The OLD Tabernacle… (4 points)

• 1^st – The earthly Tabernacle… vs. 1
  • 1^st – The Contrast…
    • We have seen that Jesus is a BETTER High Priest – Hebrews 4:14
      • From a BETTER Priesthood – requiring the OLD to be replaced – Hebrews 7:12
      • And that change in Priesthood – also required a change in Covenant – Hebrews 8:7
      • Now we will see – it also required a change in Tabernacle!
      • First the author will show us the OLD Tabernacle – Hebrews 9:1-10
      • Then he will contrast it with the BETTER Tabernacle in Heaven – Hebrews 9:11-28
    • Why are these CHANGES important to us…
      • One might argue – these are all the vestures of the JEWISH religion…
      • Does it really have any impact on us – since we are NOT Jewish!
      • The answer is a resounding YES – because there is only ONE way to heaven – John 14:6
      • What the author is powerfully proving – is the way CANNOT be through RELIGION…
      • RELIGION – being defined as a set of RULES we must follow to be saved!
      • If the Jewish FAITH – which is the ONLY religion that comes from God…
      • Was insufficient to be able to make those who followed it righteous…
      • How much more will EVERY other religion in the world FAIL to make us right before God!
  • 2^nd – The FIRST contrast – the LOCATION…
    • Even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary…
      • Hebrews 9:1 – “[The OLD] covenant between God and Israel had [rules] for worship and a place of worship [Tabernacle] here on earth.” [NLT]
      • The OLD Tabernacle was inferior to the one in the NEW Covenant…
      • Because the PLACE to worship – was located on EARTH – rather than in HEAVEN!
    • EARTHLY – κόσμος [root noun] – where we get the word COSMETICS…
      • The EARTHLY Tabernacle was NICE – it was NO ordinary TENT…
      • The Gold alone used in making it was worth over P3 billion – Exodus 38:24
      • Not to be outdone – the Temple of Solomon was worth P10 trillion – I Chronicles 22:14
      • But God is not impressed by the OUTSIDE – the Lord looks at the heart – I Samuel 16:7
      • No matter how fancy a building looks – the real question is what is on the INSIDE…
      • Some of the most regal churches in the world – glorious / magnificent buildings…
      • Are dead on the INSIDE – some have even begun to be converted into bars!

• 2^nd – Only a picture… vs. 2-5
  • 1^st – The design… vs. 2
    • For a TABERNACLE was prepared – Exodus 25-26
      • A tent – 15 feet wide x 15 feet high x 45 feet long – covered in FOUR layers…
      • It was portable – along with everything that was in it – meant to be easily moved….
      • The inside framework of the tabernacle – was made of wood overlaid in gold!
      • Inside the Tabernacle was divided into TWO parts…
      • THE HOLY place [הַקֹּדֶשׁ] – the FIRST room – that was 15 feet wide x 30 feet long…
      • The HOLY of HOLIES [קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים] – the SECOND room – 15 feet x 15 feet…
    • Which was SYMBOLIC – Hebrews 9:9
      • SYMBOLIC – παραβολή – 50x in NT almost always translated as PARABLE…
      • PARABLES were earthly examples meant to point to a heavenly truth!
      • The EARTHLY Tabernacle – was ONLY an example – of a BETTER heavenly truth!
  • 2^nd – The Holiest – sanctuary [ἅγιον] … vs. 2
    • The FIRST part – in which was the lampstand – Exodus 25:31-40
      • LAMPSTAND – [מְנֹרַת] a SEVEN stemmed / SEVEN foot lamp made of 75 pounds of gold…
      • SEVEN in the Bible is the number of perfection – the Menorah was the PERFECT light…
      • It was the only light in the Tabernacle – it lit the path to get to God!
      • John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness…”
      • Jesus is our Menorah – our PERFECT light – who shows us the only way to get to God!
    • The priests were to keep the Menorah burning day and night – Exodus 27:20
      • God desires us to also be a LIGHT to the lost world around us – Matthew 5:14
      • But in order to be a LIGHT – we MUST be filled with the OIL of the Holy Spirit!
      • Luke 11:13 -“Your heavenly Father [will] give the Spirit to those who ask Him.”
      • We come to the Lord so He can OVERFLOW us with His Spirit…
      • Not just once – but over and over and over again – asking daily so we can SHINE!
    • The table and the showbread – Exodus 25:23-30
      • A wooden table – 3 feet long x 1.5 FEET wide x 2 feet high – overlaid with gold…
      • SHOWBREAD – [לֶחֶם הַפָּנִֽים] – literally the bread before the FACE of God – Exodus 35:13
      • On top of the table there would be TWELVE loaves of bread – ONE for each of the tribes…
      • God kept a reminder of all His people before Him in the Tabernacle!
      • We like to keep pictures of people who are important to us – to remember them…
      • The same is true in about God – our heavenly father is always thinking about us!
      • Psalms 139:17 – “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!”
  • 3^rd – The Holiest of all… vs. 3-5
    • Behind the [inner] VEIL – the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All…
      • Which had the Golden CENSER – also called the Altar of INCENSE – Exodus 30:1-6
      • The Alter of incense – 18 inches square x 3 feet high – overlaid with Gold…
      • Exodus 30:6 – tell us it was BEFORE the VEIL – just OUTSIDE the HOLY of HOLIES…
      • Why does the author tell us here that it was INSIDE – next to the ARK…
      • NO one could come into the HOLY of HOLIES – (except the High Priest ONCE a year) …
      • But the SMOKE from the Altar just outside the VEIL – could pass into the HOLY of HOLIES!
      • The INCENSE represented the PRAYERS of the saints coming up to God – Revelation 8:3
      • We have access to the Lord anytime – anywhere – we can come to the Lord in prayer!
      • Talk to God – hear from God – find PEACE from God so we do NOT worry!
      • Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer… let your requests be made known… and the peace of God… will guard your hearts and minds…”
        
    • The ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold – Exodus 25:10-16
      • A wooden box roughly 4x2x2 – covered inside and out in pure gold…
      • There were THREE things inside of the ARK of the Covenant…
    • Golden pot of Mana [what is it] – to remind Israel how God PROVIDES – Exodus 16:33
      • What was the MANNA – it was a picture of the true bread from heaven…
      • John 6:31-35 – “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert… Then Jesus said to them…Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven…. I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger…”
      • After the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 – the people came to Jesus…
      • Like Moses – they wanted Jesus to feed them EVERY DAY…
      • But He told them that Moses MANNA – was not the TRUE bread of heaven…
      • So – they asked Jesus to always / DAILY give them this TRUE bread of heaven…
      • Jesus revealed to them – I am the bread of life!
      • I have heard people say – going to Bible studies does not put food on the table…
      • The problem is people are looking for the wrong kind of FOOD!
      • We must choose what we live for – this life / or eternal life!
    • Budding rod of Aaron – to remind Israel not to REBEL – Numbers 17:10
      • God commanded Moses to have Israel gather TWELVE rods…
      • There would be one from each of the TWELVE tribes of Israel…
      • They would each put their name on their rod – and place it in the Tabernacle…
      • Aaron – the High Priest – would be the representative for the tribe of Levi…
      • Whichever rod blossomed – would be the choice of God as the leader of Israel!
      • The Rod of AARON blossomed – with flowers – and also ripe almonds on its branches…
      • An amazing miracle – this was a dead stick – not a living branch…
      • Yet God brought it back to life – and caused it to bear fruit for Him!
      • God is in the business of taking dead branches and giving them life…
      • Without Jesus – we are just dead branches – we can so absolutely nothing on our own!
      • God takes us – and connects us to Jesus – so we might bear FRUIT for God!
      • John 15:5 – “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…”
    • Tablets of the Covenant – to remind Israel of hold onto the WORD of God – Exodus 25:16
      • The ARK was a REMINDER – that God provides ALL our needs…
      • So long as we do not REBEL against Him – by listening to and obeying His Word!
      • Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
    • Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat – Exodus 25:17-22
      • MERCY SEAT – from the verb [כָּפַר] – to COVER / ATONEMENT…
      • It was made out of pure gold – with two CHERUBIM on top of the cover…
      • CHERUBIM – angles first mentioned in Genesis 3:24 – described in Ezekiel 1:5-28
      • The TWO angels would face each other – with wing spread out over the MERCY SEAT…
      • Symbolic of the THRONE ROOM of God – surrounded by the CHERUBIM – Revelation 4
      • This was the place where the HIGH priest would come once a year – Yom Kippur…
      • To make ATONEMENT – COVER the sins of all Israel – Leviticus 16:14
      • We come to the MERCY SEAT – to the THRONE ROOM – to be forgiven by the Lord…
      • But our sins are not just COVERED – our sins are REMOVED – Hebrews 8:12
    • Of these things we cannot now speak in detail…
      • The idea being there is a LOT to say about ALL of these things…
      • But the conclusion the author is making – they are just a PICTURE that all POINT to Jesus!
      • He is the LIGHT [menorah] – He thinks about us [showbread] …
      • He hears our prayers [incense] – He takes away our sins [mercy seat]!

• 3^rd – Only for priests… vs. 6-8
  • 1^st – The FIRST part… vs. 6
    • The PRIESTS always went into the FIRST part of the tabernacle…
    • Of the TWO rooms inside of the TABERNACLE – this was the ONLY one the PRIESTS entered…
    • The went in and out on a daily basis to tend the Menorah / Showbread / and Incense!
    • But EVERYONE else was forbidden to come in – it was ONLY for the PRIESTS!
    • Those who came to meet with God could only come as far as the Bronze ALTAR…
    • They came to bring sacrifices – the penalty for their sins – but they could NOT meet God…
    • It served as a reminder that SIN had to be judged – and SIN kept us from God!
  • 2^nd – The SECOND part… vs. 7-8
    • Into the SECOND part the HIGH PRIEST went alone…
      • BEFORE he entered Holy of Holies – he had to offer sacrifices [blood] for his own sins…
      • He would also offer sacrifices for the sins of the people – committed in IGNORANCE…
      • IGNORANCE – ἀγνόημα – literally to NOT know…
      • People had to bring a sacrifice for their SINS to the Lord…
      • But what if they SINNED and did not KNOW – that was covered by the Day of Atonement!
    • Once a year…
      • The High priest would enter the HOLY of HOLIES – on the day of Yom Kippur…
      • He would enter with the bells on his priestly robe – if they stopped – he was dead…
      • Tradition tells us he would have a rope around his foot…
      • Because no one could go in after him – if anyone else entered – they would die too!
    • The Holy Spirit indicating this – the way into the Holiest of All was not yet [open] …
      • God wanted to show the SEPARATION between God and man…
      • A SEPARATION that is taken away through the cross of Christ…
      • The VEIL that separated the Holiest of All was TORN in TWO – Mark 15:38
      • Because Jesus REMOVED our sin – we have ACCESS to the presence of God…
      • There is no longer a SEPARATION between God and man!
      • We can now boldly enter the very Throne room – the Holiest of All!
      • Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
    • While the FIRST Tabernacle was still standing…
      • Yom Kippur is still celebrated by Jews to this day…
      • The problem today is there is NO Tabernacle – NO High Priest – NO Ark of the Covenant…
      • There is no way for the Jews to make ATONEMENT for their SIN…
      • Instead – the Jews created a tradition – a works based solution for sin!
      • God writes our FATE for the coming year – in the Book of Life – on Rosh Hashanah…
      • But He waits until Yom Kippur to SEAL the verdict – good or bad… 
      • During the Days of Awe – the TEN days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur…
      • JEWS try to do good works and seek forgiveness for wrongs has done… 
      • At the end of Yom Kippur – YOU can consider YOURSELF absolved by God!
      • It might help to ease the conscience – but it does NOTHING to take away SIN!
    • God will judge the sin of all men – White Throne Judgment – Revelation 20:11
      • Men will be judged according to our works – written in the BOOKS…
      • But not to see if they will go to heaven or hell – but to show them why they will go to hell…
      • Unless their name is written in THE Book of Life – then they are saved…
      • The ONLY one way to get our name in – believe in the finished work of Jesus!
        

A Tabernacle that we can freely enter – and have our broken lives healed!

4^th – Only external… vs.9-10

1^st – Regarding the conscience… vs. 9

Gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service PERFECT…

In regard to the CONSCIENCE – concerned only with foods and drinks – various washings…

The SACRIFICES in the OLD Tabernacle could NOT PREFECT our CONSCIENCE…

PREFECT – τελειόω – to bring to a conclusion / complete…

CONSCIENCE – the soul with the ability to avoid what is bad and do what is good!

RULES are good things – but following RULES does not make us righteous…

The danger of RULES is they cannot change our hearts – Colossians 2:23

RULES do nothing to change the INSIDE – PERFECT our CONSCIENCE…

If we try and follow RULES they may change the OUTSIDE – but it is superficial!

Matthew 23:27 – “Like whitewashed tombs – beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead men’s bones…”

2^nd – Reformation… vs. 10

Imposed until the time of REFORMATION…

REFORMATION – only here NT – to thoroughly straighten out something that is broken…

Hebrews 12:13 – “Mark out a STRAIGHT PATH [same root] for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” [NLT]

We must MARK a STRAIGHT path – choose the right road…

What is the STRAIGHT path – the ONLY way to PERFECT our CONSCIENCE…

Coming to Jesus Christ – in the GREATER and more PERFECT Tabernacle – Hebrews 9:11