Sunday, October 16, 2011

Hebrews 9:1-10

Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 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, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.


the Holy of Holies - "The ark in the Holy of Holies was made of shittim wood overlaid with gold.  Regarding the statement of the writer to the effect that the pot of manna and Aaron's rod were in the ark, Vincent calls our attention to the fact that according to Exodus 16:34 and Numbers 17:10, both of these were 'before the testimony,' and that in Exodus 25:16, Moses is commanded to put only the tables of the law into the ark, also that in 1 Kings 8:9 it is said of the ark in the temple 'there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone.'  Vincent comes to the conclusion that the writer followed the rabbinical tradition that the pot of manna and the rod were inside the ark." (Wuest)

a golden altar - "Though the altar stood before the veil in the Holy Place, its ritual use was connected with the 'Holy of Holies' (v 3), especially on the Day of Atonement, which is being described in these verses (see Lev 16:12-13)." (Ryrie)

a golden jar holding the manna - "The manna of verse four and the fact that it was stored in a place of honor is interesting.  We remember that manna had to be gathered each day because manna was only good for the one day: 'Exodus 16:20: Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.'  Manna was 'daily bread,' and so when Israel's Messiah instructed them to pray 'give us this day our daily bread,' there was no mistaking that manna was the subject of the prayer.  That prayer is to be answered in the Tribulation when God feeds Israel during the time when the 'mark of the beast' system is in place (Rev 2:17; 12:6)." (McLean)

Aaron’s rod which budded - "that was Moses' rod when he tended the sheep of Jethro; he had it in use when called to deliver Israel (Ex 4:2-17); it was a token of God's power in that respect.  It was that by which the rock was smitten from which water flowed.  It budded to confirm Aaron's priesthood (Num 17:1-10), and remained thus as a sign of God's presence and power." (Vine)

cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat - "The word 'cherubim' is a transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning 'living creatures.'  Those in Ezekiel have four faces, of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, representing respectively intelligence, strength, steadfastness, and rapidity.  They represented all that is best in creation by a combination of excellences found in no single animal.  The cherubim associated with the ark were two in number, made of gold, of one piece with the mercy seat, the golden cover of the ark, one at each end of the ark, looking towards one another, and over-shadowing the mercy-seat.  They are described as the cherubim of glory probably because they were closely attached to and attendant upon the place of the manifestation of the divine glory in redemption.  The words 'mercy seat' are the translation of 'hilasterion,' used in the LXX to designate the throne of mercy above the ark.  This same word is used in Romans 3:25 where it is translation 'propitiation.'  This Greek word as used in the Bible does not as its English translation, 'propitiation,' suggests, mean 'something offered to placate or appease anger,' but refers to atonement or reconciliation through covering, and in that way getting rid of sin which stands between God and sinful man." (Wuest)

v 8 - "The writer states that the Holy Spirit is both the divine Author of the Levitical system of worship and its interpreter.  The first tabernacle is the Holy Place.  As long as that part of the Levitical institution was still in effect, Israel was to understand that the way into the presence of God had not yet been opened.  The division of the tabernacle into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies showed the limitations of the Levitical system, and kept the people from coming directly to God.   The Holy Place barred both priests and the people from the Holy of Holies.  When the new order of things was brought into being by the death of Messiah on the Cross, thus fulfilling the typical sacrifices, God rent the inner veil of the temple which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, making of the two rooms, one.  There was therefore, no more 'within the veil.'  This was God's object lesson to the Aaronic priesthood that its ministry was now over, that the temple was to be closed, that a new Priest had arisen after the order of Melchisedec.  But, Israel in its apostasy, repaired the veil, kept on offering sacrifices, until God in His wrath, sent Rome to destroy the city of Jerusalem and scatter His chosen people to the end of the Roman empire." (Wuest)

"The fact that only the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies and that he had to go each year signified that no final offering for sin was made in the OT times and that the offerings that were made could not cleanse the conscience." (Ryrie)

reformation - "i.e., the change brought about by the completed sacrifice of Christ and His entering into heaven (vs 11-12)" (Ryrie)

No comments:

Post a Comment