Sermon #38 Hebrews Sermons
Title: Redemption Obtained
Text: Hebrews
9:1-14
Subject: The
Meaning of the Old Testament Sacrifices
Date: Tuesday
Evening –
Tape # W-19a
Introduction:
How can guilty sinners, men and women who know they are
sinners, -- who know they have broken God’s holy law, willfully and constantly,
from their youth up, -- who know that in thought, word, and deed, in action and
in attitude, they are vile, abominable, and unclean, approach the holy Lord God
with confidence, peace, and assurance of acceptance? That is a huge question.
But they answer to that question is given plainly and clearly in our text. –
Hebrews 9:1-14.
Hebrews 9:1-14 "Then verily the first covenant
had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. {2} For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the
candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary.
{3} And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest
of all; {4} Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant
overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had
manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; {5} And
over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now
speak particularly. {6} Now when
these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first
tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. {7} But into the second went
the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered
for himself, and for the errors of the people: {8} The Holy Ghost
this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made
manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: {9} Which was
a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and
sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining
to the conscience; {10} Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers
washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of
reformation. {11} But Christ being come an 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; {12} Neither by the blood of goats and
calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having
obtained eternal redemption for us. {13} For if the blood of bulls and
of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the
purifying of the flesh: {14} How much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living
God?"
Let me remind you of the
purpose of the Holy Spirit in this chapter. It is threefold:
1. To show the
pre-eminence of Christ over the tabernacle, its furniture, its
priesthood and its sacrifices. They were all fulfilled by him.
2. To show how all which had
gone before in the Levitical covenant were types and pictures of Christ,
our only sin-atoning High Priest and Sacrifice, having no power in themselves
to save (Heb. 10:1-4).
Hebrews 10:1-4 "For the law having a
shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can
never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make
the comers thereunto perfect. {2} For then
would they not have ceased to be offered? because that
the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. {3} But in those sacrifices
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. {4} For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of
goats should take away sins."
3. To show us that all
the Levitical ceremonies, sacrifices and services of the first covenant have
come to their appointed end (Heb. 10:9;
Hebrews 10:9
"Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He
taketh away the first, that he may establish the
second."
I. In verses 1-7 we are given a brief description of the ordinances of divine worship in the Old Testament.
Hebrews 9:1-5 "Then verily the first covenant
had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. {2} For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the
candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary.
{3} And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest
of all; {4} Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant
overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had
manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; {5} And
over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now
speak particularly."
That typical, ceremonial covenant had a tabernacle made according to divine instruction. It was made of earthly material, with rules and regulations for sacrifice and worship. The tabernacle was forty-five feet long, fifteen feet wide and fifteen feet high. It had two rooms separated by a heavy veil.
A.
In the first compartment, called the
1. The table of shewbread. This table was made of wood overlaid with
gold, picturing the humanity and deity of Christ. The bread (twelve loaves) represented Christ,
the bread of life.
2. The golden lampstand. There were no windows. This lampstand was the only light, which
represents Christ as the light of the world.
The lampstand was pure gold (representing his deity), and there were
seven candles (the number of perfection, completion, grace, and deity).
3. The altar of incense (Exod. 30:1,6-9). The continual,
sweet burning incense before the veil is the intercession of Christ before the
Father.
B.
In the second compartment (“the Holiest of all,” or holy of holies --
measuring fifteen feet by fifteen feet by fifteen feet) there was really one
piece of furniture with two parts.
That one
piece of furniture was the ark of the covenant. This was the most important thing in the
Jewish worship in the Old Testament. It
was three and three-quarter feet long, two and a quarter feet wide, two and a
quarter feet high, made of wood covered with pure gold, and contained the
tables of the law, Aaron's rod that budded and the golden pot of manna.
The
mercy-seat was a solid slab of pure gold (no wood) ,
which covered for the ark, which contained the tables of the law. The mercy-seat, or
better the propitiatory (deriving its name from the blood of propitiation) was
overshadowed by the cherubims of glory (Rom.
Romans 3:24-26 "Being justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: {25} Whom God
hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; {26} To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus."
C.
In verses 6 and 7 the sacrifices, required by God’s law in the Old
Testament are described.
Hebrews 9:6-7 "Now when these things were thus
ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the
service of God. {7} But into the second went the high priest
alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for
the errors of the people:"
The
common priests went every day into the holy place, the first tabernacle, every
morning and every evening, accomplishing the service of God by offering
sacrifices, burning incense and trimming the lamps.
But none
were allowed to go beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies, except the high
priest. He went in once every year, only with the blood of the paschal lamb,
and sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the mercy-seat covering the broken law.
This day was called the Day of Atonement (Ex. 30:20; Lev.
All of this may seem strange to us. Many look at these
things, and say, “Well, that has no meaning for us today.” What a tragic
mistake! What is the meaning, or what was the meaning, of these Old Testament
ordinances and ceremonies?
II.
In verses 8-10 the Holy Spirit tells us that these divinely ordained ordinance signified
the necessity of Christ’s accomplishments at Calvary.
Hebrews 9:8-10 "The Holy Ghost this signifying, that
the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first
tabernacle was yet standing: {9} Which was a figure for the time
then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not
make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; {10}
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal
ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation."
Here are
four things specifically taught in these three verses. This is what these Old
Testament laws signified.
A. The way into the presence of
God (which is Christ, Heb.
B. The first tabernacle (v.9)
was only a symbol, a picture for the time present to typify the work of Christ.
C. These sacrifices could
never take away sin nor purify the conscience, so they must continually be
offered (Heb. 10:1-4).
D.
These ceremonies were imposed upon the children of Israerl until the coming of
Christ, who fulfilled them all and established the reality of a better covenant
of grace.
Now, look
at verses 11-14
III. Here the Holy Spirit tells us that Christ, our great High Priest, our sin-atoning Substitute, by the sacrifice of himself, has actually accomplished and obtained eternal redemption for God’s elect by the infinite merit and efficacy of his shed blood.
Hebrews 9:11-14 "But Christ being come an
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; {12} Neither
by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into
the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. {13} For if
the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the
unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: {14} How much more
shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God?"
A. First, in verses 11-12,
we see the efficacy of Christ’s
shed blood. – The Lord Jesus Christ has, by the sacrifice of
himself, fully satisfied the law and justice of God, and has thereby obtained
eternal redemption for us.
When the
appointed time came (Gal. 4:4,5). Christ the great
High Priest of good things to come (such as peace, righteousness,
reconciliation, grace and mercy), came in a body prepared for him by the
Father.
·
He tabernacled among men. In him
men meet God, and in him God deals with men.
·
He is our Representative, our righteousness and our redemption (2 Cor.
·
He was numbered with the transgressors and died under the penalty of
our sins.
·
As our great High Priest, he entered once into the presence of God (the
true
·
Through this one offering he perfected all believers and obtained a eternal redemption (Heb.
·
Now we are all priests (Christ, our great High Priest), and through
Christ we can come boldly before the very throne of grace (Heb.
B. Not only is his blood efficacious with God, Christ’s blood is efficacious to purge the consciences of believing sinners, when applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 9:13-14 "For if the blood of bulls and of goats,
and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying
of the flesh: {14} How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?"
·
When God looks on the blood, he says – “ENOUGH.”
·
When I look on the blood, my conscience says, -- “ENOUGH!”
·
Thus, redemption was obtained.
·
Thus redemption is applied!