Imperfect Earthly Purpose

Hebrews 9:1-10

¹Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. ²For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. ³Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, ⁴having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. ⁵Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. ⁶These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, ⁷but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. ⁸By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing ⁹(which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, ¹⁰but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

As we have noted previously, a study of Hebrews is all about a study of the Old Testament and the worship practices God set up for H is people. Now we find some extended verses about the first Tabernacle as constructed under God direction by the Children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness and the work of those who interceded for the people, the priests.

God set up a system whereby His people could interact with Him, but it was generally through a mediator. We find that on a few occasions, Jesus Himself is that mediator, through what we now call Theophanies or Christophanies. We know that Abraham interceded for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses for the Children of Israel, and the Aaronic priests in the Tabernacle. Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross now makes Him our eternal and permanent Mediator – but I get ahead of the text.

In order to fully understand these particular verses, it is helpful to visualize the Tabernacle as designed by God and shared with Moses. Here in these 10 verses, we find a logical walk from the gates of the Tabernacle into God’s presence in the Holy of Holies. As the priest came into the entrance, he passed by the altar of burnt offerings, the wash basin and enters through the first curtain into the inner court. Only the priests could pass through that first curtain, but there were many of them. (I’ve marked the place of the curtains with a blue line.) The priest would perform various duties regarding the show bread, the candelabras, and the incense, all prescribed by God. The details of these practices become important as the story opens up and we see how the worship practices of the people reflect God’s story for our salvation.

A remarkable formal feature is the carefully arranged list of the ten furnishings of the tabernacle in 9:2b–5a. It mentions three things in the outer compartment (“the lampstand,” “the table,” and “the presentation of the loaves,”) followed by two things after the curtain of the inner shrine (“a golden incense burner” and “the ark of the covenant,”), with the three things in the ark (“the golden jar holding the manna,” “Aaron’s rod,” and “the tablets of the covenant,”) and the two things above it (“the cherubim of glory” and “the mercy seat,”). The movement in this list is inward from the lampstand and then upward to the mercy seat as the focal point of the tabernacle and its services.

Kleinig, J. W. ©2017. Hebrews. (p. 417). Saint Louis, MO: CPH.

As you read these Hebrews passages, if you can keep the work of Christ in your mind it will open up the way that God foreshadows all of His salvation plan already in the Old Testament. What may seem like a clunky worship life is actually a clear path through our need for a Savior.