Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 14:
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org | Online Audio Files
SERMON INTRODUCTION
The “official” writer of this epistle is unknown.
However, I obviously believe it is Paul since I have included it in the “Paul’s
Epistles” Sermon Series.
I believe there is enough evidence from early scholars
to agree this was more than likely Paul’s work.
We have already seen in Hebrews so far;
·
Jesus is greater than angels
·
And that we are to pay the most careful attention to
Jesus and His way so we do not stray
·
And how Jesus (New Covenant) is greater than Moses
(Old Covenant)
·
Paul’s warning about unbelief
·
A Sabbath Rest for the People of God
·
Jesus the Great High Priest
·
Jesus the Perfect High Priest
·
Therefore, It is Time to Grow Up
·
The Certainty of God’s Promise
·
Melchizedek the Priest
·
Jesus like Melchizedek
·
The High Priest of the New Covenant
TODAY’S SERMON
“Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle”
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Hebrews 9:1-10
Now
the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lamp
stand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called
the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most
Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the
gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of
manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the
covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the
Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these
things in detail now.
6 When everything had been arranged like this, the
priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only
once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for
himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most
Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still
functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time,
indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to
clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and
various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of
the new order.
The overall message of this
epistle to the church is;
“The Cure for Lacking Boldness or Courage in your Christian Faith and
Backsliding is a Right beginning for the Glory and Work of Christ”
I. THE FIRST COVENANT
(OLD TESTAMENT)
a. Regulations for worship and
an Earthly Sanctuary
i. Remember
God gave Moses specific instructions for building the Tabernacle, because it
represented the real one that would be in Heaven
ii. Everything in the Old Testament points to Christ and our need for a
savior
|
Old Testament/Covenant
Reveals sin
Flesh
Ishmael
Man
Law
|
New Testament/Covenant
Forgives sin
Spirit
Isaac
God
Faith
|
b. Tabernacle set up and what
it represented
i. Outer Court where ALL were welcome
1. All are welcome to come to the Lord
2. God wants ALL PEOPLE to be saved and come to the knowledge of Truth (1 Timothy 2:3b-4)
3. Many are called, but few chosen (Matthew
22:14)
ii. First Room (Holy Place) Represents a 1 Timothy 2:3b-4
1. Lamp stand - The Spirit of God illuminates the
darkness
a. Revelation reveals the lamp stands in the seven churches were the spirit
of God’s presence
b. Christ warned in Revelation
2:5 “Consider how far you have fallen!
Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to
you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
2. Table with Bread - Jesus is the Bread of Life
a. John 6:35
b. “This bread represents my body which was broken for you” Matthew
26:26
c. A picture of the Cross
3. A Curtain - separating the First Room from the Second
Room
a. The curtain represents sin
b. You could not enter the second room without going through the first
c. You cannot reach the Holy of Holies without going through the Holy
Place
d. You cannot reach our Father in heaven without first, coming to Christ
as your savior
iii. Second Room (Holy of Holies/Most Holy Place) Represents the Throne of Grace
1. Golden Altar of Incense - Rising smoke represents our prayers reaching
our Father in heaven
2. Gold Covered Ark of the
Covenant
a. Inside was Gold Jar of Manna
i.
God’s
Provision for those in the wilderness
ii.
Jesus
is the manna from heaven, provided by God for those lost in the wilderness
(sin)
b. Inside was Aaron’s staff that
budded
i.
God
provided a priesthood through the tribe of Levi
ii.
God
chose high priest Aaron
iii.
The
High Priest represented Jesus our High Priest
c. Inside was Stone Tablets of
the Covenant
i.
God’s
Law / Requirements for Holiness
ii.
Only
Jesus fulfilled them
iii.
Showed
our need for a savior pointing out our sin
3. Above the Ark - Cherubim of
Glory
a. Protecting the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant, blocking the
way to God from those who were unworthy.
b. Same as when sin in Garden caused God to place guards at Eden.
c. Anyone entering would be slain
d. They are now in heaven at the Throne in the real Tabernacle (Revelation 11:19)
e. We read God spoke from between them in the Holy of Holies to Moses (Numbers 7:89)
4. They overshadow the Ark and the Atonement Cover where the High Priest
pours the blood of the sacrifice for a covering of sin.
c. But we cannot discuss these
things in detail now
i. Paul
says this because neither the Cherubim or the Ark are on Earth, but rather now
they are in the real Tabernacle in heaven
ii. After Jesus entered the perfect Tabernacle in heaven (the one the
Earthly Tabernacle represented), He (as our High Priest) put His blood as the
perfect sacrifice on the Atonement cover.
iii. Not covering our sins, rather, as the real sacrifice, removing them.
iv. In doing so Jesus opened the curtain separating the First Room from the
Second Room, thus giving us direct access to God the Father. Hebrews 10:19-22
II.
ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD ENTER THE HOLY OF HOLIES
a. The High Priest entered the
first room (outer room/Holy Place) regularly to carry out their ministry
i. Jesus,
our High Priest, still carries out His ministry today!
b. The High Priest entered the
second room (inner room/Holy of Holies) only once per year
i. The
Jewish calendar year and its feasts and festivals given by God represent the
timeline of man from the perfect sacrifice of Christ to eternity with Him
ii. The High Priest entering the Holy of Holies once per year represents
Jesus going to the Cross once for all.
c. The High Priest offered
blood from sacrifice, covering of sin, on the mercy seat (atonement cover)
i. Where
Jesus as our perfect High Priest offered His blood for removal of sin
ii. Paul says here, atonement for all sins, even those committed in
ignorance.
iii. Remember Jesus’ words at the Cross in Luke 23:34...”Forgive them Father, for the know not
what they do.”
III.
THE HOLYSPIRIT WAS TEACHING US
a. In the Earthly Tabernacle
the way into the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) was not disclosed (or made
available) as long as the First Tabernacle was still functioning
b. This is the illustration of
the present time
i. Present
time or dispensation is the Age of Grace, or Church Age
ii. The gifts and offerings being offered in the Earthly Tabernacle were NOT
sufficient and were unable to truly CLEAR the conscience of the worshipper
iii. So the curtain remained closed in the Earthly Temple until Jesus gave
us the sufficient sacrifice
iv. The curtain in the First tabernacle tore (Matthew 27:51) from top to bottom (from God in Heaven to
Earth) and we now have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ
c. The offerings and
sacrifices were only a matter of food and drink and ceremonial washings
i. Food
and drink - tithes, and ceremonial washing represents the baptism of the Holy
Spirit
CONCLUSION
– external regulations apply until
the time of the new order
External Regulations - Outer expressions of Spiritual Truths, foreshadowing
of what was coming, symbolic covering of a coming spiritual cleansing
Apply until - To be carried out until
The time of the new order - Time (Dispensation), New Order (New High
Priest in the Order of Melchizedek, bringing with Him the New Covenant)
At this time, the REAL Tabernacle in heaven, the one the Earthly
tabernacle represented, would begin functioning, replacing the First
Tabernacle, removing the curtain, and allowing those who have become part of
the New Covenant through faith in Christ Jesus to have access to the Holy of
Holies, where God the Father resides.
Next week we will look at Hebrews
9 and the “The Blood of Christ”
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