Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:1-10
Helpful thoughts:
- Today’s passage describes aspects of worship under the Old Covenant.
- The “Most Holy Place” is also called the “Holy of Holies.”
- The “Holy” and “Most Holy” rooms in the tabernacle/temple and the restrictions for who could enter and what needed to be done for atonement all pointed forward to God’s plan for our redemption through Christ.
- Without atonement there is separation between God and man.
- Not just anyone could enter into the Most Holy Place to bring that blood atonement.
- Keeping all the commands and rituals in the temple could point people to the truth, but simply carrying out all the details was not sufficient in itself to change people’s hearts.
- The Law revealed hearts, it didn’t change them.
- The New Covenant brings change in the inner man, “perfecting the conscience.” (See 8:10-12)
Questions to consider:
- In what ways did the sacrifices and temple worship point forward to Jesus’ sacrifice and priestly service on our behalf? How does understanding the promises made and portrayed in the Old Testament give us a proper understanding of the promises kept in the New Testament?
- What should we learn from the truth that simply obeying the commands (Keeping all the religious rules) was not enough to save? From where does salvation come?
- How does this understanding transform our motive for good works? Being free from the self-interest of earning myself a spot in Heaven, why now do I do what is right?