Reading: Hebrews 9
Over the past couple weeks, I have been reading slowly through Hebrews and also through the sacrificial laws in the Old Testament. There has been much sacrificial killing of animals and sprinkling of blood on everything to make things clean. It’s difficult for me to read and think about especially when they do burnt offerings and it is considered a sweet smell to the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I cannot imagine those things being a sweet smell.
Although there are many things I do not understand about the Old Testament, one thing that over and over I have thought about is that God had an order and a system for everything. He did not leave any detail left to the imagination of the people. As I have thought about this it helps me think how important the life and ministry of Jesus is for all of us. He didn’t leave us just a book of laws but instead He left us with examples of how to live. He also spoke in and through the early apostles of how to deal with situations based on this new covenant. In addition we know that He is weaved into all things written in the Old Testament.
As we can see in today’s reading, “the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.” Now there were two parts of the tabernacle. The first part was where the priest went into each day to complete the services they were ordered to be performed. However, the inner part was only to be entered by the High Priest once a year and never without blood. Blood was to cleanse himself and the people of sins that had been committed in ignorance. Therefore, the sins they did not realize they had done. However, sins that people were aware of had offerings being done regularly by the Levitical priest.
“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” (Hebrews 9:11-12). I love this. I wish you could understand how much excitement I get in reading this. After reading about all the regulations and sacrifices that had to be done previously, I’m not sure I would ever have salvation if I had to live with such high standards. Jesus came to be our High Priest as I spoke of yesterday. In fact, He is the last high priest we will ever need. Instead of sacrificing spotless animals, he sacrificed Himself, who knew no sin. He became our sacrificial lamb and because of His sacrifice we now can have eternal redemption.
“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” (Hebrews 9:15). Jesus Christ came to be our mediator. Jesus has paid for our eternal inheritance. The biblical definition of a mediator is “one who intervenes between two persons who are at variance, with a view to reconcile them.” 1 Timothy 2:5 states, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” Jesus is the only mediator we have or need between us and the Father. He will intercede on our behalf every time.
I pray that we will all understand how much God loves us and it is because of His love that He sent His son. God is for us and that is why we have this better covenant. We now can have the eternal inheritance that many under the old covenant could never achieve. Praise God! If you have sin in your life, I encourage you to repent and pray to Jesus. He is your mediator and you are forgiven. God is true to His word and will not let you down. You are forgiven and it has been freely given to you. As Paul writes that does not mean we are to continue in sin. (romans 6:1-2) Turn from sin and walk in the righteousness that now belongs to you as sons and daughters of our High Priest who has covered us in His blood, making us clean.