Dec. 01, 2024
“LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT”
“THINGS IN HEAVEN ARE ALWAYS BETTER”
HEBREWS 9:1-28
As Christians we are citizens of two worlds, the earthly and the heavenly. In Matthew 22:21 “…And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
The practical person says, “Seeing is believing!” But the person of faith replies “Believing is seeing!”
*Can I Speak To Your Conscience:
- The Inferior Old Covenant Sanctuary- Hebrews 9:1-10
What was it, then that made the tabernacle inferior?
*It was An Earthly Tabernacle.
Hebrews 9:1 “Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.”
It was made by man, and pitched by man. It was an earthly building, constructed by humans out of earthly materials.
*It Was A Type Of Something Greater.
Hebrews 9:2-5 “For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.”
The writer listed the various parts and furnishings of the tabernacle because each of these carried a spiritual meaning. They were “patterns of things in heaven” 9:23.
In the Holy Place stood the the seven-branch candlestick vs.2, (Exodus 25:31-40, 27:20-21, 37:17-24).
There was the also a Table of Showbread in the Holy Place, with twelve loaves of bread on it vs.2, (Exodus 25:23-30, 37:10-16, Leviticus 24:5-9).
The Golden Altar stood in the Holy Place just in front of the veil that divided the two parts of the tabernacle. The golden altar did not stand in the holy of holies, but its ministry pertained to the holy of holies.
Each morning and evening, a priest burned incense on the altar. David suggest that is a picture of prayer ascending to God:
Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
It can be a reminder that Jesus Christ intercedes for us:
Romans 8:33-34 “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
The Holy of Holies, contained only the Ark of the Covenant a wooden chests 3 3/4 feet long, 2 1/4 feet wide, and 2 1/4 feet high.
Things in the Ark: the golden pot that had manna; Aaron’s rod that budded; The table of the covenant.
*It Was Inaccessible To The People.
Hebrews 9:6-7 “Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance.”
Real worship will lead to service.
*It Was Temporary.
Hebrews 9:8 “the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.”
The fact that the outer court was proof that God’s work of salvation for mankind had not been completed.
*It’s Ministry Was External Not Internal.
Hebrews 9:9-10 “It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”
Now Christ can bring us to God, but only He can bring us there.
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Ephesians 5:18-19 “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
2. The Superior Heavenly Sanctuary- Hebrews 9:11-28
The present sanctuary is superior:
*It Is Heavenly.
Hebrews 9:11 “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.”
*It’s Ministry Is Effective To Deal With Sin.
Hebrews 9:12-15 “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
Ceremonial cleansing and conscience cleansing- vs.13-14.
Cleansing our conscience cannot be done by some external ceremony, it demands an internal power:
Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
Roman 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
1 John 1:7,9 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
*Temporary blessings and Eternal blessings-vs.15
*It’s Ministry Is Based On A Costly Sacrifice.
Hebrews 9:16-23 “For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
The word “testament”-means covenant or agreement, like a last will and testament.
*It’s Ministry Represents Fulfillment.
Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
*It’s Ministry Is Final and Complete.
Hebrews 9:25-28 “not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
In short, the work of Christ is a completed work, final, and eternal. On the basis of this completed work, He is ministering now in heaven on our behalf.
Old Covenant New Covenant
Repeated sacrifices One sacrifice-(Jesus)
The blood of others Jesus’ own blood
Covering sin Putting away sin
For Israel only For all sinners
Left the holy of holies Entered heaven and stays
Came out to bless people Will come to take people
To heaven.
The believers sanctuary is in heaven. His Father is in heaven and His Savior is in heaven. His citizenship is in heaven:
Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Our treasures are in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
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