Copies of heavenly things
“Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” Hebrews 9:23-24
Ever wonder why the Old Testament? There are so many times when we get confused when we read the covenant that came before Christ. And we have a tendency to dismiss it.
But Jesus himself said he didn’t come to get rid of the Old Testament.
He came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
Necessary for the copies of heavenly things to be purified by these…
God never stopped being a holy God.
We sometimes think the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament.
We see the love and grace poured out through Christ in the new covenant and just see the rules of the old covenant.
And that’s what those who briefly give the Bible a glance might see.
But if we give the Bible more than a dismissive look and instead read it, we will find our loving and holy God throughout every rescue and in every rule.
Because throughout the Bible, God remains a holy God. He has standards that are impossible for us to attain.
For us, we think, “How can God expect me to do the impossible, then?”
For God, he could’ve easily given up on us and the fact that we aren’t able to keep from sinning.
Thank God he didn’t give us. With us, nothing is possible. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:6).
So in the Old Testament, he set out a very practical process, one that was a copy of heavenly things.
And he made it as close to what was real and required as possible. Which required purification to mee the standards of a holy God. Purification that could only be obtained by lifeblood.
For centuries, that was how we were able to come before the Holy One.
But that was never the full story. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4)
The Old Testament is full of promise of One who would come and make all things new… the Messiah.
…but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these…
And he did come. The Messiah, perfect and holy and blameless, came to fulfill everything that had been planned.
But it wasn’t to make holy the copies of what God had instituted in the Old Testament. He didn’t come for the physical tabernacle or even a physical kingdom.
The intent was always much higher: heaven itself.
Everything that we try to complete on earth are just copies. What God gave and the people of God followed in the Old Testament was the best there was at the time.
But when Jesus came, he was able to meet the purification standards for heaven itself. It’s for all and forever.
He is the better sacrifice. Against any other offering given to God, the only one that will ever be enough is Christ.
His blood alone can purify us and give us entrance into the presence of the holy God.
For Christ entered into heaven itself
And he did purify us. By crossing the threshold we were unable to cross, Jesus did the impossible: he brought a sinful people to be redeemed and able to live with their Creator.
He wasn’t a sacrifice that had to keep returning year after year, like the copy of heavenly things (with the high priest entering the holy place every year).
He appeared once. He appeared for all. And he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:25-26).
And so the Old Testament, full of the copies of the things that allowed them to be as near to God as was possible then, was fulfilled in Christ, who brought all things to completion in the New Testament.
Our God is holy, and we are ever so glad he never compromises his holiness (which would leave us without any good in the world, letting Satan win).
And (not “but”) our God is loving, waiting patiently throughout the ages, taking care of us and ultimately sending his Son so he could make the promise permanent: the promise that we could be His forever.
This verse is from the book of Hebrews, the beautiful description of the tapestry of promise God has woven throughout the Old Testament to the New.
If you want a companion to study with, grab our Hebrews Bible study journal in our shop and enjoy the precious time of knowing God’s sweet words!
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