Christ & the Tabernacle

In this section the writer compares the surpassing glory of Christ with the earthly Tabernacle. An interesting thing to note is the order in which the writer places his material.

In Exodus 24 we have a recounting the giving of the Old Covenant to Israel. The following chapter describes worship in the Tabernacle.

In Hebrews 8 we have a description of the Old Covenant. The writer follows that with a chapter describing the Tabernacle. I don’t think that is by coincidence. He probably does this because faithful Jews would have recognized what he was doing.

v. 1 “First” = “Old”

“regulations for worship”- detailed instructions for worshippers.

“earthly place of holiness” in contrast to the heavenly place where Christ presently is.

Also highlights that it was temporary.

v. 2-5 a description of the Tabernacle

The court of the tabernacle was 150 feet long x 75 feet wide.

It had one entrance that was 30 feet wide and 7 ½ feet high.

In the outer court there was a brazen altar. Sacrifices were burned on that altar.

There was also a basin used to cleanse the hands of the priests from blood and dirt.

Then you entered the Tabernacle. It was an elaborate tent. The tent was divided into two rooms.

The first section was called The Holy Place. It was 30 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet high.

There was a golden lampstand (Exodus 25:31-40). It had seven branches on it. The Lampstand was never to go out (Exodus 27:20-21).

The bread of Presence was in it. Twelve loaves of bread were replaced every Sabbath day. They were placed in two rows of six on the table. Only the priests were allowed to eat them (Ex. 25:23-30).

The second section was called The Most Holy Place or The Holy of Holies.

A veil separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. This created some division between the two places.

In front of this second curtain, before you entered the Holy of Holies there was The Golden Altar of Incense. There is a difficulty with this because other verses teach this Altar was in the Holy Place (Exodus 30:6). I think this Altar was moved on the day of Atonement into the Holy of Holies (Exodus 40:5; Lev. 16:13). That settles any contradiction.

Each morning and evening the High priest was to burn incense on this altar.

The Holy of Holies was shaped like a cube. It was 15 feet high, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet long.

Inside were:

The Ark of the Covenant- A box made of Acacia wood and covered in gold. Atop were two cherub. They face each other with their wings touching.

The lid of the box was called The Mercy Seat. God promised to meet with the High Priest there (Exodus 25:22). Once a year the high Priest would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people.

A golden pot of manna. A bit of the food God gave the Israelites when in the wilderness.

Aarons rod that budded. This story is found in Numbers 17:1-11.

Tablets of the Covenant

For the present time the writer says that is all he can say about these things. This probably has to do with time more than anything else.

v. 6-7 After the Tabernacle was built the priests began their work.

The priests were allowed in the first section. There were many ritualistic duties they had:

Changing the bread, filling lamps with oil, trimming wicks, etc.

Only the High Priest could go into the second section. He could only do it once a year, on The Day of Atonement.

He would have to bring blood with him to atone for his own sins and the sins of the people. Notice it’s the “unintentional sins of the people.”

This reminds us that we are accountable for all sin we commit. I wonder also if this is a warning.

Perhaps the Israelites were not to think that just because the High Priest made an offering fo sin that their sin was covered. If they thought they could live however they wanted as long as the High Priest did his part, they were mistaken. It appears to me the language is used to remind the people that if they were intent on living in sin they had no reason to believe their sin was covered.

v. 8-10 Now we see what we as New Testament believers can learn from the Tabernacle:

Access to God was not made available by the Old Covenant (8).

Old Covenant gifts and sacrifices could not clear the conscience (9).

Sin is more than an external problem. It is spiritual and deeply imbedded in us (10).

We need a complete reformation.

v. 11-12 Now we will see where true redemption is found. It is not found in The Tabernacle. It is found in Christ.

“the good things that have come” are the blessings of the New Covenant. Christ ministers these good things to us, not through an earthly tabernacle. He ministers to us from a greater Tabernacle where He resides. He blesses us from heaven. This is where He presently is.

The High Priests entered the holy of Holies by virtue of sacrificed animals. The blood of goats and bulls is what was offered by the priests on The Day of Atonement. The High Priest would not dare enter the Holy of Holies without a blood sacrifice.

Jesus has entered a greater place- heaven, with a great sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood.

He did this “once for all”. The High Priests had to do it year after year. Christ purchased an eternal redemption, not one that expired every year.

v. 13-14 The priests under the old covenant offered goats and bulls. They sprinkled blood on the altar. They made burnt offerings. All of this accomplished a purifying of the flesh. Clearly this was all a ritualistic cleansing. There was no depth to it. It was a symbolic cleansing.

“How much more” this is an actual cleansing of sin.

“the blood of Christ” His life’s blood. His death.

“through the eternal Spirit” The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus as He accomplished His work.

“without blemish” a sinless sacrifice.

“purify our conscience” We have a clear conscience because we know our sin has been atoned for.

“from dead works” Our good works lead to death. Our bad works lead to death. We trust in neither. We trust in the blood of Christ.

“to serve the living God” Because we are saved we are free to serve. We are not trying to earn our salvation so we can then serve God. We serve God because we are saved.

Thoughts to Consider

1. The beauty of the Old Testament can only be seen through Christ.

2. A clear conscience can only be found in Christ.

3. There is no greater sacrifice than the one given for your soul.

4. Christians are called a holy priesthood and we should be busy serving God on a daily basis.