Dedication Of The Sanctuary 3-8-26 PM

I.   The dedication of the old sanctuary (Hebrews 9:18-21).

A.  Our writer begins by pointing out the fact that the old sanctuary had been dedicated with blood.

1. Moses had read all of God’s law to the people.

2. When he had read it all, he took the blood of animals, along with water and hyssop and wool, and sprinkled the tablet of stone and the people.

3.   This was done to show that they were dedicated to God.

B. He told them this was the blood of the covenant, the blood shed to ratify or dedicate them to God, which brought them into a covenant relationship with God.

1.   Notice the similarity of this to what Jesus said in the institution of the Lord’s Supper.

2.   Matthew 26:28.

C. Later, when the tabernacle and the instruments used in the worship of the tabernacle were finished, these were all sprinkled with blood as well.

D.   This blood cleansed those things in order for them to be used in service to God.

E.   This was all done to show to the people the necessity of sacrifice and the cost of sin.

1.   God had told them several times that life was in the blood.

2.   For things to be dedicated with blood showed to all involved that was being dedicated was costly and important.

II. The disarming of an argument (Hebrews 9:21).

A.   Our writer reminds his audience that nearly everything under the old law was purged, or cleansed with blood.

B. There were very few things that blood was not required for in order to cleanse it.

1.   Those things that were had to be washed with water or burned in a fire.

2.   None of the things mentioned in the Old Law that did not require blood had to do with sin.

3.   There was not a sin under the Old Law that did not require blood.

C.   Our writer then reminds his audience that without blood there can be no remission.

1.   The idea is that it is impossible for their to be the removal of sins without the shedding of blood.

2.   A sinner could not and cannot be separated from his sins unless blood has been shed for them.

D. The argument being dealt with is that of the fact the Jews could not understand how the Christ could die on a cross.

1.    Numerous times in the New Testament we are told that the death of Jesus was a stumbling block to the Jews.

2.   They couldn’t get over the fact that the Messiah died.

E.    We know this was because they were thinking physically.

F.    Nevertheless, it was a great burden on their mind.

G. The writer, by inspiration, is letting them know that if blood was not shed, there could be no remission of their sins.

1.   He’s already let them know that the blood of animals purified the flesh and that was all (vs. 13).

2.   It took the blood of Jesus to obtain eternal redemption for mankind (vs. 12).

H.   Jesus had to die because blood had to be shed in order for sins to be remitted.

I.   It took the Christ, the Messiah, dying for that blood to be shed because animal blood didn’t do the job and the blood of some sinful man would not either.

III.    The determination of the purification (Hebrews 9:23-24).

A.    Our writer tells us that it was necessary or determined that there had to be purification.

B.    The things of the Old Testament were all anti-types of things to come under the New Testament.

1.   The Old Testament instruments, sanctuary, and other things were all determined to need dedication and purification.

2.   Since they all pointed to things in heaven, under the spiritual nature of the New Testament, the New Testament sanctuary needed purifying as well.

C.   This was done with better sacrifices, namely the one sacrifice of Jesus.

D.   Jesus didn’t enter a man-made holy place, which were figures or types of what was to come.

E. Instead, He entered into heaven itself and is appearing before the very face of God for us.

1.    The word presence means before the face.

2.   Jesus is there before the face of God and is there working for us.

3. He is our Advocate, Mediator and Friend before God.

 IV.  The duration of the sacrifice (Hebrews 9:25-28).

A.   Every year the high priest would enter the most holy place with an offering for himself and for the people.

B.   We mentioned that he had done this on earth over 1500 times.

C. Jesus didn’t have to do that or else He would have had to have done it forever.

1.    Now, one time for all time, Jesus offered Himself.

2.   He did so at the completion of the age.

3.   This means we are in the last days.

4. There is no other sacrifice coming.

D.   You and I are all going to die and then face the judgment.

E.   That is what is left after this age, nothing more.

F.   Like we die once, Christ was offered once for sins.

1.  We don’t die over and over again.

2.  Jesus is not offered over and over again.

G. Instead, those who have died to sin are looking for Jesus to come again, not to deal with sin, but to take us home.

H. The ESV, at the end of verse 28 says, “not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

1. Jesus has dealt with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

2.  That sacrifice endures until time is no more.

3.  He is coming back to save those of us who are looking for Him.