Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: Leviticus 8-10; Hebrews 9
Devotional Thought:
The writer of Hebrews is making a comparison of the old and new covenants. He is helping the Jewish Christian to distinguish in his mind the difference and significance of both covenants. God did not want the Jewish Christian to conclude that the old covenant was worthless or pointless. He rather painstakingly points out the critical nature of the old covenant. He goes through each piece of the tabernacle and explains its significance to Jesus Christ. The outer court had one entrance and only one. Everyone who entered to worship had to enter into the tabernacle that one way. As it is with salvation, there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father except through that one way. (John 14:6) The first piece of furniture was the bronze altar. This is where the animal was secured to the horns and slaughtered. A picture of our Savior as He was nailed to a tree and His innocent blood shed for the sins of the whole world. The next piece of furniture was the bronze laver. This is where the priest would wash their hands and sometimes their feet. This pictures that once we have received Christ and the salvation He offers, we still need to come to Christ for daily cleansing to renew fellowship and joy. As we move from the courtyard to the Holy place, only the priest could enter into the holy place. The holy place had on the left the golden lampstand. The seven candlesticks were filled with the purest olive oil. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and we are to shine as lights to a lost and dying world. On the right was the table of showbread. Each Sabbath there was 12 fresh loaves of bread that only the priests could eat. This was also called the table of presence. It reminded the twelve tribes of the continual presence and provision of the Lord for them. The last piece of furniture in the holy place was the altar of innocence. This pictured the prayers of God’s people make a sweet smelling savor in the nose of our Savior. He delights in hearing and answering the prayers of His children. It also pictures the Lord Jesus as He maketh intercessions for us at the right hand of the Father. Next we find the veil, which separated the Holy of Holies from the holy place. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter through the veil and stand before the Ark of the Covenant where he would offer atonement for the sins of the people. On the lid of the Ark of the Covenant was the mercy seat, on which were the cherubim of glory, angelic figures made of solid gold. It was between the wings of those angels, on the mercy seat, that God met men. The ark represents Jesus Christ who is the true mercy seat. It is on the basis of His shed blood that man truly finds mercy. The old covenant only provided a picture of what the new covenant made a reality. The old covenant was temporary, but the new covenant is eternal. As the old hymn writer wrote, “My sins are blotted out I know!” Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to never forget the price you paid for my sin. Help me to always remember the humiliation, suffering, and sacrifice. Help me to never grow comfortable in sin.
• Lord, I am so grateful for the new covenant. I understand the purpose of the old covenant, pointing people to you, and how it served as a schoolmaster to help us better understand the new covenant.
• Lord, I am grateful for the privilege to enter into your presence and enjoy the fellowship made possible through the salvation you have given.
• Lord, thank you that you “appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of yourself.”