A greater sanctuary
Reading: Hebrews chapter 9 verses 1-28.
Question: What do we mean by the term ‘Sanctuary’?
Answer: ‘A specific holy place’.
• In the Old Testament:
• The sanctuary was primarily the tabernacle and then later the temple in Jerusalem.
• The tabernacle was often called the ‘tent of meeting’;
• Because, it was there, in that specific place God met with his people.
• The tabernacle was also called ‘the dwelling place’;
• Because, God dwelt there in a special way.
• Ill: The Hebrew term for the presence of God is ‘Shekinah’.
• This term is often translated into English as ‘glory’.
NOW IN CONTRAST WITH THE TABERNACLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT:
• The New Testament clearly tells us in verses like Acts chapter 7 verses 46-50:
• That ‘God is not worshiped today in temples, buildings, dwellings made with hands’.
Ill:
• Some Christians today may call a local church building the "house of God,"
• But if you want to be pedantic, that is not strictly true!
• What Christians mean by calling a local church building the "house of God," is:
• The building is dedicated to God and His service,
• But one thing is certain - it is not His dwelling place.
• God does not live there.
• The New Testament teaches that the dwelling place of God is twofold.
• God the Father & God the Son are enthroned in heaven.
• God the Holy Spirit dwells, tabernacles in the hearts and minds of every Christian.
Now in chapter nine of the letter to the Hebrews:
• The writer presents a detailed contrast between the sanctuary (the tabernacle) in the O.T.
• And the new heavenly sanctuary revealed in the N.T. where Jesus Christ now ministers.
• And by contrasting the two, the writer makes it clear;
• That New Covenant sanctuary is far superior to the old.
(A). The inferior Old Covenant sanctuary
(vs 1-10):
THERE ARE 5 REASONS WHY THE NEW COVENANT SANCTUARY IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE OLD.:
• The old sanctuary had its beauty, if you read the story of how it was made;
• You will notice that only the best craftsmen and materials were used to construct it.
• It contained various types of coverings.
• Linen curtains decorated with blue, purple & scarlet tapestry.
• Precious and semi precious stones were rounded, polished and engraved.
• Gold and silver were beaten and worked in elaborate design.
So the writer of this letter is saying:
• If the old sanctuary of the Old testament was a thing of beauty and glory;
• How much MORE beautiful and glorious is the new heavenly sanctuary.
(1). IT WAS AN EARTHLY SANCTUARY (verse 1).
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.
Ill:
• The tabernacle was the centre of Israel’s religious life.
• It was the place where they worshipped God on their journey from Egypt to Canaan.
• Each time they camped;
• They set up the tabernacle.
• It stood at the centre of the camp;
• With the Levite’s tents around it on all four sides.
• Behind the Levites tents were the twelve tribes of Israel;
• Three tribes on each side.
Remember the tabernacle was God’s idea:
• He gave Moses the instructions how to make it.
• And the Jewish people brought their freewill offerings to Moses to pay for it,
• They were so generous in giving that Moses had to tell them to stop!
• And from these materials the tabernacle was constructed.
• After the construction was completed,
• The sanctuary was put in place and dedicated to God (Exodus chapter 40).
• Even though the glory of God moved into the sanctuary,
• It was very much an earthly building, because humans out of earthly materials built it.
And because it was an earthly building, it had several weaknesses.
• (a). For one thing,
• It would need a certain amount of repair.
• (b). Also, it was limited geographically:
• If it was pitched in one place, it could not be in another place.
• (c). And it was limited;
• It belonged to the nation of Israel and not to the whole world.
(2). IT WAS A TYPE OF SOMETHING GREATER
(vs 2-5).
A tabernacle was set up.
In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place.
3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,
The writer of this letter:
• Lists for us the various parts and furnishings of the tabernacle;
• Because, each of these carried a spiritual meaning.
• The tabernacle itself was divided into two rooms.
• Verses 2, 3 and 7 refer to these two rooms.
• The first was called the holy place;
• And a linen curtain covered the entrance to the second part.
• This second room was much smaller;
• And was called the holy of holies.
• Only the high priest,
• And only once a year was allowed to enter the ‘holy of holies.
• Each of these two divisions had their own furnishings,
• And each piece of furniture had its own special meaning.
IN THE HOLY PLACE STOOD:
(a). The seven-branched golden Lampstand (the ‘menorah’).
• This metaphor of light in the darkness;
• Is an obvious one for the presence of God with his people.
(b). The table & the consecrated bread.
• There was also a table made from acacia-wood and covered in gold;
• On this table were 12 loaves of bread, representing each tribe of Israel.
• Each Sabbath, the priests would remove the old loaves and put fresh loaves on the table;
• And the old loaves would be eaten.
• Only the priests could eat this bread,
• And they were required to eat it in the sanctuary.
• The table was called ‘the table of showbread’.
• The table was also called ‘the table of presence.’
• The metaphor, or the symbol;
• Is that the Lord is the provider of food for his people;
(c). The golden altar also stood in the holy place:
• Just in front of the veil that divided the two parts of the tabernacle.
• Stood the golden altar of incense.
• Here lambs, bulls and goats and other animals were sacrificed.
• And on one day of the year - On the day of atonement;
• The high priest would take a golden censer of coals from this altar;
• Into the holy of holies.
INSIDE THE HOLY OF HOLIES:
• There was only once piece of furniture; ‘The ark of the covenant,’
• This was a wooden box made from acacia wood and overlaid with gold.
• Inside the box were reminders of the miraculous way that God had preserved his people,
• Through their forty years in the wilderness.
• The box were two tablets; the ten commandments God gave to Moses;
• It also contained a golden pot of manna and Aaron’s rod that blossomed overnight.
• The lid was made of solid gold and at both ends were the figures of two creatures (cherubim);
• Who had their wings spread out as a sign of God’s protection.
• It was thought of as the place where God was invisibly enthroned;
• Because he said; ‘I will meet you there’.
Now many a preacher has preached many a sermon on the many spiritual truths that are wrapped up in these pieces of furniture:
• But as verse 5b says;
• “We cannot discuss these things in detail now”.
• The most important truth for us to note this session is:
• All of this was symbolism and not substance.
• As we have noted over previous weeks;
• It was a shadow but not the matter.
• And because it was a symbol, a type of the real thing;
• This is what made the tabernacle of the Old Covenant inferior to the new.
(C). IT WAS INACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE (vs 6-7).
“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”.
Now remember that the Jews did not assemble in the tabernacle for worship:
• Only the priests and Levites were permitted into the tabernacle precincts,
• But not the people from the other tribes.
• Furthermore, though the priests ministered in the holy place day after day,
• Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies, and that only once a year.
• And when he did enter, he had to offer a sacrifice first for his own sins;
• As well as a sacrifice for the sins of the people.
In contrast to the earthly tabernacle:
• The heavenly tabernacle is open to all of the people of God.
• Today any Tom, Dick or Harriet can enter it (ill: Sidlow Baxter - Hallelujah!)
• And not only can any Christian enter it;
• They can enter it at all times! 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (ill: S.B. - Hallelujah!)
(D). IT WAS TEMPORARY (verse 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 standing”.
• The fact that the outer court was in operation;
• Was visible proof that God’s work of salvation for man had not yet been completed.
• Remember the outer court stood between the people and the holy of holies
• As long as the priests were ministering in the holy place,
• It was visible proof that the way into the presence of God had not yet been opened.
• And that’s why the priests and their sacrifices were still needed.
But one Friday afternoon, at 3 o’clock Jesus Christ died on the cross,
• His final words were; “It is finished”
• And the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:50-51).
• That veil that kept people from God’s presence was now destroyed by Jesus Christ.
• And a new and living way was opened into the holy of holies.
• There was no longer any more need for either the holy place or the holy of holies,
• For now believing sinners (e.g. you & me!) could come into the presence of God.
(E). ITS MINISTRY WAS EXTERNAL, NOT INTERNAL (vs 9-10).
“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 worshipper.
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 sacrifices offered, and the blood applied to the mercy seat,
• Could never change the heart or the conscience of a worshiper.
• It was all external – outward show of religion.
Ill:
• A corrupt Jew could come and make a sacrifice, he could make his peace with God;
• But then he left just as corrupt as when he came.
• There was no power in the sacrifice to change his heart and mind;
• To give him the power over sin he so desperately needed.
All of the ceremonies associated with the tabernacle:
• Had to do with ceremonial purity,
• Not moral purity.
• They were "external regulations " that pertained to the outer man;
• But that could not change the inner man.
(B). The superior heavenly sanctuary (vs 11-28):
• The five deficiencies of the Old Covenant sanctuary;
• Are matched with the five superiorities of the New Covenant sanctuary.
• And In every way,
• The heavenly sanctuary is superior.
(1). IT IS HEAVENLY (vs 11).
When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.
• We noted that the old earthly tabernacle was made by the hands of men.
• But this New Covenant sanctuary was not made with human hands.
• The tabernacle of Moses was made with materials that belong to this creation.
• The heavenly tabernacle needed no such materials.
• Since the heavenly tabernacle does not belong to this creation,
• It is free from the ravages of time i.e. it will not deteriorate or need repairing.
• The earthly tabernacle was a shadow of the sanctuary in heaven,
• But today we no longer need the shadow. We have the eternal reality! The substance.
(2). ITs MINISTRY IS EFFECTIVE TO DEAL WITH
SIN (vs 12-15).
“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance— now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
The writer of this letter draws our attention to the superiority of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice:
• The superiority of his sacrifice over an animals sacrifice;
• Is seen in at least four ways.
(a).
• His death was voluntary;
• No Old Testament sacrifice volunteered for the job, animals died at best in ignorance.
(b).
• After its death;
• The animal’s blood was carried by the high priest into the holy of holies,
• But Jesus Christ;
• Presented Himself in the presence of God as the final and complete sacrifice for sins.
(c).
• Of course, the animal sacrifices were repeated,
• While Jesus Christ offered Himself but once.
(d).
• Finally, no animal sacrifices ever purchased "eternal redemption."
• Their blood could only "cover" sin until the time when Christ’s blood would "take away sin"
Verse 12: We have "eternal redemption"
• We know that this redemption is not conditioned by our merit or good works;
• It is secured once and for all by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
• This verse makes it clear that under the old system this was not possible;
• But under the new system it is possible!
• Under the old system:
• Those transgressions were only covered by the blood of the many sacrifices,
• But under the new system;
• They are cleansed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Now here’s the punch-line:
• Since Christ has accomplished an eternal redemption,
• We are able to share in an eternal inheritance.
(3). ITS MINISTRY IS BASED ON A COSTLY
SACRIFICE (vs 16-23).
In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,
17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.
18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.
19 When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.
20 He said, This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.
21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.
22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
The word "covenant" not only means "an agreement":
• But it also carries the idea of "a last will and testament."
• If a person writes his will, then that will is not in fully in force until he/she dies.
• Therefore it was necessary for Jesus Christ to die;
• So that the terms of the New Covenant (his will) might be enforced.
The writer of this letter reminds us:
• That even the Old Covenant;
• Was established on the basis of blood.
• Verses 19-21 are taken from Exodus chapter 24 verses 3-8,
• Where the people of Israel formally accept the Old Covenant given by Moses.
• The Old Covenant was established by blood,
• And so is the New Covenant.
• But the New Covenant was established on the basis of a better sacrifice,
• Applied in a better place.
• The patterns (types) were purified by the blood of animals,
• But the original sanctuary was purified by the blood of the Son of God.
• This was a far more costly sacrifice,
• Because it was Jesus, the Son of God who was the offering.
(4). ITs MINISTRY REPRESENTS FULFILLMENT (vs 24).
“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one;
he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.”
The New Covenant Christian has reality!
• We are not depending on a high priest on earth;
• Who once a year visits the holy of holies in a temporary sanctuary.
• We depend on the heavenly High Priest;
• Who has entered once and for all into the eternal sanctuary.
• There He represents us before God,
• And He always will.
These things that are “man made” or "made with hands" are perishable, but the things "not made with hands" are eternal.
Ill:
• The tabernacle was replaced by Solomon’s temple,
• And that temple was destroyed by the Babylonians.
• When the Jews returned to their land after the Captivity,
• They rebuilt their temple; and King Herod, in later years, expanded and embellished it.
• But the Romans destroyed that temple, and it has never been rebuilt.
• Furthermore, since the genealogical records have been lost or destroyed,
• The Jews are not certain anymore who can minister as priests.
• These things that are "man made” or “made with hands" are perishable,
• But the things "not made with hands" are eternal.
(5). ITS MINISTRY IS FINAL AND COMPLETE (vs 25-28).
“Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him”.
• There can be nothing incomplete or temporary about our Lord’s ministry in heaven:
• To help us appreciate that;
• The writer once again points some obvious contrasts;
• Between the Old Covenant ministry and the New Covenant ministry:
(a).
• Old Covenant: Repeated sacrifices
• New Covenant: One sacrifice
(b).
• Old Covenant: The blood of others
• New Covenant: His own blood
(c).
• Old Covenant: Sin was covered
• New Covenant: Sin was put away.
(d).
• Old Covenant: Was for Israel only
• New Covenant: Was for all sinners.
(e).
• Old Covenant: High Priest Left the holy of holies and came out to bless the people
• New Covenant: Great High Priest will come to take His people to heaven.
In short, the work of Christ is a completed work, final and eternal.
• On the basis of this completed work,
• He is ministering now in heaven on our behalf:
• Therefore the old system (tabernacle & temples) despite their beauty;
• Is by far inferior to the new system (the heavenly tabernacle).
