Page 65 - Hebrews- Student Textbook

Coals were taken from the great sacrificial altar at the door of the tabernacle and placed on this small
stand. Incense was then placed on the coals to produce a large amount of smoke. This wonderful
smelling smoke obscured the high priest's eyes from seeing YHWH, who dwelt over the ark of the
covenant between the wings of the cherubim, in the Holy of Holies.

"the ark of the covenant" The ark is described in Exod.25:10-22 and 37:1-9.

"a golden jar holding manna" The Septuagint and Philo have the adjective "golden," but the Masoretic
Hebrew Text does not (cf. Exod. 16:31-36). Josephus says it held 4 pints. It was a miracle that the manna
did not rot (cf. Exod. 16:18-21,22-25).

"Aaron's rod which budded" This rod was YHWH's sign of confirming the leadership of Moses and Aaron
during Korah's rebellion (cf. Num. 17:1-11; 20:8-11).

"the tables of the covenant" This refers to the two stone tablets with the decalog (ten words) written
on them by the finger of God (cf. Exod. 25:16; Deut. 9:9,11,15;10:3-5; 31:18; 32:15). The book of
Deuteronomy and Joshua 24 follow the treaty pattern of the Hittites (of the second millennium B.C.).
Their covenants always had two copies, one for the vassal king to read yearly and one for the sanctuary
of the deity. Therefore, the two stone tablets may have been duplicate copies.

9:5 "the cherubim of glory" This refers to the two angelic creatures on each end of the mercy seat (lid),
whose wings overshadowed the ark (cf. Gen. 3:24; Exod.25:18-22; Ezek. 10:14, but note that in Ezek.
41:18 they have two faces, not four). A new possibility from a History Channel video, "Decoding the
Exodus" asserts that they were phoenixes. The Bible does not reveal much information about the angelic
world. Our curiosity often runs far ahead of revealed truth.

"mercy seat" This refers to the golden lid of the wooden box called "the ark of the covenant." It was a
special place for "covering" sins. The symbolism seems to be:

1. YHWH dwelt between the wings of the two angelic creatures (the rabbis said this was His
footstool)

2. the box contained the "ten words" (decalog)

3. the high priest, on the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16), went into the Holy of Holies
twice to place blood on the mercy seat, once for his own sin and once for the non-
premeditated sins of the nations as a whole (cf. v. 7)

The requirements of the Law were covered, obscured from YHWH's eyes by the sacrificial blood of an
unblemished animal (life is in the blood; sin requires a life).

"but of these things we cannot now speak in detail" This is a disclaimer. Our author uses details from
the ancient tabernacle that are now unknown.

9:7 "the high priest. . .once a year" He entered only on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev. 16).
"Kipper" means "to cover"; the Akkadian cognate means "to wipe away. Hebrews 9 focuses on the
rituals of the Day of Atonement more than any other chapter in the New Testament.

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