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Letter to the Hebrews

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 27, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 4.

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Letter to the Hebrews.

CHAPTER 9:1-7.

(Lesson 19, February 8, 1890.)1. WHAT does the apostle say that the first covenant had? Heb. 9:1.
  1. Were these a part of that covenant? See Ex. 19:3-8; 24:3-8.
  2. What is meant by ordinances of divine service? Ans.—Ceremonies of divine appointment. There is no divine service without divine appointment.
  3. What is meant by a worldly sanctuary? Ans.—A sanctuary of the world, in distinction from the one in heaven.
  4. Where is the only real sanctuary? Heb. 8:1, 2.
  5. What relation did the worldly sanctuary and its services sustain to the heavenly? Verse 5.
  6. How many apartments were in the tabernacle? Heb. 9:2, 3.
  7. What were the two apartments called?—Ib. See note.
  8. What was in the holy? Verse 2; Ex. 40:22-27.
  9. What was in the holiest of all? Heb. 9:4.
  10. What was in the ark? Compare Ex. 25:21; 1 Kings 8:9. See note.
  11. What was the cover of the ark called? Heb. 9:5; Ex. 25:21.
  12. Why was it called the mercy-seat? Ans.—It was there that mercy was dispensed. The sanctuary was God's dwelling-place; the ark represented his throne; and from his throne he dispenses grace, or favor, or mercy. See Heb. 4:16.
  13. How often did the priests go into the sanctuary? Heb. 9:6.
  14. How often was there service in the most holy? Verse 7.
  15. Why was this service performed?
  16. What alone is sin? 1 John 3:4.
  17. What was the basis of the old covenant?
  18. What, then, was it that made it necessary for that covenant to have ordinances of divine service connected with it?
  19. Does the new covenant have ordinances of divine service? Heb. 9:1. The word "also" indicates that it had already been shown that the second covenant had ordinances of divine service. This was done in chapters 7 and 8.
  20. Then what must be the basis of the second covenant?

NOTES.

HEBREWS 9:1 is a text that hinders many from seeing that all of God's blessings to man are gained by virtue of the second covenant, and not by the first. That text reads: "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary." This, together with the fact that when men complied with these ordinances of divine service, they were forgiven (Leviticus 4), seems to some conclusive evidence that the old covenant contained the gospel and its blessings. But forgiveness of sins was not secured by virtue of those offerings; "for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Heb. 10:4. Forgiveness was obtained only by virtue of the promised sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 9:15), the Mediator of the new covenant, their faith in whom was shown by their offerings. So it was by virtue of the second or new covenant that pardon was secured to those who offered the sacrifices provided for in the ordinances of divine service connected with the old or first covenant.
MOREOVER, those "ordinances of divine service" formed no part of the first covenant. If they had, they must have been mentioned in the making of that covenant; but they were not. They were connected with it, but not a part of it. They were simply the means by which the people acknowledged the justice of their condemnation to death for the violation of the law which they had covenanted to keep, and their faith in the Mediator of the new covenant.
IN brief, then, God's plan in the salvation of sinners, whether now or in the days of Moses, is: The law sent home emphatically to the individual, to produce conviction of sin, and thus to drive the sinner to seek freedom; then the acceptance of Christ's gracious invitation, which was extended long before, but which the sinner would not listen to; and lastly, having accepted Christ, and being justified by faith, the manifestation of the faith, through the ordinances of the gospel, and the living of a life of righteousness by faith in Christ.
THE Bible, to one who is in the habit of devotedly reading it, begets in the soul a consciousness that excludes all doubt as to its truth. To that consciousness it comes with a self-evidencing power that is both sufficient and conclusive. That man spontaneously believes, and really has no time, or taste, or place in his soul for doubts.