“Hebrews 10”

Monday, September 11, 2017

The Old Law, in its entirety, was a “shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things” (verse 1). By its very nature, a shadow (or type) is inferior to the real thing (the fulfillment or anti-type). A picture of a loved one is nice, but the real person is much better.

The animal sacrifices of the Law of Moses were a type, which foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus for the sins of the world.

It was stated repeatedly, in the book of Leviticus, that when these sacrifices were offered by a penitent believer, his sins would be forgiven. (See Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18; 6:7 for examples.) Yet, here in Hebrews, the author states that these sacrifices could never “make those who approach perfect” (verse 1). And that “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (verse 4). It also says that “sacrifices and offering You (God, rh) did not desire” and “in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure” (verses 5-6). How do we reconcile these thoughts?

We do so by understanding the difference between forgiveness and remission.

The forgiveness of the Levitical sacrifices was conditional. This is seen in the phrase, “in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year” (verse 3). The reason animal sacrifices could never take away sins (permanently) is that sin is a rebellion of humanity against God. When people, created in God’s image, violate His will, that sin separates them from Him (Isaiah 59:1-2). Human death must occur to atone for that rebellion. Jesus, the perfect combination of humanity and deity, bridged that gap by dying, not for His own sins (because He had none), but for the sins of others (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

God reconciled humanity (made us friends with Him again) through Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament sacrifices were a test to show who was willing to obey God. When Jesus died on the cross, their sins were finally and forever taken away. That’s what remission of sins means. On this side of the cross, because Jesus has now died for the sins of the world (John 1:29), when we repent and are baptized in the name of Christ, we have the (permanent) remission of sins (Acts 2:38).

--Roger Hillis

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