 Okay. Welcome back everyone. We will continue with Hebrews chapter 10. Let's, okay, Hebrews chapter 9. Sorry, I was ahead of myself. So Hebrews chapter 9. Let's begin by reading the first five verses and then we will, you know, follow through with the rest. So any volunteers? Yeah. Yes, Christopher. Hebrews chapter 9. Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances or divine service and the earthly sanctuary for a tabernacle was prepared. The first part in which was a land stand, the table and the show bread, which is called the sanctuary. And behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden sensor and the arc of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna. Aaron's rod that budded and the tablets of the covenant and above it with a cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things, we cannot now speak in detail. Yes. Thank you, Christopher. So as the author continues to make several points about Jesus being greater and his covenant being better, he is now presenting a picture of the tabernacle, the earthly tabernacle and the parts of the tabernacle, not just the parts, but also some of the contents or the furniture of the tabernacle. So he says that under the first covenant, there were certain regulations or he says ordinances of divine service. There were certain regulations for divine worship, certain practices that were done in the earthly tabernacle or the sanctuary. And then he describes the parts. So we are quite aware of the parts. So obviously, outside was the outer court. And then when you come into the inner court, now he's describing in the holy place, the things like lab stand, table, showbread. So these all again have their own significance. His intent is not to describe all over again what these things stand for, but he'll continue to make a point. And we are all aware of the holy place and the significance of these items and the fact that the presence of God dwelt in the holy of holies which carried the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of the Covenant. Very important, very important portion of the tabernacle. So let's see where he is headed to. Now let's read on verse six through 10. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priest always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services, but into the second part of the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the peoples since committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit indicating this, the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are not offered, which cannot make him to perform the service perfect in regard to the consigns. Consent only with foods and drinks, various blessings, the fleshly ordinance imposed until the time of reformation. Yes, so he is now trying to point towards a fulfillment that has taken place. So he uses things, words like until the time of the reformation. And in verse eight, he says, the Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. So he's saying that these practices continued, but there was supposed to be a time when something better would come in position. And at that time, these practices would no longer be required because these practices were, but a shadow, these practices were just indicating to the fulfillment which will come in a better manner through Jesus Christ. So that's what he's saying. So he described the portions of the tabernacle. And now let's see what other things he has listed out here. So in verse six, he said that the Hebrew believers were aware that things haven't prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle performing the services. So we know that there were so many responsibilities for the priests where they had to attend the lamps on the lampstand. They had to offer daily sacrifices. They also needed to burn incense in the holy place. Now the incense, the fire, the lampstand, all those things should not, it should not go off. So you can imagine there was work 24 bar seven, they needed to keep all this up. So that was a lot of hard work. And when people came in making sacrifices and taking their gifts, they had to involve in all these regulations of divine worship weekly. They had to make sure that the bread on the table was renewed. And they also used to eat the old loaves so that they were given all these laws. So they kept it. And we would notice that when it came to sacrifices, there were other duties which they needed to perform. So while sacrificing, they would have to collect the blood of the animal that is being sacrificed. They had to offer a portion of that on the altar. They had to have a portion of it which was assigned to them. So there's so much of work. A lot of work which is being done. But here's the point. He's saying, yes, all these duties seem so noble in the service of God, in the service of people. But at the same time, there's something far better that has been accomplished through Jesus. Again, we are not saying that these things were not useful or effective. In the time when they were asked to be done, they served a purpose. But there's something greater that has now come into being. So these priests, their works were quite a bit. So they had to make all these regular sacrifices. And if you go into studying about all the sacrifices they made, there's an entire list. But offerings, they had to present grain offerings, peace, fellowship offering, sin offering, guilt offering. So they had to do all that. Sacrifices, they had to do mourning and evening sacrifices, part of Passover and on the day of atonement or Yom Kippur, as it is called in the Hebrew language, they had to ensure that they fulfilled all these things. But then something has been done in such a manner that these practices no longer have to be performed. So in verse 7, he says, into the second part, the high priest went alone once a year. So that is the Yom Kippur day of atonement that we talk about where once in a year, the high priest, he had to ceremonially cleanse himself and he had to enter the Holy of Holies. And it was a very, the act of reverence on the part of the priest, God's presence, they all feared the presence of God in that Holy of Holies. And so the high priest would really have to be, he had to cleanse himself in such a way that no sin may be found in him and that he would survive going into the Holy of Holies. So this was the manner in which these priests and high priests were serving. And when this high priest went into the Holy of Holies, he would take the blood of sacrifice and sprinkle it on the mercy seat to make atonement for the sins of the congregation. So this is the way the service was going on in the Tabernacle. It was it. He says, the Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle was still standing. So when these practices were going on, as Asha pointed out earlier, she said that we now can talk to God, we can approach him easily. And we've also seen passages earlier which said that we can go boldly into the presence of God. Now, if you look at these temple practices, there was the priest who had access till the Holy place and there was the high priest who had access into the Holy of Holies, but not a regular Israelite. So the kind of communion that man wanted with God, you know, that though these practices where we'll see later the word in verse nine, he's using symbolic. It was symbolic or symbolic is simply to say it's like a comparison. It's like a figure of something which is to come. So all these were symbolic in telling people that God wants communion. And for that communion, one needs to be sinless. And for being sinless, a sacrifice needs to be made for the covering of their sin. And that's when we can have that restored relationship with God. So many things were indicative of what God wanted and how he wanted it done. So no wonder earlier in Hebrews 8, we said the sanctuary, the true tabernacle, the place of worship where we want to enter into the presence of God. But here is the earthly tabernacle which is symbolic, comparative and it's showing the people that this is a very holy place, the presence of God and we can't just enter it however we like. There is a way in which one must enter and all these sacrifices have to be made. And so he's telling the Hebrew believers that look, God was just trying to tell us the requirements. But until the time, you know, until the time, remember he kept mentioning the earthly tabernacle was meant to stand or it was effective till the actual sacrifice and the actual high prescaping to the picture and the actual way was made into the presence of God. Once that was done, there was fulfillment of what had been spoken of earlier, the old covenant, the old worship practices. So in verses 9 and 10, that's what he's saying. These practices were actually a shadow of what Christ was to bring. What was Christ supposed to bring? A better covenant. And even, you know, the best gifts and the best sacrifices that were used in the earthly tabernacle, they were incapable of perfecting the conscience and renewing the inner person of the worshipper. And so these practices continued. How long? They just continued day after day, day after day. Imagine if the sacrifices were good enough to cleanse them completely. Why would there be a need to repeat it the next day? But for years on end, they are doing these things because it was not capable to perfect the worshipper. But here we have, remember we asked, what is so good about the new covenant? Okay, what is so good about the better promises? Here it is. The worshipper is cleansed. Perfection can come in through the work that Jesus has done on the cross for us. So daily going in and following up, you know, with all these ordinances and regulations of worship. In fact, another term that can be used here is fleshly ordinances. Because in verse 10, he says they are concerned with what? Food, drinks, washing. And then he adds on fleshly ordinances. There's no requirement for these things. Let's move on versus 11 and 12, please. Someone can read it. 11 and 12, he reads, So Christ has become the high priest over all good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands. And it's not part of this created world with his blood, not the blood of goats and calves. He entered the most holy place once for all time and secured redemption forever. Yes, thank you. Thank you, Sayy. Just before we go to the next two verses, there is a question, I think. Kennedy, he says, What was the Holy Spirit indicating by not allowing anyone except the high priest to enter the most holy place and that on one day in a year during Yom Kippur. So, yeah, Kennedy, the Holy Spirit was just indicating that there is a method or a right way of entering into the presence of God. Not anyone could enter it. You had to be made eligible and that is why you had the high priest. First of all, they had to come from a certain line and then they would go through the whole cleansing rituals. That's when the priest could enter and then of course the high priest to enter the holiest, holy of holies, they also required that cleansing and they were only allowed to go in once in a year. So all this is just telling us that our God is so holy. Yes, we want to have communion with him but we must remember that he is not like us and to approach. There are other passages that tell us he dwells in unapproachable light. So in order for us to approach this holy God, we have to also put on that holiness and thank God for Jesus. Because of him, we have now been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. So yes, man wants to approach God but what the Tabernacle was telling us is we can't do it in our own way. Now, even today we notice people are trying in their own way through works, through spiritual practices and there are so many philosophies that exist but we very clearly know what the Bible teaches us. No man comes to the Father except through me is what Jesus is saying. So that cleansing from our sins, that making us holy, making us righteous to stand in the presence of God, it's only possible if we accept the work of Jesus and that is what the Holy Spirit is indicating. And he was just telling of the time when Jesus would come into the picture, all these things would be done and thereby the practices of the earthly Tabernacle will be redundant. From that point on, we have to grab the new thing which is our faith in Jesus instead of going back to the earthly regulations of worship. So pick the kind of worship that Jesus spoke of. The Father is looking for worshipers who worship him in spirit and in truth. So that is the real worship now. It no longer is the temple worship where we have to go and do all these things. So that's the point. I hope that makes sense. Yeah, thank you. All right, so moving on versus 11 and 12, let's see what is being said here. Yes, Christ came as high priest of the good things to come and with the greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands, that is not of this creation. So that we have already understood. And verse 12, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, he entered the most holy place once for all having obtained eternal redemption. So what we are seeing here is that there's a comparison. So the high priest was given this ordinance to enter with the blood of bulls and goats. Why enter with the blood? Because the blood, if you recall, even during Passover, right, put the blood on the doorposts, put the blood. So the blood is indicative of the fact that these people belong to the God of Israel. This blood is indicative of the fact that they are protected. This blood is indicative of many things that that God is doing for them. So the blood of bulls and goats was required as the high priest entered into the presence of God. Because one more thing that this blood was saying is, this blood was saying that there is a cleansing available for the high priest as well as his people and that cleansing through the blood makes them eligible to have this communion with God or receive God's blessings. So blood was very, very important. But here we notice that our high priest, the Lord Jesus, if we if we just look at the tabernacle practice of entering into the holiest of holies with the with the blood, Jesus, a high priest, okay, he is entering, he has blood with him, you know, which again indicates that the people belong to him, there is cleansing and all of that. But the blood which he is providing in the presence of God is his own blood. It no longer is the blood of bulls and goats, but scriptures tell us his own blood, he entered the most holy place. So just think about this, he is the high priest, he is the sacrifice, it is his own blood, okay. And this is the way in which Jesus has done his service. And we would say Jesus has done his service, not in the earthly tabernacle, but we're talking about the heavenly tabernacle, okay. So with his own blood, he has entered the most holy place. And it says once for all, remember we talked about the daily sacrifices and once a year sacrifices, but there's no longer a requirement for him to keep doing this daily. The way he has perfected his sacrifice and those who approach God is once for all, once for all, okay. And what is it that his blood indicates the blood of Jesus apart from the protection, the cleansing and all of that that it brings here in Hebrews 12, we are told eternal redemption. So the blood of Jesus is indicative of what? Eternal redemption. The fact that we said we belong, right? We belong to God. How do we belong to God? How much do we belong to God? We belong to God forever. He has purchased us. He has brought us back from the clutches of the enemy. He has delivered us from the bondage of sin. He has positioned us in Christ Jesus. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. He has given us inheritance. He has given us, you know, talk about giving us a destiny, giving us authority, everything that is part of our redemption and also the fact that this redemption is something that is eternal, eternal redemption. So Jesus has done a great work and this is a work which is done in a much superior sanctuary. He has entered into heaven with his own blood which speaks of our eternal redemption and no human can do this for us and no human hands can ever make this possible for us. And as we look at the work that Jesus has done for us, we also recognize, you know, we don't know how many of those high priests were really willing to practice these duties in the temple. Hopefully all of them were and they were happy about it. But what if, you know, some of them thought, this is a lot of work, this is too difficult, why am I doing this, you know? But think about Jesus, the kind of high priests that he is and the kind of sacrifice that he has made for us, it's so, so much more superior because one thing we know, he was obedient to the Father, right? And so his sacrifice, it was a voluntary sacrifice. It came from his heart when he did all these things for us. It was motivated by love. So that way, when something is motivated by love, even though it is hard work, it doesn't really feel like hard work. And that's the kind of heart that Jesus carried towards us. He was voluntary, motivated by love. And of course, you know, we know that this is superior because it was also a perfect sacrifice. The blood of goats and calves had to be brought in again and again and again. But perfection is there in the blood of Jesus because once he did this, how often? Only once and he got us eternal redemption. So the blood that was being offered so far was just a shadow of what Jesus was supposed to do for us. And earlier I have pointed out that the blood which was offered, it only covered sins but the blood of Jesus, the blood of the new covenant, it cleanses our sins. So let me pause here for a bit. If somebody wants to add anything about the blood of Jesus, you can add the redemptive work of Jesus and then we will move forward. I just wanted to add to what you said. Yes. That the scripture does testify that the life of 15 is in the blood. And the blood that Jesus actually offered was a spotless sinless blood. The reason why his blood, you know, qualified to be the ultimate sacrifice, basically to redeem us from sin, was because throughout his time on earth, even though he was born of a virgin woman, he also had to pass the test of overcoming sin in his lifetime. So he did not just qualify just because he was a son of God. He actually walked upon this earth, going through all the various temptations, like we're seeing in scripture already, as we went through and stood against all that and stood with the will of God till death. And by that it was, it was the only blood, you know, that could be offered for humanity, forever, for redemption as a man because Jesus Christ had to die as a man. He didn't die as God. He died as a man, though he was still God, like we've learned. So the blood of Jesus stands as the ultimate, ultimate way for anyone to be cleansed of their sin. There's no other amount of blood from animals, no amount of blood. Even, you know, there's some religions that kill human beings, thinking that, you know, they are pleasing God, but that will not even qualify. So the only blood is Jesus, the blood of Jesus that stands for eternity, for the cleansing of man's sin. Thank you. Yes, thank you. Say thank you for shedding more light on the blood of Jesus and the fact that you know, he was born of a virgin. He was fully manned because a man had to die for us and you know, the quality of his blood, which actually helps, you know, in bringing us this redemption. So a few more things about the blood of Jesus continue in the verses 13 onwards. So let's go ahead and read that. I would like to request someone to please read from verse 13 to verse 15. Are you concerned? Yes. For the blood of goats and wolves and the sprinkling of defiled persons with ashes of hair for sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit of offered himself without blemish to God purify our conscious from dead works to serve the living God? Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance since the death has a cure that brings them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Yes. Thank you, Asha. So just what we've been saying till now that the earthly offerings and the blood of bulls and goats could not cleanse man's sins, but the blood of Jesus could do that for us. So it brought us sanctification. That's the word which is used there. Sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh and then it says how well it says that the blood of goats and bulls and goats, the animals, it sanctified us to a certain extent. But then how much more the blood of Jesus? So in a comparative way and it also tells us that the blood of Jesus which has been offered for us that it cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. So that again is a work of the blood of Jesus. So what does that mean? Because the blood has been shed for us when we find cleansing from the blood of Jesus, our conscience can be made more sensitive to God. Our conscience can be made more sensitive to God. But if we neglect the work of the blood, then what can happen to our conscience? Our conscience can become hard against what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us and what the way in which God is leading us. So we will not receive the cleansing for our conscience and we have to be very careful because that is something that can lead us into error. That is something that can lead us into what we discussed earlier. Remember the falling away from God. So there is a danger if we don't receive the cleansing of the blood and the work of the blood for our conscience, then scriptures talk about things like seared conscience, defiled conscience, evil conscience. So these are things that could happen even to a believer. But we must be cautious about this and receive the cleansing of the blood for our conscience. Now verse 15 here tells us that Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. We've already talked about it and it says by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. So Jesus has paid the price and he has even done it by his own death. So we can move on to the next set of scriptures here. But before that I'll just go back to some question that I saw from Kennedy. He says until the time of reformation what does that mean? Okay, please give me a moment. Okay, so when we look at that word Kennedy, reformation, which is used here, we go back to the Greek. It simply means a time of rectification or it also states here messianic restoration. Okay, so as I stated earlier, the simple meaning is the earthly practices were valid till the appearance of Jesus and his work on the cross. So basically it's just that. Okay, so I hope that helps. So it doesn't mean any other reformation. It just means Jesus's work on the cross. Okay, all right. I'm just looking if there's any other question. No, there isn't but Charles, you've raised your hand. Please go ahead. Yes, I love. Yes, go ahead please. I wanted to appreciate the fact that Jesus Christ's blood does desanctification as we are looking at the old covenant and the sacrifice of blood of animals of gods and sheep for the process of sanctification it would be very, very costly for us even today if we were to do that same thing of bringing gods and sheep and doves and all that it would be very, very costly. So I want to appreciate the cost that the Lord Jesus paid for us all those years. I am imagining the time I was born up to today. I am almost making 50 years and I am giving out gods and sheep and all that it would be very, very costly. So I was looking at that and I was like, wow, you did it for me. You did it for others. You did it for the whole world, the process of sanctification and all that cleansing on a daily basis that you would come be covered by the blood. So I'm really thankful to the Lord for sending his son Jesus Christ for our redemption and for mostly desanctification on a daily basis and on a progressive nature. Thank you. Amen. Thank you, Charles. Thank you so much. You thought of another dimension regarding the sacrifice of Jesus and the shedding of his blood. For us in a natural sense even an economic sense, I think it's very expensive to think that so much of blood would need to be shed for all of us. But on the other hand, I'm just thinking, adding to what you shared, praise God that it's not costly for us but it has cost the Father everything because he sent his only son for us. So I don't know if we will ever be able to understand the cost to the Father that Jesus's blood was shed for us. Yes, he did it once and that has taken care of our costs but it's not, you know, we've heard this said in many sermons that salvation is free for us but it's not free, you know, as you look at the sacrifice that God has made and it's a very costly sacrifice on his end. So just want to add that thought as well. Anything else? Say, do you want to say something? Okay, I was just also going to add when the Bible also is still the same book of Hebrews, it compares the blood of Abel and the blood of Jesus and the blood of Abel, you know, is seeking judgment, seeking vengeance and then the blood of Jesus speaks better things as the Hebrew writer puts it, you know, it still goes back again to the quality of his blood. If we remember very clearly, all from the time of the guardian of God 70 when he was arrested up until the time he was on the cross, you know, there was every temptation to just, you know, give up, call the angels, curse the people, all those who beat him, all those who hit him, spat on him, going back again to what you said about the cost. You can imagine creation you made, you subjected yourself to creation you made that you knew them even before they existed but you subjected yourself to creation that you made just so that we could be saved. That was the cost he had to go through and in going through that cost, he did not utter a word of curse, he did not fall out of line, he stayed true. Peradventure, if Jesus had, you know, given up on the cross or did something, hit back at them or something like that, there was no way that his blood would have been able to save us and so that's why I would say that as like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, he kept quiet, he was gentle, meek and stayed true through the process so that his blood remained pure for the salvation of many born at that time and unborn. So it was a huge sacrifice that he paid and because of that sacrifice he paid, staying true to the will of God, his blood for eternity still cleanses every man of their sins. Thank you. Yes, that's the greatness of God's love and his sacrifice for us. Divya also adds here, reminded of the bridge of the song Light of the World, I will never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross. Okay, yeah, very true Divya, so great is God's love for us. From verses 6 through 22 now, 16 through 22, let's go ahead, let's read them and then we'll see if we can fit in the remaining verses as well. Can I read this? Yes, go on. Verse 16, for where there is a testament, there must also be, there must also of necessity be the death of the testee. For a testament is in force after lender death, since it has no power at all while the testee lives. Therefore, not even the first covenant was dictated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precip to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of cows and goats with water, scarlet wood, and high soap and sprinkled both the book itself and the people, saying this is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you. Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Amen, thank you. So we see the work of purification of the blood and the work of cleansing because without the shedding of blood there is no remission. We saw how Moses has used the blood on all the articles of worship to sanctify them, dedicate them, purify them, cleanse them and that is something similar that has happened to us. We now have been cleansed and not just cleansed but we can be dedicated unto God and that will happen through the blood of Jesus. Now another thing that we saw earlier versus 16 through 18 is the fact that the covenant is usually made with blood. So there was a need for blood was 18 said that not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. So blood was used in making of covenants and in the kind of covenant that God is making with us there was the use of the blood of his own son. He had to shed his own blood and it also talks about a testament. Testament is something like a will of inheritance and we know that legally when somebody knows that they have descendants, they have offspring, they want to leave behind what they have for them or even if they don't they just leave behind a legal letter which talks about how everything that they have will now be passed on to their offspring or anybody that they would like to bless. So that is what a testament is in this context. So testament, he's talking about a testament. He says that that promise that God has of his blessings. We know in the case of a person leaving behind a will about inheritance, it will only get activated after the person is gone. So while they are alive, everything still belongs to them but once they are dead, what happens? The people whom they have enlisted can now stay claim and take it. So he's saying that in the same manner, Jesus now as a man, he died. So he died and thereby what's happening, the testament now is applicable. The covenant now can take effect. So he has done the needful. As a man, it was required for him to die to activate the testament and even that the Lord Jesus has done for us and we can be partakers of the blessings of God. Let's go ahead and read. Oh yeah, we already read Till verse 18. Till where did we read? 22. Okay, 22. All right. So verse 18 to 22, we see the dedication of the covenant through the blood and yeah, we said that even Moses did cleansing through the blood. So that we've already understood. So coming now to the rest of the passage here 23 to 28, but we just have two minutes left. So I don't think we'll do justice. Let's hold it off and we will read it in the next class. As far as the progress of our content is concerned, my intention is I think we should be able to complete at least three books in the month of March. It'll be sort of quick. So we won't do like very, very deep discussion for the other books because Hebrews is a little more technical. It has references of the Old Testament scriptures and which is why we need to take time to understand them. So it takes longer to cover Hebrews. But once we're through with this, the other books, we can be a little faster. So hopefully three books this month and the rest we should be able to complete in the next month. Okay, so and assignments also will be up hopefully by next week, the first assignment and you can begin working on it. So let's close for today. Could somebody lead us in prayer, please? Let's pray. Dear Heaven Father, we thank you so much for the time we are spending on your feet listening from you when you're speaking to us through your word. Lord, we pray that you will continue to explain to us because you, the Holy Spirit that you sent is the greatest teacher. Lord, we pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us more and we will be able to apply these so that we'll be able to have a life that prezes you when Jesus' name will pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Charles. Thank you, everyone. God bless you. Have a great weekend. We will meet up again next week. Thank you.