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Post by Admin on Oct 23, 2016 19:21:39 GMT -6
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having 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; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but 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. 8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. 11 But 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; 12 and 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. 13 For 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, 14 how 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?
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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JB
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
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Post by JB on Oct 25, 2016 5:50:44 GMT -6
The previous chapter ended on a cliffhanger: God’s first covenant with man is “obsolete, old, and vanished” because it was merely a shadow of reality.
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
The writer calls out regulations for worship and earthly places of holiness. Free-form worship of an invisible god can seem imaginary and unfulfilling. To the Jews of the Old Testament, and to much of the world today, such earthly establishments provided a sense of legitimacy, tangibility, and security to worship. But relying on elements of a fallen world to enhance worship of a heavenly God can result in no less than disappointment.
Earth-bound worship has resulted in synthetic gods. It has resulted in the worship of the creation rather than its creator. It has resulted in the building of temples, veneration of “holy men,” and the ideas that each of us individually is a god or that all of us collectively are god.
In the church, earth-bound worship has resulted in thinking of “church buildings” as houses of God, rigorous adherence to various liturgical rituals, and calling “men of the cloth” by names such as “Father” or “Reverend.”
Our Lord YHWH accommodated man’s leaning toward an earth-bound faith in the past. He caused miracles to happen throughout both testaments to strengthen His peoples’ faith and bring material blessings to them. He went before the Israelites in the wilderness as a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night, guiding them by things they could see. He acquiesced to their requests for a tabernacle - and later a temple - in which He would live, and He even provided explicit instructions for building an earthly holy place. He gave them earthly laws, the Ark of the Covenant to preserve them, and a human priesthood to intercede for their sins.
All of that was this-worldly; visible; tangible. Yet none of those things was the reality His people sought and needed. They were merely a collection of shadows.
6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7a but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year,
“Ritual duties” is a poor translation on the ESV’s part. The NASB’s “divine worship” is preferred. Both the Greek word and the gist of the message in this verse are identical Romans 12:2: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” We offer our bodies to God as our own “service of worship” to Him. Likewise, the priests regularly entered the first section of the tabernacle to offer their “service of worship.”
Priests could enter the “holy place” in the first section regularly, but they could not enter the “most holy place” ever. Only the high priest could enter the “most holy place.” But even his access to “most holiness” was limited.
If man was fully restored to God, every priest would be perfect (sinless), could go into God’s presence in the most holy place, and could stay there indefinitely.
7b and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
The annual system of shedding blood for everyone’s sins ensured that people would not forget they were sinners. Such a reminder was necessary in such an earth-bound religious system.
Without such a structured reminder, people would become self-righteous.
8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
So the shadowy, earth-bound system of the old covenant symbolically showed that something was still incomplete.
By contrast, Christ is “a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man” (8:2). He has entered the holy of holies and has promised to perfect us and bring us in to abide there with Him forever.
10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
The writer makes it clear now. The entire old system was earthly, not heavenly.
But Christ has provided something far better...
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
The good things that “have come!” Nor more shadows, no more waiting. We no longer need to re-up our forgiveness! Christ’s high priesthood is forever, the tent through which He has passed is not tainted by The Fall, and He spilled His own perfect blood for our forgiveness rather than blood of creatures of a fallen world.
Our forgiveness is complete and eternal! For us He effected “purification of the conscience” rather than mere “purification of the flesh!”
The Law’s works were dead works because they couldn’t bring life. Now they are no longer required for forgiveness. We serve the living God.
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