Hebrews 9: Stanly Community Church

Transcription

1 Sin is the violation of God s righteous Law. According to His Law, sin requires death. Therefore, death is an inescapable reality for us, since we are unrighteous beings. But in God s purpose and plan of redemption, death is also essential for us to be reconciled to Him in righteousness. The Letter to the Hebrews was written to present Jesus Christ as the ultimate Mediator between God and sinners. As the only truly righteous Son of God, Jesus is also the sinner s High Priest who is able to present Himself as an effective sacrifice to satisfy God s wrath and cover our sin. The Jewish people of the first century were very familiar with this concept. Through the symbolism of ceremonial worship led by the Levitical priesthood under the covenant of law, the LORD had visibly demonstrated the requirements of salvation. The sacrifice of certain animals under strict ceremonial guidelines meant the shedding of much blood. That blood had great significance, although it was itself ineffective to deal with sin. Its purpose was to foreshadow the reality of Christ s own righteous death as the basis of forgiveness, which He himself presents to the Father on the believer s behalf.! 1

2 The ninth chapter of this letter is at the heart of the writer s presentation of the heavenly, high priestly ministry of Christ (9:11-15). Hebrews 9:16-28 explains the necessity of Jesus own death as the sacrifice for sin. It is the blood of God s righteous Son that seals the New Covenant of grace, and verses provide three illustrations of why His death was necessary. A Necessary Death (Part I) Illustration A (vv ) The first illustration is that of a last will and testament. This word comes from the same term also translated covenant, and it essentially refers to a valid agreement. However, here it speaks of legally allocating personal belongings to another after the death of the testator. This is a familiar concept from antiquity that is still practiced today. A last will and testament is valid and binding only when the one bequeathing the property is dead. As verse 17 emphasizes, it has no power at all while the testator lives. Nothing about the agreement is valid as long as he or she remains in this world. It is death that puts the agreement in full force and effect.! 2

3 The writer has already spoken of the believer s redemption (v. 12) as an eternal inheritance (v. 15) in which we receive forgiveness of sins and a clear conscience to serve the living God forever in righteousness (v. 14). It is through the righteous life of Jesus Christ sacrificed on the cross that Christian s obtain the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant (v. 15). Not only did Jesus perfectly keep the righteous Law on out behalf, but His righteousness made Him fit to be the sacrifice necessary to redeem us from our transgressions. This is at the heart of the Trinity s eternal plan of salvation (Eph. 1:3-7). So our inheritance is perfect righteousness in and through God s only righteous Son, but it cannot be ours unless the Son dies. That is the point of this illustration, which is universally understood. Illustration B (vv ) The second illustration is more specific, since it deals with the Jewish understanding of Old Covenant worship. Having already established that death is sometimes necessary to validate an agreement, the writer now moves to the first covenant (lit. the first ). That is, God initially established the covenant of law with mankind in the Garden of Eden but later enshrined it in the ceremonial worship of ancient Israel. Later, He gave the New Covenant of grace, which is the basis of redemption. Israel serves as a prime example of mankind s place in both agreements (8:7-13).! 3

4 Here we are told the first covenant was dedicated with blood. In this case, that blood meant the death of an animal sacrifice. It was not a natural death but a violent death in which blood was shed. Note that the writer uses blood in place of death as he transitions back to the idea of Christ s suffering as a sacrifice for sin. The mediator of the covenant of law was Moses (v. 19) who also foreshadowed Christ (cf. 3:2-6). After the LORD had revealed the Ten Commandments and established the covenant around them, Moses delivered every precept [i.e. commandment] to all the people according to the law. This was to ensure Israel s understanding of what God required and to provide them opportunity to express agreement. They vowed to keep the words of the covenant and be obedient (Ex. 24:3, 7). This was a conditional covenant, which they failed to keep. But to validate the agreement, Moses took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book [of the law representing God] and all the people. This describes how the blood was applied (Ex. 24:1-8; cf. Ex. 12:22; Lev. 14:4) ; it was physically sprinkled to symbolically emphasize that death was necessary to make the covenant effective. In this case, death was required for disobedience to the Law, and the death of the animal sacrifice was a graphic reminder of this reality.! 4

5 Therefore, Moses said, This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you a paraphrase of Exodus 24:8. Jesus used similar terminology in the upper room as He instituted the Lord s Supper. He said, this is My blood of the new covenant, but he added: which is shed for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:28; cf. 1 Cor. 11:25-26). The animal blood of the old covenant did not bring forgiveness or a clear conscience; it reminded the sinner of the penalty of death. But it anticipated Christ s death, which seals the new covenant and guarantees forgiveness. Illustration C (vv ) The final illustration refers back to the tabernacle worship (cf. 9:1-10). After Moses instructed the people regarding the priesthood and the construction of the tabernacle, he likewise sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of ministry. Things pertaining to the ceremonial worship God established around the old covenant (i.e. the tabernacle, its furnishings, and its utensils) were purified with blood to identify them with the covenant. In fact, according to the law almost all things are purified with blood (v. 22a). With few exceptions, ceremonial purification symbolic of holiness involved the blood of animal sacrifice. Fire, water, and incense were also used (e.g. Ex. 19:10; Num. 31:21-24), but blood was by far the emphasis in relation to the covenant itself. Again, blood represents life.! 5

6 As the last portion of verse 22 explains, without the shedding of blood there is no remission [i.e. forgiveness]. The penalty for sin under the Law is death. That is the only way God s wrath and justice can be satisfied. Therefore, even the old covenant recognized that forgiveness must come by the blood of a sacrifice. Otherwise, the sinner must die. But the life of the animal sacrifice referred to here could not truly provide forgiveness for the sins of man (Heb. 10:4). It did, however, clearly point to the promise of redemption in Christ, which God made long before the covenant of law was given through Moses. The Law condemns sin and emphasizes death, but the sacrifices it commanded offered the promise of forgiveness to all who look in faith to the sacrifice of God s perfect Son. You cannot escape the reality of death, and what God has revealed about His plan of redemption emphasizes the necessary death of His righteous Son. It is the only means of forgiveness for sinners. That is the message of the Gospel. Ephesian 2:13 tells us: in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:19 adds that it is precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Jesus Himself said that He gave His life as a ransom for many (Mk. 10:45).! 6

7 Jesus death is a necessary death, and everything God has revealed in Scripture bears witness to this. You cannot find forgiveness apart from the sacrifice of the righteous Son of God. The covenants of law and grace require it. Either you must die for your sins, or Christ must die in your place. These are the only options you and I have. Do you realize the serious consequences of your sin? Are your sins forgiven? Is your faith in Jesus Christ? Is the inheritance of eternal righteousness in God s perfect Son yours?! 7