The earthly temple
- So indeed, even the first covenant had both regulations for sacred service and an earthly Holy Place.
- For a tabernacle was constructed, in which the first room had both the lampstand and the table, and also the consecrated bread; that room is called the ‘Holy Place‘
- Then behind the second veil was a tabernacle room called the ‘Holy of Holies’,
- having the golden altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant *covered with gold on all sides, in which was the golden jar holding the manna, and the staff of Aaron which budded, and the tablets of the covenant.
- And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which now isn’t the time to speak in detail.
- And with these things *constructed this way, the priests indeed enter into the first tabernacle room all through the year when performing the sacred services.
- But into the second, only the high priest enters once a year and not without bringing blood, which he offers for himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance.
- By this, the Holy Spirit is revealing that the way into the Holy of Holies hasn’t yet been made known while the tabernacle’s first room still has standing,
- which is a parable for the *present season in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, though not being able to perfect the conscience of the man ministering.
- It’s only in foods, and drinks, and various washings, and fleshly ordinances until the season of reformation being put into place.
- But the Anointed appeared as high priest of the good things which came through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that isn’t of this creation,
- nor through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood He entered once for all into the Holy of Holies, having obtained the repurchase price of ages.
- For if sprinkling the blood of goats, and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer on the men who have been defiled makes them holy for the purification of the flesh,
- how much more will the blood of the Anointed – who through the Spirit of ages offered Himself to God unblemished – purify our conscience from dead works in order to serve the living God?
- And because of this, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that by His death which happened for a repurchase payment from missteps under the first covenant, so the men who have been called might receive the promise of the inheritance of ages.
- For where there’s a covenant that’s also a Last Will and Testament, it’s necessary to establish the death of the man who made it.
- For a covenant that’s also a Last Will and Testament is upheld after death, since it isn’t ever in force while the man who made it lives.
- Therefore, not even the first covenant was *inaugurated without blood.
- For when every commandment according to the law was spoken by Moses to all the people, then having taken the blood of calves and goats with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he sprinkled it on both the book itself and all the people,
- saying: “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded for you.”
- And he likewise sprinkled the tabernacle, and also all the vessels of the ministry with blood.
- And according to the law, you could almost say that all things are purified by blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- Therefore, it’s indeed necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better sacrifices than those.
- For the Anointed didn’t enter into the Holy Places made by hands (which are copies of the true ones) but into heaven itself; to appear now in the presence of God for our sake.
- And not so He might offer Himself frequently, just as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies every year with the blood of another.
- Otherwise, it would’ve been necessary for Him to suffer frequently from the foundation of the world. But now, once at the culmination of the ages, He has been revealed for the annulment of sin through His sacrifice.
- And insomuch as it’s appointed to men once to die and after this is judgement,
- so also the Anointed – having been offered once to bear the sins of many – will appear for a second time without sin for salvation to the men eagerly awaiting Him.