Cruising Chapter 9
In Hebrews ...Jesus, is our High Priest!
> There is Power in the Blood!
7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood,... ~verse 7
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Hebrews 9: New International Version
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry.7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
The Blood of Christ
11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,a he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtainingb eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,c so that we may serve the living God!
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16In the case of a will,d it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”e 21In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.26Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Footnotes:
11
12
14
16
20
· The Jews today ......(v22) "no shedding of blood" = "no forgiveness" Temple sacrifices stopped a few years after Christ's death 2,000 years ago. So really, the Jews have a significant problem with sin...they rejected the second covenant or the "new-covenant" and they don't keep the first covenant either! They teach the traditions of man (good works atoning for evil or sins; hopefully your good works outnumber the bad?)., but that isn't what scripture says! They will apparently resume temple sacrifices in the seven year period following the rapture when the church is taken out, and God begins to work again with Israel. The bible says that "...the Anti-Christ will come during that seven year period following the Rapture and cause the oblations and sacrifices to cease", so it's obvious that sacrifices will be resumed by Israel in their temple during this time. ...but currently they don't have scriptural basis for the putting away of their sins.
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- Contrast what Jesus did (vv. 11-14) with the old system (vv. 1-10).
- Why was the shedding of sacrificial blood required even under the old covenant (vv. 16-22)?
- The writer explains why the offering of Jesus' blood is not only necessary, but also a superior sacrifice. Why is it important to direct our attention to "heavenly things" (v. 23)?
- What difference would it make to those steeped in Old Testament religion to know that Jesus once-for-all offered his own blood, rather than offering animal blood (vv. 25-26)?
· Also certain is Jesus' Second Coming (v. 28). In light of his blood offering, how should you spend your time waiting for him?
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Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Would you o’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Would you be free from your passion and pride
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide;
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow;
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Refrain:
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the precious blood of the Lamb. ?~ Lewis E. Jones 1899
Hebrews 9:
The "Power" is the Blood of Christ!
In view of the colossal problems around us—drugs, divorce, depression, to name a few—it seems like a gross oversimplification to say that the blood of Jesus Christ is the solution. But, in a different context, the Hebrews faced similar problems of neglect, unbelief and immaturity. They were in danger of dropping out of the race and turning back to their old ways. Seemingly, they lacked the power and purpose to advance and press on in their faith-race. What was the solution given to them? The blood of Jesus. Only a full and perfect knowledge of what Jesus is and does for us can bring us to a full and perfect Christian life.
· The Old Covenant was based on MAN's Faithfulness;
The New Covenant was based on GOD's Faithfulness!
The Tabernacle:
· Tabernacle was 45' x 15' wide and 15' high
· Located inside the "Court of Israel" & divided into two sections; The Holy Place (or "Sanctuary") and the Holy of Holies. The Altar of incense was immediately just inside the entrance. The priest would daily offer the incense unto God by swinging it daily (symbol of the prayers of the saints).
· Altar of Incense where incense would be swung; Lampstand -the priest would go into this first part of the temple and trim the wicks on the "menora" (lampstand with 7 candles); 7 lamps symbolize the Holy Spirit... God wanted this lampstand to burn continually.
· Also in the first part (Holy Place) was the "table of shewbread". Weekly the priest would change the shewbread on the table; there were 12 loaves each representing the 12 tribes of Israel.
· Sacrifices: -people would bring offerings to give to the Lord during the day, and the priest would sacrifice them as they came in.
· The priests would each serve for about a month at a time.
In the Holy of Holies you would find:
· Golden censor
· Ark of the Covenant which was overlaid in gold, containing the tablets of stone (10 Commandments that God gave them.)
· Golden Pot containing manna preserved from their forefather's wilderness days.
· Aaron's Rod that had budded; This budding was God's confirmation that Aaron was selected to establish the "Aaronic order" priesthood.
· The "Cherubim's of Glory" overseeing the "Mercy Seat or bema" (symbolizing a model of heaven, as the throne of God is surrounded by cherubims).
· Daily the priest would perform his priestly duties; trimming the wicks, refilling the oil, offering sacrifices for sin that people brought to him.
· The High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies through "the veil" only once a year (on "Yom Kippor", which means "The Day of Atonement", and "not without blood"; since they haven't had a temple for many years, they currently call this "The Day of Reflection") ....a sacrifice that he would offer for himself first, and then for the people. He would go into the Holy of Holies first for cleansing for himself after he bathed; he would kill an ox and enter with the blood of the ox and sprinkle it on the "mercy seat". He would bathe again, and then take two goats aside for consideration for the sins of the people; ...both goats were used to "pay" for the sins of the Israelis, but one would be slain, and one would be set free. (Generations later....Barabbas was set free while Christ was slain). After casting lots over the two goats, he would slay the goat upon which the lot fell, and set the other one free somewhere in the wilderness. After slaying the goat, he would enter into the Holy of Holies again for the sins of the nation with the blood of the goat. The "puttting away" of sins was the idea and as the goat was set free signifying that God would remember their sins no more.
· This could only happen once per year and that signified the "separation" of man from GOD! The heavy veil of the temple separated them as the Holy Spirit was not yet given to man. We read later that when Jesus was crucified, the veil of the temple was ripped "from the top to the bottom"...God ripped it!; if man had ripped it, it would have been ripped from the bottom to the top. This veil-ripping signified that the way into God's presence was available for all men! We can enter into God's presence by ourselves! Because Christ is our High Priest!
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