A better sanctuary, a better service, Hebrews 9:1-14

In the book of Romans, chapter 2, Paul says that Gentiles, who did not know the law, were none the less guided by their consciences, showing the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.

God implanted in man a conscience to make him seek for forgiveness, to guide him into righteousness.  But man’s conscience, though a God given tool, is not perfect, because men are sinful and their sin acts to harden their hearts, and sear their conscience.  Many of the problems of people in our society today, often attempted to be corrected by psychiatrists and therapists, are due to a troubled conscience.  Unfortunately, they rarely are able to really deal with the root of the problem, because they deal with external circumstances, and they fail to understand the sin problem of the heart.

Our consciences are implanted in us by God, but they are supposed to be instructed by the truth of God.  The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 4:2 that the conscience can be seared by sin.  Titus 1:5 says that the conscience is defiled by sin.  And in Hebrews 10:22 it says that our consciences are evil.  So we know that our conscience, though designed to instruct us and guide us by God, is not perfect, because our sin corrupts it.  There is still a measure of guilt in the conscience though, which is the reason that many hate the Bible and Christianity and all that it stands for.  For their conscience condemns them, and they want to escape that condemnation.  So they hate the truth, and are haters of God.

Nevertheless, in His mercy God has designed a way for man to have a pure conscience. God has made a way for our conscience to be cleansed and useful to us again.  And in the text we are looking at today, we find that our conscience can be made clean through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, that we might be useful in service to the living God.

Now this service to God is important, because that is what we are saved for.  That is the desired result of salvation, according to God.  We are given a clean conscience not to live for ourselves, so that we might have no guilt while we live in the world and partake of worldly lusts.  But we are saved unto good works, by which we work for a kingdom which is eternal, whose ruler and Lord is Jesus Christ.  And we do that, as a new creation, in our new position, which is as priests to God.

When Hebrews says here in vs 14, that we are to serve the living God, it uses a Greek word which is  latreuo, which speaks of religious or ceremonial, priestly service.  Peter describes this as a royal priesthood, in 1 Peter 2:9.  Charles Spurgeon said that in this priesthood we echo the things which the priests of old did in the tabernacle, offering “a worshipful service such as priests render unto God. We that have been purged by Christ are to render to God the worship of a royal priesthood. It is ours to present prayers, thanksgivings, and sacrifice; it is ours to offer the incense of intercession; it is ours to light the lamp of testimony and furnish the table of shewbread.”

Now for a lot of us, the ceremonies of the old covenant are something that we know very little about.  And perhaps you think such things are not relevant to evangelical Christianity today.  But I would suggest that as Hebrews points out, such things were given for our instruction, that we might better understand what Christ does on our behalf, and thus, our response of worship to Him.  Paul said in Rom. 15:4 “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

So it behooves us to know what the priests did in the old covenant, and what such things signify concerning our salvation.  And to that end the author of Hebrews in this passage is attempting to show us that the new covenant, it is founded on better promises, conducted in a better sanctuary, and providing a better sacrifice.

He starts by describing for us the old sanctuary or what was called the tabernacle, which was the sacred tent where the presence of God dwelled among the Israelites.  It’s important to remember as we said last week that God designed the earthly tabernacle corresponding to the tabernacle in heaven. Chapter 8 vs5, [the priests] “who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned [by God] when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, ‘SEE,’ He says, ‘THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.’  So the earthly tabernacle represented the corresponding heavenly tabernacle. Not in size or appearance, but in symbolism it reflected a heavenly reality.

I find it interesting that when you consider the dimensions of the first tabernacle, they are approximately the size of a small, two room house.  Those of you that have attended Bible study at my house can maybe imagine how big our living room and dining room is where we meet, and use that to sort of picture the tabernacle.  The tabernacle was a tent 45 feet long by 15 feet wide. And it was divided into 2 rooms, the first being 30 feet by 15, and the second being 15 feet by 15 feet.  The first room was called the Holy Place, and the second room which was separated by a veil, was called the Holy of Holies.  So all in all it is a rather small tent, and the Holy of Holies is really a small square room, much the size of a typical bedroom.

And the author says, when you went into the first room, called the Holy Place, there was a lamp stand which was the only source of light in there. It had seven lamps, produced by burning oil. And the priests job was to daily tend to the lamps, trimming their wicks, and filling the lamps with oil. They did this twice a day.

The other piece of furniture which he describes is the table which was 3 feet long, and which held the showbread.  12 loaves of bread which were laid out there represented the 12 tribes of Israel.  And every Sabbath day, the priests would remove the showbread and put out fresh bread.

There was one other item there which he mentions, and it was the golden altar of incense.  It stood just before the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies and was used to offer up the smoke of incense before the Lord.  The veil, of course, was a thick curtain separating the two rooms.  And behind the veil, in the Holy of Holies, there was only once piece of furniture, and that was the Ark of the Covenant. It was a small chest made of acacia wood covered with gold, 3¾ feet  long, 2¼ feet wide, and 2¼ feet high, with rings for poles along its side to carry it without having to touch the ark itself.  And inside the ark were the golden pot that had the manna , Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

You know it’s interesting to think about the ark of the covenant.  It is not mentioned in the Bible any more after the Israelite temple was destroyed for the first time.  A lot of speculation has given rise to many theories of where it is or what happened to it.  Just think what it would mean if one day it was found in a cave somewhere in Israel.  Imagine seeing the actual tablets of stone that God wrote on with His finger. Or seeing actual manna from heaven.  But as helpful as we think that might be to the cause of the gospel, none of the Jews that lived during that time ever saw those items. It was in the Holy of Holies which only the High Priest could enter, and when the tent was taken down, the curtain and a special covering was placed over the ark so that the people could not look upon it.  Those items were placed in there to remind God of His covenant with Israel, and of His mercy towards them.  The Israelites believed in it by faith, not because they had it available to look at.  Only the high priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, and that only once a year.  And I can assure you, that they didn’t linger in their longer than they had too.  They were happy to finish their service and get out alive. In fact, the rabbinical literature indicates that the High Priest would hold a celebration afterwards for the fact that he had survived being in the presence of the Spirit of God.

But nevertheless, the manna was a reminder of God’s provision and Israel’s ungratefulness;
Aaron’s rod was a reminder of their rebellion against God’s authority; and the tablets of the covenant was a reminder of Israel’s failure to keep the Ten Commandments but at the same time a reminder of God’s promises to Israel.  But there was another feature of the ark, which was the mercy seat between the wings of the cherubim.  As God looked down into the ark, He saw the symbols of Israel’s sin, rebellion, and failure. But when the blood of sacrifice was applied to the mercy seat on the day of atonement, God saw that blood covering over the sin of Israel, and He considered the blood instead of the sin of Israel.

Hebrews 9 vs 6 then tells us, that when these symbolic things in the tabernacle were thus prepared the priests entered the Holy Place daily serving the temple.  But only once a year the high priest went into the Holy of Holies, and then he had to go in by the blood, not only for the people, but also first offering sacrifice for himself.  The main point being this, that access to God was severely restricted.  In spite of all the preparations, the sacrifices, and the rituals, only one man had direct access to God, and that was limited to once a year.  And even when he could enter, it wasn’t for real fellowship with God, but was limited to applying the blood and then leaving.

So the author asks, what is the significance of all of this that the Holy Spirit is teaching us?  Vs8, “The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both 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, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”

What that verse indicates is that the old covenant had to pass away before the new covenant could be revealed.  And the reason was that the old covenant was symbolic.  The rituals, the ceremonies and even the furnishing were symbolic of what would be fulfilled in Christ.  In the Greek, the word is parabole, which is the word we get parable from.  So the old covenant symbols were intended to teach something about the nature of the covenant to come, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

For instance, I don’t have time to go into every facet of the priestly service or the tabernacle, but let me tell you briefly what these symbols described here represent of Christ.  The golden lamp stand represented Christ,  who is the light of the world, and the light of life. He is the only light there, as He is the only way to God.  Jesus said, “No man comes to the Father except through Me.”

Then in the table of the shewbread, Jesus is represented there as the bread of heaven.  Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”  He is our sustenance. The priests ate of the shewbread.  It was their food.  So Christ is our sustenance for our spiritual life. He is the word of God, which is our daily bread, which gives us life.

And then we come to the altar of incense which pictures the sacrificial coals placed there and the incense smoke rising, and this is Jesus interceding for us. The perfect sacrifice became the intercessory. “He ever lives to make intercession for us.” And so all three picture Jesus’ work in heaven for us by which we have access to God.

Then behind the veil, which was torn into at the cross from top to bottom, we see the ark of the covenant, which is a picture of Jesus Christ as the mercy seat, by which atonement is made on our behalf.  His sacrifice is once for all time, and He doesn’t need to first offer a sacrifice for Himself, because He is the spotless Lamb of God. As the Son of God, His sacrifice is sufficient for all, for all the ages, and for all nations.  And by His blood we are ushered into the very presence of God.  The veil separating us from God has been torn in two at the cross.  Jesus has gone in before us with a better, perfect sacrifice.  And by His blood we are given full access to God as the people of God, and even as the children of God.

So the author says that the symbolic services of the old covenant could not make the conscience clean because it was only dealing with external, fleshly, temporal things in the ceremonies and symbols.  But he speaks of a time when the partial will be done away with, at the time of what he calls the reformation.  And that simply means a time of correction, a time of restoration.  And I believe that refers to the time when Christ fulfills all those symbols and pictures through His death, resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand.  That is when the symbols were made clear and that which is perfect has come.

Now that earthly tabernacle was replaced by a superior tabernacle through Jesus Christ.  Vs.11 “But when Christ appeared [as] a high priest of the good things to come, [He entered] through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;  and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Jesus, as our High Priest, ministers in a superior sanctuary – in the very throne room of God. This is obviously a sanctuary greater than anything human hands could make.  It is the heavenly tabernacle where He ministers continuously in heaven in the presence of God.  And we know that is in heaven because Vs24 says, “For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

And not only does He serve in a superior sanctuary, He supplies a superior sacrifice.  The sacrifices of goats and calves was sufficient only for a temporary covering of sin, but the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ obtains eternal redemption.  And if under the first covenant the blood of goats and calves was considered sufficient, then how much more should the sacrifice of Christ, the very God in flesh, be considered as sufficient for our sins. The holy, spotless Son of God, the Lamb of God, has died in our place, and paid the penalty for our sin by His death on the cross.

Notice also that the superior sacrifice of Christ not only sanctifies the flesh, but it also purifies the conscience from dead works, so that we might offer service to God. Under the old covenant there was a continual need for atonement because the old nature wasn’t done away with, but just our continual disobedience was dealt with.  But in the new covenant, there is given a new nature, a new heart, and we serve the Lord now out of love and not out of obligation to the law.  In the new covenant, we are given a new heart, that is new desires.  And so our desire is to serve the Lord because we love the Lord.  So the sacrifice of Jesus is superior not only in substance, but in that it changes our nature, it changes our hearts, and not just provides for disobedience.  We have become by Christ’s atonement a royal priesthood, children of God, designed for doing good works.  No longer governed by a guilty conscience, but by the royal law of love.

So then, because our sins have been fully atoned for by faith in what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us, because we have been given a clean conscience, because we have been given a new nature, because we are the children of God, beloved by God, we can draw near to God in full assurance.  Permit me to skip ahead to chapter 10 and I will read a few verses there as our closing benediction.

Heb. 10:19-25  “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,  and since [we have] a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging [one another;] and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

I pray that you have drawn near to God by faith in what Jesus Christ has accomplished on your behalf.  I hope that you have appealed to God for a clean conscience, for the forgiveness of your sins, and for a new nature, and a new heart, that you might live in the light of His presence, and have life everlasting.  If you are here today and you do not have that assurance, then I invite you to come to Christ today and receive Him as your Savior and Lord.