Daily Meditations

Hebrews 9:10 The time of the new order Look at how the author here dismisses the trappings and rituals of religion. After centuries of detailed attention to the Law and its practice, he writes to his Jewish contemporaries and scornfully rejects all that has passed before. These regulations were so engrained in Jewish thinking; they were such a huge part of their heritage and their national institutions that this scathing rejection must have hurt many of them. They were new believers, only just beginning to embrace the reality of the New Covenant and here is a fellow Jew trashing the whole system that identified them and their culture.! But wasn’t it the Lord God who instituted the practices in the first place? How could He now be jettisoning everything their ancestors had taught them? Yes, it was hurtful to some. That is why the writer must go on to stress the superiority of the New Covenant. Those ancient sacrificial practices were nothing by comparison, they were only food and drink,...

Hebrews 9:9 A clear conscience for worshippers Notice carefully the words used here by the author of this Epistle, he wants his readers to understand that whilst the Law and the tabernacle and religious systems are now defunct, they are provided to give us an illustration that is up to date. The Old Testament of our Bibles is not a historic collection of memories and regulations that have been superseded or overtaken by the New, they are God’s Word, they still have huge lessons to teach us, in fact every event and Scripture in the New Testament has its roots in the Old. The New Testament is the fulfilment of all that had been written by ancient writers from Genesis to Malachi.  There is one outstanding lesson to be learned from our Jewish ancestors, it is that to have a clear conscience before God we cannot rely on sacrifices and offerings made by men. Once again, this brings into focus every other religion that exists or has existed for they all encourage human efforts, obedience ...

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...