Daily Meditations

Hebrews 9:8 Welcome, Holy Spirit! It has often been brought to my attention that the Old Testament speaks very little about the Holy Spirit! It was only after Pentecost that this extraordinary gift from God was poured out on His people and suddenly the whole basis of human relations with Him changed! In ancient times the relationship of men with God, or Israel with God, relied entirely on the Law, the Tabernacle or Temple, and the rites and ceremonies of the faith of these people. It was all outward and external, driven by religious men who tried desperately to apply the rigours of the commandments to their daily lives. To confine the Lord our God to a tiny space in a stuffy tent was both ridiculous and fruitless, and yet the Israelites were so convinced of His Being and His superiority that they tried to obey the Law and to pursue the rules of their faith down to the tiniest detail. That God was with them was beyond doubt, but He was a hard taskmaster to say the least, and the regulat...

Hebrews 9:7 Intentional or unintentional? As we have previously noted, the only man allowed into the Most Holy Place within the Tabernacle, was the High Priest, and he could only enter once per year, on the Day of Atonement or “Yom Kippur.” For a full description of events on that day, and the order in which they unfolded, it is helpful to read Leviticus 16 carefully. It is not hard to imagine the tension and anticipation that hung over the camp of the Israelites on those holy days.  The verse before us draws our attention to the significance of the blood which underlines the importance of v22, later in this chapter, which states,  “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness .” However, the author draws our attention to one misunderstood fact, that the blood offering was made for the High Priest himself and  for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” The Day of Atonement was given to allow sins that the people had unintentionally committed or “co...

Hebrews 9:6 Our daily visit to the Holy Place This verse rather blandly summarises all of the daily routines of the priesthood of Israel as these god-fearing men came and went from the Tabernacle. Remember that this Tent was first constructed whilst the Israelites were nomads, and for many years it was taken down and re-erected as they moved from place to place. After a few hiccups, the sacred building only came to rest more permanently once the people had arrived in the Promised Land and they found a safe and secure home in Shiloh. Later, David would have it re-established on Zion in preparation for the construction of the Temple, under Solomon. Wherever the Ark of the Covenant went and all the furniture associated with it, the daily routines would take place, and the ordained priesthood would go daily in and out of the Holy Place. Fragrant incense was burned on the Golden Altar, and prayers were offered to the Lord God. At evening the seven lamps on the Menorah were maintained so tha...

Hebrews 9:5 The cherubim of the Glory What a beautiful picture is presented to us here! Any High Priests entering the Most Holy Place would, I imagine, be immediately drawn to the majestic images before them; the cherubim, arrayed in gold that towered over the Ark of the Covenant and its mercy seat. These amazing sculptures were designed to draw the eye, they represented the glory of the Lord and, as our verse tells us, “ Overshadowed the atonement cover .” The cherubim were made out of beaten gold and were an extension of the golden cover that fitted over the ark. Their wings were spread upwards and the two creatures faced each other looking towards the cover. It was in the space between them that the Lord announced that He would meet with Israel and give them His commands. Exodus 25:17-22. Later, in Numbers 7:89 we read,  “When Moses entered the tent of meeting (Tabernacle) to speak with the Lord, He heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonemen...

Hebrews 9:4 The golden Altar of Incense Having perused the items of the inner Tabernacle furniture and their placement within the tent, this verse seems to throw up an obstacle, for it places the golden altar of incense alongside the Ark of the Covenant and within the Most Holy Place! Scholars accept that there is a problem here, if the altar was used by priests twice daily, to offer prayers to the Lord, how could it be housed within the Most Holy Place which was entered only once a year by the High Priest? The general agreement seems to be that this altar was closely associated with all that took place within the curtain, it was the sole obstacle to entering through into God’s presence and so it was included in the same package as it were! From this altar of incense, the High Priest would use the holy fragrance when He made His annual visit to worship and sacrifice before the Lord. In other words, the altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant were inextricably linked!  There ha...

Hebrews 9:3b Inside the Tabernacle The Holy Place It’s time to look a bit more closely at the furniture that occupied the inner Tabernacle of the Israelites. This will hopefully help to make sense of the rest of this chapter of Hebrews. As the priest entered the Holy Place, and only priests could enter, they would be illuminated by the light from the menorah, or seven branched lampstand. Light is, of course, at the very heart of God’s dealings with the earth and with mankind. Light was given at the beginning of creation; it dominates every day of our lives in contrast with darkness. Jesus was the light of the world; His Holy Spirit gives us light as does His Word. If you are a true believer in Christ, then you share in His Holy Spirit. He is your light. That was the whole point of Pentecost.       The Table of Shewbread occupied the space opposite the Menorah. On it were 12 loaves of unleavened bread in two stacks of 6. Some incense was placed on the table to anoint the o...