Alright, now we can come back to Hebrews chapter 8. So He’s a minister of the Sanctuary first and foremost, this Temple, in which He is dwelling in the Person of the Holy Spirit. But so far as the Hebrew was concerned he’s still got the Temple on his mind, hasn’t he? And the Temple of course, was divided with the front part, the sanctuary, which if I remember correctly was 30 feet by about 15. And in the back behind the veil was 15 feet by 15 and that’s what the Hebrew understood. But this man, this high priest (Melchizedek) is a minister of the "true tabernacle," not the Temple there in Jerusalem. He's tabernacle is in Zion and is spiritual Jerusalem not of this earth but rather heavenly which still remains veiled to us. But the temple is the heart of those who have passed through into His Salvation and thereby become sons of God having passed through childhood as an heir.
Now again, as I was looking at all this we’ve got to remember the Temple was still operating in Jerusalem when this is being written. See, too many of us have got the idea that the Temple is long gone and it doesn’t play a role. Yeah, it still was operating when Paul was writing his letters. And of course, it was destroyed within a matter of two or three years after his death. But as Paul writes, the Temple is still going, as I said, full speed ahead. They were sacrificing animals by the thousands.
And so the Hebrew had the Temple on his mind when anything was brought up "religiously" as they would call it. And so here again Paul is addressing that. That this High Priest is not of that Temple operating up there on the Mount but of the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man." Remember that Moses was told to build a copy of what he had been shown, it was only a copy not the actual thing.
What’s he talking about? Well, come all the way back to Exodus chapter 25 and again I think this is a concept that very few professing believers, unless they become students, understand. This is the chapter where the Lord is going to give Moses instructions for building that first little tabernacle out in the wilderness, that little tent which, of course, became later the Temple. Alright in Exodus chapter 25 and he gives all the materials that they’re going to need in the first eight verses. Now look at verse 9.
Exodus 25:9
"According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it."
What’s a pattern? It’s the original! Manufacturers have what they call ‘prototypes.’ What is it? Well, it’s just a similar version of what they’re going to have at the end. But here’s what God is telling Moses? "You’re going to make a tabernacle patterned after an original not pitched with hands." The Epistle of Hebrews tells us it’s in heaven. And so there is a likeness of the true Temple format ‘in the heavens’ not made by men but created by God Himself. And it was into that Temple that Christ went in as our High Priest. This is the same Temple that we're in the presence of God in, in the spirit, where we reside even while we're in the physical here on earth. And how are there if we're physically here on earth by faith because the word tells us it is so.
Hebrews 8:1-2
"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man."
I told you, you could take a two-way approach on verse 2. He could be speaking of the body of us as believers, who are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. And Christ is the very Core and the makeup of that. But it could also be talking to, a reference to, the Old Testament tabernacle or temple, which was set in those two rooms the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holiest. And which was pitched according to the pattern in Heaven. And we’ll look at that again further in this chapter. Now verse 3.
Hebrews 8:3
"For every high priest (it is not of the Aaronic priesthood as it was an external or material priesthood or whereas the New is a High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, spiritual and internal ministration) is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer."
He has to have a reason for fulfilling His Priesthood. Now verse 4.
Hebrews 8:4
"For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:"
He couldn’t do that. See that? He couldn’t operate in His Priesthood if He had to do as Israel’s priests did because it just wouldn’t fit. He could not offer animal sacrifices. He could not fulfill the priesthood in the temple because His work is so totally, totally above and beyond the animal sacrifices of Judaism or of its pattern of feasts and holidays. Now verse 5.
Hebrews 8:5a
"(these priests of Israel, Judaism) Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle:…"
The tabernacle at Mt. Sinai, in the wilderness. In other words, God is making sure that Moses builds that tabernacle according to the floor plan of the original, which is in Heaven. This one point seams to be a point of contention because of the partial hardening of heart which God has placed on Israel as a nation. Now finishing verse 5.
Hebrews 8:5b
"for, See, (take note) saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount."
As Moses is about to build that tabernacle at Mt. Sinai, in the wilderness, the Lord spoke and said, "See, (take note) that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you on the mount." And this we find in Exodus 25:40 and is repeated in 26:30 as is it with each artifact used within this temple.
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