The Holy Spirit's Purpose in the
Limitations of the Shadow
Hebrews 9:1-10
Remember: The first/old covenant system of worship with its priesthood, sacrifices, and tabernacle worship was but a shadow of our Beautiful New Covenant Redeemer, Jesus Christ. This Shadow of His glorious Person and Work is caused by the Radiance of the Triune God's Eternal Covenant of Redemption shining upon The Means of our Redemption, the Glorious God/Man.
I. Vs 1-5 The Specifics of the sanctuary shadow.
A. The focus here is on the sanctuary, the tabernacle, perhaps because the ordinances of divine service that the priests performed served this tabernacle. Everything pointed to the tabernacle! The goal was to get into the tabernacle! The ultimate goal was to get into the second part, the Holiest of All once a year, because that was where God was!!
B. Vs 2 The first part—The Holy Place. Here, the priests ministered daily.
1. The Golden Lampstand: The Menorah that was to give light to the Holy Place, that light that the Priests were to keep burning at all times. Symbolizes our Lord Who is the Light of the World. John 1:9, 3:19, 8:12
2. The Table and the Showbread: The Hebrew in Exodus literally means "Bread of Faces". Jesus is the Bread of Life. Remember John 6:27? He is also the Shining (smiling) Face of God in answer to the invocation of the priests in Numbers 6:24+26 "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make HIS FACE shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His Countenance upon you (margin reads, Look upon you with favor, smile upon you--which He does in and by Christ Jesus!!), and give you peace."
3. These items of furniture and the enclosed compound that contained the Golden altar and the Golden Wash Basin seem to be speaking of our God/Man as the only source of understanding and nourishment of life on this earth and hereafter. The only way to enter this understanding and feast on this nourishment is sacrificial death and the shedding of blood.
C. Vs 3-5 The Second part, behind the second veil, the Holiest of All! Whereas the first room seems to speak of the Creator/Son's rule and provision for all of His creation, the second room seems intended to draw us into an intimate relationship with our Creator and through Him, with the Heavenly Father. We could perhaps liken the Holy Place to the milk of chapter 5, and the Holiest of all to the meat the writer wants to teach them.
1. The Golden Altar of Incense: Is our author mistaken, or is this a "copiest" error as some would say? The Altar of Incense is on the outside of the curtain in the Exodus account.
a. Exodus 30:6 The high priest alone burned the incense every morning and evening on this altar. Since this is a high priestly ministry, it must be a shadow of the High Priestly ministry of intercession of our Great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God.
b. Why the seeming discrepancy? I believe the author, by the Holy Spirit, is speaking of things as they now are. The effectual ministry of our Lord's intercession is no longer once a year, but is continually at the Father's right hand. The Son's "sweet fragrance" to the Father is always filling the Holiest of Holies, based on the fulfilled promises pictured in the Ark.
2. The Ark of the Covenant: All of the items in the golden ark foreshadow the truth that everything man needs to live in perfect intimacy with the Almighty God has been done in our God/Man, Christ Jesus!
a. Golden pot of Manna: He is the continual supply of everything that His p people need to sustain life here and in eternity. Phil 4:19
b. Aarons rod that budded: He has all authority over the principality and powers!
Eph 1:15-23; Mark 1:21-27; Rom 8:38-39
c. Tablets of the covenant: The stone tablets of the law. He is the perfect fulfillment of all the Righteous Holy God requires. Rom 8:3-4, II Cor 5:21
d. Cherubim of glory: Don't forget the angels. It isn't all about us! I Pet 1:10-12 The cherubim may also refer to creations' anticipation of its' restoration as in Rom 8. Cherubim seem to have a connection to the creation as in the book of Ezekiel.
D. Vs 6-10 The Lesson of the limitations.
1. Bottom line—once a year isn't good enough! And only the high priest could go into the place of intimacy! The shadow was never the focus and goal! The first tabernacle (and its successor, the temple in Jerusalem) had to be destroyed! (vs 8)
2. vs 9-10 The shadow system of tabernacle worship was only intended to create an insatiable appetite for a time to come when all God's people would be a nation of priests, having unlimited access to the place of uninterrupted communion with the Lord of heaven and earth. It was looking forward to "the time of reformation".
3. Note that it was the Holy Spirit that was doing the teaching in this shadow system. But Israel quickly replaced Him with their commentaries on the shadow and teachers to give their interpretation of the shadow. The people soon worshiped God with their lips and external rites of worship, but their hearts were far from Him, and their Fear of God was taught by the precepts of men. BEWARE! Isa 29:13
Hebrews 9:1-10
Remember: The first/old covenant system of worship with its priesthood, sacrifices, and tabernacle worship was but a shadow of our Beautiful New Covenant Redeemer, Jesus Christ. This Shadow of His glorious Person and Work is caused by the Radiance of the Triune God's Eternal Covenant of Redemption shining upon The Means of our Redemption, the Glorious God/Man.
I. Vs 1-5 The Specifics of the sanctuary shadow.
A. The focus here is on the sanctuary, the tabernacle, perhaps because the ordinances of divine service that the priests performed served this tabernacle. Everything pointed to the tabernacle! The goal was to get into the tabernacle! The ultimate goal was to get into the second part, the Holiest of All once a year, because that was where God was!!
B. Vs 2 The first part—The Holy Place. Here, the priests ministered daily.
1. The Golden Lampstand: The Menorah that was to give light to the Holy Place, that light that the Priests were to keep burning at all times. Symbolizes our Lord Who is the Light of the World. John 1:9, 3:19, 8:12
2. The Table and the Showbread: The Hebrew in Exodus literally means "Bread of Faces". Jesus is the Bread of Life. Remember John 6:27? He is also the Shining (smiling) Face of God in answer to the invocation of the priests in Numbers 6:24+26 "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make HIS FACE shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His Countenance upon you (margin reads, Look upon you with favor, smile upon you--which He does in and by Christ Jesus!!), and give you peace."
3. These items of furniture and the enclosed compound that contained the Golden altar and the Golden Wash Basin seem to be speaking of our God/Man as the only source of understanding and nourishment of life on this earth and hereafter. The only way to enter this understanding and feast on this nourishment is sacrificial death and the shedding of blood.
C. Vs 3-5 The Second part, behind the second veil, the Holiest of All! Whereas the first room seems to speak of the Creator/Son's rule and provision for all of His creation, the second room seems intended to draw us into an intimate relationship with our Creator and through Him, with the Heavenly Father. We could perhaps liken the Holy Place to the milk of chapter 5, and the Holiest of all to the meat the writer wants to teach them.
1. The Golden Altar of Incense: Is our author mistaken, or is this a "copiest" error as some would say? The Altar of Incense is on the outside of the curtain in the Exodus account.
a. Exodus 30:6 The high priest alone burned the incense every morning and evening on this altar. Since this is a high priestly ministry, it must be a shadow of the High Priestly ministry of intercession of our Great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God.
b. Why the seeming discrepancy? I believe the author, by the Holy Spirit, is speaking of things as they now are. The effectual ministry of our Lord's intercession is no longer once a year, but is continually at the Father's right hand. The Son's "sweet fragrance" to the Father is always filling the Holiest of Holies, based on the fulfilled promises pictured in the Ark.
2. The Ark of the Covenant: All of the items in the golden ark foreshadow the truth that everything man needs to live in perfect intimacy with the Almighty God has been done in our God/Man, Christ Jesus!
a. Golden pot of Manna: He is the continual supply of everything that His p people need to sustain life here and in eternity. Phil 4:19
b. Aarons rod that budded: He has all authority over the principality and powers!
Eph 1:15-23; Mark 1:21-27; Rom 8:38-39
c. Tablets of the covenant: The stone tablets of the law. He is the perfect fulfillment of all the Righteous Holy God requires. Rom 8:3-4, II Cor 5:21
d. Cherubim of glory: Don't forget the angels. It isn't all about us! I Pet 1:10-12 The cherubim may also refer to creations' anticipation of its' restoration as in Rom 8. Cherubim seem to have a connection to the creation as in the book of Ezekiel.
D. Vs 6-10 The Lesson of the limitations.
1. Bottom line—once a year isn't good enough! And only the high priest could go into the place of intimacy! The shadow was never the focus and goal! The first tabernacle (and its successor, the temple in Jerusalem) had to be destroyed! (vs 8)
2. vs 9-10 The shadow system of tabernacle worship was only intended to create an insatiable appetite for a time to come when all God's people would be a nation of priests, having unlimited access to the place of uninterrupted communion with the Lord of heaven and earth. It was looking forward to "the time of reformation".
3. Note that it was the Holy Spirit that was doing the teaching in this shadow system. But Israel quickly replaced Him with their commentaries on the shadow and teachers to give their interpretation of the shadow. The people soon worshiped God with their lips and external rites of worship, but their hearts were far from Him, and their Fear of God was taught by the precepts of men. BEWARE! Isa 29:13