Day 732: A matter of conscience - Hebrews 9 vs 1 - 10

1-2 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence (the presentation of the loaves) - it is called the Holy Place. 3-5 Behind the second curtain was a second section (tent) called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6-7 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing which is symbolic for the present age (or, for the age then present). 9-10 According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshipper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. Hebrews 9:1-10 English Standard Version

In the last chapter the writer reminded Christians of the wonderful new covenant God had made saying “I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbour and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful towards their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34) The point he made was that in the same way that the new covenant was more excellent that the old covenant, so the priestly work of Jesus is more excellent than what the priests could do under the old covenant.

In vs 1-5 he describes the old covenant system given to Israel after they came out of Egypt and spent 40 years in the wilderness. They had a tent-tabernacle which could be set up and taken down. It had a first section, called the holy place, and a second section behind a curtain called the most holy place. Inside the tent were various items to remind them of God's commandments, His daily provision, miracles He had done, and also His awesome glory. Models of glorious angelic beings called cherubim were over a place called the mercy seat. What was the important distinction between the first section of the tent and the second? (vs 6-7)

Only the high priest could go into the most holy place, and that only once a year. That was a very holy day for the Jews when the high priest made atonement for the many times and many ways that the people had unintentionally broken God's commandments. The mercy seat spoke of God's mercy in passing over those sins. What does the writer say the fact that there were two sections in the tabernacle indicated? (vs 8)

He says that the Holy Spirit was teaching them that under the old covenant a man or woman was not yet made perfect and could not enter the very presence of God. Why was that? (vs 9-10)

The offerings made under the old covenant couldn't purify a sinner's conscience. They were dealing with outward failures to fulfil ritualistic requirements. King David recognized this after committing adultery and manslaughter and he prayed: “O God, hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities - and create in me a clean heart.” (Psalm 51:9-10) The offerings of the priests of the old covenant would not have been enough. Only the offering made by Jesus at Calvary could ever blot out such sins. Under the new covenant God said he will be merciful towards our iniquities, and will remember our sins no more. And it also promises the sort of heart David was praying for. God willing we will look at this in the verses that follow.