RHAPSODY OF REALITIES ;
13TH JULY , 2018 ; PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME;
A GREATER AND MORE PERFECT TABERNACLE ;
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:11-12).
In the Old Testament, the temple Solomon built was divided into two parts: outside was the temple courts, where the animals for sacrifices were killed. Then, there was the temple itself; the first part of it being the holy place, and only the priest could go in there then. The second part of it was the most holy place, separated from the first tabernacle with a thick curtain.
While the priest ministered in the holy place, only the high priest could go into the most holy place—the inner sanctuary—and he did that once a year. To go into the most holy place, he had to offer sacrifices to God for himself and for others; he could only go in there with the blood of an animal (Hebrews 9:6-8). Moreover, at the end of one year, that atonement would expire, and another sacrifice would be required.
Regardless of the sacrifices performed by the high priest every year, sin was never put away; the presence of God still wasn’t accessible to the people. More so, the altar where the high priest performed the sacrifices had to be sanctified with other sacrifices before the gifts were put on it, including all the utensils in the temple. In other words, the tabernacle that was supposed to be so holy and make things holy, was itself not holy enough.
Then the Bible says that Jesus, being a high priest in the order of Melchisedec came with a greater and more perfect tabernacle, and offered Himself once and for all. Hebrews 10:5 says, “… Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” His body was the greater and more perfect tabernacle, and through Him, the presence of God is now open to all who believe. Now we have boldness to “…enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20).
PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, offered once and for all, for the blotting away of sins! I acknowledge this perfect sacrifice that has brought me eternal and perfect remission of sin, and into union with you forever, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Hebrews 9:13-15; John 2:18-21; Ephesians 5:2
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Acts 21:37-22:1-21 & Job 32-35
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Galatians 3:23-29 & Isaiah 33