Community Bible Study Engaging the Book of Hebrews

By: Ray Johnson

Lesson 11 The Old and New Testaments

Our text for this lesson is Hebrews chapter 9
All scripture, unless noted, is from the English Standard Version Bible

Hebrews 9:1-5 The Former Place 1Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aarons staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the *mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 1. Read about the origins of the tabernacle in Exodus 24:13-25:9.
Exodus 24:1325:9 (ESV) 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them. 15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Contributions for the Sanctuary 25 The LORD said to Moses, 2 Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats hair, 5 tanned rams skins, goatskins, acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

There are 50 chapters of the bible devoted to instructions on the tabernacle. a. How was the contribution of building materials initiated? i. The offering (not tithing) was a willful offering from their hearts. ii. Where did the people get all this gold, silver, and brass? They had been slaves in Egypt. The answer is that before they left Egypt, the Lord instructed them to borrow of the Egyptians gold, silver, brass, and other precious things.Exodus 3:22 b. How was the design of the tabernacle determined? i. It looks like the Lord not only explained these things to Moses but allowed him to see the temple in heaven. Hebrews 8:5 (ESV) They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain. 2. Give a brief account of these items mentioned in verse 4: a. The golden urn holding the manna (Exodus 16:32-34) i. It seems to have been a jar where manna was kept as a memorial for all generations. [the golden pot that Moses put manna in and placed in the ark for a memorial-AW]
ii. Exodus 16:3234 (ESV) 32 Moses said, This is what the LORD has commanded: Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt. 33 And Moses said to Aaron, Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations. 34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept.

b. Aarons staff that budded (Numbers 17:1-10) i. Aarons rod that budded and brought forth almonds in one night was also in the ark. Not only did Aarons rod bud, but it

also brought forth almonds in one night. This was miraculous and was intended to silence the rebellion against Aarons priesthood.
Numbers 17:110 (ESV) 17 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers houses, twelve staffs. Write 3 each mans name on his staff, and write Aarons name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one 4 staff for the head of each fathers house. Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before 5 the testimony, where I meet with you. And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you. 6 Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, 7 according to their fathers houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. And Moses deposited the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. 8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the people of Israel. And they 10 looked, and each man took his staff. And the LORD said to Moses, Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.
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c. the tablets of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:1-5) i. These were the Commandments of God written in stone. Moses had broken the ones written in wood.
10 At that time the LORD said to me, Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden ark. 2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.
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So I made the ark out of acacia wood and chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 4 The LORD wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me. 5 Then I came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made, as the LORD commanded me, and they are there now. NIV

When reading this I realized that the lid placed on these things of the Law was called the mercy seat. Blood sprinkled on this seat covered the violation of the law. Jesus sits on the Mercy Seat created not by man

but by God and has sprinkled it with His blood. Therefore the commandments of the Law have been covered. Hebrews 9:6-10 The former Practice 6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. 3. Read Leviticus 16:29-17:14.
Leviticus 16:2917:14 (ESV) And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. 30 For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins. 31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever. 32 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his fathers place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. 33 He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins. And Aaron did as the LORD commanded Moses. The Place of Sacrifice 17 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. 3 If any one of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, 4 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the LORD in front of the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people. 5 This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD. 6 And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of
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the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 7 So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations. 8 And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the LORD, that man shall be cut off from his people. Laws Against Eating Blood If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among th em eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. 12 Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. 13 Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. 14 For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.
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a. What main regulations established for Israel do you find in this Leviticus passage? i. Get yourself Clean (The priest prepares for atonement) ii. The High Priest makes consecrates the tabernacle iii. Regulations for the blood sacrifice b. God Himself instituted the sacrificial system. Why is blood essential to the sacrifice (17:11) Blood is a sacred fluid. It represents life itself. On the altar, shed blood pictures a substitute making the offerer right with God.

4. According to Hebrews 9:9, what is the offering of gifts and sacrifices unable to do? They were only symbolic. Therefore, the symbolism had to be constantly repeated to keep the worshiper in remembrance of his unworthiness and dependence upon the Lord for the perfect sacrifice yet to come. The worshipers conscience was never truly cleansed, just lessened. The O.T.

system only permitted them to come close, but not enter Gods presence. Our relationship is so much different. Through Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence 5. Review Hebrews 8:10-13. The time of reformation (9:10) is the new covenant initiated by Christ. What does it provide that regulations for the body lack? As important and necessary as all the O.T. ordinances and sacrifices were, they were only figures of the truth. In a sense, they were just carnal things to point carnal people in the right direction. And these carnal ordinances were only temporary, until the true sacrifice of Jesus could be made. Once Jesus sacrificed Himself, all the O.T. sacrifices and ordinances were unnecessary. The Greek word DIORTHOSIS, which was translated reformation in this verse, was not used anywhere else in the Bible. The word means to straighten thoroughly (Strongs Concordance). If the bringing in of the New Covenant made things straight, they must have been crooked before. I think this is what Isaiah 40:3-5 and Luke 3:3-6 are talking about. Isaiah 40:35 (NIV) 3 A voice of one calling: In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Hebrews 9:11-14 The Final Presentation 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

6. From this passage, record the ways in which Christs service and sacrifice as High Priest are superior to the rituals performed by former high priest. The emphasis here is that Jesus entered in ONCE into the holy place and has obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION for us. Jesus entered the Holy Place one time for all sins. Eternal Redemption, not partial, not predicated on our good deeds and being good. 7. Read Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 23:23-28. What are dead works?
Isaiah 29:13 (ESV) 13 And the Lord said: Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, Matthew 23:2328 (ESV) 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead peoples bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

The Law; Works that do not pertain to the heart.

The phrase dead works can be interpreted in different ways. Most commentators on this verse believe this is speaking of our acts of sin that produce death. I believe it can also be applied to our religious good works or the whole concept that if we do good, we will be good and accepted by God The Pharisee was careful to strain his drinking water lest he swallow a gnat, the smallest of unclean animals. However, Jesus revealed that while he was putting such emphasis on the tiniest details, he was missing the very obvious and more important truths of judgment, mercy, and faith. Hypocrites always have misplaced priorities because they worship self instead of God. Hypocrites always emphasize external actions rather than internal motives of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Thats because they are carnal (Romans 8:5-8). These scribes and Pharisees were only aware of external actions and were ignorant of the issues of the heart. Religion (man trying to approach God) will always differ with Christianity (God coming to man) in this respect. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart

8. From this passage, what is the effect of having a cleansed conscience? Peace of mind; knowing you said and did the right thing; that you followed the spirit of truth and not seducing spirits like envy, jealously, and revenge. 9. What does it mean to you to serve the living God? In this context, I believe it means our total trust has to be in what Jesus has done for us and not what we have done for Him. Our Faith must be in the finish work of the cross and not of our good works. Hebrews 9:15-22 The Fixed Price 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you. 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 10.Since its beginning, the book of Hebrews has emphasized new or better things. From 9:18-22, what has not changed or been improved upon? Blood atonement is required for cleansing of sin. In order for a will or testament to be in effect, there must be a death. Testaments, or wills, are only in effect after the death of someone. Thats why the O.T. had the shedding of animals blood to put that testament into

effect. Therefore, the N.T. also had to have the death of someone. The one who died was Jesus. He died and then His will, or the New Testament, went into effect. But unlike other wills, Jesus rose from the dead and has become the executor of His own will. He ever lives to make sure all the provisions of His will are enforced 11.What is your honest reaction to the fact that the forgiveness of sin requires the shedding of blood? Talk to God about your answer, and if you need His help in understanding or accepting His ways, ask Him for it. Remember Hebrews 4:16 as you pray. Hebrews 9:23-28 The Future Attained 23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Note on Hebrews 9:25 This is going back to the point made in Hebrews 9:12, 15. Jesus was only offered as a sacrifice once, and He only sprinkled that blood on the altar for us once. There is no need to reapply His blood every time we sin. We were sanctified and perfected forever (Hebrews 10:10, 14).

12.What phrases do you find in chapter 9 that repeat themes already presented in the earlier chapters of Hebrews?

13.On the basis of what Christ has already accomplished, is there anything that still needs to be done to provide salvation? Cite the verse that supports your answer. Note on Hebrews 9:24 Jesus did not enter into the earthly temple and sprinkle His blood on the mercy seat. He entered into the true temple in heaven and placed His blood on the true mercy seat. And He only did it once for all sins of all mankind
Galatians 2:21 (NKJV) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. Analogy: It does not matter if you just now got pregnant or if you have been pregnant for 9 months you are pregnant either way; It does not matter if you just saved today or if you have been saved all your life You are saved. The good works you do, youre prayers, youre tithes, youre preaching and teaching, even your witnessing -will not make you more saved, just as your sin will not make you less saved youre saved.

14.How many times does a person die? Why is this truth significant in our pluralistic culture?

15.What does a person face upon dying? What does this imply about second chances after death?

16.How can a person insure that his or her eternal future is secure?

Apply what you have learned. In one brief chapter, we see that things of the past bear great influence on the present. This is true in our personal liveswe are molded by our past. How does your past influence your present (and future)? Thank God for the blessings that have made your present good. Ask Him to redeem and show you the purpose for the difficult things so that they, too, can be part of a blessed present and future.

*: Question: "What is the mercy seat?" Answer: The writer to the Hebrews talks about the arrangement of the tabernacle of the Old Testament. The tabernacle was the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt to the building of the temple in Jerusalem (see Exodus 2527). Within the tabernacle was the ark of the covenant which included the mercy seat (Hebrews 9:3-5 NKJV). The ark of the covenant, the chest containing the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, was the most sacred object of the tabernacle and later in the temple in Jerusalem, where it was placed in an inner area called the Holy of Holies. Also within the ark were the golden pot of manna, such as was provided

by God in the wilderness wanderings (Exodus 16:4) and Aarons almond rod (Numbers 17:1-13). On top of the ark was a lid called the mercy seat on which rested the cloud or visible symbol of the divine presence. Here God was supposed to be seated, and from this place He was supposed to dispense mercy to man when the blood of the atonement was sprinkled there. In a manner of speaking, the mercy seat concealed the people of God from the ever-condemning judgment of the Law. Each year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood of animals sacrificed for the atonement of the sins of God's people. This blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. The point conveyed by this imagery is that it is only through the offering of blood that the condemnation of the Law could be taken away and violations of Gods laws covered. The Greek word for mercy seat in Hebrews 9:5 is hilasterion, which means that which makes expiation or propitiation. It carries the idea of the removal of sin. In Ezekiel 43:14, the brazen altar of sacrifice is also called hilasterion (the propitiatory or mercy seat) because of its association with the shedding of blood for sin. What is the significance of this? In the New Testament, Christ Himself is designated as our propitiation. Paul explains this in his letter to the Romans: Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed (Romans 3:24-25 NKJV). What Paul is teaching here is that Jesus is the covering for sin, as shown by these Old Testament prophetic images. By means of His death, and our response to Christ through our faith in Him, all our sins are covered. Also, whenever believers sin, we may turn to Christ who continues to be the propitiation or covering for our sins (1 John 2:1, 4:10). This ties together the Old and New Testament concepts regarding the covering of sin as exemplified by the mercy-seat of God.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/mercy-seat.html#ixzz2ZJ7XEbEJ