Hebrews-A Better Sacrifice
Social media is a big part of our lives. It is hard to not share things we are excited about like a trip, engagement, or other milestones with your social circle, as well as sharing the small joys in life like a beautiful sunset or amazing meal. As most people often present images curated to showcase the good things in life, it’s easy to think that this standard is the norm. We can easily experience envy and when viewing everyone’s best moments and forget that the human experience includes disappointment and the mundane.
Since we all deal with insecurity, social media personifies humanity’s desire to broadcast a different message than the internal. It’s easier to fit in than to be vulnerable and real. Interestingly enough, the life of faith can also be curated to advertise that may not be truly happening in the soul. Jews had this same temptation to appear religious as the old covenant has many rules to follow to worship. This sacrificial system was a necessary way for God’s people Israel to approach Him in His holiness. Today as we read chapter 9 of Hebrews, we are encouraged to follow Jesus over legalism because His sacrifice is superior to religious ritual.
“Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthy place of holiness.” v. 1
The Jewish faith was based upon a system of laws. Most people are familiar with the 10 commandments, but Israel also had a sacrificial system, a way to be in God’s presence that was set up in Exodus and described more in Leviticus. God gave Moses specific instructions on how and why to set up the temple*. God is holy and must be approached with reverence. As He established His new relationship with His people, God set up a way that He could dwell with them in the temple through its rituals.
“By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section in still standing.” v. 8
The Holy Spirit showed the people of God through the design and duties of the temple that access to God was limited as He was holy and man was not. Every year, the priest would sacrifice a bull to purify himself and choose two goats. One goat was the sin offering for the people that would be burned. The other goal would be sent out to the wilderness, with the sacrificial blood sprinkled on him, so sin could be cast out.
“According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscious of the worshipper.” v. 9
Our real problem is the temple sacrifices could not perfect the conscious of the worshiper. These sacrifices needs to be repeated to stay effective. We too demonstration a similar problem when we approach God through our own efforts. No matter how good the outside looks, it is not enough to cleans the inside from sin. Jesus said to the Pharisees, men who were following the outside rituals of the law, in Luke 11:39 that the outside looks good but inside they were full of greed and wickedness. Something deeper and truer was needed.
“But when Christ appeared…by means of His own blood…securing eternal redemption.” v. 11,12
If we are honest, as Christians we sometimes like to follow the rules of faith mechanically instead of offering God our heart. When we do this, we rely on the old covenant system, not relying on God but having a righteousness of our own. That was the system Jesus condemned the Pharisees for, working hard to show others their self-righteousness. To make a better way, Christ incarnate dwelt among us and walked obediently to the cross and by the tearing of His flesh, opening up a new way by the means of His blood. Jesus went into the true place of worship and secured rest for His people with a covenant based on grace, so our souls could stop striving and working and offering the same sacrifices again and again that could never be enough.
“Purify our conscious from dead works to serve the living God.” v 14
The gospel is good news because is can cleanse your inner places from all the things you are working hard to accomplish to impress God and free your consciousness from guilt and shame. The Amplified version of the Bible says we are all repeating lifeless observances. Instead, embrace the the work of Christ which gives us the freedom to serve the living God out of gratitude for our forgiveness. It replaces obligation with relationship.
“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those whoa are called may receive the praised eternal inheritance.” v. 15
Jesus is better because is the mediator and negotiator, a function He was entitled to because of His sacrifice, as we needed a new agreement to unite God and man. The old covenant was based on continual working to making ourselves good enough for God. We could not rest because for every good thing we tried to do, the bad would outweigh our efforts. The scales were never balanced; more atonement was always required. His sacrifice gives us undeserved favor-He pays for our trespasses once for all and gives us permanent access to the presence of God forever, the Holy Spirit living inside us until He returns and takes us home.
“Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” v. 28
For the Christian, this passage calls us make the faith we display to others authentically match the God-initiated renewal inside. Are we eagerly waiting for Christ, resting on His atonement, or still hoping all our work will please God? Reader, lean on the One who has given you perfection, so you don’t need to pretend it’s yours.
*For more about the temple worship, see my blog post Plan to Worship
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