Our passage for today is difficult for many people because they think blood sacrifices are barbaric and archaic. Actually, there are many things that are significantly more barbaric in Twenty-First Century American culture. But, before we dismiss this part of Hebrews, let’s look deeper into what the author is communicating; after all, he is dealing with the foundational theological principal of the Christian faith.
He is showing us that a covenant is like a will in that the one making the will determines its provisions and the will is not effective until the maker has died. The first covenant was a shadow or symbol of the better covenant that would be made by Jesus. As God is the creator of all living things, animals created by God were used to symbolize God’s blood being shed to establish the first covenant. The point of the priest sprinkling the blood throughout the Tabernacle was to demonstrate that all things exist by the grace of God. There was no room for human pride, human accomplishments in the Tabernacle.
Jesus has established a better covenant by shedding, once and for all time, his own blood. By taking his own blood into the heavenly Holy of Holies Jesus has made it ready for God’s people to dwell with God for all eternity.
“Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father” choose to establish this new and better covenant by shedding his own blood for the forgiveness of our sins. (Quote from the Nicene Creed)
God did not require that I shed my blood for the forgiveness of my sins. God shed His blood for me.
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
24-Feb-12 Heb. 10:1-18
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