A BETTER SANCTUARY

The Christian is a citizen of the earthly and heavenly worlds. He must render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's (Matt. 22:21). Because he is a citizen of two worlds, he must learn how to walk by faith in a world that is governed by sight. Like Moses, a believer must see the invisible to overcome the world’s pull (Heb. 11:24-27). The world says, "Seeing is believing!” But the man of faith replies, "Believing is seeing!"

This principle of faith must apply to our relationship to the heavenly sanctuary. We have never seen this sanctuary. Yet we believe what the Bible tells us about it. We realize that God is not worshiped today in temples made with hands (Acts 7:46-50). There is no particular place on earth where God dwells (see John 4:19-24 and Isa. 57:15 and 66:1-2). We may call a local church building a "house of God," but we know that God does not live there. The building is dedicated to God and His service but not His dwelling place.

This chapter (Heb. 9) contrasts the Old Covenant sanctuary (the Tabernacle) and the New Covenant heavenly sanctuary where Jesus Christ now ministers. This contrast makes it clear that the New Covenant sanctuary is superior.

1. The inferior Old Covenant sanctuary (9:1-10)

Hebrews reminds readers that God ordained the Tabernacle’s regulations and practices. If there was any inferiority in the tabernacle service, it was not because God had not established the ritual. While the Old Covenant was in force, the ministry of the priests was ordained of God and perfectly proper.

What was it, then, that made the tabernacle inferior? There are five answers to that question:

A. IT WAS AN EARTHLY SANCTUARY (9:1).

This means it was made by man (9:11) and pitched by man (8:2).

The Jewish people generously brought their gifts to Moses, and the Tabernacle was constructed from these materials. Then God gave spiritual wisdom and skill to Bezalel and Oholiab to make the various parts of the Tabernacle and its furnishings (see Ex. 35 36). After the construction was completed, the sanctuary was put in place and dedicated to God (Ex. 40). Even though the glory of God moved into the sanctuary, it was still an earthly building constructed by humans out of earthly materials.

Being an earthly building, it had several weaknesses. For one thing, it would need a certain amount of repair. Also, it was geographically limited: if it was pitched in one place, it could not be in another.

It had to be dismantled and the various parts carried from place to place. Too, it belonged to the nation of Israel and not to the whole world.

B. IT WAS TYPE OF SOMETHING GREATER (HEB. 9:2-5).

The writer listed the tabernacle’s various parts and furnishings because each carried a spiritual meaning. They were "patterns of things in the heavens" (9:23). The diagram gives a general picture of the tabernacle.

The phrases "the first" (9:2) and "the second" (9:7) refer to the first and second divisions of the tabernacle.

The first was called the holy place and the second the holy of holies. Each of these divisions had its own furnishings, and each piece of furniture had its own special meaning.

In the holy place stood the seven-branched golden candlestick (Ex. 25:31-40; 27:20-21; 37:17-24).

The light was produced by burning wicks in oil, not by using candles. Since the tabernacle had no windows, this lamp stand provided the necessary light for the priests' ministry in the holy place.

In the construction of the Tabernacle, which was a portable sanctuary built by the Israelites in the wilderness, we find descriptions of the use of gold. For example, the Ark of the Covenant, which housed the tablets of the Ten Commandments, was made of acacia wood and covered with pure gold (Exodus 25:10-22).

Similarly, when Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem, there was extensive use of gold in its construction and decoration. The interior of the temple, including the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, was adorned with gold overlay. The walls, floor, and most of the furniture were either made of gold or covered with gold, emphasizing the sacred and majestic nature of the space (1 Kings 6-7).

The use of gold in the temple had symbolic significance, representing the precious and holy nature of the worship space dedicated to God. It also reflected the wealth and glory of the kingdom of Israel during this period.

The light would reflect around the room because the room was covered in Gold.

The nation of Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). Jesus Christ is the "Light of the world" (John 8:12) and believers are to shine as lights in the world (Phil. 2:14-15).

There was also a table with 12 loaves of bread in the holy place. It was called the Table of showbread (Ex. 25:23-30; 37:10-16; Lev. 24:5-9). Each Sabbath, the priests would remove the old loaves and put fresh ones on the table; the old loaves would be eaten. These loaves were called "the bread of presence” and the table was called "the table of presence." Only the priests could eat this bread and were required to eat it in the sanctuary. It reminded the 12 tribes of God's presence that sustained them. It also speaks to us today of Jesus Christ, the "Bread of Life" given to the whole world (john 6).

The golden altar stood in the holy place just before the veil that divided the two parts of the Tabernacle.

The word translated "censer" la device for burning incense] (Heb. 9:4) should be "altar." The golden altar did not stand in the holy of holies, but its ministry pertained to the holy of holies. In what way? On the annual Day of Atonement, the high priest used coals from this altar to burn incense before the mercy seat within the veil (Lev. 16:12-14). Moses (Ex. 40:5) relates the golden altar to the ark of the covenant, as does the author of 1 Kings (6:22). Each morning and evening, a priest burned incense on this altar. David suggests that it is a picture of prayer ascending to God (Ps. 141:2). It can be a reminder that Jesus Christ intercedes for us (Rom. 8:33-34). For details about this incense altar, see Exodus 30:1-10; 37:25-29. The incense itself is described in Exodus 30:34-35.

The holy of holies contained only the ark of the covenant, a wooden chest 3 3/4 feet long, 2 1/4 feet wide, and 2 1/4 feet high. On the top of this chest was a beautiful "mercy seat made of gold, with a cherub at each end. This was the throne of God in the Tabernacle (Ps. 80:1; 99:1; Ex. 25:10-22).

On the Day of Atonement, the blood was sprinkled on this mercy seat to cover the tables of Law within the ark. God did not look at the broken Law; He saw the blood. Christ is our "mercy seat" ("propitiation" in 1 John 2:2 and Rom. 3:25). But His blood does not just cover sin; it takes away sin.

Undoubtedly, many spiritual truths are wrapped up in these pieces of furniture, all valuable.

But the most essential truth is this: all of this was symbolism, not the spiritual reality. It was this fact that made the Tabernacle of the Old Covenant inferior.

C. IT WAS INACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE (HEB. 9:6-7).

We must not get the idea that the Jews assembled in the Tabernacle for worship. The priests and Levites were permitted into the Tabernacle precincts, but not the people from the other tribes. Furthermore, though the priests ministered in the holy place day after day, only the high priest entered the holy of holies, and that only once a year. When he did, he had to offer a sacrifice for his sins as well as for the sins of the people. In contrast, the heavenly Tabernacle is open to all of the people of God, and at all times! (10:19-25)

D. It Was temporary (9:8).

The fact that the outer court ("first tabernacle," 9:6) was standing was proof that God's work of salvation for man had not yet been completed. The outer court stood between the people and the holy of holies! As long as the priests were ministering in the holy place, the way had not yet been opened into the presence of God. But when Jesus died on the cross, the temple’s veil was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:50-51) and the way was opened into the holy of holies. There was no longer any more need for either the holy place or the holy of holies, for now, believing sinners could come into the presence of God.

E. ITS MINISTRY WAS EXTERNAL, NOT INTERNAL (HEB. 9:9-10).

The sacrifices offered, and the blood applied to the mercy seat could never change a worshiper’s heart or conscience. All of the ceremonies associated with the Tabernacle had to do with ceremonial purity, not moral purity. They were "carnal ordinances” that pertained to the outer man but that could not change the inner man.

Physical purity, not moral purity. They were "carnal ordinances” that pertained to the outer man but that could not change the inner man.

2. The superior heavenly sanctuary (9:11-28)

The five deficiencies of the Old Covenant sanctuary are matched with the five superiorities of the New Covenant sanctuary. In every way, the present sanctuary is superior:

A. IT IS HEAVENLY (9:11).

The writer has emphasized this fact before because he has wanted his readers to focus on the things of heaven and not on the things of earth. Some things on earth (including the beautiful Jewish temple) would soon be destroyed, but the heavenly realities would endure

forever.

The Old Covenant tabernacle was made by the hands of men (Ex. 35:30-35). The New Covenant sanctuary was not made with hands. "Not of this building" (Heb. 9:11) means "not of this creation." The Tabernacle of Moses was made with materials that belong to this creation. The heavenly tabernacle needed no such materials (Heb. 9:24). Since it does not belong to this creation, it is free from the ravages of time and the effects of sin.

The "good things to come" had already arrived! All that was foreshadowed by type in the Tabernacle was now a reality because of Christ’s priestly ministry in heaven. The tabernacle was patterned after the sanctuary in heaven, but today we no longer need the pattern. We have the eternal reality!

B. ITS MINISTRY IS EFFECTIVE TO DEAL WITH SIN (9:12-15).

We have here a series of contrasts that show again the superiority of the heavenly ministry:

Animal sacrifices and Christ's sacrifice (9:12). The writer will discuss the inferiority of animal sacrifices in chapter 10, but here he begins to lay the foundation.

We need no proof that the blood of Jesus Christ is far superior to that of animal sacrifices. How can the blood of animals ever solve the problem of humans' sins?

Jesus Christ became a man that He might be able to die for people's sins. His death was voluntary; it is doubtful that any Old Testament sacrifice volunteered for the job! The high priest carried an animal’s blood into the holy of holies, but Jesus Christ presented Himself in the presence of God as the final and complete sacrifice for sins. Of course, the animal sacrifices were repeated, while Jesus Christ offered Himself but once. Finally, no animal sacrifices ever purchased "eternal redemption." Their blood could only "cover" sin until the time when Christ's blood would "take away sin" (John 1:29). We have "eternal redemption.” It is not conditioned on our merit or good works; it is secured once and for all by the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Ceremonial cleansing and conscience cleansing (Heb. 9:13-14). The Old Covenant rituals could not change a person's heart. This is not to say that a worshiper did not have a spiritual experience if his heart trusted God, but it does mean that the emphasis was on external ceremonial cleansing. So long as the worshiper obeyed the prescribed regulations, he was declared clean. It was "the purifying of the flesh" but not the cleansing the conscience. (For "the ashes of a heifer," see Num. 19.)

We learned from Hebrews' chapter 8 that the ministry of the New Covenant is internal. "I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts (8:10). This work is done by the Holy Spirit of God (2 Cor. 3:1-3). But the Spirit could not dwell within us if Jesus Christ had not paid for our sins. Cleansing our consciences cannot be done by some external ceremony; it demands an internal power. Because Jesus Christ is "without spot [blemish|" He was able to offer the perfect sacrifice.

Temporary blessings and eternal blessings (Heb. 9:15). The blessings under the Old Covenant depended on the obedience of God's people. If they obeyed God, He blessed them, but He withheld His blessings if they disobeyed. The blessings were temporary and primarily temporal: rain, bumper crops, protection from enemies and sickness, etc. Israel's Canaan inheritance involved material blessings. Our eternal inheritance is primarily spiritual in nature (Eph. 1:3). Note that the emphasis is on eternal-_"eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:12) and

"eternal inheritance" (v. 15). À believer can have confidence because all that he has in Christ is eternal.

This verse (9:15) clarifies that there was no final and complete redemption under the Old Covenant. The blood of the many sacrifices covered those transgressions but not cleansed until the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (Rom. 3:24-26). Since Christ has accomplished an eternal redemption, we are able to share in an eternal inheritance. finished work of intercession in heaven are sufficient Even the Old Covenant was established based on blood. Hebrews 9:19-21 are taken from Exodus 24:3-8, the account of the ratifying of the Old Covenant by Moses and the people of Israel. The book of the Law was sprinkled with blood, and so were the people, the tabernacle, and its furnishings. It must have been a solemn occasion.

Not only was blood used at the beginning of the ministry of the Old Covenant, but it was used in the regular administration of the tabernacle service.

Under the Old Covenant, people and objects were purified by blood, water, or fire (Num. 31:21-24). This was ceremonial purification; it meant that the persons and objects were now acceptable to God.

The purification did not alter the nature of the person or object. God's principle is that blood must be shed before sin can be forgiven (Lev. 17:11).

Since God has ordained that remission of sins is through the shedding of blood, and since purification comes through the sprinkling of blood, blood must be shed and applied if the New Covenant is to be in force. The "patterns" (the Old Covenant tabernacle) were purified by the sprinkling of the blood. But the

"Originals" were also purified! The blood of Jesus Christ not only purifies the conscience of the believer (Heb. 9:14), but also purified the

"heavenly things" (9:23, NASB).

How could the heavenly sanctuary ever become defiled? We can understand how the earthly sanctuary could be defiled since sinful men used it. Each year, on the great Day of Atonement, the tabernacle was purified through the sprinkling of blood (Lev. 16:12-19). But how could a heavenly sanctuary ever become defiled? Certainly, nothing in heaven is defiled in a literal sense, for sin cannot pollute the sanctuary of God. But, for that matter, nothing in the earthly tabernacle was literally defiled by sin. It all had to do with people's relationships to God. The blood sprinkled on a piece of furniture did not change the nature of that piece, but it changed God's relationship to it.

God could enter into communion with people because of the sprinkled blood.

Through Jesus Christ, sinners can enter the holy of holies in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb.

10:19-22), Physically, of course, we are on earth; but spiritually, we are communing with God in the heavenly holy of holies. In order for God to receive us into this heavenly fellowship, the blood of Jesus Christ had to be applied. We enter into God's presence "by the blood of Jesus" (10:19).

Now we can summarize the writer's discussion. The Old Covenant was established by blood, and so was the New Covenant. But the New Covenant was established on the basis of a better sacrifice, applied in a better place! The patterns (types) were purified by the blood of animals, but the original sanctuary was purified by the blood of the Son of God. This was a far more costly sacrifice.

D. ITS MINISTRY REPRESENTS FULFILLMENT (9:24).

The New Covenant Christian has reality! We are not depending on a high priest on earth who annually visits the holy of holies in a temporary sanctuary. We depend on the heavenly High Priest who has entered once and for all into the eternal sanctuary. There, He represents us before God, and He always will.

Beware of trusting anything for your spiritual life that is "made with hands" (9:24). It will not last. Solomon’s temple replaced the Tabernacle, and the Babylonians destroyed that temple. When the Jews returned to their land after the Captivity, they rebuilt their temple, and King Herod, in later years, expanded and embellished it. But the Romans destroyed that temple, and it has never been rebuilt.

Furthermore, since the genealogical records have been lost or destroyed, the Jews are not sure who can minister as priests. These things “made with hands” are perishable, but those "not made with hands" are eternal.

E. ITS MINISTRY IS FINAL AND COMPLETE (9:25-28).

There can be nothing incomplete or temporary about our Lord's ministry in heaven. The writer pointed out again the obvious contrasts between the Old Covenant ministry and the New Covenant ministry:

Old Covenant New Covenant

Repeated sacrifices. One sacrifice

The blood of animals His own blood

Covering sin Putting away sin

For Israel only For all sinners

Left the holy of holies. Entered heaven and remains there

Came out to bless the people Will come to take His people to heaven

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.

Did you notice that the word "appear" is used three times in Hebrews 9:24-28P These three uses summarize our Lord's work. He has appeared to put away sin by dying on the cross (v. 26). He is appearing now in heaven for us (v. 24). One day, He shall appear to take Christians home (v. 28). These "three tenses of salvation" are all based on His finished work.

After reading this chapter, the Hebrew Christians who received this letter had to realize that there is no middle ground. They had to make a choice between the earthly or the heavenly, the temporary or the eternal, the incomplete or the complete. Why not return to the temple but also practice the Christian faith? Why not "the best of both worlds"P Because that would be compromising and refusing to go "without the camp, bearing His reproach" (13:13). So there is no middle way.

The believer's sanctuary is in heaven. His Father is in heaven and his Saviour is in heaven. His citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and his treasures should be in heaven (Matt. 6:19f1). And his hope is in heaven. The true believer walks by faith, not by sight. No matter what may happen on earth, a believer can be confidant, because everything is settled in heaven.