Morning Message: By One Offering

Bobservations' Column
Titled - "By One Offering"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

In Hebrews 10, it is clearly affirmed that animal sacrifices were insufficient for clearing our guilt for sin. In the early verses of Genesis 3, the first couple was lured into sinning against God, first Eve, and then Adam. At verse 21, an animal sacrifice was made, and God made them coats of skins to cover their nakedness. They had been other-oriented, but because of sin, they became self-oriented, and self-aware. This was the fulfillment of Satan’s promise to become as God; to know good and evil.

While the animal skins covered over their nakedness, the skins could not remove the stain of sin in their hearts. They were made outwardly presentable each other, but the stain remained. They were inwardly corrupted in the heart. The proof of this came in Chapter 4 with their sons, as Cain murdered Abel. Pride and jealousy reared its head between the brothers. Abel died, and Cain fled to the east, away from God, and away from accountability.

The corruption of man worsened: Genesis 6: 5 - “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” That stain of sin had corrupted every human heart, without exception. And even the flood of Noah could not wash it away.

Nonetheless, animal blood sacrifices continued for the outward atonement of sin, but it wasn’t until the Prophets began to speak of God giving us new hearts that true hope might provide for the stain of sin to be washed and changes take place. The Jews called God unfair, but the Holy Spirit tells us in 1 John 1, that God is indeed just and fair. When we choose to be accountable to God, we find Him to be “faithful and just to forgive us of all our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (the stain!). It all happens through the blood of Jesus Christ: By faith, accountability, and by faith, forgiven, and by faith, cleansed of even the residue of that stain of sin, and by faith, the promise of our eternity with Him.

“Jesus answered (Nicodemus) and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto Thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - John 3:3

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Hebrews 10:1-20 - "By One Offering"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

To help us understand the significance of what we’re looking at today, let's review again about the book Hebrews: who it was written to, and why it was written.

Hebrews is a letter written to a primarily Hebrew-Christian audience. The original recipients of this letter (sometime around the year 65 AD) had grown up in Judaism, and at some point, converted to faith in Jesus Christ.  They were well familiar with “The Law of Moses” – the old covenant system that God established with his people after he rescued them out of slavery from Egypt. We know that they were under pressure from others in their community, perhaps family or friends to return back to the Law of Moses.

The author, perhaps Paul, perhaps another writer, encourages the Hebrew believers to hold fast to their faith in Jesus Christ, then in great detail explains how the Old Covenant differs from the New Testament of Christ.  The Old Covenant, the Law of Moses, has nothing to offer them, it was only temporal.  More importantly it does not lead to salvation and eternal life. 

The Old Covenant system was only ever meant as an example, symbol, copy, shadow, model, an illustration of God’s full plan for his people – not the real thing. The Levitical system was not designed by God to remove or forgive sins.  It was preparatory for the coming of the Messiah. It was meant to show us our sinfulness, and that to be right with God, faith was necessary and a substitute sacrifice was the required payment for our sin. Jesus came as that substitute and performed the final sacrifice, the one The Law was hinting at, and as such, that old covenant is no longer necessary, and therefore it is no longer in effect. As a result, we can now draw near to God through Christ with full assurance of forgiveness! 

Sunday Morning Audio Message:

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Shadow (10:1) - The Greek term translated " shadow" refers to a pale reflection as contrasted with a sharp, distinct one.  The term behind "very image," on the other hand, indicates an exact and distinct replica (cf. Colossians 2:17).

Perfect (10:1) - This term is used repeatedly in Hebrew to refer to salvation.  As much as those living under the law desired to approach God, the Levitical system provided no way to enter His Holy Presence (cf. Psalms 15:1; 16:11; 24:3, 4).

Conscience of Sin (10:2) - This is the same word translated "conscience" in verse 22; 9:9; 13:18. If sin had really been overpowered by that system of sacrifices, the Old Testament believers' consciences would have been cleansed from condemning guilt (cf. v. 22).  There was not freedom of conscience under the Old Covenant.

Remembrance (10:3) - The Old Testament sacrifices not only could not remove sin, but their constant repetition was a constant reminder of that deficiency.  The promise of the New Covenant was that the sin would be removed and even God would "remember" their sins "no more" (8:12, quoting Jeremiah 31:34).

Not Possible (10:4) - The Levitical system was not designed by God to remove or forgive sins.  It was preparatory for the coming of the Messiah (Galatians 3:24) in that it made the people expectant (cf. 1 Peter 1:10).  It revealed the seriousness of their sinful condition, in that even temporary covering required the death of an animal.  It revealed the reality of God's holiness and righteousness by indicating that sin had to be covered.  Finally, it revealed the necessity of full and complete forgiveness so that God could have fellowship with His people. 

Thou Wouldest Not (10:5) - God was not pleased with sacrifices given by a person who did not give them out of a sincere heart (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 1:11; Jeremiah 6:20; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-25).  To sacrifice only as a ritual, without obedience, was a mockery and worse than no sacrifice at all (cf. Isaiah 1:11-18).

A Body Hast Thou Prepared for Me (10:5) - Psalm 40:6 reads, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."  The Greek translators regarded the Hebrew words as a figure of speech, in which a part of something signified the whole, i.e., the hollowing out of ears was part of the total work of fashioning a human body.  And ears were selected as the part to emphasize because they were symbols of obedience as the organ of the reception of God's Word and will (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22).  Christ needed a body in order to offer Himself as the final sacrifice (2:14).

First . . . Second (10:9) - The old, repetitious sacrificial system was removed to make way for the new, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, who had obediently done God's will (cf. 5:8; Philippians 2:8).

Sanctified (10:10) - Sanctify means to "make holy," to be set apart from sin for God (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:3). When Christ fulfilled the will of God, He provided for the believer a continuing, permanent condition of holiness (Ephesians 4:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

Body (10:10) - Referring to the His atoning death, as the term blood has been used to do.

Standeth (10:11) - In 2 Chronicles 6:10, 12, Solomon sat on his throne as king, but stood at the altar when acting in a priestly role.

Footstool (10:13) - This is another reference to Psalm 110:1.  This prediction will be fulfilled when Christ returns, and all creation acknowledges His lordship by bowing at His feet (Philippians 2:10).

Perfected (10:14) - This involves a perfect standing before God in the righteousness of Christ.

Brethren (10:19) - The writer addresses his Jewish brethren with an invitation to leave behind the Levitical system and to appropriate the benefits of the New Covenant in Christ.

Boldness (10:19) - Meaning "confidence," an important emphasis in the epistle.  Because of the high priestly ministry of Christ and His finished sacrifice, the Hebrews can enter boldly into the presence of God. 

New (10:20) - In Greek, this word originally meant "newly slain," but was understood as "recent" when the epistle was written.  The way is new because the covenant is new.  It is not a way provided by the Levitical system.

Living Way (10:20) - Though it is the path of eternal life, it was not opened by Christ's sinless life; it required His death.  The Hebrews were invited to embark on this way which is characterized by the eternal life of the Son of God who loved them and gave Himself for them (cf. John 14:6; Galatians 2:20).  The Christian faith was known as "the Way" among the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 9:2) as well as among the Gentiles (Acts 19:23). Those receiving this epistle understood quite clearly that the writer was inviting them to become Christians - to join those who had been persecuted for their faith.  True believers in their midst were even then suffering persecution, and those who had not committed themselves to the Way were asked to become targets of the same persecution.