How does Hebrews 9:6 illustrate the Old Testament priests' duties and responsibilities? \Setting the Scene\ Hebrews 9:6: “When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to perform their sacred duties.” The writer pictures the Tabernacle Moses erected in the wilderness, with its two chambers: – Outer room: the Holy Place – Inner room: the Most Holy Place (entered only on the Day of Atonement, v. 7) Verse 6 zeroes in on the everyday ministry that took place in the outer room, giving us a snapshot of an Old-Testament priest’s routine. \The Priests’ Daily Service in the Holy Place\ “Entered regularly” (Greek dia pantos – continually, day by day) highlights a ministry that never stopped: – Sunrise to sunset, a rhythm of service (Exodus 29:38-42). – Every priest on duty took his turn (1 Chronicles 24:1-19). – The sanctuary was never without an interceding representative. \A Closer Look at Their Sacred Duties\ 1. Light and tend the golden lampstand – Keep the lamps burning “from evening till morning” (Exodus 27:20-21). 2. Burn fragrant incense on the golden altar – Morning and evening, symbolizing continual prayer (Exodus 30:7-8; Psalm 141:2). 3. Arrange the bread of the Presence – Twelve loaves set each Sabbath, eaten by the priests in a holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9). 4. Present daily burnt offerings – Two lambs each day, plus grain and drink offerings (Numbers 28:3-8). 5. Sprinkle blood and handle purification tasks – Ensuring ritual cleanness for people and sanctuary alike (Leviticus 4 & 5). 6. Maintain the sacred furnishings – Trimming wicks, refilling oil, replacing coals—details that protected the holiness God required (Exodus 40:9-11). \Old-Testament Foundations Confirmed\ Hebrews 9:6 builds on God’s explicit instructions: – “Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you” (Exodus 25:9). – Faithful obedience kept divine order; the priests could neither add nor subtract (Deuteronomy 12:32). – Their continual entry illustrated representation: “Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastpiece of judgment when he enters the sanctuary” (Exodus 28:29). \Why “Regularly” Matters\ – Repetition underscored sin’s ongoing problem (Hebrews 10:1-3). – No priest could ever say, “Finished!”; new sins meant new sacrifices. – The people’s acceptance rested on someone else’s steadfast service—an earthly picture of a greater, heavenly reality. \Pointing Forward to the Greater High Priest\ – Old-covenant priests: many, mortal, continually offering (Hebrews 7:23-27). – Christ Jesus: one High Priest, who “offered Himself once for all” (Hebrews 9:12). – Earthly priests served in “a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary” (Hebrews 8:5); Christ ministers “in heaven itself” (Hebrews 9:24). – Their daily duties foreshadowed His perfect, finished work that opened the way for us to draw near (Hebrews 10:19-22). \Takeaway for Today\ – The diligence and precision of the Old-Testament priests remind us of God’s holiness and the costly nature of access to Him. – Their ceaseless labor magnifies the finality of Christ’s single sacrifice, inviting us to rest in what He has fully accomplished (John 19:30). – As “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), believers now serve continually with praise and obedience—not to earn acceptance, but because we already have it through our flawless High Priest. |
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