INTRODUCTION
Continuing
in Hebrews
Having read through the first eight chapters in the previous
set of studies, we remind ourselves that this letter/book/argument is
obviously to Jewish Christians who the writer expects to have a good Old
Testament background knowledge. His objective is clearly to ensure that
Jesus is lifted higher than religion, and is to be seen as the One who
has come to fulfil the hidden potential of the Old Covenant and bring
in a New Covenant which is so much greater.
The
Structure and Content of these Studies
We
will divide these studies as follows:
•
9:1-10:18 Inadequate Sacrifices
•
10:19-11:40 Go by Faith
•
12:1-13:25 Hang on in
The titles of each Part give us an indication
of their content. In chapter 9 and the first half of chapter 10 we'll
see the writer continuing the argument that he started earlier, that Jesus
came to bring a superior covenant. From 10:19 on through chapter 11 we'll
see the writer exhorting us in respect of the daily, practical outworking
of all this, living a life of faith, persevering in the face of daily
pressures. In chapters 12 and 13 he develops this further by exhorting
his readers to persevere and live a holy life. Throughout doctrine and
practical living are intertwined.
PART
ONE : Inadequate Sacrifices
In chapter 9 and the first part of chapter 10, we'll see the writer
pursuing his argument that Jesus came to bring in a more superior covenant.
He does this by first explaining how earthly worship had been carried
on in the tabernacle (9:1-10) but had not been able to provide a way into
God's full presence (v.8) and were not able to fully clear the conscience
of the worshipper (v.9). He then explains how animal's blood had been
used in the old Covenant, and is now replaced by Jesus' blood in the New
Covenant ( 9:11 -28). After this he again goes back to the old practices
of repeated sacrifices and shows that the one-off sacrifice of Christ
himself, was so much better. These are complex passages but if we can
see them as the old explained and then Jesus compared, it may help us
see it more clearly. So, remember, the old style explained, then Jesus
work and activity shown to be better.
Chapter:
Hebrews
9
Passage:
Hebrews
9:1-5
A.
Find Out:
1.
What 2 things did the first covenant have? v.1
2.
What was thus set up? v.2a
3.
How was it divided? v.2b,3
4.
What were in the Most Holy Place ? v.4
5.
What were over the ark? v.5
B.
Think:
1.
Read Ex 25:8,9, 26:1-37 What strikes you about those verses?
2.
Read Ex 31:1-11 What do these verses say about its making?
3.
Read Ex 40:33-35 What do these say about the end result?
C.
Comment:
Many Christians today are ignorant of the tabernacle, yet it had
a central place in the life of Israel . The writer in Hebrews now refers
us to the tabernacle briefly as the place where God dwelt in the midst
of His people on earth.
In Exodus the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle
(a big tent) and the things in it were very detailed, indicating its importance.
The men who manufactured it were filled by the Spirit to enable them to
make it perfectly. When it was set up exactly as described, the Glory
of God filled it, indicating God's approval and His presence with them.
The tabernacle itself had two parts: the first part, called the
Holy Place was where the priest entered regularly, The further part, called
the Most Holy Place, was only entered once a year. In that part was the
ark, a timber box overlaid with gold in which were kept the ten commandments,
Aaron's rod, and a jar of manna.
These were the signs of God's Law, His authority and
His provision, and each played a significant part in the life of Israel
. The tabernacle was eventually replaced by the temple in Jerusalem and
when that was built by Solomon according to given design, the Glory of
the Lord again filled it (1 Kings 8:10 ,11) showing His approval and presence.
D.
Application:
1.
The tabernacle was the place of God's dwelling with His people.
2.
Today God dwells within Christians. Worship Him.
Chapter:
Hebrews
9
Passage:
Hebrews
9:6-10
A.
Find Out:
1.
Where did the priests go? v.6
2.
Where did the high priest go and when? v.7a
3.
What did he take and why? v.7b
4.
What was the Holy Spirit showing? v.8
5.
What did this indicate? v.9
6.
What were these things, and how long should they last? v.10
B.
Think:
1.
What did we say yesterday the inner room was?
2.
What did only the high priest going in indicate?
3.
How has this now all changed?
C.
Comment:
From a factual reminder of the tabernacle, the writer now moves to make
an extremely significant point about the old order and the new. He first
observes (what we noted yesterday) that there were two parts to the tabernacle
and that the priests ministered daily in the outer part, but only the
high priest went into the Most Holy Place, and that just once a year taking
in blood as a sacrifice for his and the people's sins.
The key point that the writer is making is that, although God's
presence dwelt in their midst in the tabernacle, he was still distant
and unapproachable. A once-a-year- contact is hardly a relationship!
When Jesus died on the Cross, the thick curtain in the temple that
separated the Most Holy Place from the main part of the temple was torn
in two from top to bottom. This act, because of the size and thickness
of the curtain was impossible for man. This was an act of God indicating
that the way was now open for man to approach God in the Most Holy Place
, because THE sacrifice of all sacrifices had been offered.
The key point to note here is that the old covenant was a distant
relationship. The New is the most intimate possible, Him now in us. That
is the wonder of the new order.
D.
Application:
1.
The ceremonial laws of Moses were simply regulations that illustrated
realities and pointed to the future.
2.
Those laws have now all been fulfilled in Christ. It is finished!
Chapter:
Hebrews
9
Passage:
Hebrews
9:11-14
A.
Find Out:
1.
How did Christ come? v.11a
2.
Where did he go? v.11b
3.
Where did he enter and how? v.12
4.
What did the blood of animals do? v.13
5.
What did Christ do? v.14a,b
6.
With what effect? v.14c
B.
Think:
1.
What is the “more perfect tabernacle” that is referred to?
2.
With what did Christ enter?
3.
So what point is the writer now making?
C.
Comment:
Having painted the picture of the old high priest entering the Most
Holy Place once a year with the blood of animals as a sacrifice offering,
the writer now focuses it upon Christ himself and makes several important
points.
First, Christ went through into the heavenly meeting place with
God. The more perfect tabernacle is the throne room of heaven where God
dwells (see Rev 4 & 5), and when he ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11)
and went back into the Father's presence and sat down next to Him (Acts
2:33-36). Christ has gone into the place of greatest possible closeness
with the Father. Of this there is no question in Scripture.
Second, instead of taking the blood of animals,
Christ took with him the fact of his own death on the Cross and therefore,
figuratively, his own blood as an offering.
Third, if the pouring out of the blood of animals in the old tabernacle
brought a sense of cleansing before God, how much more will the blood
of the Son of God being poured out for us, bring a greater sense of being
cleansed before God. Blood, we should remember, is the life of a person
so when the blood is poured out, the life is being offered up. Christ
offered his very life to redeem us.
D.
Application:
1.
Christ went to the Father on our behalf.
2.
He gave his very own life to redeem us.
Chapter:
Hebrews
9
Passage:
Hebrews
9:15-22
A.
Find Out:
1.
What is Christ, and to achieve what? v.15a
2.
What has he done, and to achieve what? v.15b
3.
What is necessary for a will & when does it come into effect? v.16,17
4.
How did that apply in the old covenant? v.18-21
5.
What was required and why was it essential? v.22
B.
Think:
1.
How does what Christ has done affect our past and future?
2.
What point does the writer make about wills?
3.
How was that point applied through the old covenant?
C.
Comment:
From the discussion of Christ as our high priest, the writer has moved
to Christ as our offering. He describes Christ's offering as a ransom
for us, that set us free from our past sins and set us free
to a new life of freedom and blessing. He then uses the case
of a will to illustrate more fully what has happened. A will may be printed
but it has no effect until the person has died. When the maker of the
will has died then, and only then, do others receive the inheritance.
Under the old covenant blood had to be shed, a life poured out. What would
happen was that the sinner brought their animal to the tabernacle, placed
their hand on its head and then killed it. This was their way of saying,
I transfer my sin to this beast and it dies in my place.
As gruesome as it sounds to the modern mind, once you had done
that and seen the animal die in front of you for your sins, you were no
longer casual about those sins! What they did not realise under the old
covenant, but which we now realise because we've been told, is that the
animal being offered was a picture of the eternal sacrifice that was yet
to come - of Christ dying in our place.
With his death comes the inheritance. He has died to take
our sins and now the way is open for us to receive all of God's goodness.
We have been reconciled to God because the one division between us has
been removed.
D.
Application:
1.
Sin MUST be punished! Either I take it or Christ takes it.
2.
With sin dealt with, the way is open to receive God's inheritance.
Chapter:
Hebrews
9
Passage:
Hebrews
9:23-28
A.
Find Out:
1.
How were the old things purified? v.23
2.
What 2 things didn't Christ do? v.24,25
3.
What has Christ done? v.26
4.
What must happen to every man? v.27
5.
Why was Christ sacrificed? v.28a
6.
Why will Christ appear again? v.28b
B.
Think:
1.
What were the characteristics of the old covenant sacrifices?
2.
How was Christ's sacrifice different?
3.
How is time-space history shown in these verses?
C.
Comment:
The writer has just been speaking about the need for a life to
be taken to take the punishment for sin. Now he progresses it by comparing
yet further the old and new sacrifices.
The
old sacrifices were:
a) to cleanse the things and people involved,
b)
carried out in a man-made sanctuary,
c)
carried out by a priest again and again,
d)
carried out for the priest himself as well as for the people,
e)
were an animal substituted for the person.
Christ's
sacrifice, in comparison, was:
a) brought into heaven,
b)
carried out once and for all,
c)
carried out for the people, not for the priest himself,
d)
was a sacrifice of himself, i.e. the priest was the sacrifice himself.
Within all this, notice the stern warning in v.27 that ALL men
have to die and ALL men have to face judgement. We ALL have to go the
same way (there are NO exceptions) and therefore we ALL desperately (and
we mean that word!) need this means of salvation that is being spoken
about here.
Note also the low-key reference in v.28 about Christ returning
again. When he returns it will not be to do a redeeming work, for that
is what he's completed already, but to reveal himself to his
people. The second coming of Christ will be clear and visible!
D.
Application:
1.
We all die and have to face judgement. How will we stand?
2.
Christ alone is the means of us being able to stand before God.
Chapter:
Hebrews
10
Passage:
Hebrews
10:1-4
A.
Find Out:
1.
What was the Law? v.1a
2.
What couldn't it do? v.1b
3.
What would have happened if it could? v.2
4.
But what was the sacrifice? v.3
5.
Why? v.4
B.
Think:
1.
What good was the Law?
2.
Yet what couldn't it do?
3.
So why do you think the writer is saying all this?
C.
Comment:
When you have lived with something for so long, to accept
change means you have to hear about the new thing over and over again.
That is why the writer goes round and round this subject, tackling it
from every angle.
He goes back to the subject of the ineffectiveness of the old law
of offerings. There were some good things about the Law: it was a means
of reminding people that they were sinners and needed God's forgiveness,
it was a means for them to come to God, it was a means for them to obey
God. Yet on the other side, the Law was ineffective because they had to
keep on bringing the annual sacrifice of atonement, because they were
still the sinners they were before.
The apostle Paul targets this problem in the book of Romans when
he tells us in chapter 7 that for all his struggling he just cannot stop
doing what he wants to stop doing. In fact, the more he focuses on the
wrong the more unable he was to deal with it.
For the Christian, focusing on a particular sin is not the means
of overcoming it. Realising that Christ has dealt with it, committing
it to him and walking away from it and focusing on the positives of life
and rejoicing in the wonder of the relationship with Christ, is the Christian's
way of overcoming those things. Trying to keep the rules is not the answer,
focusing on a relationship with Christ is!
D.
Application:
1.
Focusing on a sin only strengthens its hold on you.
2.
Christ alone can deliver us. He already has! Now enjoy his life.
Chapter:
Hebrews
10
Passage:
Hebrews
10:5-10
A.
Find Out:
1.
What had God not wanted? v.5a,b,6
2.
What had God done for Christ? v.5c
3.
So why did Christ say he had come? v.7
4.
So what was being rejected? v.8
5.
With what aim in mind? v.9
6.
With what outcome, and how? v.10
B.
Think:
1.
How, in these verses, was the old being rejected?
2.
How, in these verses, was Christ to do God's will?
3.
So what was the outcome?
C.
Comment:
It's as if the writer having stated various principles more than
once, now goes into “the small print”, to spell out detail. He's just
said that the old sacrificial system was only a shadow of the coming reality,
and that it had not been able to take away sins.
Now the writer quotes psalm 40, using it as a prophetic utterance
of the Messiah. In it he shows that God Himself had known that the sacrificial
system did not get to the heart of man, it merely provided a ritual for
man to perform to express a reality. When king Saul appeared “religious”
(1 Sam 15:15 ,21-23), Samuel declared that God wanted obedience rather
than sacrifice. For all of us, the warning is clear: God will not bless
our “religious acts” (ritual), He will only bless our obedience. Obedience
is the key issue, not sacrifices!
Instead of yet more sacrifices, God gave His Son a physical body
(to offer as a sacrifice) when he came to earth. With that body Christ
was to do God's will, and that was to lay down his life (see also Phil
2:7,8) for the sins of all who would come to him. Thus it is the death
of Christ alone that makes men holy, not any religious acts that
they might perform. Our part is simply believing that truth. When we believe,
then Christ's sacrifice becomes operative for us. We are then saved.
D.
Application:
1.
“Being religious” does not help a person become a Christian.
2.
Trusting in Christ's death alone makes us a Christian.
Chapter:
Hebrews
10
Passage:
Hebrews
10:11-18
A.
Find Out:
1.
What did the old priest do? v.11
2.
What did the new priest (Jesus) do? v.12
3.
What is he now doing? v.13
4.
What has he achieved? v.14
5.
What has the Holy Spirit done? v.16
6.
And what has God done with what effect? v.17,18
B.
Think:
1.
How is the old and new contrasted by activity?
2.
How is the old and new contrasted by outcome?
3.
What additionally has been done?
C.
Comment:
Ploughing the same ground yet again, the writer keeps on punching
in the truth.
First, the activity and outcome of the old system: the priest carried
on day after day doing the same thing, bringing sacrifices on behalf of
the people, yet their sins were not removed and the people carried on
doing them and so needed to come back yet again to offer yet another sacrifice,
It was an endless circle of sacrifice, awareness, failure and further
sacrifice.
Second, the activity and outcome of the new priesthood: Jesus came
and offered a once-and-for-all sacrifice of himself, and his death had
the effect of bringing both forgiveness and the possibility of a power-relationship.
Knowing we are forgiven, and having the power put within us, releases
us from the constant worry of the past and enables us to positively live
in the present and future. The Holy Spirit has come to dwell within us
and He teaches us what is right and wrong, and He empowers us to live
for, and serve, God. His presence within is the means by which we overcome
today.
The message the writer to the Hebrews conveys again and again to the Jewish-Christian
community is very powerful: don't go back to the old because the greater
new has come!
D.
Application:
1.
In God's eyes we have been made perfect by Christ's death.
2.
The Holy Spirit is in the process of making us holy.
RECAP:
"Inadequate Sacrifices" - Heb 9:1 - 10:18
SUMMARY
:
In
this first group of 8 studies we have seen :
-
a description of the old tabernacle 9:1-5
-
the activity of the high priest 9:6-10
-
the activity of Christ (1) 9:11 -15
-
the old requirement for shedding of blood 9:16-22
-
the activity of Christ (2) 9:23 -28
-
the inadequacy of the old sacrifices 10:1-4
-
the activity of Christ (3) 10:5-14
-
the Law in our hearts 10:15-18
COMMENT
:
The writer to the Hebrews now shows the Jewish Christians why the
old system of sacrifices HAS BEEN replaced by the work of Christ. He reminds
them that the High Priest in the tabernacle had to keep on offering sacrifices
because sin was never fully dealt with. Yet when Christ came he entered
into a place of rest in heaven having completed the work that
the Law could not do. Sins have been forgiven, sinners have been set free,
a new relationship with God has been established that means a new freedom.
Hallelujah!
LESSONS?
1.
Trying to observe the rules simply points out failure.
2.
Making lots of sacrifices simple highlight failure.
3.
Christ has paid the price for our sin once and for all.
4.
We have been pardoned by his death and are forgiven.
5.
God has put His Holy Spirit within us.
6.
We are now new creatures in Christ, Sons of God.
PRAY
:
Thank the Lord for the provision of His salvation. Thank Him that
he accepts us even though we're incapable of being perfect on our own.
Thank Him that He's made you His child and He lives in you.
PART
2 : "Go by Faith"
In this next Part, the writer encourages us to hold onto these
truths and remember we're called to live a life of faith. Faith is now
the key issues we're going to focus on in this next Part.
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