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Hebrews 9:6-10
When the earthly tabernacle was completed, the priests offered daily sacrifices in honor of God and for the daily sacrificial requirements for the priests and the people (Leviticus 1-9). These sacrifices were offered to God in the outer courtyard of the temple. The inmost part of the temple which was behind the veil was the Most Holy Place and only the High Priest was to enter it once a year with a blood sacrifice to offer to God for the sins of himself and of the people that were committed in ignorance (Hebrews 9:7); these sins would be sins that the people may not have realized were sinful but yet God was aware of in His omniscience (being aware of all things at all times). These sacrifices were only symbolic in that they could not perfect the people. They could only follow the directions in which they were given. But following the directions does not necessarily implement believing in them – it does not necessarily involve a sincerity of heart in the actions being performed (Hebrews 9:9-10). These, “ordinances imposed until the time of reformation” as stated in Hebrews 9:10, NKJV was a pattern to follow during the time of the old covenant until Jesus came to make the sincere, purity of heartfelt, authentic, sacrifice required to fulfill the old covenant Law for true forgiveness, which He in turn offers to all who will believe in Him being the sacrifice that was made for them that cleanses their heart and soul for eternity.
This is an example of the insufficiencies of the old covenant being fulfilled in Jesus.
There is so much going on with the old covenant sacrificial system. Why did they have to sacrifice animals for sin? What does this have to do with the sins of man? It all goes back to Adam and Eve when they committed the first sin/disobedience to God. God made coverings for the bodies of Adam and Eve from the skin of an animal (Genesis 3:21). The body of the animal, the innocent animal, was discarded – we hear no more about it; or do we? I believe that we must deduct that God killed this animal because of the sins committed by Adam and Eve; to make clothing to cover the results of their sin. But their sin still remained as it has been passed throughout all generations to us today.
When God gave the requirements for the sacrificial system of the old covenant, He intended the process to be remorseful and bring about repentance that comes from one’s heart. It was now man’s turn to kill the animal and yet, according to the requirement, discard the skin of the animal and present the body of the animal to God. The blood that God first shed for man/Adam and Eve is now required for man to present to God. And the process, as grotesque as it was, was intended for man to feel the remorse that God felt when He first had to shed the blood of the animal, of which I believe was a lamb, to cover the results of the sins of man. But it’s not the skin or outer covering that is important to God. It’s not the “covering” of our sin that God is interested in, but true heartfelt remorse for the sins that we have committed that brings about true repentance; repentance that comes from a changed heart to turn from the sinful nature that we are bound in, to accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. God does not want us to follow His rules because they are rules, He wants us to follow Him because He has opened our eyes to the truth of sin and of His faithfulness to us to forgive us and set us free from our sins by believing in Him.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to see that simply going through the motions of a religious system does not save us from our sins, but that it is a true repentant heart that You desire each of us to have in seeking Your will for our lives – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.