Earthly Copies Of The Heavenly Things

I. EXORDIUM:

Where is your hope and faith resting?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that our faith and hope rests in JESUS.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 9:23 (Amplified Bible)

9:23 By such means, therefore, it was necessary for the [earthly] copies of the heavenly things to be purified, but the actual heavenly things themselves [required far] better and nobler sacrifices than these.

V. THESIS:

Thank You very much, LORD JESUS, You are the Actual Heavenly GOD, who gave Himself for me, now my faith and hope are centered in You.

VI. TITLE:

Earthly copies of the heavenly things

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels-J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Earthly copies are necessary to be purified

"By such means, therefore, it was necessary for the [earthly] copies of the heavenly things to be purified,"

Copies, patterns or "hupodeigma" in Greek means:

1. a sign suggestive of anything, delineation of a thing, representation, figure, copy

2. an example: for imitation

Hebrews 9:9-10 (Amplified Bible)

9:9 Seeing that that first [outer portion of the] tabernacle was a parable (a visible symbol or type or picture of the present age). In it gifts and sacrifices are offered, and yet are incapable of perfecting the conscience or of cleansing and renewing the inner man of the worshiper.

9:10 For [the ceremonies] deal only with clean and unclean meats and drinks and different washings, [mere] external rules and regulations for the body imposed to tide the worshipers over until the time of setting things straight [of reformation, of the complete new order when Christ, the Messiah, shall establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant].

Hebrews 8:5 (Amplified Bible)

8:5 [But these offer] service [merely] as a pattern and as a foreshadowing of [what has its true existence and reality in] the heavenly sanctuary. For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was warned by God, saying, See to it that you make it all [exactly] according to the copy (the model) which was shown to you on the mountain.

Colossians 2:16-17 (Amplified Bible)

2:16 Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath.

2:17 Such [things] are only the shadow of things that are to come, and they have only a symbolic value. But the reality (the substance, the solid fact of what is foreshadowed, the body of it) belongs to Christ.

The things of the earth specifically the Tabernacle are just copies of the heavenly things and like the heavenly things it needed to be purified by blood but since JESUS, the GOD Almighty was not yet revealed in the flesh, animal sacrifices are poor substitute.

B. Actual heavenly things required far better and nobler sacrifices

"but the actual heavenly things themselves [required far] better and nobler sacrifices than these"

1 Peter 1:19-21 (Amplified Bible)

1:19 But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.

1:20 It is true that He was chosen and foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you.

1:21 Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centred and rest] in God.

Hebrews 10:4 (Amplified Bible)

10:4 Because the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to take sins away.

Hebrews 10:10-17 (Amplified Bible)

10:10 And in accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One).

10:11 Furthermore, every [human] priest stands [at his altar of service] ministering daily, offering the same sacrifices over and over again, which never are able to strip [from every side of us] the sins [that envelop us] and take them away—

10:12 Whereas this One [Christ], after He had offered a single sacrifice for our sins [that shall avail] for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,

10:13 Then to wait until His enemies should be made a stool beneath His feet.