Reforming Worship

Heb 9:1-12

Ancient Temples Palaces of the gods

Carved out of Stone

Carved out of Stone

Carved out of Stone

Rising from the Earth

Rising from the Earth

Reaching to the Heavens

Signifying Life

Signifying Life

At least temporarily . . .

We probably cannot appreciate the sensuousness (sensory-orientedness)

of ancient temple worship• Highly Visible–Large–Ornate–Symbolic

• Highly Aromatic–Pungent incense–Smoke & blood

• Highly Audible–Corporate–Fervent–Musical

• Highly Memorable–Seasonal–Sacred

The Temple Formed the Center of a Society

• Provided a corporate view of reality – “heaven on earth”

Cosmic Symbolism of

Temples in ANE

3 “realms”

Earthly

Heavenly

Divine

The Temple Formed the Center of a Society

• Provided a corporate view of reality – “heaven on earth”

• Provided a corporate view of identity – “sons” of God

• Provided a corporate view of security – appeasement

• Provided a corporate view of prosperity – favor/blessing

• Provided a corporate view of responsibility – avoid “sin”

The temple was a source of community pride, demanding the best

of both materials and workmanship

Exodus 25:1-9The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution.

From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them:

• Gold, silver, and bronze, • Blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, • Goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, goatskins, • Acacia wood, • Oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant

incense, • Onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the

breastpiece. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.

Exodus 31:1-6The LORD said to Moses, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of

the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,

• to devise artistic designs, • to work in gold, silver, and bronze,• in cutting stones for setting, • and in carving wood, • to work in every craft.And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of

Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

Heb 9:1-6Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. . . .

“regulations” – divine ordering w/ strength of law“earthly place of holiness” – “Tent of Meeting”

(b/w Heaven & Earth)

6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties,

• Laver called the “Sea” (in Solomon’s temple, it was held on the back of 12 oxen – 4 sets of 3 facing each corner of globe, with animal and plant life [along w/ cherubs] carved into bowl)

• Altar was to be made of uncut stone or “earth”

• Outer courtyard signified earth & sea and all peoples whom God created for His worship

• Furniture in outer courtyard provided initial ritual cleansing, preparing for deeper access and more meaningful fellowship

Heb 9:22 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.

According to G. K. Beale . . .• The seven lights of the candlestick may represent the hosts of the

heavens (which are referred to in Gen 1 five times by the unusual term, “lights” – the term is used only 10 other times in the Pentateuch, each with reference to the lights of the lampstand in the tabernacle)

• Drawing upon the number of lights (7), Vern Poythress also suggests these signify the heavenly hosts, which Gen. declares to be indicators of time (which, for Israel, was geared around the number “7” – 7th day a Sabbath, 7th month for atonement, 7th year a Sabbath, after 7th cycle of 7 years came the Jubilee)

• Thus, whereas the outer courtyard signified the earthly domain of God’s creation, it seems that the inner court may signify the heavenly realm – it is from this vantage point that the curtain may be viewed, spangled with cherubs guarding God’s immediate presence

Heb 1:1-123 Behind the second curtain was a second section

called the Most Holy Place, 4 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. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

The altar of incense was not in the Most Holy Place, but its

placement immediately outside it (Exo 30:6) signifies a direct

correlation. Thus, the author of Hebrews associates this piece of

furniture with the Most Holy Place. According to Beale, the

cloud formed by the incense may have been meant to provide a

protective veil to God’s glory as the high priest entered directly into His presence. It provided

the “sweet aroma” in conjunction with the sacrifice. In Rev. 5:8 & 8:4, the prayers of the saints are likened to the incense of God’s

presence.

As in heaven, cherubim surround God’s footstool as guardians of His presence

(cf. Rev 4:6-8 / Ezek 1)

The Ark of the Covenant, with its covering Mercy Seat, form

the “footstool” of God’s throne-room, without any

representation of His throne, which remains in the heavens (cf. 1 Chron 28:2 / Isa 66:1).

Thus, this inner sanctum represents the throne-room of God – separate from, yet ruling

over His creation.

Solomon’s Temple

1 Kings 6

18 The cedar within the house was carved in the form of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen. 19 The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 20 The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid an altar of cedar. 21 And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. 22 And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

1 Kings 6

28 And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. 29 Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. 30 The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms. 31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided. 32 He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

Zerubbabel’s Temple

Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now?

Is it not as nothing in your eyes?Hag 2:3

Herod’s Temple

Herod’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel 46:9

When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead.

i.e., All worshipers must make provision to be impacted by the entirety of the temple complex

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s Temple

Exodus 25:9

Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

Rev. 4

Heb 9:6-106 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go

regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 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. 8 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 9 (which is symbolic [literally, “a parable”] for the present age).

According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

Heb 9:6-106 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go

regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 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. 8 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 9 (which is symbolic [literally, “a parable”] for the present age).

According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

“Restructuring/Re-ordering”

Heb 9:11-1211 But (!) . . .

when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)

Heb 9:11-1211 But (!) . . .

when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)

12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Heb 9:24

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

And it is from this vantage point He bids us . . .

“Draw near!”

So, what does this mean for us?

• Worship of the God of all reality is a matter that is carefully regulated by God – demanding not our leftovers (of time or resources), but our very best

• Worship of the one true God properly reshapes and orders our concept of reality (lifting it beyond the “lower” portions of God’s cosmos)

This is why,

The most significant thing we can do is to worship well.

So, what does this mean for us?• Worship of the God of all reality is a matter that is carefully

regulated by God – demanding not our leftovers (of time or resources), but our very best

• Worship of the one true God properly reshapes and orders our concept of reality (lifting it beyond the “lower” portions of God’s cosmos)

• Jesus’ coming does not erase or eradicate the significance of all God used to “picture” the process of bringing Heaven and Earth together – instead, it elevates it (that is, we should want to learn more about it, not dismiss it)

• In Christ, worship today is not so much about Heaven penetrating the reality of Earth, as it is about Earth penetrating the reality of Heaven – The Son has come to make us “sons”!

Is this your reality?

What are you doing with it?

Because . . .

Everyone to whom much is given, of him much will be required.

– Luk 12:48