The Significance of the Heavenly Pattern in the Old Testament System
The Old Testament system, particularly its sacrificial and tabernacle rituals, is understood to be a "pattern" or "shadow" of heavenly realities [1, 5, 8]. This concept is most explicitly articulated in the New Testament book of Hebrews, which states that "it is necessary, therefore, the pattern indeed of the things in the heavens to be purified with these, and the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these" [1]. This verse suggests that the earthly tabernacle and its services were designed to correspond to a divine, celestial original [5].
The necessity of purifying these earthly "patterns" arose from divine appointment, ensuring a proper resemblance between the type and the antitype [5]. The Old Testament system, with its laws and rituals, served as an image of future good things, veiled in its literal interpretation [8]. Stripping away this veil reveals its true, spiritual meaning, where the Tabernacle, for instance, was ornamented as a type of the Church, using sensible things to prefigure divine realities [8].
The "heavens" in biblical understanding encompass various layers. Hebrew terms like shamayim refer to the "heaven and earth" as the whole universe, or the upper and lower regions [2, 4]. Other terms denote the firmament, the starry heavens, and "the heaven of heavens" or "the third heaven" [2, 4]. This celestial realm is consistently depicted as God's dwelling place and throne, created by Him and immeasurable [3].
The Old Testament system, therefore, was not an end in itself but a divinely ordained representation pointing towards a greater, heavenly reality [5, 6]. The sacrifices and purifications performed on earth were necessary because they mirrored a need for purification in the heavenly sphere, which would ultimately be achieved through a "better sacrifice" [1]. This understanding highlights the provisional and symbolic nature of the Old Covenant, preparing the way for the New Covenant established by Christ, who entered into the heavenly realm as Mediator [3, 7]. The earthly system was a shadow, while the heavenly reality is the substance [8].
Sources
- Hebrews “Hebrews 9:23 (YLT) — <FI> It is<Fi> necessary, therefore, the pattern indeed of the things in the heavens to be purified with these, and the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these;”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Heaven — There are four Hebrew words thus rendered in the Old Testament which we may briefly notice. + Raki'a, Authorized Version, firmament. [[602]Firmament] + Shamayim . This is the word used in the expression "the heaven and the earth," or "the upper and lower regions." (Genesis 1:1) + Marom, used for heaven in (Psalms 18:16; Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 25:30). Properly speaking it means a mountain as in (Psalms 102:19; Ezekiel 17:23) + Shechakim, "expanses," with reference to the extent of heaven. (33:26; Job 35:5) St. Paul's expression "third heaven," (2 Corinthians 1”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Heaven — Created by God -- Ge 1:1; Re 10:6. Everlasting -- Ps 89:29; 2Co 5:1. Immeasurable -- Jer 31:37. High -- Ps 103:11; Isa 57:15. Holy -- De 26:15; Ps 20:6; Isa 57:15. God's dwelling-place -- 1Ki 8:30; Mt 6:9. God's throne -- Isa 66:1; Ac 7:49. God Is the Lord of. -- Da 5:23; Mt 11:25. Reigns in. -- Ps 11:4; 135:6; Da 4:35. Fills. -- 1Ki 8:27; Jer 23:24. Answers his people from. -- 1Ch 21:26; 2Ch 7:14; Ne 9:27; Ps 20:6. Sends his judgments from. -- Ge 19:24; 1Sa 2:10; Da 4:13,14; Ro 1:18. Christ As Mediator, entered into. -- Ac 3:21; Heb 6:20; 9:12,24. Is all-po”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Heaven — (1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens, (a) The firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Gen. 2:19; 7:3, 23; Ps. 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (Lam. 4:19), etc. (b) The starry heavens (Deut. 17:3; Jer. 8:2; Matt. 24:29). (c) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (Deut. 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 115:16; 148:4; 2 Cor. 12:2). (2.) Meaning of words in the original, (a) The usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is shamayim”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 9:23: In this last part of the chapter, the apostle goes on to tell us what the Holy Ghost has signified to us by the legal purifications of the patterns of the things in heaven, inferring thence the necessity of better sacrifices to consecrate the heavenly things themselves. I. The necessity of purifying the patterns of the things in heaven, Heb 9:23. This necessity arises both from the divine appointment, which must always be obeyed, and from the reason of that appointment, which was to preserve a proper resemblance between the things typifying and the things typifie”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 9:23: It was therefore necessary,.... On account of the divine appointment, and that types and antitypes might correspond; and especially it was necessary with respect to the Messiah, the substance and body of all types. So Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrases the text in Exo 40:9, "and thou shalt take the anointing oil, and thou shalt anoint the tabernacle, and all that is in it; and thou shall sanctify it, because of the crown of the kingdom of the house of Judah, and the King Messiah, who shall redeem Israel in the latter days.'' Upon his account it was necessary, that”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 8:6: now--not time; but "as it is." more excellent ministry--than any earthly ministry. by how much--in proportion as. mediator--coming between us and God, to carry into effect God's covenant with us. "The messenger (angel) of the covenant." which--Greek, "one which" [ALFORD]: inasmuch as being one which. established--Greek, "enacted as a law." So Rom 3:27, "law of faith"; and Rom 8:2; Rom 9:31, apply "law" to the Gospel covenant. It is implied hereby, the Gospel is founded on the law, in the spirit and essence of the latter. upon--resting upon.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 6: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius, Julius Africanus, Methodius, Arnobius — CHAP. VII.--THE CHURCH INTERMEDIATE BETWEEN THE SHADOWS OF THE LAW AND THE REALITIES OF HEAVEN.: If the law, according to the apostle, is spiritual, containing the images "of future good things,"(3) come then, let us strip off the veil of the letter which is spread over it, and consider its naked and true meaning. The Hebrews were commanded to ornament the Tabernacle as a type of the Church, that they might be able, by means of sensible things, to announce beforehand the image of divine things. For the pattern ”