Opening Frame

• Hebrews explains why Jesus is greater than the Old Covenant system

• The tabernacle was a symbolic system pointing forward to Christ

• The chapter answers one central question:

  • How can sinful people gain access to a holy God?

Section 1 - The Earthly Tabernacle (Hebrews 9:1-5)

The Structure

• The first covenant had regulations for worship

• The tabernacle was an earthly sanctuary

Three Sections

• Outer Court

  • Altar of burnt offering

  • Bronze basin

• Holy Place

  • Lampstand

  • Table of showbread

  • Altar of incense

• Most Holy Place

  • Ark of the Covenant

  • Mercy Seat

  • Cherubim

Objects Inside the Ark

• Jar of manna

• Aaron's rod that budded

• Stone tablets of the covenant

Teaching Truth

• The tabernacle structure communicated distance from God

• The deeper you went, the fewer people could enter

Principle

• God is holy

• Sin restricts access

Section 2 - The Limitations of the Old System (Hebrews 9:6-10)

Priestly Activity

• Priests entered the Holy Place daily

• Ministry was constant

High Priest Access

• Only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place

• Only once a year

• Only with blood

• Offered sacrifice for:

  • Himself

  • The people

Meaning of the System

• The Holy Spirit was showing that full access to God was not yet open

Limitations

• Rituals could not cleanse the conscience

• Sacrifices dealt with external purification only

Conclusion

• The system was temporary

• It pointed toward a coming new order

Section 3 - Christ the Greater High Priest (Hebrews 9:11-14)

The Turning Point

• "But when Christ came"

Christ's Ministry

• High Priest of the good things now here

• Entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle

• Not made with human hands

Location

• Jesus entered heaven itself

The Sacrifice

• Not the blood of goats or calves

• His own blood

Result

• Entered once for all

• Obtained eternal redemption

Old Covenant

• External cleansing

Christ's Work

• Cleanses the conscience

Purpose

• To serve the living God

Self-Diagnosis Questions

• What dead works still exist in my life?

• Am I serving God or maintaining religious habits?

• Is my conscience clean before God?

• What sins have I normalized?

• What would I not want brought into the light?

Section 4 - Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:15-22)

Jesus the Mediator

• Mediator between God and humanity

• Provides the sacrifice that reconciles us

Result

• Believers receive an eternal inheritance

Illustration

• A covenant functions like a will

• A will takes effect after death

Conclusion

• Christ's death activates the promises of the New Covenant

Old Covenant Pattern

• Covenants ratified with blood

• Moses sprinkled:

  • The scroll

  • The people

  • The tabernacle

Principle

• Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness

Section 5 - The Final Sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 9:23-28)

Earthly System

• Copies purified with animal sacrifices

Christ's Work

• Entered heaven itself

• Appears in God's presence for us

Contrast

Old Covenant

• Repeated sacrifices

• Yearly Day of Atonement

Christ

• One sacrifice

• Once for all

Historical Moment

• Christ appeared at the culmination of the ages

Result

• Sin dealt with decisively

Human Reality

• People die once

• Judgment follows

Future Hope

• Christ will appear a second time

• Not to deal with sin

• To bring salvation to those waiting for Him

Core Gospel Summary

Old Covenant

• Restricted access

• Repeated sacrifices

• External cleansing

• Sin not removed

Christ

• Open access to God

• Once-for-all sacrifice

• Cleansed conscience

• Eternal redemption

Closing Application

Because of Christ:

• The veil is torn

• Access to God is open

• The conscience can be clean

• Believers can serve the living God

• Salvation will be completed when Christ returns