The Better Atonement Hebrews 9:1-28

The Tabernacle The first covenant had rules and regulations for worship of divine origin (Hebrews 9:1-2) To get to the Holy of Holies, a priest had to pass through the Holy Place On the south side of this east room stood the lampstand (Exodus 25:31-40) On the north, the table of shewbread (Exodus 25:23-30), which held 12 cakes of fine flour placed in 2 rows on the table every sabbath (Leviticus 24:5-9) The old loaves were eaten by the priests

The Most Holy Place The veil covered the doorway, while the second divided the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:3-5; Exodus 26:31-34, 36-37) The Most Holy Place contained Golden censer (Leviticus 16:12) Ark of the covenant, which contained a golden pot with an omerful of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the 2 tables of the covenant (Exodus 25:10-16; 16:31-34; Numbers 17:1-11), with only the tables being left in Solomon’s time (1 Kings 8:9) On the ark was the mercy seat covered by 2 cherubim (Numbers 7:89; Psalm 80:1; 99:1)

Duties Performed There were daily ministrations in the Holy Place (Hebrews 9:6-8; Exodus 27:21; 30:7-8) The Most Holy Place was entered only 1 day per year by the High Priest (Leviticus 16) Main purpose to offer sacrifice for the unwitting and ignorant sins of the people and himself (Numbers 15) This showed the way to the Most Holy Place was not yet opened to man That should have created anticipation for God’s plan to open the way by Christ nailing the old covenant to the cross and opening the way

Sacrifices of the Tabernacle The tabernacle and worship system of the Jews is compared to the Holy Place (Hebrews 9:9-10) There were numerous instructions about clean and unclean food (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14:3-21) There were laws as to drink (Leviticus 10:9) There were numerous laws on washings High Priest (Leviticus 16:4, 24), priests (Exodus 30:18-21), Levites (Numbers 8:6-7), lepers and unclean (Leviticus 14:8-9) and washing of garments and vessels (Leviticus 6:27-28) Yet, with all these washings, no one was made inwardly clean until the time of reformation

Christ’s Blood, His Sacrifice Christ entered heaven once to make an offering for all the people’s sins (Hebrews 9:11-14) The church and heaven stand as the more perfect tabernacle The blood of bulls and goats, along with the ashes of a red heifer served only for outward, ceremonial cleansing (Numbers 19) Christ’s blood cleanses the “conscience” which man uses to understand the will of God While the cleansing under the old law was temporary, Christ’s pure blood stands as an effective sacrifice until the end of time

The Mediator of the New Covenant Christ’s better sacrifice makes him the mediator of a new and better covenant (Hebrews 9:15) Through his death, people of the old covenant receive actual (not ceremonial) cleansing from their sins All children of God from the past can only receive the final promises of their covenants because Christ’s blood ratifies their agreements Christ had to die so all the promises of God’s covenants with man could go into effect No one could claim eternal life as a part of his inheritance until Christ died, since his death ratified all past and present covenant promises

Christ’s Shed Blood Blood has to be shed for a covenant to be in effect (Hebrews 9:16-22) Moses sprinkled the blood of oxen, which could not take away sin (10:4), in dedicating the first covenant (Exodus 24:1-8) Moses said the blood sprinkled ratified the testament The fact that God “commanded” them shows the covenant was proposed by God and agreed to by the children of Israel The tabernacle and all its vessels were sprinkled with blood and most purification under the law was accomplished with blood (Exodus 40:9-11; Leviticus 17:11)

Cleansing Heavenly Things Christ’s superior sacrifice was to cleanse all the anti-types of the Jewish tabernacle (Hebrews 9:23-24) Only the blood of Jesus could purify the church (Holy Place) and heaven (Most Holy Place) Christ entered heaven (sanctuary), the home of spiritual beings Thus, a spiritual sacrifice was required Christ is now before God’s throne He is ready to represent sinful man

A Single Offering for Sin While it is apparent Christ’s blood is needed, it does not have to be continually shed (Hebrews 9:24-26) The single offering is able to cleanse from the fall of man to the end of the earth Christ came at the “completion of the ages,” thus the last age of God’s dealings with man He made his perfect sacrifice at the start of this last age

Awaiting Christ’s Return Christ’s sacrifice was perfect for the task, thus only needed once (Hebrews 9:27-28) He had to die once to face the consequences of sin (not his own) “Appointed” means “reserved for,” or “laid up” Jesus came as the sin bearer the first time but the awaited returning High Priest the second He will come again as promised (John 14:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10) to reward and punish