Hebrews 10:1 ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to
come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those
sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers
thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they
not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should
have had no more conscience of sins. 3
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made
of sins every year. 4 For it is
not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he
saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices
for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Here Paul underscores the limitations of the
Law given to Moses for the Israelites. Those sacrifices could never make people
justified once and for all as they had to be offered every year. The sacrifices
reminded the people of their sins for each year, at least, this was brought to
mind. How could the blood of innocent animals remove our sin forever once and
for all?
Psalm 40:6 ¶
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou
opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
In order to be our High Priest, our ultimate
and only sacrifice for sin against God, Christ took on the form of a human
being, having a physical body capable of pain and suffering, and death and
being THE sacrifice.
Phillipians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Hebrews 10:7 ¶ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the
book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering
and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither
hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O
God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering
and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be
made his footstool. 14 For by one
offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a
witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their
hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember
no more. 18 Now where remission of these
is, there is no more offering for sin.
Psalm 40:7
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy
law is within my heart.
It is helpful to read the Old Testament and
look for Christ in every verse or passage. Try it once and you will be amazed.
He and His ministry are foretold in many different ways.
It was sacrifices of the heart and sacrifices
of obedience that God wanted more than the sacrifices of innocent animals. They
pointed the way to Christ. The animal sacrifices were ended once Christ made
His own sacrifice. We are sanctified eternally by that one sacrifice.
Romans 3:25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,
to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God;
26 To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Sitting down at the right hand of God
signifies that it is done, complete, and finished once and for all.
Psalm 110:1 ¶
«A Psalm of David.» The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Think of the greatest enemy of mankind.
Hebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him
that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
The Holy Ghost is a witness to us of Christ,
and is within us now.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
So, there is one sacrifice, one forgiveness,
and no need for any more.
Hebrews 10:19 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having
an high priest over the house of God; 22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water. 23 Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful
that promised;) 24 And let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have
received
the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a
certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall
devour the adversaries. 28 He that
despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye,
shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and
hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy
thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth
unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his
people. 31 It is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God. 32
But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were
illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock
both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of
them that were so used. 34 For ye had
compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods,
knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring
substance. 35 Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye
have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall
come will come, and will not tarry. 38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that
believe to the saving of the soul.
Paul says that the blood of Jesus allows
them, and us, to enter into the most Holy place. Remember the Tabernacle and
the Temple.
Exodus 26:33
And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring
in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide
unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
And remember what happened when Jesus was
crucified.
Matthew 27:51
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
The division between profane and holy was
eliminated by God as the veil was torn from top to bottom symbolically showing
that we could enter that most holy place by God’s will.
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name: 13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God.
The vail represents the torn flesh of Christ,
God in the flesh, walking on earth, crucified by us.
The phrase house of God brings to my
mind that a house can be a family, a household.
Ephesians 3:14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Now that we have a high priest over the house
of God let us draw near with a sincere heart and faith. Paul uses the symbology
of cleansing the heart and the body in washing but does not reference baptism.
Note these verses;
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious
church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be
holy and without blemish.
His point in this symbolism is that they were
to pursue faith diligently and encourage each other in that pursuit and of love
and good works, uniting in worship regularly, the day approaching meaning
either death, the destruction of Jerusalem for them, or the end of human
history when the church is taken away.
Now that Paul’s hearers and readers know the
truth they have no excuse if they draw back. They must either move forward in
faith in Christ or perish in eternity. How could they learn about Christ, who
He is and was, and what He did for them, for the church and all mankind, and
still reject Him, trodding Him under foot?
This passage shows how people could and can
participate in the community of faith without having saving faith themselves.
Habbakuk 2:4
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall
live by his faith.
We must examine ourselves and our true hearts
and intentions. He is pleading with them to move forward to a receive Christ
and not to draw back. This is an appeal to the fence sitters who are hedging
their bets, so that they will believe or not. It appears that Paul really has
the number of many so-called Christians in churches over the last two hundred
years. In the 1800s in America I have read repeatedly that many people attended
church but not near as many were church members.
Matthew 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them,
saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man
took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which
indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest
among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge
in the branches thereof.
The fowls of the air are likened to Satan
in Mark, chapter 4. Also note the parable in Matthew 13 of the wheat and the
tares.
This is Paul’s call for a 100% commitment and
destroys the argument for “easy-believism”, as it is called in modern times.
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