We have now come as it were from the inner sanctuary where the High Priest ministers, to the alter of brass outside the tabernacle, where the sacrifices were offered up. Here was the meeting place outside between God and His people. Here was the only way of entrance into the inner sanctuary. But here also the law sacrifices failed. They were but shadows of good things to come and could never make the comers whereunto perfect. Had it been so would they not ceased to be offered, for the one sacrifice would have given a perfect conscience, the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins? But year by year they were offered up, and instead of putting sins away finally, they brought them back to remembrance every year for there was need of a fresh sacrifice for a fresh year of sins. The apostle is evidently alluding here to the day of atonement (Lev. 16). My reader will do well to refer to it. Thus, it was not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to put away sin.
Wherefore When Christ came into the world, He said, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offering and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me), to do Thy will, O God (Ps. 40:6,8). Verses 8 and 9 are the apostle’s comment on the passage. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which were offered by the law; then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He takes away the first (that is, the law sacrifices), that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. Thus, for the bringing in of the blessings of the New Testament, and the eternal inheritance of believers, sin must be put away. This is God’s will. The law sacrifices could not do it, but Christ has come in a holy body as the Carrier out of God’s will, prepared by Himself, and has thus substituted Himself in the place of the law sacrifices, which were ineffectual. Under the law the sacrifices classed themselves under two heads. There were the sweet savour offerings represented by the burnt offering, meat offering, and peace offering (Lev. 1,2, and 3), and the sin offerings or sacrifices for sin, headed under the names of sin and trespass offerings (Lev. 4, 5, and 6:1-7). In the former class the perfection of the offerings went up to God; in the latter sin was dealt with in judgment. Thus, Christ came to do the will of God, and in this aspect He presented Himself as the perfect Man in life as the meat offering, the obedient Man in death as the burn offering; and all this went up as a sweet savour to God, and we are set apart as worshippers and brought nigh to God in all the perfection of His offering. This was done once for all, blessed be God! But He was also the sin offering, and whilst every priest stood daily ministering and offering the same sacrifices which could never take away sin, this Man, when He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God; form henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. And by one offering He hath perfected continuously them that are sanctified.
Thus, Christ came as the Carrier out of the will of God for the putting away of sin. By His obedience unto death, the perfection of His offering, we are sanctified; and by His one sacrifice for sins, He has taken them away, and that applied to the consciences of these sanctified ones, gives a perfect conscience. There is no more conscience of sins. It is one sacrifice, once applied and the conscience as a consequence is perfected. But three is more than this; the Holy Ghost is a witness to us of the perfect efficacy of this sacrifice, for after that He said before, -this is the covenant that I make with them, saith the Lord, that is the Lord says as a present application, -I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, and your sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin.
It is the will of God, then, that sin should be taken away, and that sanctified (footnote: Sanctification is greatly the subject of the epistle to the Hebrews (see Eph. 2:11; 10:10,29; 13:1211Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (Ephesians 2:11)) as justification that of Romans. God is not only a just Judge, but a Holy god, that wants worshippers in His sanctuary. But these worshippers are defiled by sin, and need cleansing and setting apart for the worship of the sanctuary, as the priests of Israel taken as a figure. The Greek word from which it is derived signifies, separate from common use, consecrated.) worshippers should be in His presence. That will has been carried out by Christ, Who, by His one offering, has not only set us apart, but so taken away our sins that the conscience is perfected, and to this the Holy Ghost witnesses in the words, Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Blessed contrast to the law sacrifices, which could not take away sins, which could not give a perfect conscience, and which brought to remembrance sins every year (ver. 1,2,11). Whereas the sacrifice of Christ has taken sins away once, and, as a Witness He has sat down continuously at the right had of God. Thus, applied to the conscience once purges it, and there is no more remembrance of sins as a consequence, by the testimony of the Holy Ghost. Oh, happy believer, why are you ever troubles? I pray you, rest your soul calmly on the Word of God, Christ’s work and the testimony of the Holy Ghost to its value.
Now we come to the result of this (ver. 19-25), and the fearful consequences of rejecting such a testimony (ver. 26-31). Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, and so forth, the believer now finds a full title to enter into the holiest—the very Presence of God -by the blood of Jesus. The way in is by Jesus Himself, through the rent veil, that is to say His flesh. When he gets in, he finds there his glorious Center, the High Priest over the house of God. The blood of Jesus Himself the Center of worship inside. Having these things all prepared for us, the apostle says, now let us draw near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. But what is our fitness? First, the blood applied gives a perfect conscience; secondly, Jesus Himself applied gives the washing of regeneration—a change of state and nature; having also the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec inside, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. Now, my reader, I want you to consider who are the “us” here. Remember that we have seen that it is God’s will to have sanctified worshippers in HIs presence (ver. 10). Now, who compose these worshippers? First, they are brethren (ver. 19); secondly, they are blood-sprinkled worshippers (ver. 22); thirdly, body-washed worshippers. This is an allusion, I have no doubt, to the priests, who in their consecration were (1) washed with water, (2) sprinkled with blood, (3) anointed with oil. (see Lev. 8). But if Priests, why want a man to draw near to God for them? If brethren, why be mixed up with the unconverted? If worshipping in the holiest, why need a splendid, gorgeous, earthly sanctuary?
Here surely we have a beautiful picture of how Christians should worship God, and their fitness to do it. In verses 5-18 I see the blessed God coming out of His sanctuary, right down to where we lay, condemned and ruined, to carry out His will and meet our need, and here, (vs. 19-25) we see poor redeemed sinners brought right into the presence of God as happy worshippers to worship Him.
Do you now see what Christian worship really is? It is a number of redeemed sinners drawing near with boldness into the very Presence of God, through Christ their High Priest and Center of worship, heaven being their place of worship and the sacrifice of Christ their title to go in. This is the company that are to consider themselves to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as they see the day approaching of the return of the Lord Jesus.
Thus, in Hebrews 8 we began with the blessed Lord as the heavenly High priest, taking the place of the earthly priesthood, and ministering in a heavenly sanctuary. The Mediator of a new covenant also, setting aside the old covenant of Sinai. In Hebrews 9:1-141Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:1‑14) we saw the earthly sanctuary with is ordinances replaced by a heavenly one, into which Christ has entered and opened the way. This is all included in the subject of the covenants (see ver 1), but if the blessings of the New Testament are to be dispensed, there must be the death of the Testator, and this introduces us to the sacrifices (ver 15-25). In Hebrews 10 we saw the one sacrifice of Christ replacing the many sacrifices of the law, and as a consequence (ver. 19-25), the Hebrew believers were led back in triumph into their heavenly sanctuary, with boldness and liberty to worship their God and Father through Christ. In short, we have the heavenly High Priest, Christ, replacing the earthly Aaronic priesthood, the heavenly Mediator of the new covenant the first covenant of the law and its ordinances, the heavenly sanctuary replacing the earthly tabernacle, and the one sacrifice of Christ replacing the many sacrifices of the law; and the Holy Ghost the witness on earth to the value of this sacrifice.
Now to turn their back on this would be to commit the willful sin of Christianity. “If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” To turn away from the sacrifice of Christ was to turn away from the only sacrifice for sins. There could only be as a consequence a fearful looking for judgment, and fiery indignation, which would devour the adversaries. Under Moses’ law, the man who broke it died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment was he worthy, who had trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and had done despite to the Spirit of grace? These three things were the great foundation truths of Christianity: (1) the blood of Christ separating from Judaism; (2) the Person of the Son of God, the Centre of the new system of Christianity; and (3) the Holy Ghost come down as the Witness of grace. To turn away from this was to commit the willful sin now. On the one side here was the earthly priesthood, the first covenant promising life on the condition of obedience, the earthly sanctuary, the temple at Jerusalem with its alter and many sacrifices. On the other side, the heavenly High Priest, the heavenly Mediator of a new covenant, the heavenly sanctuary in which He ministered, and the one sacrifice giving perfect access and title to go in, as well as separating the believers from everything else. Hence three was the choice between the truth and the shadow. To turn back to the shadow as to give up the truth, -hence the warning. There could be no mixture. There must be an entire break from the one to the other. Oh my reader, I pray you consider this. Is not hte greater part of Christendom more than half gone back to the former state of things? Have we not the many priests and clergy over again? Is not the law preached in order to get life? Are not gorgeous earthly sanctuaries again set up? And do we not hear of constant sacrifices offered up for the living and for the dead—at mass and Eucharist?
What is all this but apostasy from the truth? What is all this but departure from Christianity? What is all this but the willful sin? My reader do you find yourself in such a circle? Then I pray you to be warned. Get out of it as Lot did out of Sodom; and seek a circle -it may be a very narrow one—where, separating from all this, you find the blood of Christ owned, the Son of God owned as the Center, and the Holy Ghost owned as the Witness of the grace and glory of God. Otherwise there is nothing but judgment. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay saith the Lord. And again, the Lord will judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The apostle now calls to mind the former times when these Hebrew Christians gave up everything for Christ. Were they now going to cast away their confidence which had great recompense of reward? Were they going to let go this heavenly Christ for the shadows of Judaism? Impossible! Still they had need of patience, that, after they had done the will of God, they might receive the promise; for yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. In the meantime the just shall live by faith; but if any draw back, Jehovah would have no pleasure in such an one. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but to them that believe to the saving of the soul. Thus, the apostle encourages the Hebrews to go on. It was madness to stop after having given up so much. The Lord would assuredly come in and fulfil His promise, and give them His recompense. Only they had need of patience to wait, and to live by faith, on the unseen Christ, in the meantime.