Congregational Bible Experience Day #73: Hebrews 8-10

Congregational Bible Experience Day #73
Bible Reading: Hebrews 8-10

Introduction:  Having trudged our way through the thick undergrowth of the Hebrews 4-7, we emerge onto the mountaintop of these three profound chapters to see the amazing glory of Gospel truth. In essence the writer is saying that in the Old Testament we come to see and understand the basics: we learn of God and His holiness, we learn of the depth and pervasiveness of our sin, we see the pattern endlessly repeated that sin is dealt with by substitutionary sacrifice, and that thereafter, we are to live to fulfil the obligations of God's covenant (the Ten Commandments). However, now Hebrews is telling us that all the Old Testament rituals and regulations were but 'shadows' (Heb 8:5) of the reality that lay ahead in the future, namely, of Jesus and His accomplishments in the Gospel: Jesus is the true High Priest, He is the real sacrifice, His death actually atoned for all the sins of all of His people - fully, finally, forever - thereby enabling God's law to be written upon our hearts and lived out in our lives. Its all about Jesus.

Having compared and contrasted the eternal priestly role of Jesus with the somewhat enigmatic character of Melchizedek (chapter 7), the inspired author of Hebrews picks up a matter of utmost spiritual significance that the image of priesthood of Melchizedek does not at all address: namely, that of sacrifice and atonement for sin (7:26-28).  In the Bible, Melchizedek has no association with sacrifice. And so, to explore this most important aspect of Jesus' ministry (Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:19-22), Hebrews reminds his converted Jewish readers of the familiar actions of the Levitical High Priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). On that very solemn occasion, the high point of the Jewish year, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle and stood in the very presence of God to make atonement for the sins of the people (having sacrificed a goatafter having first made sacrifice (a bull) for his own sinfulness. In other words, even the High Priest was implicated in the sinfulness of the people of God.

But not so Jesus, the true High Priest (7:27). He did not need to offer a sacrifice for His own sin, because He was "holy, blameless, pure" (v26). And for that reason He was perfectly qualified to offer *the* definitive sacrifice for sin on behalf of His people. And the sacrifice He presented to God to atone for the sins of His people was not a bull or goat, but Himself! (v28)

All that by way of introduction…

The Old Testament ways of relating to God, the Tabernacle (the 'earthly sanctuary'), the priests, the sacrifices… (collectively known as 'the Old Covenant') are but shadows of Jesus presenting Himself as the perfect Priest and true Sacrifice before the presence of God in the heavenly sanctuary (8:1-5).

For all its religious 'pomp and circumstance', the old system failed to do 2 things: first of all, as we've seen, the sacrifice of animals did not actually deal with (that is - atone for, or remove) people's sin; the true sacrifice by the real substitute was necessary.

Secondly, the imposition and enforcement of the Law upon the people as a means of continuing in relationship with God, summarised by the Ten Commandments, did not actually turn people's hearts towards Him with loving, worshipful obedience. As Jeremiah prophesied, a new Covenant - a new and improved way of relating to God  - was required, promised (Heb 8: 6-13, quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34), and in Jesus has become a reality, replacing the old ways (v13). The guaranteed blessings of the new covenant that God had foretold through the prophet are now, by His grace, presently experienced and enjoyed by all Christian believers. What the old covenant could never achieve but the new Covenant - the Gospel - does, are: (1) pardon - our sins are fully forgiven and finally forgotten (v12); fellowship - we can each have personal, intimate knowledge with God and unlimited access to Him (v11); (3) consecration - we are given assurance that we belong to God and that He is ours (v10); obedience - by His own Spirit, God transforms the directions and desires of our heart to please Him by causing us to delight in His Law. 

 As the author of Hebrews walks us through Moses' Tabernacle (9:1-10), pointing out the furniture, its arrangement and its purpose at that time, his point is to re-emphasise the provisional and inadequate nature of the old system to atone for sin and secure lasting fellowship with God, both of which have been accomplished by Jesus' sacrifice for us (v11-27). The reason that Jesus achieved what the Old Testament sacrifices could never accomplish is due to the infinitely superior and blameless character of that sacrifice (v14). The "blood of Christ" is a vivid synonym for the sacrificial significance of  Jesus' death.

The author continues to explore and expound the significance of Christ's priestly role in 10:1-18, directing our attention to the themes of priesthood, sacrifice and covenant. He finishes by stating that when the sins of God's people have been decisively put away - as they have by Jesus' death - then any further sin offering is not necessary.

All this, you may remember, is to encourage wavering Jewish Christians not to turn their back on Jesus and the Gospel and return to the old Jewish ways of Temple sacrifices, Levitical priests, and so on… In Hebrews 10:19-39 he begins to apply this careful and detailed presentation of Jesus as *the* perfect priest and sacrifice to the lives of his readers.  The familiar v19-25 is both the turning point and climax of his sermon.  The appropriate response to all that Jesus has done in His role as priestly sacrifice is to "draw near to God" (v22). He views all of Christian life as 'worship', a continual coming close to the living God. Since our relationship to God has been restored, Christ making it possible to draw near to God in love, awe and worship - then that is what we must do, encouraging one another towards faith, hope and love. But this cannot happen if we are not there (v25)!

The stern warnings that follow (v26-31) - and here we must stop!! - are explained by the author's reference to the disloyalty of those members who had deserted the community. To worship God and to mutually build each other up in Christian maturity as we gather to 'fellowship' are the expected responses and responsibilities of those who have enjoyed the blessings of the new covenant, the gospel. The writer raises the importance and significance of 'church attendance' by linking it to what Jesus has done for us:  to 'give up meeting together' (v25) - which I presume is what he is referring to in verse 26 as "deliberately keep on sinning" - is to display a contemptuous disregard to Jesus, His sacrifice and all that it won for us (v29), and exposes such thoughtless "Christians" to severe judgement (v27, 30-31).  The awesome consequences of failing to gather with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ before the living God in true worship flowing from the heart - were never so clearly spelled out.