Many years ago God lived among His people Israel. He lived in a fancy tent God called the tabernacle. The tabernacle had two rooms. One was the holy place where only the priests could go to perform certain duties. The second room was called the holiest of all where the presence of God was. Once a year, the high priest went alone into the holiest of all to carry the blood of the sacrifice into the presence of God. First he had to offer the blood for his own sin and then for the sin of all the people. The blood of the animal was brought as a symbol of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus who would die on the cross and shed His blood. The tabernacle and the sacrifices were only temporary symbols and practices that were used to teach us about God’s permanent plan of salvation. A testator is a person who writes his last will and testament. The person has to die before the heirs receive the blessing. For Israel, the animal had to die and the blood be shed before the sinner could receive forgiveness. The blood of the animals was a temporary solution because it did not cover future sin. If they sinned again, they needed the blood of the animal again. Christ made one offering for sin and His blood covers every sin — past, present and future — of the believer forever.
The blood of animals could not take away the guilt of a bad conscience. But we have eternal redemption through the blood of Christ. The blood of Christ is a permanent solution to give us peace. You can know that your sin is gone and you are forgiven. The tabernacle was temporary, but Christ is eternal.
1. What is the second room in the tabernacle called? __________ Hebrews 9:___
2. What did the high priest take with him into this second room once a year? __________ Hebrews 9:___
3. What needs to be shed in order for you to receive remission or forgiveness of sin? __________ Hebrews 9:___
4. What happens to men after they die? __________ Hebrews 9:___
5. How many times did Christ need to be offered in death to bear the sins of many? __________ Hebrews 9:___