A series on the book of Hebrews:
A better covenant
with better promises
(Click on the
link below to read the verses.)
Hebrews 8:1-13
[When
you first start to follow Christ, often it’s done with great excitement. It’s
like falling in love when all you can think about is the other person, and you
want to tell everyone you know. But then the day-to-day pressures of living can
push out those feelings and dull your enthusiasm. In this series, we will look
at how the author of Hebrews tried to counteract falling out of love with
Jesus.]
Having seen them in person, I can confirm that the
Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica are truly amazing! Spectacular even! In
the Sistine Chapel, all the walls and ceiling are literally covered with paintings
done by several different Renaissance masters. The most famous of which is Michelangelo.
However, in some ways, St. Peter’s Basilica is even more
spectacular. It’s one of the largest churches in the world, with a dome that
rises 448 feet! The long central hallway with adjoining chapels reaches 152
feet and features richly decorated ceilings with gold leaf accents. It’s also
decorated with artistic masterpieces including Michelangelo’s sculpture, Pietà .
As spectacular as these buildings and works of art
are, they’re only a shadow of what we will experience in heaven.
When Moses was on Mount Siani, God not only gave him
the Ten Commandments, but also very detailed instructions on building the
tabernacle. In fact, there are fifteen chapters on it. The sheer volume that is
devoted to the tabernacle indicates that it’s very significant. Therefore, we
should try to understand why.
The tabernacle was where the priests would offer
sacrifices for the sins of the people. For forty years, as they wandered in the
wilderness, they transported it everywhere they went. Despite this, it was only
a “copy and shadow” of God’s heavenly tabernacle.
In addition, the covenant that the tabernacle was
based on was inferior to the new covenant. In fact, the author of Hebrews quotes
a passage from Jeremiah that prophecies about a “new covenant”. It’s a
Messianic prophecy written about six hundred years before Hebrews was written.
10 This is the
covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God, and they will be my people. NIV
The tabernacle was considered to be the “house of
God”; or where God lived. In fact, the word tabernacle means “dwelling place”. It
was also symbolic of the holiness of God, and provided a means of atonement for
Israel to be in relationship with him. But Jesus changed all that. Here’s how John
describes it.
14 The Word became
flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory
with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. MSG
As spectacular as the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s
Basilica are, they pale in comparison to what the real heaven will be like; to actually
be in the presence of the Living God. For now, though, God’s dwelling place
isn’t confined to the tabernacle or St. Peter’s Basilica or your church or
mine.
Jesus has “moved into the neighborhood” and through
the Holy Spirit, it’s possible for him to live in your heart and mine. Now that’s
what I call truly spectacular!
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