23 – One Eternal Sacrifice

“For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26.

“When the high priest entered the holy place, representing the place where our High Priest is now pleading, and offered sacrifice on the altar, no propitiatory sacrifices were offered without. While the high priest was interceding within, every heart was to be bowed in contrition before God, pleading for the pardon of transgression. Type met antitype in the death of Christ, the Lamb slain for the sins of the world. The great High Priest has made the only sacrifice that will be of any value….” –That I May Know Him, p. 73.

SUNDAY

Need to repeat the sacrifice

1. What did the Levitical high priest have to do every year? How was Jesus’ sacrifice totally different from this?

Hebrews 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others.

Leviticus 16:29, 34 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:… 34And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord com- manded Moses.

“Christ did not rend His robe, but His soul was rent. His garment of human flesh was rent as He hung on the cross, the Sin-bearer of the race. By His suffering and death a new and living way was opened. There is no longer a wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. ‘By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.’ This enabled Him to proclaim on the cross, with a clear and triumphant voice, ‘It is finished.’ ‘Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.’ ‘This man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.’ Christ entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. ‘Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.’ He has qualified Himself to be not only man’s representative, but his advocate, so that every soul, if he will, may say, I have a Friend at court, a High Priest who is touched with the feeling of my infirmities.” –Review and Herald, June 12, 1900.

Hebrews 9:7, 22 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:… 22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

“In His intercession as our Advocate, Christ needs no man’s virtue, no man’s intercession. Christ is the only Sinbearer, the only sin offering. Prayer and confession are to be offered only to Him who has entered once for all into the holy place.” –That I May Know Him, p. 73.

TUESDAY

Reason for the repetition

3. In the earthly sacrificial service, why was it necessary to repeat the sacrifice for the cleansing of the sanctuary every year?

Hebrews 10:2; 9:13, 14 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins…. 9:13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

“The gospel of Christ reflects glory upon the Jewish age. It sheds light upon the whole Jewish economy, and gives significance to the ceremonial law. The tabernacle, or temple, of God on earth was a pattern of the original in heaven. All the ceremonies of the Jewish law were prophetic, typical of mysteries in the plan of redemption.

“The rites and ceremonies of the law were given by Christ Himself, who, enshrouded in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, was the leader of the hosts of Israel; and this law should be treated with great respect, for it is sacred. Even after it was no longer to be observed, Paul presented it before the Jews in its true position and value, showing its place in the plan of redemption and its relation to the work of Christ; and the great apostle pronounces this law glorious, worthy of its divine Originator.” –(Signs of the Times, July 29, 1886) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1095.

WEDNESDAY

No need to offer sacrifices for Himself

4. What great offering did the Son of God present instead of offering some other victim? Did He need to offer sacrifices for Himself to enter the most holy place, as did the earthly high priest?