Study Desk

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.^(a)

A tabernacle^(b) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand^(c) and the table^(d) with its consecrated bread;^(e) this was called the Holy Place.^(f)

Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,^(g)

which had the golden altar of incense^(h) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.⁽ⁱ⁾ This ark contained the gold jar of manna,^(j) Aaron's staff that had budded,^(k) and the stone tablets of the covenant.^(l)

Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,^(m) overshadowing the atonement cover.⁽ⁿ⁾ But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly^(o) into the outer room to carry on their ministry.

But only the high priest entered^(p) the inner room,^(q) and that only once a year,^(r) and never without blood,^(s) which he offered for himself^(t) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.^(u)

The Holy Spirit was showing^(v) by this that the way^(w) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.

This is an illustration^(x) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered^(y) were not able to clear the conscience^(z) of the worshiper.

They are only a matter of food^(aa) and drink^(ab) and various ceremonial washings^(ac)—external regulations^(ad) applying until the time of the new order.

But when Christ came as high priest^(ae) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](af) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(ag) that is not made with human hands,^(ah) that is to say, is not a part of this creation.

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;^(ai) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(aj) once for all^(ak) by his own blood,^(al) thus obtaining^[b] eternal redemption.

The blood of goats and bulls^(am) and the ashes of a heifer^(an) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(ao) offered himself^(ap) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(aq) from acts that lead to death,^[c](ar) so that we may serve the living God!^(as)

For this reason Christ is the mediator^(at) of a new covenant,^(au) that those who are called^(av) may receive the promised^(aw) eternal inheritance^(ax)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(ay)

In the case of a will,^[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,

because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.^(az)

When Moses had proclaimed^(ba) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(bb) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^(bc)

He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."^[e](bd)

In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(be) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(bf)

It was necessary, then, for the copies^(bg) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(bh) he entered heaven itself,^(bi) now to appear for us in God's presence.^(bj)

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(bk) every year with blood that is not his own.^(bl)

Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(bm) But he has appeared^(bn) once for all^(bo) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^(bp)

Just as people are destined to die once,^(bq) and after that to face judgment,^(br)

so Christ was sacrificed once^(bs) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(bt) not to bear sin,^(bu) but to bring salvation^(bv) to those who are waiting for him.^(bw)