Thoughts on Hebrews Study Questions for 10/29


THOUGHTS ON HEBREWS STUDY QUESTIONS

My Sunday School Life Group is studying Hebrews. Every Monday, I post questions that were discussed the day before in Sunday School. I invite you to ponder/think about them and jot down your thoughts.

On Wednesdays, I post some of the ideas that came up in the Life Group's discussion for you to consider and compare with your thoughts.  


These questions were discussed in my Life Group Monday. This post presents thoughts from the class discussion.


Chapter 9
Vv 1-19
What were the two components of the first covenant?
Worship. Directions.
The Tabernacle. An earthly structure.
"Ritual and Residence"  

Three things are listed as furnishings of “the outer room.” How was each used?
1 Lampstand/Candlestick. It provided light it was always lit. The original had oil lamps. Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. Exodus 25:31-1-33
2 Table.  Hold the consecrated bread. It was made of acacia to prevent insect infestation.  
 Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. Also, make around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them. And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times. Exodus 25:23-30
3 Showbread/Consecrated/Sacred bread. Also called "loaves of presentation," they were for the exclusive use of the priests. 
“Showbread” also was called “bread of the presence” because it was to be always in the Lord’s presence. The table and the bread were a picture of God’s willingness to fellowship and communion (literally speaking, sharing something in common) with man. It was like an invitation to share a meal, an extension of friendship. Eating together often is an act of fellowship. God was willing for man to enter into His presence to fellowship with Him, and this invitation was always open.
Jesus exemplified this when He ate with tax collectors, prostitutes and the sinners of Jewish society. But this was more than just a gesture of friendship on earth. Jesus came to call sinners to Him, make them right with God, so that they could enjoy everlasting fellowship with God.
“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. … Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.” (John 6:35, 49-50)

The Holy of Holies sounds pretty crowded. What’s there? Why was each piece there? Note: 
The dimensions of the Holy of Holies was 30' x 30' x 30'
What? 
The Ark of the Covenant. 45" x 27" x 27" in size not counting the Seraphim on top. Known as the "Mercy Seat," this top portion is where the cloud of God's presence rested. Here's one artist's conception. I chose it from the dozens I found because the wings touch and the carrying pole is at the bottom. Other pictures are available in an earlier blog: 

The Golden Altar of Incense. Incense was burned twice daily and kept smoldering at all times. 
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts,
 and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 
Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you." Exodus 30:34-36

Why? 
The Ark contained the sapphire tablets--broken originals written by God's hand and the replacement tablets written by Moses, a container of manna, and Aaron's rod/staff that budded (Numbers 17:8). It was the earthly home of the Spirit of God.
Incense from the Golden Altar produced an aroma that pleased God. The incense's aroma is a parallel to the prayers of God's people.
Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel. Revelation 8:3-4
  

We Got This Far This Week

Why was the High Priest allowed access to the HofH?
Red  

What was the purpose of the blood taken into the HofH?
Red  

Vv8-10 is a commentary on Christ’s crucifixion. What were the good and bad aspects of the animal sacrifices?
Red  

Chapter 9
Vv 11-15
What good things are already here?
Red 

What’s the significance of Christ’s “once for all” entry into the HofH?
Red 

Blood cleansing vs. heifer ashes. ‘Sup wit dat?
Red 

Why would sprinkling blood on an object make it clean?
Red 

What does Christ’s blood cleanse? Why is that essential?
Red 

Comment on the last part of v14.
Red 

Called? See Romans 8:28
Red 

Who/What is benefitting by what’s described at the end of v15?
Red 

What is eternally inherited? (Jer 31:31-34)
Red 



If you'd like a PDF of the pages of questions in table form with room for you to write answers, email me at 


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