HEBREWS: The Perfect Sacrifice; "Christ has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself; so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many!"

For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. (Hebrews 9:16-17)

 

Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” [Exodus 24:8] Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9:18-22) 

 

Ever wonder what "testament" means? Testament is something that serves as a sign or evidence of a specific fact, event or quality; a will, especially one that relates to the disposition of one's personal property; a covenant, especially between God and humans.  That complete definition is explained in the above scripture.  God made a covenant, a promise with man, starting with Noah (Genesis 6-9), then Abraham (Genesis 15, 17), and with all their descendants after them, including those of us you have faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 4).  

 

As a sign of His covenant, God required blood sacrifices be made, which began when Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden and an animal was sacrificed to make them clothing (Genesis 3).  Unfortunately, another form of sacrifice came into play also when their son Cain killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4).  God explained this to Noah, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. (Genesis 9:6) But back to the sacrifce for sin, the whole Levitical system is based on this practice of making sacrifices to God, in the hope that it will make atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 1-20). 

 

The clearest example of this truth is when the children of Isreal were in Egypt that final night, when God instituted the "Passover": Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb.  And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. (Exodus 12:21-23)

 

And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever.  It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service.  And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’  that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’” So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. (Exodus 12:24-28) 

 

This system of making sacrifices for sin was not meant to be permanent because it was not perfect.  The people were not sincere about repenting, turning from their sin, but used the system as an insurance policy.  God was not pleased: “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams." (I Samuel 15:22) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Romans 4:3-5)  

 

As the above scripture stated, For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  Christ Jesus is the testator: Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation [Acts 1:9-11]. (Hebrews 9:23-28)

 

 When Jesus died on the cross, the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (John 19:33-34) God requires the shedding of blood, because according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. But not only was Christ the perfect sacrifice, He is also our High Priest.  He was qualified to enter into the Most Holy Place; as the angel of God told the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

 

When He appears a second time, it will be apart from sin. He will not have to make another sacrifice of Himself for sin, for that work was completed when Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  When He returns the second time, it will be for salvation; looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people... (Titus 2:13-14)