Hebrews 9 - Why Reincarnation and Purgatory Don't Work!

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Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained 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 the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

The writer of Hebrews describes the details of the tabernacle, which God gave instructions through Moses to make as a way for people to receive forgiveness for their sins. Notice the progression of rooms. As the people and then priests moved through each room, they moved closer to God. For instance, you have the Holy Place, and then the Most Holy Place. There are different items in each place. In the Holy Place there was the lampstand and the table holding the consecrated bread (this was also called the showbread)  

The lampstand: This setting for the lamps of the tabernacle had a middle stem and six branches stood in the first part. It was of an unspecified size, made of pure gold and provided the only light for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:31-40).

The table: This sat in the first part and was made of acacia wood covered with gold, 3 feet long, 1½ feet wide, and 2 feet 3 inches high. It held twelve loaves of showbread, each representing God’s fellowship with the twelve tribes of Israel (Exodus 25:23-30).

The Most Holy Place contained the golden altar of incense and the gold covered ark of the covenant, which held the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff, and the stone tablets (ten commandments). 

The golden altar of incense: This was made of acacia wood covered with gold, 1½ feet (½ meter) square, and 3 feet (1 meter) high. It stood at the veil before the “holy of holies” and was used to burn incense (Exodus 30:1-8).

The ark of the covenant: This stood inside the Holiest of All and was a chest made of acacia wood covered with gold, 3¾ feet long, 2¼ feet wide, and 2¼ feet high, with rings for polls along its side to carry it without touching the ark itself (Exodus 25:10-22).

i. Inside the ark were the golden pot that had the manna (Exodus 16:33), Aaron’s rod that budded (Numbers 17:6-11), and the tablets of the covenant (Exodus 25:16).

· The manna reminded Israel of God’s provision and their ungratefulness.

· Aaron’s rod reminded Israel of their rebellion against God’s authority.

· The tablets of the covenant reminded Israel of their failure to keep the Ten Commandments and rest of the law. - Guzik

6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

Next, the writer describes the ministry of the priests. Any priest could enter the outer courtyard, but only the high priest could enter the Most Holy place, and he did that only once per year. Notice he came in with the blood from the innocent lamb, which was sacrificed on behalf of the people and their sins. The blood represented of the penalty for sin and the atonement for it.

The form and the function of the tabernacle ultimately could not accomplish the salvation for those who sinned on a regular basis. The food and drink offered and the ceremonial washings were all external in nature and could not change a human heart nor satisfy the justice of a holy God. 

The weakness of the priestly service under the Old Covenant was its inability to address the need for inner transformation in man. Therefore it was only imposed until the time of reformation. - Guzik

The Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!

Then, the author describes the role and nature of Jesus, who was a better high priest. The tabernacle he entered was not made by human hands, but by the Creator of the universe. He did not enter the most holy place through the blood of animals, but by his own innocent and precious blood. The result of this was that the forgiveness provided was not temporary but eternal. The blood and ashes applied to people under the old covenant only made them outwardly clean, but the blood of Christ cleansed our consciences from the guilt of sin and reconciled us to the Father. As a result of this new relationship we can serve the "living" God! 

“And, dear friends, do keep in mind that you are henceforth to ‘serve the living God.’ You that are acquainted with the Greek will find that the kind of service here mentioned is not that which the slave or servant renders to his master, but a worshipful service such as priests render unto God. We that have been purged by Christ are to render to God the worship of a royal priesthood. It is ours to present prayers, thanksgivings, and sacrifice; it is ours to offer the incense of intercession; it is ours to light the lamp of testimony and furnish the table of shewbread.” (Spurgeon)

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

The new covenant was better for many reasons. The sacrifice came through the blood of the Lamb of God. The sacrifice was once and for all and did not need to be made annually. The sacrifice gave us the opportunity to know God and enter the holiest of holies through the Holy Spirit, who lives in us. Finally, the new covenant made us inheritors of eternal life. Because we are born again and have become sons and daughters of God, we inherit everything that is God when we die. This is the same as humans we receive the assets of a will/estate where we were made the beneficiaries. 

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. This is one of the key aspects and doctrine of our Christian faith. 

This is a foundational principle of God’s dealings with men. Modern people think that sin is remitted (forgiven) by time, by our good works, by our decent lives, or by simply death. But there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood, and there is no perfect forgiveness without a perfect sacrifice.

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Once again the writer restates that Jesus' once and for all sacrifice is superior in every way to the sacrifices offered under the Mosaic Old Covenant. Then, the writer gives us a glimpse of Jesus' return when he says, "He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

Note also the author says, "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." 

This verse reminds us that every single person will die and come before God to face judgment. It will happen just once not many times. 

This invalidates both the doctrine of purgatory and also reincarnation, which both purport to give people extra chances to earn their salvation after they die. We will be judged once. In that judgment we will either be covered by the blood of our Savior, or our judgment will be without a mediator and we will face the wages of sin which is death. Romans 6:23

 

When Jesus returns, all those who have escaped the first judgment through faith in Him, they will be delivered from sin once and for all. 

Though it was not really the point of the writer to the Hebrews to discuss reincarnation, he certainly and completely denies it here. We do not die and live and die and live, facing an eternal reckoning some number of lives down the road. This life is it, and then we face judgment. This means that there are no second chances beyond the grave. Now is the time to choose for Jesus Christ, because when we die we simply face the judgment.

What are you trusting in for your salvation? Are you still trying to offer your own sacrifices to appease God? Or, have you accepted Jesus, who mediates on our behalf so that when you die, his death will have covered your sin once and for all. Having been forgiven by his death on the cross, you can enter your inheritance which has been prepared for you in heaven since the beginning of time.