That was the truth:
First of all, the Hebrews was written to the, well, er, aah, the Hebrews.This epistle would not make much sense to the first century gentiles. Can you imagine Titus attempting to teach these things to the Cretians? They probably never had heard of Moses and the covenants and such stuff mentioned in the epistle. So what? They might say!
This epistle was written to a people who were mindful of the things written about in the epistle, and since many of the thing are clearly shown to be typified in the OT law, it would have been more than a little necassary for the reader to have an understanding of those things. This book was written to show that things under the new covenant was better than the things under the old. Paul had written about Israel in AD 58 and said this about Israel:
Ro 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Why Paul?
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Now here is another letter written in the mid 60's with warnings of impending judgment and admonishments to the Hebrews to accept the New Covenant and the mediator of the covenant, Jesus Christ. Remember, Israel had desired to please God by the law of Moses even after God had moved on and that was not possible.
2 For I bear them record that they (Israel) have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
How did they attempt to establish thier own righteousness?
Right if you said by the law. Notice the passage says Christ is the end of it.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Heb 9, beginning at verse 1 where the context is the Old Covenant (Testsment). Notice what he says:
1 ¶ Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aarons rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
This is a description of the service in the tabernacle and then the description of the ministry of the High Priest.
What did he do?
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
For who?
The errors of the people.
The saved only?
The faithful only?
The elect?
Nope! For the people of Israel. For the gentiles? Nope! for the people.
8 ¶ The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation.
He is not talking about the 16th century AD. He is speaking about when the figures would be replaced by the real things.
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].
The us here is the "the Hebrews". He did not obtain a yearly redemption but an eternal redemption for them.
Back to the figures!
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
I am not going on with this without pay but you should get the picture. The argument is to the Hebrews to show that the new covenant is better than the old and Jesus Chrisat is a better High Priest than those of the OT and they should embrace it.
You can learn from this epistle. You can apply some spiritual principles, but you cannot insert yourself into the subject matter. This is information to convince the Jews. In the tribulation era, the 2 witnesses and the 144,000 Jewish preachers will use the texts to win Jewish converts to Christ, I believe. Those of Paul's generation rejected Christ and were consequently dispersed into the nations of the world where they were until 1948 when they came back to their land and took their place as a nation among the nations of the world and to which Christ will come very soon..
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