Daily Bread 2010 - Hebrews 9
22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Again the writer compares the old sacrificial system with the blood of goats and lambs offered by the high priest on a continual basis, with the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world by his own shedding of innocent blood. Over and over again he calls the old system a copy of what is to come.
This system foresaw Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross and his eventual ascension into heaven where he has interceded for us before His Father in heaven.
Importantly in verse 22 it says there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. This reminds us that there are consequences to our sin. As Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death”.
Another important verse is verse 27 where it says, “It is appointed once for a man (and a woman) to die once and face judgment.” This verse rules out religions that advocate “reincarnation”, which is a system based on the fact that each time we are reincarnated we get a second chance to get it right with God. There is finality to 9:27, which reminds us of the urgency of proclaiming the Gospel in a winsome way so that everyone has a chance to accept it before they die.
Where do you stand if Jesus were to return tonight? Do you have confidence that you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus’ once and for all sacrifice for your sins? The fact is God loved you so much He made it entirely possible for you to know Him, be forgiven by Him, and you could spend eternity with Him.
Jesus thank you for the sacrifice you made for us on the cross. We give thanks that we can be confident for you to return at any time because we have accepted your free gift of grace. Thank you for being our merciful high priest. Amen.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Again the writer compares the old sacrificial system with the blood of goats and lambs offered by the high priest on a continual basis, with the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world by his own shedding of innocent blood. Over and over again he calls the old system a copy of what is to come.
This system foresaw Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross and his eventual ascension into heaven where he has interceded for us before His Father in heaven.
Importantly in verse 22 it says there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. This reminds us that there are consequences to our sin. As Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death”.
Another important verse is verse 27 where it says, “It is appointed once for a man (and a woman) to die once and face judgment.” This verse rules out religions that advocate “reincarnation”, which is a system based on the fact that each time we are reincarnated we get a second chance to get it right with God. There is finality to 9:27, which reminds us of the urgency of proclaiming the Gospel in a winsome way so that everyone has a chance to accept it before they die.
Where do you stand if Jesus were to return tonight? Do you have confidence that you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus’ once and for all sacrifice for your sins? The fact is God loved you so much He made it entirely possible for you to know Him, be forgiven by Him, and you could spend eternity with Him.
Jesus thank you for the sacrifice you made for us on the cross. We give thanks that we can be confident for you to return at any time because we have accepted your free gift of grace. Thank you for being our merciful high priest. Amen.
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