Useful Bible Studies > Hebrews Commentary > chapter 9

Heaven is a real place

Hebrews 9:23

We have often referred to this verse in our studies of the Book of Hebrews. It declares a very important fact.

Many people today are not sure that heaven is a real place. They hope that such a place exists. But they think that it may merely be a product of people’s imagination.

But the Bible declares clearly that heaven exists. It is a real place. The events that happen there are real. God really is present there with the angels (his special servants). And God’s people will have their home there, too (John 14:2).

The author of Hebrews has written much about the holy places that God established on this earth. But here and in Hebrews 8:5, the author explains that those places were only copies. God established those copies in order to teach his people about the reality. And the real holy place is heaven. It is in heaven that God is present in all his glory. Glory means greatness. It describes the splendid and wonderful beauty of God’s perfect character.

The blood of sacrifices was necessary in order to make the holy places on earth ready for use. A sacrifice is a gift that God considers valuable. On earth, those sacrifices were animals. But the blood of those animals was just a copy of the reality.

The reality is in heaven. And a better sacrifice was necessary there. That better sacrifice is the death of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Nothing is more valuable in God’s opinion than the blood of his own Son.

Jesus’ death happened on earth, of course. But then he went into the most holy place in heaven. And there, he offered his own blood to God the Father. Because God accepted the gift of Jesus’ life, people can have a relationship with God. And all who become sons and daughters of the living God will have a place in heaven.

Next part: The meaning of the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:24)

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