THE FIRST COVENANT / HEBREWS 9:1-7

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(KJV) Hebrews 9:1-7

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. ²For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. ³And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; ⁴Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; ⁵And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. ⁶Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. ⁷But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

The Shadow of the Sanctuary: Understanding the First Covenant

Have you ever looked at the blueprints of a historic building? The sketches, dimensions, and layout tell a story of purpose, but they cannot match the experience of actually walking through the completed structure.

In Hebrews 9:1-7, the author takes us on a guided tour of the Old Testament tabernacle. This sacred tent was the ultimate blueprint of worship for ancient Israel. However, as the writer beautifully unfolds, this first covenant and its physical structures were always meant to point to something much greater.

The Setup of the Earthly Sanctuary

The passage begins by acknowledging that the first covenant had specific regulations for divine worship and an earthly sanctuary. The writer describes a tent divided into two distinct rooms:

The Holy Place: The outer room contained the lampstand, the table, and the sacred bread (the showbread). This was the area where priests performed their daily rituals.
The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies): Behind the second curtain lay the most sacred room. It held the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the golden jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.

Every object carried deep symbolic weight, representing God’s provision, leadership, law, and presence among His people.

The Limitation of the First Covenant

Despite the beauty and reverence of this setup, the writer highlights a major limitation in Hebrews 9:6-7:

“When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.”

This is the turning point of the passage. The earthly tabernacle, by its very design, screamed “Keep Out.”

The regular priests could only go into the outer room. The average Israelite could not enter at all. Even the High Priest could only pass behind the heavy veil into the Most Holy Place one single day a year—on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. And he could never enter without blood to cover sins.

Moving from the Shadow to the Substance

The first covenant was beautiful, but it was restrictive. It stood as a constant reminder that sin separates humanity from a holy God. The sacrifices had to be repeated endlessly because they could never fully clear the conscience of the worshiper or permanently remove sin.

The writer to the Hebrews analyzes these major features of Israel’s religion not to mock them, but to show how Christ fulfills them. The earthly sanctuary was a shadow; Jesus is the substance.

Where the first covenant set up barriers, Jesus tore the veil. Where the earthly high priest entered with the blood of animals year after year, Jesus entered the true heavenly sanctuary once for all by His own blood. Because of Jesus, the “Keep Out” sign has been replaced with a permanent invitation to draw near to the throne of grace.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the rich history of Your word and for the ways You revealed Your holiness to ancient Israel through the tabernacle. Thank You for the reminders of Your provision, Your law, and Your presence.

Yet, Lord, we are overwhelmingly grateful that we do not live under the limitations of the first covenant. We thank You that we do not need an earthly high priest to enter a physical room on our behalf once a year. We praise You for Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, who shed His own blood to buy our eternal redemption. Thank You for tearing the veil and making a way for us to know You intimately, daily, and eternally. Help us to walk boldly in the access we now have through Christ.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

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Summary

Article Name

THE FIRST COVENANT / HEBREWS 9:1-7

Description

In his discussion on how the new covenant established by Christ is so much superior to the old (or first) covenant, the writer to the Hebrews analyzes the major features of worship and sacrifice in Israel's religion.

Author

Margarita Crews

Publisher Name

Guided By Grace

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