The writer of Hebrews presents us with vivid imagery of Outdated Covenant worship within the tabernacle/temple, its clergymen, and the sacrifices they supplied. However what, if something, does this must do with my worship as a Christian? Will we nonetheless worship in a temple? Do now we have a priesthood? Didn’t God settle for Jesus’s sacrifice because the final one? How does the instructing in Hebrews connect with us in the present day?
In our age, the Outdated Testomony can appear irrelevant and meaningless—even bizarre! Due to this, even believers hesitate to dive in. However Christianity is “bizarre,” as Tom Holland says—and that’s okay! In reality, on this “weirdness,” we discover life and which means.
Hebrews is a sensible letter with a deep theological basis. Studying it’s like diving off a ten-meter platform—difficult however exhilarating! Let’s dive in and be exhilarated by one passage specifically: What does Hebrews 10:19–22 educate us about worship? What we’ll discover are deep truths that encourage our worship in the present day: The New Covenant believer has confidence to enter the heavenly and holy presence of almighty God due to the mediation of the crucified Messiah and Savior, Jesus.
The context of Hebrews 10:19–22
Verse 19 roots our passage in its context, starting with, “Subsequently.” So let’s start by uncovering Hebrew’s argument main as much as 10:19–22.
The pastoral concern: Preserve operating the race
The nice sensible query of Hebrews is why hold operating the race? (Heb 12:1)..
I take the place that Hebrews’ recipients had been Jewish believers in Jesus—therefore, why it’s referred to as Hebrews. Temptations surrounded these Jewish believers in Jesus to forsake him as Messiah. After baptism, they “endured a tough wrestle with sufferings” (10:32), together with public reproach, affliction, imprisonment, ostracism from Jewish and Roman neighbors, and even the plundering of their property (10:33; 10:34; 13:3; 13:14).
Thus, God referred to as them to dwell “outdoors the camp” in disgrace (13:13). Due to this, their religion was like “drooping arms,” “weak knees,” and “lame … out of joint” toes (12:12, 13). They wanted the “nice cloud of witnesses” to encourage them to “run with endurance … trying to Jesus … who for the enjoyment that was set earlier than him endured the cross, despising the disgrace” (12:1, 2).
The theological conviction: Jesus is best
What’s the deep theological foundation for this sensible exhortation? Jesus is best (1:4; 6:9; 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35, 40; 12:24). The author spends shut to 10 full chapters belaboring this level.
Compile every occasion of Hebrews’ use of the phrase translated “higher” with a easy search in Logos.
We should perceive the language of “higher” inside the context of Hebrews’ argument. The writer isn’t making the case that the Jews are an afterthought or that the Outdated Testomony faith is nugatory. Bear in mind, the author is chatting with Jews utilizing their very own Scriptures. “Higher” means, “higher in relation to the Outdated Testomony.”
The Outdated Testomony is filled with varieties and “shadows” (8:5; 9:23; 10:1) which discover their actuality in Jesus. The author calls the truth to which they pointed “the great issues to return” (9:11; 10:1). All the pieces within the historical Scriptures—from paradise to the patriarchs, prophecies, and photos of clergymen, sacrifices, and temple—foreshadowed their actuality to return.
Jesus is best than:
- Angels, who delivered the Legislation upon Mount Sinai (1:4; 2:1–4)
- Moses, who acquired the Legislation from these angels upon Mount Sinai (3:1–6)
- Clergymen, whom that Legislation established (4:14–5:10; 6:13–7:29)
- The tabernacle and later temple (8:1–9:28)
- The sacrifices (9:6–10:18)
- The Outdated Covenant (8:6–13)
All the pieces within the historical Scriptures—from paradise to the patriarchs, prophecies, and photos of clergymen, sacrifices, and temple—foreshadowed their actuality to return.
Jesus is best! And since Jesus is best, he’s worthy of our following him within the race of religion—together with our worship.
The communal calling: superior worship
As a result of Jesus is best, our worship is best. Now we have a greater priest, sacrifice, tabernacle/temple, and covenant.
However what’s worship? In accordance with Hebrews—in addition to the remainder of scripture—this “higher worship” is the grateful response of the priesthood of believers by which they provide themselves to God as residing sacrifices—coronary heart, soul, thoughts, and power—within the heavenly temple (see Heb 12:28–29; 13:15; Rom 12:1–2; Matt 22:34–40).
Importantly, worship is our response to God. Earlier than we even say a phrase about our service to God, we should say that within the first place, God has served us. God made us to share in his life and love, and he redeemed us. Because of this, our total lives are to be rendered again to him in service.
On the identical time, worship additionally happens in a extra explicit approach via the acts, ceremonies, and practices that God has graciously given us for this function: Phrase, sacraments, and prayer. God gracious serves us by talking his ultimate revelation of Phrase and sacraments that extra clearly seal the guarantees of the New Covenant. We serve him again with a sacrifice of prayer.
The Argument of Hebrews 10:19–22
After over 9 chapters saying Jesus is best, our writer reaches this main transitional level in his letter: 10:19–22. In it we study what this higher worship seems like.
A newfound confidence (10:19b)
First, we study that New Covenant believers have a newfound confidence to worship. Discover how verse 19 speaks of our confidence: “Since now we have confidence.” In different phrases, we have already got it!
How can he say this? Because the writer typically does, he’s evaluating and contrasting the Outdated and New Covenants.
The Lord’s assembly together with his folks at Mount Sinai shows the insecurity that, in distinction, characterizes Outdated Covenant worship. God commanded a boundary be positioned round Mount Sinai. If anybody or animal crossed it and touched even the bottom of the mountain, they’d die (Exod 19:12–13). An awesome lightning, thunderstorm, and thick cloud coated the highest of the mountain, inflicting Israel to tremble and stand at a distance (Exod 19:16—18; 20:18). Solely Moses drew close to (Exod 20:19—21). Even nonetheless, Hebrews 12:21 says, “so terrifying was the sight that Moses mentioned, ‘I tremble with worry’”(emphasis added).
God would likewise apply comparable restrictions to the tabernacle and temple. Normal worshippers might solely come into the courtyard and stand at a distance from God’s presence. The clergymen alone might enter the primary room (or Holy Place) of the tabernacle and temple. The excessive priest alone might enter the Holy of Holies, and solely every year. Hebrews 10:1 states one of many causes: “the legislation has however a shadow of the great issues to return”; due to this fact, it “can by no means … make excellent those that draw close to.” In different phrases, even the God-ordained sacrifices of the Legislation had been unable to grant worshippers confidence to strategy the very presence of God.
However now now we have “confidence” (10:19). Utilizing this identical phrase, Hebrew 4:16 explains the explanation for this confidence: New Covenant worshippers have “confidence” to “draw close to to the throne of grace” (4:16) for 3 causes:
- Now we have a excessive priest (4:14a)
- Our excessive priest has handed via the heavens into God’s presence (4:14b)
- Our excessive priest sympathizes with our weaknesses (4:15)
Equally, Paul says that in Jesus the Messiah, “now we have boldness and entry [to God] with confidence via our religion in him” (Eph 3:12).
In abstract, Hebrews 10:19–22 teaches that, due to Jesus, all New Covenant believers have the arrogance that God accepts them earlier than his heavenly throne of grace.
To enter God’s presence (10:19c)
Secondly, we study that New Covenant believers are welcomed to enter God’s presence. “Now we have confidence to enter the holy locations” (v. 19), which is the writer’s approach of describing the tabernacle and temple’s Holy of Holies.
However how will we enter the Holy of Holies? Since AD 70, there was no earthly temple in Jerusalem. Is the author saying that we’re ready for it to be rebuilt in order that we are able to enter at a later date? No.
Once more, he’s evaluating and contrasting the Outdated with the New. All of the Outdated Covenant establishments of worship—together with the tabernacle and later temple—had been shadows of their actuality to return. The final word actuality solid a shadow. However now now we have confidence to enter the truth itself, God’s very personal presence!
Hebrews describes the “presence of God” (9:24; see additionally 7:19) with varied photos:
- Throne: “the throne of grace” (4:16); “the fitting hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven” (8:1)
- Tent/tabernacle: his presence is “discovered” in “the true tent” (8:2); “the larger and extra excellent tent” (9:11)
- Holy of Holies in that tent/tabernacle: “the holy locations (8:2; 9:12)
- Celestial metropolis on a mountain: “Mount Zion and to the town of the residing God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (12:22)
- Heaven: “the heavenly issues” (8:5; 9:23); “the true issues … heaven itself” (9:24)
Discover the completely different parts of the tabernacle utilizing Logos’s infographics.
Because of this whereas Christian worship is indifferent from the earthly tabernacle and later temple in Jerusalem, it’s nonetheless temple worship. Our temple is the heavenly actuality of these historical homes—God himself. When John was given a glimpse of the New Jerusalem, he mentioned, “I noticed no temple within the metropolis, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Rev 21:22; emphasis added).
Whereas Christian worship is indifferent from the earthly tabernacle and later temple in Jerusalem, it’s nonetheless temple worship.
You and I get to get pleasure from what our historical forefathers and foremothers longed to expertise. You and I get to serve in a priesthood higher than something that the Outdated Testomony clergymen might have imagined!
Via the Messiah’s mediation (10:19d–21)
The third factor we study is that New Covenant believers trust in worship to enter God’s presence by the use of the Messiah’s mediation. Now we have “confidence to enter the holy locations by the blood of Jesus” (v. 19; emphasis added).
What does he imply? Was the writer saying that Jesus might have simply had a few of his blood drawn and that may’ve been enough? No, it’s a shorthand approach of expressing what he says within the very subsequent sentence. Observe its parallel in verse 20: “by the brand new and residing approach that he opened for us via the curtain, that’s, via his flesh” (v. 20). Now we have confidence to attract close to to God’s presence via Jesus’s dying for us.
What does Hebrews 10:19–22 educate us about Jesus’s function in New Covenant worship? He’s the excessive priestly Mediator of all of it. As verse 21 says, Jesus is our “nice priest over the home [or temple] of God.” As our crucified excessive priest, he supplied the once-for-all ultimate sacrifice upon the altar within the heavenly temple. Hebrews describes his flesh because the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from every part else within the temple. In our worship, then, we undergo Jesus with confidence to God’s Presence: “allow us to draw close to with a real coronary heart in full assurance of religion” (v. 22).
We oftentimes use the phrase “the completed work of Christ” to imply he has completed all that’s vital for our redemption; there isn’t a different approach to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). The writer applies his goal accomplishment to our worship: His sacrifice within the heavenly presence of God created entry to God for us, and there’s no different approach to strategy God’s presence besides via him.
So, what does this imply for our actions of public service? Will we nonetheless want to supply blood sacrifices? No. Hebrews drives residence that every one the sacrifices of the Outdated Covenant had been varieties (9:9–10; 10:1–4) of the ultimate sacrifice of the ultimate excessive priest (9:11–15, 18, 22; 10:17). Much more, the Outdated Covenant sacrifices had been supplied regularly (10:1, 11) by sinful males who died (5:1–3; 7:23–25). They supplied merely the blood of bulls and goats (10:4) within the earthly tabernacle (9:1). However Christ gave himself as a sacrifice as soon as (10:12), together with his personal blood (9:12), and within the heavenly tabernacle (9:24). Earlier in 9:9–10, our writer mentioned the Outdated Covenant sacrifices couldn’t cleanse the inward conscience of worshippers. In distinction, the blood of Christ does simply that (9:13–14).
Because of this, historic Protestant Christian worship emphasizes the once-for-all goal accomplishment of Jesus’s sacrifice in acts of worship. For instance, “old skool” Protestant worship opens with a prayer of confession and absolution from the minister. As well as, preaching and the frequent celebration of the Lord’s Supper additionally emphasize this once-for-all sacrifice.
As these cleansed (10:22)
However how can I strategy God “in full assurance of religion” (v. 22)—not worry—as is crucial for worship? What if I’m not “feeling it”? What if I’m residing with doubt or my conscience accuses me? How do I do know the target work of Jesus was completed for me?
We obtain entry to God in worship via Christ’s goal work within the heavenly presence of God. However, because the writer continues, we achieve assurance of that entry as we subjectively acceptable Christ’s priestly sacrifice.
Discover how Hebrew describes this “draw[ing] close to with a real coronary heart in full assurance of religion” when it comes to baptism (v. 22), together with each the inward (“hearts”/“conscience”) and the outward (“our bodies” being “washed”). In different phrases, we subjectively acceptable Christ’s goal accomplishment via this signal and seal of holy Baptism.
The Christian life is a continuing remembering of our baptism; this bolsters our confidence to attract close to to the presence of God via Christ’s mediation. As Martin Luther mentioned, “A Christian life is nothing else than a day by day baptism, begun as soon as and persevering with ever after. … Subsequently let all Christians regard their baptism because the day by day garment that they’re to put on on a regular basis.”
Or John Calvin:
Subsequently, as typically as we fall away, we should recall the reminiscence of our baptism and fortify our thoughts with it, that we might at all times ensure and assured of the forgiveness of sins. For, although baptism, administered solely as soon as, appeared to have handed, it was nonetheless not destroyed by subsequent sins. For Christ’s purity had been supplied us in it; his purity ever prospers; it’s defiled by no spots, however buries and cleanses away all our defilements.
Launch your personal examine of Hebrews 10:19–22 utilizing Logos’s Factbook.
Worship on earth as it’s in heaven
How does the deep theological basis of Hebrews 10:19–22 encourage believers within the follow of worship? The New Covenant believer has confidence to enter the heavenly and holy presence of Almighty God via the mediation of their crucified Messiah and Savior, Jesus.
We are able to determine a minimum of two implications for the way this name to “draw close to” (v. 22) ought to form our strategy to worship:
1. As a result of worship is coming into the heavenly and holy presence of God, our worship right here on earth is transcendent.
We will need to have a imaginative and prescient of worship that’s otherworldly. What we do in worship is greater than us and our preferences. What we expertise in worship can’t absolutely be grasped, particularly by unbelievers. What occurs in worship ought to have a level of thriller that we can not quantify in our weekly worship planning conferences. It’s bizarre and that’s okay.
2. As a result of worship is coming into the heavenly and holy presence of God, our worship right here on earth ought to be reverent.
When folks cross the edge into the worship area, it ought to be completely different than the rest they will get on the earth the opposite six days. We are able to learn the Phrase and pray all week, however there’s one thing completely different about gathering collectively. Jesus made us members of a holy priesthood who worship a holy God, in a holy approach, with holy phrases, on a holy day.
Because you and I’ve this confidence to enter God’s heavenly and holy presence via the mediatory work of Jesus, let’s dive in by drawing close to!
Sources Daniel R. Hyde recommends
