Hebrews: A 28-Day Musical DevotionalSample

Shadows

Chapter 8 opens a new section in the Book of Hebrews and is the start of the second act of the Hebrews album. Recall that the exposition of the letter begins with Jesus exalted in heaven (1:5-14). He then leaves his heavenly paradise (2:5-18) to be appointed as a high priest on earth (4:14-5:10; 7:1-28). Now, having been appointed as a high priest on earth, Jesus returns to heaven and enters the true holy of holies to offer himself as a sacrifice for sins. Incredibly, the Son of God is both the one who offers the sacrifice and the sacrifice itself. He is the one who intercedes between God and man, as well as the one whose blood must be shed to atone for our sins.

The opening seven verses of chapter 8 describe Jesus’ entrance into the heavenly tabernacle, which, unlike the earthly tabernacle, is not a place made by human hands. The earthly tabernacle was a copy, or shadow, of the real one in heaven. Just as the Levitical high priests would enter the holy of holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, so Christ, the great high priest, enters the true holy of holies in heaven. The earthly ministry of the old covenant foreshadowed a heavenly one – a new and better covenant inaugurated by the Son.