One TV show that we occasionally watch in our house is Antiques Roadshow, a show where one can bring in items that one hopes are worth something and have them appraised, hopefully for many dollars. Maybe that item in our house is worth something, or perhaps it is only an imitation. Imitations have some value, though never nearly as much as an original. I would certainly not mind owning a copy of a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt painting. However, owning an original would be of infinitely more value. In our Scripture passage today from the Book of Hebrews, we see a comparison between an original and a copy, and how important that is.
Shortly after the people of Israel were freed from years of slavery in Egypt, they journeyed to Mt. Sinai, where God gave them His Law. He also gave Moses a pattern from which to build the Tabernacle. The pattern of the Tabernacle was taken from the original in heaven with God, and later Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, which was patterned after the first earthly Tabernacle. Within the Tabernacle were the sacrificial altar, and the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was.
It was there that the Jewish High Priest would offer the blood of the sacrifice for forgiveness of sins. Once a year he would come with the sacrificial blood to make atonement for the sins of the people. However, this altar, this tabernacle were only copies of the original in heaven. The blood of animals could never fully atone for sin. The earthly holy places in the tabernacle were only copies of the real abode of God in heaven (vs. 24). The Jewish priests only entered the copies. Jesus, the Son of God and the Messiah, went into the real thing in heaven, offering His sinless Blood to make atonement for our sins.
The priests needed to make numerous sacrifices, day after day, year after year. That is because the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats could not sufficiently atone for our sins. Jesus died once for all (vs. 25-26). He did not enter into a copy of the Holy Place, which the priests did. Instead, He brought His Blood into the true Holy Place, in heaven itself. His sinless Blood, offered upon the true Altar, would bring forgiveness to all who called upon Him.
Jesus’s sacrifice does not need to be continually repeated, like the Jewish sacrifices. He died only once, and that was sufficient to atone for the sins of mankind. We are completely forgiven of the penalty of our sins through the sufficient, substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Mediator, appearing in God’s presence on our behalf. He is on our side, at God’s side. He is there, interceding on our behalf.
As we continue on in this passage, we read in verse 27 that all will stand before God on Judgment Day. We also see that except for those alive when Jesus returns for us, everyone must die sometime. Everyone will answer to God at the Judgment. When we stand before His absolute holiness, we will not be able to say anything in our own defense. The only question will be whether we trusted in Jesus to be our Savior, or whether we’ve chosen to pay our sin debt on our own. There are no works sufficient enough to pay one’s sin debt, nor any amount of money. We either accept Jesus’s sacrifice or be eternally condemned.
The Bible clearly states here that there is no reincarnation (vs. 27). Every person gets one chance to prepare for judgment. We also see here the falsehood of the belief many people hold to, that of “universal reconciliation”, the hope that all men will be saved, whether they accept Jesus in this life or not. This is a false doctrinal error. God will not deny His holiness and justice to reward men who’ve rejected His love and grace.
Jesus is our great sin-bearer. It is only through Him that we have forgiveness and freedom from sin. Accept today the sacrifice He made of His Blood on our behalf, before it is too late, for Judgment Day is coming for all. You may not like to think about that, just like you try not to think about the days of a dreaded doctor appointment, difficult test, meeting with the boss, or tax day. But those days eventually come around, and this one will, as well.
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