Hebrews 9.end
May 11th 2014
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Well we’re headed into chapter 10 (after today) which in my opinion serves as the beginning of the end – and the payoff it tremendous.
We’ve be climbing up and up and up, over similar terrain toward the top. And once chapter nine ends – actually a few verses before – I would put it this way – we are rewarded with a wrap-up of sorts that says so much.
Now last week we left off with verse 22 where the writer says:
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
We recall from last week that the writer mentioned a bunch of things Moses did with the blood of animals – sprinkling almost everybody and everything with it, right?
Let’s continue on and finish the rest of chapter nine where the writer referring to this says: (verse 23)
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.
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.
Okay back to verse 22 and then 23
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.
When the writer say the patterns of things in the heavens he is speaking of the things Moses made – the tabernacle and its various utensils – which pictured heavenly things.
And he says here in verse 23, justifying Moses sprinkling all of them with the blood of animals, that “it was therefore necessary that the “pattern of heavenly things (the tabernacle and utensils – even the people) should be purified with these” (blood and water) – which they were.
Then he says, “But the heavenly things themselves,” (the actual things spiritual and invisible things or places that Christ has entered) but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
Now we might be tempted to read this parabolically and think that the writer is saying that Christ entered into the heavenly sanctuary and sprinkled it with His blood to sanctify IT!
But heaven isn’t unholy sinners entering it are – so the implication is by and through His blood He made the real, actual heavenly place accessible in an accessible manner.
In other words the “ancient tabernacle made with hands” was purified or consecrated by the blood of the victims slain, so that men might approach with acceptance and worship . . .
By purer blood the heavens are made accessible to the guilty.
How? The writer says “with better sacrifices than the ones ancient Israel made to purify material things,”
A sacrifice that was designed to make the human conscience pure, to remove the stain of sin forever, and render those sanctified by it worthy of an eternal existence with God.
In verse 22 the writer speaks of the remission of sin being removed by blood.
For shed blood to have an eternal effect, rendering those covered in it eternally forgiven, and worthy of an eternal existence with the eternal God, it could not be the blood of an animal or a sinful man.
It had to be eternal blood – meaning blood that in and of itself would live (last) forever. It would be blood untainted by sin so therefore blood that would never (on its own) lose power to sustain life.
When Christ, the only being who would have never died from disease or the wages of sin, willingly gave up His life, a blood far, far superior ( a better blood and sacrifice) to that of sacrificed animals was shed.
Accomplishing this on behalf of the world, the writer (again, addressing an audience of converted Jews who were tempted to return to the Law) says:
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands (like the temple and tabernacle of old), which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
He now appears in the presence of God for us.
As the Jewish high priest appeared before the shekinah or the symbol of the Divine Presence in the tabernacle, so Christ appears before God himself in our behalf in heaven.
Ascending up to plead (mediate) for our salvation; to present the permanent merits of his shed blood and to testify, mediate for those covered in it by faith.
The writer then goes on and makes a comparison between the repetitive nature which the former High Priests had to enter into the Holy of Holies (with the blood of animals) as compared to Christ, saying:
25 Nor yet that he (Christ) should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
And then he makes a rather unusual statement, saying:
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world.
In other words if his blood had no more efficacy than that which the Jewish high priest offered, and which was so often repeated, it would have been necessary that Christ should have often died.
There are a couple of ways to read this line – that the writers point should be taken literally – that if Christ’s blood was not more efficacious than that of animals He should have been slain every year since the beginning of time (I don’t think this is what the writer means) OR that if Christ’s blood is no better than animals He would have to be crucified continually to make atonement – beginning from the first at 33 years of age and then continuing from there on out.
In other words in the line I think we find a Hebraism. But let’s read the whole verse again:
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: (LISTEN) but now once “in the end of the world” hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Why would the writer of Hebrews put this this way? But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin?
First of all, the word for world there is not kosmos but aion, and means the end of the age.
This is one of those examples where the translators used world where they should have used age.
What age (or what world) was ending?
The Jewish economy – the whole deal. Ending . . . wrapped up, completed, done, over.
Let me step aside for just a minute and present to you the way I see things relative to all of these things we believe, and read, and try to apply.
I am wholly convinced that the view is the most logical, liberating, and biblical I have ever come across.
Take it for what it is worth.
God carved out a people from the pagans who ultimately became the Children of Jacob or Israel.
All they said and did pointed and awaited with anticipation for the coming of the Promised Messiah.
They wrote of their histories and ways as directed by the Holy Spirit and combined we call the writings the Old Testament.
All pictures for the New Testament people to consider and reflect upon and use to help them see the purpose and need of the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Theirs was a physical economy laid with promises of physical cursing and physical blessing predicated on obedience or disobedience.
Daniel, writing prophetically of the coming of the material Messiah for the house of Israel, submitted the vision of the seventy weeks.
Time passed.
The Messiah was born of woman, born under the Law, born physically into a physical, material world – fulfilling all the promises made to this nation carved out by God.
Sixty nine of Daniel’s weeks were completed when His ministry began.
Had the nation of Israel accepted Him as the Messiah He would have reigned seven years, but they rejected Him and after three and half years He was killed and the rest of Daniel’s visionary insights ended.
Born physically, living physically to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, He was physically tortured on our behalf, put to physical death, rose physically from the grave and promised that age to return physically.
This epistle to the Hebrew believers is an epistle encouraging them to hang on to faith, to His physical coming at the end of that age (or as the King James puts it) at the end of the world.
1st Corinthians 10:11 says:
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
In the very next chapter the writer, encouraging the believers to carry on says:
Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
In Romans Paul wrote and warned (13:11)
“That, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”
To the Galatians Paul referred to the time Jesus arrived as “the fullness of times.”
To the Ephesians, Paul says:
Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together “in one” all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.
This was the Kingdom, being established, first physically, in and through Him, then Spiritually, with us as constituents.
When the writer of Hebrews says at verse 26
26 . . . but now once “in the end of the world” hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
He was talking about His appearing to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself and the shedding of His blood on the cross.
When Paul says to the church at Philippi
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
He is speaking of Him returning physically to wrap the whole matter up completely.
To wrap up the end of THAT world, that age, that dispensation of the physical, law-based, anticipatory of salvation period and to introduce a wholly new economy – that of the spirit, with laws written on the heart.
Stay with me – this is vitally important both to CAMPUS and how we do and see things and to you (Lord willing).
After His ascension, and before His return in 70 AD to bring justice upon a rebellious nation that killed Him (a nation that by the LAW were required to gather at the very place that was destroyed) Jesus sent out twelve to establish His physical church which would be saved from that destruction by His return.
They wrote the gospels about Him. They wrote letters of encouragement and reproof and instruction to the Apostolic church – His church – a church composed of a physical presence of converted Jews mixed in with some spiritually regenerated gentiles (take from the “other sheep which were not of that first fold).
These writings and epistles were not completed until probably 69-70 AD and were not available (as a whole, complete book to the mass of individual believers)
until the mid 300’s – or 230 years later!
They were specifically written to a people who lived at a very different time than believers today, who faced very different trials and difficulties that His Body faces today (in many respects) and who were anxiously awaiting His true return – which did arrive.
What guided the believers?
We’ll they had some of the apostles themselves. And then they had some of the apostolic writings – but not all.
So here’s my point before we move on.
The Old Testament was written in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.
The New Testament was written to the members of the Apostlic physical church to help them during inexorable times of trial while the earnestly awaited Christ’s return.
Then He returned, and the age was complete – and the believers at Jerusalem, looking to see Him saw Him (in the clouds).
And Christ, having done all He said He would do now reigns, at the right hand of the Father, over His spiritual Kingdom – over what I believe is NOT his church (that was established prior to His return) but His Body.
Several hundreds of years later the writings of the early apostolic church were gathered and compiled and once they were made available to the world have served to clarify a number of things kept in darkness before.
It is reading and hearing and studying the Word of God that our faith is established, fortified – and even comes.
It serves as a sound second witness to a person’s spiritual walk in the spirit body of Christ.
But nowhere does the New Testament ever say that people today, or in 1960, or 1830, or 1510, or before, were supposed to use it as a New law for the Body of Believers.
Nowhere does the Good News include the idea that spirit led members in the Body of Christ are obligated to model what occurred in the Apostolic church or use the New Testament contents as law to condemn other believers.
Where everything in the old age or world was completed by and through Christ physically, ALL of it – every bit of it, since His return in 70 AD has spiritual application to those in His Body and is governed by and through His Spirit – not the contents of the epistles to be used as a concrete model.
So where believers of the Apostolic Church had His second coming physically, and were judged physically, and experienced membership in His church PHYSICALLY we (members of His Body) experience everything physically by faith.
Yes, we gather together, but for a different reason then they gathered together (we’ll talk more about this in chapter 10) . . . and yes, we can implement things found in the physical New Testament model, but we are individual members of His Spiritual Body, not physical members of a physical church.
That is a fail beginning to end.
I don’t believe the brick and mortar model has EVER been the work of the Spirit – no matter how successful they appear to be.
The model is spirit. So how does that play out for believers today? The same way it played out for the Apostolic Church back in the day – except ours is independently and spiritually experienced (instead of corporately and physically).
We are living as believers, touched by the Holy Spirit to live, think and act.
Like the church in 70 AD, when we die, we experience either heaven or hell.
If heaven we experience our own second coming, and see Jesus (as we have expected to see Him). If an unbeliever dies he or she will not see Him – they didn’t expect to.
And His Body of spiritually regenerated believers continues to grow (in heaven as on earth) like the early physical church grew.
The spiritual “body” of believers moves and acts no differently than an individual moves and chooses and acts as a believer until they experience their own subjective judgment and second coming.
There is nobody but the King and His Kingdom – and every brick and mortar church has been trying to establish itself as an Apostolic Church since Constanine – and that has never been the purpose of the New Testament – to become a new law by which we all bite and judge each other.
I would strongly, strongly suggest that churches attempting to operate by the New Testament model do so without a directive from God, are “playing church,” and they will always fail (meaning in Godly function) because they have established themselves on a false premise to begin with – and because men, and Law (albeit New Testament Law) rules the day – rather than the Spirit of the Lord, which, according to 2nd Corinthians 2:17, is freedom.
Oooooookay. Let’s read on and try and finish nine.
Now, the writer had been pointing out that Jesus entered only once into the Holy of Holies (verses over and over again).
In so doing we know that indirectly the writer is appealing to the fact that Jesus was human – a man.
And as a man He died once and then entered into the Holy of Holies on our behalf.
Humans die once – not over and over again – and to bolster this position he adds: (verse 27):
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
We might read this as
“since it is appointed unto men to die once only and after this the judgment (NEXT VERSE) “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.”
That is the context of his mentioning in verse (27) “that men were appointed to die just once, and then the judgment.”
But let’s talk about this singular appointment unto death and then judgment.
I have heard all my Christian life (and have even repeated) that Christians are judged at the cross, and have escaped judgment.
I do not believe this any longer. I don’t think they are contextually biblical.
Yes, our sin and the price for them judged as horrid and paid for in total.
Again – all sin – paid . . . except the sin of unbelief.
On this judgment awaits IN THE SENSE that it is appointed unto all people to die ONCE and after this the judgment as to whether we were believers or not.
Believers to heaven, unbelievers to hell.
The writer of Hebrews makes it plain that death comes first and then the judgment.
Now, just as mortal men die once and then the judgment I think we can also say that there is one death and one judgment following thereafter – after death destination – heaven or hell.
Hell is not death – it is not the second death. That is the Lake of Fire clearly called the Second Death.
So, in the human mortal realm, first death, then judgment – heaven or hell.
If heaven, at that time, I cannot say what this means, except a person believed from the heart.
If hell, at that time, all we can say is it is a place of weeping, and wailing, and regret. Gnashing of teeth.
The contents of hell? Pretty clear – those NOT covered in the shed blood of Christ.
Jesus said straight is the gate and narrow is the way but broad is the way to destruction.
Now, I would suggest that this is the first Judgment – heaven or hell.
When Jesus was on earth He personally taught that there would be many who would say, “Lord, Lord,” there would be virgins knocking on the door saying “let us in,” there would be good fish and bad fish in the kingdom, wheat and tares.”
Taking all of this I would suggest that hell will contain those who have claimed His name.
Maybe these are those who at once time believed but didn’t continue on in the faith.
Maybe these are carnal Christians. Maybe these are people who really had a faith in one period of their lives but gave it up and over.
I say this because when we read of hell giving up its dead we read that the Lamb’s books of life will be opened to see if the inhabitant released from hell’s name is written in it.
The ONLY way an occupant of hell could have their name in the Lamb’s book of life would be if they were His . . . but walked away for whatever cause of reason.
Those whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life are cast into the second death.
Now, it has been appointed to man (human’s) to die ONCE . . . and then the judgment, (right?)
So this second death was not an appointment for men – it was an appointment for Satan and His angels.
When man enters into such a place, scripture calls this the second death.
Therefore those in it experience another death – a second death.
If it was appointed for man to die once and then the judgment, maybe we can assume (no jokes on that word) that after the second death comes a second judgment of some type or kind?
Not a pleasant thought when we consider all the ramifications, is it?
Additionally, with regard to the line that “it is appointed unto men once to die,” we may observe,
We like to think that physical death is necessary due to things wearing out, etc.
I would suggest that there is a lot to the word that death has been “appointed” to man.
Remember what God said in Genesis 3:19:
“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
God could as well have made the heart to play forever as well as 80 or 90 years.
But death was appointed by God for the reason of SIN. Remember? We sing it:
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Holy beings do not die. Angels don’t die (from what we can tell, anyway) and might be why the Lake of Fire was created for them cause they never pass away?
Anyway . . .
Death, whether the first or second, spiritual or physical, happens to all because of sin.
And in this world it occurs once.
I worry, sometimes, over the abundance some believers have placed on escaping inevitable death by and through a rapture when in reality their individual death is the point to, shall we say, live for.
The death of self, for a devout Christian, is a death of all things self – and the willingness to allow them to occur to His glory.
To take our eyes off the fact that Christ has come physically but our individual “raptures and second comings” are not one whit less glorious (or horrifying) depending on who you are.
So, final verse of nine.
In 27 the writer wrote:
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
And then adds:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many (listen) and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Christ also once was offered to bear the sins of the many (believers) listen
AND . . .
“UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM SHALL HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME without sin unto salvation.”
Did you catch that?
Unto them that look for Him they will see Him coming in the clouds
First I would say that those who would be looking for Him suggests those who are His people, His followers, those who trust in His promises.
I would suggest there are two general scenarios for this to occur.
First, I would apply the contextual setting to this line and say that the writer is telling us plainly that at His coming in 70AD those who were expecting to see Him in the clouds saw Him – and those who didn’t didn’t.
People often ask me:
“How come there wasn’t a universal knowledge of Christ returning in 70 AD.
First, because He came in the clouds (just as He left) and two, those who actually witness it were expecting to see Him!
The rest of the “world” missed it – and in Jerusalem, were destroyed.
The second application would be this: I would suggest that when believers die they too bear the very same expectation – to see Him in the clouds.
Those who are His hear His voice. Those who are His Body join His Body. Those who don’t expect to see Him won’t.
Again, it’s all a matter of faith.
To the Apostolic church there was an eminent expectation of His return – the Apostles emphasized his coming was at hand – and to watch, and look, and believe.
In the body today it is incumbent to reaffirm to the faithful that they will see Him, that it is a matter of faith, and all who have trusted in Him here will see Him there.
Again, the Apostolic church anticipated His coming.
Paul wrote to the church of Thessalonica
(1st Thessalonians 1:10)
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
Peter (in 2nd Peter 3:12) and using language that describes the destruction of that age by fire said to the saints:
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
Likewise each and every one of us, with total expectation, are looking for Him to appear to us upon our deaths, looking for a new heaven and a new earth where dwells righteousness.
And how will we look upon Him?
The writer tells us
“and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
I would interpret this to mean the first time we looked to Him as believers we looked to Him to take our sin but the second time we will look to Him (not to take our sin) but for salvation . . .
I could be wrong . . . but ONLY about that!
Questions
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