The second tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, signifies that the new covenant is a reality, not a type (vv. 3-5, 7-8, 10-12). Even during the old testament age, the Holy of Holies was not a type. It was a reality because God’s shekinah glory, presence, and speaking were there. It was there that God met with people. However, in the old testament age, not all the people could come into the Holy of Holies, because the way of entering into it had not been manifested yet. The Holy Place was a type. Were the lampstand and the table in the Holy Place real? No, they both were pictures. But what about the shekinah glory and God’s speaking in the Holy of Holies? They were realities. Although the way into the Holy of Holies was not manifested in the old covenant age, it has been manifested today. Therefore, we should no longer remain in the Holy Place; we must come forward into the Holy of Holies. When we enter into the Holy of Holies, we are in the new covenant enjoying all the bequests of the new covenant, which has become a testament. These bequests include God’s presence, God’s speaking, and God’s meeting and having fellowship with us. While we have fellowship with God, He infuses and transfuses Himself into us. This is the reality of the new covenant. Do you realize that today we are here in the Holy of Holies? Have you seen that we are now in the oracle enjoying God’s presence? Hallelujah, we have crossed the river! We have left the Holy Place on the other side and we are now on the golden side in the Holy of Holies. This is the book of Hebrews.
Verse 11 says that Christ has come a “High Priest of the good things that have come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle.” The greater and more perfect tabernacle is the better covenant. The Holy of Holies and the new covenant, which is the better covenant, are one.
The second tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, is “not made by hand, that is, not of this creation” (v. 11). It is made by God and is heavenly and eternal.
Verse 10 speaks of “the time of setting things right.” This phrase may also be rendered as “reformation.” In the old testament age nothing was set right; nearly everything was upset. The time of setting things right occurred when Christ came the first time to fulfill all the shadows of the old testament so that a new covenant might replace the old one. Christ has set everything in its right position. The reality of the old covenant has set things right. This means that there has been a right arrangement, a right ordering. Hence, it is a reformation. This is different from the “restitution” in Acts 3:21, which will occur at Christ’s second coming.
The reformation depends upon Christ’s first coming. He has “come a High Priest of the good things that have come” (v. 11). His first coming is mainly for Him to be the High Priest. It is through His priesthood, the kingly and divine priesthood which He is now exercising in “the greater and more perfect tabernacle” as a more excellent ministry, that all things are set right with life in the spirit. The “good things that have come” are the things ministered by the kingly and divine priesthood of Christ.