THE REDEEMER'S
GREAT
SACRIFICE
-- Hebrews Nine
In Hebrews nine the writer continues to show that Christ,
as High Priest, is superior to the Jewish high priest. He is the
"Mediator" of a better covenant. In this chapter we observe the true
significance of the sacrifice of Jesus. This section of Scripture provides a
comparison of our Redeemer to the Old Testament priest. The point is that the
Old was only a figure of the true.
We here have a description of the tabernacle and of some of
the utensils that were in tabernacle service. We are allowed a look into the
service rendered once each year by the Jewish high priest. All of this was
symbolic of Christ entering into the most holy place in heaven on our behalf.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, (1) Pertained to a more
perfect tabernacle, (2) Offered more perfect blood, and (3) Entered a more
perfect Holy Place. He did not offer the blood of bulls and goats, but His own
blood. With His own precious blood He entered into the most holy place in
heaven. The blood of Christ did what the blood of bulls and goats could not do
-- it took away sin. His blood not only remits the sins of those living in the
present, but it extends backwards, to those living in past ages, and removes
the sins of those who obeyed God in those old ages as well.
It was necessary that the Mediator of the new covenant shed
His blood. The offering made by our Redeemer was a one time for all sacrifice.
It is appointed to man to die once; and so Christ died but once. Jesus did not
cease to exist when He died. He will appear a second time to receive, to
eternal salvation, all who truly love Him, and who wait for his appearing.
The tabernacle and its services – Hebrews 9:1-7: God's
first or former arrangement had religious services connected with it. A study
of Exodus 25-27 will provide you with much information about what is here
called a "worldly sanctuary." The term "worldly" means that
it concerned this world. This is set in contrast to the "heavenly
sanctuary."
In the tabernacle you could find the candlestick, with the
lamps always burning. You would also observe the table with the shew-bread upon
it. This gives us a glimpse of how Christians observe communion with Christ and
with fellow Christians. The showbread pointed to our Lord Jesus Christ, the
bread of life to His church.
The tabernacle contained a second veil which led to a part
called the Holiest of all or the Holy of holies. Herein was the golden censer,
a fire-pan made for the purpose of carrying fire, in order to burn incense. The
Ark of the Covenant with its mercy-seat was a part of the Holy of holies. The
ark contained the golden pot that had manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the
tables of the covenant. The Divine Presence rested on the mercy seat.
The Priest was in the Holy place every day, and at all
times, as occasion did required. However, the High Priest alone was permitted
into the Holy of holies. "But into the second went the high priest alone
once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the
errors of the people." Leviticus 16 describes the special occasion when
the High Priest entered the Holiest of all. This had to do with the grievous
nature of man's sins.
The Messiah's great sacrifice – Hebrews 9:8-14: The tabernacle,
with the meats and drinks, and divers washings, and physical ordinances, was a
type of the reformation that would come only through Jesus. Christ had a more
excellent tabernacle than the Jewish priest. Those priests entered the
tabernacle often, Jesus entered heaven once. Those priests entered the
tabernacle with the blood of goats and calves. He entered heaven with His own
blood thereby obtaining eternal redemption for us.
Those Old Testament sacrifices made man holy so far as the
flesh or body was concerned. They did not provide redemption. Eternal
redemption was the fruit of Christ's sacrifice. His sacrifice was sufficient to
purge the conscience from dead works. It reached to the very soul and
conscience of sinful man. The blood of Jesus is sufficient to enable us to
serve the living God. His sacrifice purged away the guilt which separated man
from his God. Only through the blood of Jesus can guilty mankind be delivered
from the dread of the wrath to come.
The blood of the New Covenant – Hebrews 9:15-23: One
other major benefit of the death of Christ was the ratification of the New
Covenant. His death provided atonement for those under both the Old and the New
Covenants. The beauty of the teaching of this chapter is that God made a New
Covenant, with Jesus as Mediator, and He redeemed man from sin by the sacrifice
of His own death.
God's covenant of Grace is called a testament or will. All
things required in a will or testament is found. Christ Jesus died and left His
will. The will contains certain bequeath. Some were temporal; many were
spiritual, and all related to eternal salvation. The heirs of promises must be
part of God's family. The will contained certain required conditions whereby
the blessing could be obtained. The will required faith, repentance, and
sincere obedience in baptism into Christ’s death and blood, and faithfulness to
the Heavenly Father. Let us remember that "without shedding of blood there
is no remission."
The one appointment for
all – Hebrews 9:24-27: Christ's sacrifice was a better sacrifice than
all Old Testament sacrifices. The sacrifice of Christ is the one and only
fountain from which sanctification and spiritual blessings flows. Jesus Christ
by one sacrifice has made an end of sin. And it was a one time sacrifice
because, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)
Man has two appointments. First, man must die once, or, at
least, go through a change equivalent to death. After death man shall come to
judgment. Those who die in the Lord leave the world to go to heaven, where
death is unknown. The day is coming when Christ will appear a second time to
take His followers to eternal salvation with Him in glory.
To become a Christian, you must hear God's word and believe
(John 6:44-45), you must repent (Acts 2:38), you must confess Christ (Romans
10:9-10), and you must be baptized to be saved (1 Peter 3:21). It is the desire
of Jesus that everyone be saved. He said, "Come to Me, all you who labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn
from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30.)
Those who become Christians must continue doing good. Peter
wrote, "For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing
good than for doing evil." (I Peter 3:17.) Never let a day pass that you
are not walking in the will of God.