Hebrews 8:13
"In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old, (like an old garment or dried up wine skin that’s ready to be folded up and cast aside or as Jacobs name was changed because his earthy nature was to have been changed by God to that of one being of El.) Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."
What did the Hebrews not get, the changing of natures from a purely physical, earthy or carnal to that of a purely spiritual or supernatural. No one is to be or remain in such a condition for when they do they may say with the writer Henry Scougal in his book "The Life of God in the Soul of Man" from chapter 3 the following:
"I have hitherto considered wherein true religion doth consist, and how desirable a thing it is; but when one sees how infinitely distant the common temper and frame of men is from it, he may perhaps be ready to despond, and give over, and think it utterly impossible to be attained. He may sit down in sadness, and bemoan himself, and say, in the anguish and bitterness of his spirit, “They are happy indeed whose souls are awakened unto the divine life, who are thus renewed in the spirit of their minds; but, alas! I am quite of another constitution, and am not able to effect so mighty a change. If outward observances could have done the business, I might have hoped to acquit myself by diligence and care; but since nothing but a new nature can serve the turn, what am I able to do? I could bestow all my goods in oblations to God, or alms to the poor, but cannot command that love and charity, without which this expense would profit me nothing. This gift of God cannot be purchased with money. If a man should give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. I could pine and macerate my body, and undergo many hardships and troubles; but I cannot get all my corruptions starved, nor my affections wholly weaned from earthly things. There are still some worldly desires lurking in my heart, and those vanities that I have shut out of the doors, are always getting in by the windows. I am many times convinced of my own meanness, of the weakness of my body, and the far greater weakness of my soul; but this doth rather beget indignation and discontent, than true humility in my spirit. And though I should come to think meanly of myself, yet I cannot endure that others should think so too. In a word, when I reflect on my highest and most specious attainments, I have reason to suspect, that they are all but the effects of nature, the issues of self-love acting under several disguises; and this principle is so powerful, and so deeply rooted in me, that I can never hope to be delivered from the dominion of it. I may toss and turn as a door on the hinges, but can never get clear off, or be quite unhinged of self, which is still the centre of all my motions; so that all the advantage I can draw from the discovery of religion, is but to see, at a huge distance, that felicity which I am not able to reach; like a man in a shipwreck, who discerns the land, and envies the happiness of those who are there, but thinks it impossible for himself to get ashore.”
Now what is the purpose of all the above, that when man is willing to wrestle with God with tenacity of soul and focus to come out as one with God, a prince before El. That God by one touch can both destroy and heal that man. To place him back into being a prince with El and having His nature and character or virtue restored again. So here Paul is and what’s He still trying to impress upon these Jewish people? That the old system of Law and the old religion of Judaism is now worn out, it’s past, it’s done and they’re to look for something totally new. Why is it that in our day and time there are so many who want to follow the old customs of a religion now defunct and they're considered as lawlessness? Why? because they refuse to hear God through by His word and Christ the Living Word.
Let’s go right back where we left off in Hebrews and we’re now ready to start chapter 9. Now it’s rather interesting that after Paul almost exhausts chapters 7 and 8 with the constant reference to the high priesthood of Melchizedek now we move on into these chapters and we’re certainly still going to be looking at that priesthood but we never again see the name Melchizedek. And as I study, I find it’s rather interesting that it is used so rarely through Scripture.
Genesis 14 is when we have the first mention of Melchizedek and then again in Psalms, I think it’s 107. Then we see nothing more of Melchizedek until we get here to the Epistle of Hebrews and again it’s only just for a couple chapters in here. Now the name disappears but the priesthood continues.
Hebrews 9:1-2a
"Then verily the first covenant (again going back to the Mosaic) had also ordinances of divine service, (in other words, they had to go through the rituals prescribed) and a worldly (or an earthly, material) sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle…" (a tent)
I trust you all know that the word tabernacle is better translated in our English, as a tent. It was a temporary place that could be taken down, folded up and moved. It was not stone and brick and mortar like the temple which came later. But it was a temporary tent situation and so, consequently, it was called a tabernacle. Now what if I told you that it could also be interpreted as wife as contributing to the usefulness of her husband as a vessel? And figuratively as darkness of error and adumbration or shadow. All this points to mans flesh as being a tabernacle of his soul or spirit the heart of man. It was a symbol of mans flesh as it is only now a temporary dwelling place of God's creation for His spirit man to dwell in while here on earth. The spirit which was His in both image and likeness from the get go and which He both redeemed and gave Salvation.
Hebrews 9:2-3
"For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;"
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