20120729
The Tabernacle of the first Covenant (God’s heavenly dwelling on earth built by Moses) with its regulations, furniture and gifts and sacrifices was described in details in Hebrews 9:1-10. The writer’s purpose was to highlight the differences between this Tabernacle and its limitations and the worship under the New Covenant in which Jesus ministers. The contrast makes it clear that the New Covenant is far superior.
The instructions to the Jews for worship (ref. Heb. 9:10) had serve God’s purpose well. However, it is largely symbolic as it revealed the high price of sin, the need to shed blood for remission of sin and the preparation for the coming of the ultimate sacrifice. It was only temporary and “a copy and shadow of what is in heaven” (Heb. 8:5). One of the more significant limitations was that the sacrifices then was never meant to cleanse the people from sin – the cleansing was entirely external. Only Jesus’ sacrifice could provide internal cleansing and a freedom from guilty conscience. All the furnishings and worship practices had a symbolic meaning and they point to the person and work of Jesus. The Levitical priests serve in the Tabernacle that had limited and symbolic value – chief of which is that only the High Priest is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies once a year. It symbolises that the rest of the Jews have no access to God until God brought a “time of reformation”.
Today, our worship is spiritual – giving glory, honour and praise to God. We have a direct access to God, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice. We are His temple and always in His presence – 24/7. The Tabernacle/Temple became obsolete with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. There are some people today who do not feel they can worship God unless they are in a Church building, chant a certain prayer and sing a certain song. However, we worship God who is everywhere (Omnipresent). Just as the Christian Jews were reminded not to go back to their old ways, let us remember that God has written His laws on our hearts (ref. Heb. 8:10). We recognise where the sanctuary of God is today – the hearts of Christians! We live our daily lives to reflect this by simply obeying His laws.
