HF189 - Hebrews 8:1-6 (#15 - The Heavenly Tabernacle)
To: Hebraic-Foundations@YahooGroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2008
Subject: Bible Study HF189 - Hebrews 8:1-6 (#15 - The Heavenly Tabernacle)
Hebraics,
This is our fourteenth study in the book of Hebrews. With each study we are looking at an onward motion on how the covenant of Christ is not only superior to, and has already taken the place of the covenant of Moses. Of course this is the bottom line struggle for those looking at Christ. What they are seeing in the temple sacrifices seems at variance with the promised new covenant.
Also keep in mind that Jesus said the temple would be destroyed. This prophecy was well known and well attested to by those who continue to preach the gospel message. But here it is now some 35 years after the ascension of Jesus, and nothing seems to have changed. (Not in a physical sense.)
In this study I want to deal with just six verses of chapter seven. These verses are important in their own rights. But they also serve as a prelude to a definitive statement made by the prophet Jeremiah with regard to God's new covenant.
Let's continue.
This is Bible Study HF189 - Hebrews 8:1-6 (#15 - The Heavenly Tabernacle)
Heb 8:1,2 - "Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man."
The apostolic writer is reflecting back to the day of Pentecost, 33 ad. Pentecost 33 a.d. was the coronation day of Jesus Christ. That was when He took His place in the heavens as both Lord, and Messiah, and also as our great high priest. There was no new covenant church prior to that moment in redemption history. In fact all of redemption history reached forward to that moment in time.
When Peter gave the proclamation of the seating of Christ, he said,
"This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, had having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured this forth which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."' Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified." (Cf. Acts 2:32-36 nasb)
The point is that the church was born on the day of Pentecost. The new covenant went into effect on the day of Pentecost. And the gospel message of heaven was first proclaimed on the day of Pentecost. All else before that moment was a prelude to that moment, which was the exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord of all.
Back to His high priest investure.
Heb8:3,4 - "For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law ... "
The one question that comes to mind is 'What did Jesus have to offer as our great high priest?' We will look more carefully at this in the studies to follow. However, the answer to that question is that Jesus offered Himself as our forever living sacrifice. We saw this in Hebrews 7:27 and we will see it again in Hebrews 9:14. Here are those two quotes:
"...who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself."
"...how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
As we continue...
Heb8:5 - "... who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, 'See', He says, "That you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.'"
The readers are reminded that everything in the tabernacle had been designed by God Himself, and that everything in the tabernacle had a purpose in leading the people to Christ. In its finest detail, the tabernacle was designed to tell the story of redemption and of the coming Redeemer. And now that God's Christ had come, the earthly temple had no further purpose. It only spoke of deadness and dying. The new covenant had to do with life and living.
v6 - "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises."
Jesus is not only the mediator of the new covenant, but He is both the surety and the Minister of the covenant. The term *minister *speaks of the ever present One, who is always with us in life, that is, the One who enables us to live under the protection and auspices of the new covenant.
Jesus represent each and every believer in heaven, and He attends to our lives on earth through the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.
This calls to mind some of the last words that Jesus gave the apostles just before His ascension; "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt28:20)
The study is open.
Buddy
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Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
email: Bro.Buddy <at> ChristianChallenge.Org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
Forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hebraic-Foundations/
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"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)