Hebrews Part 9
Notes
Transcript
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1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
Intro
Intro
Ok, just a recap
Chapter:
Jesus is Better than everything in the OT. Better than the prophets, better than the angels, because Jesus is God Himself.
We have a better salvation through His Gospel message. A message that we must hold to
Jesus is better than Moses, and we are part of God’s family through Jesus.
Jesus has a better “rest” than the rest that Moses and Joshua gave, and better than the Sabbath rest.
Jesus is a better High Priest than the Levites - and then in the middle of the chapter the author starts talking about how we need to mature as Christians, not relying on milk, but eating meat,
In chapter 6, We need to hold to the faith, And we are given a warning about not falling away.
It is proven that Jesus is a better High Priest after the order of Melchizdek, and lays the grounds for a new covenant.
Tonight, in chapter 8, we will look at how Jeremiah 31 proves that there would be a new covenant.
Before the author recounts Jeremiah 31,
He puts a button into the last 3 chapters discussion
about the High Priest.
And, we will also see this concept of “shadows and patterns” introduced in verse 5.
And this will be important
Because, it shows us how the Old Testament was interpreted by the New Testament writers.
You’ve probably heard a preach say something like “That’s a type and shadow”.
Or that is a pattern for a NT teaching.
If you are wondering where that concept came from,
it is right here in Chapter 8 verse 5.
So, chapter 8 is divided into two parts.
Verse 1-7 which we have already read
is the conclusion of all the arguments made up to this point
and the basis for the next huge thing we are going to see
which is that the Old Covenant was replaced with a New one.
Then from verses 8-12
The author quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34.
And then concludes the quotation with a bold statement
That the new covenant makes the old one obsolete.
and in fact, the Old one vanishes away.
He is essentially tell the audience
Don’t go back to something that is vanishing
when you have a New Covenant that is eternal
Ok, let’s look at those first 7 verses more closely now…
Verse 1 and 2 form one complete sentence…
1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
If you are reading quickly
You’ll miss something so huge here
Something that the original Jews would have found so mind blowing
When he says, “the true tent”.
He is not talking about a campsite.
he is referring to the tabernacle.
Yes, the one they carried around in the wilderness for 40 years.
The one where the high priest went into the holy place
That tent
And then he is saying that Jesus is that true tent.
Meaning, the one they carried around in the desert was not the true tent
It was only a shadow and pattern of the real one
What does this mean,
True Tent?
The word “tent” actually means a dwelling place.
The original tabernacle was not just a place to worship
simply for the sake of worship
It was a place of worship because it was a dwelling place for God.
Yes, that is why we call this place “God’s House”.
Now, this doesn’t mean that God is limited to that single GPS cooridinate
God is omnipresent
However, there is difference between the Omnipresence of God
and the Manifest Presence of God.
Let me explain
So, God was manifesting his presence on the mercy seat
in the holy place
in the tent or tabernacle
and that same God
is now manifesting his presence
in Jesus.
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
That word “dwelt” in verse 14
Is the same word in Hebrews for “tent”
So, Jesus is the new “tent”
or new “tabernacle”
which is the dwelling place for God the Father.
God didn’t leave Heaven to live in the body of Jesus
God is omnipresent
He doesn’t leave any place
and he doesn’t go to any place
He manifests himself in places
meaning
he makes himself audible, or visible in places
and that is what Jesus is
The visible manifestation of the invisible God.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
So, the author of Hebrews is making a case now
That Jesus is not only the Priest of the tabernacle
He IS the true tabernacle
That’s why it says, this true tent was setup by God
and not by man.
2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
Moses and the people setup the OT tent
and they took it down with human hands
But Jesus is the true tent or tabernacle
that was not setup by man
It is God’s real and permanent dwelling place.
Not a temporary shelter.
But an eternal one…
if you recall our last study in the book of Revelation…
22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
This verse is laying the groundwork
for proving that Jesus’ sacrifice is better than the levites sacrifices
Which we will cover in more detail in chapter 9
4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
This verse is one of the ways the book of Hebrews is dated
Because if there are priests still giving sacrifices in the temple
then the temple is not yet destroyed
and that happened in 70AD.
So, the author speaks as if the temple is still standing
and that priests are still giving sacrifices in the temple
and he is telling his audience
that they don’t need to go to those priests anymore
they are mere earthly priests
and their sacrifices are from earth
but we have a high priest that is not of this world
5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
So, here is the point I’ve been making about shadows and patterns.
Everything in the OT worship was a pattern
for something real in the NT
And this is not just some assertion the writer is making without proof
he is actually quoting God’s own words from Ex 25.40
40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.
So God told Moses the things he was making were just patterns
They were not the real things
Only patterns of the real thing.
If you go to Joann’s and buy a pattern for a shirt or a dress
can you actually wear the pattern?
No, it isn’t a real piece of clothing
it is a patter of a real piece of clothing
It has the same shape
but it isn’t the right substance
It might resemble the real thing
but a pattern is not the real thing
This is the point being made here
The OT had many patterns
they were meant to get us ready
to accept the real thing
that the patterns were modeled after.
6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Christ is better than the old patterns
And his Covenant is better
because it has better promises
Of course, his covenant promises to make us into a dwelling place for God
When we are filled with His Spirit
we become the temple of the Holy Spirit
and this is better than leather tent in the desert
And it promises us eternal life
where the OT leads to death
because no one can keep the law
This is the fault or failure of the Old covenant
and the writer of Hebrews says the Old Covenant had faults…
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
It wasn’t meant to be perfect
It was meant to be a pattern
It was meant to show us that we were not perfect
and could never be perfect
without God’s Spirit in us
This is a pretty big claim.
One that needs some Scriptual support
and the author knows that
so, he goes back to the Prophet Jeremiah
and begins quoting him in middle of verse 8.
and the quotation ends in verse 12.
Let’s read it.
8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”
What Covenant does that sound like?
Sounds like the New Testament to me?
I will put my laws on their hearts and minds?
THat’s the Holy Spirit
They shall all know me?
Meaning, you don’t need to go through a priest
You can go directly to God
I will be merciful toward their iniquities and forget their sins?
This is the NT.
Jeremiah was talking about it in the OT.
The Old covenant was always meant to be replaced
with the True covenant that it was patterned after.
Now… before you rip your OT out of your Bible
hold your horses
That isn’t what is being said here
Remember Jesus said I didn’t come to do away with the law
I came to fulfill it
Meaning, I’m about to build the real covenant that the old covenant was patterned after.
and this means we need the pattern so we can understand the real thing
We’re not just tossing the old one away.
We use the old one to see the new one
to understand the new one
and the understand what God truly wants us to become
He didn’t say I’m getting rid of all my laws
He said I’m writing them on your hearts
So, we need to see what those laws us
in order to determine if what is on our hearts
is God’s law or something else
13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
So, again, just because it says it is “obsolete”
Doesn’t mean it is of no use to us anymore.
It says it is “ready” to vanish away
not that it has vanished away.
The word “obsolete” means aged or old.
And that is why we call it the Old testament
Is is “growing old” according to this verse
Meaning, it isn’t dead yet
but it is close
So, we still use the OT
The NT authors quoted it all the time
You can’t even understand the NT without the OT
Jesus said they testify of Him
and Paul said that all scripture is profitable for doctrine
and that is why we still have the OT
it is a schoolmaster that teaches us God’s moral laws
but we obey the NT
and God’s Spirit will help us obey God’s moral laws
Something we could never do without Him.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Now, I want to start on chapter 9
but for the sake of time
we won’t get too far
because this is an important chapter
and I don’t want to rush it.
Let me give you an overview of chapter 9 before we dive in
Because it will help us see the trees
if we first understand the forrest.
The first 10 verses are talking about
the regulations for worship under the old covenant
inside the old tent or tabernacle
These regulations are sometimes referred to as
the ceremonial laws
Which is the vast majority of the laws in the OT.
Now, when someone says
Why don’t you obey this law or that law
in the OT
This chapter is why
It is explained in detail this chapter
And you will see it only applies to ceremonial laws
and dietary laws
God’s Moral laws are eternal
Murder will always be wrong
adultery will always be wrong
homosexuality will always be wrong
But wearing two types of material when the priest enters the holy place
that part of the law was only a pattern of things to come.
It wasn’t meant to be eternal.
The people who make those arguments
Are not studied in theology
They don’t want to study theology
they just want to justify their sins
So, let’s read Chapter 9:1-5 first.
Explain it
and then we will do 6-10.
Really, 1-10 all goes together
but I’ll break it up a little
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.
So, like I said, the writer is establishing
that the old covenant had regulations for proper worship.
And an earthly place of holiness
This will be contrasted momentarily
with the regulations for worship under the new covenant
and the heavy place of holiness
He then goes on to give an overview of the old tent
or the dwelling place of God’s manifest presence.
and finishes saying that we can’t speak about the ark in detail
because the Jews lost it
when the temple was destroyed the first time.
So, nothing too deep here.
This is just a quick lesson
on the layout of the old tent or tabernacle
or details about the place of worship
Now, the next 5 verses
are about the practices of worship.
or, ritual duties.
6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties,
7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
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,
10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
Ok, so the high-level details
of the practices of worship are described here
and we see that it centers on the High Priest
Who, has to shed blood for himself and for the people
and he can only do this one per year
And when he does it
He can enter into the Holy of Holies,
or “The Most Holy Place”
That is the room where the Ark sat
before it was stolen
and it was where the manifest presence
or Glory of God, sat.
Right there on the Mercy Seat of the ark.
6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties,
Vers 6 talks about the first section
Also known as the sanctuary
or holy place
not to be confused with the Most Holy Place
that first section
is where they went daily
to change out the bread
light candles
etc.
7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
But only once per year
did the High Priest
and only the High Priest
Go beyond that first section
into the Most Holy Place
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
In vs 8, he said that the Holy Spirit
was indicating
or showing us by a pattern
that the way into the holy places
(both the holy place and the Most Holy Place)
is not accessible as long as the first section is standing
Only the Priest could enter into the Holy Places
So, it was not accessible for you and I
We could only go as far as the 1st section
and never into the Holy Place
or the Most Holy Place
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,
Vs 9 says that those worship practices
did not perfect the conscience of the worshipper
Why not?
Because they had to keep going back daily
and annually
to do them over and over again
It was never perfect
and here, perfect means “complete”
Like a “perfect stranger”
is not someone who is really good at being strange
but is rather a “complete stranger”
This point about perfection or completeness
Is going to be more clear later in the chapter
10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
Vs 10 says that these worship practices
Only deal with the food, drink, washings
which are just regulations for the body
as opposed to real spiritual worship
Which is what I preached a couple Sunday’s ago
Jesus said, the hour is coming
where we will worship in Spirit and in Truth
This is the point being made here in verse 10
And the “time of reformation”
Is not talking about the Protestant reformation
It is talking about the institution of the New Covenant
In other words… we don’t need to keep doing the rituals of the Old Covenant
They didn’t work back them to perfect people
and they certainly won’t work now that Jesus has come
and reformed our worship
from physical fleshly rituals
to real Spiritual worship.
Closing
Closing
Now, we will end here
Because we’ve covered a lot of ground
But from here,
the author goes on to argue how the new covenant
does what the old covenant could never do
and how it did once and for all
rather than needing to be done daily and annually by human priests
