Sunday Morning Service (Hebrews 9)

Hebrews 9

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“A Superior Sacrifice” • 2.4.18 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro

- We have been following the track that our author has left for us since the beginning of chapter 7. He has been writing about the superiority of Christ's Priestly ministry.

- Jesus is the head of a superior priesthood. In chapter 8, he discloses that He serves God's people under a superior covenant.

- The Old Covenant, he writes, is becoming "obsolete" and is in the process of wearing thin, soon to "vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13)

- As we enter chapter 9, our author's thoughts remain undeterred. He offers inspired commentary upon the sacrificial system and opens our eyes to the superiority of Christ's sacrifice!

Text

• Hebrews 9:1-5 : "Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail." : There were services that took place in the Tabernacle, that served divine purposes, but were limited by it's location on Earth.

- When one considers the tabernacle, one generally includes in their thinking, the entire structure which encompassed the outer court and the bronze altar.

- For our author's purpose, he boils it down to the two parts which were exclusive to the priests. That singular structure was partitioned into two parts.

- He concentrates on the pieces to show the priest's function. They restocked the oil for the lampstand and attended to the table, providing fresh bread every evening.

- This first part of the tabernacle is here called "the sanctuary," though most other translations prefer the term "Holy Place." This was open to the priests but veiled from the outside world.

- Behind that section lay a second veil covering "the Holiest of All" or the "Holy Of Holies." This section was quite different from the first.

- In it was a single piece of furniture, a box that had been overlaid with gold. The ark of the covenant was the representative piece which reflected God's rule and it contained three items.

- There was a golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded and the ten commandments.

- When you study the stories that reveal why they are put in the ark, you'll find one commonality. They are all related to the rebellion of God's people.

- Exodus 16 records that manna was delivered daily to the people in the wilderness after they complained about a seeming lack of God's provision.

- The manna would only be good for the day it was collected and two days for the Sabbath.

- After that, it would rot and breed worms. Yet, God sustained a single pot within the Ark of the Covenant for a remembrance.

- The second item was Aaron's flourishing rod. A group of people led by a man named Korah began to question and indeed, complaing about God's choice of leadership in Numbers 17.

- God called the leaders of each tribe to bring their sticks to the Tabernacle. The one that sprang to life, an impossibility apart from God, proved conclusively to be God's choice.

- God put that little gem in the box as well! And of course, that leaves the 10 commandments, which as you may remember, were not the original tablets. Exodus 32 relays the story.

- Moses had been on the mount longer than expected. In the meantime, Aaron made Israel a golden calf that Israel was "worshipping" as Moses made his descent!

- Israel broke all of God's commandments before Moses was even able to deliver them!

- Moses angrily took the originals and broke them in their sight. The reprints were commissioned and were kept safe in the ark. There really is much more to say, the author says.

- We'll honor that but will also mention the relevance of these items. God's Holiness resides near the children of Israel who cannot approach Him because of their sinfulness.

- These articles represented their actions and the consistent need for sacrifice. This is God's way of saying, "This is what keeps us apart!" Verse 6.

• Hebrews 9:6-8 : "Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing." : I hope that you see the incredible mercy that God exhibits here.

- There are those that contend that God's mercy is a feature of the New Covenant. Not so!

- The people have sinned greatly before Him, but there is still a Tabernacle and there are still priests and services! The Old economy provided a way for God to meet His people's need!

- The Tabernacle existed to provide some temporary relief to the tension that existed between a Holy God and a perpetually sinful people.

- This played out for them as they watched the priests busy at work in the sanctuary performing the daily acts of worship. But their big day was the Day of Atonement.

- That is the one day that the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy Of Holies, with sacrificial blood for himself and for the people's sins that they weren't aware of!

- When the people were aware of their sins, they were to bring an offering to God. The High Priest covered everything else that they forgot or were unaware of!

- What does the Holy Spirit intend to communicate through this? Yes, there is a way that God provided to meet His people's needs, but while that tabernacles stands, it is not open to all!

- The Holy of Holies did not communicate intimacy with God, but separation from Him! He continues in verse 9.

• Hebrews 9:9,10 : "It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation." : The entire exercise related to the Tabernacle was meant to stand as a symbol, literally a parable for the people of God.

- Virtually every item that is constructed by men offers an insight into the work of redemption.

- Like all parables, the tabernacle and temple provided an earthly experience that pointed to a corresponding heavenly reality. This provided a golden opportunity!

- Here is a community whose life is quite literally centered around tabernacle life. There is no way around it. The entire system of sacrifice stared them in the face.

- The smells in the air, the sound of the tabernacle responding to the wind, the look of the priests. Everything that they saw, left them with a lasting illustration.

- But nothing that was done there could meet their deepest need. The sacrificial system could not touch the conscience of the worshipper. It could not clear them from the internal stain of guilt!

- The sacrificial system dealt only with the laws relating to external ordinances. They could not deal with matters relating to a person's soul. They kept reminding men what was needful.

- A person after sacrificing was no less guilty and no more confident of their standing with God. They would live to sacrifice another day, knowing that they were only "covered" for now!

- Consequently, the entire system provided a temporary illustration of what holiness will look like after what our author calls "the time of reformation."

- The word "reformation" itself speaks to a surgical procedure wherein a misshapen limb has been straightened or restored to it's natural condtion.

- The time of reformation then is the time when God's people will function in a way that they were intended to function before God!

- We are intended to be free in our conscience of both the stain and the guilt that is leftover from our sin! This is the Kingdom of God, the essence of our salvation.

- God is taking our horribly misshapen souls and restoring them, leading us back to a time of greater fellowship with Him, than even those of the Garden of Eden. We are His children!

- That will require far more that physical, external commands. God's work will begin in our souls and proceed in an outward manner. That is why we need a better priest and sacrifice. Verse 11.

• Hebrews 9:11,12 : "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." : This initial phrase "But Christ came," doesn't quite capture the sense. The other translations prefer the word "appeared." The idea refers to a public arrival.

- One might even say it like this: "When Christ arrived in the seat of the High Priest, He initiated all of the good things that come with the greater priestly service of the true tabernacle!"

- The NKJV uses the phrase "good things to come" but the other translations prefer the phrase in the past tense. They have already come. This is already available to us!

- Jesus went into the true Holy of Holies, bringing in His own blood once for all! This signifies both the scope and the sufficiency of His work.

- He had offered His blood as a "once for all" sacrifice and on behalf of "the all" that are included in that work. For them alone, His blood obtained eternal redemption.

- That alone is profound: God has set a purchase price upon His people and Christ's blood has paid it legally and perennially! But the value only begins here. Verse 13.

• Hebrews 9:13,14 : "For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" : The blood of animals was sufficient to sanctify a human being, to cleanse them temporarily. What about the blood of Christ? If an animal's blood could work that way, what of His?

- His superior blood has enough power to reach to the deepest part of our souls! His blood can cleanse our conscience! Look at the combined divine effort that this took.

- Christ, through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God! The word "spot" speaks to an inherited defect. Jesus offered His untainted blood as the atoning sacrifice.

- He did this through or by the agency the eternal Spirit. We have commented in the past about the possibility of Christ sinning without having a fallen nature.

- I would submit that even that might not have kept Him from sinning apart from the abiding work of the Holy Spirit! The author will not allow His agency to be discounted!

- The Holy Spirit brought aid in producing the spotless character of Christ, to some degree! That work issued in our consciences being cleansed from dead works.

- There has been a purifying that has gone down to our soul. Once we have trusted Christ, you get the sense that your soul is released from the bondage that you once served under.

- You get the impression from this phrase, that the philosophy of works done to impress God, to earn a right standing with Him, left our souls filthy.

- God's grace through redemption has worked to remove the stains that once dominated our spirits. Think about the residue that you carried into your relationship with Christ.

- The habits of self-righteousness that developed into patterns of justifying oneself, left you scarred. The blood of Christ has healed you and given you a proper perspective. Verse 15.

• Hebrews 9:15 : "And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." : All of the sins against the first covenant were paid for by Jesus Christ!

- Every person that has ever lived was consigned to pay the death penalty for all the transgressions related to the law of the first covenant. That is every person who has or will ever live!

- Christ's death provided the capital necessary to assure those that are invited the promise of eternal inheritance.

- Said another way, He has done this in order that those that fit in that category may assuredly receive what they have been promised, namely the inheritance that Christ's worthy life deserves!

• Hebrews 9:16-17 : "For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. " : Our author has just mention an inheritance.

- The testator, while he is alive, keeps charge of the money while he lives and only makes sure that the appropriate recipients are allowed to access it after his death.

- When that testator dies, the benefit that he stored up for his beneficiaries flows out toward them. How does that apply? Take a look at verse 18.

• Hebrews 9:18-22 : "Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, 'This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.' Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission." : The first covenant's promise of covering was initiated by the repeated sacrifice of animals. The New covenant is initiated by the death of Christ!

- Our author makes reference to what is found in Exodus 24:4-8. Moses was charged with the opening ceremony that brought the Levitical priesthood online.

- Aaron and his sons are the representatives of the Priesthood and the book is the covenant. The blood of the sacrifice was intermingled with water.

- When the scarlet wool and hyssop plant soaked in the blood, it acted as the delivery agent, as Moses sprinkled it over the Priests and the book.

- Then, the newly minted Tabernacle received a bloody introduction to set it apart!

- One might believe that the sprinkling of blood would be unsanitary. Not so with regard to the ceremonial work within the temple. In fact, as our author puts it, blood purifies almost all things!

- Of all the sacrifices mentioned in Leviticus, there are only a few that are "bloodless." Almost all things are purified with blood, but there are no sins that can be remitted with it!

- "Remission" speaks directly to a freedom from bondage or a legal pardon. Blood is the cleansing agent of the temple and the sole payment for sin. Verse 23.

• Hebrews 9:23-26 : "Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

- The tabernacle was purified by the most precious commodity on earth: The life of the blood. The heavenly temple has been purified with the superior sacrifice of His own blood!

- Jesus went in to the true tabernacle in heaven once for us. He did not have to enter a second time! Rome teaches that He suffers again with every communion! He has finished His work!

- Jesus went in once at the end of the age to put sin away from His people for all time! Understand that difference. Any inferior blood and He would have to continue!

- Any other blood would only serve to cover. His blood puts sin away! Sin has been abolished, disannulled! It's power over your life as a redeemed person has been overcome!

- The blood of the Old Covenant merely provided a covering for the sins of men. Christ's work has put the stain of sin away from us forever! Verse 27.

• Hebrews 9:27,28 : "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." : For those that believe in reincarnation or universalism, verse 27 deals a tough hand to you.

- Our author speaks of this as a fact. Mankind, each person has an appointment with death. When he dies, it's right to the judgment. There isn't a second life or a second chance!

- Every man, woman and child will stand before God and the single question will be related to how one related to Jesus. Is He Lord or not! That is the judgment!

- As with that human experience, so also with Christ, who was offered once. He died to carry the weight, to bear the load of His people's sin. Those that have put their trust in Him are saved.

- We are saved from our sin, saved from God's wrath and saved for Him. We are free children and brothers in His righteousness. We are the ones that expect His second coming.

- His blood being shed brings a joy to our heart because we know He isn't coming to judge us, but to bring us into the full enjoyment and benefit that His blood assures us that we will have!

Conclusion
- The blood of Christ is superior. It does a deeper work and has an enduring quality that will never be undone by time! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!