Old Covenant priests worked in the literal tabernacle
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📚✭Then indeed the first covenant also had regulations for divine service, and an earthly sanctuary✭. 2 📚✭For a tabernacle was constructed. In the first part were the lampstand✭, and the table✭, and the showbread. This is called the Holy Place. 3 📚And behind the second veil✭, there was that part of the tabernacle called the Most Holy Place. 4 📚This had the golden censer✭, and the ark✭ of the covenant completely covered with gold in which were the golden jar containing manna✭, Aaron’s rod✭ that budded, and the tablets✭ of the covenant, 5 📚and over the ark the cherubim✭ of glory✭ overshadowing the mercy seat. About this we cannot now speak particularly.6 📚✭Now when these things had been prepared like this, the priests went at any time into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the service✭ of God. 7 📚✭But into the second part only the high priest went just once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the people’s sins of ignorance✭. 8 📚In this way the Holy Spirit✭ was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet revealed, while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 📚✭The tabernacle was a symbol for the present time. Both the gifts and sacrifices offered in it could not make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience, 10 📚✭but had to do only with foods and drinks, and various washings, and regulations about the body, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Christ’s work is in the spiritual, heavenly tabernacle
11 📚✭But Christ has come as a high priest of good things to come. Going through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 📚and not with the blood of goats and calves✭, but with his own blood✭, he entered in once for all into the Most Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption✭ for us.
13 📚For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer✭ sprinkling the ceremonially unclean, sanctifies to the extent of outward bodily purification, 14 📚how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot✭ to God, cleanse your conscience✭ from dead works to serve the living God?
15 📚And for this reason✭ he is the mediator of the new covenant✭, so that as a result of his death as a ransom✭ for sins committed under the first covenant✭, those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance✭.
16 Now where there is a testament✭, of necessity there must also be the death of the one who made it. 17 📚For a testament is in force only after men are dead. It has no power at all while the one who made it is living.
18 📚✭For this reason even the first covenant was not dedicated without blood. 19 📚For when Moses had spoken every commandment to all the people, according to the Law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, 20 📚and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you”.
21 📚✭Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels used in its service. 22 📚And according to the Law almost everything✭ is cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness✭. 23 📚It was therefore necessary that the copies of things✭ in the heavens should be purified by these sacrifices, but the heavenly things✭ themselves by better sacrifices than these.
24 📚For Christ has not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are only copies✭ of the true, but into heaven itself, to appear now in the presence of God for us✭. 25 📚And it is not that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of other sacrifices. 26 📚For then he would have had to suffer often since the beginning of the world. But now once for all✭, at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.