Lesson 11
The Path to Sanctuary
Hebrews 10.9-12,14,19,22-25
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
Hebrews 10.1
GOLDEN TEXT
Describe how the old covenant was replaced by the new;
Enunciate the privileges and responsibilities of Christians in the new covenant;
Appreciate the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
OBJECTIVES
Just as Leviticus 16 is the great Old Testament atonement chapter, Hebrews 9 and 10 are the great New Testament atonement chapters: chapter nine shows Christ as the high priestly offerer, and chapter ten shows him as the sacrificial offering. The New Testament needed to be ratified; the new order, officially instituted; and heavenly things consecrated. All this has been accomplished. The writer of Hebrews demonstrates that the same precious blood that ratified the New Testament and consecrated the new order also qualifies us to enter the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place.
INTRODUCTION
The sacred writer approaches the climax of Hebrews' message in chapter 10. He emphasizes another aspect of Christ's death: His sacrifice provides, once and for all, not only forgiveness but also sanctification for everyone who accepts Him as savior (Heb. 10:10).
INEFFECTIVE SACRIFICE FOR JUSTIFICATION
1. INEFFECTIVE SACRIFICE FOR JUSTIFICATION
The shadow of future goods
The ineffectiveness of shedding animal blood
God prepared a body for Jesus
The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40.6-8 (Heb 10.5-7), attributing these words to Christ at the time of His entry into the world to be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind, in order to show his Jewish readers how the ritual void was unable to justify men before God.
1.1 - The shadow of future goods
A shadow can never be considered a complete revelation of its object; at most, it can be seen as a sketch of reality. Furthermore, once the true form has been presented, the shadow becomes irrelevant. The Levitical dispensation was a most excellent and useful divine appointment in its place and time; yet, when the promise of justification was accomplished in Christ, it was proper and necessary to show the weakness and imperfection of it. The law of Christ had a shadow; and who would blindly love a shadow - though of good promise - when the substance of it had manifested itself?
1.2 - The ineffectiveness of shedding animal blood
The blood of Jesus shed on Calvary cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). By the blood of Christ, we who were far away are brought near (Eph. 2:13), for the veil of the temple was torn (Matt. 27:51), so that we might all have access to the Most Holy Place through Jesus. Yes, the price of the Law has been paid (1 Co 6.20; 7.23; 1 Tm 2.6) and salvation is guaranteed (Lc 1.69,77).
1.3 - God prepared a body for Jesus
The Son became flesh to fulfill a redemptive purpose: through the virgin birth, the Holy Spirit generated a physical body in Mary's womb, Jesus, who would become the instrument of sacrifice, as a divine solution to replace all the imperfect sacrifices of the Old Testament. Christ, coming into the world (Heb. 10:5), willingly consented to be, through His body, the atoning vicarious sacrifice on behalf of sin.
THE SACRIFICES WERE GREATER TO REACH A GREATER END
2. THE SACRIFICES WERE GREATER TO REACH A GREATER END
Christ obeyed God
The old covenant has been replaced by the new
Comparison between the old and the new concert
2.1 - Christ obeyed God
What was seen by the psalmist as a more desirable goal (Ps 40.7,8), became a factual expression in Christ, who really fulfilled the will of God, to the point of becoming obedient to the death of the cross (Phil 2.8 ). Jesus fulfilled all divine designs in order to save man from eternal perdition. He voluntarily set out to do the will of God (Heb 10:7,9). The savior messiah came to this world to do the will of the Father: not only as a prophet, to reveal the divine will, not only as a king, to enact heavenly laws, but as a priest, to fulfill all justice.
2.2 - The old covenant has been replaced by the new
Christ came to fulfill the will of God in two instances:
2.3.1 – Law versus gospel of grace
The shadow of the old covenant forms the backdrop for demonstrating the glory of the new (Heb 10:11-14).
2.3.2 – Position of the priest, amount of sacrifices and purpose of the oblation
The position occupied by the priest, the number of sacrifices offered, and the purpose of the oblation (offering) in the old order, contrast markedly with the new (Heb 10:11, 12): Note:
AN EFFECTIVE SACRIFICE
The priests standing and ministering contrast with the seated Jesus. This is a living picture of a work never finished compared with a work fully finished forever (Heb 10:11).
3. AN EFFECTIVE SACRIFICE
Single sacrifice
Sacrifice that perfects and sanctifies
Sacrifice that guarantees us entry into the sanctuary of God.
3.1 - Single sacrifice
In the Greek, the 11th and 12th verses of Hebrews 10 are rendered as follows: "on the one hand - on the other hand": on the one hand, the writer points to the unceasing service of the numerous priests in the temple; on the other hand, he points to the one priest - this one - who, for many sins, offered a single sacrifice to only then sit down at the right hand of the Father.
3.1.1 – Exhortation to persevance
Jesus having replaced the old sacrificial system, there is no other oblation possible for those who rejected it. Therefore, the writer warns his readers to persevere in their faith (Heb 10:19-25), for those who draw back will be trampling under foot the Son of God, profaning the blood of the covenant and insulting the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29).
3.2 – Sacrifice that perfects and sanctifies.
For with one offering he perfected those who are sanctified forever (Heb 10:14). To be perfected does not mean to be complete in character, in the sense of no longer needing to mature; rather, it means being brought into an experience of reality and a state of fulfillment in a heart relationship with God that the old order could not offer.
3.3 - Sacrifice that guarantees us entry into the sanctuary of God.
In the old covenant, people could not enter the sanctuary itself; they could only reach as far as the courtyard, the outer part of the tabernacle. Christ, the high priest, therefore, instituted the way into the sanctuary of God: through the veil, that is, through his flesh (Heb. 10:19, 20). The symbology of sacrifice in the Old Testament emphasizes that as soon as the sinner, or the offender, identifies himself with the sacrifice for sins performed by Christ, he has access to God and communion with Him.
The tearing of Jesus' flesh as an offering for sin was not the end, for He was resurrected and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He ever lives to intercede for us (Heb. 7:25). Thus, we have a great priest over the house of God, who not only provides the new and living way, but accompanies us in and abides with us. The path is alive because the creator and guide of the path is alive.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews presents to his readers the way to guarantee a unique and definitive atonement: as the exalted high priest of heaven, Jesus offered himself as an everlasting sacrifice for the sins of all (Heb 7.27; 9.26; 10.10).
Jesus is the great high priest who, at the same time, presents himself as the final offering: His sacrifice eliminates the need for any other oblation and brings salvation to everyone who comes to God through Him (Heb 9-10).
CONCLUSION
GOD BLESS YOU!
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