Jesus Fulfills Jewish Expectations

February 5th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 9:8-10 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

The old tabernacle and all of its services were used as an illustration whereby the Holy Spirit would teach those who could understand. Note three things here the Spirit of God was teaching. First, the worship of God in the old covenant was limited since no one could approach God. Even the priests could only go so far. Second, the Spirit indicates that the cleansing achieved by the old sacrifices was a deficient cleansing. The guilty consciences of those who sinned willfully were never truly eased. Third, the Spirit indicates that the old order was temporary, for the daily and annual sacrifices had to be repeated year after year. The New Covenant, however, paved the way for all worshippers to come to the very throne of grace for mercy and forgiveness (cf. 4:16), a clear conscience, and a once-for-all sacrifice. Now that is a superior covenant!

As long as the tabernacle (or Temple) still functioned as an avenue in the minds of the people to come before God, there could be no true access to God. The common people could not even enter the Holy Place; certainly not the Holy of Holies. So too, in the modern day there is no access to God without a Savior—a Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). To be sure, when the writer penned Hebrews, the Temple had indeed replaced the tabernacle, and it was still functioning in Jerusalem with a priesthood that mediated for the Jews. It was, however, destroyed only a few years later in AD 70. Only Jesus can take people into the presence of God.

The Hebrews author said the tabernacle was merely a “symbol” for the present age. This “symbol” is meant to draw a comparison of two things: the old and the new. The old sacrifices made in the tabernacle were unable to “perfect the conscience of the worshiper” (v. 9). As such, their guilt was never truly removed, and the cleansing of the sacrifice was merely external and needing to be repeated annually. The New Covenant, however, was an internal change of the heart done by God and accomplished through the Savior one time and for all nations. In this, God promised to write His Law on hearts of flesh as opposed to tablets of stone (8:8-12).

Truly the old covenant not only prevented Israel from approaching God to worship Him personally, it also provided imperfect and temporary cleansing of sins. The gifts and sacrifices offered to the priests by the people to be given to God were only drink offerings, food offerings, and various washings of the body—all external offerings and temporary in their effect. This is akin to modern worshipers who can only give outward worship by giving money and/or food to the poor and being baptized. Some actually think this makes them Christians!

But God’s regulations for worship in the old covenant were temporary until the “time of reformation” which means “to make right.” The New Covenant does just that! Whereas the old covenant was incapable of making man right with God, the new one reforms believers from the inside out. Now we can worship God face-to-face and enjoy His once-for-all sacrifice forever.

Food For Thought
Today’s “regulations for divine worship” (9:1) require us to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, first and foremost. Apart from Christ, there is no true worship of God. And since Jesus accomplished what we could not and did all the work required for salvation, our worship entails works that simply praise God for His free gift. Attempting to perform works to gain salvation is worthless and inferior. We fail every time we try. Thankfully, Jesus did it for us!