Hebrews 9:1-10
THE OLD ORDER
Under the first covenant, regulations stated that a Tabernacle or Special Tent was to be set up as an earthly sanctuary for the worship of God [1]. The Tabernacle consisted of two separate rooms.
THE HOLY PLACE – The first room of the Tabernacle contained The Altar of Incense, The Golden Table with “Showbread”, and the Lampstand made of hammered gold and placed at the south side of the Holy Place. The lamps were kept burning every night [2]. There was the table, made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, and on it 12 loaves of consecrated bread arranged in two rows. It was placed at the north side of the Holy Place [3].
THE MOST HOLY PLACE – A curtain separated the Most Holy Place [4], and although the Golden Altar of Incense stood in the Holy Place [5], the writer describes it here as placed in the Most Holy Place. Presumably, his purpose was to show its close relationship to the inner sanctuary and the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant, a chest made of acacia wood overlaid inside and out with gold; containing the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the Stone Tablets of the Covenant was also placed there [6].
On the Day of Atonement the high priest took incense from the Altar of Incense, along with the blood of the Sin Offering, into the Most Holy Place [7]. Â Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory: these were two winged figures made of pure gold and a part of the Atonement Cover or Mercy Seat; standing at each end of the Atonement Cover, the glory of God’s presence appeared between these two figures. The Atonement Cover, fitted over the Ark of the Covenant, was a slab of pure gold on which the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled [8].
At this point the writer ends his description of the Tabernacle, continuing to deal with the actual details of worship [9].
The priests served on regular basis in the outer room – the Holy Place, only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year with the blood of the atonement for sins of ignorance committed by himself and the people [10]. The high priest and the service of the priest’s in the Tabernacle was only an illustration of what was to come [11] since the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been opened. The first Tabernacle was still in effect and the imperfect priesthood still remained in place [12]. This was also an indication that the old order of worship was useless and it could not effectively deal with sin and clear the conscience of the worshiper. That system of worship provided ceremonial cleansing and the regulations applied only until such time as the new order was instituted.
Scripture References: [1] Heb. 9:1-2; [2] Ex. 30:1-10; 25:23-30; 40:24-26; [3] Lev. 24:5-6; Ex. 40:22; [4] Heb. 9:3-5; [5] Ex.30:6-8; 40:5; 1 Kings 6:22; [6] Ex. 25:10-15; 16:33-34; Num. 17:8-10; [7] Lev. 16:12-14; [8] Ex. 25:17-22; Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89; [9] Heb.9:6-7; [10] Lev. 16;1-34; [11] Heb. 9:8-10; [12] Heb. 8:7-8; 13.