The Greater and More Perfect Tabernacle

I. God's Eternal Purpose to Have a Tabernacle
A. According to the divine blueprint - Heb. 8:5
B. A dwelling place of God with man
1. In the incarnated Christ - John 1:14
2. In the experiences of the saints - 2 Cor. 12:9; Rev. 7:14-17
3. In the church - Heb. 8:2; 3:6
4. In the New Jerusalem - Rev. 21:3
II. The Type of the Tabernacle - Hebrews 9:1-10
A. The typical items of the first tabernacle - Heb. 9:1, 6, 8
1. The holy place = the soul - Heb. 9:2; 6:19
a) The table of showbread = Christ as our food in the Word - Heb. 9:2;
Matt. 4:4; 1 Pet. 2:2-3
b) The lampstand = Christ as our light - Heb. 9:2; John 1:4; 8:12
c) The golden incense altar = Christ as our incense to God - Heb. 9:4;
Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4
2. The holy of holies = the spirit - Heb. 9:3; 4:12, 16; 10:19, 22; John 4:23-24
a) A veil = Christ's flesh - Heb. 10:20
b) The ark of covenant = Christ as God's testimony - Heb. 9:4;
Exo. 40:20-21
c) The golden pot with manna = Christ as the overcomer's hidden manna
- Heb. 9:4; Rev. 2:17
d) Aaron's rod that budded = Christ as resurrection life for ministry
- Heb. 9:4; Num. 17:3-10
e) The tables of the covenant = Christ as the inward law of life - Heb. 9:4; 8:10-11
f) The cherubim of glory = Representing God's glory - Heb. 9:5;
Exo. 25:18-20; Rom. 3:23
g) The propitiation place = Christ as the place where God and man meet - Heb. 9:5; Exo. 25:21-22; Rom. 3:24-25
B. The limitation of the first tabernacle
1. The limitation in meeting with God - Heb. 9:7
2. The way into the holy of holies not manifested - Heb. 9:8
3. Unable to perfect the conscience - Heb. 9:9
4. Only outward with ordinances of the flesh - Heb. 9:10
III. The Reality of the True Tabernacle- Hebrews 9:11-28
A. The greater and more perfect tabernacle of the new creation - Heb. 9:11; 2 Cor. 5:17;
Gal. 6:15-16
1. The goal of God's predestination and eternal purpose - Heb. 9:15b; Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 3:10-11
2. The subject of the eternal covenant - Heb. 9:15a; 13:20-21
3. The object of the eternal redemption - Heb. 9:12; Eph. 1:3-7
4. The burden of the eternal Spirit - Heb. 9:14
5. The aim of the eternal inheritance - Heb. 9:15; Rev. 21:3
B. The significance of the covenant
1. The Mediator of the new covenant - Heb. 9:15
2. The difference between covenant and testament - Heb. 9:15-17
a) Covenant based upon promises - Heb. 8:6
b) Testament based upon facts - Heb. 9:16-17
3. The bequests in force through death - Heb. 9:17
C. The significance of the blood of Christ in the tabernacle
1. The example of the first covenant enacted by blood - Heb. 9:18-23
2. The meaning of blood in the Bible
a) Blood is identical with the soul-life - Lev. 17:11, 14
(1) The value and efficacy of blood to make atonement is in the soul-life that it carries
(2) The blood of Jesus is in itself of infinite value because it carries His soul-life - Heb. 9:13-14
3. The content of the blood
a) The very soul of God Himself is in the blood - Acts 20:28
b) The very soul-life of the man Christ Jesus is in the blood - John 6:54
(1) The mind of Christ set on the things of God was not lost 2,000 years ago but is now ever available in the blood - Matt. 16:23
(2) The emotions of Jesus that were victoriously turned to His Father's will are still existing for us in His timeless blood
- John 12:27
(3) The human will of Jesus that resisted sin and submitted to the Father's will is con veyed into us by drinking that precious blood
- Heb. 12:4; John 5:53-56
(4) All that Jesus is and has done is now concentrated in His blood
- 1 Pet. 1:19
4. The action of the blood
a) The blood of Jesus speaks for us before God - Heb. 12:24
(1) The voice of the blood is pleading mercy and grace constantly on our behalf before God - Heb. 9:24
b) The blood of Jesus cleanses us within
(1) The conscience can only be cleansed by the action of the blood upon it, and not by dead works! - Heb. 9:14
5. The finality of the cross - Heb. 9:25-28
a) To forgive sin - Heb. 9:22
b) To bear our sins - Heb. 9:28
6. The two manifestations of Christ
a) To put away sin - Heb. 9:26
b) To appear a second time apart from sin unto salvation - Heb. 9:28