Word for Today: Sunday, January 13, 2013

Hebrews 9:1-10 The Old Tabernacle

Memory Verse: Hebrews 9:12(KJV)

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Part 1 THE EARTHLY TABERNACLE (1-10)

Yesterday, we learnt that the earthly tabernacle was a copy of the original tabernacle in Heaven  and I gave us some descriptions of the earthly tabernacle. Today, we are going to look at the description of the earthly tabernacle in detail. 

 The author gives us the details of the Earthly tabernacle and the regulations that the High Priest had to follow in order to worship God. Let us examine the articles that were in the earthly tabernacle.

The earthly tabernacle was constructed by human labour. There were two rooms in the tabernacle. The outer room and the inner room, the outer room was called the Holy Place and the inner room, the Most Holy Place. A curtain separated the outer room from the inner room and only the High Priest could access the inner room and only on a yearly basis.

In the outer room, there is a lamp-stand the table and the consecrated bread. I told us yesterday that the lamp-stand symbolises Jesus as the Light of the world and the Consecrated Bread symbolises Jesus, the Bread of life.

The inner room which is called the Most Holy Place is separated by a curtain. The curtain is the access into God’s Holy Place and Jesus has given us that access. You have to go through the curtain to the Most Holy Place so also you have to go through Jesus to God. (John 10:9, John 10:10, John 14:6)

The Most Holy Place has the golden altar of incense and the Golden covered Ark of the Covenant. The golden altar of incense symbolises a place of prayer where intercessions are made for the people. The ark contains the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that budded and the stone tablets that has the 10 commandment.

Above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the atonement cover. This gives a picture of the glorious God and the atonement cover is our Lord Jesus. God overshadows and protects his people through his atonement cover (Jesus Christ). We can only find rest when we abide under God’s shadow through Jesus.

          

 Now we have seen the layout of the tabernacle, let us look at the ministry of the priest in the tabernacle. It can be noted that the Priests were not allowed into the Most Holy Place. Only the High Priest was granted access into the Most Holy Place. While the Priest could go into the Holy Place every day to offer sacrifices, the High Priest could only enter the Most Holy Place once a year, after he had cleansed himself with blood.

Even with the splendour of the earthly tabernacle and the ministry of the Priests, it wasn't enough to cleanse the sins of the people. There was a need for a New and better ministry.

We have seen how beautiful and well organised the earthly tabernacle was, still it is nothing compared to the heavenly tabernacle. We are going to look at the ministry of Jesus which is the new and better ministry tomorrow. God bless.