The Tabernacle a Picture of the Old and New Covenant

Hebrews

CHAPTER 9
(A.D. 64)

CONTRAST

THEN verily the First Covenant (is meant to describe the Tabernacle in which the Service of God was celebrated under the former dispensation, and to show it had a reference to what was future) had also Ordinances of Divine Service (Ordinances adapted for Divine Service), and a worldly Sanctuary. (The word “worldly” is used here as a contrast to the Heavenly world.)
2 For there was a Tabernacle made (refers to what Moses had made in the wilderness, which pattern was given to him by God); the first, wherein was the Candlestick (Golden Lampstand), and the table, and the shewbread (refers to the “first room,” which was the Holy Place where the Sacred Vessels were situated); which is called the Sanctuary. (This should have been translated, “which is called the Holy Place.” The name “Sanctuary” was commonly given to the whole edifice.)
3 And after the Second Veil (pertains to the Veil which separated the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies), the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all (refers to the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat);
4 Which had the Golden Censer (should have been translated, “the Golden Incense Altar,” which sat immediately in front of the Veil in the Holy Place), and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold (presents the most Glorious and Mysterious Vessel of the Tabernacle), wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna (presents that which was a Type of Christ as the Bread of Life [Jn. 6:32–33, 35]), and Aaron’s rod that budded (represents Christ Alone as Saviour, and proof that God would raise Him from the dead), and the Tables of the Covenant (the two stone Tables containing the Ten Commandments, five to each Table);
5 And over it (the Ark of the Covenant) the Cherubims of Glory (Living Creatures) shadowing the Mercyseat (they looked down upon the Mercyseat); of which we cannot now speak particularly (cannot go into great detail).
6 Now when these things were thus ordained (refers to the fact that all of this was of God, and every part and parcel of the Tabernacle in some way pointed to Christ), the Priests went always into the First Tabernacle (into the first of the two rooms of the Tabernacle called the “Holy Place”), accomplishing the Service of God. (This refers to the daily, even constant, rituals that had to be carried out.)
7 But into the second (the second room of the Tabernacle called the “Holy of Holies,” where the Ark of the Covenant was) went the High Priest alone once every year (pertained to the Great Day of Atonement [Lev. 16:14; 23:27]), not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people (presents him going in twice on this particular day, each time taking the blood of the Sacrificial animal which had been killed—once for himself, and once for the people—with the blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat):
8 The Holy Spirit this signifying (the Holy Spirit was both the Divine Author of the Levitical system of worship, and its Interpreter), that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest (proclaims the fact [and by the Holy Spirit, at that] that access to God was blocked while the Law was enforced, except in the most limited way), while as the First Tabernacle was yet standing (show the limitations of the Levitical system):
9 Which was a figure for the time then present (refers to the Tabernacle being a representation of Heavenly realities), in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices, that could not make him who did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience (portrays the weakness of the First Covenant, in that it was based on animal blood, which was insufficient; in other words, the conscience of the Jew was still heavy with realization that sin had only been covered, not taken away; only the Cross could take away sin [Jn. 1:29]);

Swaggart, J. (2005). The Expositor’s Study Bible (pp. 2130–2131). Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.