יּקנרק'ד

Hebrews Chapter 9  Verses 18-23

:18 “Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”   

Under the ceremonial ordinances of the Old Testament everything including the book, the people, the tabernacle, and the vessels of the ministry were ceremonial sprinkled with the blood of calves and goats.  This was a ceremonial cleansing or purifying.  Moreover, Moses said when this was done: “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined upon you.”  This ceremonial blood and cleansing did not do away with sin, but was a pattern enjoined upon them until the one came who would offer a sacrifice that would do away with sin.  This ceremony was enjoined upon the people until Christ came.   

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”  Purging or purifying with blood is a requirement established by God in both the ceremonial remission of sins and in the actual remission of sins.  In the Old Testament the blood of animals was enjoined ceremoniously upon the people as a means of calling to the attention of the people that there was a need for one to come and make a perfect offering to God in order to redeem them from their sins. 

“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”  Once again, our attention is drawn to the fact that we have something better today than the children of Israel under the first testament had.  One has come and offered a far better sacrifice for the remission of sins than were ever offered in the Old Testament ceremonial law.  Those sacrifices could not do away with sin.  Christ through his one offering did away the sins of the elect and justified them before God.  

Verses 24-28

:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”   

Following the theme that we have something far better under this New Testament day we have several comparisons between what was under the Old Testament worship and what we have today under the New Testament worship: 

1.  The high priests under the Old Testament entered into the holy places made with hands which are only figures of the true.  In contrast, Christ entered into heaven itself.

2.  The high priests under the Old Testament appeared only ceremoniously in the presence of God, whereas Christ literally appeared in the presence of God for us. 

3.  The high priests under the Old Testament entered into the holy place and offered the blood of others yearly.  Christ entered into heaven only once.

4.  The blood offerings of the Old Testament never did away with sin, but Christ’s one offering of himself hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”  Because of sin men die, and afterwards comes the judgment.  Because Christ was offered to bear the sins of many their judgment has been satisfied and it is they would look for him to appear the second time without sin unto salvation.