阅读经文 

表样，又叫做预表或插图，它在教学、演讲和布道中经常被用到。插图能帮助我们理解某个主题或观点。 

希伯来书的作者解释说，旧约中的会幕只是天上真实会幕的预表。它的目的是帮助神的百姓了解神为他们预备了什么。这个观点已经从形状和影子的角度进行了解释，而现在作者进入了讨论的核心。 

神把会幕给了祂的百姓，是要帮助他们亲近神。由于他们心硬，神派耶稣来显明祂真实的心意。耶稣来，是要我们更亲近神。 

然而，许多人仍不知道耶稣到底是谁。基督的工作表明，旧约的要素都是指向祂，目的是让人更亲近神。 基督来了，旧的规则和条例就被废弃了，因为它们只是一个预表，为帮助神的百姓明白祂的旨意。 

但是，人们却不明白。我们是否有时也会被规则和条例束缚，忘记了神在做什么，以及祂呼召我们做什么呢？

Illustrations are used all the time in teaching and in speeches and sermons. Illustrations can help us understand a certain topic or point. 

The writer of Hebrews explains that the tabernacle of the old covenant was merely an illustration of the true tabernacle in heaven. It was intended to help God’s people understand what God planned for them. This idea has been explained in terms of shadows and copies, but now the writer is coming to the heart of the discussion. 

The tabernacle was given to God’s people to help draw them closer to God. And because of their hardheartedness, God sent Jesus to show them what he really intended. Jesus came to draw us closer to God. 

Yet many of the people still lost sight of who Jesus really was. The work of Christ shows that the elements of the old covenant were pointing to him and were intended to draw the people closer to God. And when Christ came, the old regulations and rules were set aside because they were merely an illustration to help God’s people understand what he planned to do. 

But the people did not understand. Do we sometimes get so caught up in our rules and regulations that we too lose sight of what God is doing and what he calls us to do?