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Today
we would call this a “Last Will and Testament” or
simply a will. A will is something that tells others how to
distribute remaining possessions and money after you die. The
will does not become effective until you die. It requires your
death. This is the picture here. The first covenant or will
required the death of an animal. Then the Mosaic law became
effective. So Jesus death was required for the new will or New
Covenant (new promise ) to become effective. Ever since Adam
sinned, God has often required the death of an animal to seal
a promise.
The
Perfect Sacrifice.
Not only was Jesus the perfect sacrifice (Heb. 4:15; 7:26-28),
not only did His death cause the new will or covenant to become
effective, but His death put away our sin forever when He entered
the Holy of Holies or heaven.
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For
Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a
mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now
to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it
that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest
enters the holy place year by year with blood not his
own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often
since the foundation of the world; but now once at the
consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (NASB) Heb. 9:24-26 |
The
Holy Spirit paints a picture for us of Jesus entering not an
earthly tabernacle but heaven itself. He is seated next to God
the Father. Jesus entered heaven after He died for our sins.
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And
inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and
after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been
offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear
a second time for salvation without reference to sin,
to those who eagerly await Him. (NASB) Heb. 9:27-28
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Most people who stop long enough to think about what happens
to them after they die worry about their future after death.
Most of us believe there is something after death. That is why
the vast majority of the world believes in a god. Most of us
believe something good or something bad happens to us after
this life. This past week I was listening to a man who claimed
he was an atheist. Unfortunately, he may not realize that God
has already described him.
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The
fool has said in his heart, “There is no God .
. .” (NASB) Ps. 53:1 |
He does not realize that judgment is coming. I remember crying
myself to sleep some nights as a young boy begging God to take
me to heaven and not let me go to hell. I realized that I was
a sinner and God was not. I knew that some day I would die and
then something would happen. I would appear before Him, and
He was going to judge me.
This
passage says that God will judge us! Judgment is coming! For
many, their judgment will be eternal life in the Lake of Fire.
But for those who are eagerly waiting Jesus’ coming, our
judgment is "without reference to sin.” That means
those who are anxiously waiting for Jesus will NOT be judged
by our sins. This is one mark of a Christian. Real Christians
are eager for Jesus to return. Is this true of you? A true Christian
is one who believes that Jesus died for our sins and returned
to life, and is depending on Jesus for forgiveness of our sins!
Conclusion.
Jesus was the perfect, eternal sacrifice. The last verse in
Hebrews 9 says that He is coming again. When He comes back,
He returns without reference to sin. There is no purgatory.
There is no suffering. There is no hell. Oh, did you catch that!
There is no hell for those who eagerly wait for Him. Jesus’
death was not silly! John Dominic Crossan and Rev. Mary Kraus
are wrong. There IS a hell and Jesus’ blood - His forgiveness
- is the escape . . .
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