Cleansing The Heart
Part of Hebrews - Pastor's Bible Study
December 7, 2017

CLEANSING THE HEART
HEBREWS 9:1-14

1. The Old Covenant And The Outer Man (vv. 1-10)

1) The tabernacle (vv. 1-2)

  • The tabernacle was simply a

    Reveal Answer
    .

  • The word “worldly” means

    Reveal Answer
    . The tabernacle of the Old Testament was an earthly tent (i.e. it was made by the hands of man, and it was pitched by the hands of man).

  • It was made after the pattern given by God but with gifts given by man.

  • Being an earthly sanctuary it had some weaknesses:
    1] From time to time it needed to be repaired.
    2] It was

    Reveal Answer
    geographically. It could only be in one place at a time. People had to travel to wherever it was. Not necessarily easily accessible.
    3] It belonged only to the
    Reveal Answer
    . The gentile was out unless he became a proselyte.

2) The furnishings (vv. 2-5)

1] Lampstand
- There were no windows in the tabernacle so the lampstand gave

Reveal Answer
so the priests could do their service. (on south wall)
- The lampstand is actually a picture of Jesus. He is the
Reveal Answer
Light of the World. (John 8:12) Believers are to be lights in a darkened world today. (Phil. 2:14-15)

2] Table of showbread
- This table held the “bread of presence.” It reminded the Jews that God’s presence sustained them.
- Again, Jesus is the fulfillment of the type. He is the

Reveal Answer
of Life. (John 6)

3] Golden censer (altar) (cf. Lev. 16:12)
- This altar stood just outside the holy of holies next to the veil. The altar was not in the holy of holies, but its ministry pertained to the holy of holies.
- On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would burn incense within the holy of holies with coals taken from the altar.
- The altar of incense pictures prayers arising to heaven. It is also a picture of the

Reveal Answer
work of Jesus in our lives. He never ceases to intercede for us. He is constantly in the presence of the Father on our behalf.

4] The Ark of the Covenant
- The ark was a wooden box that was overlaid in gold and covered by the mercy seat.
- The ark contained a golden pot containing manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the two tablets of stone on which the Law was written.
- On the Day of Atonement the blood of the goat was sprinkled on the mercy seat to cover the tables of Law that had been broken. God saw the blood not the broken law.
- The reality for us is that that Christ is the true Mercy Seat. (Rom. 3:24-25)
- The shed blood of Jesus doesn’t simply

Reveal Answer
our sins but
Reveal Answer
them, cleanses them.
- The major thing here is that while there are spiritual truths wrapped up in these physical articles of furniture, they are simply
Reveal Answer
and not spiritual
Reveal Answer
. Jesus is the reality.

3) The priesthood (vv. 6-7)
- The operation of the priesthood shows how

Reveal Answer
God was from the people.
- It was inaccessible because only the priests were allowed into the tabernacle, and only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once per year.
- The heavenly sanctuary is open to all believers. (cf. Heb. 10:19-22)

4) The ordinances (v. 10)
- All of the ordinances, rituals, ceremonies, etc. that were performed on behalf of the people by the various priests or even the High Priest, were only physical actions that addressed the outer person.
- The sacrifices offered at the tabernacle could never change the

Reveal Answer
or consciences of men. The sacrifices provided only ceremonial cleansing, not moral cleansing.
- The word “carnal” pertains to the outer man not the inner man. These ordinances dealt with the outer man. They could not bring cleansing to the inner man.

5) It was

Reveal Answer
. (v. 8)
- The fact that the holy place stood between the people and the holy of holies proved that the way of salvation was not complete.
- The holy place (first room) stood between the people and God’s presence (in the second room).
- When Jesus died on the cross, the veil separating the holy of holies from the holy place was torn in two from top to bottom signifying we can access God directly. There was no longer any need for an earthly tabernacle.

2. The New Covenant And The Inward (Heb. 9:11-14)

1) The heavenly tabernacle (v. 11)
- The good things to come deal with the new covenant, its blessings, and all that the Old Covenant

Reveal Answer
_ to.
- He serves in a tabernacle not made with hands. It is not earthly. It is heavenly.
- The phrase “not of this building” means not of this creation, i.e. it was made of heavenly material not earthly material. (cf. 9:24) Jesus ministers in a sanctuary that is undefiled by man.
- Jesus is the High Priest of the real sanctuary. All that was foreshadowed by type in the earthly tabernacle is now reality in the heavenly sanctuary because Christ ministered there as Priest.

2) The efficacious sacrifice to deal with

Reveal Answer
. (vv. 12-14)
- Animal sacrifice vs. Christ’s sacrifice – v. 12.
- Animal sacrifices offered at the earthly tabernacle were involuntary, many, provided for a covering of sin, and were presented by a man.
- Christ sacrifice presented at the heavenly sanctuary was voluntary, one time, provided for cleansing of sin, and was presented by a sinless High Priest.
- Ceremonial cleansing vs. conscience cleansing – vv. 13, 14.
- The Old Testament rituals could never change a person’s heart. Therefore the cleansing offered by way of the earthly tabernacle’s ministry was a ceremonial cleansing. As long as the worshipper did the prescribed ritual or ceremony, he was declared clean. It was outward not inward.
- The ministry of the New Covenant is internal (cf. 8:10). The cleansing of our conscience internally cannot be done by external cleansing. It takes internal power, the power of the Spirit. The Spirit could not dwell in us if Jesus did not cleanse us.

Application