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CHRIST’S SACRIFICE IS BETTER

Hebrews 9:24-28

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Christ fulfills many roles in the New Testament.

1.      These roles are intricately tied to the sacrifice that He made on Calvary.

2.      In this section, Jesus is said to be “the mediator of the new testament” (Heb. 9:15).

a.      Jesus’ death enabled the New Testament to become operative.

b.      Jesus’ blood dedicated this new covenant.

 

B.      An outline of this section:

 

i.                    THE DOCTRINE OF TESTAMENTS (Heb. 9:15-17)

ii.                  THE DEDICATION OF TESTAMENTS (Heb. 9:18-23)

iii.                THE DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE (Heb. 9:24-28)

 

I.                   THE DOCTRINE OF THE TESTAMENTS (Heb. 9:15-17)

 

II.                THE DEDICATION OF THE TESTAMENTS (Heb. 9:18-23)

 

III.             THE DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE (Heb. 9:24-28)

 

A.    Place:  offered in Heaven (Heb. 9:24)

 

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

 

1.      Where Christ did not go.

a.      He did not enter into the holy place and the most holy place made with hands.

b.      This was the physical temple.

c.       In the first century, it would have been Herod’s temple.  This temple was authorized by a man, Herod, and was constructed by Herod’s human construction crew (John 2:20).

 

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

 

2.      What the earthly temple was

a.      “Which are figures of the true.”

b.      Figure

1)      Strong (499):  It is a combination of two words from which we get the word “antitype.”  Representative, counterpart

2)      Thayer:  a thing formed after some pattern, thing resembling another, its counterpart

3)      Vine:  corresponding to, ASV states “like in pattern to the true.”

c.       The patterns were formed from the true. 

1)      The true existed in heaven.

2)      Before the true was revealed, patterns were established upon the earth to prepare the Jews for the Christian dispensation.

3)      Barnes:  “…the mercy-seat and the shekinah were symbols of the presence of God, and of the fact that he shows mercy in heaven; the entrance of the high priest was emblematical of the entrance of the Redeemer into heaven; the sprinkling of the blood there was a type of what the Redeemer would do in heaven” (e-sword).

4)      NOTE:  A pattern is NEVER as great as the true.

 

The Temple on earth        versus                         Heaven itself

Human high priest          versus                         The Son of God

Animal Sacrifice               versus                         The Lamb of God

Animal Blood                   versus                         The blood of Jesus

 

3.      Where Jesus did go

a.      But into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:11).

 

But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.

 

b.      Jesus went into the actual “holy place” in heaven itself. 

1)      This is the literal place where God dwells.

2)      Thus, Jesus as in the actual presence of God in His real throne room.

c.       For God’s presence to be seen in the temple, He has to leave the heavenly realm and come and dwell in the most holy place (Exo. 40:34).

 

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

 

B.      Person:  offering of Himself (Heb. 9:25)

 

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others.

 

1.      Offer Himself versus high priest offering the blood of others

a.      This is the first of two contrasts.  Jesus offered himself.  He was both the high priest and the sacrifice.

b.      Under the Law of Moses, the high priest entered the most holy place with the blood of others, animal blood (Lev. 16:2-34).

2.      Not offered often versus entering into the holy place every year

a.      This is the second contrast.  Jesus did not offer His sacrifice often.  He only had to offer it once as will be seen in the verses to follow.

b.      The high priest had to offer sacrifices year after year after year (Exo. 30:10).

3.      Think of that.  A DIVINE SACRIFICE OFFERED ONLY ONCE.

 

C.     Potency:  offered Himself once (Heb. 9:26-28)

1.      One period of suffering (Heb. 9:26)

 

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:  but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

a.      If Jesus sacrifice were similar to that of the blood of bulls and goats, He would have had to have suffered often.  His blood, however, had more potency than that.  He only had to suffer once.

b.      Why from the foundation of the world?  It was not long after the creation that man sinned.  Since that time, he has needed a Savior.

c.       Several things are mentioned about Jesus sacrifice.

1)      It involved suffering

a)      Strong (3958):  to experience sensation, usually painful.

b)      Thayer:  to be affected…to suffer sadly, in a bad plight

c)      Vine:  to suffer

2)      It occurred “in the end of the world.” 

a)      The word “world” means age.

b)      Thus, Jesus suffered at the end of the Jewish age.

3)      It “put away sin.”

a)      Strong (115):  cancellation

b)      Thayer:  abolition, put away

c)      Jesus’ death did away with sin.

4)      It was a sacrifice of “himself.”

2.      One physical death (Heb. 10:27)

 

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

 

a.      When Jesus came to earth, He was fully human.  He was a man.

b.      God has decreed that man will die only one time.  After death, there is the judgment.

c.       This divine order proves that Jesus only died once.

d.      Will Jesus be judged in the Judgment?

1)      No.  He has nothing for which to be judged.

2)      In fact, in the judgment He will be the Judge (Acts 17:31).

 

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that men whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

 

e.       Lessons:

1)      This forever settles the question of reincarnation’s being a false doctrine.

2)      The certainty of death for all.

3)      Barnes:  “What is to be done but once, we should wish to be done well.”  Remember, we cannot come back and do anything differently.  We must die well the first time.

4)      Judgment is just as certain as death.

3.      One offering for sins (Heb. 10:28a)

 

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…

 

a.      One period of suffering, one death, and just one offering for sin under the New Covenant. 

b.      This is much superior to many animals suffering, many deaths, and no sins actually forgiven.

c.       Jesus death bore the sins of many.  In fact, it bore the sins of all mankind in the world.

1)      I John 2:2

 

And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for our only, but also for the sins of the world.

 

2)      A deep understanding and a rich appreciation for this fact is not held by the world.  At times, members of the church have a tendency to fail in this regard as well.  He bore the sins of many and I am part of the many.

4.      One hope of His coming (Heb. 20:28b)

 

…and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 

a.      The condition:  unto them that look for Him

1)      We must be looking in the sense of knowing He is coming through faith and preparing for that time (Phil. 3:20; Tit. 2:13; II Pet. 3:12).

2)      NOTE:  Not very many human beings are looking for Him.

b.      The coming:  He shall appear the second time

1)      The first time He came was at His birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension.

2)      He is coming again.  He will appear.  In other words, He will be seen when He comes again.

3)      “The Israelites who watched their high priest enter the sanctuary for them waited expectantly for his reappearance; that was a welcome sign that he and the sacrifice which he presented had been accepted by God.  His reappear-ance from the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement was specially [sic] welcome sight.  So our author thinks of Jesus as going into the heavenly holy of holies, to reappear one day in order to confirm finally to His people the salvation which his perfect offering has procured for them (Bruce, page 223, 224)” (Wacaster, 371).

c.       The contrast:  without sin unto salvation

1)      The first time Jesus came it was with a view toward sin and the cross.

2)      The second time He comes, it will be with a view of seeking those without sin because of His cleaning blood and bringing them to their ultimate salvation.