The Christian is a citizen of two worlds, the earthly and the heavenly. We must render to Caesar (or the government) the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s (Matt. 22:21). Because a Christian is a citizen of two worlds, we must learn how to walk by faith in a world that is governed by sight. Like Moses, a believer must see the invisible if they are to overcome the pull of the world (Heb. 11:24–27). A practical person says, “Seeing is believing!” But the person of faith replies, “Believing is seeing!”
This principle of faith must apply to our relationship to the heavenly sanctuary. We have never seen this sanctuary. Yet we believe what the Bible tells us about it. We realize that God is not worshiped today in temples made with hands (Acts 7:46–50). There is no special place on earth where God dwells (cf. Isa. 57:15; 66:1–2; John 4:19–24). We may call a local church building a “house of God,” but we know that God does not live there. The building is dedicated to God and His service, but it is not His dwelling place.
With regard to the “aging” First Covenant, the writer wished to discuss that covenant’s regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary. These the author highlighted in order to contrast them with the superior features of the New Covenant ministry. How “earthly” (kosmikon, v. 1), or mundane, that first sanctuary was, the author emphasized by reviewing the material objects associated with it. All these had typological value, but the author could not discuss these things in detail at the time (v. 5). The author confined themselves to the chief features of the comparison they wished to make.
The discussion regarding the sanctuary prepares you for consideration of a sacrifice. So the writer has got to talk about the furniture. Then the writer will keep moving on to the sacrifice.
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was equipped, the outer sanctuary, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the sacred bread; this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Most Holy Place, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, Aaron’s staff which budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the atoning cover; but about these things we cannot now speak in detail.
Key Takeaways:
- Hebrews 9 presents a detailed contrast between the Old Covenant sanctuary (the tabernacle) and the New Covenant heavenly sanctuary where Jesus Christ now ministers. This contrast makes it clear that the New Covenant sanctuary is superior.
- This section of Hebrews reminds readers that the regulations and practices in the tabernacle were ordained of God. If there was any inferiority in the tabernacle service, it was not because God had not established the ritual. While the Old Covenant was in force, the ministry of the priests was ordained of God and perfectly proper.
- It was an earthly sanctuary, meaning made by human hands and out of earthly material. God gave spiritual wisdom and skill to Bezalel and Oholiab to do the intricate work of making the various parts of the tabernacle and its furnishings (Ex. 35–36).
- The writer listed the various parts and furnishings of the tabernacle because each of these carried a spiritual meaning. They were “patterns of things in the heavens” (Heb. 9:23).
Closer Look:
Verse 1: What was mentioned in passing in 8:1-5 is now developed more extensively. This verse summarizes the glories of the old tabernacle, showing its orderliness. The components of the earthly tabernacle showed that it was temporary. The intent of this verse is not to ridicule the past but to prepare the readers to appreciate the superior glories of Christ’s new work.
The first covenant provided both regulations for worship and a place for worship. The place for worship was an earthly sanctuary. The very adjective “earthly” (kosmikon) implies the earthly tabernacle, although useful, was only temporary. Earthly did not suggest any feature displeasing to God. It pointed out that the tabernacle was material, imperfect, and temporary. The earthly tabernacle belonged to this world, but Jesus ministered in heaven (v. 24). Being an earthly building, it had several weaknesses. For one thing, it would need a certain amount of repair. Also, it was limited geographically: if it was pitched in one place, it could not be in another place. It had to be dismantled and the various parts carried from place to place. Furthermore, it belonged to the nation of Israel and not to the whole world.
Verse 2: The old tabernacle had two parts. First indicated the room closer to the entrance from the outer courtyard—the Holy Place. It was approximately thirty feet long, fifteen feet wide, and fifteen feet high. This room contained a lampstand, a table, and the bread of the presence (Exod. 35:10–29). The lampstand illuminated the first tent. The glorious presence of God illuminated the second tent. The table contained the bread placed there every Sabbath. Only priests ate the bread (Exod. 25:23–30; Lev. 24:5–9).
Verse 3: A curtain separated the Holy Place from the second part of the old tabernacle—the Most Holy Place (see 6:19). Second distinguished this curtain from the curtain between the outer court and the Holy Place (Exod. 26:36–37). Once a year on the Day of Atonement the high priest passed through this curtain into God’s presence. This veil symbolized the barrier between a holy God and sinful people. At the death of Christ the Temple veil was torn “from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51).
Verse 4: The golden altar of incense was located in front of the curtain (Exod. 30:1–6) so that it actually stood in the Holy Place. This incense altar was vital for the burning of incense on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:13), so it is associated with the Holy of Holies.
The gold-covered ark of the covenant was a box or chest about four feet long and two and one-half feet high and broad (Exod. 25:10–22), covered with gold on every side. The ark contained three treasures. “The gold jar of manna” (Exod. 16:32–34) was a reminder of God’s faithful provision during the wilderness wanderings. Aaron’s staff that had budded (Num. 17:1–11) reminded readers of God’s powerful warning against complaint and faultfinding. The stone tablets of the covenant (Exod. 25:21–22) reminded them of God’s expectations, and pointed, as we will soon see, to the ministry of Christ.
Verse 5: The cherubim (Exod. 25:18–22) situated above the ark symbolized the presence of God. They were probably winged creatures. They overshadowed the atonement cover, also called the mercy seat. The high priest sprinkled this part of the ark with blood on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:14).
Significantly, the writer did not elaborate on the Temple in verse two, but on the “Tabernacle.” Two reasons may explain this. First, the writer wanted to emphasize the temporary nature of the Tabernacle. Second, the writer desired to look back to the original pattern. Implied in this may be a disappointment with the contemporary priesthood and its function in the Temple. The writer may be looking back at the tabernacle because the present was so disappointing.
In verses 2-5 the writer lists the furniture of the interior two rooms of the Tabernacle. The first room is called the Holy Place and the second room is the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place. In this connection, a problem is found in verse four dealing with the location of the altar of incense. Where was it located? So the real problem is where was the altar of incense?
In almost every diagram of the tabernacle, you will never see the altar of incense in the Holy of Holies. It is always in the Holy Place. The problem is what do you do with the Most Holy Place (or the Holy of Holies) having this altar? You will notice in the diagram that we have the brazen altar for the sacrifices, the brazen laver where they wash themselves, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The golden lamp stand is the small circle in the Holy Place. The table of showbread is the small rectangle in the Holy Place. The Ark of the Covenant is in the holy of holies and I put the altar of incense in both. The reason I put it in both is because it is disputed where was it? Well, when you read every other passage, you find the altar of incense in the Holy Place.
Some would translate the noun “altar” (thumiaterion) as “censer.” This is the meaning of this noun in the Septuagint (cf. 2 Chron. 26:19; Ezek. 8:11; 4 Macc. 7:11). Nouns in Greek that end in –terion always indicate a place. Hilasterion in Romans, “He is our place of propitiation.” It is not hilasmos there (Hilasmos also means propitiation). It is translated propitiation in most translations but in Greek “He is the place of propitiation.” “Terion” indicates a place so here place of offering. The noun occurs but three times in the Septuagint. However, this view of taking it to mean “censor” has some problems. First, the censer was not an article of furniture; it was a utensil (the author seems only to be going through the articles of furniture at this point). Second, if it is a censor, why omit the golden altar in Hebrews? This is a very important part of the construction. Third, as far as is known, the censer was not kept in the Holy of Holies.
It is undoubtedly best to say the “golden altar of incense” was in the Holy Place. (1) This is the meaning in Exodus 30:6-10; 40:17-28. (2) The priest was to burn incense on it daily (Ex. 30:7-8), but the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies only once a year (Heb. 9:7). The golden altar did not stand in the holy of holies, but its ministry pertained to the holy of holies. In what way? On the annual Day of Atonement, the high priest used coals from this altar to burn incense before the mercy seat within the veil (Lev. 16:12–14). (3) The participle “having” of verse 4 carries a different idea than the preposition “in” of verse 2. The golden altar while located in the Holy Place was closely associated with the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant (cf. Lev. 16:12-13; Ex. 30:6, 10; 1 Kings 6:22). In verse 2 you have “In this first room there were these articles of furniture” and then you have, “The holy of holies has these.” Maybe use the participle “have” to indicate association with and obviously the golden altar is very intimately associated with the holy of holies. God’s presence was in this room. The Shekinah glory. And so it was that this censer was placed right outside the veil and would be intimately related to the holy of holies because the altar would emphasize prayer. So it could be “having,” implies this. The altar would also be identified with the ark of the covenant because it illustrated prayer (cf. Rev. 8:3-4).