Today's passage speaks about several different types of offerings: peace, thanksgiving, freewill, and sin offerings. In each of them, we see the truth explained in Hebrews 9. Please refer to this passage, as its teaching may be instructive for seeing the greater purpose behind today's list of regulations. Please note how God provides for everyone, that all should give offerings according to their ability to do so. It is clear from this flexibility that God is more concerned with the heart behind the offering rather than its cost. For each person, however, a sacrifice would be just that: a sacrifice, something that costs the giver.
In Hebrews 9:6-10, the author indicates that the Tabernacle order only pointed to the coming of Christ: "When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order." These offerings point to the final Offering, the Person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, our Great High Priest, atoned for our sins ONCE FOR ALL! As the author of Hebrews points out, "when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption." (vv. 11,12) The blood of Christ has freed us from slavery to sin and made us sons and daughters of the living God: "... Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (v. 16)
Blood marked forgiveness under the first covenant, about which we read today. Hebrews 9:22 highlights this: "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." How true this is even under our new covenant; God's sovereign plan has always called for true sacrifice -- the shedding of blood unto forgiveness. But Jesus's sacrifice was not like the earthly High Priest's, ones that needed to be offered continually to atone for sin. No, Jesus has forever forgiven us by His bearing of sin ONCE FOR ALL.
Our proper acceptance of Jesus's gift should bring both peace (trust in God's provision, for Christ is our peace) and thanksgiving ("Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15). In Christ, we have received an offering we could never earn. Sing for joy today!
QUESTIONS
1. Do you feel guilty or ashamed today? How can you lay this guilt or shame at the Cross, rejoicing in the freedom that Jesus bought for you by His blood?
2. How could the reflection of Jesus's ONCE-FOR-ALL sacrifice change your view of God's power and sovereignty?
No comments:
Post a Comment