Aerial View of the Wilderness Sanctuary at NightBible World
9:1Hebrews 9:1
Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
The first covenant was given divinely appointed rules for worship centered in a sanctuary on earth. That sanctuary was the movable tabernacle God commanded Moses to build as His dwelling among Israel, with an outer court and two rooms, the holy place and the most holy place, later preserved in Solomon's temple until its destruction in A.D. 70. The word also points to another sanctuary belonging to the new covenant, the true temple in heaven established by the Lord where Christ ministers as great High Priest. The earthly tabernacle with its two apartments, veil, lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense, and ark with the law, manna, Aaron's rod, and cherubim shadowing the mercy seat was patterned after and represents that heavenly temple and its furnishings. As the priest once offered incense before the hidden mercy seat, God's people are now to direct their prayers by faith to Christ their unseen Mediator before the ark in heaven, where the law remains unchanged with the Sabbath commandment shining brightest.
Earthly Sanctuary Described
The first covenant had divinely appointed ordinances of worship and an earthly sanctuary. That sanctuary was made in two parts, the first called the sanctuary and after the second veil the tabernacle called the holiest of all. It was not the earth itself.
It was the movable tabernacle God commanded Moses to build as His dwelling among Israel during the wilderness journey. Though portable, it was richly made with gold-plated boards, silver sockets and decorated coverings. It had an outer court with the burnt-offering altar, and two rooms — the holy place and the most holy place — separated by a veil, with another veil at the entrance to the first room.
Its furnishings in the first room were the lampstand or candlestick and the table with the showbread, with the altar of incense or golden censer. After the second veil was the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, containing the law or tables of the covenant, with the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded inside. Above it were the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat or cover, where God's glory appeared between the cherubim.
After Israel settled in Canaan Solomon's temple replaced the tabernacle and preserved its proportions, arrangement and furnishings. As God's dwelling in Jerusalem priests served there amid symbolic ceremonies where incense and worshipers' prayers rose to God and animal blood flowed as a type of Christ's blood, with God's glory manifested above the mercy seat. It was the only earthly sanctuary described in the Bible and, except when it lay in ruins in Daniel's time, it continued until the Romans destroyed it in A.D. 70, when its temple worship ended.
Heavenly Sanctuary Revealed
The word also in the verse points beyond the first covenant to another sanctuary belonging to the new covenant in heaven. That heavenly sanctuary was established by the Lord and was not built by Moses. While earthly priests served in the first sanctuary, Christ ministers there as the great High Priest at God's right hand.
The earthly sanctuary with its two apartments and furnishings was patterned after and represents that real temple in the holy city in heaven. The heavenly temple therefore has corresponding holy and most holy places and furnishings. It is entered through a door to a first veil into the holy place, and through a second veil into the holy of holies. The holy place contains the altar of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table with showbread.
The holy of holies contains an ark overlaid with purest gold, with a cherub on each end with wings spread out and faces turned toward each other and downward. A golden censer stands between them, and above the ark is exceeding bright glory as the throne where God dwells. Inside the ark are the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone. Jesus ministers there by the ark, standing by it before the mercy seat between the cherubim. As the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense smokes and He offers their prayers with the smoke of the incense to the Father.
Worship and Obedience
The earthly sanctuary had two apartments in which the priest offered incense before the hidden mercy seat, while God's glory appeared there and could fill both apartments. That service represents God's people directing their prayers by faith to Christ, their unseen Mediator before the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary, and claiming the benefits of His mediation. The temple in Jerusalem was that earthly sanctuary where God made His dwelling, priests served amid symbolic ceremonies, incense and worshipers' prayers rose to God, animal blood flowed as a type of Christ's blood, and God's glory was manifested above the mercy seat. These services and symbols continued for ages, but the temple and its worship were to end when Jerusalem was destroyed.
The ordinances of the first covenant point to a real temple in heaven with the same two apartments and furniture. The heavenly Holy Place is entered through a first veil and contains the altar of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table of shewbread, while the Holy of Holies is entered through a second veil and contains the golden ark covered with purest gold, with a cherub on each end with wings spread over it and faces turned toward each other and downward, a golden censer between them, and exceeding bright glory above as the throne where God dwells. Inside the ark are the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone folded together like a book with the ten commandments written by the finger of God, four on one table and six on the other, with the fourth, the Sabbath commandment, shining brightest with a halo of glory. Jesus ministers by the ark in the Holiest, and as the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense smokes and He offers their prayers with the smoke to the Father. The law in the heavenly ark reads the same as given at Sinai, But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, proving God has not changed the Sabbath and it was not nailed to the cross.
The sacredness of the sanctuary teaches Christians to regard with reverence the place where God meets His people, for God gave order to its worship and set it above what is merely temporal. The sanctuary of the first covenant includes the ark containing the law of God, the cover of the ark which is the mercy seat, the angels at either end of the ark, and other things connected with the heavenly sanctuary and with the great day of atonement. About these are mysteries of heaven about which much could be said but which remain closed and undescribed.
The first covenant was given divinely appointed rules for worship centered in a sanctuary on earth. That sanctuary was the movable tabernacle God commanded Moses to build as His dwelling among Israel, with an outer court and two rooms, the holy place and the most holy place, later preserved in Solomon's temple until its destruction in A.D. 70. The word also points to another sanctuary belonging to the new covenant, the true temple in heaven established by the Lord where Christ ministers as great High Priest. The earthly tabernacle with its two apartments, veil, lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense, and ark with the law, manna, Aaron's rod, and cherubim shadowing the mercy seat was patterned after and represents that heavenly temple and its furnishings. As the priest once offered incense before the hidden mercy seat, God's people are now to direct their prayers by faith to Christ their unseen Mediator before the ark in heaven, where the law remains unchanged with the Sabbath commandment shining brightest.
Earthly Sanctuary Described
The first covenant had divinely appointed ordinances of worship and an earthly sanctuary. That sanctuary was made in two parts, the first called the sanctuary and after the second veil the tabernacle called the holiest of all. It was not the earth itself.
It was the movable tabernacle God commanded Moses to build as His dwelling among Israel during the wilderness journey. Though portable, it was richly made with gold-plated boards, silver sockets and decorated coverings. It had an outer court with the burnt-offering altar, and two rooms — the holy place and the most holy place — separated by a veil, with another veil at the entrance to the first room.
Its furnishings in the first room were the lampstand or candlestick and the table with the showbread, with the altar of incense or golden censer. After the second veil was the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, containing the law or tables of the covenant, with the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded inside. Above it were the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat or cover, where God's glory appeared between the cherubim.
After Israel settled in Canaan Solomon's temple replaced the tabernacle and preserved its proportions, arrangement and furnishings. As God's dwelling in Jerusalem priests served there amid symbolic ceremonies where incense and worshipers' prayers rose to God and animal blood flowed as a type of Christ's blood, with God's glory manifested above the mercy seat. It was the only earthly sanctuary described in the Bible and, except when it lay in ruins in Daniel's time, it continued until the Romans destroyed it in A.D. 70, when its temple worship ended.
Heavenly Sanctuary Revealed
The word also in the verse points beyond the first covenant to another sanctuary belonging to the new covenant in heaven. That heavenly sanctuary was established by the Lord and was not built by Moses. While earthly priests served in the first sanctuary, Christ ministers there as the great High Priest at God's right hand.
The earthly sanctuary with its two apartments and furnishings was patterned after and represents that real temple in the holy city in heaven. The heavenly temple therefore has corresponding holy and most holy places and furnishings. It is entered through a door to a first veil into the holy place, and through a second veil into the holy of holies. The holy place contains the altar of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table with showbread.
The holy of holies contains an ark overlaid with purest gold, with a cherub on each end with wings spread out and faces turned toward each other and downward. A golden censer stands between them, and above the ark is exceeding bright glory as the throne where God dwells. Inside the ark are the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone. Jesus ministers there by the ark, standing by it before the mercy seat between the cherubim. As the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense smokes and He offers their prayers with the smoke of the incense to the Father.
Worship and Obedience
The earthly sanctuary had two apartments in which the priest offered incense before the hidden mercy seat, while God's glory appeared there and could fill both apartments. That service represents God's people directing their prayers by faith to Christ, their unseen Mediator before the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary, and claiming the benefits of His mediation. The temple in Jerusalem was that earthly sanctuary where God made His dwelling, priests served amid symbolic ceremonies, incense and worshipers' prayers rose to God, animal blood flowed as a type of Christ's blood, and God's glory was manifested above the mercy seat. These services and symbols continued for ages, but the temple and its worship were to end when Jerusalem was destroyed.
The ordinances of the first covenant point to a real temple in heaven with the same two apartments and furniture. The heavenly Holy Place is entered through a first veil and contains the altar of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table of shewbread, while the Holy of Holies is entered through a second veil and contains the golden ark covered with purest gold, with a cherub on each end with wings spread over it and faces turned toward each other and downward, a golden censer between them, and exceeding bright glory above as the throne where God dwells. Inside the ark are the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone folded together like a book with the ten commandments written by the finger of God, four on one table and six on the other, with the fourth, the Sabbath commandment, shining brightest with a halo of glory. Jesus ministers by the ark in the Holiest, and as the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense smokes and He offers their prayers with the smoke to the Father. The law in the heavenly ark reads the same as given at Sinai, But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, proving God has not changed the Sabbath and it was not nailed to the cross.
The sacredness of the sanctuary teaches Christians to regard with reverence the place where God meets His people, for God gave order to its worship and set it above what is merely temporal. The sanctuary of the first covenant includes the ark containing the law of God, the cover of the ark which is the mercy seat, the angels at either end of the ark, and other things connected with the heavenly sanctuary and with the great day of atonement. About these are mysteries of heaven about which much could be said but which remain closed and undescribed.