I've been reading in Hebrews of late. It's actually a bit of work because ... well ... I'm not Jewish. (Frankly, I'm pretty sure there are very few modern Jews who are that Jewish.) I didn't grow up with their traditions. I've read the Old Testament and have an idea of them, but they're not ingrained in me. So I have to work at it, because Hebrews is all about how Jesus is the replacement -- the new covenant -- for the prophets and priests and sacrificial system. And learning about that system isn't brief. All that to say that I'm pretty sure we are not nearly aware enough and, therefore, grateful enough for our salvation.
The Scriptures lay out an extensive set of instructions for God's way of getting people right with Him in the case of their sin. There were prophets, specially appointed, who served as His mouthpiece, taking His words to the people. There were priests, specially selected, who served as the mediator between the people and God. These priests had specific duties including offering sacrifices to cleanse themselves from their own sin and then offering sacrifices on behalf of the people to cleanse them from theirs. This was, apparently, a full time job. (Religious texts suggest there were something like 1.2 million animals a year sacrificed for the people.) Once a year, one man -- the high priest -- would prepare himself with careful cleansing and then enter the holiest place -- the Holy of Holies -- and present an offering for the entire nation. Every year. Continually. With serious consequences for missteps. Hebrews says that Jesus is our Apostle -- the mouthpiece for God -- and High Priest (Heb 3:1). He speaks to us from God (Heb 1:2) and intercedes for us with God (Heb 7:25). While the priests of the old covenant worked continually to sacrifice for sins -- their own and others -- Christ made one sacrifice -- His own perfect blood (Heb 10:10) -- on our behalf (and not His own). Which is why, Hebrews says, the old covenant is obsolete (Heb 8:13) and we have a new and improved covenant with God.
For us on this side of Christ, it's often easy to lose sight of what it cost prior to Christ both in terms of proper procedures and sacrifices and in the contrast now. "Once for all," the phrase goes. We don't have to visit the tabernacle (or Temple) frequently and constantly obtain new forgiveness. We don't have to go through a priest or wait outside while they do the job. We don't have to worry about missed sins or forgotten trespasses. "Did we make sacrifices for those?" We come to Christ, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2), and He cleanses and He perfects and He intercedes. We must not be ungrateful or lax because ours is a much better salvation than the old covenant offered. And we need not worry as the rest of humanity does that we won't be "good enough" ... because we won't. That's His job. Don't ever forget the magnitude of His grace and mercy in saving you and me.
6 comments:
I think that as we've minimized the importance of the Law, that we've lost out sense of the degree of separation between us and YHWH. We've lost the sense of sacrifice that came with the OT system.
Yes, the sense of sacrifice and the magnitude of sacrifice that makes the magnitude of sin visible.
Absolutely. Although, I appreciate the fact that we are not required to adhere to the OT Law, I can see how it helps focus on our situation.
When I consider the sacrificial system under the Old Covenant, I am struck by the futility of endeavoring to cover every sin one commits through ritualistic animal sacrifice. Even if performed every day or every hour or every moment, that ritual would not fully cleanse me (and I know it wouldn’t have cured my basic sin nature). How wonderful and freeing it is to know Christ paid it all with one perfect offering. Once for all. “One sacrifice for sins forever” (Heb. 10:12). What a joyous relief to have that more perfect salvation in Christ.
We run into a huge problem when we ignore the Law. We see that we are no longer under it, but then run to the wrong conclusion that we can simply ignore it. But the Law reminds us of our need for Christ, and if we truly love Him, we'll follow the Law that He set forth.
Even Paul refers to the Law as our means of understanding what is sinful. But then, there are those who will play games with aspects of the law which are not related to behaviors such as lying, stealing, murdering, and sexual sins and expect that we must worry about shellfish, mixing fabrics, trimming out hair and other such things truly specific to Israel. Leviticus 18, for example, begins and ends with encouragements not to do as they do in Egypt and Canaan, and in listing sexual sins never mentions sartorial styles, menu items or how one shaves. That part of the Mosaic Law which remains for us, though not as if we are under it, still provides lessons for living with one another and in a manner pleasing to God. Ignore it at your own peril.
Post a Comment