See Exodus 25-30 for details on the tabernacle.
Verses 1-10
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One of the reasons why the Old Covenant services, in a tabernacle, were inferior is because they were merely symbolic. These services foreshadowed truths of the New Covenant.
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The offerings and sacrifices made under the Old Covenant could not purge sin from a person's mind; they were only concerned with outward issues—washing the body but never able to cleanse the heart.
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Therefore, even the priests under the Old Covenant never truly experienced closeness with God.
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The way into the Holiest—the way to the Father—was not yet clear. Only Jesus makes the way for us to come to God and truly commune with Him!
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Also, the high priest—only one person—could enter the Most Holy Place, and he could only enter once per year. That's it! Truly, intimacy with God was never fully made available to anyone.
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Verses 11-15
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Christ's blood cleanses the heart! Because of Christ, we have an inheritance in heaven, and we can have a new heart that allows us to serve God obediently (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
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Verse 15. And in His death, He paid for all the sins we committed while yet unbelievers, and thus, under the first covenant (Romans 7:5-6).
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Even the Old Covenant Israelites could be forgiven for the sins they committed in ignorance (verse 7). We were in ignorance as unbelievers. And Christ died to wipe away even the memory of the sins we committed as unbelievers (Acts 17:30, Hebrews 8:12).
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Verses 16-28
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Just as the articles of the Old Covenant services had to be purified with blood, the tabernacle in heaven required Jesus' own blood (see verse 12) to be offered there.
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“The life of the flesh is in its blood” the Bible says (Leviticus 17:11), and it has great power and significance in the kingdom.
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People receive judgment from God after death. So, Jesus bore our sins in His own death, once, to save us from the judgment of being condemned to hell.
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As believers, the next time we see Christ He will be saving us, not condemning us! Praise God!
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