The Tabernacle's Limitation: External Regulation Without Conscience Cleansing

¹ Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.

² A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.

³ Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,

⁴ containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

⁵ Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

⁶ When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties.

⁷ But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

⁸ By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.

⁹ It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.

¹⁰ They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.