SPIRITUAL
DIARY FOR 04-26-03
My
Worship Time Focus: 5th
Superiority: Its ministry represents Fulfillment
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Hebrews 9:24
Message of the verse: “For Christ did not enter a holy place made
with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear
in the presence of God for us.” (NASB) “For Christ has entered into heaven itself to
appear now before God as our Advocate.
He did not go into the earthly place of worship, for that was merely a
copy of the real Temple in heaven.”
(NLT)
I
could not understand at first why the NLT used the word advocate in it until I
looked at some other translations that use the words “for us” in them, and
figure that this is where the NLT gets the word Advocate from. They are saying that Jesus Christ sits in
heaven to minister on behalf of His Church to present both our needs and our
service for Him an offering. (See
7:25) “Hence, also, He is able to save
forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make
intercession for them.”
Warren
Wiersbe’s point from this passage is that the old tabernacle is made by hands and therefore it will be temporary, but
the tabernacle in heaven is not made with hands, for God made it, therefore
Christ ministers in a superior place.
I
want to talk about the word “copy” that is used in this verse and try to give
some insights for the Greek word from which it is translated. Strongs has this to say about this word, “a
thing resembling another, its counterpart, something in the Messianic times
which answers to the type, as baptism corresponds to the deluge (#1Pe
3:21)” “There is also an antitype which
now saves us----baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.” This word is translated as
antitype here as used in the NKJV, and these are the only two times it is used
in the NT. Macarthur says of this word,
“The antitype either prefigures the type (as here in Heb.9: 24), or is a later
illustration of the type as in 1Pet. 3:21.
In both cases, the antitype is not the real thing, but only a copy of
it. The earthly “holy place” in the
tabernacles were only types of the heavenly abode of God.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Warren Wiersbe says that believers are to
beware of trusting anything for your spirituality that is made with hands, and
he relates this to the man made tabernacles of the OT. I think maybe his point is that things that
come from man can have error in them, while things that are from God are
perfect. For instance if I run into a
problem I need to go to the Word of God to find answers and not listen to worldly
advice. Everything I do should be done
for the glory of God and not for man or me.
The Word of God has brought
conviction to my heart as I studied it this morning.
My Steps of Faith Today: To trust the Lord to see me through the trip to take the kids to the
airport safely and without fear, which can affect my IBS, to trust the Lord to
replace fear with courage, and selfishness with compassion, as He conforms me
to the image of Jesus Christ.
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