Sin separates us from God because
when we live in sin we are at war with God. Whether we realize it or not - "Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So
then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8).
The "carnal mind," and being
"in the flesh" is to live in sin. It is to live in blindness not recognizing the ill effects of
sin in life. It is to live a self-centered sinful nature mindset.
In the Old Testament God began to
provide a system or plan to deal with humanities' sin. Before He could bring
His redemptive plan of reconciliation to perfection or fulfillment the first
step was showing sinful humanity their crystal clear sinfulness. Those who live
in sin rationalize away their responsibility and guilt for sin. Therefore God
gave His holy, righteous and good Law to expose the utter and undeniable
sinfulness of humanity. Paul wrote the Romans, "I would not have known sin except through the law" (Romans
7:7). When humanity tried to solve their sin problem with self-righteousness
they found only frustration, futility and failure because in human strength no
one can keep the holy, righteous and good Law of God. Salvation and forgiveness
of sin is not accomplished on the basis of human good works (Eph. 2:8-9). Paul was inspired by God to write, "For we know that the law is spiritual, but
I am carnal, sold under sin. . . . For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh)
nothing good dwells;" (Romans 7:14, 18). When we encounter God's Law
we discover the "sin that dwells in
me" (Romans 7:20).
God's Old Covenant Law was meant
to carry out the first step of God's plan; to
expose humanities' utter and undeniable sinfulness. The Law serves as a
kind of mentor or tutor to lead us to Jesus (Galatians 3:24). But after it
exposes sin in people, the Law is powerless to save people. That is what we
have seen in Hebrews: "For on the
one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its
weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other
hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to
God" (e.g. Hebrews 7:18-19). The Law is weak and unprofitable because
it relied on human strength (i.e. "weakness") to keep it.
The Old Covenant was only
preparatory to the New Covenant. And once the New Covenant comes in Christ, the
Old Covenant has served its purpose and is to be left behind. That is what we
saw in the summation of Paul's argument in Hebrews 8: "For if the first covenant had been faultless, then no place would
have been sought for a second. . . . In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has
made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready
to vanish away" (Hebrews 8:7, 13). Christ fulfills all the Old Covenant
fallen sinful humanity are incapable of fulfilling. The Old Covenant, it's laws
and feasts and sacrifices, all point to Jesus because all of God's redemptive
reconciling plan is fulfilled and culminates in Him. (That is what Paul will
state in Hebrews 10:7).
That is why Hebrews focuses so
completely on Jesus. He is the highest revelation of God (Hebrews 1). Jesus is
equal with God and as God, the Great Savior (Hebrews 2). Jesus is the One
greater than Moses and Who offers us rest from our life of work-dependency-righteousness
(Hebrews 3-4). Jesus is our Highest High
Priest Who has been perfected and is able to perfect His people (Hebrews 5-6).
Jesus is High Priest of a better priesthood and of a better covenant; a
covenant that is internal, in the
heart and mind rather than external on
stone cold tablets (Hebrews 7-8). Now in Hebrews 9 we will see the greatest
argument and basis for this better, more powerful and effective as well as
blessed covenant. In Hebrews 8 we saw the richness of this New Covenant in
Christ. In Hebrews 9 we will see the cost of this New Covenant; Christ Himself.
Hebrews 9 (NKJV)
9
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service
and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the
first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the
showbread, which is called the sanctuary;
God gave Moses
instructions to build a place of meeting where He would make His presence known
to the people. This place was first the portable Tabernacle and later the
permanent Temple. This place presented a pattern of the way God would work His
redemptive reconciling plan. Therefore God told Moses to make sure He followed
His instructions closely (e.g. Hebrews 8:4-6).
God's plans
involved having Moses cordon off a space situated in the center of the
encampment and later the nation of Israel. This courtyard was to be 75 feet by
150 feet. In the courtyard Moses was given instructions to build a portable
Tabernacle. It's interesting that God's place of meeting was made like a larger
kind of tents His people used. God is always condescending and relating to
people in a way they can relate to.
The Tabernacle
was to measure 45 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet high. The Tabernacle was
to be divided into two sections: The Holy Place - 30 feet long and 15 feet
wide; and the Most Holy Place - 15 feet square. It was in the Holy Place that
the lampstand and table with showbread were placed.
The lampstand
was symbolic of God's people being the light of the world. They were to be
reflectors of God to a dark pagan world (cf. Exodus 19). Old Testament Israel
failed to fulfill this calling. The New Testament disciple of Jesus fulfills
this calling (e.g. Matthew 5:13-16).
The table with
showbread was symbolic and a reminder of God's provision (e.g. Deuteronomy 8).
This is most perfectly fulfilled in Jesus, the "Bread of Life" (cf.
John 6). Jesus is like bread to our spiritual soul. He is the perfect staple
for our spiritual life.
3 and behind the second
veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 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; 5 and above it were
the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot
now speak in detail.
The Holy Place
and the Most Holy Place were separated by a veil. The veil of separation in the
Tabernacle measured approximately (due to differences of opinion as to the size
of a cubit) 15 feet high, 15-18 feet wide (Exodus 26:31-35). The weight of it
isn't specified but tradition states two horses had difficulty pulling it into
place so it was pretty heavy. Later when the Temple was built according to a
similar pattern the veil was 60 feet high, 30 feet wide and anywhere from 4 to
18 inches thick. The thickness of the veil speaks of the deep divide between
God and humanity because of sin. This is the veil that was torn in two from top
to bottom when Jesus breathed His last on the cross (Matthew 27:51). Tearing
something like that in two would be hard even in our day, but not for Jesus!
Thank You Lord.
In the Most Holy
Place or "the part of the
tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All," section of the
Tabernacle there was "the golden
censor." The "golden
censer" was part of an altar for incense burning and to spread the
aroma throughout the Tabernacle. This incense was a symbol of prayer and placed
close to the Most Holy Place because prayer
brings us close to the presence of God.
Some have argued
about the placement of the altar of incense. In Exodus 40:26 it states the
altar of incense was in the Holy Place not the Most Holy Place. Whereas here in
Hebrews 9:4 the "golden censor" seems to be said to be situated inside behind the veil in the Most Holy
Place. Contradiction? Not really. First,
it is the censor not the altar of incense that is mentioned specifically here.
A censor was used to carry coals from the altar into the Most Holy Place on the
Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16:12-13). Paul doesn't mention the altar
specifically. Neither does he mention the laver or brazen altar. The censor was
used by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. Therefore this may have been
the imagery Paul had in mind to emphasize. Context would agree with this.
Lastly, the sense of the verse and mention of the golden censor is that it only belongs to the Most Holy Place
and is not necessarily inside behind the
veil of the Most Holy Place. The verb "had"
(Greek echo) is in the present
participle grammatical form and can mean having,
belonging to, in close association with something. This may have been what
was in mind here.
Then in the Most
Holy Place there was "the ark of
the covenant." This was a box (or "ark") that measured
approximately 51 inches by 31 inches by 31 inches (cf. Exodus 37:1-9). The box
was made of acacia wood and "overlaid
on all sides with gold" (a metal symbolic of heaven and holiness).
In the ark were
a number of items to help God's people remember His provision, His priesthood,
and His purity. First there was the "golden
pot that had the manna," which
God had miraculously provided in Israel's wilderness wanderings (e.g. Numbers
11; which ceased once the people entered the Promised Land - Joshua 5:12).
Then there was "Aaron's rod that budded," which
calls to remembrance God's priesthood and how he would choose and protect His
leaders from attack (e.g. Numbers 16). And lastly, "the tablets of the covenant" upon which were written the
Ten Commandments of God, His pure and holy word and Law (cf. Exodus 19-20;
32-34).
The lid of the
ark were decorated with "the
cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat." There were two images
of angels bowing down but facing toward one another with wings outstretched.
6 Now when these things had
been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the
tabernacle, performing the services.
The priests approached the Most Holy Place gradually in
terms of their training. A young priest learning his trade would enter in to
the Holy Place to observe how services were to be performed. Every morning he
would take care of the wicks on the lampstand and refill the incense on the
incense altar. Once a week he would replace the twelve loaves of the show bread.
And all the time he served it was in close proximity to the Most Holy Place and
the Presence of God. This close proximity was a constant reminder of the
separation from God that sin caused, as well as the eyes of the Lord being upon
him.
7 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 Most Holy Place was special; it was allowed to be
entered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16). The week
that Jesus died was a holy week; the week of Yom Kippur; the Day of Atonement.
What was happening during this holy time?
In Jesus’
day, here’s what would transpire: The week before Yom Kippur, the high priest would never leave the temple ground, for every
day of that week, he would rehearse what he
would do on the Day of Atonement. When that day finally came, arrayed in his
high priestly robes, he would
sacrifice a bull on the brass altar in the courtyard as a dedicatory offering. That done, he would take off his
high priestly garments and put on his linen garments—long
underwear, really, covered by a tunic and sash. Then he would sacrifice another bull as a sin offering for himself. At
this point, two goats would be chosen by lot and
a red scarlet cord would be tied around one, signifying it was the sacrificial
goat. The other goat—the
scapegoat—would be carried into the wilderness. Why two goats? Because our sins are not only forgiven—they
are forgotten, carried away as far as the east is
from the west (Psalm 103:12).
The priest
would then take the coals from the outside altar with two handfuls of incense into the Holy Place. And as he put them on the
altar of incense, a cloud would fill the room.
Returning to the brass altar, he would carry the blood that had drained from
the bull back into the Holy Place,
and this time he would go through the veil into the Holy of Holies, where he would sprinkle the blood
seven times on the ground and seven times on the
mercy seat. After that, he would sacrifice the sacrificial goat and take its
blood back into the Holy of Holies,
where he would sprinkle it again seven times on the ground and seven times on the mercy seat. Finally,
after sacrificing the bull and going into the Holy of Holies, and after sacrificing the goat and going into the
Holy of Holies, he would come back
out and place his hand upon the living goat, saying, “Bear and be gone.” In
other words, “Bear the sin and
take it away.”[1]
8 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.
That the High Priest alone could enter the Most Holy Place
and that only once a year was an indication that "the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while
the first tabernacle was still standing." Approaching God's Presence
was limited, restricted, rare during
this time. God's plan for the perfect restoration of fellowship was not yet complete.
9 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—10 concerned
only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed
until the time of reformation.
The Old Covenant system and its Day of Atonement and
sacrifice along with laws concerning "foods
and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed" were all
"symbolic" (Greek parabole) or a similitude, symbolic, something from common life conveying a moral or
higher truth, a parable, a proverb, proverbial. All these things were not
an end in and of themselves, their purpose was to point God's people to
something further, something better, more complete and effective to atone and
forgive sin and restore fellowship with God.
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.
In Hebrews 8 we saw the richness and spiritual wealth of
the New Covenant. Under the New Covenant of Christ God through the Holy Spirit
indwells us and restores fellowship with us. We can know and walk with God in
life through faith in Jesus. God offers this possibility of living in His
presence freely by His grace. Sometimes
we don't appreciate what we are given until we know how much it cost. God's provision to come into and live
eternally in His presence is offered freely to us, BUT IT IS NOT CHEAP. God's
provision for coming into His presence and living there eternal COST JESUS HIS
LIFE. It isn't with animal sacrifices and animal blood that we enter God's
presence; those things were only meant to point us to "the greater and more perfect tabernacles not made with hands,
that is, not of this creation." No, it was "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He
entered the Most Holy Place. " And Jesus did that "once for all" because His solitary sacrifice was
completely and totally sufficient for the atonement for all sin for eternity. We
can't add to Jesus' sacrifice with our works. And His sacrifice does not need
to be repeated at all. When Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished!" He meant exactly what He said, "It is finished!" (John 10:30).
Through the blood of Jesus "eternal redemption" was "obtained" (Greek ehurisco)
or found, discovered, obtained. "Redemption" (Greek lytrosis) means ransom, redemption, deliverance from a penalty caused by sin and
refers to the price of our salvation. Justice requires the offense of sin be
penalized. This is the way of reality and existence. This is the inherent
awareness God created in all humanity when He imprinted His image on us (e.g.
Gen. 1:26). But how is such a penalty calculated? How is it measured, defined,
and then paid? God as Sovereign of the universe is the One who determines such
penalty as well as how such a penalty will be paid.
God Who is just determines sins penalty is death. "The soul that sins shall die" (Ezekiel
18:4; cf. also Deuteronomy 24:16; Isaiah 3:10-11; Romans 2:6-9). "The wages of sin is death. . . "
(Rom. 6:23a). BUT. . . "but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23b).
And for that we say "Hallelujah!" Jesus is the just solution to our
justification before Holy God (e.g. Romans 5).
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,
Here Paul points out that the spilling of the blood of
animals in the old sacrificial system sanctified and purified flesh. How so?
When the sinner by faith in God trusts
and obeys in God's revelation - as far as has been revealed - that person is
sanctified before God. God never holds a person accountable for something
He hasn't revealed to them. David is a good example of this and his psalm of
repentance (Psalm 51).
When a Jewish person came to the Tabernacle or Temple to
worship they brought a lamb for sacrifice. They had to bring an animal to
sacrifice, whose blood would be shed for their sins. But here's the thing, when
they came to worship the priest would not
inspect them, the priest would inspect their animal of sacrifice. The
animal would be inspected and either accepted or rejected. If rejected they
would by one provided by the priests. Either way the person coming was not the
one under inspection, the sacrificial animal was. That should be tremendously
encouraging to us. Satan whispers in our ear, you're not good enough, you're a hypocrite, you're a sinner, you don't
deserve to worship, you don't measure up. He says all those things and
truthfully, the father of lies speaks truth! But all is not lost and we
shouldn't hang our heads or depress our hearts. That's because when we come to
worship the focus isn't on us as worshipers but on the worthiness of Jesus. And
Jesus is spotless. It is because of the sacrifice of Jesus our "Lamb of
God" (John 1:29) that we want to and can come to worship the Living God.
Praise the Lord for that!
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?
If people cleansed their conscience of guilt under the
old system of sacrifices as they trusted in God's revelation, "how much more shall the blood of
Christ" which is the real deal, the true and actual powerfully and
totally effective atoning blood cleans our conscience? That is a rhetorical
question implying much, much more!
Did you ever ask yourself how did He do it? How could He do it? How could Jesus go to the cross
and die for my sins? That answer is Jesus was empowered to redeem us "through the eternal Spirit." It
was through the eternal Spirit that Jesus "offered
Himself" leaving His throne on high, incarnating as a weak human man,
lived "without spot" holy,
pure, and in complete righteousness without sin, and live a life totally dedicated
to and submitted "to God." And
Jesus is our model, our Forbearer. Whatever we ever do for and with God can
only be accomplished "through the
eternal Spirit."
Through the precious blood of Jesus our conscience can be
cleansed. "Cleansed" (Greek
katharidzo) means to be thoroughly washed out, cleansed,
cleaned, made clean, purged, purified. "Conscience"
(Greek syneidesis) refers to the area of perception and moral
consciousness, soul. Your conscience is where the effects of sin are most
acutely and painfully felt. Sin leaves deep scars on our conscience. Conscience
is often the collateral damage sin leaves in its wake. A person can sin so much
that they wear out their conscience. Conscience can be dulled and deactivated
by rationalization, external means like drugs and alcohol or even therapy. But
when by the eternal Holy Spirit the sinner becomes aware of this, intense
regret and emotional pain crops up. The Holy Spirit brings conviction for all
that is not holy. And that can hurt. But like a surgeon who is willing to cause
pain to the one they are performing healing surgery on, the Holy Spirit has our
best interests at heart. God is working out His solution.
We can have all our "dead
works" and all the memories and guilt and all the junk and garbage of
our lives flushed out by applying the
precious blood of Jesus. God a memory or a regret in life? Feel guilty
about something? Repent, ask God's forgiveness, and by faith apply the blood of
Jesus. And then move on hand in hand with Jesus.
It is through the "eternal
Spirit" that we can be cleaned up and suited to "serve the living God." The Holy Spirit empowers us for
service (e.g. Acts 1:8; 2:1ff.) It is the Holy Spirit who makes us what we need
to be, to do what God calls us to do, for His glory, until Jesus returns. We
are not alone. The eternal Spirit is with us and in us and upon us (John
14:15-18; Acts 1:8).
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.
In Hebrews 10 we will see that the blood of animals have
no real value in atoning for sin. Such things are of value only in that they
point us to Jesus. There is only power in the blood of Jesus. God who foreknew
the atoning death of Christ - "whom
God set forth as a propitiation [atoning sacrifice that appeases and meets
God's just requirements for atoning for sin] by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because
in HIs forbearance [foreknowledge] God
had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the
present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the
one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:25-26).
I like how Jon Courson illustrates what is going on here:
Suppose,
late to an appointment, I speed through Medford, Oregon, at 85 mph. Glancing in the rearview mirror, I see red
lights flashing and realize I’ve been caught breaking
the law.
“Sorry, Officer,” I apologize to the
policeman who pulls me over. “I didn’t know I was
going that fast.”
Nonetheless, he writes me a five
thousand dollar ticket. As he hands it to me, it drops in the gutter, but he picks it up, shakes it off, and says,
“I’ll see you in court.”
When my trial date arrives, the judge
looks at my ticket and says, “This is a citation for something, but I can’t make out what it’s for because
it’s covered with mud. Therefore,
I guess you’re free to go.”
So I go my way—not because my offense was taken away,
but because it was covered.
In a similar way, the blood of bulls and
goats would cover sin—not remove it, but cover it.
Now suppose
the ticket hadn’t fallen in the mud. The judge would read the ticket and say, “Okay, Pastor Courson, you were
going eighty-five through Medford. That will be
five thousand dollars.”
Then I would be in a heap of trouble because I
certainly don’t have five thousand dollars.
But imagine just then my brother Jimmy walks in, whips out his hefty wallet, and pays my fine without even denting his
billfold. Then I would be free because the price
of my offense was not just covered by mud, but truly paid.[2]
Jesus has truly paid the penalty for all our sins.
16 For where there is
a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For
a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all
while the testator lives.
Jesus is not only the Executor of the New Covenant, He is
also the Testator. The New Covenant is
His will for us. And like with any other will, it didn't come into effect
until Jesus died.
18 Therefore not even the
first covenant 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 goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and
sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This
is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then
likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the
ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are
purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Even in the Old Covenant blood was indispensible. That is
because through the shedding of blood the seriousness of sin is conveyed. Life
is our most precious possession. If you have everything in the world but don't
have life, you have nothing. When blood is spilled life is lost. Sin wrecks
life. Sin causes pain and suffering. Sin
destroys relationships, creates victims, harms the helpless. Sin stabs and
scars life. Sin causes the living to live like living dead. Therefore, blood,
symbol of the cost of life, the seriousness of sin, is sprinkled on atoning
sacrifices.
23 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.
If earthly things were purified with animal blood,
heavenly things to which the earthly things point, must be purified with
something greater than animal blood. Heaven and its things needed to be
purified with the precious blood of Jesus.
Why would heaven need purifying? Because Satan has and
his sinful ways have stepped there. In Job we see Satan coming before God to
accuse and work his ways (Job 1:5). It's as though Satan has left his body odor
in God's house. And also, we are there too. Those who accept Jesus as Savior
are "made to sit together in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). Now we're glad to
enter His house and sit with Him, but we too have some sinful body odors. So
the sweet perfume of Jesus blood was applied to cleanse it away.
24 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;
When an angelic butler comes over to us and politely
encourages us to leave because we're smelling up the furniture, well, Jesus
steps in and sets the situation straight. He just leans over and says,
"He's with me." And that settles it. Then when we're alone, He takes
us and sprinkles some of His sweet smelling blood on us and we smell like a
rose. Thank You Jesus.
25 not that He should offer
Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with
blood of another—26 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. 27 And as
it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
The sacrifice of Jesus is so
powerful and effective that He only had to die once. These verses say ever so
clearly that Jesus one time death accomplished all that is discussed in this
incredibly blessed book of Hebrews. "Not
that He should offer Himself often. . . once at the end of the ages. . . so
Christ was offered once to bear the sins of the many." It couldn't be
clearer.
The sacrifice of Jesus is not a continual sacrifice (cf. Jesus words to
the church in Thyatira which means continual
sacrifice - Revelation 2:18-29). Jesus is not best depicted by a crucifix
that portrays Him as perpetually suffering. Jesus said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
There is no scriptural basis for a continual sacrifice. Such a teaching is
anti-scriptural and anti-atoning sacrifice. Jesus' one time death on the cross
was completely and totally sufficient to atone for the sins of all humanity for
all time.
28 so
Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.
If we are following the picture
painted by the Old Covenant of Jesus in the New, we have one more question to
follow up on. It is a very important question. How did the Old Testament saints
know if the offering on the Day of Atonement was accepted by God and their sins
forgiven? How do we today, under the New Covenant of Christ, know that all this
is acceptable to God?
Serving as high priest on the Day
of Atonement was no trivial thing. Aaron's two sons, Nadab and Abihu, because
they didn't follow God's holy instructions for serving in His presence were
struck down with fire from heaven. (This is where we get the colloquialism of
getting fired from a job. Leviticus
10).
The high priest serving on the
day of atonement would wear bells on the edge of his garments and a rope around
his ankle for two reasons. The bells were to help those outside the Most Holy
Place hear that he was still moving within the presence of the Lord. If the
bells went silent, it meant he had made a fatal irreverent sin in the presence
of the Lord. The rope on his ankle was to pull him out from behind the veil
because no one else could otherwise venture in to get him.
I'll be there were not a few high
priests as well as their families who breathed a sigh of relief when they
stepped out from behind the veil and then outside before the people to proclaim
to them the sacrifice had been accepted by God and their sins and the sins of
the nation were forgiven.
But don't miss the incredible
painting God has painted for us in Christ and on Resurrection Day. On the day
Jesus was crucified He was presenting His sacrifice; He was presenting Himself
as sacrifice. All were watching. All eternity was watching. He presented
Himself as sacrifice on the cross. Then Jesus the sacrifice Lamb was taken down
from the cross and put in a very holy place, a most Holy place of all, the tomb. A stone was rolled across the
mouth of the tomb like a veil that separated sinful humanity from God's Most
Holy Presence.
Three days later Mary Magdalene
ventured to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. If you go to the Garden
Tomb today you will be told that no stone was found by the tomb. One was found
far away. Perhaps when Jesus rose from the dead He blew that stone away just
like He tore that Temple veil in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51).
Mary Magdalene came early to the
tomb. Maybe she was so distraught she just had to be by Jesus, even His body.
But she found the tomb open and emptied of the body of Jesus. He was not there!
She ran and told Peter and John. They ran to the tomb and saw Jesus wasn't
there and when they did it said, "he
saw and believed" (John 20:8). What was it they saw and what had they
believed?
Peter and John left but Mary
stayed. And it always pays to not rush away. It pays to stay. God reveals Himself in special ways to those
who stay in His presence. John's gospel states:
John 20:11–18 (NKJV)
11 But
Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And
she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then
they said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken
away my Lord, and I do not know where
they have laid Him.”
14 Now when she had said
this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus
said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom
are you seeking?”
She, supposing Him to be the gardener,
said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away,
tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”
(which is to say, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to
Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but
go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your
God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene came and
told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
Now don't miss what is happening
here like Mary almost did. Picture this in your mind's eye. You come to the
tomb and find it empty. You run and tell the other disciples. Two of the main
men come and look in. They see something. The light goes on for them. They
believe. But what did they see and what made them believe? You step closer, you
look in. In the carved out of the rock place where Jesus had been laid you see
two angels, "one at the head and
the other at the feet." Maybe they are facing one another with heads
bowed in reverence and in a holy position of their winged arms outstretched
toward each other. You are beginning to remember some of imagery as being
familiar to you. But where did you see it or know of it being before? The
angels look up and ask you, "Woman, why are you weeping?" You babble
a bit about "them" taking "my Lord." Then you bump into a
man. You at first think Him to be the gardener. But then you hear Him say your
name and you know, IT'S JESUS! And
you hug Him and cling so hard to Him that He has to tell you to loosen your
grip. But you don't want to ever let go of your Jesus.
How did the people know the
sacrifice of the high priest had been accepted and their sins forgiven on the
Day of Atonement. The priest took the blood of the sacrifice behind the veil and into the Most Holy Place. And then, if the
sacrifice was acceptable to God, the high priest came out from behind the veil
and presented himself alive and said the words, "Forgiven!" THAT'S
WHAT JESUS DID! He presented Himself on the cross as our sacrifice. He was put
in the tomb behind the veil of the stone. Then the stone was removed like the
veil was torn and out came Jesus, His presence alive a resounding and
undeniable declaration that His atoning sacrifice had been accepted and our
sins forgiven. And when the light of that imagery went on for the disciples
they believed. And when Mary Magdalene, who had lived such a hard life before
Jesus entered her life, when the light of that imagery went on for her she just
couldn't let go of Jesus. HE IS RISEN!
MEANS WE ARE FORGIVEN!
The resurrection of Jesus Christ
is God's imprimatur, God's stamp of approval and acceptance of the atoning sacrifice
of Jesus. He doesn't have to repeat His sacrifice because He got it right the
first time and God the Father accepted it the first time. Because Christ is
risen our sins are forgiven! Praise the LORD for His almighty redemptive plan
in Christ! BECAUSE HE IS RISEN! WE ARE
FORGIVEN!
To those who eagerly
wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
And if you don't believe that,
well, Jesus will one day soon come again in Person to make it clear to the
entire world. He will come to rescue His bride the church. He will come as King
of kings and Lord of lords to establish His kingdom and fumigate this sinfully
smelling world. You can't get better than that. Why would anyone ever consider
leaving such a great salvation? I wouldn't. I'm just clinging to Jesus and
rejoicing in my risen Lord. Join me at the feet of Jesus.
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