2022-Q1-L10

2022-Q1-L10: Jesus opens the Way Through the Veil

Read for This Week’s Study: Heb. 9:24; Exod. 19:3, 4; Heb. 12:18–21; Lev. 16:1, 2; Heb. 10:19–22; Col. 3:1.

Memory Text: “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24, NKJV).

"Torn open"

Matthew 3:16: And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

Mark 1:10: And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn-open [#4977, Greek: schizomenous, participle;pres-pas-par;acc-pl-mas] and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

Matthew 27:51: And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn [#4977, Greek: eschisthe, verb;aor-pas-ind;3rd-p-si] in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split [#4977, schizo].

"heavens ripped apart". In Mark 1:10, the Greek verb schizo (from which we get schism) is a strong, almost violent, word.

Mark 15:38:

Luke 23:45:

"Veils" of the Sanctuary

Three curtains. Of these, the first hung before the entrance to the court of the tabernacle (Ex. 27:5; 38:18; Num. 4:26); the second before the door of the tabernacle (Ex. 26:36, 37; 39:38); and the third before the entrance to the most holy place, called, more fully, veil of the covering. Ex. 35:12; 39:34; 40:21.

Uriah Smith, "Within the Veil". Article in Australasian Record, April 28, 1924. Originally from: "Looking Unto Jesus."

Ibid. Does the word "veil" in Heb. 6:19, mean the second veil? and the answer is, No;

Three veils in Hebrews. Hebrews 6:19; 9:3 and 10:20

Hebrews 6:19 (WEB): This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

Ibid. No mention of "second veil"

Hebrews 9:2: For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place [Greek: hagia; "holies"; adj-nominative (indicates subject)-plural-neuter].

Hebrews 9:3 (WEB): After the second veil was the tabernacle ["section"] which is called the Holy of Holies [Greek: hagia hagion],

Hebrews 9:8: The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place [Greek: hagion; "of holies", adj; gen-sing-neuter] wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing.

Hebrews 10:19-20: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places (Greek: hagion, "holies") by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the veil [or curtain], that is, through his flesh,

Uriah Smith believes Hebrews 10:20 should be translated, "through the veil, by the new and living way that he opened for us through his flesh." It is Christ's sacrifice (his flesh) that is the new and living way which he has consecrated for us.

Three Feasts. To celebrate: (1) The Exodus (Passover), (2) The Law (Pentecost), (3) The Judgment (Tabernacles).

Three Roles: (1) Prophet (baptism of blood—justification; repentance and forgiveness), (2) Priest (baptism by water—sanctification; the washing of water with the Word) and (3) King (baptism by fire—glorification). Repentance/forgiveness, cleansing and glorifying are the work of Christ in the soul.

Three Harvests: (1) barley; Feast of Unleavened Bread, (2) wheat; Feast of Harvest or Day of First Fruits or Firstfruits of the wheat harvest (Exodus 23:16; Exodus 34:22; Numbers 28:26), and (3) grapes/winepress; Sukkot (lit. Feast of Booths); Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Ingathering of the Harvest (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:13). The sweetest harvest was the last one.

Pentecost. Count 50 days from what? When do we begin counting? The count begins on the day of the wave sheaf offering (Leviticus 23:15-16). The wave sheaf offering occurred the day after the weekly Sabbath after Passover. If Passover occurred on Saturday (Nisan 14), then the save sheaf offering would have occurred on Nisan 15. Seven Sabbaths were counted to reach Pentecost. The wave sheaf was an omer-measure of barley.

Tabernacles. Tabernacles came 7 months from Passover on the 15th of Nisan.

Seven high Sabbaths. See How To count 50 Days To Pentecost.

Bread, Three Ingredients: Unleavened bread (at least for the priests) was of wheat flour (Exodus 29:2), olive oil (Leviticus 2:4-6) and frankincense. Water and salt are not mentioned. The loaves were fried or baked. Salt was a rare commodity, so it was likely not available to the Israelites in the Exodus. Biblical Emmer Wheat Passover Seder Rekik Matzah. See also The Appeal of Ancient Wheat: Why Spelt, Emmer, Einkorn, and Kamut Return to Our Table

Exodus 23:14-17: Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God.

Three Veils. (1) The Court, (2) The Tabernacle, (3) The Most Holy. They correspond to the Three Feasts and Three Harvests.

Entrance into the Sanctuary and participation in Atonement required a Sacrifice of a spotless animal.

Exodus 25:8: And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.

Jesus was in a sense a veil. He veiled God's glory in a body of flesh. Divinity was veiled in the person of Christ.

Hebrews 10:19-22: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Within the Veil in Hebrews. By Eugene W. Prewitt. Goes into the Hebrew and Greek regarding the veil. Also discusses our SDA perspective.

"veil" (Greek: katapestasma).

"holy places" (Greek: hagia). Better to understand it as both holy places (i.e. holy and most holy). Then differentiate by the context.

Ibid. If the passage had to be limited to one apartment or the other, we would have to say it is the holy place—for the hagia of chapter nine had the table of showbread. But it is better, perhaps, to allow it to mean both as it apparently does in the term “way of the” holies in chapter nine.

Ibid. Hebrews 6 parallels Hebrews 10 in thought and provides the antecedent that explains “second” in chapter 9. [Read Hebrews 6:18-20]

Atonement through "Blood sacrifice" - i.e. "blood atonement"

Leviticus 17:11 (ESV): 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

The life is in the blood. The shedding of blood is the giving up of a life for a life. The life of an animal for the life of a human is not comparable; it is not equitable. So, it was obviously a symbol of the future reality.

Christ was to be the Lamb of God. It was offered by God for man's sake. The life of Christ was offered for man's salvation.

Hebrews 9:11-18. Redemption Through the Blood of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV): 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Question: Why the need for Christ's death? Why the need for blood atonement? Why did not God just forgive us and move on, since He is a loving, forgiving God.

Is blood atonement a bloodfest?

Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ hit movie theaters in 2004 to mixed reviews. It earned its R-rating for gory bloodshed.

In Genesis 9 Yahweh declares, “I will require a reckoning . . . for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image.”{11} Apparently, God has put the price of a man’s life as that of another’s life.

Revelation 7:13-14: Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Is Atonement Possible Without Blood? A Jewish-Christian Divide.

Sin offering (Hebrew chatat). Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31. "And he shall be forgiven."

Guilt offering (Hebrew: asham). Both chatat and asham provided forgiveness and atonement (i.e. propitiation, literally "cover").

Effectively, a blood sacrifice provided a "cover" for guilt and sin. Atonement could not be accomplished through prayer, contrition, fasting, or good works.

In the Exodus, the blood of the Paschal Lamb was a "cover" from the destroying angel.

The "blood of the covenant". Matthew 26:28, cf. Mark 14:24. See also John 6:53-54 ("drink my blood"). And, 1 Corinthians 10:16 ("cup of the new covenant in my blood").

The focus is misplaced when viewing "blood" in terms of death and not life. The life of Christ was given for my life. I must give up my life in order to obtain Christ's life. Christ died that I might live. But the life I live is not my life, but Christ's life.

Romans 5:9: Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

The Blood of Jesus.

Blood of Jesus has power to: redeem us, reconcile us to God, pay our ransom, wash away sin, forgive us, free us, justify us, cleanse our guilty conscience, sanctify us (Hebrews 13:12), open the way to God's presence (Hebrews 10:19), give us peace (Colossians 1:19-20), overcome the enemy.

If the Father had to be appeased or forgiveness purchased is not the Father of Jesus.

If the blood of Christ was a payment, who was it paid to? And, forgiveness that is paid for not forgiveness, but justice.

Now God is not to be blamed for the terrible evil in the world. He simply made man a free agent, and man has abused his privileges.

"Death" (Hebrew: mut, "mooth")

Genesis 2:17 (ESV): 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Genesis 2:17 (interlinear): in-the-day that-you-eat of-it surely (#4191,mut) you-shall-die (#4191, ta-mut).

The verse uses death (Hebrew: mut) twice. It could be read: "you said die die." The YLT (1898) says, "dying thou dost die."

“Shalt die the death” (Geneva) puts emphasis on the death being future, not immediate. The Young’s Literal Translation most clearly indicates the process of dying with the words, “dying thou dost die.” Translations using “surely” or “certainly” for emphasis should not be interpreted to mean immediate death.

Death is the final outcome of sin. The continual effects of sin, is a downward spiral of all manner of selfishness (i.e. lust, greed, deceit, war, addiction, oppression, etc).

We reap what we sow. We plead with our children not to sin, because we know the outcome. Life is miserable when we do wrong.

COL 159.2: No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.

COL 159.3: It is not only at the beginning of the Christian life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance step heavenward it is to be renewed. All our good works are dependent on a power outside of ourselves. Therefore there needs to be a continual reaching out of the heart after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the soul before Him. Only by constant renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely.

Notes (last week)

gospel. Gospel in the Greek evangelion means "good news." What is the good news? How man is to be restored.

Notes (general)

No one could enter God's presence unless invited by God Himself. Even the earthly high priest could not enter, but once a year.

17LtMs, Ms 173, 1902, par. 25: [Context: The rebuilding of the Battle Creek sanitarium after the fire that destroyed it.] There is a spirit of desperation, of war and bloodshed, and that spirit will increase until the very close of time. Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land to give us warning, that we may know what is coming.

YI August 18, 1886, par. 4: The only hope of any man lies through Jesus Christ who brought the robe of his righteousness to put upon the sinner who would lay off his filthy garments. There are very many who cling to their filthy garments, which Christ stands ready to remove, choosing the spots and stains of sin rather than the pure robe of Christ's righteousness. The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ's righteousness and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads. This name is the symbol which the apostle saw in vision, and signifies the yielding of the mind to intelligent and loyal obedience to all of God's commandments. There will be no covering up of sins and faults to hide the deformity of character; no robes will be half washed; but all will be pure and spotless.

Zechariah 3:1-5: Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.

Notes from 3ABN

If you are guilty, you ask for mercy. If you are innocent, you as for justice.

Notes from Hinsdale/Emmanuel

The Levites. The Levites surrounded the Sanctuary and were meant to protect the people from the Sanctuary. They were a human veil.

The "sequence" of Christ's work.

Jesus is our "veil" before the Father. (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.)

Thursday. Because of Jesus we can stand before God face to face.

Leviticus 23. The sequence of the feasts.

Jesus is the "firstfruits" (1 Corinthians 15), i.e. the wave sheaf of Nisan 15/16.

You cannot come into God's presence with a sinful nature and in a sinful way. The wicked become their own "burnt offering" (sacrifice) in God's presence.

Hebrews 12:18-24. We have access to the throne of God through Jesus.

Note from It Is Written/Biblical Perspective

Why is the veil there? To protect us from God's glory.

The veil protects an entrance to a way.

Hebrews 10:19-20 (WEB); Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,

Leviticus 16:2: and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.

The veil opens the way to God.

The process of salvation. It started in heaven with Satan's accusation of God's character/government and ends in heaven with God's vindication by the saints review of the verdict in the millenium. The consequence of Man's Fall, the Curse, started on earth in the Garden of Eden and will end on earth in the Final Curse (judgment) of the wicked.

The typology of the Sanctuary is very deep and extensive. Jesus is: the veil, the sacrifice, the high priest, the Table of Showbread, the Candlestick, the sweet incense, the oil, the water, the blood, the light.

We are still sinful so, even as redeemed individuals, we need a veil to protect us from God's glory. We see dimly, but then face to face.

Hebrews 12:18-23 (WEB): For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm, 19 the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them, 20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.Exodus 19:12-13 21. So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” Deuteronomy 9:19 22. But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, 23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,Jeremiah 31:31 and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

SUNDAY. Jesus Before the Father

Hebrews 9:24 (ESV): 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

MONDAY. God’s Invitation. Hebrews 12:18-27

Notes:

Exodus 19. There had to be a preparation before coming into the presence of God on Mount Sinai. There also had to be a preparation before the Day of Atonement.

Deuteronomy 4:10-15; 33:1-3.

Exodus 20:18-20: All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance. 19 They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.”

TUESDAY. The Need of a Veil

Leviticus 16:1-2 (ESV):

Leviticus 10:1-3 (ESV):

From the lesson: Veils have a double function. The term Hebrews uses for veil (katepetasma) could refer to the screen of the court (Exod. 38:18), the screen at the entrance of the outer apartment of the sanctuary (Exod. 36:37), or the inner veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies (Exod. 26:31-35). These three veils were both entrances and boundaries that only some people could cross.

(A gap between the camp of the Israelites and the Levites and the Sanctuary. The Levites also acted as a veil.)

Jesus, as our Priest, has also been our veil. Through His incarnation, God pitched His tent in our midst and made it possible for us to contemplate His glory (John 1:14-18). He made it possible for a holy God to live in the midst of an imperfect people.

WEDNESDAY. The New and Living Way Through the Veil

Hebrews 10:19-22: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

THURSDAY. They Will See His Face

Hebrews 12:22-24 (ESV): But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

FRIDAY. Further Thought: “Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to receive the promised blessing. For this they were to wait before they entered upon their work. When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people. …

They could speak the name of Jesus with assurance; for was He not their Friend and Elder Brother? Brought into close communion with Christ, they sat with Him in heavenly places. With what burning language they clothed their ideas as they bore witness for Him!” — Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 38, 46.