April 13, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Hebrews? Here’s today’s reading:
Hebrews 9 (NIV)
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
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,.........Continue Reading
Hallelujah the veil was torn and His blood was shed to open a path to true communion with God. The old animal sacrifice and tabernacle is no longer necessary to speak to God and He is coming again one day soon to bring us home with HIm.
Hebrews 9
God made a way for us. Through Jesus. I noticed that there are verses in this passage that are repeated – something about mediation not made through human hands. I had to check if I was scrolling the wrong way. I guess it wants to emphasize that humankind will not be saved by his way but by God’s provision.
“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.”
Hebrews 9:15 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/heb.9.15.niv
Amen, and now as believers we are called to declare the new covenant, disciple and gain souls.
The first thing that struck me in this chapter is when the writer said that the altar of incense was in the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum that only the High Priest could enter once a year. From my recollection, it was in the Holy place along with the candelabra and the table of show bread. All those elements needed to be maintained by the priests. I was in fact correct so I did a little research and found that the words used here could mean that the altar of incense was associated with the Holy of Holies as opposed to being in that location. And how fitting that the worship of God and the place of atonement would be associated with a certain wonderful smell that would further enforce the experience and the memory.
In the rest of the chapter the writer gives greater detail to reenforce the inadequacy of the old means of atonement and the supremacy of what Jesus offers as as the highest and best High Priest. So glad He provides access once and for all because of His perfect sacrifice of Himself….
The earthly copies of the REAL tabernacle were cleansed with the blood of bulls and goats, temporarily. The heavenly tabernacle also needed to be cleansed with blood, but it needed to be a better sacrifice. Christ entered heaven itself as a cleansing sacrifice, once for all.
Now the superiority of the throne room of God to the tabernacle, which is but a pale shadow. A wonderful vision of Jesus entering that most holy place one time in perfection to pay for all sin.
Hebrews 8-9
The priest’s sacrifice of the blood of animals was meant to be a temporary fix for sin. And without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect and was meant to last eternally. One reason why God forgives our sins is to clear our consciences so we can serve him. Our guilt no longer has a place in our lives, so we can serve the Lord well. We are expected to serve him faithfully until he appears a second time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. We look forward to that glorious day!
14How 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!
15For 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.