OUR FATHER WHO TOOK NO PLEASURE IN THE SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS

The writer of the book of Hebrews continues in chapter 10 to emphasize that the law was merely a shadow of better things that were coming. The shadow, could never make anyone perfect because they were temporal and had to be repeated annually. The question arises, if the sacrifices under the law were able to make perfect, was there a point  at which the sacrificers would no longer be able to practice sin? 

Over the generations of those who sacrifices, they had to repeat their sacrifices year upon year for it was simply not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away the sins of men.

1  For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Psalm 10 is pointed out as the prophetic utterance that established that the burden of the sacrifices for the sins of men was being taken off bulls and goats and being placed on a man who had come into the world and would willingly do what the God the Father wanted and this purpose that was to happen was that Christ would die in place of men so that their ransom could be paid and they could be redeemed by the blood of the lamb. In this passage, we see a glimpse of the Messiah arriving onto the earth in the body that God had prepared for Him and He realised that the sacrifices and offerings taking place in the temple were not what God actually wanted and so the Messiah spoke up and said to go God, "I have arrived on the earth. I have read what was written of me in the scroll and what was expected of Me and I willing accept to do Your will".

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me.

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—

In the volume of the book it is written of Me—

To do Your will, O God.’ ”

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Whereas the shadow of sacrifices established the pattern and consequence of the shedding of blood and bulls, it was declared to be insufficient in prophetic terms in Psalm 40 and the Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect and fully sufficient sacrifice for once and for all. 

11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

In contrast to the earthy priests who ministered repeatedly, the Man for whom a body had been prepared, sacrificed Himself and this one offering, was eternal and He was seated at the right hand of God and the Father undertakes to subjugate all those among of humanity who rebel against the perfect One but those who voluntarily repent and cease from their rebellions and believe in the One, this one sacrifice had the power to perfect forever those who are being sanctified.

This ability to perfect those who voluntarily go into a future covenant with God is described in Jeremiah chater 31 which describes the transformation of people by the inscribing of the law of God into their hearts such that the ways of God became their nature rather than having to read it from the stone tablets. 

For those being perfected, their sins and rebellious actions were also to be expunged from God's memory and this rendered the believers justified and not requiring additional offerings for sin 

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

The writer of the book of Hebrews tells those who believe in Jesus to draw near to God with assurance and boldness because of the sufficiency of the blood of Jesus to consecrate us and cleanse our hearths from our evil conscience via His being subjected to suffering and death in the flesh (on one side of the veil) but now is exalted as the great High Priest on the house of God (having crossed over to the other side of the veil).

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 

In light of what the Lord Jesus Christ endured and accomplished in order to secure salvation for men, the writer of hebrews adjures us to remain steadfast in our faith in Christ and reciprocate the steadfastness of the one who made the promise of salvation.    We are advised to encourage one another to rise up in love and in good works and to assemble with each other ( with increasing frequency as the great day of the Lord approaches ). 

This assembling together is a safe-guard to help us resist the temptation to sin wilfully and this is important because deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth leaves us with sins for which there are no additional sacrifices but rather judgement and fiery indignation that was meant for the adversaries of God but will ungulf those who acquiesced.

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Comparing the fate of those who rejected the law of Moses with those who reject the law of Christ, the writer notes that on the strength of two or three witness, a person could be put to death by stoning under the imperfect law so therefore how much greater would be hazzard to those who, having tasted of the goodness of God's salvation, trampled the blood of the covenant underfoot and insulted the Spirit of grace. 

We are strongly encouraged to endure in holding fast to the faith that we were given insight into. Even though many contratry events happen to us as we get exposed to reproach and tribulations for even being in the company of those who believed, we are to remain confident in our faith for there is a great reward and it is awarded to those who endure till the end.

32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

37 “For yet a little while,

And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by faith;

But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

As we learn the life of living by faith, we are justified by that faith but if we, having walked in faith retrace our steps back to a faithless life, we lose those pleasure that good has in those who walk by faith for it says, "It is impossible to please God without faith".

Amen.

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