The Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things Hebrews 8:5

According to the writer of Hebrews, Jesus “should not be a priest” on the earth because there were already “priests” assigned to that position. Jesus was and is our “great high priest” in heaven, and in chapter eight and verse five of Hebrews the writer shares how earthly “priests” served as “the example and shadow of heavenly things” where we read:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, says he, that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the mount.

The verse begins, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle:”. The writer began with the words, “Who serve” which means “The priests on earth minister, render religious service, homage or worship and perform sacred services such as offering gifts of worship to God in the observance of the rites instituted for His worship” “unto the example” or “the imitation, specimen and adumbration”, “and shadow” which means “the image, sketch, outline and adumbration of shade cause by the interception of light” “of heavenly things” which refers to “things which exist and happen in heaven and the heavenly regions”, “as Moses” whose name means “drawing out” and was “the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. He wrote the first five books of the Bible which are commonly referred to as the Books of Moses” or “transacted business with, managed public affairs with, was instructed and commanded” “of God” which refers to the “Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “when he was about to make” or “when Moses was going to fashion, accomplish, perfect, execute and complete” “the tabernacle” which means “the tent which was that well known movable temple of God after the pattern of which the temple at Jerusalem was built”. The office of the priesthood, like the tabernacle, served as a “shadow” on earth of the ways things are built and set in heaven.

The verse continues, “for, See, says he, that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the mount.”. The writer added the words, “for, See” or “therefore and indeed behold, perceive, know, heed, beware and care” “says he” which means “made known and declared God”, “that you make” or “that Moses produce, construct, form and fashion” “all things” which means “each, every, all, the whole and everything” “according to” or “down from, throughout, toward and along” “the pattern” which means “the figure or image formed by a blow or impression” “showed” or “exposed, given evidence or proof by words or teaching” “to you” which refers to “Moses” “in the mount” or “mountain”. Moses was to obey every aspect of the “pattern” of the “tabernacle” which was “shown” to him by God on the mountain.

When we think through these words in Hebrews, we see how God revealed to Moses what the “tabernacle” in heaven was like as he gave him directions for the earthly tabernacle. Moses was told by God exactly how to make the “tabernacle” on earth, and even as he followed those instructions, he followed in like manner with the priests as well. All the functions of the “tabernacle” and “priesthood” served as examples to the way it is in heaven, and when Jesus entered the “heavenly tabernacle” as our “great high priest”, he followed after the example set forth by God to Moses, and His obedience gained the forgiveness for our sins and provided access to God. May all who read these words understand the greatness of our Heavenly Father and His providential plan.

Next time we see how Jesus has “obtained a more excellent ministry”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.