Scripture Daily

Context No. 4186 of 4322 · Hebrews

Context · Reflection

Hebrews 9:21-28: in context

21He sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in the same way with the blood. 22According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. 23It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, 26or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, 28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The writer of Hebrews explains why Christ's sacrifice is superior to the old sacrifices, which had to be repeated year after year. Christ, he says, entered not an earthly sanctuary but heaven itself, and he offered himself not repeatedly but once for all, at the end of the ages, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. His one sacrifice was complete and final; it need never be repeated.

Two great truths stand here. Christ's sacrifice was once for all. Unlike the priests who offered the same sacrifices again and again because they could never finish the work, Christ offered himself a single time, and it was enough; sin was dealt with, fully and finally. And he will come again. Just as it is appointed for each of us to die once and then face judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin again, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Our sin has been fully dealt with, and our future is secure: for those who wait for him, his return is not a threat but a hope.

Do I rest in the finality of Christ's once-for-all sacrifice, by which my sin has been fully dealt with, and do I eagerly await his second coming, not as a threat but as the hope of my completed salvation?

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