9The first covenant had rules for worship and a place made for worship as well.G3767G3303G4413G2192G2532G1345G2999G5037G2886G392A tent was put up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place. In it were the lampstand and the table with the bread offered to God.G1063G2680G4633G2680G4413G1722G3739G5037G3087G2532G5132G2532G4286G740G3748G3004G393Behind the second curtain was the tent called the Most Holy Place.G1161G3326G1208G2665G4633G3588G3004G39G394In it were the gold altar for the burning of incense and the Covenant Box all covered with gold and containing the gold jar with the manna in it, Aaron's stick that had sprouted leaves, and the two stone tablets with the commandments written on them.G2192G5552G2369G2532G2787G1242G4028G3840G5553G1722G3739G5552G4713G2192G3131G2532G2G4464G985G2532G4109G12425Above the Box were the winged creatures representing God's presence, with their wings spread over the place where sins were forgiven. But now is not the time to explain everything in detail.G1161G5231G846G5502G1391G2683G2435G4012G3739G3756G2076G3568G3004G2596G33136This is how those things have been arranged. The priests go into the outer tent every day to perform their duties,G1161G5130G2680G3779G2680G2409G1524G1275G1519G3303G4413G4633G2005G29997but only the high priest goes into the inner tent, and he does so only once a year. He takes with him blood which he offers to God on behalf of himself and for the sins which the people have committed without knowing they were sinning.G1161G1519G1208G749G3441G530G1763G3756G5565G129G3739G4374G5228G1438G2532G51G29928The Holy Spirit clearly teaches from all these arrangements that the way into the Most Holy Place has not yet been opened as long as the outer tent still stands.G40G4151G5124G1213G3598G39G5319G3380G5319G4413G4633G2192G2089G47149This is a symbol which points to the present time. It means that the offerings and animal sacrifices presented to God cannot make the worshiper's heart perfect,G3748G3850G1519G2540G1764G2596G3739G4374G5037G1435G2532G2378G1410G3361G5048G3000G5048G2596G489310since they have to do only with food, drink, and various purification ceremonies. These are all outward rules, which apply only until the time when God will establish the new order.G3440G1909G1033G2532G4188G2532G1313G909G2532G4561G1345G1945G3360G2540G135711But Christ has already come as the High Priest of the good things that are already here. The tent in which he serves is greater and more perfect; it is not a tent made by human hands, that is, it is not a part of this created world.G1161G5547G3854G749G18G3195G1223G3187G2532G5046G4633G3756G5499G5123G3756G5026G293712When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and bulls to offer as a sacrifice; rather, he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us.G3761G1223G129G5131G2532G3448G1161G1223G2398G129G1525G2178G1519G39G2147G166G308513The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and this purifies them by taking away their ritual impurity.G1063G1487G129G5022G2532G5131G2532G4700G1151G4472G2840G37G4314G2514G456114Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.G4214G3123G2511G129G5547G3739G1223G166G4151G4374G1438G299G2316G2511G5216G4893G575G3498G2041G1519G3000G2198G231615For this reason Christ is the one who arranges a new covenant, so that those who have been called by God may receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. This can be done because there has been a death which sets people free from the wrongs they did while the first covenant was in effect.G2532G5124G1223G2076G3316G2537G1242G3704G1096G2288G1519G629G3847G1909G4413G1242G2564G2983G1860G166G281716In the case of a will it is necessary to prove that the person who made it has died,G1063G3699G1242G318G5342G2288G130317for a will means nothing while the person who made it is alive; it goes into effect only after his death.G1063G1242G949G1909G3498G1893G2480G3379G2480G3379G3753G1303G219818That is why even the first covenant went into effect only with the use of blood.G3606G3761G4413G1457G5565G12919First, Moses proclaimed to the people all the commandments as set forth in the Law. Then he took the blood of bulls and goats, mixed it with water, and sprinkled it on the book of the Law and all the people, using a sprig of hyssop and some red wool.G1063G5259G3475G2980G3956G1785G3956G2992G2596G3551G2983G129G3448G2532G5131G3326G5204G2532G2847G2053G2532G5301G4472G5037G975G846G2532G3956G299220He said, "This is the blood which seals the covenant that God has commanded you to obey."G3004G5124G129G1242G3739G2316G1781G4314G520921In the same way Moses also sprinkled the blood on the Sacred Tent and over all the things used in worship.G1161G3668G4472G129G2532G4633G2532G3956G4632G300922Indeed, according to the Law almost everything is purified by blood, and sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.G2532G4975G3956G2511G2596G3551G2511G1722G129G2532G5565G130G1096G3756G859
Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sins
23Those things, which are copies of the heavenly originals, had to be purified in that way. But the heavenly things themselves require much better sacrifices.G3767G318G5262G3303G1722G3772G2511G5125G1161G2032G846G2909G2378G3844G502524For Christ did not go into a Holy Place made by human hands, which was a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself, where he now appears on our behalf in the presence of God.G1063G5547G1525G3756G1525G1519G39G5499G499G228G235G1519G3772G846G3568G1718G4383G2316G5228G225725The Jewish high priest goes into the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of an animal. But Christ did not go in to offer himself many times,G3761G2443G4374G1438G4178G5618G749G1525G1519G39G2596G1763G1722G129G24526for then he would have had to suffer many times ever since the creation of the world. Instead, now when all ages of time are nearing the end, he has appeared once and for all, to remove sin through the sacrifice of himself.G1893G1163G846G4178G3958G575G2602G2889G1161G3568G530G1909G4930G165G5319G1519G115G266G1223G2378G84627Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.G2532G2596G3745G606G444G530G599G1161G3326G5124G292028In the same manner Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.G3779G5547G530G4374G1519G399G266G4183G553G846G3700G1537G1208G5565G266G1519G4991