The Holy Place

by Terrell, J. D. | Category: General | Oct 1996

One of the most precious areas of teaching in the epistle to the Hebrews concerns the access of God's people, in priestly character, to the immediate presence of God in collective worship.

Having dealt in previous chapters with the high priestly succession of our risen Lord, 'after the order of Melchezidek', the writer of the epistle reaches, in chapters 9 and 10, the climax of the matter as far as God's people are concerned. Here he deals with the entering in of our great High Priest into heaven itself, through His own blood (9:12), and finally in 10:19, with the access of the people of God in worship to that same sacred place.

Lest there be any confusion about the place described in 10:19 which we have boldness to enter by the blood of Jesus, it is helpful to begin at the beginning of chapter 9. There we have a description of the Tabernacle of the

Old Covenant, with its two distinct compartments and their furnishings. This, we are told, was a 'sanctuary of this world'. Chapter 8 verses 1 and 2 has already referred in a general way to the place of service of our great High Priest today as the heavenly sanctuary, or 'the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man'. That is where His wonderful present day ministry is, as we shall see.

We need to consider carefully, however, the early verses of chapter 9. In verses 6 and 7 we are reminded that the High Priest of Israel had regularly entered 'the first tabernacle', called in verse 2, 'the Holy place'; but only once in the year on the Day of Atonement, entered the second tabernacle, called in verse 3, 'the Holy of holies'. At this point we need to note very carefully the words of verse 8, 'the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while as the first tabernacle is yet standing'. This is a critical point in the development of the teaching of Hebrews on the subject we are considering. Not so much because of the indication that a way once barred is now open, although that is true. But rather to note, for our present purposes, that now the expression 'the holy place' is being used in a new sense and with a new meaning. It now refers to the very presence of God in heaven which the risen Lord has entered in priestly service. Close reading of verse 8 shows that 'the holy place' of verse 8 is equated to the second tabernacle, or Holy of holies, of verse 3 and verse 7. Exactly the same term, 'the holy place' is now employed throughout the remainder of the teaching of this passage of Hebrews 9 and 10. In verse 12 of chapter 9 this, 'the holy place', is where the Lord has entered once for all through His own blood, certainly corresponding to the place which the priests of Israel could only enter annually bearing the blood of atonement -the Holy of holies, the immediate presence of God. In verse 24 it is the place in heaven on which the earthly sanctuary of old was patterned; and is 'before the face of God', again describing the immediate divine presence only found in the Holy of holies of the Old Covenant. Verse 25 further clarifies this point by contrasting Christ's once-for-all qualifying sacrifice, with the year-by-year blood shedding of the Day of Atonement.

Then, finally, we have 'the holy place' in chapter 10 verse 19, which the people of God are invited to enter with boldness 'by the blood of Jesus'. This is the same, and now the only, 'holy place' in God's view; His own immediate holy presence. Our access is through a veil which, unlike that separating the holy and most holy places of the historical Tabernacle, is not a barrier but a way of access - 'His flesh'. We enter because of all that flows from the incarnation and the atoning death of God's Son at Calvary. It is the place of inestimable privilege where those forming the house of God and the holy priesthood, meet in priestly service with the One who is 'great priest over the house of God' (10:21).

There is no question of continuing the concept of varying degrees of access to God as seen in Israel in the court of the Tabernacle, the holy place, and the most holy place. The earlier part of Hebrews chapter 10 makes this clear. 'By one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified' (10:14); that completeness, that sanctification, ushers us into the most holy presence of God as worshippers, where our great High Priest dwells - 'the holy place', above.

Terrell, J. D. | Oct 1996
General