After
speaking about NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH as a NEW COVENANT in Hebrews 8,
we then read about A NEW HOLIEST OF HOLIES.
In order to get this concept, get the picture of a high priest entering
once into the most holy place.
- Recall how Chapter 8 spoke
of a FIRST COVENANT that had fault, and then another one.
- Chapter 9 now speaks of the
same idea by referring to a FIRST TABERNACLE and A SECOND TABERNACLE.
Hebrews
9:1-3 Complete Apostles' Bible (1) Then indeed,
even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the
earthly sanctuary. (2) For a tabernacle was
prepared: the first part, in which were both the lampstand and the
table and the showbread, which is called the holy place;
(3) and after the second veil, the part of the tabernacle
which is called the Holy of Holies,
Hebrews
9:6-7 Complete Apostles' Bible (6) Now when these
things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first
tabernacle, accomplishing the services, (7) but
into the second part the high priest goes alone once during the year,
not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the people's
sins committed in ignorance;
The Spirit of God was actually SENDING OUT A MESSAGE by having a FIRST
TABERNACLE and SECOND TABERNACLE.
- It was all about FIRST
COVENANT AND SECOND COVENANT.
A whole universe of covenant concepts from MOSES' FIRST COVENANT with
feasts and holy days and months and so on, that all belonged to A
NATURALLY ORIENTED system.
- YOU PHYSICALLY did things ON
PHYSICAL times of the year, and PHYSICALLY rested in order to have a
relationship with God.
It's like this very elaborate covenant system that you read in chapters
and chapters from Exodus about, and entire books of Leviticus and
Deuteronomy, loaded with NOTHING BUT FLESHLY AND OUTWARD rituals and
feasts and holy days and rules and ordinances was a HUGE KINDERGARTEN
and ELEMENTARY school to get us ready for the time of JESUS.
- Every single one of those
ordinances and laws and feasts WERE FLESHLY SYMBOLISMS of REAL
ACTUALITIES IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM.
- IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
And Hebrews said that THE SECOND TABERNACLE WAS THE HOLIEST OF HOLIES
compared to the FIRST TABERNACLE OF THE HOLY PLACE.
The elementary school of LAW's FLESHLY ordinances that could not affect
our consciences was only a PREPARATION ROOM in front of the SECOND
TABERNACLE the MOST HOLY PLACE.
AND THE HOLIEST OF HOLIES IS LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
- The OTHER important element
in Genesis after God creates the heaven and the earth.
The reason the SECOND TABERNACLE, or holiest of holies, is like the
Garden, is because no one could enter it.
God cast Adam out and put a barrier up for Adam to not enter the Garden.
- As the high priest had
HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD on a gold plate on his forehead, man lpost his
holiness when he sinned and could not enter the Garden again.
But Hebrews tells us something important.
Hebrews
9:8 Complete Apostles' Bible (8) the Holy Spirit
signifying this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet
revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing,
The FIRST TABERNACLE is the FIRST COVENANT.
- So long as the OLD
TABERNACLE is in effect, no one can get into the GARDEN OF EDEN
SITUATION with God.
- The first covenant HINDERS
you from getting into the SECOND COVENANT.
It's like we have to GRADUATE from the fleshly focus of things the
FIRST COVENANT focused upon in order to truly become SO SPIRITUALLY
MINDED that you do not look to ANYTHING natural to advance you
spiritually.
God used a fleshly kindergarten first because our spirits were dead and
He knew before he could ever bring a spiritual covenant he had to do a
preparation using NATURAL SHADOWS of it.
- But the problem is that if
you get caught up in relying on the fleshly manners in any way, you
will not be able to enter the holiest.
Hebrews
9:9 Complete Apostles' Bible (9) which was symbolic
for the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are
being offered, which are not able, in respect to conscience, to make
perfect the one performing the service,
Hebrews
9:10 Complete Apostles' Bible (10) concerned only
with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances which
are imposed until a time of reformation.
Not entering the HOLIEST while the FIRST TABERNACLE WAS OPERATING
symbolizes none of the fleshly ordinances can purify your conscience.
All that was imposed until REFORMATION of the entire relationship with
God occurred.
Out goes the fleshly affecting ordinances for reformation has come!
Galatians
3:23-25 BBE But before faith came, we were kept in prison
under the law, waiting for the revelation of the faith which was to
come. (24) So the law has been a servant to take us
to Christ, so that we might have righteousness by faith.
(25) But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a
servant.
Galatians 4:1-11 BBE But I say that as long as the son is a
child, he is in no way different from a servant, though he is lord of
all; (2) But is under keepers and managers till the
time fixed by the father. (3) So we, when we were
young, were kept under the first rules of the world;
(4) But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of
a woman, made under the law, (5) That he might make
them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place
of sons. (6) And because you are sons, God has sent
out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba,
Father. (7) So that you are no longer a servant,
but a son; and if a son, then the heritage of God is yours.
(8) But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were
servants to those who by right are no gods: (9) But
now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has
knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and
feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?
(10) You keep days, and months, and fixed times, and
years. (11) I am in fear of you, that I may have
been working for you to no purpose.
Gentile believers can slip into Israel's Kindergarten and think they
have to work fleshly ordinances to serve God.
- But if Israel graduated from
that when Jesus came, and that was Israel's kindergarten they are not
intended to be under any more, why woudl Gentile believers get under it?
- It was only for ISRAEL
before Christ came, and Israel is not even intended to do it now.
- It was fleshly ordinances
imposed until teh time of reformation.
Jesus arrived and WENT INTO THE HOLIEST OF HOLIES.
Hebrews
9:24-26 KJV For Christ is not entered into the holy places
made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
(25) Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high
priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of
others; (26) For then must he often have suffered
since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world
hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
He offered a perfect sacrifice that purges the CONSCIENCE.
- Finally something affects
our INWARD BEING.
IN THE END OF THE WORLD.
WORLD here refers to the JEWISH DISPENSATION -- the Christian
dispensation will continue until the end of everything!
When Hebrews speaks of the FIRST COVENANT gone, and teaches so many
chapters about the BETTER COVENANT, it mentions CHRIST CAME IN THIS END
OF THE WORLD.
- END OF THE WORLD is not what
sop many think it is.
- It's not the end of time but
TIME OF THE END.
- END OF FIRST to giuve way to
SECOND.
That means WAY INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN - HOLIEST OF HOLIES - is here
for us today.
To be strong in faith means we are away from FLESHLY ASSISTANCE.
- God knew we were spiritually
dead before the cross, and so only a fleshly form of all the real
spiritual realities could be given to prepare man for the SECOND
covenant.
- But after the second
covenant arrives, clinging to fleshly shadows of the realities makes us
WEAK BELIEVERS.
- Weak believers are those who
have to have something physical and natural as a crutch to spirituality.
- But Paul said those things
actually HINDER you from being spiritual, and render you weak.
- Strong spiritual people need
nothing physical whatsoever to know God, for they truly use FAITH and
NOT SIGHT.
1
Corinthians 2:14 Complete Apostles' Bible (14) But
the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
So the more we can walk from the fleshly and natural dependence we seem
to want so much, the more we can enter the HOLIEST OF HOLIES.
Colossians
2:16-17 CEV Don't let anyone tell you what you must eat or
drink. Don't let them say that you must celebrate the New Moon
festival, the Sabbath, or any other festival. (17)
These things are only a shadow of what was to come. But Christ is real!
Colossians 2:20-23 Complete Apostles' Bible (20) If
you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, [SHOULD BE
LIVING IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM] why, as though living in the world, do
you submit to regulations-- (21) "Do not handle,
nor taste, nor touch," (22) which things are all
for corruption with the using, according to the commands and teaching
of men? (23) These things indeed have a reputation
of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and severity on the
body, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Colossians
3:1-3 CEV You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set
your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God's right
side. (2) Think about what is up there, not about
what is here on earth. (3) You died, which means
that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God.
Isaiah 2:2-3 KJV And it shall come to pass in the last days,
that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top
of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations
shall flow unto it. (3) And many people shall go
and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the
house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we
will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the
word of the LORD from Jerusalem.