August 14
“Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:11-14.
The above text proclaims and emphasizes the perfect and complete redemption accomplished by Christ as our High Priest. He gained the good things to come – that is, the heavenly blessings, the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation for all people. He did not enter into a man-made tabernacle like that which was erected in the Old Testament times. As the eternal Son of God, He came into the world also as the Son of Man. He was and is God and Man in one Person. He was the holy One born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ entered the tabernacle of the heavens, the place not made with hands, and He entered into the presence of the Father, the Most Holy Place. The Father looked down from heaven upon the sacrifice of His Son and He accepted that sacrifice as full payment, once for all, for the sins of all people.
Jesus entered into the presence of His heavenly Father, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” The apostle John wrote in his First Epistle, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 17. The apostle Peter wrote, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold . . . But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot,” 1 Peter 1:18-19. When Jesus was about to begin His public ministry, John the Baptist pointed to Him and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” John 1:29. With His holy, precious blood shed on Calvary’s cross, He obtained eternal redemption for all people.
All of the Old Testament sacrifices and ceremonies were symbols pointing to the coming of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blood of bulls and goats did not wash away a single sin. The Old Testament sacrifices were used by God to keep before the eyes of His people the promises to send the Savior who would sacrifice Himself to redeem all people.
We can silence the voice of conscience that seeks to accuse us with guilt and shame for our sins. We have been made clean and forgiven with the blood of Christ. That is God’s promise to us in the Gospel. The author of the Book of Acts wrote, “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins,” Acts 10:43. Put and keep your faith and trust in Jesus’ blood for the cleansing from all sin. By His resurrection, He also conquered death and the devil.
“Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace,
Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heav’nly Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name
And richer blood than they.
My faith would lay her hand
On that dear head of Thine,
While like a penitent I stand,
And there confess my sin.” Amen.