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ONCE FOR ALL. Hebrews 9:11-15. 11/26/2023. #26.
11 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. 12 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. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 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? 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.
1. The Perfect Sacrifice
a. Hebrews spent much time demonstrating how inadequate the sacrifice of HP were to remove sin
a1. The HP was an earthy flawed man using earthy instruments to sacrifice mortal animals on a perishable altar in a tent
a2. Temporary means can’t yield eternal solutions that resolve spiritual issues
b. Christ was a High Priest of good things to come (eternal salvation, reward, fellowship with God)
c. Christ entered the perfect tabernacle not made of earthy materials by the hands of man
a1. Jesus’ work of redemption was complete on the cross (“it is finished”)
a2. He offered his blood (figuratively) before the eternal heavenly altar to declare that the work of salvation was complete
a3. God (the Father) accepted the offering
d. A perfect sacrifice made by a Perfect person before a perfect altar in the presence of God
2. The contrast
a. The OT HP could offer only goats & bulls
a1. These animals had no spiritual power
a2. Animal sacrifices could only satisfy the ceremonial aspect of the Law to cover sins until the perfect HP & sacrifice could redeem
b. Blood of goats & bulls were of the earth & so could not apply spiritual remedies for the guilt of sin
c. The ashes of the red heifer, used in purification rites could make the guilty ceremonial clean, but not spiritually clean (Num. 19)
3. From the shadow to the genuine
a. If the sacrifice of spiritual animals could make one ceremonial clean by providing the required offering as specified in the Law, how much more effective is Christ’s sacrifice as accepted eternally by God
b. The conscience of the believer is cleansed by the application of God’s perfect sacrifice (Jesus) to the account of the believer
a1. The blood sacrifice was via the One who could apply eternal cleansing to us
a2. Through the indwelling the Holy Spirit, we are now sealed unto the day of Redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14)
c. The OT could mediate for man under the Law in earthy things (cleansings, coverings, offerings)
d. Jesus could mediate in eternal things
a1. Heb. 4:14-16 Christ’s mediation is effectual for interceding on our behalf for forgiveness
a2. Revelation 12:10-12 Christ’s sacrifice of blood overcame the devil who makes accusations against the brethren day and night
e. Since mediation under the first covenant was inadequate, the new covenant could accomplish what the Old Covenant could never accomplish
f. By the first covenant, nothing eternal is received, but through the new covenant we receive the eternal promise of God
a1. The Law can only bring death (1 Cr. 15)
a2. Under Christ, the Lord brings eternal life
g. Since Christ is complete, other things we depend on must be abandoned (hinders rather than helps)
Key verse: Revelation 12:10-12 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”