Click here to open the Video Devotional
Hebrews 9:1-5
The author of Hebrews is leading us to a “better way” in that of the true sanctuary and tabernacle in which the LORD has made, that was not made by man (Hebrews 8:1-6). As we begin Hebrews chapter nine, we are informed/reminded of the glory of the earthly tabernacle that was made by man under God’s instruction as He gave to Moses. We can read of the intricacies of the individual items required in the sanctuary, and of the tabernacle itself in Exodus 25-28. These items were made mostly of, or at least were covered in solid gold, the most precious of earthly metals. The tabernacle was God’s dwelling place on earth to be with His chosen people. We must always keep in mind that in the Old Testament, before God sent His one and only Son Jesus to be the sacrifice to satisfy all sacrifice for the sins of man, the tabernacle, and more directly, the Most Holy Place behind the veil above the ark of the covenant was where the presence of God met with His people. This was the most elaborate and holy place on earth and was to be recognized as such not by simply the Israelites, but for all of humanity to become aware.
This is a promise of the importance of the old covenant and of God’s dwelling place with His chosen people.
The old covenant of the Law in which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai was to show man of sin and that by putting their faith in God, He would forgive them if they would seek Him with all their heart, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). The importance of the tabernacle is that God would always dwell with His chosen people wherever they were on this earth as the tabernacle traveled with the Israelites throughout their journey.
God dwells with His chosen people today in our hearts, the most Holy of Holies within each of us, and He travels with us everywhere we go because He lives within us – in our hearts. Through the death of Jesus in paying the eternal price for sin for all humanity and His resurrection from the dead, He has claimed victory over sin, death, and the author of it – Satan. Satan strives, then and today, to keep us from realizing that he has been defeated, as he pulls at our heart’s desires to lead us away from the life that God intends for us to have through forgiveness; that we would open our eyes to a life with God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. I encourage you, if you have not done so, to ask God to break the chains that Satan has you bound in, that your heart may be set free, and that you may begin living the life that He has specially designed for you – in Christ.
Dear LORD,
We are learning through the author of Hebrews that the tabernacle of the Israelites was a man-made tabernacle to be an example of the spiritual tabernacle that You have designed to be forever within our hearts. That You would be with us everywhere we go and live within us as our God. Satan has chained each of our hearts in sin, but Jesus broke the chains of Satan as He paid the debt to sin for all humanity in His purity. You offer us the purity of Jesus – the requirement of the new covenant in Him to enter Your eternal peace. Please help us to see the importance of life, of this physical life, that in its choices leads to spiritual life for eternity – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.