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Hebrews 9:10
… until the time of reformation. More important than finding the actual Ark of the Covenant, we must understand not only what it stands for but more importantly, what it doesn’t stand for. Let us therefore continue our archeological work of removing the debris of the doctrines of man in order to rediscover the Truth of the Word of God according to its own value. We have discovered that KJ editors added the word ‘covenant’ in their text of the eighth chapter of the letter to the Jewish believers of Israel. Removing that unfortunate edition, we now read the text not as a dispensational argument, but as a revelation of the meaning of the two chambers of the Tabernacle. Following the same principle we continue onto the thirteenth verse of chapter eight which reads, In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:13 KJV). Taking the added word ‘covenant’ out, what is it in our text that ‘decays and waxes old’, that becomes in fact obsolete? The terms of the Toratic covenant given on Mt Horeb? How is that possible since the Torah is fixed forever in Heaven (Psalms 119:89)? The Levitical priesthood? How could that be since the eternal Torah says that theirs is a perpetual priesthood (Exodus 40:15)? Aaron’s priesthood only stopped because the Temple was destroyed thirty years after Yeshua’s resurrection, but both the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah speak of its reinstitution when the Temple is rebuilt. For that reason, it cannot be the Temple either that has become obsolete in our text. What is it then that ‘decays and waxes old’ becoming obsolete in verse thirteen? When we read the text without the edition and understanding that ‘first’ and ‘second’ speak of the two section of the Tabernacle, chapter 9 gives us our answer,; it says, Now even the first had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, …. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant…. These preparations … their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper (Hebrews 9:1-9) (emphasis mine). It is this present age which decays and passes away, that becomes obsolete as the Kingdom of God is slowly but surely established since the manifestation of Messiah. This present age of the futile rule of man on the earth is coming to an end. We already hear the footsteps of Messiah on the horizon. He is coming to take His Bride and with her establish the Kingdom of His Father on earth. May it come soon, Abba, even in our days!
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2 Timothy 2:15
… Rightly handling the word of truth. Are you prepared to play archeologist? Many today want to find the Ark of the Covenant. Some claim to even have found it. But better than discovering the Holy Ark in a cave somewhere in the M. East, let’s unearth it from the debris of 2,000 years of man’s biased interpretations. The writer of the letter to the Messianic Jews of Israel wrote, For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second (Hebrews 8:7). If you read this verse in a King James Bible, you will find the word ‘covenant’ in italics. This is a tool KJV editors used to signal readers that a word was added as an aid to the translation. In most cases this tool is needed. You will notice also that in the Old Testament of KJV Bibles, most of the time ‘is’ is also italicized. The reason is that Hebrew infers the use of the verb ‘to be’ in the present tense, therefore it has to be added in an English translation. What we have in the aforementioned verse is different because the word ‘covenant’ is not inferred at all in the context of the chapter, but was added because of the doctrinal preference and understanding of the editors. This edition creates a totally different understanding of the eighth and the ninth chapter of the letter to the Messianic Jews, resulting in an anti-Torah and anti-Old Testament theology. Reading it without the edition, the verse reads, For if that first had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second (Hebrews 8:7). Continuing the process in chapters eight and nine, we see that the text is not about so-called covenants, but is rather an explanation of God’s idea in the two chambers of the Tabernacle, the ‘first called the ‘proto’, and the second called the ‘Deutero’. Chapter nine explains to us that these two chambers represent not a dispensation theology but a schedule. Let’s read it now without the edition, Now even the first had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place (this was a description of the first chamber; now to the second chamber). Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant…. (Now the explanation from the text itself …) By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age) (Hebrews 9:1-9). This text was written between 65 and 70 C.E, being therefore told that the first chamber represents this present age, it is obvious that the second chamber represents a different age in the future, something we will present in the few next devotionals; in the mean time, keep digging! Hebrews 7:17
"You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." In the Book of Hebrews Yeshua is spoken of as ushering a new priesthood; it even seems speaks of a change of Torah. It says, For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the Torah as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe … altar (Hebrews 7:12-13). This poses a problem. The Aaronic priesthood stems from an eternal covenant (Exodus 29:9), the Torah is established through an eternal covenant (Exodus 24:8), and God Himself doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6); how then could the levitical priesthood and the Torah be terminated?. Here is more: For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (Hebrews 7:18). What? The Torah, weak and useless? Context, context, context! The Messianic Jews of Israel had just witnessed the assassination of James, Yeshua’s brother who was also their leader, by a wicked High-priest. As Yeshua had forewarned them (John 16:2), they were now being evicted from the synagogues where they had continued worshiping God until that day. These people were at a loss so the author of Hebrews tries to comfort the Israeli believers telling them to now look up to the Temple and priesthood which are upward. He tells them: ‘Don’t worry, for the Torah appoints men in their weakness (weak because they had to make yearly offerings for their own atonement) as high priests, but the word of the oath (Psalms 110:4) … appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever (Hebrews 7:28). Yeshua is not an Aaronic priest (not a Levite; He was from the tribe of Judah), and as such not fit to serve in the Temple which is below (Hebrews 8:4) but He is a priest according to the order of Melchizedec who serves in the Temple which is above. The text then explains to us that the Aaronic priesthood being efficacious solely for the ritual purifying of the flesh, the priesthood of Yeshua serves to clean the conscience (Hebrews 9:8-14). The Levitical service is not therefore to be replaced by another, simply completed. The Aaronic priesthood was weak in that it could not save (Salvation was never the goal of the Torah), Yeshua, the priest according to the order of Melchizedec, holds his priesthood permanently (He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices for Himself every year as levitical priests do), because he continues forever Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:24-25). Now the equation is solved. The problem is that whereas people do read the Word, they read it with the glasses of a theology already established for them in childhood, so they read into the text instead of letting the text instruct them. Jeremiah the prophet tells us of the Messianic age when a third Temple with the two priesthoods serving together (Jeremiah 33:21). May that time come Adonai, even in our days! In the mean time, may we like our brethren from the Book of Hebrews find comfort in lifting our eyes upwards, towards He who is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). |
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