‘The True Tabernacle’ of Hebrews 8:2: Future Dwelling with People or Heavenly Dwelling Place?

Many scholars hold that the Letter to Hebrews portrays heaven as God’s true tabernacle, original from which Mosaic tabernacle was derived. Recently Philip Church, building on work by Lincoln Hurst, has argued heavenly instead represents eschatological dwelling with his people, and (and temple followed it) a prior sketch foreshadowing of this yet-future reality. They advance number important arguments have not been systematically addressed those who read primarily in spatial ‘vertical’ sense. This article examines rebuts Hurst Church. First, case for ‘eschatological dwelling’ position is outlined; then I make two wider points regarding cosmological presuppositions underlie view; next, meaning key terminology 8–9, especially ὑπόδειγμα, examined; finally, Hebrews’ perspective articulated an eye both cosmology eschatology. Only integrating temporal categories can satisfactory account be offered.