At the beginning of chapter eight, the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews sets forth "the sum," that is to say, the chief or the capital point of the things whereof he has spoken. That chief or essential matter is that "we have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Heb 8:1-2).

The language here used is such as to call very special attention to the truth set forth. At this point everything pertaining to the service and worship of God is transferred to heaven—from the tabernacle which man pitched by the Lord's command to the true tabernacle which the Lord himself pitched; from the holy places made with hands, which were but the figures of the true, into heaven itself.

Moreover, the service of God is taken out of the hands of an order of priests composed of men in the flesh and placed in the hands of the risen Son of God who has obtained a ministry as much more excellent than that of the old order of priests, as the covenant, whereof he is the mediator, is better than the old covenant, and the promises on which it is based are better than the old promises (Heb 8:5-6).

The previous portions of the epistle had to do specially with the trials, dangers, and difficulties besetting the path of the pilgrims, on which account stress is laid upon the prospect before them in the kingdom of God that is to be established in the age to come. The present portion of the epistle (Heb 8:1-10:25, inclusive) has to do with the worship of God's pilgrims on which account prominence is given to the present ministry of the Son of God, now appearing in the presence of God for us, and to the one sacrifice which he, when on earth, offered for sin, in virtue of which we may boldly draw near to God. Those two topics: the present ministry of Christ on high and the one sacrifice offered by him on earth are kept constantly before us in this section of the epistle.

The matter of worship is one of great practical importance to God's pilgrims and has much to do with the perfecting of the sons whom he is bringing unto glory. The leading characteristics of the life of the true Hebrew are symbolised by two objects, the tent and the altar. The tent is that which marks out the true Hebrew as a sojourner or pilgrim in the earth. We shall now give our attention briefly to that which pertains to the altar. We are exploring this portion of the Word of God with the special object of noting the bearing it has upon the revealed purpose of God with respect to those whom he has, in love, predestined to the position of sons unto himself by Christ Jesus.

THE SERVICE OF THE ALTAR

The services of God's priests of the Levitical order were available to all his people. Some of those services, such as the "continual burnt offering" offered day by day (Num 28:3-8), were of general application and efficacy for all the people, being a continual daily reminder to God, morning and evening, of the true burnt offering. This is true also of the service of the high priest on the great day of atonement when the sin offering for the whole congregation was slain according to the solemn rites appointed by God and its blood was taken into the holy of holies by the high priest (Lev 16).

The service of the day of atonement is the type that has its special fulfilment in the present ministry of Christ in the heavens, as very clearly appears from the text of this portion of Hebrews (8:1; 10:25). It was expressly commanded that "there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he (the high priest) goes in to make atonement in the holy place until he comes out" (Lev 16:17). The congregation awaited the reappearance of their high priest. Thus there was enacted once each year a scene typical of what is set forth in Hebrews 9:24-28.

Christ appeared once in the end of the age (preceding this), to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself as the sin-offering of the atonement for the whole congregation. Then he entered, by his own blood, into the holy place (heaven itself), now to appear in the presence of God for us; and he will presently come forth to those in the outer court who wait for him for salvation.

But while the services of the priesthood were available for all, they were profitable mainly to those who approached the tabernacle to avail themselves thereof. The law contemplated voluntary, individual offerings. "If any one of you bring an offering unto the Lord" (Lev 1:2, etc.). "And when any will offer," i.e., offers of his own will, "a meat offering unto the Lord ... he shall bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests" (Lev 2:1-2). All the five offerings described in detail in the opening chapters of Leviticus (the whole burnt offering, the meat offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering), were to be made by individuals. The priest acted only in an official capacity, to present to God, in the prescribed manner, the offerings voluntarily made by the people. Unless the people brought offerings, there would be nothing for the priests to present on their behalf.

Therefore, at the outset of this part of the epistle it is written: "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have something also to offer" (Heb 8:3). The saints of this dispensation do not have to offer the blood of animals, for the blood of Christ has been offered by himself (Heb 9:11-14). This is effective to purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God. But there remains for us also a "continual" offering, to be offered "day by day." As it is written, "By him, therefore, let us offer the SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD CONTINUALLY, giving thanks to (literally, confessing to) his name" (Heb 13:15).

Surely, in respect of worship, the saints of this era, who have access to God through Jesus Christ, the great high priest and the mediator of the new covenant, should not fall below the standard set for the Israelites. They offered every day, morning and evening, the memorial lamb, besides all the voluntary offerings. They were taught scrupulously to present to God of the best that he had given them. For an Israelite to appear before God with empty hands would be to say that God had not blessed him. Surely then, it is for us to fill the hands of the high priest with sacrifices of praise continually, presenting to God thanksgivings for the unspeakable gift of his love to us.

CHRIST—THE TRUE TABERNACLE

Our sacrifices are to be offered "by him" "confessing to his name." This admonishes us of a fact that is commonly lost sight of, namely, that men can approach God only through a priest duly appointed for that purpose by God himself.

Although the saints of God on earth have received a new birth from God, the washing of regeneration, nevertheless they have sin in them and are occupying the mortal (death-doomed) bodies of their humiliation. Therefore they may approach God only through the high priest, the minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle.

"For THROUGH HIM we both have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Eph 2:18). Christ said, "I am the Wway, no man comes unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6). So also it is written in Hebrews, "Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way" (Heb 10:19-20). Again, "By him let us offer continually" (Heb 13:15).

Unquestionably, this command is intended to be carried out just as literally as the similar commands given to the Israelite. It cost each one time and trouble to procure his offering and present it at the door of the tabernacle. So if we are faithful in regard to our sacrifices, it will be at the expense of time and diligence. God was not honoured by, nor would he accept, anything but the very best of that with which he had enriched his people; and our offerings to him, to be acceptable, should be of the very best of our time, especially the early hours of the day, and of the most excellent of our praises.

If one is poor in his knowledge and appreciation of the riches that are his in Christ, his offering of praise will be correspondingly meagre; but the more he possesses of "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," the richer will be his offering. Therefore, poverty in the sacrifices of thanksgiving is due to lack of diligence in reading and meditating in the Word by which comes "the knowledge of the Son of God" (Eph 4:13).

"Confessing to his Name," or offering praise or prayer in his name, does not mean using his name as a closing formula. His name stands for himself, and for his relations to God and to men. To offer in his name is to present our offering to God in all the merit of his person, and of the work whereby he glorified God in the earth. He himself, therefore, should form the very Substance of our praises, for in praising God for Christ, we praise him for all. In Christ all fulness dwells, and he is all and in all.

May we, then, be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. If he dwells in our hearts, then the praises of our hearts will be unto God a sweet savour of Christ. So let us give thanks "always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph 5:20).

OFFERING PLEASING SACRIFICES

Mention is made in Hebrews, and in other Scriptures, of other sacrifices that are acceptable and well-pleasing to God. "But to do good, and to communicate (or distribute to other saints of what we have), forget not. For with SUCH SACRIFICES God is well pleased" (Heb 13:16). This applies to material and also to spiritual things.

The essence of love is the giving or sacrificing of oneself. In this the children of God are bidden to be "imitators of God." "Be, therefore, followers (imitators) of God as beloved children; and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, AN OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD for a sweet smelling savour" (Eph 5:1-2). The reference here is to those offerings that were known as "sweet-savour offerings," namely, the whole burnt offering, the meat offering, and the peace offering. In like manner, the saints are called upon to offer themselves for others by walking towards them in love.

In regard to this matter of doing good and sharing, viewing it as a sweet-savour offering to God, when done in the name of Christ, Paul highly commends the Philippian saints, saying, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Notwithstanding you have done well that you did SHARE with my affliction. "And he tells them that "no church shared with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift, but I desire FRUIT THAT MAY ABOUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT. But I have all things and abound. I am full; having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, AN ODOUR OF A SWEET SMELL, A SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE, WELL-PLEASING TO GOD" (Phil 4:14-18).

These scriptures instruct us clearly as to the sacrifices that are acceptable and well-pleasing to God from his pilgrims of this era. Therefore, among the exhortations with which this section of Hebrews closes occurs the following "And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works" (Heb 10:24).

That exhortation is preceded by another, to which the chief prominence is given in this portion of the epistle, namely: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God, LET US DRAW NEAR" (Heb 10:19-22).

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD

This drawing near, or approaching to God, is the act of worship in spirit and truth. It is essential to the character of God's pilgrims. They approached him by means of a sacrifice, offered in faith. The perfect sacrifice has now been offered for us. Because of the blood of Jesus, we may have "boldness to enter the holiest." We approach by the new and living way that has been consecrated "FOR US." Therefore, and because we have such an high priest over the house of God, our approach should be "in the full assurance of faith."

Availing ourselves of the privilege of worship has much to do with securing the great salvation spoken of in Hebrews. Our high priest is able to save to the uttermost them that approach to God (as worshippers) by him. Therefore, it is written: "Having a high priest over the house of God, let us approach in full assurance of faith," that is to say, believing God implicitly as to the access we have through Christ, as to the value of his blood, and as to his present ministry before God for us, which are unseen things, that exist only for faith.

Point is given to this lesson in the next chapter, where it is brought to mind in regard to Enoch that, before his translation, he had witness borne him that he had been well pleasing to God (Heb 11:5). From this it is deduced that he must have exercised faith towards God, for "without faith it is impossible to please him; for he who APPROACHES TO GOD must believe that HE is (exists as a living God), and is a rewarder of them that seek him out" (verse 6, Greek).

This proves also that the manner in which Enoch approached God in faith, and thus found favour with him, was in the appointed way, by means of a sacrifice, as did Abel, Noah, Abraham, and the other "Hebrews."

This lesson is of the utmost importance. According to the Word of God, man is a sinner and justly under the condemnation of death. His only hope is in a God who raises the dead and through a sacrifice that fully pays the penalty of his sin. None but God himself could supply a sacrifice adequate to discharge that penalty. Hence, he sent forth his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, to be a sacrifice for sin.

The one sacrifice, offered by Jesus Christ once for all, is the heart of the work of redemption, and believing God as to that fact is absolutely essential to acceptance with him. Therefore, when the man of faith of old approached God with an innocent victim and sacrificed it before the Lord, that man confessed himself a sinner, deserving the death suffered by the victim. He also confessed his faith in God as the author of a way of redemption for the death-deserving sinner.

To us, the meaning of those oft-repeated sacrifices, which could never take away sins, or make the "approachers" perfect (Heb 9:9; 10:1,4), has been made plain. By the will of God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb 10:10). Therefore, we ought continually to approach, in full assurance of faith, availing ourselves of the powerful ministry of our great high priest, in order that thereby the purpose of the Father may be accomplished in us.