In part 1, we made three basic observations concerning the return of man to God's presence and fellowship through Christ. First, that which was lost through Adam's disobedience was restored in a greater, transcenden­tal manner through Christ's obedience (Rom. 5:12-­21; Phil. 2:5-11). Additionally, we noticed that the earthly paradise in Genesis 2-3 foreshadows the new, heavenly Jerusalem in Revelation 21-22.

 

Second, to carry out his redemptive purpose, God chose the nation of Israel, whose New Testament consummation in Christ brought forth the New Creation of God's dwelling with humanity (Matt. 24; Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 9-11; Rev. 21-22). This is the biblical history and setting for the world-chang­ing eschatology found in New Testament scripture. From this perspective Jesus said, "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).

 

Third, it follows that Christ's mission to open up the new and living way into the presence of God (Heb. 10:20) is achieved through his fulfillment of God's promises to the fathers of Israel (Rom. 15:8; Heb. 6:11-20). There is not a single aspect of New Testament salvation that does not pertain to the specific, exclusive salvation that God promised Israel -- a compre­hensive salvation that swallows up every vestige of divine purpose and promise in scripture (Old Testament Israel and New Testament Salvation).

 

The Old Testament is the back­ground for what is written in all of the New Testament books, including the Book of Revelation. It is significant, therefore, that the things which John said "must shortly be done" (Rev. 22:6) in connection with the "at hand" Rev­elation of Christ (1:1-3) include the coming of Israel's promised new heaven and earth, the New Jerusalem, and the greater, more perfect taber­nacle of God (Rev. 21:1-3; Isa. 65:17-19; 66:22; Ezek. 37:26-28). The entire series of "at hand" end-time events spoken of in the New Testament books fall within the scope of Christ's mission to restore all things (Acts 3:19-21). Through the imparted Spirit, this mission culminated in Christ's "new world" presence (Parousia) or revelation in the transformation of the Old Covenant age. The eschatological focus from Matthew through Revelation is on the consummation of the one and only salvation that is of, by, and through Israel (Matt. 10:23; 16:27, 28; 24:1-10; 26:64; 28:20). By design it extends to "all families of the earth" (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8; Rom. 15:27).

 

This means that the destruction of earthly Old Jerusalem was linked with the ultimate arrival, full manifestation, and exclusive presence of the New Jerusalem—the city in Revelation that houses God's presence and dwelling among his people. Old Covenant Israel's promises are fulfilled in Christ, and God’s presence resided with his people. We have unrestricted access to "the tree of life." We now drink of the "pure river of water of life" that flows "out of the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev. 22:1). The in­vitation to "come…whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (v.17) is not merely a matter of coming now with the prospect of eating of the tree of life and drinking of the water of life sometime in the indefinite future.

 

The study of humanity’s restoration to God's presence must include a discussion about the true tabernacle of God (Heb. 8:2), which ful­fills the earthly, typical, Mosaic tabernacle. We find in Ezekiel 37:26-28 that when the greater, messianic sanctuary is placed in the midst of God's re­deemed Israel, then the dwelling of God among humanity is forever realized (Rev.21:3-7). Has this been accom­plished? In answering this question we will focus on the tabernacle typology in Hebrews chapters 6-10. We call attention to four basic observations:

 

Observation One: The two con­trasting tabernacles are rooted in the two covenants. The "earthly sanctu­ary" or Mosaic tabernacle was an Old Covenant arrangement (Heb.9:1). But the true tabernacle, "which the Lord erected, and not man" (Heb. 8:2) springs from the New Covenant (Heb. 7:22; 8:6; 9:15).

 

God promised to make a New Covenant with the house of Is­rael and the house of Judah (Jer. 31:31-­34). Significantly, the fulfillment of this promise bears directly on the time frame for the coming of the "greater and more per­fect tabernacle, not made with hands" (Heb. 9:11). The changing of the tab­ernacles is linked to the transformation of the covenants. The Book of He­brews makes this clear.

 

When and how was this change consummated? The commonly-ac­cepted opinion is that of instantaneous transformation at the cross.  However, a more accurate approach is to say that transformation occurred by means of the cross.

 

The popular view glosses over the forty-year transition period, the "disclosing" ministry of the Spirit, and the sense of imminent of end-time expectation found in the apostolic writings.

 

For example, if covenantal change was consummated at the cross, what is Paul's "hope" in 2 Cor. 3:12? It is directly related to a covenant-determined change peculiar to Paul's time to the effect that the saints (in Paul’s day) were "be­ing transformed" into the image of Christ (v.18). "From glory to glory" in verse 18 refers to the respective glories of the two covenants mentioned in verses 9-12. "For if the ministry of condem­nation had glory, the ministry of righ­teousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glori­ous had no glory in this respect, be­cause of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech.”

 

Notice the verb tense in verse 11. Paul didn't say that the ministry of the Old Covenant "has passed away.”  Instead, he says that it "is passing away". If the change had been fully completed at the cross, what explains the Paul’s "hope" in verse 12? Paul himself said, "hope that is seen (realized) is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees" (Rom. 8:24)? Clearly, the decisive event, the cross, already was already seen (realized), but the transformation ef­fected by the cross through the Spirit was currently transpiring in Paul's time. The Old Covenant cosmos had not yet "vanished away" (Heb. 8:13), but would do so soon.

 

The full out­working of the change came about through the decisive event of the cross. The transformation of the covenants and conse­quently of the tabernacles is no exception.

This does not detract from the power and centrality of the cross but rather con­firms it. The cross was the requisite power causing the tabernacle transformation under discussion throughout Hebrews. This is a crucial factor in capturing the meaning of Christ's end-of-the-age appearing in 9:28 that was "eagerly awaited" by the saints of that time. They could see this cross-determined Day approaching (10:25).

 

The Old Covenant with its earthly sanctuary was "ready to vanish away" when Hebrews 8:13 was written, and the arrival of the greater tabernacle of God was "at hand" when John wrote Rev. 21:3 and 22:6-10. In scripture there is no gap between the covenants or the tabernacles.  But interpreters create an artificial one when they lift the coming of the tabernacle (Rev. 21:3) out of its end-of-the-Old-Covenant-­Age setting and shift it to an alleged end of the Christian age sometime in the future.

 

The earthly types and shadows of the law were followed immediately by the New Covenant or heav­enly antitypes. A realized antitype does not, then, become a type of a yet-greater antitype: a truer taber­nacle, a Newer Jerusalem, or a Newer Covenant. The problem is that in­terpreters have allowed the things "at hand" in Hebrews and Revelation to get "out of at hand" by ignoring the New Testament's transitional framework.

 

Moreover, if "at hand" can have a two ­thousand year elasticity, what would forbid Hebrews 8:13 ("ready to vanish away") from having the same flexibility? Is the Old still vanishing away today? Has the New not yet been realized? The Book of Hebrews teaches that the types do not "vanish away" centu­ries (or millennia) before the arrival of their antitypes.

 

Observation Two: The Mosaic tabernacle was earthly (9:1), typical (8:5; 9:9, 23), and had fleshly ordinances (9:10). But the tabernacle erected by Christ (8:2) is heavenly, not made with hands (9:11). These "heavenly things" (9:23-24) were called "the good things to come." While the Law foreshadowed the heavenly things (9:11; 10:1), now they have been fully disclosed by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13; 1 Cor.2:9-12).

 

We make this point to establish that (Biblically speaking) something said to be "heavenly” does not require it to lie beyond this dimension. The word "heavenly" denotes the higher covenantal plane of the new things through Christ. Consider, for example, the heavenly country and city of Abraham's faith (Heb. 11:9-16; 12:22-24). The heav­enly things are "other­worldly" in the sense of not belonging to the Old Covenant cosmos (world, age). There­fore, in saying that Christ entered "into heaven itself," the Book of Hebrews fo­cuses on the New Covenant tabernacle of which the earthly holy places were the "copies" or representations (9:23,24).

 

That "heaven" in Hebrews 9:24 denotes the realm of "the greater and more per­fect tabernacle" (9:11) is confirmed in Hebrews 6:18-20. In speaking of the guarantee of God's promise to Abraham (vv. 11-17), and therefore of "the hope set before us" (the "us" referring to the saints of that transitional time), the writer identifies the realm wherein this hope or prom­ise soon would be realized. "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest for­ever according to the order of Melchizedek."

 

The entering of Christ "into heaven itself" in Hebrews 9:24 parallels the meaning of his entering as the forerunner into "the Presence behind the veil" in 6:19-20. The greater, heavenly taber­nacle is under consideration in both passages.

 

In the Old Testament tabernacle the Most Holy Place (the "Holiest of All,” Hebrews 9:3, 12), was the ‘place’ of God's Pres­ence. The high priest entered it "alone once a year" to make atone­ment for himself and for the people (9:7). It symbolized the greater Holy of Holies to come.  “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.  It was symbolic for the present time" (v.8-9). The writer of Hebrews intended to draw attention to the change that was occurring at that time. The Old Covenant tabernacle (temple) was still standing when the Book of Hebrews was written, but it served to symbolize the transformation that was underway at that present time.  Christ had entered the true Holy of Holies, "the Presence behind the veil," because he is the "High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (6:20).

 

Consequently, Christ entered into God's Presence (the true "Holiest of All") as "the forerunner," to open "new and liv­ing way" for the saints to follow (Heb. 10:19-22). To this end, the Book of Hebrews exhorts its original audience to have boldness to enter into the Holiest, into "the Presence behind the veil." Similarly, John sees the consummation of this in Revelation 21:3. Unlike the earthly Holy of Holies that was restricted to the high priest alone annually, the heavenly tabernacle becomes the habitation of all the saints in the Presence of the True and Living God (Rev.22:4). When is this realized in fullness? What is the time of the end in Heb. 3:6, 14; 6:11; 9:28; 10:19, 25, 36, 37? This question leads to our next observa­tion.

 

Observation Three: In contrast to the earthly tabernacle the heavenly consists of only one compartment.

 

In the Old Testament tabernacle a Holy Place stood in front of the Holiest of All (9:1-8).  But in New Testament fulfillment the outer compartment is intentionally left off. The Book of Hebrews says, "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands…but into heaven itself” (9:24).

 

We have seen that entering "into heaven itself' is parallel with entering the Holiest of All (6:19, 20). This passage says nothing about a first (outer) area and a second (inner) compartment being in the greater tabernacle. It says nothing about Christ's sancti­fying a Holy Place or passing through an exterior Holy Place and then into the Holy of Holies. It says nothing about the saints' be­ing in a Holy Place that was attached to the Holy of Holies entered by Christ.

 

The exhortation was not, "Now that you have entered the Holy Place, have boldness to enter into the Holiest of All when the church age ends or when you die." The change in Hebrews is rooted in the passing of the Jewish age (as is the case in the Olivet discourse and Revelation). Al­ready, the saints were tasting the pow­ers of the age to come (6:5), the New Covenant age, the world subjected to Christ, not to angels, (2:5). Already, they were the house of Christ, and partakers of Christ, if they held fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end (3:6, 14).

 

They could see the Day approaching, (10:25) when the "promise" (6:11-20) of entering the Presence behind the veil would be fully realized at the "soon" coming of Christ (10:36-37).

 

Observation Four: The second coming or appearing of Christ in 9:28 connects integrally to the greater and more perfect taber­nacle, and hence the consummation of covenantal transformation.

 

The broad con­text (which takes in chapters 6-10) is filled with taber­nacle typology.  In the immediate context, the priestly function of Christ’s putting away sin (9:26) through his death and entrance into the "Holiest of All" with the blood of atonement mirrors the Old Covenant model.  The Levitical High Priest performed the sacrifice, entered the Most Holy Place, and returned to bless the nation who eagerly anticipated God’s acceptance of the offering (Lev.16:1-34.  Compare Luke 1:5-21).  Like high priestly pattern under the Law, Christ appears from "the Presence be­hind the veil" (6:19) to bless the waiting congregation ("those who eagerly wait for Him", 9:28).

 

But Christ brings more. In contrast to the earthly pattern, he appears to receive his own unto himself, to be the new and living way (10:20) for them to enter into the Presence behind the veil themselves.  To this end Jesus was "the forerunner" (6:20), and with this goal in mind the writer of the Book of Hebrews exhorted the saints to have “boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (10:19).

 

The saints under the Old Covenant could not be received into the "inner sanctuary" because their high priests could not finally "put away sins" with "the blood of bulls and goats" because "in those sac­rifices there is a reminder of sins ev­ery year" (10:3-4). But Christ and his sacrifice are different. The writer of Hebrews points out, "but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself ... so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for sal­vation" (9:26, 28).  The events of Christ's death and second appearing form the end-of-the-age time frame from beginning to end.

 

We find the exten­sion of the Old Covenant age beyond the cross to the destruction of Jerusalem in Matt. 24:1-3.  Christ's appearing or revelation is connected with this latter event (Lk. 17:30, 31; 1 Pet. 1:13; Rev. 1:1-3). The full end or "vanishing away" (Heb. 8:13) of the age of death and condemnation (2 Cor.3:7-11) is concomitant with Christ's second appear­ing "apart from sin". His high-priestly appearance from within the Holiest of All "for salvation" announced the consummated covenantal transformation.  Concerning this consummation Jesus said, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Mt. 24:13).

 

With this same end in view Paul said, "For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed" (Rom. 13:11).  It had not yet fully arrived, but it was near.

 

Peter addressed the same salvation by saying that it was "ready to be re­vealed" in his day (1 Pet. 1:5).  This would occur "at the revelation of Christ" (v.13).  It was "ready to be revealed" because the Old Covenant was "ready to vanish away" (Heb. 8:13).

 

Therefore, in view of the soon appearing of Christ (10:37), the writer of Hebrews exhorted the saints not to join those "who draw back to perdi­tion" (to the ways of the Old Covenant, vv. 26-29), but to be "of those who believe to the saving of the soul" (v.39).

 

We see, then, that Hebrews 9:28 is to inter­preted in its tabernacle context. There is no change of subject between 9:28 and 10:1.  Christ puts away sin in 9:26-28; this is contrasted immediately in chapter 10 by describing the inadequacy of the sacrificial system of the Law to accomplish this very thing.

 

In light of this, the saints were exhorted to hold fast and have "boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus." The time was drawing near. Christ's appearing in 9:28 cannot be cut off from the "ap­proaching Day" and his "soon" com­ing in 10:25-39. It all relates to the "shaking of the things that are made" (the earthly things of the Mosaic Covenant) so that "the things which can­not be shaken may remain" (the heav­enly things of the New Covenant).

 

If, however, sin still has not been put away, and if the saints have not yet entered into the Presence of God, what is the difference between New Covenant and the Old? In what way is the heavenly tabernacle superior to the earthly? And since the earthly has passed away, and if Christ (as High Priest, Heb. 9:7) is alone in the heavenly, where does that leave us today? Surely the writer of the Book of Hebrews and John in Revelation were describing the New Covenant glory against the background of the passing of the Old Covenant order.

 

 

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