Hebrews 9 – “Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.  These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.  But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For ifthe blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

What does Hebrews 9 mean?  It means that under the old covenant of the law – think don’t steal, don’t commit adultery, don’t lie to one another, etc. – no one made it out clean.  Everyone sinned, and the sacrifices they made via animals to supposedly atone for their sin, were not sufficient to cover their sins fully (at all really).  Only one person could go into the holy place once a year (where God was), and make a sacrifice for the people, and guess what?  They’d have to come back next year, so what if you died right before that sacrifice was made?  Were you just hosed?  Do you know that when that one high priest would go into the Holy of Holies in the temple, the room where God was, they would have to tie a rope to their ankle?  Do you know why?  Because if they sinned in their giving of their sacrifice, God is so Holy, that His righteousness would kill them, and they would have to be drug out by others (who also couldn’t enter the room, because of God’s holiness/righteousness).  This sacrificial system of the old covenant we know was supposed to be symbolic, to point the people to trust in God to provide a sacrifice to atone for their sin.

We, as believers have the greatest news of all through Christ.  Compare yourself against the Jewish person under the old covenant – they’re slaughtering animals all day, hoping in God, but you already know that the fulfillment of the law has come, and credited His righteousness to you, apart from your works or “sacrifices”.  Jesus Himself came and said that He desired mercy and not sacrifice.   Mercy comes from someone who has a fullness to give to others (as we do), sacrifice comes from someone who upon giving will lack something.  We see this again in Acts 17:24-25:

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”

The blood that atones for our sin is more than enough for all eternity.  The blood of Christ is far superior to those of animals.  Christ defeated sin, once and for all on the cross, there is no need for further sacrifice.  God is not glorified by you trying to “work your way” towards Him accepting you, because that means that his blood is not enough to cover all your sin, and that His death was not enough.  But we know that it was enough, because Christ said on the cross, “It is finished”.  There’s no “except for” at the end there.  In Christ, you have full confident access to Him… there’s no need to tie a rope around your ankle through manufactured behavior change.  Just come to God as you are, delight yourself in Him, and He will give you the desires of your heart, and your heart will be to love and obey Him.

In Christ, we are His temple, we do not make the temple, we are His workmanship.  Through the blood of Christ, there is no need for an outer room, or an inner room of a temple, because He dwells in us, He is with us wherever we go.

When we fall to sin, we do not have to look towards a future sacrifice by our behavior or other means as they did under the old covenant.  We know that Christ has broken down the wall separating us from God, and the Spirit of God in Him and believers draws us powerfully towards God.  The sacrifice has been made, the payment is complete, the blood of Christ is eternal.  Through the blood of Christ, we are free from the bondage of sin.  We may fall, but we are His, and the same power that rose Christ from the grave dwells in us, to give rise to our downtrodden hearts, to incline our affections again towards God.  We stand secure in the promise that through the blood of Christ, we will dwell with Him, enjoying the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ for all eternity.

Grace and Peace,
Adam