Lesson From Hebrews – Lesson 9
Everything about Christ and His sacrifice is better than anything the Old Testament and its sacrificial system had to offer. Christ is better than the Old Testament prophets, the angels, the creation, Moses, The sacrifices, the Levitical priesthood, the tabernacle. He is better than all of it.
After Paul had dealt with all of that, he then struck a blow at the very heart of Judaism and that is the old Mosaic Covenant – the sacred Law of Israel.
Instead of treating the Law as temporary and its pictures and types as symbolic, the Jew clung to it as permanent and the reality. To them the symbols, ceremonies, types, pictures, and shadows became the substance and the reality.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:7 For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Jesus has a better ministry, established upon better promises. Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant.
Notice that it says fault. It does not say false. Not false but faulty.
The fault was not in the Covenant (that originated with a perfect Being) the fault is with us sinful imperfect people. We cannot keep God’s perfect law.
The old covenant was not teaching something false. It was teaching our need for a Saviour. The fault with the Old Covenant was that it could not save anyone. We are all sinners.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
The blessings of the Old Covenant were contingent upon their obedience. They continued not in His covenant and so He regarded them not.
I do not believe in replacement theology. God is not done yet with Israel.
Paul is reminding them that God promised a new covenant. Paul is referencing Jer 31:31-34
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
God has put away the Old Covenant. But what this is talking about has not happened yet. We see that clearly in verse 34.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
The need for teaching them about Christ will one day NOT be needed. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me
They will all know the Lord one day. From the least to the greatest. Notice in verse 10 that this will be with the house of Israel.
Heb 8:10 For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
The Old Covenant, the Law was written on tables of stone. God will one day inscribe the New in their hearts and minds. Witnessing and soul winning to Israel at that time will be unnecessary.
I believe that this will start in the tribulation and continue during the Millennium when Christ’s presence is on the earth.
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.
Out with the Old and in with the New.
In Chapter 9 Paul is going to show how the old sanctuary, services and symbolism have been replaced by the substance and the reality of the Saviour. Remember these Hebrews were thinking about going back to the old services and symbolism.
Heb 9:1 Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
This is talking about the Tabernacle. Only two chapters are devoted to the creation account. And there are around 50 chapters devoted to the tabernacle.
Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein [was] the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
The study of the Tabernacle is a very interesting study. Over and over again you see it pointing to Christ.
There was only one door to get in. Jesus is the only door to Heaven. The door on the tabernacle was large. It was 30 feet wide. The door was inviting and accessible.
Jesus says come unto me, and he is accessible to as many as desire to enter through Him.
The external appearance of the Tabernacle was drab and unassuming.
Isaiah says He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
O’ but how that changes when you get on the inside of the Tabernacle, it is wonderful, beautiful and precious.
The lost world sees Christ and does not think that He is special, O’ but how that changes when you get saved. Once in Christ you see His glory and His beauty. Only then do you see just how precious He is.
Item after Item in the Tabernacle pointed to Jesus. We don’t have time except to mention just a few. When we went thru it, it took us about 3 months.
Now Paul talks about the Worship Services of the Tabernacle.
Heb 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God].
Every day they made sacrifices at the brazen altar for the sins of the people. They daily cleansed themselves at the laver for service. They went into the Holy place and offered incense to God, a picture of prayer. They kept the table of showbread and trimmed the candlestick and filled it with oil.
The many priests were daily and continually in and out of the Holy place ministering on behalf of the people.
Heb 9:7 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:
Once a year and only once a year. On the Day of Atonement the High priest would enter the Holy of holies. The part of the tabernacle where the Ark was with the mercy seat that represented the throne of God.
But he would not enter without the blood of a sacrifice. Without a blood sacrifice there is no access to God.
The High priest would take off his glorious robes and put on a plain white linen garment.
This was a picture of Christ in the flesh without His majesty and glory. But yet with all His holiness and purity. White in the Bible is the color of righteousness.
When the High Priest was done, then he put back on the robes of glory and beauty.
Jesus took off His robes of glory, was made flesh, offered Himself as a sacrifice and then arose and put His robes of glory back on.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
The way that the Old Testament High Priest did his job was a picture of how Jesus would do His.
Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Paul is showing how we went from no access to complete access. The people could not enter the Holy Place. Even the priest could not just enter the Most Holy Place. Now the veil has been rent and we can come boldly to the throne of grace.
Heb 9:9 Which [was] a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Those services were just a figure. The old sacrifices were only meant to symbolize cleansing. They never made the conscience clear or clean.
Heb 9:10 [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation.
Reformation is to make straight to re-form. Man could never be re-formed externally, through regulations and ceremonies. Man can only have reformation if it comes internally by regeneration and cleansing of the Holy Ghost when you get saved.
Real reformation is a work of Almighty God.
The old sanctuary, it’s services and symbolism had a purpose, but they were limited, imperfect. They only were a picture of Jesus. They could never do His work.
The purpose of the next 4 verses is to show the power of Christ’s precious blood.
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].
Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Christ the better High Priest offered His own blood, not mere animal blood. What Christ shed was His own blood and not just something to picture His death. And He only had to do it once to obtain eternal redemption for us.
This new watered down so called Christianity does not mention the blood. They take the blood out of their hymnals. They have it all wrong. The shed blood of Christ is foundational to Christianity. Without the shedding of blood is no remission. He had to shed His blood.
The means of cleansing is Christ’s blood. The basis of cleansing is Christ’s voluntary death.
Christ’s blood is a purging agent. Every person needs to be washed in the blood of the Lamb for salvation to take place. You have to apply it to the door posts of your heart.
I know a fount where sins are washed away.
I know a place where night is turned to day.
Burdens are lifted, blind eyes made to see.
There’s a wonder-working power in the blood of Calvary.
I have a peace, this world could never give,
Wonderful peace for now in Christ I live
From condemnation He hath made me free
What a wonder-working power in the blood of Calvary.
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my pardon this I see Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my cleansing this my plea Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow
No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Those that have a problem with the shed blood of Jesus, might just need to get saved.
Verses 15 thru 22 talk about the last will and testament of Jesus Christ.
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Bill Gates or Donald Trump have wills. And there are people who are listed in those wills as the benefactors. They are promised great things and large sums of money. But they don’t get it today.
The will, the Testament, will not be executed until the death of the testor. Bill Gates has to die before those people get a dime.
Christ gave the promise of eternal life while He walked the earth. John Chapter 3 is just one place. But for the eternal life to be given, Christ had to die.
Heb 9:17 For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
The death of Jesus was absolutely necessary. He could not have given His testament. He could not have promised eternal life and then just go back to heaven. He had to go to the cross. The payment for sin had to be made. The blood had to be shed.
The Old Testament saints had to await the death of the Testator before receiving an eternal inheritance. They went to paradise to await the death of Christ. After He rose again He went and led captivity captive and took them to heaven. That whole sequence of events is best looked at in a separate lesson.
Paul then reminds them that the first testament was dedicated with blood.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This [is] the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
An ordinary testament or will, may become effective through an ordinary death and without blood being shed.
But that is not the case with these two testaments of God. They are Divine testaments and require a sacrificial death with sacrificial blood.
At the inauguration of the first Old testament, blood was shed. It took many sacrifices and the blood of many animals for the blood that was sprinkled on the book, the people, the tabernacle and all the vessels.
The second and better testament took the shed blood of the Son of God Himself.
Heb 9:23 [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
The argument is that if the patterns needed purified with the blood of animal sacrifices, then the reality had to be purified with a better sacrifice.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Jesus went into the true tabernacle, into heaven itself as our representative. He was accepted because of His shed blood. He now appears there on our behalf.
Heb 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
He appeared on earth to die on the cross. He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He became sin for us.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
He did it by the sacrifice of Himself.
He only had to do it once. Never again will our Lord suffer that way. It was a perfect sacrifice. One that is sufficient for everyone who ever lived and for everyone who will yet be born. One sacrifice to cover every dark sin ever committed and it is available to all.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Verse 27 states a general rule. There have been a few exceptions. Can you name one?
Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, the window’s son. They all died twice.
Enoch and Elijah did not die but were taken up.
If they are the two witnesses in the tribulation, then they will both yet die.
This verse also teaches that judgment is not in this life, but after death.
The wicked do prosper now and have no faith. Don’t fret about that. Judgment will come after death.
The saved do suffer wrong. They have pains and hardships. They are often poor even though they have faith. Don’t fret about that either. Our judgment is also coming. Our judgment will be different. Our judgment involves rewards.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Jesus who has appeared as our Saviour and is now appearing as our High Priest in Heaven will one day appear as the King of Kings.
I am looking forward to that!!!!!!!