TYPE AND FULFILLMENT

HEBREWS 9:16–28

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these

(Hebrews 9:23).

Today, returning to Hebrews, we consider the second part of chapter 9. This passage tells us that the covenant, the bond between God and His people, comes into being on the basis of blood poured out in death. The author first points out that the Sinaitic covenant was inaugurated and maintained year ‘by’ year by means of the sprinkling of blood. These rituals were a picture, or type, of the death of Jesus and the application of His blood to His people.

The sprinkling of blood, he writes, brings about cleansing. The word unclean in the Bible means death in the broad sense of alienation from God. Various forms of this death are pictured in Leviticus 11–15 and Numbers 19. Thus cleansing means resurrection and reconciliation with God. We have seen that when blood is displayed, God is satisfied and reconciled. Blood creates a doorway of access to God. In other words, the display of blood reconciles us to God.

To understand the argument of Hebrews, we have to understand that only sinful persons, not physical objects, are alienated from God. When Moses and Aaron sprinkled blood on the tabernacle and its furniture, it was not because these things were alienated from God but because they were symbols of humanity.

There were two million people at the time of the exodus. Moses did not sprinkle each of them. Instead, he sprinkled the objects that represented them—the 12 pillars of Exodus 24 and the tabernacle and its furniture. In Exodus 24 Moses also sprinkled the book, the Word of God, thereby establishing a new link between God and the people through blood.

Jesus’ blood is said to sprinkle and cleanse not the symbols but the realities—His people. We are the heavenly things, the heavenly beings, cleansed by His blood. We are the house of God, the pillars of God, the lampstand and altars of God. Jesus shows His blood to the Father and puts it on us, pictured in the waters of baptism. Through His death, His blood, and His resurrection, our Great High Priest reconciles us to the Father, reestablishing the link between God and those He has loved from eternity past.

CORAM DEO

Ezekiel 12–14

The objects in the tabernacle represented the people of Israel in heaven, because the people were not allowed in. Because Jesus has now sprinkled us from heaven with His blood, we no longer need furniture to represent us. In what ways are you a lamp to the world, a table of bread for others, and an altar of incense to God?

For further study: Isaiah 52:15 • Ezekiel 36:24–27 • Hebrews 10:19–22

wednesday

july

28

The Obscenity of the Cross

HEBREWS 10:1–7

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me”

(Hebrews 10:5).

The author of Hebrews teaches that because His death paid the price for sin, Jesus suffered once and for all. The animals of the old covenant died year after year, because their deaths could never take away human sin but could only portray the deliverance (Hebrews 9:25–10:4).

For human sin to be overcome, human righteousness is necessary. Neither the innocence of a lamb nor the perfect righteousness of God could meet the need. Only a perfect man could defeat sin. Jesus was that man.

What’s more, our sins had to be paid for. Again, a goat cannot pay for human sin, and neither can God. The one who makes the payment must be a man. But how can a mere man pay the infinite price for the infinite sins of humanity? Only if this man were also God incarnate could He pay that infinite price. The man who makes the perfect atonement must also be God.

The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40:6, which actually says, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have pierced.” The “circumcision of the ear” is a picture of sacrifice, because it involves the shedding of blood. Thus the author of Hebrews brings out this meaning by substituting the phrase “a body You prepared for Me.” The human body that Jesus took at His incarnation was destined to be pierced and “dug out” in death.

This bloody doctrine of atonement has been derisively called “primitive” and “obscene” by many unbelievers. These are perfect words to describe it. Primitive literally means “early in history,” and the judgment of death upon humanity came right at the dawn of human history. Jesus’ death is primitive in the sense that it paid that primordial judgment—and also in the sense that it began a new history for a new humanity.

And unquestionably Jesus’ death was obscene. Sin is the ultimate obscenity, and the consequences of sin are foul. Jesus took upon Himself all our obscenity and died a grotesque death for us. The obscenity of the Cross—a stark-naked man writhing in bloody agony—stands as a permanent reminder to us of the horror of sin and God’s hatred of it.

CORAM DEO

Ezekiel 15–17

Protestants don’t have crucifixes because we affirm that Jesus’ death is over and done with, while Rome extends His agonies through the sacrifice of the mass. The bloody body of the Savior is a potent reminder of the obscenity of the Cross. Spend a few minutes in prayerful reflection on the death of Christ today.

For further study: Psalm 22:1–8 • Isaiah 53:4–6 • Mark 15:33–38

thursday

july

29

The Seated Priest

HEBREWS 10:5–14

But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God

(Hebrews 10:12).

Hebrews 10:11–14 returns at last to the theme of the Melchizedekian priesthood of Jesus. The author points out that the priests of the law never sat down in God’s house. The only chair in the house was the ark-throne, the mercy seat, which was in the throne room, the Holy of Holies. The outer room did not have a chair. The priests serving in the outer tabernacle never finished their work, because the sacrifices had to be repeated day after day, year after year. The high priest never sat down in the throne room, because the blood of the goat slain on the day of atonement could never really create access to the throne.

But now Jesus’ blood has been offered, and it does satisfy God fully. Jesus is allowed into the throne room, and He is allowed to stay. Moreover He is invited to sit on the throne next to God the Father. He has become King as well as Priest. The author of Hebrews has established his point: Jesus is the Melchizedekian Priest-King. Why would anyone want to go back under the inferior Aaronic priesthood of Judaism?

But if the work has been accomplished once and for all, why does history keep moving forward? Why doesn’t God end the world? Because now Jesus is subduing all His enemies. Remember, this is the pastoral theme of Hebrews. As we travel through the wilderness on the way to our sabbath rest, Jesus has gone on before, and He is “reeling us in.” He won’t let us fail because He intends to offer us as living sacrifices and gifts to His Father (Hebrews 8:3). Also, adds the author of Hebrews, God is putting humanity under Jesus’ feet (Hebrews 10:13–14).

This is a double-sided image. We are all God’s enemies by nature. Those who oppose Him will be put under His feet, trodden down as His enemies. But when God converts us, we become part of Jesus’ footstool, upholding His throne through our praise. The ark of the covenant is called God’s footstool (1 Chronicles 28:2), a place of worship (Psalm 99:5; 132:7). We are put into the ark, hidden and protected by His throne. This is the protection we can count on as we journey through the wilderness toward our sabbath rest.

CORAM DEO

Ezekiel 18–20

The church is Christ’s footstool. If anyone tries to yank the footstool from under His feet, we can be sure that He will act swiftly to restore it. What kind of confidence did this image provide for the Jewish believers in the days Hebrews was written? What does it say to you?

For further study: Psalm 110:1 • 1 Cor. 15:25 • Rev. 11:9–16

friday

july

30

The Mercy Seat

HEBREWS 10:11–18

This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds

(Hebrews 10:16, quoting Jeremiah 31:33).

In 1 Chronicles 28:2, David says concerning the temple: “I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.” The ark is the footstool, and we need to bear that in mind as we consider Hebrews 10:15–17 today.

Inside the ark was one thing: the tablets of the Law. Above the ark was the mercy seat, on which the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the day of atonement. We who were Christ’s enemies, have now been made His footstool. That means we have become the human form of the ark of the covenant.

The author of Hebrews combines this symbolism with a statement from Jeremiah 31:33–34. These verses say that God will write His Laws on our hearts. This fulfills the symbolism of the ark. Just as the law was inside the ark, so it is now inside of us. Just as the ark journeyed through the wilderness, with God enthroned above it, so now we journey toward our sabbath, with Christ enthroned above us.

But between the ark and God’s enthroned presence in the pillar of cloud, there was a slab of gold called the mercy seat. What did this mean? Remember that blood was put on the mercy seat. This meant that when God looked down at the ark, His people, He looked through the blood on the mercy seat. That blood represented Christ.

So now, fulfilling the symbolism, Christ is seated on the mercy seat. When God the Father looks down at us, the new ark, He sees us through Jesus. Jesus is above us. God sees Him and remembers His blood. And so the author of Hebrews continues his quotation from Jeremiah, “The sins and lawless acts I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).

The animal sacrifices reminded God of sins year by year, because that blood could never remove sin (Hebrews 10:3–4). But the blood of Jesus, which we plead, reminds God of Christ’s atoning death, and for this reason God does not remember our sins any longer. Instead He remembers Jesus, and we who have fled for refuge under His feet.

CORAM DEO

Ezekiel 21–24

WEEKEND

Ezekiel 25–32

Use your imagination to picture this scenario. Above is God, angry at sin. Below is the ark, which is us. Between God and us is the mercy seat, which is Jesus. Jesus mediates between God and us, and God is now satisfied and happy with us. Can you see more fully why we must always pray “in Jesus’ name”?

For further study: Jeremiah 31:31–34 • Hebrews 8:10 • Revelation 21:1–4

WEEKEND