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DEDICATED WITH BLOOD

Hebrews 9:18-23

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)

 

A.    First Testament Dedicated with Blood (Heb. 9:18)

 

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

 

1.      Very simply stated, the writer says:  “The first testament was dedicated with blood.”

2.      Dedicated:

a.      Strong (1457):  to inaugurate                        :- consecrate

b.      Thayer:  to initiate, consecrate, dedication

c.       Vine:  to initiate

3.      The two covenants were mentioned in Hebrews 9:15.  The writer now begins to compare and contrast the two.  He begins with a comparison.  Both were initiated and consecrated with blood.

4.      Comments:

a.      In order for a covenant to be ratified, blood had to be shed. 

b.      This principle was established even with the Law of Moses.

c.       Before the covenant became operative, blood was used to dedicate and consecrate the covenant.

d.      Blood is needed because life is in the blood (Lev. 17:11)

 

For the life of the flesh is in the blood:  and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:  for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

 

B.      First Testament Dedicated by Moses (Heb. 9:19-21)

1.      The Action (Heb. 9:19)

 

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people.

 

a.      In Exodus 24:3, Moses speaks the law to the people of Israel.

And Moses came and told the people all the word of the Lord, and all the judgments…

 

b.      What Moses did after he had spoken the law to the people is found in Exodus 24:4-8.

 

And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.  And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.  And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar…And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold, the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.

 

1)      In the Exodus account, there are things included that are not in the account of Hebrews:  building the altar, young men offering sacrifices, and the basins

2)      In the Exodus account, there are things omitted that are included in the book of Hebrews:  goats, water, scarlet wool, hyssop, and sprinkling the book.

3)      The thing that both accounts mention is the blood.  This was the significant feature.  This was what was absolutely essential.

2.      The Affirmation (Heb. 9:20)

 

Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

 

a.      Moses does not just complete the action, he affirmed the very purpose of the action in the ears of the people.  They are fully aware of the meaning of the sprinkling of the blood.

b.      This blood sealed the covenant between God and the nation of Israel.

c.       This covenant was “enjoined” upon them.

1)      Definition

a)      Strong (1781):  to enjoin

b)      Thayer:  to order, command to be done

c)      Vine:  to charge with, in the sense of commanding

2)      “The use of the word ‘commanded’ (‘enjoin,’ KJV) shows clearly that the Law of Moses was not a simple contract or agreement between God and man, as if it were made between equals.  It was, rather, a solemn arrangement made BY God FOR the people, and IMPOSED upon them for their acceptance” (Wacaster, 360).

3)      Barnes:  :…it is a solemn ‘arrangement’ on the part of God which he proposes to mankind, and which he enjoins them to embrace; which they are not indeed at liberty to disregard…” (e-sword)

3.      The Articles (Heb. 9:21-22a)

 

Moreover he sprinkled likewise with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood…

 

a.      The articles sprinkled

1)      The tabernacle

2)      Vessels of the ministry

3)      Other things were sprinkled as well.

a)      Aaron and his sons and their garments (Exo. 29:19-21)

b)      Altar (Lev. 1:5, 11)

c)      Veil of the sanctuary (Lev. 4:16-17)

 

b.      The act performed

1)      Purged

a)      Strong (2511):  to cleanse

b)      Thayer:  to make clean, cleanse, remove from stain and dirt, to purify from wickedness

c)      Vine:  to make cleanse, cleanse, to make free from the stain and guilt of sin

2)      Everything involved in the salvation of man must first be made pure before it can be of benefit in the salvation of man from sin.

4.      The Aim (Heb. 9:22b)

 

...and without shedding of blood is no remission.

 

a.      We noted earlier that life is in the blood (Lev. 17:11)

b.      Sin involves the breaking of God’s law (I John 3:4).

c.       The sentence is death (Ezek. 18:20).

d.      When blood is shed, life is given, death occurs, and the sin penalty is paid.

e.       Death is essential to the forgiveness of sins.

f.        Everything in God plan of redemption is involved in the forgiveness of man’s sins.  The sprinkling of the blood reminded Israel that a price was paid for them to have a relationship with God.

 

C.     The Facsimile:  Compared and Contrasted (Heb. 9:23)

 

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

 

1.      Comparison

a.      The Old Testament contained “the patterns of things in the heavens.”

1)      Definition:

a)      Strong (5262):  an exhibit for imitation

b)      Thayer:  representation, figure, copy, an example:  for imitation

c)      Vine:  a figure, an example for imitation

2)      God gave the Old Testament and all it contained first.  Things like the tabernacle and the law and the priesthood were copies of things in the heavens.  (NOTE:  These things were in existence in the heavens).

b.      The writer tells us that both the patterns and the heavenly things needed to be purified.  This is the comparison.

2.      The Contrast

a.      The blood of calves and goats (Heb. 9:19) purified the patterns.

b.      “…but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

1)      Things in the heavens

a)      The New Law that would save man needed to be sealed with blood.

b)      The tabernacle not made with hands would be composed of humans who needed to be cleansed of sin.

c)      The priesthood needed to be cleansed before rendering service in the temple.

2)      These things are higher and holier than the earthly patterns.  Therefore, they needed to be purified with “better sacrifices” than animals.

3)      NOTE:  This provides a smooth transition into the next section wherein he focuses on the sacrifice of Christ contrasted with the Old Testament sacrifices.