November 18, 2012
Morning Service

Heb. 9.

 

Review:

1.     The writer has been explaining how that Jesus has entered into the heavens, and sitting at the right hand of God as our High Priest. 

2.     He is telling us how much better this new covenant is than the old covenant.  Even though his main purpose is to convince the Hebrews, we also build our faith, concerning our Christian faith.

3.     He uses Scripture to convince them; 

Heb 8:7-13 KJVR  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.  (8)  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:  (9)  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.  (10)  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:  (11)  And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.  (12)  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  (13)  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

 

The writer begins chapter nine by describing the old covenant’s sanctuary. 

 

Heb 9:1-28 KJVR  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.  (2)  For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.  (3)  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all;  (4)  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;  (5)  And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 

• When God allowed Moses to look into heavenly things, He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
• Moses saw this divided tabernacle with a holy place, and the holy of holies.
• The furnishings;

*The ark of the covenant ( in the holy of holies ) with its propitiatory was the symbol of God's gracious meeting with His people on the ground of atonement (compare Rom_3:25.  

*The twelve cakes of shewbread denote the twelve tribes of Israel, and their presentation is at once an act of gratitude for that which is the support of life, and, symbolically, a dedication of the life thus supported;

*the candlestick speaks to the calling of Israel to be a people of light (compare Jesus in Mat_5:14-16);

*the rising incense symbolizes the act of prayer (compare Rev_5:8; Rev_8:3).

·       The writer will continue to build our faith that Jesus is the fulfillment of these symbols.

(6)  Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.  (7)  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:  (8)  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:  (9)  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;  (10)  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 

·       Through Jesus we recognize that the time of reforming has happened.

(11)  But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;  (12)  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  (13)  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  (14)  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

• By accepting Jesus as Lord, and recognizing the work He did for us on Calvary, we should be an active, full of good works, people. 
• How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

(15)  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

• Or eternal life.  THIS IS THE GIFT OF GOD, ETERNAL LIFE.

(16)  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  (17)  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 

• 1Th 4:14 KJVR  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

(18)  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.  (19)  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,  (20)  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.  (21)  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 

• This is the Scripture that some Christian people use to justify their actions of doing this very thing.  We are not commanded of God to do this.  Is it an example for us?  NO.
• You are trying to mix the old with the new, and it is not meant to be.
• This is what the writer is trying to get across to us, our new is better than the old.

(22)  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.  (23)  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  (24)  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 

 

NOW NOTICE THE COMPLETENESS OF CHRIST’S WORK;

(25)  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;  (26)  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  (27)  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  (28)  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 

• but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
• Mat 20:28 KJVR  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
• Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

 

ALMIGHTY GOD, WE THANK YOU THIS MORNING FOR THIS KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT JESUS HAS MADE POSSIBLE FOR ALL MANKIND.  WE ASK THAT SHOULD THERE BE ONE HERE WHO HAS NEVER ACCEPTED, AND TRUSTED HIS ATONING WORK ON CALVARY, THAT YOU WOULD HELP THEM DO SO.  AMEN.