A GREATER AND MORE PERFECT TABERNACLE

A GREATER AND MORE PERFECT 

TABERNACLE

But Christ being come an high priest of 

good things to come, by a greater and 

more perfect tabernacle, not made with 

hands, that is to say, not of this building; 

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, 

but by his own blood he entered in once 

into the holy place, having obtained 

eternal redemption for us

 (Hebrews 9:11-12).

friday 13

In the Old Testament, the temple Solomon built 

was divided into two parts: outside was the 

temple courts, where the animals for sacrifices were 

killed. Then, there was the temple itself; the first part 

of it being the holy place, and only the priest could go 

in there then. The second part of it was the most holy 

place, separated from the first tabernacle with a thick 

curtain. 

While the priest ministered in the holy place, only 

the high priest could go into the most holy place—the 

inner sanctuary—and he did that once a year. To go into 

the most holy place, he had to offer sacrifices to God 

for himself and for others; he could only go in there with 

the blood of an animal (Hebrews 9:6-8). Moreover, at 

the end of one year, that atonement would expire, and 

another sacrifice would be required. 

Regardless of the sacrifices performed by the high 

priest every year, sin was never put away; the presence 

of God still wasn’t accessible to the people. More so, 

the altar where the high priest performed the sacrifices 

had to be sanctified with other sacrifices before the gifts 

were put on it, including all the utensils in the temple. 

In other words, the tabernacle that was supposed to 

be so holy and make things holy, was itself not holy 

enough. 

Then the Bible says that Jesus, being a high priest in 

the order of Melchisedec came with a greater and more 

perfect tabernacle, and offered Himself once and for 

all. Hebrews 10:5 says,  “… Sacrifice and offering thou 

wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” His 

body was the greater and more perfect tabernacle, and 

through Him, the presence of God is now open to all 

who believe. Now we have boldness to “…enter into 

the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living 

way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the 

veil, that is to say, his flesh”  (Hebrews 10:19-20).

PRAYER

Dear Father, thank you for the sacrifice of the Lord 

Jesus, offered once and for all, for the blotting away 

of sins! I acknowledge this perfect sacrifice that has 

brought me eternal and perfect remission of sin, and 

into union with you forever, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER S TUDY:

Hebrews 9:13-15; John 2:18-21; Ephesians 5:2