Hebrews 8:2

Hebrews 8:2

Set up by the Lord.

We would be correct in thinking that the content of verses like these would be mind-blowing for most Jews. They had completed centuries of religious rituals, following the letter of the Law and their own oral traditions, seeking to do things correctly and to make themselves blameless before the Lord. Now they were being told that all their hard-earned religion amounted to very little, it was merely a reflection of a reality that exists outside of this world. It was being suggested that their ancient faith was just a sham, a shadow of the heavenly reality. This was earth-shattering news for them, and we can’t blame them for finding it hard to digest, especially as the ramifications flow over to us Gentiles.

Firstly, the Jews are being asked to believe that the real Tabernacle is in heaven. This is not built by human hands; it is constructed by the Lord Himself. 

Secondly, they are all being asked to grasp the fact that the Levitical priesthood was also a copy of a greater, heavenly reality, that centuries of sacrifices and offerings were just temporary representations of something other-worldly, but whose influence embraces the whole earth. 

Thirdly, the Jews were confronted by that fact that their esteemed High Priests were merely copies of a much superior occupant of this title, Yeshua Himself who, as we have seen, offered His own blood as a sacrifice for all sins and whose work is completed and qualifies Him to hold His office forever!

This must have been startling news for traditional Jews, it blew a hole in their history, in their lifestyle and culture, in all that they had treasured and sought to accomplish for around 1,500 years. To learn that the Tabernacle and Temple were just earthly copies of a much richer and glorious heavenly reality was also mind-blowing; had the faith of their fathers all been for nothing?

Most of us are not Jewish but these same principles apply to us too. Traditional church liturgies and practices, the construction of vast and expensive buildings, the establishment of priesthoods and the ritual altars and paraphernalia of the Christian religion is just an earthly show! We need to grasp the heavenly reality and fix our gaze on the eternal High Priest who intercedes for us all, Jew and Gentile. All human priests are fallible copies of the true High Priest of heaven and so are their ceremonies and rituals. When will we learn that the New Covenant has established a superior faith, that allows the faithful to approach heaven direct rather than relying on the outdated practices of religion? You and I are priests, and we have access to the Father through His Son, churches are people not buildings, and when we gather together we come before the throne of God, not an altar, a liturgy and centuries of tradition. We should not be subjected to men’s traditions but to the Holy Spirit of God who seeks to liberate us from this world and open our eyes to the reality of heaven. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

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