God, who at various times and in different ways
spoke in time past
to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by
His Son...
Chapter 9
Then indeed, even the first
covenant had
ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. (Ex. 25:8)
For a tabernacle was prepared:
the
first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the show bread,
which is called the sanctuary;
and behind the second veil, the
part of
the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All,
which had the golden altar of
incense and
the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were
the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the
tablets of the covenant; (Ex. 16:33)
and above it were the cherubim of
glory
overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak
in detail. (Lev. 16:2)
Now when these
things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first
part of the tabernacle, performing the services. (Num. 18:2-6; Num. 28:3)
But into the second part the high
priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for
himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; (Ex. 30:10; Lev. 16:3; Heb. 5:3)
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. (John 14:6)
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 - - (Heb.
7:19; Heb. 10:1)
concerned only with foods and
drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time
of reformation.
But Christ came as High Priest of
the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle
not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. (Heb. 10:1)
Not with the blood of goats and
calves,
but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all,
having obtained eternal redemption. (Eph. 1:7; Heb. 10:10; Rev. 5:9)
For if the blood of bulls and
goats and
the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the
purifying of the flesh,
how much more shall the blood of
Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Ps. 51:2; Luke 1:74; Heb. 6:1)
And for this reason He is the
Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of
the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called
may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 3:1)
For where there is a testament,
there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is in force after
men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator
lives. (Gal. 3:15)
Therefore not even the first
covenant was dedicated without blood. (Ex. 24:6)
For when Moses had spoken every
precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of
calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled
both the book itself and all the people, (Ps. 51:7)
saying, "This is the blood of
the
covenant which God has commanded you." (Ex. 24:3-8; Luke 22:20)
Then likewise he sprinkled with
blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. (Ex. 29:12; Ex. 29:36)
And according to the law almost
all things are purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there
is no remission.
Therefore it was necessary that
the
copies of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the
heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Heb. 8:5)
For Christ has not entered the
holy
places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 8:2)
not that He should offer Himself
often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with
blood of another - -
He then would have had to suffer
often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of
the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
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