Thursday, October 29, 2015

Hebrews 9:1-12

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was constructed, the first one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Holy of Holies. In it stood the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which there were a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot speak now in detail.

Such preparations having been made, the priests go continually into the first tent to carry out their ritual duties; but only the high priest goes into the second, and he but once a year, and not without taking the blood that he offers for himself and for the sins committed unintentionally by the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still standing. This is a symbol of the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right.

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.



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2 comments:

  1. Just as a church is full of symbols rich in meaning and hard to explain simply, so was the ancient temple of God. The letter to the Hebrews is a lengthy and thoughtful effort to take the symbols in their temple and explain Jesus in light of it.

    The image I am struck by at this moment is the holy of holes - the holiest place in the Temple - so clean and pure it was dangerous to mere humans. The presence of this holy God was thought to be lethal to anyone tainted by sin.

    Tonight, I find myself grateful to worship a holy God who, through Jesus' blood, enables me and you to enter God's presence and embrace - not by lowering God's standards and blessing my sin, but by making me new all over again, and all over again.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ... holy of holies. .. blasted autocorrect...

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