Download A practical guide to understanding and applying faith lessons from

A practical guide to
understanding and applying
faith lessons from the Book of
Hebrews (#8)
1
Match the worker to the appropriate work environment:
How is each
workplace
suited to each
worker?
2
What
do you recall about the Tabernacle?
W
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Made from?
Location used?
Original design
by?
Major function?
Run by?
Chief artists?
Five questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why is there only one entrance to the Tabernacle?
What does the size of the tabernacle say about the work that’s done inside?
What happens at each “work station” in the Courtyard? In the Holy Place?
What is the significance of the layout (work flow)?
What is the significance of its multi-component construction?
3
Hebrews 9:1-10
Aaron’s staff
17Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the
people of Israel to bring you twelve
wooden staffs, one from each leader of
Israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each
leader’s name on his staff. 3 Inscribe
Aaron’s name on the staff of the tribe of
Levi, for there must be one staff for the
leader of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place these
staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark
containing the tablets of the Covenant,
where I meet with you. 5 Buds will sprout
on the staff belonging to the man I choose.
Then I will finally put an end to the
people’s murmuring and complaining
against you.”
6 So
Moses gave the instructions to the
people of Israel, and each of the twelve
tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought
Moses a staff. 7 Moses placed the staffs in
the LORD’s presence in the Tabernacle of
the Covenant.8 When he went into the
Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day,
he found that Aaron’s staff, representing
the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded,
blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!
9 When
Moses brought all the staffs out
from the LORD’s presence, he showed
them to the people. Each man claimed his
own staff. 10 And the LORD said to Moses:
“Place Aaron’s staff permanently before
the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a
warning to rebels. This should put an end
to their complaints against me and prevent
any further deaths.” 11 So Moses did as the
LORD commanded him.
12 Then
the people of Israel said to Moses,
“Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We
are ruined! 13 Everyone who even comes
close to the Tabernacle of the LORD dies.
Are we all doomed to die?”
That first covenant between God
and Israel had regulations for
worship and a place of worship
here on earth. There were two
rooms in that Tabernacle. In the
first room were a lampstand, a
table, and sacred loaves of bread
on the table. This room was called
the Holy Place. Then there was a
curtain, and behind the curtain
was the second room called the
Most Holy Place. In that room were
a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant,
which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar
containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone
tablets of the covenant. Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine
glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of
atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.
When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the
first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high
priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he
always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had
committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy
Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place
Why is this
was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the
important?
system it represented were still in use.
This is an illustration pointing to the present
time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the
priests offer are not able to cleanse the
consciences of the people who bring them.
For that old system deals only with food and
drink and various cleansing ceremonies—
physical regulations that
were in effect only until a
better system
Which
could be
“better
established.
system?”
4
Match the item to be cleaned with the
appropriate solvent…
Thing to be cleaned
cleaner/ solvent
Enamel paint
Calcium buildup
Blood stains
on clothing
Stopped-up
drain
Dirt on
clothing
acetone
Nail polish
Stains in wool
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this I see-Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea--
glycerine
phosphoric acid
detergent
(surfactants)
turpentine
salt & hydrogen
peroxide
sodium
hydroxide
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, 'tis all of grace-Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my hope and peace-Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness-Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
5
Numbers 19:1-15
GOD spoke to Moses and Aaron: “This is the rule
from the Revelation that GOD commands: Tell
the People of Israel to get a red cow, a healthy
specimen, ritually clean, that has never been in
harness. Present it to Eleazar the priest, then
take it outside the camp and butcher it while he
looks on. Eleazar will take some of the blood on
his finger and splash it seven times in the
direction of the Tent of Meeting.
“Then under Eleazar’s supervision burn the cow,
the whole thing—hide, meat, blood, even its
dung. The priest then will take a stick of cedar,
some sprigs of hyssop, and a piece of scarlet
material and throw them on the burning cow.
Afterwards the priest must wash his clothes and
bathe well with water. He can then come into
the camp but he remains ritually unclean until
evening. The man who burns the cow must also
wash his clothes and bathe with water. He also
is unclean until evening.
“Then a man who is ritually clean will gather the
ashes of the cow and place them in a ritually
clean place outside the camp. The congregation
of Israel will keep them to use in the Water-ofCleansing, an Absolution-Offering. The man who
gathered up the ashes must scrub his clothes;
he is ritually unclean until evening. This is to be
a standing rule for both native-born Israelites
and foreigners living among them.
“Anyone who touches a dead body is ritually
unclean for seven days. He must purify himself
with the Water-of-Cleansing on the third day; on
the seventh day he will be clean. But if he
doesn’t follow the procedures for the third and
seventh days, he won’t be clean. Anyone who
touches the dead body of anyone and doesn’t
get cleansed desecrates GOD’s Dwelling and is to
be excommunicated. For as long as the Waterof-Cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, he
remains ritually unclean.
Hebrews 9:11-14
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the
good things that have come. He has entered that greater,
more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made
by human hands and is not part of this created
world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and
calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time
and secured our redemption forever.
Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the
ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from
ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood
of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so
that we can worship the living God. For by the power of
the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a
perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who
mediates a new covenant between God and people, so
that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance
God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free
from the penalty of the sins they had committed under
that first covenant.
6
True/false quiz about a Will…
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
A will is a legal document in which a
testator directs what is to be done
with his/her property after death.
Probono is the legal procedure
through which the provisions of a will
are carried out.
To be “of sound mind,” a person must
understand what property they own, and the consequences of what will happen to that
property according to the terms of the will they’re signing
If you die intestate, Napoleonic Laws control how your property is divided.
For a will to be valid it must be in writing, signed by the testator and witnessed by at
least two people.
A will must be notarized.
A will that is written and dated in your own handwriting does not need to be
witnessed.
A spouse can be disinherited by leaving him/her out of the will.
Anyone can serve as an executor as long as they are 18 years old or older.
A placebo is a written change to an existing will.
A will can be revoked by physically destroying it,
defacing it or striking out words as long as it’s
combined with something showing that’s the
intent.
A will goes into effect while you are alive.
George Bernard Shaw had always been fascinated with the idea of
reforming English spelling. He created a 40 letter phonetic
alphabet to make spelling much simpler. His will left a large
portion of his estate to promote the new alphabet. This bequest
was overruled by a court as it was “impossible” and the money
was split between The British Museum, The National Gallery of
Ireland, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
When can a testator’s wishes be overturned?
7
Harry Houdini
The renowned master escapee and daredevil died in 1926
on Halloween. Houdini in his later life became very
interested in spiritualism and in his last will, left his wife a
secret note with 10 randomly selected words that he
would communicate to her after his death. For 10 years
his wife held a seance on Halloween; Houdini never turned
up
Gene Roddenberry
The creator of Star Trek and inventor of the notable quote
“to boldly go where no man has gone before” made certain
to maintain that statement long after his passing. His last
will and testament included instructions to have his ashes
scattered via a space satellite orbiting earth. The act was
carried out in 1997.
Leona Helmsley
The “Queen of Mean”
donated about $35 million to charities in the final
years of her life, but her good deeds were
overshadowed by instructions to establish a $12
million trust to her Maltese dog in her last will and
testament. The amount was later reduced to $2
million by a judge. By comparison, her grandsons
were left $5 million each, but only on the condition
that they visit the gravesite of their father each year.
Charles Vance Miller
This Canadian attorney’s last will and testament
bequeathed a large sum up to any Toronto woman
who could produce the most offspring in the decade
following his death. The result became known as the
“Great Stork Derby.” Four winners emerged in a tie for
nine children; each received about $125,000 in 1936.
Mark Gruenwald
The Executive Editor of Captain
American and Iron Man, as well as
being involved in other Marvel
Comics, Gruenwald stated that he
wished for his ashes to be mixed
with the ink used to print the comic
books. They were.
What will you
bequeath in your last
will and testament?
8
The writer of Hebrews has been detailing the superiority of the new
covenant (or testament) over the old covenant. Earlier in chapter 9,
the writer decried the old endless sacrificial system and celebrated
the once-for- all sacrifice of Jesus. He/she explained how the holy
place (tabernacle) was an imperfect earthly copy of a perfect heavenly
sanctuary. He/she now deals with the
actual value of the purification needed
Have you received
in the old covenant, explaining its
anything via inheritance?
ratification and why there needed to
How is that thing special
be a new arrangement with a new
to you?
mediator.
Hebrews 9:15-22
That is why Christ is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so
that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For
From
Christ died to ransom them from the penalty of the sins they had committed under
whom?
that first covenant.
Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is
dead. The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who
made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.
3. What is
That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an
being referred
animal. For after Moses had read each of God’s
to by goats,
commandments to all the people, he took the blood
Then Moses carefully wrote down
hyssop, scarlet
of calves and goats along with water, and sprinkled
all the LORD’s instructions. Early
wool and the
the next morning Moses got up
both the book of God’s law and all the people, using
book of the
and built an altar at the foot of the
hyssop branches and scarlet wool.
law?
mountain. He also set up twelve
4. Did this dedication
service occur before or
after Moses built the
tabernacle? Why might
this matter?
Then he said, “This blood confirms the
covenant God has made with you.” And in
the same way, he sprinkled blood on
the Tabernacle and on everything used
for worship. In fact, according to the
law of Moses, nearly everything was
purified with blood. For without the
shedding of blood, there is no
forgiveness.
5. When have you heard these words
spoken? To what do they refer?
pillars, one for each of the twelve
tribes of Israel. Then he sent some
of the young Israelite men to
present burnt offerings and to
sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to
the LORD. Moses drained half the
blood from these animals into
basins. The other half he
splattered against the altar. Then
he took the Book of the Covenant
and read it aloud to the people.
Again they all responded, “We will
do everything the LORD has
commanded. We will obey.” Then
Moses took the blood from the
basins and splattered it over the
people, declaring, “Look, this
blood confirms the covenant the
LORD has made with you in giving
you these instructions.”
Exodus 24:4-8
9
Ransom is the practice of holding a
prisoner to extort money or property to secure
their release. The word comes via Old French
rançon from Latin redemptio = "buying back"
compare "redemption". Captain Phillips of the
Maersk Alabama was held for ransom by Somali
pirates in 2009.
Julius Caesar was
captured by pirates
near the island of
Pharmacusa, and held
until someone paid 50
talents to free him.
In Europe during the
Middle Ages, ransom became a custom of
chivalric warfare. An important knight was
worth a significant sum of money if
captured, but nothing if he was killed. For
this reason, the practice of ransom
contributed to the development of heraldry,
which allowed knights to advertise their identities, and by implication
their ransom value, and made them less likely to be killed if captured.
Examples include Richard the Lion Heart and Bertrand du Guesclin (right).
In 1532, Francisco Pizarro
was paid a ransom of a
roomful of gold (left) by the
Inca Empire for their leader
Atahualpa. The ransom
payment may be the largest
ever paid to a single
individual, probably over $2
billion in today's gold prices.
East German citizens could
emigrate through semisecret route by being ransomed by the West German
government in a process termed Freikauf (literally
the buying of freedom). Between 1964 and 1989, 33,755 political prisoners were ransomed. West
Germany paid over 3.4 billion DM—nearly $2.3 billion at 1990 prices—in goods and hard
currency. Those ransomed were valued on a sliding scale, ranging from around 1,875 DM for a
worker to around 11,250 DM for a doctor. For a while, payments were made in-kind using goods
that were in short supply in East Germany, such as oranges, bananas, coffee and medical drugs.
"The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark
10:45). The Greek word translated as "ransom" (lutron) used in the NT refers to payment made to liberate war
captives or slaves (often from debt slavery). To say that Jesus gave "his life a ransom for many" means he gave his
life as a means of liberation from bondage. The old covenant and the worship system it supported held people in
bondage.
In what ways was the average Jew of Jesus
day in bondage?
10
Disney is adept at creating replicas of buildings.
Which is the real and which is the replica?
11
The writer continues the comparison between the Jewish high priest and Jesus. The high priest
needed to be cleansed by the blood of lambs; he entered annually the tabernacle or temple, to
ask God’s forgiveness of sins for himself and the people. And his sacrifices never solved the sin
problem – sin always returned. Jesus is the now eternal high priest. He is cleansed by his own
blood. He enters once into a perfect sanctuary not of this world. He not only atones our sins, He
set us free from the slavery to the sin nature.
The writer now pauses to contrast the tabernacle as a replica of the heavenly sanctuary. And he looks
forward to the time when Jesus will return, not to deal anymore with sin, but to ensure salvation.
Hebrews 9:23-28
That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to
be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far
better sacrifices than the blood of animals. For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with
human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He
entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.
Have you ever
And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again,
appeared in court
like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place
on someone
year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been
else’s behalf?
necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since
What happened?
the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the
end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.
And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ
died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again,
not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
What are the differences between a crucifix and a cross?
1.____________________________
2.____________________________
3.____________________________
4.____________________________
5.____________________________
12