In the last installment of these lessons we studied the significance of the Tabernacle and its furniture. According to the writer of Hebrews, the Holy Spirit signified by the structure of the Tabernacle that, so long as it stood, the way into the very presence of God had not been opened to His people. This principle becomes quite evident to one who remembers that the most holy place typified heaven, whereas the holy place, which was separated from the most holy by the second veil, symbolized the Kingdom of God which was as we saw in the last installment, coextensive with the Kingdom of Israel during the Mosaic Age. The priests, the representatives of the nation of Israel, had free access to the holy place but were barred from the most holy. Only the high priest, who represented Christ on the Day of Atonement, could enter with the blood of atonement. This arrangement, declared the Apostle Paul, the author of Hebrews, signified that, so long as the earthly sanctuary stood, the way into the presence of God was not accessible to the children of God. All the services and ceremonies, together with their sacrifices, were only typical, pointing forward to the realities of the future, many of which we are now enjoying.

The entire situation was changed by the coming of Christ, our great High Priest. "But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands that is to say not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all men into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:11,12). Christ's coming into the world changed the entire picture and introduced a new order of worship and service—the realities of which were typified by the ceremonial ritualism of the old covenant. His coming into the world changed not only the type of service rendered to God but also the whole social order as the truth of the gospel permeated different localities. It affected the emancipation of slaves and changed the status of women and children. When Christ comes into the heart and life of an individual, there is a great change. Old things pass away and all things become new.

According to the verses just quoted, Christ is the minister of "the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation." To what does this language refer? Some understand it as indicating the Temple of God which is in heaven (Heb. 8:2; Rev. 11:19). This interpretation is possible and even quite likely. On the other hand, it may signify the church of Jesus Christ which is called the Temple of God in I Corinthians 3:16,17. The church is indeed the spiritual house of God today, in which the Lord Jesus Christ as Priest officiates. This clause may also point forward to the Temple which will stand in Jerusalem during the thousand years' reign of our Lord and which Christ himself will build, as is indicated in the following quotation: "And he [Jesus the Messiah] shall build the temple of Jehovah; even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and shall be priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both" (Zech. 6:12,13). This last interpretation is altogether possible in view of the fact that the Book of Hebrews was God's final call to the Jewish nation of the first century to accept Jesus as both the Apostle and the High Priest of the Jewish confession (Heb. 3:1). Regardless of which idea was the definite, specific one which the writer had in mind as he penned these words, these three interpretations are correct; for at the present time Jesus is ministering in the sanctuary in heaven, He is ministering in His church, and will be the minister and the High Priest of the great Millennial Temple.

From the quotation given above we learn that the blood of goats and calves which were offered under the Mosaic ritual was efficacious in cleansing and sanctifying with respect to the flesh. The purification wrought was only symbolic and could never affect and cleanse the conscience. It was necessary, nevertheless, for the Israelites to perform the ritualistic duties enjoined upon them for certain specific offenses and defilements. That the blood of these sacrifices and the various washings and ceremonials were inefficacious is seen from the fact that these had to be performed for every specific violation and defilement for which they were intended. Additional evidence that they were only symbolic and temporary is seen from the fact that the ritual of the sin offering on the Day of Atonement had to be repeated every year in order to roll forward the sins of the sincere ones in Israel for another year.

But Christ has come who is the High Priest of the good things foretold, which were foreshadowed by the ritualism of the Old Testament. Paul referred to these good things, of which Christ is now a Minister, in I Corinthians 2:9: "But as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him." We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

Christ by His own intrinsic worth—being the God-man—shed His blood for our redemption. The life, according to Leviticus 17:11, is in the blood. All the writers of the New Testament lay great stress upon the redemption which we have through Christ and emphasize that it is due to the fact that Christ shed His blood for our salvation. Truly His blood does wash away all our sins—past, present and future.

The Lord Jesus offered himself once for all "through the eternal Spirit." What is meant by "the eternal Spirit"? The answer is not certain. It may signify His own eternal divine spirit. Then again, it may refer to the Holy Spirit. The reason for this latter position is that Isaiah the prophet foretold that the Holy Spirit would rest upon the Messiah (Isa. 11:2). When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came upon Him (Matt. 3:11-17). By the Spirit of God He cast out demons, as we learn in the Gospel Records. It may be that Paul in the present passage meant that it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that the man Christ Jesus offered himself. Since the evidence is not positive, let us not be dogmatic on this point.

Since Christ had come and had introduced a new order, there was of necessity a change in the covenant as is indicated in verse 14 of our passage. Christ has entered into a covenant of grace with all—both Jew and Gentile—who will accept Him. In this connection, however, let us not confound this new covenant, mentioned in Hebrews 9:15, with the new covenant foretold by Jeremiah and quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12. This new covenant of our passage is an individual matter, whereas the covenant promised by Jeremiah is a nationalistic one into which the Lord will, when Israel accepts Jesus as Messiah, enter with the whole house of Israel.

In verse 16, Paul thought of this new covenant, which was sealed by the shedding of Christ's blood, as a will and testament. This term is borrowed from Roman law. By the use of it the Apostle intended to convey the idea that, since Christ has died, He has made His last will and testament, which can never be changed. According to legal terms one's will, after death and after it has been probated, can never be altered or changed. Christ offered to save those who come to Him and accept Him. That was His last will and testament. He has sealed it by His blood and the conditions of enjoying the benefits of His will can never be changed by anyone.

Our writer proceeded to show that what he had just stated about Christ's sealing His last will and testament with His blood was in perfect harmony with the making of the covenant at Sinai with Israel by the shedding of blood. According to Exodus, chapter 24, God delivered the book of the covenant to Moses. The proper sacrifices were offered, the blood of which was used to sprinkle the book and the people. Moreover the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof when they were made were likewise dedicated with the blood of the animal sacrifices. Having called attention to this fact, the apostle affirmed that "apart from shedding of blood there is no remission" (Heb. 9:22). Everyone who is to be saved must accept the precious, efficacious blood of Jesus Christ. To those of my readers who have not accepted Him, I plead with them to do so today.