Heb 9:1 Part 1 – “Christ Being Come an High Priest of Good Things to Come”

[Study Aired November 26, 2020]

Heb 9:1  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 

The statement “Christ being come an high priest of good things to come” in verse 11 of Hebrews chapter 9 (Heb 9:11 ) is contrasted with the first ten verses of Hebrews chapter 9 which speak of the “ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary” that were all found within the temple or tabernacle God ordained and established for our sakes (2Co 4:15 ) to help us understand what He is doing within the temple which we are today (1Co 3:16 ).

2Co 4:15   For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

1Co 3:16   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

As we compare “spiritual things with spiritual” (1Co 2:13 ), using the physical tabernacle and all the “ordinances of divine service” within that tabernacle, what God is doing today in His workmanship which we are (Eph 2:10 ) should become brighter, giving us the vision and hope of those things He has promised to finish in us through Christ (Php 1:6) to whom we look as our high priest (Heb 12:2) who is the “minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Heb 8:2).

1Co 2:13   Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;

Eph 2:10   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

We are abiding in Christ’s body, which is the temple (Col 1:24 ), where we “consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself” knowing that as the body of Christ we can fill up what is behind of His afflictions “for his body’s sake, which is the church” as we endure, through Christ (Php 4:13 ), being hated of all men for His name’s sake (Mat 10:22 ). This endurance is only possible as we nourish and supply what each of us needs, (Eph 4:16 ) bearing each other’s burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

Col 1:24   Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Eph 4:16   From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

The new commandment God has given His church is a spiritual law in our members, His love being shed abroad in our hearts (Rom 5:5) that makes it possible for us to abide in His truth (Joh 8:31-32) which is witnessed in our obedience to His commandments (Joh 14:15 ). Our discipleship, our love toward one another, is expressed through that obedience (Act 5:32 , Joh 13:35 ).

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Joh 8:31   Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 8:32   And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 14:15   If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Act 5:32   And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Joh 13:35   By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

The “ordinances of divine service” in the temple of old is a type and shadow of that discipleship and explains to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear (Mat 13:16 ) how we are nourished at the altar, which is the cross and the place where our Lord strengthens us and provides all that we need in order to fulfill our Father’s will “in earth, as it is in heaven” (Php 1:29 , Mat 6:10 ).

Mat 13:16   But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Php 1:29   For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Mat 6:10   Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

If we don’t labour for that meat which does not perish, we would “be wearied and faint in your minds” of Hebrews 12:3, but if we know that our labour is not in vain and that Christ is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, then we should rejoice and again I say rejoice (Php 4:4, Rom 8:16 ) as we go about our Father’s business working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Heb 11:6-7), knowing that those labours are building up the temple of God and making us stronger and ready to face whatever the future holds (Php 2:12-13, Eph 6:11-12, Heb 4:11 ). This building up of the temple is all being accomplished through Christ (Psa 127:1) and is the reason we point each other to this statement: “Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle (Col 1:24 ), not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building”.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Php 2:12   Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Php 2:13   For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Eph 6:11   Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil [Mat 24:24 , Mat 16:17-18].

Eph 6:12   For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Heb 4:11   Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Heb 9:1  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service^G2999, and a worldly sanctuary.

In this first verse it is very informative to notice how the word “divine service^G2999” is used in other verses, particularly in John 16:2 and Romans 9:4.

G2999 latreia

Total KJV Occurrences: 6

service, 5

Joh_16:2, Rom_9:4, Heb_9:1 (2), Heb_9:6

divine, 1

Heb_9:1

The service^G2999 of God can have both a negative and positive viewpoint, and yet as with all of the promises of God and all the service that we render unto Him, whether it is under strong delusion (Act 4:27-28) or with the clear mind of Christ, they are still all working out “for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” in the end (2Co 1:20 , Rom 8:28 ).

2Co 1:20   For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Rom 8:28   And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

When the time is appointed for God’s elect to be put out of the synagogue, there are those who believe they are doing Godly service by carrying out these actions, which we do in our appointed time when we rejected Christ and put Him out of our midst because of our spiritual blindness (Psa 14:3, Psa 53:3, Rom 3:10 ).

For those who are called and chosen in this life (Mat 22:14 ), we are told “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service^G2999“. The positive end result of this service is expressed with the story of the blind man who was healed and put out of the synagogue, where he then met Christ who had a very pointed question for him (Joh 9:35 , Joh 9:1-39).

Joh 9:1  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blin