Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 9:23-28 July 17, 1994 Hebrews 9:23-28 Intro: We are reading a letter written to Jewish believers. People who understand the intricacies of the Old Testament Law and sacrificial system. 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. :23 the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these Just as the earthly tabernacle had to be cleansed with these animal sacrifices, the heavenly tabernacle was cleansed, not with cheap, inferior sacrifices, but with the real, heavy duty, industrial strength sacrifice. Why did the heavenly tabernacle need to be purified? (this at least seems implied) 1. Because of Man. It's not that heaven has faults or sin. At least not until man shows up. The cleansing is for man's sake, to meet God's requirements of righteousness. 2. Because of Satan. Another thought: I wonder if it could somehow refer to cleansing heaven from Satan. Currently, Satan has access to heaven and to God's throne. See Job 1,2 But sometime in the future, a war will take place in heaven, and Satan will be excluded from heaven and cast to the earth (no, this hasn't happened yet) Revelation 12:7-11 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 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. Part of the formula for victory was "the blood of the Lamb". 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: :24 figures of the true As we've seen, the "holy places made with hands", or, the earthly tabernacle was a model of heaven. Part of their purpose was to teach earthbound humans what heaven was all about. :24 into heaven itself. This is the "true tabernacle", the real thing. :24 now to appear in the presence of God for us This is following the typology of the high priest on the day of atonement. On that one day each year, the high priest would go through his ritual, and finally stand in the Holy of Holies, before God's throne (the mercy seat), and be the go-between between God and man. He would offer blood for their sins and then pray for the people. Jesus has fulfilled this typology to stand before God for us. What does Jesus do for us in God's presence? 1. He has already paid for our sin Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 2. He intercedes for us Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. This means that He's praying for you! He cares about your needs! When you've got a really heavy need, who do you call up for prayer? As a pastor, from time to time I get people who say something like, "I just need a pastor to pray for me..." I understand. I've been there too. But we need to grow in understanding that we also have Jesus praying for us. If it makes you feel better knowing that Pastor Mark is praying for you, how should it make us feel knowing that Jesus Himself is praying for us? 3. He defends us. 1Jo 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world. This means that Jesus is taking your side when the devil is accusing you before God. Jesus is sticking up for you! Have you ever walked in on a conversation to find that one of your friends is cutting you down in front of everyone else, behind your back? Jesus will never do that! He's going to always take our side! Ro 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth. 34 Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession 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. :26 then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world If Jesus' sacrifice was as inferior as those of the Old Testament, He would have to do what the other priests did, and have to keep offering sacrifice for sin. He would even have had to have been suffering since the very beginning of the world, when Adam sinned, to keep up with it all. But since His sacrifice was hefty enough to cover all the sin of the world in one shot, He only had to suffer once. And since it was such a hefty sacrifice, He even covered the sins of the Old Testament, from Adam on. Retroactive Atonement What the Old Testament sacrifices where doing was pointing to Jesus. When a person sinned, and if they came to God for cleansing, they would bring a sacrifice. And God, seeing that person's faith that God would cleanse them, would take that sacrifice, and in a sense give them credit for what Jesus would do in the future. Kind of like buying something on your credit card. You purchase it now, but you pay for it later when the bill comes. So these Old Testament saints were in a sense taking care of their sins on credit, and Jesus paid the bill on the cross. Yet Jesus paid so much that He paid for all of us in the future as well. (like a debit card!) In actuality, in God's sight, Jesus was already considered slain from the very foundation of the world. Re 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Q. If Jesus only died once for my sins, do I only get one chance to be forgiven? Do I only confess my sins once, and then don't have to worry about it ever again? Answer: Jesus paid the price once, but we need to ask for God's payment each time we run up a new bill. Mt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. :26 in the end of the world Did the early Christians think that they were in the end times? Yes! Were they wrong to think so? No! Matt.24:42-51 Watch and be ready! It's the "evil servant" that thinks that Jesus isn't coming back soon! Not only is it healthy for us as Christians to always be ready for Jesus to come back, but now, more than ever, the signs of the times show us that we really, truly are VERY CLOSE! 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: :27 it is appointed unto men once to die This is a good Bible verse to use with those who are dabbling in reincarnation. Q. Can a man die and then be born back in another body? Answer: No! You die, then comes judgment. After-Life Chronology: 1. Before Jesus' Resurrection: The souls of both believers and non-believers went to Hades at death. Hades had two compartments. Luke 16:19-31 The believers went to the side called Paradise, or Abraham's bosom. A place of rest and comfort. The unbelievers went to the other side, Hell, a place of torment. 2. When Jesus rose from the dead. He led the believers out of Paradise to heaven. (Eph.4:8; Matt.27:52,53) 3. Now: Believers "die" and their spirit part goes immediately to Jesus, in heaven. The body stays in the ground. (2cor.5:8; Phi.1:23) It's great to do a believer's funeral. Unbelievers die and go to hell. It is not fun doing an unbeliever's funeral. When you're dead, it's too late to come to Jesus. 4. At the Rapture: All believers in heaven get their new, resurrected bodies. (1Th.4:15-18; 1Cor.15:50-51) All living believers on earth get caught up and immediately get their new, resurrected bodies. 5. In the Future (immediately after Jesus comes back to earth): Rev.20 Those martyred during the tribulation receive new bodies. 1000 years with Jesus. Then the final resurrection, of the unbelievers. They receive new bodies, designed to last for eternity. They are cast into the Lake of Fire. Eternal torment. Forever. Summary: Each person dies once, then comes their judgment. Q. How about people like Shirley Maclaine who say they have had former lives, and can even be brought to remember these former lives under hypnosis. They give very detailed, specific information, which seems authentic. Answer: Demons have been around for a long time. They've seen a lot of things. All they have to do is pop in a videotape from 1650 and press "play". 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. :28 So Christ was once offered Jesus didn't become reincarnated in a "future life" and then have to give His life for us again. Men die only once. Jesus died only once. :28 without sin When Jesus comes back again, it's not going to be under the burden of our sin. He was victorious over our sin. :28 unto salvation This is the ultimate salvation, from this world! :28 unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time Look - eagerly wait apekdechomai 1) constantly looking 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. It's not just being aware that Jesus is coming back, and so rather than get caught in the act of doing something bad, you stay away from bad things. But it's an attitude of really wanting Jesus to come back. It's the difference between: 1. A kid whose parents go away for the weekend and he doesn't throw the world's biggest party because he's afraid of getting caught. And... 2. Your wife has been in the hospital, delivering your new son. And because you're so excited about them coming home, you clean the house, cook dinner, etc., because you want to make their homecoming nice.