Ordinances characterized the divine service in the earthly sanctuary-visible objects such as the candlestick, table, and shewbread in the holy place. In the most holy place, after the second veil, were the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold. In this last were concealed the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded, together with the tables of the covenant. Over this the cherubim spread their wings as they looked inward and down upon the mercyseat.
Daily rituals were the lot of the priests of the earthly tabernacle. Not so the most holy place, for into this place the priest entered once every year, not without blood, both for his own and the people's errors.
In the old order the way into the holiest was not yet manifest.
These rites and ceremonies had no power to cleanse the conscience of the worshippers, yet were imposed upon them until the time of Christ.
The old order took in only the errors of the people. The work of Christ affects the whole man.
The purifying of the flesh or outward man was the only result of ordinances and the offering of the blood of beasts.
The blood of Christ, having now been offered without spot through the eternal Spirit, has purged the conscience of the believer to serve the living God.
The provisionary and figurative sacrifices and ordinances of the Old Testament, connected with an earthly tabernacle, could not give access into the holiest, the worshipper having no title. Now Christ is his title because of His presence on high.
The believer can enter in because he has a purged conscience, not innocent, as Adam, but cleansed. The believer is without spot before God because Christ has gone into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us by His own blood.
Christ is the Mediator of a new covenant, but it could not take effect until the death of the testator.
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
Heavenly things must be purified with better sacrifices.
Christ does not go in to offer Himself often. Once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Those that look for Him refers to their expectation of His return to earth, not the rapture. His return will be salvation. Never does He need to undertake a work of redemption again. The work is finished forever.