Hebrews 9:1 to 10:18 focuses on the difference between the Old Testament Levitical system and the priesthood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Here the author of Hebrews sought to help the Jewish Christians not only to see the difference, but to see the supreme priesthood and sacrifice of the Messiah, realising the important implications.

 

The sacrifice of the lamb before the Exodus and the offerings from the sacrifice of animals in the tabernacle are types pointing to the ultimate lamb and sacrifice. The ultimate reality, the antitype, is seen in the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”, as declared by John the Baptist as he pointed to Jesus, saying, “Behold the lamb of God”.

 

The Levitical sacrificial system was in fact a manifestation of God’s grace towards Israel as He chose to dwell among the Israelites. As God is infinitely and perfectly holy, God instituted a system to enable Him, a holy God, to be able to continue to dwell in the midst of the tribes of Israel without them dying in His presence. So the elaborate set-up of the tabernacle was given to Moses to implement. The Israelites could only approach God after they had sacrificed animals, which took their place in death so that they could be ceremonially clean and able to worship God. The high priest could only enter the holy of holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, by first offering blood for the forgiveness of his own sin and then offering blood for the forgiveness of God’s people in general.

 

Jesus, the high priest after the order of Melchizedek, offering His own life and blood entered into heaven in the presence of God the Father and sat down at His right hand. His sacrifice occurred once and was complete. It was fully accepted by God the Father. And his blood atones for the sins of the world (i.e. all those who believe in Him by faith).

 

God, because of His holiness and because of who He is, is not accessible to human beings. Hence the elaborate system and the tabernacle were needed. When Jesus offered Himself, once for all, He made God accessible to all those who come to Him through the blood of the Lamb of God.

 

The Israelites in the Old Testament who obeyed God by faith, experienced salvation by looking forward to the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus, while the believers in the New Testament are saved by looking back at the cross of Jesus. In both instances, the basis of salvation is faith and belief in Jesus Christ and in His offer of salvation.

 

In the Old Testament context, although the people were forgiven when they offered to God the animal sacrifices and became ceremonially clean, they were not freed from the guilt and defilement of sin in their lives. However, for those who believe in Jesus, they are freed from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and ultimately the presence of sin. In that sense, they are freed from the guilt and defilement of sin.  “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is what the Lord Jesus explained to Nicodemus about being born again, being a new creature no longer dead in sin and under the bondage of sin.

 

Recognising this, can we claim the following is inadequate for salvation: just receiving Christ and believing in Him? Do we need something extra like the tradition of the Church or the addition of our own merits? No. This is gospel-plus and the apostle Paul pronounced ‘eternal damnation’ on all those who preach such a gospel. Jesus’ sacrifice is once, complete and His sitting down at the right hand of the Father means His mission is completed and He need not stand like the priests in the Levitical system, offering sacrifices again and again.

 

Jesus is our advocate at the right hand of God and He intercedes for us from that position eternally. We can be assured that His ministry will enable us to complete our pilgrimage on earth. He and the Father sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us, to comfort us, and to teach us in our journey on earth.

 

No wonder Jesus has to come and no wonder He is the only way. Only a sinless God-man can be the final and complete sacrifice. Only one who lives forever with the authority and exaltation of the Father can ensure that we finish the race and be forgiven and accepted when He comes again to judge the world. All glory and honour to the triune God!