The Way into the Holy Place
“the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing” Hebrews 9:8 ASV
Among some of the fulfilled persuasion there is in my opinion a prejudicial reading of this verse. It is supposed that what is inferred here is that the “way” into the most holy place would then be “shown” and "available" so that one may then "Choose" that way which is “shown”.
The term “manifest” is however not being used in the sense that the way would THEN be up to ones choosing. What is meant in Heb. 9:8 is that the way was not yet fully revealed for what it was because its fullness had not yet been fulfilled. Its completion was not yet realized hence revealed fully.
The book of Hebrews is not attempting to indicate a coming “opportunity” to Choose a yet to be revealed “way” once the end has come. On the contrary it has everything to do with the fact that the “way” was yet still available, and was not to be "forsaken" (Heb. 10:25) while there was still time. Those convinced of this were to "hold fast firm until the end". This new and living “way” being taken by some would be fully realized, fully manifested, fully revealed, once the first tabernacle would be taken away.
The book of Hebrews has nothing to do with any type of holding fast firm beyond the end. On the contrary, it never deviates from its intent of getting the believers to “salvation”, "to the preserving of the soul" (Heb. 10:39) through a steadfastness of what they had already attained to in preparation for the coming second appearance. This in contrast with a warning toward the unrepentant concerning the coming wrath of God.
You were either “forsaking” the new and living “way” of gathering, or you were full of boldness to enter by that new and living “way” (Heb.10:19-25) as the second appearance was approaching.
This does not mean that choices cannot be made once the new age had been fully manifested, but it does mean that they would not be the same choices that the Hebrew writer is focusing on. What concerns the Hebrew writer are things that are “about to be” and how they should be preparing for those “about to be” things. The temple would be gone the city would be gone, the old was about to “vanish away”. There would be completed manifestation of this fact wherein the “way” would be fully revealed.
The concept then that exists among some who adhere to the fulfilled view is that a similar choice is still available for us today. Even though the end has come and the old has long since "vanished away". Hebrews however is indicating an “end” to the old wherein the wrath of God could not be avoided but rather, fully revealed. The new and living way was available until the wrath was revealed. Then there would be no escaping it.
There are most assuredly some corresponding points for us today that touch upon our "experiential realization" of what we have been given. This however should not be confused with the context of this age transitional setting.
The gathering in question was a gathering out of the old into the new. Fully manifested in the end of the age.
By Barry Dupont
