The burden and concept of the writer of the book of Hebrews is this: you Jewish believers must be brought back to this wonderful One, this One who is far superior to all you have in Judaism. What Judaism has is good, but what we have is better both in quality and in quantity. Why do you still hold on to the silver? Why don’t you drop it and take the gold? But if you would do this you must realize firstly that Judaism, the best and even the genuine religion, is a camp which rejected Jesus. Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem—that means that He was rejected of Judaism. He was the true sin-offering, which according to the type must be burned without the camp. Jesus was really treated in this way—He was cast out of the city of Jerusalem, He was cast out of Judaism, He went out of the camp, bearing the cross. That was His reproach (Heb. 13:11-13). If you would enjoy this Jesus, how can you still remain in the camp? This was the thought of the writer. As long as you insist on preserving the elements of Judaism, you keep yourself within the camp and separate yourself from Jesus. Jesus today is not within the camp; Jesus today is not within Judaism or any other kind of religious organization. As the forerunner He has entered for us within the veil (Heb. 6:20; 8:1-2)—He is there, in the Holiest of all, not in the camp.
We must realize that today the Holiest of all has two ends: one end is in the heavens, and the other is within our spirit. Whenever we are in the spirit, we are in the heavens, and whenever we are in the heavens, we may be assured that we are in the spirit. If today the Holiest of all were only in the heavens, how could we have boldness to enter as we are exhorted in Hebrews 10:19? If it were only in the heavens, we must wait. But, praise the Lord, one end of the Holiest of all is on this earth, in our spirit. The heavens and our spirit are connected together. When we are in the spirit we are in the heavens; when we are in the spirit, we are in the Holiest of all. In one sense Christ is in the heavens, and in another sense, while He is in the heavens He is in our spirit. So let us leave the camp, let us leave Judaism, let us leave Christianity, let us leave every kind of religious organization and enter into the place where Jesus has entered, within the veil. We must abandon the camps and turn to the spirit.
If you are still remaining in any kind of Christian organization and exercising your mind to consider the matter of Christ and the church, you can never be clear—the vision of Jesus is not there. The vision of Jesus is on the isle of Patmos, outside of Judaism, outside of religious organization. We must go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach (Heb. 13:13). If you will only leave the camp to follow Him, you will be in the heavens and therefore in your spirit, the Holiest of all. Here you can gaze upon Him, you can stay with Him, you can partake of Him, and you can enjoy Him. Here you have the throne of grace, here you can find grace to meet your timely need, here you may enjoy the Spirit of grace, and here you may taste all the heavenly things, the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to come.
If you are such a person, do you think you could keep yourself silent in the meetings? If you are such a one, who or what could frustrate you from praising Him? Your heart will be bubbling with good matters; your tongue will be the pen of a ready writer. You will have so many praises, and Christ will be the sacrifice of your praise. Your praises will not be empty, but full of the content of Christ.
Not just the Jews, but every one of us needs an inward vision to see that Christ is everything better than everything, and He is all better than all. Secondly we must consider Him, we must partake of Him, we must enjoy Him, we must look to Him, and we must go forth unto Him. But we cannot do this if we remain in the camp. We must go out of the camp and enter within the veil. I like these two phrases, “without the camp” and “within the veil.” Are you really without the camp? If you are within the camp and without the veil, you will lose the presence and enjoyment of Christ. If you would enjoy Him and His presence, you must be without the camp and within the veil. Learn to know Him and learn to enjoy Him; then you will be filled with so many good matters and praises concerning Him. Your praise will silence all the enemies and crush all the little foxes.