Hebrews: Christ Is Greater and BetterSample

How Things Were
Read Hebrews 9:1-10

Now that the way to the Most Holy Place has already been made possible to us by the death of Jesus, it is good to assess the 'old' from our position of the 'new'.

The tabernacle (later, Solomon's temple) was the place where meeting with the God of Israel was made possible. We have here a short account on the tabernacle (vs 1-5). Its description is not the main point here (v 5b). However, the items mentioned here are significant.

Next we have the rituals in the tabernacle (vs 6-7). They are temporary. They were in practice while waiting for the better one to be initiated (v 8) and the right time to come (v 10b). We are those who are able to testify to the fact that the 'fullness of time' had come (Galatians 4:4). While the rituals were performed daily in the outer room and once a year in the inner room, we have Jesus, minus these rituals, interceding for us continuously (7:25).

These rituals are considered imperfect in that they were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshippers (v 9). This is because the true barrier to our access to God is an inward problem and not a physical one. It exists in the conscience. Jeremiah’s prediction which came to be fulfilled in Christ (8:8-12) assures us of such inward purity of conscience.

Let our access to Jesus (prayer and worship) be spontaneous for there is no longer any barrier that keeps us away.