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Read through Hebrews 9. then read basic outline and application:
Hebrews 9 invites us to consider the differences between the old and new covenant, adding texture to the gospel, so that we can continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.
Guiding principle:
God will never ask you to give up something without having something better for you.
The Old Covenant
In Verses 1-10
The Tabernacle
Was a tent. Something inherently temporary,
Outside the Tabernacle - a fenced in courtyard. One large gate, one way in. Jesus is the only way to get to heaven.
The Altar - a picture of Christ, the One who Himself was the sacrifice for our sin.
The basin where the priests washed their hands, tells us Jesus will bring cleansing and give us clean hands. (Ephesians 2:10)
Lampstand - Jesus lights our path as the light of the world. He illuminates our mind and guides us through the world’s darkness.
The oil in the lampstand is the Spirit who enlightens our understanding of the Word.
The Bread - We are sustained daily by the His Word. We have an ongoing, constant need for Jesus
The Incense - He intercedes for us. His prayers go up to God on our behalf. For the priest, the smoke kept him from seeing God directly. He saw through the smoke, it protected him as he approached the Most High God.
Inside the Holy of Holies was the Ark
The Mercy Seat, which was Jesus.
It was all a picture of how God came near to His people - the tabernacle went with them and was set up right in the middle. He was there with them.
But it was also a reminder that they could not approach Him personally.
Verse 6…
Daily Service
The never ending work of the priests, continually going in and out of the temple, points to both our ongoing need for forgiveness of sin and our need for a Savior that continually meets our needs - interceding and intervening all day, every day, in every situation and circumstance.
The Day of Atonement
The High Priest put on all the priestly garments.
The breastplate symbolizing carrying the people in his heart
The 12 Tribes on his shoulders representing them before God.
The High Priest sacrifice an animal bought with his own money and offered it for his own sins wearing a simple white robe as a picture of Jesus, stepping out of His heavenly privileges becoming a man.
After that sacrifice, he came out and two goats waited. One was killed - his blood taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat for the people’s sins. Next, placed his hands on the head of the other goat - the scapegoat - that was taken out into the wilderness to be lost and never return.
That first goat - satisfied God’s wrath. It was a sacrifice for sin.
The second goat - symbolized freedom from sin. It was carried far away. As Jesus carries our sins away, bringing a clean conscience before God.
Verses 11-28
The New Covenant
Has come with Christ’s appearance. Jesus entered by His own blood, not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood.
The endless work of the priests is over.
The ONE sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient for all
It has accomplished what it was intended to.
Jesus is the Only Savior
Q: How were people saved in the OT?
A: The blood of Jesus
verse 15 – …He is the mediator of a new covenant.. for the redemption of the trespasses that were committed under the first covenant
What’s the Blood About?
Death is Necessary
The covenant is like a will. You don’t receive the benefits until the benefactor’s death.
In the Old Covenant the full sinfulness of sin was always front and center
There’s no such thing as a casual/minor sin.
No “little white lie”
You can’t compromise in one area here because of the situation or circumstances.
Leviticus 17:11 – the life of the flesh is in the blood,
If you lose too much blood, you’ll die.
The gospel is vividly clear in all of this:
Sin brings the consequence of death
Blood is required as a consequence.
You owe your life in exchange for your sin.
Your blood is demanded as a covenantal consequence of your sin
Jesus on the cross is a vivid picture of substitutionary sacrifice. It was the plan all along. He willingly gave up His own blood on our behalf. By His substitutionary death, He became our Great High Priest.
The “Hand” of this passage:
The repetitiveness of the Old Covenant sacrificial system, shows the rhythm and pattern to life. Every day is the same. Get up, eat, go to work, come home, family time, sleep, repeat. God also designed new things to be part of the same-ness of life.
There’s something in your life that you enjoy - some dimension of joy that didn’t exist a few years ago and might not exist a year from now.
Remember: God never takes away one thing without giving you something that’s ultimately better.
That’s the New Covenant replacing the Old.
Mark Dever points out: God works both slowly and dramatically.
Sometimes - things never seems to change. that’s God’s design.
Sometimes - there’s a radical shift in everything. That’s God’s design.
While God Himself never changes, all of the change we experience is for our good.
While the Jews couldn’t handle the New Covenant, it brought the blessing of our sin being taken away forever, The freedom of forgiveness, and the confidence of security.
Enjoy the sameness in your life as a reminder of God’s unchanging purposes.
Embrace the changes - as a reminder that He brings new, FAR BETTER things!
Eagerly await Christ’s return not to bring salvation, but to bring you home.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ, 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob
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