Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 9:6-28 June 12, 1994 Hebrews 9:6-28 Intro: We are reading a letter written to Jewish believers. People who understand the intricacies of the Old Testament Law and sacrificial system. 6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God]. 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: :6 these things were thus ordained NIV: When everything had been arranged like this :6 the priests went always into the first tabernacle The first tabernacle, the Holy Place, was entered regularly, several times a day. Twice a day the priest would offer up incense, the prayers of the saints. Where was the altar of incense? In the holy place, or the holy of holies? How could he offer up daily prayers if he couldn't go into the holy of holies? Was it in front of the veil? Possibly just behind it? All we know was that the priest had access to it twice daily, and yet the incense rose before the throne of God. Do you spend time every day in prayer? Is there a constant stream of incense rising before the throne? Every day a priest would trim the lamp, keeping it burning. Are you (the lamp) in God's presence? Is your light burning bright? Is your lamp full of oil (the Holy Spirit)? Once each week the priest would change the bread on the table. Is your fellowship with God fresh or stale? :7 into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year... The second veil was the doorway to the Holy of Holies. This happened once a year on the Day of Atonement, or, Yom Kippur (Lev.16) The High priest could only go in with the proper "password", or the proper, acceptable sacrifices. Leviticus 16 - the Day of Atonement First the high priest had to wash and put on his special priest clothes. Then he took a bull for his own sins, and a goat for the sins of the people. He would take coals from the altar, and burn a cloud of incense inside the holy of holies, after which he would first sprinkle the bull's blood for his own sins on the mercy seat, then the blood of the goat for the sins of the people. The he would confess the sins of the people over another goat, which was taken and let loose to carry the sins of the people away into the wilderness. Then he was to offer up a burnt offering of a ram for himself, and another ram for the people, consecrating them all to God again. "Now that my sins are taken care of, I'm going to live for you." All this took place once each year. These commandments were given after the incident with Nadab and Abihu, who kind of stumbled their way into God's presence. God is awesome, holy, and is to be feared. 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: :8 the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest Because only the High Priest could go in, and only once a year. It was off limits to everyone else. I think there's a lot we maybe take for granted, or don't understand in our worship In the days of the tabernacle, only the high priest had access to God's Shekinah, God's glory, God's presence, and that only once a year. But now, we can come into God's presence any time we desire, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all because of Jesus. When we praise Him, I believe that somehow, in a sense, in the Spirit, we are all standing before God and His throne. This used to be impossible without getting toasted. Heb 6:18-20 That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 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; 10 [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation. :9 that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience These Old Testament sacrifices, just how much good did they do? RWP: This was the real failure of animal sacrifice (#10:1-4|). At best it was only ritual or ceremonial purification (#7:11|), that called for endless repetition (#10:1-4|). Heb 10:1-4 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. The old sacrifices and such couldn't really do that much good. How do we know? Because the priests had to offer them up over and over and over again. They couldn't really cleanse your conscience. They were just looking forward to the real thing, to Jesus. 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; Jesus entered into the heavenly tabernacle, heaven. The real thing. 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]. :12 his own blood He had a much better sacrifice. It wan't just made of goats' or calves' blood, but the blood of the eternal, immortal Son of God And He didn't need two sacrifices, one for His own sins, and one for our sins (like the high priests had to do), but only once sacrifice, for our sins. He was without sin, He needed no sacrifice. :13 eternal redemption 3085 lutrosis {loo'-tro-sis} 1) a ransoming, redemption 2) deliverance, esp. from the penalty of sin The idea of redemption, or a redeemer is one that carries over from the Old Testament, from a people used to buying and selling. If I bought your family's field, it only belonged to me temporarily. If you or a relative could raise the money, you could buy it back from me, or redeem it from me. Or, on the year of jubilee, it would revert back to your family automatically. If you lost your job, and your savings disappeared, you could sell yourself temporarily to me as a slave, but only for seven years. If you raised the money in the meantime, you or a relative could buy your freedom, or redeem you. God began to use this idea with the nation of Israel, who was under slavery in Egypt. Ex 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: Ps 78:35 And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer. In the New Testament, we find that our bondage or slavery is not to a human master, but to sin and the Law. Ro 6:17-18 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Ro 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. And so, Jesus has come along and purchased us from sin and the curse of the Law, and in turn has set us free. Ga 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree: Ro 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 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. And the freedom He purchases for us isn't temporary, it's eternal! 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: :13 the ashes of an heifer Numbers 19 A special red heifer was offered and burnt, and the ashes were kept. If you were to come into contact with a dead body, you became "unclean". This meant a ceremonial uncleanness which kept you from worship, from offering sacrifices until you were cleansed. To be cleansed, you would go to the priest, who would mix the ashes with water and sprinkle you with them. What was this all about? Cleansing for the Ministry The priest had to be "clean" in performing his duties. God didn't want "dirty" priests hanging around the tabernacle. We too are priests, and God wants us cleansed from the deadness of the world around us. You hang around the world too long, you'll come in contact with some real "dead" people. God wants there to be a cleanness about our lives and ministry. :13 sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh There was a kind of outward, ceremonial kind of cleansing that these things offered, but that's it. They did something on the outside, but not on the inside. Note the contrast between "the flesh" here and "the conscience" in verse 14. Probably the value in these things was in what they looked forward to. I'm not sure I fully understand everything here either. These sacrifices pointed toward a time when God would offer up a real sacrifice, one which would really take care of sins, Jesus Christ. 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? :14 How much more... If these things which were just a shadow of a greater thing offered some kind of cleansing, just imagine what kind of cleansing could be had from the real thing? :14 purge your conscience from dead works What's the answer to guilt? Jesus! It's not therapy. It's not regressing, or blaming your parents. Purge: katharizo 1) to make clean, cleanse Some kinds of therapy talk about having a "catharsis", or a purging. But it can only come by the blood of Jesus. It's the blood of Jesus. Some "enlightened" people talk as if they like Jesus, but when you talk about the blood of Jesus, they shiver and get turned off. "Don't talk about something so morbid", they say. But the truth is, all that we have we owe to the blood of Jesus. 1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Your ability to receive complete and total forgiveness and release from guilt depends completely and solely upon the blood of Jesus and it's ability to appease God on behalf of your sins. Re 12:10-11 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. The old hymn writers understood it: Look at the Hymnal: #266, 263, 259 It's why our sanctuary and carpet is this color, to remind us of the blood. 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. :15 he is the mediator of the new testament The "new testament" refers back to the quote in Hebrews 8 Heb 8:10-12 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: 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. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Since Jesus died for our sins, He makes is possible for our sins to be forgotten forever. 16 For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18 Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood. 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, 20 Saying, This [is] the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. :20 This is the blood Quoting Moses: Ex 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled [it] on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words. But look at what Jesus said: Mt 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. :22 almost all things are by the law purged with blood Blood is usually the means of dealing with sin, but not always. There is one bloodless sin offering Le 5:11-13 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put [any] frankincense thereon: for it [is] a sin offering. 12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, [even] a memorial thereof, and burn [it] on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a sin offering. 13 And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and [the remnant] shall be the priest's, as a meat offering. 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. 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: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 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. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 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. :27 it is appointed unto men once to die This is a good Bible verse to use with those who are dabbling in reincarnation. Can a man die and then be born back in another body? No! You die, then comes judgment. :28 unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time Look - eagerly wait apekdechomai 1) assiduously and patiently waiting for We need to be eagerly looking for the second coming of Jesus! 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.