He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own
blood (Hebrews 9:12).
There was a big difference between the repeated sacrifices
of the Old Testament and the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. Mosaic sacrifices
were not only temporary, but insufficient to remedy humanity’s sin problem.
Nothing in and of themselves, they were symbolic of something better to be
offered by the coming Christ.
Under the Law, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place
only once a year, and carried with him the blood of a bull sacrificed for his
own sins, and the blood of a goat for the sins of the people (Leviticus
16:11-15). That blood was his authority for being there. Without it he would
die (16:2). Without Christ’s blood, we would die. Without the shedding of
blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews
9:22).
When he died for our sins, the inner room Jesus our High
Priest entered was not some symbolic representation, but the very presence of
God the Father. It was not by authority of blood collected from a sacrificial
lamb, but by the authority inherent in his own blood. He didn’t need anyone or
anything to make him presentable to God; he was perfect in and of himself. …so
Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a
second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting
for him (v. 28). In the words of
William Cowper’s immortal hymn:
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
Reflect on how Christ died
in your place, shedding his blood to wash away your sin.
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