The Holy of Holies; illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible

Hebrews 9:1-14, New Revised Standard Version

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was constructed, the first one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Holy of Holies. In it stood the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which there were a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot speak now in detail.

Such preparations having been made, the priests go continually into the first tent to carry out their ritual duties; but only the high priest goes into the second, and he but once a year, and not without taking the blood that he offers for himself and for the sins committed unintentionally by the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still standing. This is a symbol of the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right.

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

Blood and Remission

“ And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” – Hebrews 9:22

Every function of creation points to the center of God's truth. The body teaches us lessons about how the Body of Christ functions in the exercise of spiritual gifts and ministry. Every relationship can be a type of our relationship with God because that is the primary relationship in our lives. Marriage, friendship, family, and fatherhood all expound upon God’s ways with people. Even sub-creation, the work of God through the hands of men, can teach us the lessons of life as when Jesus turned the water to wine. Nothing is the same when God enters in.

The lesson is that God enters into every situation to manifest His presence and to transform and demonstrate His truth. Often, there is a grand and mysterious paradox. The men and women of Jesus' day did not understand how it was true, but they knew that the life of the body was in the blood. Throughout their history, the Jews observed that with the shedding of blood came death. But they practiced an ethic that grievous sins must be atoned for by the shedding of blood, life for life. When they realized that all sin before God was grievous, they needed a means of worship and sacrifice whereby sins could be atoned and sinners could still live. God provided the blood of the lamb as a worshipful sacrifice and as a reminder that unless God enters in, there is no forgiveness of sin.

Sinful men and women can be forgiven. The slate upon which the balances of our lives are weighed can be cleaned and we can be acquitted of that for which we are guilty. There were not enough sheep in Israel, or the entire world to make this possible however. Even this sacrifice was a type pointing to a deeper truth. The unfolding drama of revelation introduced the Incarnate Son of God as the Lamb. And the paradox of was and is that the loss of blood introduced the giving of life through the loss of life. Without the sacrifice of Jesus, there is no remission. In worship, we confront the glorious mysteries of transformation and open our lives to the continuing manifestation of God's power among us.

Let us worship.

Luke 1:46-55, New Revised Standard Version

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”