand on how 'temporary' the tabernacle was to be.
Verse Two
The wilderness Tabernacle/shrine consisted of two distinct compartments. There was the outer court and the inner compartment. Although the successive Temples were more elaborate, the basic plan was always the same. If we look above, there was the Holy Place and then there was the Holy of Holies. In this context, each compartment is called a "tent" or "Tabernacle." The outer was twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide (those are approximate estimates) and ten cubits high. In it were the "candlestick or lamp-stand" placed on the south side of the holy place. It was made of gold with three branches springing from each side. The six branches and the stem supported a flower-shaped lamp holder (Ex. 25:31ff; 37:17). Look Here The seven branched lamp-stand of the later Tabernacle appear to have been more elaborate. The table and the show-bread (a hendiadys) for the Table of Show-bread, stood on the north side of the holy place. The table was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and one board one and a half cubits high, and it was equipped with golden plates, spoons, flagons, and bowls (Ex. 25:23ff. 37:10: 10ff). Look Here
The show-bread (literally the setting forth of loaves) consisted of 12 cakes baked of choice flower and placed on the table "fresh" each sabbath day (Lev. 24:5-8). Only the priest might eat these cakes because they were "most holy" (Lev. 24:9).
Verse Three
At the west end of the holy place hung a curtain of embroidered linen. This is called the "second veil" as to distinguish it from the linen screen which one entered to access the holy place. "Beyond the Second Veil" then was the "holy of holies."
Verse Four
There are two pieces of furniture mentioned in connection with the holy of holies: the golden incense altar and the ark of the covenant. The mention of an incense altar raises two questions. (a) Is this reference really to an incense altar or rather to a "censor" (AV incense shovel). (b) If in fact it is a "incense altar" then we must address the OT incense altar which was in the holy place and not the 'holy of holies.
The word thymiaterion is used in the LXX as a censor and not the altar.
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θυμιατŋριον
(thumiatērion 2369) |
There was only one incense altar located in the 'holy place' but there were several censors (See Lev. 16:12, Num. 16:46).
If the above idea is correct, then the location of the "altar of incense is before the veil" (See Ex. 30:6). This is still not clear as to which side of the veil dividing the two compartments but "before the veil" does suggest that it stood in the "holy place." This is confirmed by a close reading of Leviticus chapter 16.
The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant was the principle, if not the only, furniture in the Holy of Holies. This Ark disappeared after the Babylonians destroyed the Temple in 587 B.C. never to be heard from again. In fact, it is recorded that Pompey forced his way into the "Holy Holies" in 63 B.C. and was shocked to find the Holy of Holies completely empty.
For more on the Ark of the Covenant look here. (Click Here)
The Mercy Seat
The lid of the ark was a golden slab called the "mercy seat," meaning a place for propitiation. The word:
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īλαστŋριον
(hilastērion) |
We find in Romans 3:25 that Jesus Christ was our Mercy Seat, but our author speaks of the Mercy Seat in the Temple/tabernacle as being the "earthy part" of this throne of grace. In Levticus 16 we read where the "blood" was sprinkled on the "Mercy Seat" while the God of Israel appeared in a cloud over the "Mercy Seat."
Chapter 9: 6-10
All of these things were a temporary Ritual.
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6Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10since they relate only to food and drink and various washings,regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. |
Verse
6
In the Tabernacle as well as the
Temple that followed later the outer court was in constant use. Day
by day and morning by morning the priests entered to trim the lamps
(Ex. 27:20f) and burn incense (Ex. 30:7f). We see this in the NT with
the story of Zechariah (Luke 1:9ff).
Verse 7
But no one but the High Priest was permitted to enter the "second tabernacle," the holy of holies; and even he was only allowed once per year on the Day of Atonement, and the conditions then were strictly prescribed. We find these conditions most fully in Lev. 16 called the "place behind the veil."
1) Aaron entered on the 10th day of the 7th month.
2) He was wearing vestments of white and he actually entered the Holy of Holies twice.
3) On the first occasion he carried the blood of the bullock for himself and his household.
4) All the while, a cloud of incense rising from the altar.
5) Later, the blood of a goat was brought back in for the sins of the people.
6) Then there was a ceremony and another goat Azael was released in the wilderness with the sins of Israel on his head. (Here for the Complete Ritual)
A. Now our author makes three points.
1. The way into the throne room was barred to all Israelites even for the High Priest Himself.
2. When the High Priest did receive permission to enter, His entrance was safeguarded by sacrificial blood.
3. This blood was not fully effective, since new blood had to be brought each year.
Verse
8
The arrangement of the tabernacle and the
Levitical offerings were a way for the Holy Spirit to teach a lesson.
What lesson was the Holy Spirit trying to teach particularly with the
Day of Atonement?
This I think! Throughout the age of
the OT, there was no direct access to God. The way into the "holy
of holies" was barred by the inner veil. While the first
tabernacle (and all those Temples that followed) were still standing,
it was not known how to approach the Holy of Holies.
Verse 9
But from the author's point of view hundreds of years later, it is plain that the first tabernacle and Temples were a symbol of things to come. While the Old Covenant was in play, the worshiper could not be made perfect in respect to a clean conscience. We find later that the sacrifices themselves were a reminder of sin.
Verse 10
What do food and drink have to do with a persons relationship with God? Not much! Our author will stress the point shortly that the "law" and all things of the "law" were only a shadow of the things to come (See Col. 2:17). In fact, the reformation our author speaks about is the coming of the Messiah and the New Covenant.
Verse 11
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11But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. |
I. The Good things here amount to the reformation and access to the Holy of Holies. This means there will be no veil. The tabernacle this speaks of is not of the earth nor is it made with human hands. The former rituals of goats and calves are gone and have been replaced by the blood of Christ. This replacement is eternal and final. Once for all is the Hapax sacrifice!
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éφáπαξ
(ephapax 2178) |
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3For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer Sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. |
I. The blood of goats and bulls did possess an outward efficacy but it was outward only since as we are about to see, blood of bulls and goats could never cleanse the human conscience.
II. The blood of bulls and goats in fact became a reminder of past dead sins (dead works).
III. Our author mentions the ashes of the Red Heifer. This is a reference to Numbers chapter 19. (The Red Heifer is Here) The ashes of the Red Heifer were for purification. Those ashes were mixed with water and the contaminated person was "cleansed" by this water of life or see the Old Testament Micvah (The Way to God)
IV. To cleanse one's conscience from dead works is a must. If we are to enter the holy of holies, we must have a clean conscience. We are told in 1st Peter 3:21 that baptism is for a clean conscience.
V. Hebrews 9:13-15 gives us this contrast!
1. The Blood of Christ
2. Through the eternal Spirit
3. Offered Himself for sin
4. To God__we owe God a debt and Jesus paid it.
5. He was without blemish___a burnt offering (The Burnt Offering)
6. To cleanse the conscience___
7. This was for the "purpose" of (EIS) allows us to worship God.
8. He (Jesus) is the mediator of a New Covenant
9. For all who have lived past and present.
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16For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU." 21And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. |
The New Covenant Comes by Death and Blood
A. V. 16-17
a. Jesus had to die on the cross for the New Covenant to be in force.
b. Jesus forgiving the thief on the cross was not under the New Covenant but under the Old.
B. V. 18. We are reminded that the Old Covenant also required death before it was effective. This recalls Ex. 24:3-8 at Mt. Sinai.
C. V. 19,20___ Once again, a reference to Ex. 24:3-8. Moses asked the people if they agreed with the covenant. Animals were sacrificed and Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said "behold, this is the blood of the covenant." Once again, the Hyssop, water, scarlet wool (mixed with water) are reminders of the Red Heifer sacrifice. (Here)
D.V.21 Nor was it a matter of just the people needing the blood. The tabernacle, and all the vessels of worship had to be made holy or cleansed with blood.
E.
V. 22__Our author tells us that "almost everything" must be
cleansed with blood and without this cleansing, there is no
forgivness of sin.
The Cleansing in Heaven (Hebrews 9:23-24)
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23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
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I. The things of earth were cleansed with these copies.
A. Blood of bulls and goats, calves, wool, and hyssop.
1. OT Book
2. OT People
3. OT Sanctuary
4. OT Worship Vessels
B. But the things of heaven are cleanse with a better sacrifice.
1. NT Book
2. NT People
3. NT Sanctuary
4. NT Worship
C. Thus, the sacrifice of Christ is better and sufficient for the heavenly things.
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25nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself |
A. Once again we are told that Jesus offered himself.
B. The offering of Jesus was only ONCE and unlike the sacrificial system, His suffering was also ONCE.
C.
Jesus offered Himself at the consummation of the "ages."
When Christ died on the cross it was the end of the ages. The old
covenant was out and the new covenant was in.
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27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. |
And finally, Jesus is coming again and this next time it is for salvation of those who are His.