God Has Spoken By His Son, #20

Once For All

Hebrews 9:23-28

²³ Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ²⁵ Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, ²⁶ for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. -Heb. 9:23-28

First, I want to mention a phrase in this text, reference another one like it – then make a point. This passage begins, “It was necessary” in the English Standard Version. Similar to this, back in 7:26, “it was fitting.” My Point à When God through Moses, set up the Old Covenant system for the Jews, with the Levitical priesthood, the altar for animal sacrifices and everything that went with that – it was necessary or it was fitting – because God was sending a signal or image of what He intended to do in the future. The future being, the coming of Christ and all that attended the person and work of Jesus Christ.

So, with respect to the aspects of the Mosaic Covenant under consideration in Hebrews nine – “it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites” in just the manner God commanded – because, God was picturing the New Covenant of Christ. It was necessary from God’s point of view to the future plan, for all these things to occur just as God said.

Something else to observe here. We are beginning to get a clear view of the difference between the animal sacrifices repeated over and over – in contrast to the SINGULAR, PERFECT SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. Christ was “offered once to bear the sins of many.” That singular sacrifice can be your redemption, if you will respond to Jesus Christ and be His disciple.