April 13
“With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption,” Hebrews 9:12.
In Old Testament times, there were many priests. They ministered to the people, prayed for the people, taught the people, and performed the many sacrifices that were prescribed by God. In addition to the regular priests, there was a high priest. His duties included oversight of the sanctuary, of the sanctuary services, and its treasure. The high-priesthood was a position with life tenure in the beginning, but later that was changed by the Romans, who appointed them at will. The high priest also presided over the Jewish Sanhedrin, the high court for the Jews, when religious questions were before that group for consideration.
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sacrificial animals which symbolized the coming of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, the high priest and all the other priests were not perfect people. He had to offer a sacrifice for his own sins and the sins of the other priests as well as for the sins of the people in general.
Speaking of Christ, our High Priest, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote, “Such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself,” Hebrews 7:26-27. Once and for all people, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, sacrificed Himself on the altar of the cross at Calvary, and with His holy, precious blood washed away the sins of all people. With His own blood, He obtained eternal redemption for all.
In Old Testament times, the blood of the animals that were sacrificed did not wash away sins. The Hebrews’ author also wrote, “Every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God . . . By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified . . . Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin,” Hebrews 10:11-12, 14, 18.
So what should we in New Testament times sacrifice and offer to get right with God? We are invited by the Holy Spirit, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” and we are promised, “You shall be saved!” Acts 16:31. We are invited in the Gospel to put all our faith and trust in Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Then, out of love for Him who first loved us, we will strive to live a God-pleasing life. Out of love for Him, the only Savior of all people, we will witness at every opportunity to the unchurched and to the unbelieving that Jesus offers forgiveness of sins to all!
“Blessed are the sons of God;
They are bo’t with Christ’s own blood,
They are ransomed from the grave,
Life eternal they shall have:
With them numbered may we be,
Here and in eternity!
They are justified by grace,
They enjoy the Savior’s peace,
All their sins are washed away,
They shall stand in God’s great Day:
With them numbered may we be,
Here and in eternity!” Amen.